Lt. Col. Dorman L Duncan

Lt. Col. Dorman L. Duncan, Jr. (U.S. Army Retired) and his wife Billie C. Duncan were inurned at Arlington National Cemetery with full Military Honors at a private family service. Dorm passed away at the age of 95 on November 24, 2022 at their home in Dunedin, Florida. Born in Madison, Wisconsin to Lt. Col. Dorman L. Duncan, Sr. and Marie (Cavanaugh) Duncan, Dorm was a devoted husband and father, U.S. Army World War II veteran, Korean War veteran, Vietnam veteran, law enforcement officer, and educator.

Dorm earned a BS in History from Western Michigan University, a MA in International Relations from the University of Oklahoma, and a BA in Criminal Justice from the University of South Florida. He graduated from the United States Army Command and General Staff College and studied at the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center. He was a member of Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society.

After graduating from high school, Dorm enlisted in the Army in 1945 and served with the occupation force in Germany after VE Day. Following WWII, Dorm served in the Michigan National Guard and attended Western Michigan University where he met his beautiful wife of 72 years, Billie Corinne Chesley. After graduating and marrying Billie, Dorm was commissioned back into the Army and served with the 628th Tank Battalion in Germany. He served assignments ranging from operational support at the Nuremberg trials and as a tank commander before transferring to the newly established Military Intelligence Branch. Dorm served as the Director Curriculum Development at the U.S. Army Intelligence School. He was an Assistant Professor of Military Science at the University of Oklahoma and a guest lecturer at two foreign universities. During the Vietnam war, Dorm commanded the 519th Military Intelligence Battalion. Dorm completed his military service at the Pentagon and the U.S. Army Intelligence Center and School at Fort Huachuca, Arizona.

Dorm was awarded numerous medals, badges, commendations, citations and ribbons during his distinguished military career including the Legion of Merit Medal, the Army Commendation Medal with Oak Leaf Cluster, two Presidential Unit Citations, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, Army General Staff Medal and a Purple Heart. He earned his Purple Heart from a major wound suffered in Vietnam while his men were trapped on a hilltop surrounded by the Viet Cong. Although the ranking commander, Dorm was the first off and last on the helicopters he commandeered to rescue his men during the mission. A lieutenant assigned under him stated, “This is why the men under Dorm would die for him. He was a true leader.”

Following his military career, Dorm graduated from the Florida Police Academy and began a second career in law enforcement, working for the Largo Police Department and the Charlotte County Sheriff's Office. He was also an instructor at the Florida Police Academy.

Dorm and Billie raised a family while moving 19 times, including two foreign postings, before building a home in Dunedin in 1973 following Dorm’s retirement from the Army. In 1985, Dorm and Billie helped their son Scott start and grow Duncan Automotive Center in Oldsmar into a successful business.

Dorm preceded his wife Billie in death who died four short months after his passing. Dorm is remembered with love, respect and appreciation by his daughter Patricia, his sister Virginia, granddaughters Chesley and Marqie, daughter-in-law Margaret, great-grandson Weslyn, nephew James, his many other nieces and nephews and their families, his friends and neighbors. He was preceded in death by his sons Scott and Jeff, brother James and sister Sydney, brothers-in-law Thomas and Lou, and sisters-in-law Marjorie and Colleen.

In keeping with Dorm’s and Billie’s wishes, the family held a private service for them at Arlington National Cemetery. For those who wish, the family suggests memorial contributions to veteran support organizations Building Homes for Heroes or the Fisher House Foundation.

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