Douglas Edward Pond

Click here to view service

Chaplain (LTC) Douglas Edward Pond, US Army (Ret)

Douglas Edward Pond passed away Oct. 12, 2024, at the age of 90, having served his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ for 74 years. He is most remembered for his laughter, his wisdom, his lifelong steadfast manner, and his peaceful countenance during times of trouble. Whether in a war zone or a chapel, his kind heart and ready laughter put people at ease and calmed hearts as he shared his enduring faith and joy in the Lord.

His family adored and valued him. His troops honored and respected him. As his son Jack described him, “He was widely admired as a man of God, a Chaplain, and a soldier in combat who led from the altar in the field.” When not on the battlefield, he was often found on the playground delighting his grandchildren with his fabulous stories.

He loved working with his hands in many artistic endeavors and staying busy as evidenced by his boundless energy and activities. He was an avid runner for decades until he turned 80. His heart of God and wise counsel drew both family and strangers to him.

Doug was born March 1, 1934, the eighth of eleven children of Amie and Lee J. Pond, at Bryson, Texas. He accepted Jesus Christ as his Lord and Savior when he was 16 and on this same occasion, he heard the Lord calling him to be an Army Chaplain. He served God faithfully the rest of his life.

He was the first child of Lee and Amie to receive his high school diploma which he did at O’donnell, Texas. He worked his way through Hardin-Simmons University in Abilene, Texas, as his parents were unable to help financially. He married his college sweetheart Nancy Stewart on May 27, 1955. She stood faithfully by his side in marriage and service for our Lord for 69 years.

After graduating from Hardin-Simmons earning a Bachelor of Science in 1956, Doug received an Army Reserves Artillery commission at Fort Hood, Texas, with the long-term goal of joining the Army Chaplaincy. The Ponds moved to Fort Worth where Doug received his Master’s of Divinity from Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary after three years, during which he worked fulltime for Mrs. Baird's Bread. Later in life he earned a Master’s in Counseling from Long Island University, NY.

Following his seminary graduation in 1959, Doug and Nancy moved to pastor the Locust Grove Baptist Church outside of Canadian, Texas. They and their two oldest children moved from there to pastor the First Baptist Church of Follett, Texas, where their two youngest children were born. They then moved to the First Baptist Church in Cactus, Texas, where word came that the Southern Baptist Convention was requesting Army Chaplains to serve in Vietnam.

After eight years in the Army Reserves, Doug moved to active duty for another 28 years. Chaplain Pond served in Vietnam 1968-1969, where he received several awards, among them three Bronze Stars and the Air Medal. After Vietnam, Doug went to Ft. Benning, GA and attended Airborne, Jumpmaster, and Ranger Schools. He served as both the Airborne School Chaplain and then became the first Chaplain ever assigned to the staff of the Ranger Department and the first Chaplain to wear the Ranger Black Beret.

As a battalion chaplain in Vietnam, he frequently caught helicopter rides to each of the forward operating bases of his five companies to offer counseling and church services on the front lines. Caught in numerous firefights and surviving a Chinook helicopter being shot down, he sustained multiple concussions while serving his men. In appreciation of his service and dedication to them, his troops built several chapels for Chaplain Pond to hold services in Vietnam.

After being assigned to Fort Benning, Georgia, Doug earned his Paratrooper, Jumpmaster, and Ranger badges. At the time, he was reported to be the first chaplain since WWII to complete both Airborne and Ranger training. He said he pursued this training to earn the respect of his troops – his men– so they would be more open to his counsel and his ministry of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Chaplain Pond also served a year in Korea as well as other assignments including Fort Bliss, Fort Hood, the Chaplains School, and NATO’s Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe in Belgium, before his retirement from Fort Sam Houston, Texas, in 1995. After retirement, he continued to serve as a volunteer chaplain at the Brook Army Medical Center in San Antonio for 20 years.

While at Fort Sam, the Ponds built their first permanent home in Bulverde, Texas, and lived there for 23 years, before his failing health made it necessary to move closer to family in Temple, Texas. They are members of Taylor's Valley Baptist Church.

He is survived by his wife, Nancy Pond of Temple, Texas; two sons, Jack Douglas Pond (Susan) of Downingtown, Pennsylvania; and Randall Stewart Pond (Barbara) of Fountain, Colorado; two daughters, Sharon Lynn Hollon (Brian) of Frisco, Texas; and Amy Elizabeth Carr (Paul) of Temple, Texas; three sisters to whom he was affectionately known as Buster, Dorothy Olds and Lois Anderson, both of Arlington, Texas, and Johnnie Skaggs of Glendale, Ariz.

They have been blessed with nine grandchildren and eight great-grandchildren.

In Doug’s words “The Lord has allowed you here for a specific purpose and by His power and strength you will be able to do what He has prepared for you and He will complete it through you.”

Visitation will be at 10 a.m. followed by services at 11 a.m. Tuesday Oct. 22 at Taylor’s Valley Baptist Church in Temple. A military burial will be at 2 p.m. at the Central Texas State Veterans Cemetery in Killeen.

The family wants to express their gratefulness to Right At Home, Canyon Creek Memory Care, Amedisys Hospice, and the geriatric department at the Temple VA Hospital for their tremendous kindness, care and service to Doug.

In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Texans on Mission, Samaritan’s Purse, or Taylor’s Valley Baptist Church Building Fund.