Bernard Dollins "B.D." Ladd Jr.

Bernard Dollins "B.D." Ladd Jr., 83, died on June 4, 2016.
He is survived by four daughters, Deborah Jo Ladd of Richmond, Lisa Ladd Labesky and her husband, Andrew, of Cape Elizabeth, Maine, Cynthia Page Cobbs and her husband, James Ludwig, of Richmond and Kathryn Lynn Knauer of Orlando, Florida; grandchildren, Nick Knauer and his wife, Kaitlin, of Würzburg, Germany, Travis Ludwig of Chicago, Jordan Ludwig of San Francisco, Schuyler Knauer of Orlando, Dana and Valerie Ludwig and Rachel and Allison Harvey, all of Richmond; and Owen Labesky of Cape Elizabeth.
He was predeceased by his wife, Laura Hamner Ladd.
B.D. was a native of Mineral and a member of Louisa County High School's Class of 1951. He joined the Virginia National Guard, "The Richmond Howitzers" 442nd Field Artillery Battalion "A" Battery in 1948 at age 16. At age 18, he joined the Navy and served off and on for over 23 years.
He served aboard the USS Tarawa during the Korean War, in Stumpy Point, North Carolina at Stumpy Point Naval Targets and aboard the USS Enterprise at its Commissioning and during the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was then assigned to Attack Squadron VA-86, a fighter bomber group attached to the USS Independence, and served in Vietnam. In December 1970, he was ordered aboard the aircraft carrier USS America CVA-66. He served on the America until 1974 and was with the U.S. forces in the Gulf of Tonkin when the Vietnam War was brought to an end. He retired in 1977 as senior chief aviation boatswains mate.
After the Navy, B.D. spent 20 years as a federal firefighter, serving eight years with the Little Creek Amphibious Base Fire Department and 12 years at Fort A. P. Hill. He also spent several years during his Navy career working on the C & O Railroad, working his way up to brakeman.
His passions included his farm, trains, naval history and restoring antique fire trucks. He had an impressive collection of trucks in which he took great pride and was a regular participant in many annual parade events. His trophy case is filled to overflowing! B.D. was always an animal lover, and in his later years he took pleasure from his beloved pet cats.
A funeral service will be held at Bethpage Christian Church, 4491 Fredericks Hall Road, Mineral, at 2 p.m. on Thursday, June 9. Interment will follow in Spring Grove Cemetery, Mineral.
The family will receive friends from 5 until 8 p.m. on Wednesday, June 8 at the church.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to your local fire department or animal shelter.
Arrangements are being made by Woodward Funeral Home, Louisa.
Online condolences may be offered to the family at www.woodwardfuneral.com