CSM (Ret.) Millard Ball

Command Sergeant Major (CSM) (Ret.) Millard Roger Ball, 89, of Clarksville went quietly with the Lord early Sunday morning, 12 February, 2017.
His family invites their friends to celebrate his life at 1000 hrs (10:00 a.m.), Friday, 17 February, 2017 at the McReynolds-Nave and Larson Funeral Home Chapel and interment at the Kentucky Veterans Cemetery West with Full Military Honors. Visitation is Thursday, 16 February, 2017 from 4-7:30 followed by a Masonic Service and one hour before the ceremony on Friday.
“MR” Ball was born on 23 October, 1927 in Paris, Missouri to the late George Dewey and Venus Cleary Ball. From an early age he enjoyed basketball and baseball and loved to listen to the St. Louis Cardinals baseball games on the radio. He joined the Merchant Marine at 17-years-old. Upon graduating High School and Maritime Service Training, Sheepshead Bay, New York, saw duty in the Caribbean Sea Area of Operations until his discharge in 1946. Soon after he left the Merchant Marine, he joined the United States Army, completed Basic and Infantry Training at Fort Polk, Louisiana and departed the United States to serve in the Occupation of Japan. While stationed in Japan, CSM Ball, performed a wide array of duties, including guarding the Imperial Palace in Tokyo with soldiers from Australia and India before joining the 187th Airborne (ABN) Regimental Combat Team (RCT) and earning both his glider and basic parachutists qualifications in 1949.
In 1949, the 187th ABN RCT’s return to Fort Campbell Kentucky, was short as it redeployed back to Japan and eventually entered the Korean War on or about September, 1950. CSM Ball was one of the first paratroopers to air land at Kimpo Airfield and participated in various combat actions to include an Airborne Combat Jump at Sukchon, North Korea in October, 1950 and another Airborne Combat Jump at Munsan-ni in March, 1951. After completing his Korean tour, CSM Ball returned to Fort Campbell Kentucky serving with the 188th Airborne Infantry Regiment before holding progressive assignments to include: Military Advisory Group, Taiwan; 505th Parachute Infantry Regiment, Fort Bragg, North Carolina; 11th Airborne Division, Augsburg, Germany; 1st Airborne Battle Group and Military Assistance Group Yugoslavia; where he met his lovely wife, Ljiljana.
Ljiljana and Millard where married on 21 July, 1962, in Belgrade, Serbia. Soon after their marriage, they departed Yugoslavia for an assignment at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, where their daughter and son where born. In the summer of 1965, CSM Ball deployed with the 1st Brigade, 101st ABN Division to the Republic of Vietnam until the summer of 1966. Upon completion of this combat assignment, CSM Ball completed highly successful tours at Headquarters, 5th Army, Frankfurt Germany; 8th Army, Seoul Korea; and Advisor to both the Hawaii and Alabama National Guard. Millard Ball, retired from the U.S. Army in June, 1976 with the rank of Command Sergeant Major. CSM (Ret.) Ball continued to serve as a Government Service worker until finally retiring after 45 years of service in 1991.
In retirement, Millard remained extremely active in the 187th, 11th Airborne, and 101st Airborne Associations to build the bonds between yesterdays and todays warriors, along with championing several efforts to improve veterans lives in the local area. Additionally, Millard earned the title of 187th Honorary Regimental Sergeant Major and Distinguished Member of the Regiment.
Millard and Lili loved to travel and attended 35, 187th ABN Association reunions, as well as, numerous trips to Hawaii, Alaska, and Okinawa, Japan, making friends from all over the world. He loved his grandchildren, “Rakkassan-in”, his friends and neighbors and watching Tennessee play football.
CSM Ball holds numerous awards and decorations to include the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, Meritorious Unit Citation, Bronze Star Medal, Defense Meritorious Service Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters, Army Commendation Medal with three Oak Leaf Clusters, Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal for Korea, Lebanon, and Vietnam, Master Parachutist Badge, Combat Infantryman’s Badge with 2nd Award, and Vietnamese Master Parachutist Badge.
Millard is preceded in death by his sisters Rebecca Mildred McCraw, Hazel Irene McCullough and his brothers George Thomas Ball and Kenneth Andrew Ball.
He is survived by his wife of 54 years, Ljiljana Ball; his daughter, Sandra Ball Finney and husband, John, of Culleoka, Tennessee; his son, LTC (Ret.) Robert D. Ball and wife, Gayvin, of Southern Pines, North Carolina; his granddaughters, Lili Katherine and Larkin Cleary Finney; step-grandson, Jackson Flynn O’Keady; and sister, Katherine Young of Centrailia, Missouri.
He loved the Lord, his family, the U.S. Army and was a great husband, father, and friend. We are all so very thankful to God for having Millard in our lives.
In lieu of flowers, please make memorial contributions to the Fisher House (fisherhouse.org or 888-294-8560).