Major General Oliver W. Dillard VA Clinic Formally Dedicated in Canton
PRESS RELEASE
May 8, 2023
Ann Arbor , MI — The new VA outpatient clinic in Canton on Friday was formally dedicated to Major General Oliver W. Dillard. MG Dillard was drafted into the Army in 1945 and served for three decades until his retirement in 1980. Major General Dillard resided in Canton until his death in 2015.
“We're honored to be able to dedicate this beautiful clinic and name it after a true American hero,” said VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System Director Dr. Ginny Creasman. “MG Dillard's legacy, the soldiers he served with, and those that will follow the path trailblazed by him will live on in this space that serves and provides care for our Veterans for decades.”
U.S. Representative Debbie Dingell, Canton Township Supervisor Anne Marie Graham-Hudak, and Buffalo Soldiers Motorcycle Club and Troops of Michigan President Frederick “Smooth Daddy” Williams delivered remarks at the ceremony.
Congresswoman Dingell, along with Congresswoman Haley Stevens, introduced and passed legislation that renamed the clinic after MG Dillard in November 2022. That legislation was cosponsored by the entire Michigan House delegation, supported by U.S. Senators Debbie Stabenow and Gary Peters, and endorsed by Veteran of Foreign Wars Department of Michigan, the Disabled American Veterans Department of Michigan, and the American Legion Department of Michigan.
Major General Dillard was the fifth Black officer in Army history to earn the rank of Brigadier General, the first Black officer to attend the National War College, and the first Black Intelligence general officer. He served in WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. His awards include the Distinguished Service Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), the Silver Star, the Legion of Merit (2 Oak Leaf Clusters), Bronze Star (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), Air Medal, Army Commendation Medal (1 Oak Leaf Cluster), and the Purple Heart.
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