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IN MEMORIAM This month is the anniversary of these Classmates joining the Ghostly Assemblage in the Long Gray Line |
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Click on underlined names
to go their Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Recollections from
the Ladies of the
Class of 1961
60thth Reunion
27 Jan - 1 Feb 2022
55th Reunion
13-18 May 2016
50th Reunion
14-18 May 2011
Class of 2011 Affiliation Program
45th Reunion
28 Sep - 1 Oct 2006
40th Reunion
4 - 7 Oct 2001
Cadet Days
Welcome to the
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Click here for Latest Class Notes
(2//10/2022) |
Upcoming Class ActivitiesFor more information or to add an event, contact
Ed Brown or
Sam Weiss. |
Donald A. Dreesbach
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify of the death of our classmate, Don Dreesbach, on May 11, 2022 in Orlando, FL of natural causes. Don is survived by his wife, Cathy; their son Scott and his wife Amy; their daughter Tracy Dillon and her husband Mark; and grandchildren Connor Dreesbach, Tristan Anstadt, Hunter Anstadt, Madison Anstadt, Griffin Dreesbach, and Olivia Anstadt. Funeral services will be at West Point on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Cathy at 8741 Hildreth Avenue. Orlando, FL 32832. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Don may be sent to the charity of your choice. Well done, Don, Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Don's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
A-2’s Grand Re-Opening of Company ActivitiesShortly before his passing which saddened us all, Jack Zimmerman [1939-2021] with his typical concern for his A-2 family, wanted our Class to learn of A-2’s grand re-opening of their Company activities. In some ways the words that follow may now be read as Jack’s farewell posting.
Photo: Mary Frances & Hank Kenny; Sandy & Jack Zimmerman; Thomas Jefferson; Sue & Paul Devries; Bobbie& Jim Blesse Jack’s report: Our A-2 Company ’mates rose to the occasion to gather for another of its now traditional style mini-reunions. The venue was the highly regarded Wintergreen resort high in the mountains of central Virginia, and by coincidence very reminiscent of the locale for earlier A-2 minis we held at Ellie & John Skillman’s [1939-2014] mountain retreat near Roanoke. Bobbie & Jim Blesse carried out the top-notch planning, allowing for an easy and wonderful five days. For more detail read full account of their mini-reunion. |
The 2021 Commander’s Classic was the first
college football game at Globe Life Field. It featured the Army-Air Force
football game, with Air Force as the home team. The Grannemann family hosted a
’61 group for the game. Army won the close game in overtime.
Time to Focus on Preparing Memorial Articles for the 2023 TAPSNow that the suspense for the 2022 edition of TAPS has passed, it is time focus on preparing memorial articles for the 2023 edition. As of today, memorial articles have been published for 115 of our 227 deceased graduate classmates. Attached is the list of the 112 without articles. The suspense for submission of articles for the 2023 edition of TAPS is 28 February 2023. If you would like to write a memorial article, please review the Guidelines for Writers of Memorial Articles. Note that the article’s author is required to obtain the next of kin’s written approval of the article. Without approval, the article cannot be published. However, if no relatives are found after a reasonable, good faith search, the author may obtain approval from the graduate’s class president. I have next-of-kin contact information for 97 of the 112. You could also write your own memorial article to save the burden on your survivors. At a minimum, you should complete the Autobiographical Data in Support of Future Memorial Articles and send it to the AOG to assist the person who will write your memorial article. This is a list of our Classmates that do not yet have a published TAPS article. |
Howard D. Himes
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Dale is survived by his daughters, Jennifer Natanzon and her partner, Larry Lagrosa, Rebecca Himes, and Lash Himes and her husband, Jeff Hull; granddaughter, Saylor Emory Hull, and grandson, Marson Everlee Blue Hull. Funeral services will be at the West Point Cemetery on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Lash Himes, 280 Euclid Avenue, Oakland, CA 94610. In lieu of flowers, donations in Dale’s memory may be sent to the George Mark Children's House, 2121 George Mark Lane, San Leandro, CA 94578. Well done, Dale. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Dale's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
It is with great regret and sorrow that I must inform you of the death of our
Classmate, Dale Himes, on February 26, 2022 in Saylorsburg, PA. He died
peacefully at home.
'61 Well Attended Founders Day Dinner at Heritage Hunt Golf and Country Club
Class of 1961 really showed up for Founders Day Dinner 13 March 2022 at Heritage Hunt Golf and Country Club in Gainesville, VA. Attending were: Paul/Sue DeVries; Ken/Rachel Meissner; Bob/Gale McConnell: Bob/Dawn Glass; Cy/Nancy Shearer; Gene/Sharon Goodell; Russ/Marie Phelps; George/Karen Joulwan; George/Michelle Kopcsak; Trish Buckner; Hank/Mary Frances Kenny; Will/Kathy Conley; Barney/Denise Legge; Todd Millie Counts; Judy Kremer; Jim/Bobbie Blessé: Mike/Chan Eiland |
Robert A. Burns
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Bob Burns, on 25 February 2022 in Evans, GA. Bob is survived by his wife, Nancy. Burial will be at Fort Jackson National Cemetery, 4170 Percival Rd, Columbia, SC 29229 on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Nancy at 4275 Owens Rd, Apt 17, Evans, GA 30809. Well done, Bob. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Bob's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Gerald A. Vick
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Jerry Vick, on February 20, 2022, in Arlington, VA. Jerry is survived by his daughter Elizabeth ‘Topper’ Bruno and her husband John Bruno; daughter Marjorie Ashton and her husband Augustus ‘Skip’ Ashton III; his grandchildren, Captain Augustus T. Ashton IV, William Ashton and his wife Meredith and great granddaughter Hadleigh, Elizabeth ‘Ivy’ Kabbani, Catherine Kabbani, Ensign Jonathan Ashton, Mary Beth Ashton, and Caitlin Ashton and her wife Emily Richards Ashton. Jerry was preceded in death by his wife Beth and granddaughter Abigail Ashton. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Elizabeth at 15401 Windmill Pointe Drive, Grosse Pointe Park, MI 48230. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jerry's memory may be sent to Army Emergency Relief, 2530 Crystal Drive, Suite 13161, Arlington, VA 22202-9936. Well done, Jerry. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Jerry's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Travis N. Dyer
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Rusty is survived by his wife, Donna; their daughters, Andrea Gwynne and her husband, John, and Cheryl Maiella and her husband, Joe; and their grandchildren, Mark Salcedo, Travis Gwynne, and Megan Maiella. A public graveside service with full military honors will be held at Fort Bliss Cemetery February 3rd at 1:30 pm. His service will be streamed from Getz Funeral Home website. Condolences may be sent to Donna at 1902 Lone Tree Lane, Las Cruces, NM 88011-4075. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Rusty may be made sent to International Myeloma Foundation Headquarters, 4400 Coldwater Canyon Ave., Suite 300, Studio City, CA 91604. Well done, Rusty. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Rusty's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
Classmate, Rusty Dyer, on January 20, 2022, in Las Cruces, NM.
Robert E. McCarthy, Jr. |
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Bob is survived by his wife, Bobbie; their children, Robert and his wife Mary, Patricia Colby and her husband Peter, and Allen and his wife Diane; their grandchildren, Stephen, Alexandra, Lauren, Abby, Steph, Bobby, Maeve, Coleman, Mary Kate, and Conor.
Visitation is from 4-7 PM, January 20, 2022, at Chapman Funerals and Cremations, 35 Spring Street, East Bridgewater. MA 02333.
A Funeral Mass will be held at 11:30 AM, January 21, 2022, at Saint John the Evangelist, 210 Central Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333.
Burial will follow at East Bridgewater Central Cemetery, 153 Central Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333.
Condolences may be sent to Bobbie at 570 Bridge Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333-2111.
In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Bob may be made to Kiwanis Club of East Bridgewater, PO Box 261, East Bridgewater, MA 02333 or American Legion Post 91, 175 Central Street, East Bridgewater, MA 02333.
Well done, Bob. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Bobs Last Roll Call Tribute. |
It
is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, Bob McCarthy, on January 15, 2022, in East Bridgewater, MA, after a
short battle with vascular dementia.
Frank C. RauchCompany F-116 Apr 1938- 31 Dec 2021Place of Death: Venice, FLInterment: Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined |
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Frank is survived by his wife, Joan; his daughters, Nina Holton and Lesley Stover and her husband, Sean; and his grandchildren, Zoe Holton, Amelie Holton, Trace Stover, and Cole Stover. There will be a memorial service for Frank Rauch at 11 AM on April 8, 2022 at Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 790 S Tamiami Trial, Venice,FL 34285. Burial will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Joan at 130 Sunaire Terrace, Nokomis, FL 34275-2544. In lieu of flowers, donations in Frank’s memory may be sent to Tunnel to Towers Foundation, 2361 Hylan Boulevard, Staten Island, NY 10306 or Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County by sending a check to Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust, 1843 Floyd Street, Sarasota, FL 34239 (make check payable to The Louis & Gloria Flanzer Philanthropic Trust and put “Habitat for Humanity South Sarasota County” in the memo line on the check). Well done, Frank. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Frank's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
It
is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
Classmate, Frank Rauch, on 31 December, 2021, at Tidewell Hospice Center,
Venice, FL after a long battle with cancer.
Emmanuel J. Scivoletto
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Manny Scivoletto, on 26 December 2021, in Reno, NV. Manny is survived by his wife Kay; their sons, Kris and his wife, Emily, and John and his wife, Claire; and their grandchildren Nicholas, Morgan, and Mattie. Manny’s remains were cremated and will be interred in Nevada at a later time. Condolences may be sent to Kay at 5735 Lone Horse Drive, Reno, NV 89502-9001. In lieu of flowers, donations in Manny’s memory may be sent to Veterans Guest House, 880 Locust Street, Reno NV 89502. Well done, Manny. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Manny's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
John B. Zimmerman
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Jack Zimmerman, on 12 November, 2021, in Vestavia Hills, AL, as a result of an acute pulmonary embolism. Jack is survived by his wife, Sandy; his daughters, Julie Hohl and her husband, Kurt, and Jill Meyer; his son, Jeffrey and his wife, Kelly; his grandchildren, Christian Hohl, Carter Hohl, Cameron Hohl, Connor Hohl, Charlotte Meyer, Mackenzie Meyer, Jillian Zimmerman, and Khloe Zimmerman; and Sandy’s family. Jack was predeceased by his wife, Joan, on 23 June 2008. Visitation will be 1-3 PM and 4-6 PM, Saturday, 4 December 2021 at Fairfax Memorial Funeral Home, 9902 Braddock Road, Fairfax, VA 22032. A Celebration
of Life service will be at 2 PM, Sunday, 5 December 2021 at Lord of Life
Lutheran Church, 5114 Twinbrook Road, Fairfax, VA 22032. A reception will
follow at the church. The service will also be live streamed on the church
website, The funeral service will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Sandy at 1582 Panorama Drive, Vestavia Hills, AL 35216-3335, and to Jack’s children, Julie, Jill and Jeffrey, at Jack's home, 5206 Tamar Woods Court, Fairfax, VA 22032. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jack’s memory may be made to the Shepherd’s Center of Fairfax-Burke, 4019 Olley Lane, Fairfax, VA 22032 or online at http://scfbva.org. Well done, Jack. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Jack's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Harmon R. Parmele
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Bob Parmele on 9 November 2021, in Woodinville, WA from a sudden heart attack. Bob leaves no survivors. He was predeceased by his wife, Cheryl. Bob will be buried at East Bloomfield Cemetery, Bloomfield, NY, at a date to be determined. Well done, Bob. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Bob's Last Roll Call Tribute |
Benjaman C. Glidden
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Ben Glidden, on January 21, 2021 in Wichita, KS. Ben is survived by his wife, Kathy; their daughter, Heather Sturtz, and her husband, Jet; their son, Lance, and his wife, Jaci; their daughter, Hope Hartman, and her husband, Wink; 10 grandchildren; and 4 great-grandchildren. Ben was buried at Star Township Cemetery, Alba, MI. Condolences may be sent to Kathy at c/o Heather Sturtz, 7102 Laketree Drive, Fairfax Station, VA 22039. Donations in Ben’s memory may be sent to the Ben Glidden Memorial Fund, Community Partnership for Child Development (CPCD), 2330 Robinson Street, Colorado Springs, CO 80904.
Well done, Ben. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Ben's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
The Anderson Athletic Center Officially Opened 22 Oct 2021
The West Point Association of Graduates and the Army West Point Athletic Association held a ribbon-cutting ceremony for the Anderson Athletic Center on October 22, 2021, at West Point. The ribbon-cutting participates were LTC (R) Mark West ’91, Head Sprint Football Coach; Cheryl Milligan, Head Softball Coach; LTG Darryl A. Williams ‘83 60th Superintendent, USMA; Mike Buddie, Army West Point Athletics Director; Lee Anderson ’61 and Penny Anderson; Todd A. Browne ‘85 President and CEO, WPAOG. The three-floor, 21,000-square-foot athletic facility was made possible by the generosity of lead donors Lee Anderson '61 and his wife, Penny, as well as key donors John Drew ’78, Vaughn Vasconcellos ’78, William Sandbrook ’79, and William Spurgeon ’81, his wife, Diane, and the Class of 1981. Click here for more details and pictures. |
GEN Crosbie E. Saint Equestrian Center Opens with Hines Arena
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Howard W. Randall
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Howard “Buzz” Randall, on 7 October 2021, in Clermont, FL, due to a malignant brain tumor. Howard is survived by his wife, Michele Gottlieb. Howard will be buried at Florida National Cemetery, Bushnell, FL, on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Michele at 2108 St. Ives Court, Clermont, FL 34711-6980. In lieu of flowers, donations in Howard's memory may be sent to the charity of your choice. Well done, Buzz. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Buzz's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Michael Eggleston Publishes “Fire on the Water, The General Slocum Disaster”
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Michael Eggleston has published the new book, Fire on the Water, The General Slocum Disaster.
Over a thousand people died in less than ten minutes when the Paddle Steamer
General Slocum caught fire in the East River of New York City. This history
tells the story of the disaster, minute by minute from the time the fire started
until the Slocum was beached on North Brother Island in the East River.
The consequences of the disaster are explained. This was the deadliest inland
maritime disaster in New York history and nationally it is second only to the
Civil War incident, the Sultana. This book is organized to tell the story
of the disaster followed by the immediate aftermath in terms of the impact on
survivors and lastly the causes and consequences for those at fault. One report
included in this history stands out among other references. The government
established a commission to investigate the General Slocum disaster. The
result of commission hearings produced findings and recommendations that were
sent to President Theodore Roosevelt. He, in turn, issued directives designed to
prevent such a tragedy from happening, again. This was all done in record time
but one should bear in mind that 1904 was an election year and Roosevelt needed
to demonstrate decisive action. Theodore Roosevelt won reelection to the
Presidency. The reader will find in this history 70 maps, sketches and
photographs that help understand the events and the people that influenced them.
Michie Stadium Preservation Project Spotlight: Class of 1961
A $5 million gift has been anonymously awarded to the Michie Stadium Preservation Project in honor of the United States Military Academy Class of 1961, providing substantial momentum to the most ambitious gift-funded construction project in the history of the Academy. Since its official launch last month, West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) and Army West Point Athletics Association (AWPAA) have raised a significant amount of the proposed $95 million that will support the Academy’s vision to reconstruct the East Stands of Michie Stadium. “This has been a great week for the Michie Stadium Preservation Project,” Director of Athletics Mike Buddie said. “We have been so fortunate to receive the support that we have from our community in the short time since we launched this effort. It’s been really exciting to see our people come together to support Michie Stadium and help us as we push to establish it as one of the finest facilities that college athletics has to offer.” Michie Stadium, built in 1924, has become a West Point icon and serves as the gateway to the Academy for many Americans. Whether seen on a nationally televised game or experienced in- person, Michie Stadium is an established avenue for visitors to engage with, learn about and immerse themselves in West Point culture. The proposed reconstruction of the East Stands has integrated cadet feedback into the reimagination process to reflect the Corps’ ideals of “Duty, Honor, Country”. The upgrades, which include all-new premium areas for guests with the addition of suite, loge, ledge and club- level seating, will put into action what has already been established as one of the Superintendent’s top priorities at the Academy. See more about the Michie Stadium Preservation Project. |
New Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 Feature HereLadies and Gentlemen of the Class of 1961: What you may how read in our Class Website are responses to a pursuit in the making over the past few years. Aided by several of our ‘mates and Ladies, we now will include the Recollections from the Ladies or click on the Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 tab in the left column of this page. |
AOG Announces The Rockbound Highland Home Program Welcoming Grads Home
Most alumni love to visit their alma maters, and West Point graduates are certainly no exception. However, because the Academy is on an active-duty Army post, gaining access and touring West Point present unique challenges. To enhance services for the Long Gray Line, the West Point Association of Graduates has launched The Rockbound Highland Home Program, a new program ensuring that every graduate coming back home to the Academy is welcomed in the special way that family should be. The Rockbound Highland Home Program was created exclusively for USMA graduates and is designed to assist you in navigating post security procedures, offer special access to select MWR (Morale, Welfare, and Recreation) facilities and services, and provide “insider” tours for you and your guests. For information on how to support the Rockbound Highland Home Program and other WPAOG initiatives, click here.
For more information on each aspect of this program, please
click below or contact: |
Who
says you can’t go home again? For 47 months, West Point was
your home—through Beast Barracks, Mess Hall meals, clubs and team experiences,
competitions on the fields of friendly strife, the Indoor Obstacle Course,
graduation, and even the gloom period.
Should You Be Enrolled Into The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Consider
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, located in New Windsor NY, commemorates Purple Heart recipients through its Roll of Honor, a database of Purple Heart recipients representing all wars for which the award has been available. All enrollments are done voluntarily and are made by recipients, their families or friends. There is no comprehensive list of recipients maintained by the US Government. The Roll of Honor is viewable both in the Hall of Honor and on-line. The version that is viewable in the Hall allows for a total of six screens per recipient. Profiles can contain pictures as well as written narratives of the experience of the recipient. The on-line version is an abbreviated, single page commemoration for each recipient and can be viewed from any computer via the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website, www.thepurpleheart.com According to information gathered from the 2010 Register of Graduates and the 50th Anniversary Yearbook questionnaires, at least 50 classmates have received 64 awards of the Purple Heart. I have compared this information with that on the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website and believe that only 5 classmates are included in the current Roll of Honor. If you are a Purple Heart recipient, I encourage you to complete and submit the necessary enrollment information that can be found at www.thepurpleheart.com/enrollment. |
50th Reunion Class Gift Presentation Given to the Center for Oral History
Established in Spring 2005 and supported by leadership funding from the Francis Sehn Family and the Class of 1961 and Class of 1967. During the Class of 1961 50th Reunion in 2011 the Center for Oral History was presented a gift of $1,000,000. Visit the COH website to watch some remarkable videos. |
The West Point Center for Oral History is dedicated to
archiving the story of the American soldier, in both war and peace. It will
record the professional experiences of West Point graduates and other
accomplished soldiers, along with others who have had a prominent role in
shaping history, such as former Secretaries of Defense and State, Congressmen,
and Senators.
40th Reunion Class Gift of Reconciliation Plaza at West Point Described on Web Site
Click here for pictures of Reconciliation Plaza. |
The Historical Marker Database is a web site providing information about many national monuments. Reconciliation Plaza, our Class Gift to West Point, is described in great detail.
The web site is well worth viewing at:
June Week 1961 and Related Activities from July 1961 Assembly Now Available Online
The USMA Library Archives office is putting ASSEMBLY Magazine and various other historical reports on a web site that allows you to access and download articles and information. Copies of ASSEMBLY from 1942-1993 are currently available. Click here for the archived issues of Assembly Click here for the Summer 1961 issue. You will find it very interesting. There may be a problem for some as the huge file is 72MB. |
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In Remembrance: Classmates can send their remembrances, comments, pictures to Sam Weiss and they will be edited for inclusion with the Last Roll Call Tribute for that person. Current Profiles In order to create a “Current Profile” for every member of the class, graduates and former members of 1961, we
need your input. If you are interested in participating, email your “vita” information to Sam Weiss
with photos in "jpg" format, if you can. If your profile is already online, check to make sure it is up-to-date and send us any changes or additions. Prior
In order to keep this page more current with items of interest to the Class, after a reasonable length of time items will be moved to the PRIOR FEATURES Page (click here to go to them). |
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If you have any announcements of interest to other Classmates, comments, questions, or suggestions, please e-mail them to Sam Weiss. Number of times this page has been accessed since 1/01/2020
DISCLAIMER: This private organization is a non-Federal entity organized by graduates of the United States Military Academy. Non-Federal entities may not be endorsed by the United States Army or the Department of Defense. As such, the views of this private organization are not to be considered as the official views of the United States Military Academy. |
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WEST POINT Long ago when this Country was new
We must find a place where young men can be
West Point was chosen as the place
They were taught to serve, and only then
Duty, Honor, Country for all time
By Joan Seibert
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