Posted on Jul 4, 2019
History of West Point | United States Military Academy West Point
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On July 4, 1802, the United State Military Academy opened its doors at West Point, New York, welcoming the first 10 cadets. From the article:
"History of West Point | United States Military Academy West Point
A Brief History of West Point
West Point's role in our nation's history dates back to the Revolutionary War, when both sides realized the strategic importance of the commanding plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River. General George Washington considered West Point to be the most important strategic position in America. Washington personally selected Thaddeus Kosciuszko, one of the heroes of Saratoga, to design the fortifications for West Point in 1778, and Washington transferred his headquarters to West Point in 1779. Continental soldiers built forts, batteries and redoubts and extended a 150-ton iron chain across the Hudson to control river traffic. Fortress West Point was never captured by the British, despite Benedict Arnold's treason. West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in America.
Several soldiers and legislators, including Washington, Knox, Hamilton and John Adams, desiring to eliminate America's wartime reliance on foreign engineers and artillerists, urged the creation of an institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare.
President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing the United States Military Academy in 1802. He took this action after ensuring that those attending the Academy would be representative of a democratic society.
Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, the "father of the Military Academy," served as Superintendent from 1817 to 1833. He upgraded academic standards, instilled military discipline and emphasized honorable conduct. Aware of our young nation's need for engineers, Thayer made civil engineering the foundation of the curriculum. For the first half century, USMA graduates were largely responsible for the construction of the bulk of the nation's initial railway lines, bridges, harbors and roads.
After gaining experience and national recognition during the Mexican and Indian wars, West Point graduates dominated the highest ranks on both sides during the Civil War. Academy graduates, headed by generals such as Grant, Lee, Sherman and Jackson, set high standards of military leadership for both the North and South.
The development of other technical schools in the post-Civil War period allowed West Point to broaden its curriculum beyond a strict civil engineering focus. Following the creation of Army post-graduate command and staff schools, the Military Academy came to be viewed as the first step in a continuing Army education.
In World War I, Academy graduates again distinguished themselves on the battlefield. After the war, Superintendent Douglas MacArthur sought to diversify the academic curriculum. In recognition of the intense physical demands of modern warfare, MacArthur pushed for major changes in the physical fitness and intramural athletic programs. "Every cadet an athlete" became an important goal. Additionally, the cadet management of the Honor System, long an unofficial tradition, was formalized with the creation of the Cadet Honor Committee.
Eisenhower, MacArthur, Bradley, Arnold, Clark, Patton, Stilwell and Wainwright were among an impressive array of Academy graduates who met the challenge of leadership in the Second World War. The postwar period again saw sweeping revisions to the West Point curriculum resulting from the dramatic developments in science and technology, the increasing need to understand other cultures and the rising level of general education in the Army.
In 1964, President Johnson signed legislation increasing the strength of the Corps of Cadets from 2,529 to 4,417 (more recently reduced to 4,000). To keep up with the growth of the Corps, a major expansion of facilities began shortly thereafter.
Another significant development at West Point came when enrollment was opened to women in 1976. Sixty-two women graduated in the class of 1980, to include Andrea Hollen, Rhodes Scholar. Just as women are a vital and integral part of the U.S. Army, so they are at West Point.
In recent decades, the Academy's curricular structure was markedly changed to permit cadets to major in any one of more than a dozen fields, including a wide range of subjects from the sciences to the humanities."
"History of West Point | United States Military Academy West Point
A Brief History of West Point
West Point's role in our nation's history dates back to the Revolutionary War, when both sides realized the strategic importance of the commanding plateau on the west bank of the Hudson River. General George Washington considered West Point to be the most important strategic position in America. Washington personally selected Thaddeus Kosciuszko, one of the heroes of Saratoga, to design the fortifications for West Point in 1778, and Washington transferred his headquarters to West Point in 1779. Continental soldiers built forts, batteries and redoubts and extended a 150-ton iron chain across the Hudson to control river traffic. Fortress West Point was never captured by the British, despite Benedict Arnold's treason. West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in America.
Several soldiers and legislators, including Washington, Knox, Hamilton and John Adams, desiring to eliminate America's wartime reliance on foreign engineers and artillerists, urged the creation of an institution devoted to the arts and sciences of warfare.
President Thomas Jefferson signed legislation establishing the United States Military Academy in 1802. He took this action after ensuring that those attending the Academy would be representative of a democratic society.
Colonel Sylvanus Thayer, the "father of the Military Academy," served as Superintendent from 1817 to 1833. He upgraded academic standards, instilled military discipline and emphasized honorable conduct. Aware of our young nation's need for engineers, Thayer made civil engineering the foundation of the curriculum. For the first half century, USMA graduates were largely responsible for the construction of the bulk of the nation's initial railway lines, bridges, harbors and roads.
After gaining experience and national recognition during the Mexican and Indian wars, West Point graduates dominated the highest ranks on both sides during the Civil War. Academy graduates, headed by generals such as Grant, Lee, Sherman and Jackson, set high standards of military leadership for both the North and South.
The development of other technical schools in the post-Civil War period allowed West Point to broaden its curriculum beyond a strict civil engineering focus. Following the creation of Army post-graduate command and staff schools, the Military Academy came to be viewed as the first step in a continuing Army education.
In World War I, Academy graduates again distinguished themselves on the battlefield. After the war, Superintendent Douglas MacArthur sought to diversify the academic curriculum. In recognition of the intense physical demands of modern warfare, MacArthur pushed for major changes in the physical fitness and intramural athletic programs. "Every cadet an athlete" became an important goal. Additionally, the cadet management of the Honor System, long an unofficial tradition, was formalized with the creation of the Cadet Honor Committee.
Eisenhower, MacArthur, Bradley, Arnold, Clark, Patton, Stilwell and Wainwright were among an impressive array of Academy graduates who met the challenge of leadership in the Second World War. The postwar period again saw sweeping revisions to the West Point curriculum resulting from the dramatic developments in science and technology, the increasing need to understand other cultures and the rising level of general education in the Army.
In 1964, President Johnson signed legislation increasing the strength of the Corps of Cadets from 2,529 to 4,417 (more recently reduced to 4,000). To keep up with the growth of the Corps, a major expansion of facilities began shortly thereafter.
Another significant development at West Point came when enrollment was opened to women in 1976. Sixty-two women graduated in the class of 1980, to include Andrea Hollen, Rhodes Scholar. Just as women are a vital and integral part of the U.S. Army, so they are at West Point.
In recent decades, the Academy's curricular structure was markedly changed to permit cadets to major in any one of more than a dozen fields, including a wide range of subjects from the sciences to the humanities."
History of West Point | United States Military Academy West Point
Posted from westpoint.eduPosted in these groups: United States Military Academy (USMA West Point) World History American History Military History Officer
Posted 5 y ago
Responses: 7
Edited 5 y ago
Posted 5 y ago
West Point Documentary USMA 1998
West Point Documentary USMA 1998
Thank you for honoring my alma mater of USMA, West Point my friend SGT (Join to see)
I still have my Blue Book which is a nickname for the USMA Bugle Notes that were issued to Plebes in Beast Barracks which contained all required knowledge that had to be spouted off if demanded by an upper classman. :-)
Mine was issued in July 1976 and does contain the history of West Point - in summary form.
1. Each graduating class of USMA has a yearbook associated with it - titled Howitzer. I have copies of my 1980 Howitzer as well as the Howitzer's for 1978 and 1979.
2. Additionally the Association of Graduates produces the Register of Graduates. Used to be annual and went to every five years in physical form. I have most of the Register of Graduates from 1980 through 2010 and a copy of the 2015 close to my computer.
3. Each Register provides the alphabetized list of all graduates, the members of each graduating class with information about each graduate as well as others deemed significant who did not graduate. From 1802 through 1977 the classes are listed in graduating class rank order. Since that point each class is listed in alphabetical order.
4. I am graduate number 37,403.
5. I am also a graduate of USMAPS class of 1976 which was the first to include women as cadet candidates. I received a Congressional appointment and went on to West Point along with about 60% of my USMAPS classmates including a few women.
6. At West Point as in each of the other Service Academies, women entered with each class in July 1976. Extensive modifications had been made to latrines, uniforms for women, physical fitness standards for women, haircut and appearance updates to regulations [based on WAC standards]. Women were assigned to rooms in pairs and across from their latrine which had a door. The plan was executed so that the first year there were women cadets in 25% of the 36 companies. The next year women cadets were introduced into 9 more companies. My company had women introduced the year after my graduating class. Becky Halstead has the distinction of being the first female graduate of West Point to be promoted to General Officer.
There were two graduates in the USMA class of 1802. Graduation on October 12, 1802
1. Joseph Garner Swift
2. Simon Magruder Levy
There were three graduates in the USMA class of 1803. Individual graduations of March 5, March 14 and April 25, 1803
3. Walker Keith Armistead
4. Henry Burbeck Jackson
5. John Livingston
There were two graduates in the USMA class of 1804.
6. Samuel Gates
7. Hannibal Montesquieu Allen
There were three graduates in the USMA class of 1805.
8. George Bomford
9. William McRee
10. Joseph Gilbert Totten
The class of 1805 was the first to record the names of non graduates
John Little from Massachusetts
Ambrose Porter from Connecticut
In 1806 there were 15 and in 1807 their were 5 graduates
It was not until 1814 that the graduating class size began to be consistently at 15 or larger.
In the class of 1915, Dwight David Eisenhower is graduate number 5373.
West Point Documentary USMA 1998
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4Hy_PcJSOk
Thank you my friend Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen for mentioning me.
FYI LTC Wayne Brandon LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj Robert Thornton CPT Scott Sharon SSG William Jones SSG Donald H "Don" Bates PO3 William Hetrick PO3 Lynn Spalding SPC Mark Huddleston SGT Rick Colburn CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke SP5 Jeannie Carle Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey Ken Kraetzer
I still have my Blue Book which is a nickname for the USMA Bugle Notes that were issued to Plebes in Beast Barracks which contained all required knowledge that had to be spouted off if demanded by an upper classman. :-)
Mine was issued in July 1976 and does contain the history of West Point - in summary form.
1. Each graduating class of USMA has a yearbook associated with it - titled Howitzer. I have copies of my 1980 Howitzer as well as the Howitzer's for 1978 and 1979.
2. Additionally the Association of Graduates produces the Register of Graduates. Used to be annual and went to every five years in physical form. I have most of the Register of Graduates from 1980 through 2010 and a copy of the 2015 close to my computer.
3. Each Register provides the alphabetized list of all graduates, the members of each graduating class with information about each graduate as well as others deemed significant who did not graduate. From 1802 through 1977 the classes are listed in graduating class rank order. Since that point each class is listed in alphabetical order.
4. I am graduate number 37,403.
5. I am also a graduate of USMAPS class of 1976 which was the first to include women as cadet candidates. I received a Congressional appointment and went on to West Point along with about 60% of my USMAPS classmates including a few women.
6. At West Point as in each of the other Service Academies, women entered with each class in July 1976. Extensive modifications had been made to latrines, uniforms for women, physical fitness standards for women, haircut and appearance updates to regulations [based on WAC standards]. Women were assigned to rooms in pairs and across from their latrine which had a door. The plan was executed so that the first year there were women cadets in 25% of the 36 companies. The next year women cadets were introduced into 9 more companies. My company had women introduced the year after my graduating class. Becky Halstead has the distinction of being the first female graduate of West Point to be promoted to General Officer.
There were two graduates in the USMA class of 1802. Graduation on October 12, 1802
1. Joseph Garner Swift
2. Simon Magruder Levy
There were three graduates in the USMA class of 1803. Individual graduations of March 5, March 14 and April 25, 1803
3. Walker Keith Armistead
4. Henry Burbeck Jackson
5. John Livingston
There were two graduates in the USMA class of 1804.
6. Samuel Gates
7. Hannibal Montesquieu Allen
There were three graduates in the USMA class of 1805.
8. George Bomford
9. William McRee
10. Joseph Gilbert Totten
The class of 1805 was the first to record the names of non graduates
John Little from Massachusetts
Ambrose Porter from Connecticut
In 1806 there were 15 and in 1807 their were 5 graduates
It was not until 1814 that the graduating class size began to be consistently at 15 or larger.
In the class of 1915, Dwight David Eisenhower is graduate number 5373.
West Point Documentary USMA 1998
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z4Hy_PcJSOk
Thank you my friend Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen for mentioning me.
FYI LTC Wayne Brandon LTC (Join to see) Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen Maj Bill Smith, Ph.D. Maj Robert Thornton CPT Scott Sharon SSG William Jones SSG Donald H "Don" Bates PO3 William Hetrick PO3 Lynn Spalding SPC Mark Huddleston SGT Rick Colburn CPL Dave Hoover SPC Margaret Higgins SSgt Brian Brakke SP5 Jeannie Carle Maj Marty Hogan SCPO Morris Ramsey Ken Kraetzer
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SSG Donald H "Don" Bates
5 y
LTC Stephen F. - I too look at my old stuff. Would you believe I have ALL of my orders. The old mimeographed paper is brittle but I have them in sheet protectors and look at them now and than. They fill a 3" 3 ring binder.
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LTC Stephen F.
5 y
I have all my orders and LES from 1974 to 2008 in paper form and many in .pdf
format downloaded from AKO SSG Donald H "Don" Bates -
format downloaded from AKO SSG Donald H "Don" Bates -
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Posted 5 y ago
Bet LTC Stephen F. can cite that history from memory, or at least had to during his plebe year.
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