Submitted by Richard Brownell
The Hoosick Township Historical Society took a bus trip to the United States Military Academy at West Point on Saturday, April 27, where fifty Historical Society members, their families, and friends were treated to an in-depth tour of the historic and world-renowned military institution.
Among the highlights of the tour were a pass by the Army sports complex, which includes Foley Arena, the Holleder Center, and Michie Stadium, the famous 38,000-seat outdoor complex where each year’s graduation ceremonies take place.
The tour included a stop at the Cadet Chapel, a magnificent church built in 1910 and home to the largest functional church pipe organ in the world. The chapel also includes a section that is permanently set aside for West Point graduates still missing in action or who are currently prisoners of war. The Cadet Chapel is one of six chapels on the grounds, each dedicated to a different religious faith.
After the Cadet Chapel, the tour took another bus ride to The Plain, which is the iconic parade ground where cadet reviews and many official ceremonies take place. The tour also passed by the homes of Academy professors, the Commandant of Cadets, and the Dean of the Academic Board, as well as the statue of Col. Sylvanus Thayer, which overlooks The Plain. Thayer is known as the Father of West Point.
Another statue that overlooks The Plain is that of Ulysses S. Grant, graduate of the class of 1843, honoring the 150th anniversary of Grant’s inauguration as the 18th President of the United States. The Historical Society were among the first to see this statue, which was erected two days prior to the tour.
For over two centuries West Point has produced some of America’s finest officers, men and women who have served with distinction and lived the Academy’s motto of duty, honor, country. Anyone who takes a tour of West Point will plainly see the evidence of that dedication among today’s cadets who are proudly carrying forward the Point’s history and tradition.