West Point

/ youngretireeneedsalife
Image from Garrison, New York, across the Hudson River

Hadn’t been here since I was a kid, so since I was in the area stopped by.

There was a 2 hour wait for clearance so elected to take the 75 minute bus tour for $22. To obtain follow the tour signs in the Visitor Center.

Had 45 minutes before the tour giving me ample time to check out the Visitor Center Museum which focused on cadet life.

Cadet Dorm Room
Cadets have a hectic schedule from 0530 to 2330 5 days a week. Everything is scheduled.

There is also another museum outside the Visitors Center. This focuses more on the history of war.

It currently is under renovation
General Wesmoreland’s uniform – what a little waist!
Astronauts who were West Point grads
Bob Hope bathrobe the cadets gave him
1816 Cadet Uniform
Current Dress Uniform Hat
Red Cross uniforms
Where my father served – odd he never spoke of it, and only learned where he served after he died.
Napoleon garb – there are also weapon displays in this building if interested
Picture of the dining hall – resembles Hogwarts don’t you think? There are 4400 cadets on campus with over 500 instructors/ professors.
This one for fun- a primitive warrior

Next on to the bus tour..

The football stadium- big navy/army rivalry and this plays out even in the town of Highland Falls where WP is located.
Later caught this when leaving the area but back to the tour..
Protestant Chapel It has the largest church pipe organ in the 🌍
Here it is!
The Altar Cadets must be single through their stay and many weddings occur upon graduation. Cadets must serve 8 years in the military upon graduation. There are 24% female cadets.

The General’s Home who oversees WP
Marching Field
Grant Statute
Civil War Memorial

While the tour limits what you can see the guide was lively and filled with much information. A few fun facts….

  • The alumni organization is generous and their donations pick up the tab for the cost of cadet education when the government doesn’t cover.
  • Graduating classes donate everything from trees to buildings
  • Cadets eat 3500 calories daily!
  • Everyone in the town of Highpoint NY is associated with the military
  • The requirement for religious attendance is no longer. At least someplace honors the division of church and state!
  • Ballroom dancing at one point was a cadet requirement.
  • West Point is a mile from the point, therefore the name West Point
  • In President Eisenhower’s class 40% went on to become Generals. The largest class to have this honor.
  • West Point began in 1778 and the location was key as Washington knew to win the war he had to stop a knowledgeable British Navy. Therefore blockage of the Hudson River was done with chains across its waters.
  • The stained glass windows in the Protestant Chapel took 60 years to complete and when the last one was installed the glass company honored their contract and only charged $300 for the last window.
  • Whenever a WP score occurs in the army navy game a cannon is shot.
  • Demerits are given to cadets for many things – room arrangement not according to code, military uniform in disarray, etc…. Sometimes cadets must walk the line for up to 100 hours for these demerits. This even happened to Eisenhower as he was known to be a prankster.

On the tour was a woman from Ohio whose granddaughter was starting as a cadet. Quite a decision for someone at 17.

A closing picture..

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