The Days Forward

West Point Class of 1969

Suzanne Rice

Two Brothers Attend West Point

My dad, Frank Steele, enlisted at West Point in the 10th Cav. in 1940. On June 30, 1965, Maj. Frank Steele retired at Ft. Dix, NJ. The family drove up to WP early on 7/1 from Levittown, PA leaving behind a large billboard with two pictures indicating that two Lower Bucks County brothers were to attend West Point. We all made ourselves promises, didn’t we? I promised that the morning I would look over to 7th New Cadet Company and didn’t see a particular head sticking up above the crowd, I could leave. To my great distress and disappointment in 1965, but to my enormous pleasure today, Gary served as my particular motivation to push forward and persevere through the first of the hardest four years of my life. The bonds that we, The Best of The Line, have forged are incomparable. We were a self-selected sampling of the best that our country had and has to offer. On the evening of July 1, 1965, we raised our right hands and made a commitment. In our own way, each of us is fulfilling that pledge. While we don’t all agree on the path, we can all “recalculate” to reach our destination. God Bless All Y’all.  

Telegram from Senator Smathers

I received a telegram from Senator Smathers at 1715 hrs, 29 June 1965, offering congratulations on being accepted into USMA. I caught a flight out of Panama City, FL, at 0715 hrs, 30 June and flew to JFK. Bus to Port Authority, and then to Highland Falls, arriving around 2000 hrs.  Found a room over a bar in Highland Falls and laid awake for a good part of the night.  Walked through the gate the next morning and was directed to the gym for in-processing.  No orders. No welcome packet. No nothing, except that telegram. The Sergeant I reported to had no idea what to do, nor did the LTC he referred me to.  The officer finally decided that I should be “processed, pending determination”, so I entered the whirlwind with everyone else.  Didn’t need a haircut, but got one, anyway. The rest was a blur, for me, too. I do remember risking my life by peeking out the window of my room sometime during the day and seeing some prospective new cadet walking into Central Area carrying a large suitcase, golf clubs, and a tennis racket, quizzically gazing about.  Later that day, just before the swearing in ceremony, I sneaked another peak out the window, and saw a bald-headed guy with gray shorts, black shoes and black shorts, dragging a suitcase, golf clubs, and a tennis racket, heading back out of Central Area.  My orders caught up with me about 2 weeks later, and I received my draft notice just before the end of Beast.  

In-processing in the Gym

First Time Flying

Great life changing event. Would not wish to change any of it, not on your lives! Flew (my first time ever) to Idlewild Airport and bused into Manhattan Hotel. That evening ascended to top of The Empire State and gawked at the world I imagined was there to conquer. Bused into WP the next day and followed the others wearing black low tops from Thayer Hotel to Central Area. The rest is history.

Idlewilde Airport, NY

Trailways to R-Day

Took a Trailways bus from Norfolk to NYC free because my Dad worked for them. Made it to the bus to West Point and all after that was a haze that I had no clue what was happening. Prior-service stud saved my butt during Beast many times.

Trailways Bus Going Towards West Point

In the Converted Attic with New Cadets

I flew to NY from Pittsburgh, then took a bus to Highland Falls. I stayed overnight in some family’s house in what I recall was a converted attic with several bunk beds. There were maybe 6 to 8 new cadets who stayed there. I should have gotten their names, but I didn’t. I think one of them was KC Scull. The next day, I remember running up New South Barracks stairs. Running down the stairs was Dick Carter, a friend from Prep School. Dick quickly said to me, “This is cool!” Well, yes, I guess looking back now, it was cool. Very cool! How many are fortunate enough to experience that and the 4 years that follow? The rest of that day is a complete blur…

Stairway to “Cool”