Bob Ivany

     My connection to our Army started in 1945, two years before I was born in Wels, Austria. My parents had fled from Hungary, their homeland, before the advancing Soviet armies. Their goal was to reach the American army so that when the war ended, they would hopefully be in the US not the Soviet zone of occupation.

     Their journey took them to the picturesque town of Gmunden, Austria which had just been occupied by American soldiers and there they stopped.

     Finding shelter in a dairy barn, they eventually secured better accommodations while my father went to work as a bricklayer in a neighboring town.

     Finally, four years later, they found a distant relative in Cleveland, Ohio who, with the help of Catholic Charities, sponsored their passage to America. I, meanwhile, was born in Austria in February 1947, early enough to make the crossing with them on a Navy transport ship the USS General S.D. Surgis (AP-137) named after a USMA 1846 graduate.

     Forty-seven years later, as the Commander of the 3d Armored Cavalry Regiment, I attended a reunion of the Regiment’s World War II veterans. They brought their albums showing their march through Europe at the head of Patton’s 3^rd Army. 

     “Here is where we ended up”, one veteran related, “in a beautiful little town in Austria, named Gmunden” ! 

     It was then I realized that my parents, so many years earlier, had found refuge in a town occupied by the regiment I then commanded.

     It was early in January 1985 when Colonel Bob Berry, honorary member of the Class of ’69 called me in Washington D.C. Bob knew many of our class and I was lucky to have made his acquaintance shortly after my tour in Vietnam. In addition to heading the Law Department at West Point, Bob was the OR, Officer Representative, of the Army football team. At that time, I was in my first year as the Army Aide to the President having followed in the footsteps of our classmate Casey Brower.  Fortunately, the President at the time was Ronald Reagan who had played guard for his alma mater, Eureka College, and was an avid football fan.

     Army had regained the coveted Commander-in-Chief Trophy after a seven-year absence and Bob Berry wanted to know if I could “arrange” for President Reagan to award the trophy to the Army team in person in the White House. Somewhat stunned by his request, I reminded Bob that I and the other service aides had absolutely no influence on the President’s calendar. He understood but ended our conversation by asking me to do what I could to make it happen. Knowing the President’s love of the game and mindful of my very modest position, I started making inquiries on how to “arrange” for such a first ever event in the White House.

     It was fortunate that our classmate Bob Kimmitt, at that time, held the rank of Deputy Assistant to the President for National Security Affairs and enjoyed considerable sway over the President’s calendar. After submitting the appropriate paperwork, I asked for Bob’s and others’ support for just a few minutes of the President’s time. To my surprise, my request for a 10-minute ceremony was granted.

     The Academy was appreciative and on February 28th sent the Firstclassmen of the Army team to Washington. In the Pentagon, they were treated to lunch by the Army Chief of Staff, General John Wickham and then bussed to the White House. I gave Coach Bob Young, the Firsties, the Superintendent and his spouse (MG Willard Scott and Dusty) a brief tour of the White House and then gathered them in the President’s Cabinet Room with the Trophy. Right on time, the President entered from the Oval Office and immediately shook hands with each player, chatting with them and sharing his collegiate football memories. As he reminisced and posed for photos, he soon ran over his planned time period. Although I caught some stressed glances from his staff, the President and the team thoroughly enjoyed the occasion.

     What impressed me then and throughout my two years as his aide was Ronald Reagan’s ability to empathize. He was always comfortable, genuine and interested in everyone he met. We were fortunate that the Army team had the opportunity to meet such an empathetic leader. He set the precedent for the Commander in Chief to award his trophy to the winning service academy football team in the Oval Office.

It was the summer of 1984 and I was a lowly major who had been recently transferred from the Pentagon to the White House. I was being ushered into the Oval Office to meet President Reagan and I was just a bit nervous. I had been carefully prepared for my assignment as his Army aide for a, hopefully, two-year stint. Now was the big moment to meet him.

President Reagan greeted me and vigorously shook my hand. “Major Ivany good to have you as my aide. I understand that you played football at West Point.”

I was surprised at his question but, of course, answered that I had played for Army. “Well,” he said, “what position did you play?” I aanswered that I played offensive tackle. “Marvelous,” he replied, “I played offensive guard at Dixon College. Now what side of the line did you play on?” I played on the right side, I answered. “Wonderful,” he said “I played on the right side as well. The right side is always stronger!” Our short exchange only lasted a minute or two, but I never forgot his kind effort to put me at east, to show his personal interest, and give me a memory for a lifetime.