Page 124 - Wish Stream Year of 2019

Visit to United States Military Academy at West Point
Ian Pattison
Introduction
On a beautifully warm and sunny 6th June 2019, my wife Wendy and I paid a visit to the United States Military Academy (USMA), usually referred to as West Point, or even just ‘the Point’. West Point is situated in New York State, about 50 miles due north of New York City in the Hudson Highlands area, immediately to the north of the village of Highland Falls. Its location is spectacu- lar on a 150 feet high granite plateau (named ‘West Point’) overlooking the Hudson River, on its west bank. It is the oldest of five US Federal Service Academies. These are:
• United States Military Academy (West Point, New York) – founded in 1802
• United States Naval Academy (Annapolis, Maryland) – founded in 1845
• United States Air Force Academy (Colorado Springs, Colorado) – founded in 1954
• United States Coast Guard Academy (New London, Connecticut) – founded in 1876
• United States Merchant Marine Academy (Kings Point, New York) – founded in 1943
(Note: there is no US Marine Corps Academy. Some officers destined for the US Marine Corps are selected from midshipmen at the US Naval Academy.)
Our visit to West Point on that particular day was both poignant and sad. Poignant as it was the 75th anniversary of D-Day, but sad as a West Point cadet had tragically died that morning in a vehicle accident, in which 22 others were injured on a training exercise just west of the Academy on the Camp Natural Bridge training area. I hope his parents will not mind me, as a tribute and in memory, naming him as Christopher J Morgan from New Jersey, a third year ‘Rising Senior’ in the Class of 2020. He was buried in the West Point Cemetery on 15th June with full military honours after a service in the Chapel. Former US President Bill Clinton was among the very many
21 Gun Salute for Christopher Morgan by the Honor Guard (West Point/US Army)
View of the Hudson Valley from West Point (at Trophy Point) looking north
122 HISTORICAL