Page 131 - Wish Stream Year of 2019

One of the older buildings on the West Point Campus
ing accommodation, married staff accommoda- tion, medical and dental facilities and sporting facilities. Training areas are obviously elsewhere, although some close by. However, there are also many green open spaces on the campus, many with magnificent views of the Hudson valley, one such being named Trophy Point. West Point campus contains many trophies from America’s 18th and 19th century campaigns, as well as a host of monuments.
West Point is a marvellous place to visit, partly because of its beautiful setting in the Hudson Highlands, and also because of the majes- tic buildings, facilities and views. But also, of
course, because of the overall atmosphere of a major prestigious officer training establishment. It is close to the impressive Catskill Mountains, famous as the winter and summer playground in the first half of the 20th century for generations of predominantly Jewish New Yorkers and Ital- ian American entertainers, who flocked to either work or stay at the numerous resort hotels and ‘bungalow colonies’ established there.
It is not necessary to have a formal invitation to visit. There is an official West Point Visitors Cen- tre located in the village of Highland Falls (open seven days a week, except on public holidays) from which guided tours by bus are run.
(Note: Article fact-checked by the West Point Command Historian and the West Point Office of Public Affairs and Communications)
Primary sources:
Personal guided tour of West Point on 6 June 2019
Bugle Notes 2017–2021 (also known colloquially as the ‘plebe bible’)
West Point official website (www.westpoint.edu) Wikipedia for some historical information
Raymond Huggins
The image shows Former Academy Sergeant Major Raymond Huggins and one of his former cadets from 43 years ago, Lieutenant Colonel Andrew Field MBE.
Both were at the Commandants Parade on Wednesday 10th April; Mr Huggins had the War- rant Officers and Sergeants’ Mess named after him and Lt Col Field received a Commanders Commendation. 41 years ago, almost to the day, Academy Sergeant Major Huggins was on parade as SMC 16, with Officer Cadet Field in attendance commissioned.
Mr Huggins now resides in the Royal Hospital Chelsea.
HISTORICAL 129