General Westmoreland Comes Home

This article was originally published as a “Gray Matter” essay on 28 July.  “Gray Matter” reports weekly by e-mail to its subscribers on a wide range of topics related to the Academy, its current programs and events, its history, and its graduates.  In order to be added to its subscription list, go to http://www.aogusma.org/contact/signup.htm

                                                                                                            -- Editor

 

The skies over West Point were bright and sunny on the morning of Saturday, 23 July 2005, as family members and close friends assembled at the Old Cadet Chapel for a prayer ceremony in memory of GEN (Retired) William Childs Westmoreland ’36, Cadet First Captain, 45th Superintendent of West Point, commander of all military forces in Viet Nam for four years, and Chief of Staff of the Army, who had died at Charleston, South Carolina, on 18 July. 

 

A cadet honor guard, in full dress gray over white, was formed alongside the chapel under the command of CDT Stephanie Hightower, second detail “King of the Beasts.”  Included were cadets from her detail and the Buckner detail plus a number of members of the Class of 2008 undergoing Cadet Field Training. At 0930 hours, she called the honor guard to attention and gave the command, “In slow cadence, forward, march.”  The band element, the honor guard, and the colors slowly marched to positions in the circle fronting the Old Cadet Chapel; six pallbearers in Army Blues followed. 

 

At 0935 the hearse moved forward to park near the chapel door, and the four-star flag was positioned near the center of the circle.  The honor guard snapped to attention and presented arms. Honors were rendered, followed by the playing of “Army Blue” as the casket was borne into the chapel for the devotional service.  By 0940 the pallbearers withdrew from the chapel and the doors were closed.

 

Since more elaborate services already had been held in Charleston, the service at West Point was private, with Chaplain (LTC) John Cook as the only speaker.  At the request of the family, The Cadet Prayer, the Intercessional Prayer from the Book of Common Prayer, and the Lord’s Prayer were featured, along with the 23rd Psalm regarding “the valley of the shadow of death” and selected verses from the New Testament: John, Chapter 14, reminding all that “In my Father's house are many mansions….Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid” and Mark, Chapter 4, relating how Jesus calmed the wind and the seas: “And he arose, and rebuked the wind, and said unto the sea, Peace, be still.”  Chaplain Cook concluded the service with a comforting devotional, “Peace in the Midst of the Storm.”

 

At 1050 the family filed out of the chapel and stood to observe the casket being transferred to the hearse for its final journey.  Mrs. Westmoreland was escorted by GEN Peter J. Schoomaker, the Chief of Staff of the Army, and LTG Lennox. At 1100, the band, honor guard and colors led the hearse in a slow cadence march to the gravesite, with family, friends and many additional mourners following behind.  As they reached the vicinity of the Anderson Fountain, the band played “Onward, Christian Soldiers.”  The gravesite, adjoining those of the triumvirate of George Goethals, Lucius Clay and astronaut Ed White, had been selected years earlier by the family.

 

The casket was removed from the hearse and slowly borne to the gravesite by pallbearers to the strains of “The Official West Point March.”  After appropriate words by Chaplain Cook, a howitzer battery rendered a seventeen-gun salute, and the commander of the cadet honor guard ordered the firing of three volleys. Taps then was sounded by the bugler, followed by the “Alma Mater” as the flag was meticulously folded.  GEN Schoomaker presented the flag to Mrs. Westmoreland “on behalf of a grateful nation,” and LTG Lennox and COL (Retired) Hudgins offered their condolences on behalf of the Academy and the Association of Graduates, respectively.  By 1130 the ceremony was completed, and family and friends slowly and sorrowfully departed for a private reception at the West Point Club. A lone soldier in Army Blues remained, standing guard at rigid attention near the head of the casket.  GEN Westmoreland had come home to join 23 other former Superintendents laid to rest in the West Point Cemetery.

 

In addition to serving as Superintendent from 1960 to 1963, commanding the Military Assistance Command-Viet Nam from 1964 to 1968, and serving as Chief of Staff of the Army from 1968 to 1972, GEN Westmoreland commanded the 34th Field Artillery Battalion in the Mediterranean Theater (North Africa and Sicily) and was executive officer of the 9th Infantry Division Artillery and later chief of staff of the 9th Infantry Division in World War II; commanded the 60th Infantry Regiment during the Occupation and the 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment stateside; commanded the 187th Regimental Combat Team during three campaigns in the Korean War; commanded  the 101st Airborne Division from 1958 to 1960; and commanded the XVIII Airborne Corps from 1963 to 1964.  In retirement, he spent a significant portion of his time as a public speaker before various patriotic groups. Then, in 1982, he brought a suit for libel against the CBS network for a documentary impugning his integrity in reporting enemy troop strength during the Viet Nam War but settled for a public apology because he did not want to punish the responsible members of America’s essential free and independent press for the mistakes of a few.

 

Pending a decision by the family, there may be a formal memorial service in Washington, DC, in August 2005.

 

Respectfully submitted,

 

Your humble servant, J. Phoenix, Esquire