HISTORY SUMMARY USMA CLASS OF 1950

We were born in the 1920’s and became children of the Great Depression of the 1930’s. Many of us experienced its hardships. We remember Pearl Harbor as well as FDR, the only President during our grade and high school years. In World War II over a third of us served our country as Soldiers, Sailors, Marines, and Airmen; forty of us earned commissions. Afterward, we entered West Point as Plebes while millions of our contemporaries demobilized and began readjusting to peacetime endeavors.

On June 6, 1950, when U.S. preparedness was at a postwar low, 670 of us graduated from West Point. The Korean War broke out 18 days later. Due to a prior policy change within the Army Leadership, many of us went directly to combat units without first attending further training in our basic branches. This had not happened since the Civil War. We rapidly learned Branch skills amidst the dangers and hardships of combat and our casualties were heavy. Forty one were killed or died of wounds and over one hundred were wounded in action. During the dangerous early years of military jets and helicopters, non-combat aviation accidents claimed another 13 Air Force and Army classmates. Of our service in Korea, General Matthew B. Ridgway, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, had this to say: "Another proud page has been added to the illustrious record of United States Military Academy graduates by officers of the Class of 1950. Many of this class quickly exchanged their cadet shakos for steel helmets and combat assignments in Korea. They received their baptism of fire at the most critical period of our United Nations military operations in Korea. Their kin, their country and their comrades have a deep pride in their achievements and deep faith in heir future."

From 1964–1972 we again saw combat, this time in Vietnam, where we commanded battalions, and brigades; squadrons and wings. Six more classmates died. From our ranks later came 64 generals, including Chiefs of Staff of both Army and Air Force in the 1980’s. One classmate commanded the first spacecraft in circumlunar orbit in 1968, another was elected President of the Philippines in the 1990’s. Hundreds of others served our nation and communities with notable distinction both in the military and later. We were Field Grade commanders and staffers, engineers and professionals, executives and entrepreneurs, political leaders, clergymen, teachers and farmers.

Glimpses of our Class History are in our Howitzer year book and later "Ten Year" Books. Many other accounts tell of our collective and individual achievements. A massive archive of ’50 is being compiled at the West Point Library. These records show how our Class reflected the ideals of West Point and the best of America. We provided loyal, effective, enduring, and selfless service, often of rare quality.

By the 21^st Century, with the Cold War won, our cumulative contributions were seen to have been remarkably successful over half a century. The United States Military Academy Class of 1950 was critically important to the security and freedom of the United States and perhaps of the world.

Louis V. Genuario
Historian '50