Founders’
Day Banquet (Formal Dinner) report
The West Point Society of Richmond celebrated the
201st anniversary of the founding of the United States Military Academy on
Friday, March 21, 2003 at the Salisbury Country Club in Midlothian, Virginia.
There were a record 140 persons in attendance including approximately 20 grads,
spouses, and friends from the northern Virginia and Williamsburg areas and from
the Naval Academy.
The evening started with a rousing Benny Havens hour
with John Fitzpatrick lending his special talent at the piano and leading us in
a medley of military and patriotic songs culminating in everyone singing
"God Bless America". When
Mel Drisko ‘58 sounded mess call we all assembled in the dining room and
witnessed the posting of the colors by the 2/111th Artillery, The Richmond
Howitzers, Color Guard. Next there
was the customary round of toasts, the invocation (to include "The Cadet
Prayer"), and dinner. Following
the dinner there was the presentation of the "Clement Award" to the
NCO of the year, SGT Juan DelValle, an election of new officers, and an address
by the guest speaker.
The guest speaker was General John Shaud ‘56, USAF
retired. General Shaud had recently led a group of newly promoted flag officers
on an orientation tour of key U.S. military installations. He talked about this
tour and his impressions of what he saw. Since the war in Iraq was on everyone's
mind, his talk was particularly apropos. The
evening concluded with remarks by outgoing President Bill Schrage ‘56 and
hearty renditions of the "Alma Mater" and "Army Blue" led by
Chuck Allen ‘76. Newly elected
President, Bill Grogan ‘68, "dismissed" the assembled group as his
first official act.
It was a surely a night to remember.
