Notable Moments in West Point History

Notable Moments in West Point History A brief look at the excellent achievements of the military academy in it's 200 year history WEST POINT ESTABLISHED George Washington originally proposed a military academy in 1783, but it wasn't until 1802 1802 that West Point was established. AT THE FOREFRONT OF CIVIL ENGINEERING Sylvanus Thayer became the superintendent and quickly established West Point as the 1817 national engineering school. NOTABLE GRADUATE Ulysses S. Grant was the General in Chief, Armies of the United States; President of the United 1843 States, 1869-1877 WEST POINT MUSEUM 1854 The museum was opened to the public and is the oldest military museum in the country. WEST POINT EMBRACES EQUALITY 1870 The first African-American, James Webster Smith, is admitted. NOTABLE GRADUATE George S. Patton, Jr. was a member of the 1912 U.S. Olympic Team; commanding general of the 7th Army 1942-44, commander of the 3rd Army European Theater 1944-45. 1909 WORLD WAR I During World War I, West Point graduates held almost all top command and staff posts. They were in charge of raising the troops, supplying them, and leading them in combat. 1914 NOTABLE GRADUATE Notable graduate, Dwight D. Eisenhower was the Supreme Commander Allied Forces Europe 1943-45; Army Chief of Staff 1945-48; president of Columbia University 1948; President of the United States 1953-61. 1915 NATIONAL HISTORIC LANDMARK West Point was declared a national 1960 historic landmark due to the Revolutionary War history and the age and historic significance of the Academy itself. WEST POINT GROWS IXL President Johnson signed legislation increasing the strength of the Corps of Cadets from 2,529 to 4,417 1964 WEST POINT EMBRACES EQUALITY The academy was open to women, and they became just as integral to West Point as they now are in the U.S Army. 1976 CURRICULUM ADVANCEMENTS UNTRY ONO PEST PO OUTY USM Cadets were formally authorized to declare an academic major; all previous graduates had been awarded a general bachelor of science degre 1985 COLD WAR President Reagan visited the Academy and delivered a speech about ending the Evil Empire 1987 U.S. MILITARY ACADEMY BICENTENNIAL To celebrate, the US post office printed 34 cent stamps and the US Mint minted $1 Silver Proof Coins 2002 MATERIALIZE DREW THOMAS MAGIC Drew Thomas's bold, full-throttle performance, Materialize, is coming to Eisenhower Hall Theatre. Saturday, October 26, 2013 8:00 p.m. Eisenhower Hall at West Point 5 Facebook.com/DrewThomasMagicman REFERENCES @DrewThomasMagic http://www.usma.edu/wphistory/SitePages/Home.aspx http://americanhistory.si.edu/westpoint/history_6.html You Tube YouTube.com/DrewThomasMagic