Constitution Corner
Support and Defend the Constitution
USMA Purpose: To Provide the Nation with Leaders of Character Who Serve the Common Defense
[ Plaque 1 ]
Constitution Corner
The Constitution
“Our Political Salvation”
John Marshall
Revolutionary War Captain and
Chief Justice of the United States
[ Plaque 2]
The USMA Class of January 1943
dedicates this
Constitution Corner
to our classmates who died
in combat (shown by *) or in military accidents
They supported and defended the Constitution
as, here on the Plain, we together swore to do.
2 Cadets and 74 of our 409 graduates died in the sequence below
1942
Cadet George M MacMullin, Jr. Advanced Flt Training (AT-6) Spence Field, Georgia
Cadet John M Kirk Advanced Flt Training (P-39) Spence Field, Georgia
1943
Lt. Clyde K Sellers Combat Training (P-38) Santa Ana Field, Ca.
Lt. Francis A. Thomas Combat Training (B-26) Del Rio Field, Texas
Lt. John F. Phelan Combat Training (AT-6) near San Diego, Ca.
Lt. Raymond C. Zettel Combat Training (P-47) Langley Fld, Virginia
Lt. John K. Hocker Combat Training (B-17) east Texas
Lt. Benjamin Norris, Jr. Combat Training (P-47) Hillsgrove Field, RI
Lt. Willard B. Wilson Advanced Flt Training (AT-17) Marfa Field, Texas
Lt. Malcolm S. Wardrop Combat Training (B-26) eastern Kentucky
1944
Lt. Herschel A. Jarrell * 447 Bomb Group (B-17) Brunswick, Germany
Lt. George W. Dixon * 71 Recon Group (B-25) New Guinea
Lt. Richard M. Combs * 164 Infantry, Americal Div Bougainville, Sol. Is.
Lt. John K. Eckert * 344 Bomb Group (B-26) RAF Stansted, UK
Cpt. Howard L. Lambert, Jr. * 355 Fighter Group (P-51) English Channel
Cpt. B. B. Skaggs * 466 Bomb Group (B-24) Oschersleben, Ger.
Lt. Maxwell A. Neumann 860 Aviation Engineers New Guinea
Cpt. Malcolm A. Smith * 368 Fighter Group (P-47) Normandy, France
Cpt. James E. Bush, Jr. * Chinese-American Wing (P-40) Shinshou, China
Lt. James F. Reynolds * 344 Bomb Group (B-26) Normandy, France
Lt. Turner M. Chambliss, Jr. * 506 Para Infantry, 101 ABN Div Normandy, France
Lt. George M. Eberle * 502 Para Infantry, 101 ABN Div Normandy, France
Cpt. Clough F. Gee III * 362 Fighter Group (P-47) Normandy, France
Lt. Keith E. Canella * 479 Fighter Group (P-38) Normandy, France
Cpt. Robert B. Tresville, Jr. * 100 Ftr Sq. 332 Ftr Grp (P-47) Gulf of Genoa, Italy
Lt. James W. Freeman, Jr. * 507 Para Infantry, 82 ABN Div. Normandy, France
Lt. Dick E. Hall * 113 Cavalry, 113 Cav Group St Lo, France
Lt. John R. Northrop * 367 Fighter Group (P-38) Normandy, France
Lt. Charles R. Finley, Jr. * 9 Infantry, 2 Inf Div Normandy, France
Lt. Robert W. D. Guthrie * 28 Infantry, 8 Inf Div Brittany, France
Lt. Hubert J. Fiander, Jr. * 509 Para Inf, 1 ABN Task Force southern France
Lt. William A. Kerr, Jr. Combat Training (P-47) Harding Field, La.
Maj. Harry R. Stroh * 362 Fighter Group (P-47) Brest, France
Lt. Benjamin W. Mills, Jr. * 8 Infantry, 4 Inf Div Ardennes, Belgium
Cpt. Jack F. Clark Combat Training (B-29) Clovis Field, NM
Maj. William H. Tallant * 461 Bomb Group (B-24) Munich, Germany
Lt. Wendell L. Clemenson, Jr. * 4 Cavalry, 4 Cavalry Group Hurtgen Forest, Ger.
Cpt. Richard B. Jones * 920 Field Artillery, 95 Inf Div Metz, France
Cpt. Woodrow W. Pratt * 309 CBT Engineers, 84 Inf Div Heerlen, Netherlands
Lt. James E. H. Rumbough * 511 Para Infantry, 11 ABN Div Leyte, Philippines
Lt. William B. Brice * 422 Infantry, 106 Inf Div The Bulge, Germany
Cpt. Charles C. Benedict * 468 Bomb Group (B-29) Mukden, China
Cpt. Donald M. Stangle * 397 Bomb Group (B-26) Andernach, Germany
Cpt. Hal F. Crain * 262 Infantry, 66 Inf Div English Channel
Cpt. Frederick S. Kremer * 319 Infantry, 80 Inf Div The Bulge, Luxembourg
1945
Cpt. Russel P. Harris * 58 Fighter Group (P-47) Mindoro, Philippines
Cpt. James D. Wright * 330 Infantry, 83 Inf Div The Bulge, Belgium
Cpt. Thomas H. Martin, Jr. * 119 Armored Engrs, 12 Armd Div Alsace, France
Cpt. Patrick W. Wheeler * 511 Para Infantry, 11 ABN Div Manila, Philippines
Lt. Harry A. Saunders * 310 Infantry, 78 Inf Div Hurtgen Forest, Ger.
Maj. Edmund C. Suor * 3 Bomb Group (A-20) Cebu, Philippines
Cpt. John H. Featherson, Jr. * 680 Glider Artillery, 17 ABN Div The Ruhr, Germany
Lt. Floyd O. Tobey, Jr. * 498 Bomb Group (B-29) Nagoya, Japan
Cpt. William H. Scott, Jr. * 319 Infantry, 80 Inf Div central Germany
Cpt. Victor V. Taylor, Jr. * 45 Tank Battalion, 13 Armd Div The Ruhr, Germany
Lt. Norvin L. Davis * 511 Para Infantry, 11 ABN Div Luzon, Philippines
Cpt. Ernest C. Lacy, Jr. * 327 CBT Engineers, 102 Inf Div The Elbe, Germany
Maj. Edward H. Brooks, Jr. 305 Bomb Group (B-17) St. Trond AB, Belgium
LTC Francis H. Bonham Operational Flt Training (C-45) West Florida Coast
1946 – 1949
Maj. John E. Hatch, Jr. 357 Fighter Group (P-51) Neubiberg AB, Ger.
Lt. William H. Tucker III 3 Bomb Group (A-26) Atsugi AB, Japan
Cpt. Ernest D. Scott, Jr. Operational Flt Training (C-45) Selfridge Field, MI
Maj. John C. Catlin Operational Flt Training (T-6) Stewart Field, NY
Maj. Herbert G. Kolb Operational Flt Training (P-51) Lowry Field, Co.
Cpt. James M. Little Air Force Flight Test (P-80) Northwest Arkansas
Cpt. Robert H. Fautt, Jr. Operational Flt Training (P-47) Vernam Fld, Jamica
Maj. Frank E. Boyd Operational Flt Training (C-47) Chanute AFB, Illinois
Cpt. Charles C. Pinkerton, Jr. Operational Flt Training (P-51) Wright-Patt. AFB, OH
1950 – 1962
Maj. Donald H. Bruner Operational Flt Training (B-25) Chanute AFB, Illinois
Maj. Boone Seegers * 34 Infantry, 24 Inf Div Below Seoul, Korea
LTC James A Rippin * 49 Fighter Group (T-33) Kimpo AB, Korea
LTC Morton C. Carmack 509 Bomb Wing (B-29) Off coast of Spain
LTC Raymond C. Brittingham, Jr. Operational Flt Training (B-25) Friendship Field, MD
LTC John E. Roberts * 3 Bomb Wing (B-26) North Korea
LTC Albert L. Lane, Jr. Operational Flt Training (T-33) Chanute AFB, Illinois
Col. Keanie L. Berry, Jr. 57 Fighter Group (T-39) Paine AFB, Washington
We also honor classmates not graduated with us who died in combat or military accidents.
Duty Honor Country
[ Plaque 3]
Cadet Oath
Taken on entering West Point as a cadet
I . . . do solemnly swear that I will support the Constitution of the United States, and bear true allegiance to the National Government; that I will maintain and defend the sovereignty of the United States, paramount to any and all allegiance, sovereignty, or fealty I may owe to any state or country whatsoever; and that I will at all times obey the legal orders of my superior officers, and the Uniform Code of Military Justice.
[ Plaque 4]
Officer Oath
Taken on graduating from West Point as an officer
I . . .do solemnly swear that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God.
[ Plaque 5]
Selections from the Constitution
Article I
Congress shall have power to:
Provide for the Common Defense
Declare War
Raise and support Armies
Provide and maintain a Navy
Make rules for the Government and Regulations of the Land and Naval Forces
Provide for calling forth the Militia to execute the laws of the Union.
Provide for organizing, arming and disciplining the Militia.
Article IIThe Executive Power shall be vested in a President of the United States of America.
The President shall be Commander-in-Chief of the Army and Navy of the United States, and of the Militia of the several states, when called into the actual service of the United States.
He . . . shall nominate, and by and with the advice and consent of the Senate, shall appoint . . . Officers of the United States.
He shall . . . Commission all the Officers of the United States.
Article VIAll . . . officers . . . of the United States . . . shall be bound by Oath or Affirmation to support this Constitution.
[ Plaque 6]
Preamble of the Constitution
We the People of the United States, in order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general welfare, and secure the Blessing of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
---------------The Constitution conforms to the principle in the Declaration of Independence: “Governments are instituted among men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”
George Washington led the Constitutional Convention and assured acceptance of the Constitution. As Military Commander and then our first President, he set the pattern for American civil-military relations. He remains our nation’s foremost leader of character.
[ Plaque 7]
Loyalty to the Constitution
The United States boldly broke with the ancient military custom of swearing loyalty to a leader. Article VI required that American Officers thereafter swear loyalty to our basic law, the Constitution
While many other nations have suffered military coups, the United States never has. Our American Code of Military Obedience requires that, should orders and the law ever conflict, our officers must obey the law. Many other nations have adopted our principle of loyalty to the basic law.
This nation must have military leaders of principle and integrity so strong that their oaths to support and defend the Constitution will unfailingly govern their actions. The purpose of the United States Military Academy is to provide such leaders of character.
Marker is at the intersection of Ruger Road and Scott Place, on the right when traveling south on Ruger Road.
Courtesy hmdb.org
