List of United States Military Academy alumni explained

The United States Military Academy (USMA) is an undergraduate college in West Point, New York with the mission of educating and commissioning officers for the United States Army. The academy was founded in 1802 and is the oldest of the United States' five service academies.[1] [2] It is also referred to as West Point (the name of the military base that the academy is a part of). The academy graduated its first cadet, Joseph Gardner Swift, in October 1802. Sports media refer to the academy as "Army" and the students as "Cadets"; this usage is officially endorsed.[3] The football team is also known as "The Black Knights of the Hudson" and "The Black Knights".[4] [5] A small number of graduates each year choose the option of cross-commissioning into the United States Air Force, United States Navy, or the United States Marine Corps. Before the founding of the United States Air Force Academy in 1955, the academy was a major source of officers for the Air Force and its predecessors. Most cadets are admitted through the congressional appointment system.[6] [7] The curriculum emphasizes the sciences and engineering fields.[8] [9]

The list is drawn from graduates, non-graduate former cadets, current cadets, and faculty of the Military Academy. Notable graduates include 2 American Presidents, 4 additional heads of state, 20 astronauts, 76 Medal of Honor recipients (more than any other service academy or undergraduate institution),[10] 70 Rhodes Scholars,[11] and 3 Heisman Trophy winners. Among American universities, the academy is fourth on the list of total winners for Rhodes Scholarships, seventh for Marshall Scholarships and fourth on the list of Hertz Fellowships.[12]

Academicians

"Class year" refers to the alumni's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, in times of war, classes often graduate early. For example, there were two classes in 1943 – January 1943 and June 1943.

See main article: article and List of academicians trained at the United States Military Academy.

Academics

Note: "Class year" refers to the alumni's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, in times of war, classes often graduate early.

Superintendents of the United States Military Academy

See main article: article and Superintendent of the United States Military Academy.

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Commandants of the United States Military Academy

See main article: article and List of commandants of cadets of the United States Military Academy.

Top-ranking graduates

See main article: article and List of United States Military Academy top-ranking graduates.

Astronauts

See main article: article and List of astronauts trained at the United States Military Academy.

Note: "Class year" refers to the alumni's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, in times of war, classes often graduate early.

Authors

This a new list that requires significant work to be remotely complete. New, accurate, contributions are welcome and needed.

Businesspeople

Engineers

See main article: article and List of engineers trained at the United States Military Academy.

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Government

Directors of the Central Intelligence Agency

Cabinet members

Secretaries of the Army

Ambassadors

Governors (civil)

Governors (military)

Legislators

Mayors

Jurists

Law enforcement and intelligence figures

Literary figures and actors

Military figures

Medal of Honor recipients

See main article: article and List of Medal of Honor recipients educated at the United States Military Academy.

Vietnam

American Civil War combatants

Confederate States Army generals

See main article: article and List of Confederate States Army officers educated at the United States Military Academy.

Union Army generals

See main article: article and List of Union Army officers educated at the United States Military Academy.

Indian Wars combatants and Buffalo Soldiers

Spanish–American War and Philippine Insurrection combatants

World War I combatants

See main article: article and List of World War I military personnel trained at the United States Military Academy.

World War II combatants

See main article: article and List of World War II military personnel trained at the United States Military Academy.

Note: "Class year" refers to the alumni's class year, which usually is the same year they graduated. However, due to the war in Europe, the Class of 1943 graduated early, in January '43, becoming the only class to do so.

Korean War combatants

Vietnam War combatants

War on Terror

Iraq combatants

Supreme Allied Commanders of NATO

Chairmen of the Joint Chiefs of Staff

Army Chiefs of Staff/Commanders of the Army

Chiefs of the National Guard Bureau / Chiefs of the Militia Bureau

Chiefs of the Army Corps of Engineers

The Chief of Engineers also commands the United States Army Corps of Engineers. As commander of the US Army Corps of Engineers, the Chief of Engineers leads a major Army command that is the world's largest public engineering, design, and construction management agency.

Air Force Chiefs of Staff

Chief of Staff of non-American armed forces

Presidential and Congressional awardees

Presidential Medal of Freedom recipients

Congressional Gold Medal recipients

Congressional Space Medal of Honor recipients

Religious Figures

Scientists, inventors, and physicians

Sportspeople

See main article: article and List of sportspeople trained at the United States Military Academy.

Coaches

Television and movie figures

Eponyms

Graduates depicted on currency

Graduates depicted on postage stamps

Graduates selected as Time Magazines "Person of the Year"

Other

Non-graduates

See main article: article and List of United States Military Academy non-graduate alumni.

As these alumni did not graduate, their class year represents the year they would have graduated if they had completed their education at the Academy.

References

General references
Inline citations

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Moon. Kristen. What Students Need To Know Before Applying To One of the United States Military Academies. 2021-02-12. Forbes. en.
  2. News: U.S. Military Academy established. 2021-02-12. HISTORY. en.
  3. Web site: Quick Facts . Go Army Sports.com . 2009-03-04 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110503204444/http://www.goarmysports.com/ViewArticle.dbml?DB_OEM_ID=11100&KEY=&ATCLID=323967 . 3 May 2011.
  4. Edson, James (1954). The Black Knights of West Point. New York: Bradbury & Sayles.
  5. News: Army plans games for home gridiron. The New York Times. 15 January 1947. 2009-03-04.
  6. Web site: FAQ: Who Attends the US Military Academy . Office of Admissions . 2009-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090619074741/http://admissions.usma.edu/FAQs/faqs_wp.cfm . 19 June 2009 . dead .
  7. Web site: Overview of the Academy . Office of Admissions . 2009-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090621002647/http://admissions.usma.edu/overview.cfm . 21 June 2009 . dead .
  8. Web site: College Navigator – United States Military Academy. National Center for Education Statistics, United States Department of Education. 2009-03-21.
  9. Web site: Academic Catalog: "The Redbook" . Office of the Dean, USMA . 2008-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090109014948/http://www.dean.usma.edu/sebpublic/curriccat/static/index.htm . 9 January 2009 . dead .
  10. Web site: Medal of Honor Citations . Army Center of Military History . 2010-01-27 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090611082639/http://www.history.army.mil/moh.html . 11 June 2009 . live.
  11. Web site: Notable USMA Graduates . United States Military Academy . 2009-03-21 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090518095835/http://www.usma.edu/bicentennial/history/NotableGrads.asp . 18 May 2009 . dead.
  12. Web site: Scholarship Winners . Office of the Dean, USMA . 2008-12-19 . https://web.archive.org/web/20090109021116/http://www.dean.usma.edu/Scholarships/ . 9 January 2009 . dead .
  13. Registrar, USMA
  14. Web site: Galvin, John / Distinguished Graduate Award . 2006-07-27 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20060516204800/http://www.aogusma.org/aog/awards/DGA/97cit/c-galvin.htm . 16 May 2006 .
  15. Web site: Pennington, Alexander Cumming McWhorter. Biographical Directory of the United States Congress . 2023-01-01.
  16. 'Wisconsin Blue Book 1971, Biographical Sketch of Nile Soik, pg. 22
  17. News: Frank. Warner . Frank Fischl, decorated Air Force pilot and former Allentown mayor, dies at 89 . . 2016-10-14 . 2016-10-23.
  18. Web site: St. Pete Beach mayor resigns.
  19. Book: Willbanks, James. The Battle of An Loc. Indiana University Press. 2005. 9780253344816. 145.
  20. Book: Ward. Geoffrey. Burns. Ken. The Vietnam War An Intimate History. Alfred A. Knopf. 2017. 978-0307700254. 498.
  21. Web site: Persons listed by name on U.S. paper money . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20110412041304/http://www.coinworld.com/persons-listed-by-name-on-u-s-paper-money/ . 12 April 2011 . 11 April 2017 .
  22. Web site: Albert Madora - Recipient - .

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