New York, Orange County, West Point
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The Corps! The Corps! The Corps!The Corps bareheaded salute it, with eyes up thanking our God – that we of the Corps are treading where they of the Corps have trod. They are here in ghostly assemblage, the men of the Corps long dead, and our hearts are standing attention while we wait for their passing tread.
We sons of to-day, we salute you, you, sons of an earlier day, we follow, close order, behind you, where you have pointed the way. The Long Gray Line of us stretches thro’ the years of a century told, and the last man feels to his marrow the grip of your far off hold.
Grip hands with us now through we see not. Grip hands with us, strengthen our hearts – as the long line stiffens and straightens with the thrill that your presence imparts. Grip hands, tho’ it be from the shadows while we swear, as you did of yore, or living, or dying to honor the Corps and the Corps, and the Corps.
Herbert Shipman, Chaplain U.S.M.A., 1896-1905
CADET PRAYER O God, our Father, thou searcher of men’s hearts, help us to draw near to thee in sincerity and truth. May our religion be filled with gladness and may our worship of Thee be natural.
Strengthen and increase our admiration for honest dealing and clean thinking, and suffer not our hatred of hypocrisy and pretence ever to diminish. Encourage us in our endeavor to live above the common level of life. Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won. Endow us with courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns to compromise with vice and injustice and knows no fear when truth and right are in jeopardy. Guard us against flippancy and irreverence in the sacred things of life. Grant us new ties of friendship and new opportunities of service. Kindle our hearts in fellowship with those of a cheerful countenance, and soften our hearts with sympathy for those who sorrow and suffer. Help us to maintain the honor of the Corps untarnished and unsullied and to show forth in our lives the ideals of West Point in doing our duty to Thee and to our country. All of which we ask in the name of the Great Friend and Master of Men. Amen.Clayton E. Wheat, Chaplain U.S.M.A. 1919 – 1926
ALMA MATER
Hail, alma mater, dear,
to us be ever near,
help us thy motto bear,
through all the years.
Let duty be well performed,
Honor be, e’er untarned,
country be ever armed,
West Point, by thee.
Guide us, thy sons, aright,
teach us by day, by night
to keep thy honor bright,
for thee to fight.
When we depart from thee,
serving on land or sea,
may we still loyal be,
West Point, to thee.
And when our work is done,
our course on Earth is run,
may it be said, “well done,
be thou at peace.”
E’er may that Line of Gray,
increase from day to day.
Live, serve, and die, we pray,
West Point, for thee.
Paul S. Reinecke, Class of 1911
(Military) Includes location, directions, 8 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
The Corps! The Corps! The Corps!The Corps bareheaded salute it, with eyes up thanking our God – that we of the Corps are treading where they of the Corps have trod. They are here in ghostly assemblage, the men of the Corps long dead, and our hearts are standing attention while we wait for their passing tread.We sons of to-day, we salute you, you, sons of an earlier day, we follow, close order, behind you, where you have pointed the way. The Long Gray Line of us stretches thro’ the years of a century told, and the last man feels to his marrow the grip of your far off hold.
Grip hands with us now through we see not. Grip hands with us, strengthen our hearts – as the long line stiffens and straightens with the thrill that your presence imparts. Grip hands, tho’ it be from the shadows while we swear, as you did of yore, or living, or dying to honor the Corps and the Corps, and the Corps.
Herbert Shipman, Chaplain U.S.M.A., 1896-1905
CADET PRAYER O God, our Father, thou searcher of men’s hearts, help us to draw near to thee in sincerity and truth. May our religion be filled with gladness and may our worship of Thee be natural.
Strengthen and increase our admiration for honest dealing and clean thinking, and suffer not our hatred of hypocrisy and pretence ever to diminish. Encourage us in our endeavor to live above the common level of life. Make us to choose the harder right instead of the easier wrong, and never to be content with a half truth when the whole can be won. Endow us with courage that is born of loyalty to all that is noble and worthy, that scorns to compromise with vice and injustice and knows no fear when truth and right are in jeopardy. Guard us against flippancy and irreverence in the sacred things of life. Grant us new ties of friendship and new opportunities of service. Kindle our hearts in fellowship with those of a cheerful countenance, and soften our hearts with sympathy for those who sorrow and suffer. Help us to maintain the honor of the Corps untarnished and unsullied and to show forth in our lives the ideals of West Point in doing our duty to Thee and to our country. All of which we ask in the name of the Great Friend and Master of Men. Amen.Clayton E. Wheat, Chaplain U.S.M.A. 1919 – 1926
ALMA MATER
Hail, alma mater, dear,
to us be ever near,
help us thy motto bear,
through all the years.
Let duty be well performed,
Honor be, e’er untarned,
country be ever armed,
West Point, by thee.
Guide us, thy sons, aright,
teach us by day, by night
to keep thy honor bright,
for thee to fight.
When we depart from thee,
serving on land or sea,
may we still loyal be,
West Point, to thee.
And when our work is done,
our course on Earth is run,
may it be said, “well done,
be thou at peace.”
E’er may that Line of Gray,
increase from day to day.
Live, serve, and die, we pray,
West Point, for thee.
Paul S. Reinecke, Class of 1911
(Military) Includes location, directions, 8 photos, GPS coordinates, map.
