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Preface
- University Press of New England
- Chapter
- Additional Information
xi Preface T he story of West Point ’41 is seen primarily through the eyes of a dozen or so surviving class members who, following their seventieth reunion in 2011, were able to share personal recollections of their careers from West Point, into war, and beyond. Their stories are based on many hundreds of hours of interviews, after which most officers fastidiously reviewed and corrected the content of their recollections, down to the artillery size, the exact date of a particular battle in the Bulge, the specific canal crossed in the race to the Rhine, the ridge an officer was on in Korea, the conversation with Eisenhower as president, and so on. These officers were trained to be meticulous—there were slim margins for error as commanders in war—and the details of this book are, therefore, believed to be the most accurate representation of historical facts possible. Contributing officers to these oral interviews are noted following this preface. To those officers, the authors are eternally grateful for their service to our country, their dedication to relaying history for this book—and the honor of the friendship of many of them. Live interviews for West Point ’41 were supplemented, in a few cases, by military oral histories, personal papers, and accounts provided by family members. West Point ’41 also extracted from various ’41 class yearbooks and memorabilia documenting the exploits of the 424 class members. Two autobiographical books that classmates wrote were also relied on to supplement the recollections of their family members. These are noted as Through Hell and High Water: The Wartime Memories of a Junior Combat Infantry Officer, by Lt. Colonel (ret.) Leslie W. Bailey, U.S. Army; and Sub Rosa: The CIA and the Uses of Intelligence, by Peer de Silva. Furthermore, West Point ’41 shares some recollections also featured in Smokey Joe & the General, a biography-autobiography written by Lt. General Edward Rowny and edited by Anne Kazel-Wilcox. General Rowny was the three-star glue that brought classmates together for the remarkable narrative journey portrayed in West Point ’41. The book relays insight into critical periods, places, and events over the course of nearly half a century in our nation’s history. When the book was begun, a friend of the authors’ noted regarding ’41 officers: “When these men go, it’s like libraries burning down.” Instead, in this book important pieces of history are now preserved. We’re honored to be presenting to you West Point ’41—history in the words of the men who made it. Anne Kazel-Wilcox and PJ Wilcox Kazel-Wilcox - West Point.indb 11 3/19/2014 5:40:08 PM Kazel-Wilcox - West Point.indb 12 3/19/2014 5:40:08 PM ...