Odin Stays Away: WPAOG Celebrates DGA

For the first time in four years, the weather cooperated and the Corps of Cadets, dressed in their full-dress gray uniformes, marched in the Alumni Review parade honoring those classes that have returned to West Point during Graduation Week. This year, the Classes of ’38, ’43JAN, ’43JUN, ’48, ’58, and ’63 came home to their alma mater. As part of the ceremony, the West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) recognized six individuals with the Distinguished Graduate Award (DGA): Robert G. Yerks '51, John W. Foss '56, Lee R. Anderson '61, Theodore G. Stroup Jr. '62, Joseph E. DeFrancisco '65, and Boonsrang Niumpradit '71. With this group of recipients, the number of Distinguished Graduates crossed the 100 threshold. Edward C. Meyer '51, former Chairman of WPAOG, devised the Award in the early-1990s to recognize those graduates whose character, service, and stature draws wholesome comparisons to the qualities for which West Point strives—Duty, Honor, Country. "West Point’s motto works for any country in the world and is a requirement for all citizens of a democracy," said Boonsrang, who finished his military career in 2008 as the 26^th Supreme Commander of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (equivalent to the U.S. Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff). While their credentials reminds one of the oft-heard West Point phase, "Much of the history we teach was made by those we taught," all the recipients were humbled to be recognized as Distinguished Graduates. "I went through the sally port on R-Day with a toothbrush in a brown paper bag," said Anderson, "and I had no idea how four years at West Point would change my life." For those whose lives are about to change on Saturday with the words, "Class Dismissed!" Foss offered these words: "Graduates of the Class of 2013 will have great careers as long as they understand their leadership responsibilities." When asked what he meant by this, he said that 58 years later, he often thinks of his time as a cadet at the Academy, but more than that, he thinks of his soldiers.

See DGA photos.  See Alumni Review photos.