Commandant of cadets

Logo of the Military Academy

The Commandant of Cadets is the ranking officer in charge of the Corps of Cadets at the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York. The commandant is head of the Department of Tactics and, under the superintendent is responsible for the administration, discipline, and military training of cadets at the academy. A model for all cadets, the commandant is an academy graduate of impeccable character and bearing who has demonstrated accomplishment in both academic excellence and active military service in the field.

During the superintendency of Sylvanus Thayer, the corps of cadets was organized into a battalion of two companies with an officer of the army appointed as commander. In 1825, the office was designated as commandant of cadets.^[1] William J. Worth was the first officer to bear the title, though he had assumed the office several years previously, following three earlier battalion commanding officers.

Referring to the office in his work on Commandant Emory Upton, academy professor Peter Michie wrote: "His example should be that of the ideal soldier, officer, and gentleman. He should cultivate soldierly honor among the cadets until it attains vigorous growth. He should rebuke with severity the first tendency to prevarication or dishonesty in word or act. With a system of divided responsibility, which ultimately rests on one or two comrades, he should control all by strict and increasing exactions. To make his government successful he should be endowed with the highest soldierly qualities in personal bearing at drill, and even in every act while subject to vision of his corps"^[2]

Commandants

# Start End Name Class year Notability References 1 1817 1818 Gardiner, George W.George W. Gardiner  1814 Killed in Dade's Massacre (second in command of the force under Major Dade) ^a[›] 2 1818 1819 Bliss, JohnJohn Bliss  — ^a[›] 3 1819 1820 Bell, John R.John R. Bell  1812 ^a[›] 4 1820 1828 Worth, William J.William J. Worth  — ^a[›] 5 1829 1833 Hitchcock, Ethan AllenEthan Allen Hitchcock  1817 Union Major General ^a[›] 6 1833 1838 Fowle, JohnJohn Fowle  — ^a[›] 7 1838 1842 Smith, Charles FergusonCharles Ferguson Smith  1825 Union Major General ^a[›] 8 1842 1845 Thomas, John AddisonJohn Addison Thomas  1833 ^a[›] 9 1845 1852 Alden, Bradford R.Bradford R. Alden  1831 ^a[›] 10 1852 1854 Garnett, Robert S.Robert S. Garnett  1841 Confederate Brigadier General; killed in the Battle of Corrick's Ford ^a[›] 11 1854 1856 Walker, William H.T.William H.T. Walker  1837 Confederate Major General; killed in the Battle of Atlanta ^a[›] 12 1856 1860 Hardee, William J.William J. Hardee  1838 Confederate Lieutenant General ^a[›] 13 1860 1861 Reynolds, John F.John F. Reynolds  1841 Union Major General; killed in the Battle of Gettysburg ^a[›] 14 1861 1861 Augur, Christopher C.Christopher C. Augur  1843 Union Major General ^a[›] 15 1861 1862 Garrard, KennerKenner Garrard  1851 Union Brigadier General ^a[›] 16 1862 1864 Clitz, Henry B.Henry B. Clitz  1845 ^a[›] 17 1864 1864 Tidball, John C.John C. Tidball  1848 ^a[›] 18 1864 1870 Black, Henry M.Henry M. Black  1847 ^a[›] 19 1870 1875 Upton, EmoryEmory Upton  1861 Union Brigadier General ^a[›] 20 1875 1879 Neill, Thomas H.Thomas H. Neill  1847 Union Brigadier General ^a[›] 21 1879 1882 Lazelle, Henry M.Henry M. Lazelle  1855 ^a[›] 22 1882 1888 Hasbrouck, Henry C.Henry C. Hasbrouck  1861 ^a[›] 23 1888 1892 Hawkins, Hamilton S.Hamilton S. Hawkins  — Member of the class of 1856; did not graduate ^a[›] 24 1892 1897 Mills, Samuel M.Samuel M. Mills  1865 ^a[›] 25 1897 1901 Hein, Otto L.Otto L. Hein  1870 ^a[›] 26 1901 1905 Treat, Charles G.Charles G. Treat  1882 ^a[›] 27 1905 1909 Howze, Robert L.Robert L. Howze  1888 Medal of Honor recipient ^a[›] 28 1909 1911 Sibley, Frederick W.Frederick W. Sibley  1874 ^a[›] 29 1911 1914 Sladen, Fred WinchesterFred Winchester Sladen  1890 Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (1922-1926) ^a[›] 30 1914 1916 Smith, Morton F.Morton F. Smith  1895 ^a[›] 31 1916 1918 Henry, Guy VernorGuy Vernor Henry  1898 Olympic bronze medallist ^a[›] 32 1918 1919 Bugge, JensJens Bugge  1895 ^a[›] 33 1919 1923 Danford, Robert M.Robert M. Danford  1904 ^a[›] 34 1923 1926 Stewart, Merch B.Merch B. Stewart  1896 Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (1926-1928) ^a[›] 35 1926 1929 Hodges, Campbell B.Campbell B. Hodges  1903 ^a[›] 36 1929 1933 Richardson, Robert C.Robert C. Richardson  1904 ^a[›] 37 1933 1936 Buckner, Simon BolivarSimon Bolivar Buckner  1908 ^a[›] 38 1936 1937 McCunniff, Dennis E.Dennis E. McCunniff  1913 ^a[›] 39 1937 1941 Ryder, Charles W.Charles W. Ryder  1915 ^a[›] 40 1941 1942 Irving, Frederick A.Frederick A. Irving  1917 Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (1951-1954) ^a[›] 41 1942 1943 Gallagher, Philip E.Philip E. Gallagher  1918 ^a[›] 42 1943 1946 Honnen, George B.George B. Honnen  1920 ^a[›] 43 1946 1948 Higgins, Gerald J.Gerald J. Higgins  1934 ^a[›] 44 1948 1951 Harkins, Paul D.Paul D. Harkins  1929 ^a[›] 45 1951 1952 Waters, John K.John K. Waters  1931 ^a[›] 46 1952 1954 Michaelis, John H.John H. Michaelis  1936 ^a[›] 47 1954 1956 Messinger, Edwin J.Edwin J. Messinger  1931 ^a[›] 48 1956 1959 Throckmorton, John L.John L. Throckmorton  1935 ^a[›] 49 1959 1961 Rich, Charles W.G.Charles W.G. Rich  1935 ^a[›] 50 1961 1963 Stilwell, Richard G.Richard G. Stilwell  1938 ^a[›] 51 1963 1965 Davison, Michael S.Michael S. Davison  1939 ^a[›] 52 1965 1967 Scott, Richard P.Richard P. Scott  1941 ^a[›] 53 1967 1969 Rogers, Bernard W.Bernard W. Rogers  1943 ^a[›] 54 1969 1972 Walker, Sam S.Sam S. Walker  1946 ^a[›] 55 1972 1975 Feir, Phillip R.Phillip R. Feir  1949 ^a[›] 56 1975 1977 Ulmer, Walter F.Walter F. Ulmer  1952 ^a[›] 57 1977 1979 Bard, John C.John C. Bard  1954 ^a[›] 58 1979 1982 Franklin, Joseph P.Joseph P. Franklin  1955 ^a[›] 59 1982 1984 Moellering, John H.John H. Moellering  1959 ^a[›] 60 1984 1987 Boylan, Peter J.Peter J. Boylan  1961 ^a[›] 61 1987 1989 Gorden, Fred A.Fred A. Gorden  1962 ^a[›] 62 1989 1992 Bramlett, David A.David A. Bramlett  1964 ^a[›] 63 1992 1994 Foley, Robert F.Robert F. Foley  1963 Medal of Honor recipient ^a[›] 64 1994 1995 McFarren, Freddy E.Freddy E. McFarren  1966 ^a[›] 65 1995 1997 St. Onge, Robert J.Robert J. St. Onge  1969 ^a[›] 66 1997 1999 Abizaid, John P.John P. Abizaid  1973 ^a[›] 67 1999 2002 Olson, EricEric Olson  1972 ^a[›] 68 2002 2004 Brooks, Leo A.Leo A. Brooks  1979 ^a[›] 69 2004 2006 Scaparrotti, Curtis M.Curtis M. Scaparrotti  1978 ^a[›] 70 2006 2008 Caslen, Robert L.Robert L. Caslen  1975 Superintendent of the United States Military Academy (2013-present) ^a[›] 71 2008 2009 Linnington, Michael S.Michael S. Linnington  1980 ^a[›] 72 2009 2011 Rapp, William E.William E. Rapp  1984 ^a[›] 73 2011 2012 Martin, Theodore D.Theodore D. Martin  1983 ^a[›] 74 2012 2014 Clarke, RichardRichard Clarke  1984 ^a[›] 75 2014 2016 Thomson, JohnJohn Thomson  1986 ^a[›] 76 2016 present Holland, DianaDiana Holland  1990 ^a[›]

William J. Worth Ethan A. Hitchcock Charles Ferguson Smith John F. Reynolds Emory Upton Robert L. Howze Robert C. Richardson John K. Waters Bernard W. Rogers Sam Walker Robert Caslen

References

General references

^ a: "Special Collections: Biographical Register of the Officers and Graduates of the U. S. Military Academy". United States Military Academy Library. 1950. Retrieved 2009-05-04.

Inline citations

1. Forman, Sidney (1950). West Point: A History of the United States Military Academy. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 153.
2. Michie, Peter S., The Life and Letters of Emory Upton, p. 247, quoted in Forman, Sidney (1950). West Point: A History of the United States Military Academy. New York: Columbia University Press. p. 153.

See also