Retreat includes personal anecdotes from classmates from their cadet days. This is to encourage reminiscences about what it was really like to be a member of the Corps of Cadets. You can post your stories by using the form below.
Story by Max Westmoreland, R/4BS, posted on August 14, 1999:
BOWDEN DROPS HIS SWORD - Ralph Bowden was the Provost Marshal on my Fourth Battalion Staff. Rarely did he go to a parade. One Friday, I was short of staff and he had to fill in. He never liked to go to parades, mainly because the commands I gave were too loud to suit him. He would always sort of flinch when I bellowed forth. Well, when I called the staff to attention and did an about face and gave the "Battalion, Attention" command, Ralph flinched so bad on the issuing "BBBAAAATTT" that he let his sword slip through his fingers to the ground. He had to let it lay until we started for the Officer's Forward; so he went through the commands until then with his fist clenched as if he was holding a sword. Later, he gave me hell for bellowing out the commands so loud. Index of Stories
Story by Julian Stoudemire, N Company, posted September 8, 1999:
STOUDEMIRE'S NARROW ESCAPE - I read Max Westmoreland's story about Bowden. I miss Ralph. He and I were both history majors and good friends. He was a great guy. Our senior year, my roommate, Keels Dickson had a birthday in May. His mother baked a cake and called the barracks. Keels was studying or at a meeting or something. He was not there. She told me she was bringing the birthday cake to the barracks and would I get it to him. I went down to Sally Port wearing shorts and a t-shirt, flip flops. She pulled up and got out. She was bringing the cake to me and I walked outside to get the cake. About # 2 barracks on the sidewalk was Lt. Col. Sam Savas who saw me and started to run toward me. I said "goodbye" with no cake. I went inside and the only place I could think of quickly was Bowden's room. He roomed in the Sally Port and had an entrance from the Sally Port and the Quadrangle. I entered the room and told Ralph that Savas was after me. I went in the bathroom and sat on the john. Shortly thereafter, Savas entered the room, the room was called to attention and Savas looked around the room. He asked no questions about me, but I was on the john. He left the room with no questions. No honor violation. Bowden never said a word. Later Savas left the barracks. I have always remembered this. I have analogized this to the rabbit. When you chase a rabbit, it goes for the briar patch and won't come out until you leave. When the coast is clear, the rabbit goes about his business. Whenever I think of Ralph Bowden, I can still see him as a cadet. I think of Savannah and that incident. Index of Stories
Story by Max Westmoreland, R/4BS, posted on September 13, 1999:
BEWARE THE NUMMY - It was during my junior year, fall semester. I had a room on the fourth division Romeo Company with Ralph Bowden. It was just before evening study period was ending when we heard a strange noise - a whining noise - sounded something like "wwwhhheeennneee", followed by another noise like "phff". These noises were in sequence of "wwwhhheeennneee, phff, phff" then a pause and again "wwwhhheeennneee, phff, phff", which was followed by three sharp sounds like "NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT! We wondered what the hell is that? Then the door opened a crack and a hand was visible, a right hand, with the fist closed except for the ring finger, which was furiously oscillating to the sounds of "wwwhhheeennneee, phff, phff, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!" Then the door burst opened, and FRANK KRICKER bound in on both feet, with the legs bent at the knees and slightly bowed. His right arm was sweeping from the floor toward the ceiling in graceful arcs, while the ring finger was still furiously oscillating and through FRANK's pursed lips spilled forth "wwwhhheeennneee, phff, phff, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!" With lightning speed, before Ralph or I could react, FRANK KRICKER was upon us, the dreaded oscillating digit slapping against mine and then Ralph's head with sickening THACK, THACK, THACK’s! There was no mercy. FRANK KRICKER! "wwwhhheeennneee, phff, phff, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!" FRANK KRICKER! All the while he was bounding about on his two feet. FRANK KRICKER! The NUMMY! We were toast, and begged for mercy. Then he was gone, bounding out the door with "wwwhhheeennneee, phff, phff, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!, NEIGHT!" FRANK KRICKER! We could hear the NUMMY striking throughout the barracks that fateful night........Beware the NUMMY. Index of Stories