Notable Cadets

Sylvanus Morley may best be known for his Excavations at Chichen Itza, the discovery of the Temple of the Warriors and his study of the pre-Columbian Maya civilization. He also is known as Agent No. 53 for his work as a spy for the Office of Naval Intelligence (ONI) during World War I.

Colonel Benjamin F. Morley, was a professor of chemistry, mathematics and tactics at PMC Although the family had moved to Colorado, the Colonel encouraged his son to study engineering. Morley enrolled at PMC and graduated at the top of his class, receiving a degree in Civil Engineering. He then promptly enrolled at Harvard and began his study of archaeology, his life long passion.

After several years at the Museum-affiliated School of American Archaeology in Santa Fe, Morley was appointed Research Associate for the Carnegie Institute. This permitted him to lead a series of expeditions to Central America.

In March 1917, Morley approached ONI and suggested that specialists, including himself, in Mexico and Central America were willing to become intelligence agents using their professional activities as cover. In April, with only basic instructions from ONI and no training, he was sent to Guatemala City. His mission for ONI was to search for secret German submarine bases; and, build an intelligence network in Central America while conducting an “archeological reconnaissance” for the Carnegie Institute. For the next 2 years, he traveled more than 2,000 miles along the coastline of Latin America. As he traveled through Nicaragua, Honduras, Guatemala, and Mexico, he recruited an extensive network of agents who kept watch on the activities of German nationals.

Morley’s career as a spy ended in 1919. During that time he proved to be a remarkable gatherer of intelligence. Once it became clear that there were no German submarine bases, he provided useful economic and political intelligence.

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Charles Frederick Berthold Price was born in Germany of American parents. He and his parents returned to America when Price was six months old. His family settled in Wayne, PA. Price entered PMC in 1898. At PMC, he was a talented musician; particularly in his rendition of “Taps”. In his 2nd Class (Junior) Year, he was appointed Chief Musician, which meant he kept the PMC Bugle Corps in shape. As a First Classman (Senior), he commanded “B” Company as a Cadet Captain. The Porcupine Annual (then the PMC Yearbook) described Price as: “an advocate for the Extermination of Room Inspectors.” It was written that to avoid the “exertion” of making his bed every morning, he “nailed his sheets and blanket to the bed.” He slept on the floor with a spare blanket. Yet, his classmates considered him to be a “good fellow…and a kind officer.”

After graduation, Price was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and served in the Philadelphia City Cavalry of the Pennsylvania National Guard. In 1906, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps and ordered to Annapolis for training. During the Spanish-American War, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered Price and a Marine Expeditionary Force to “protect American lives and property” in Cuba. Price remained there until 1908. He returned to the U.S., but after a few months, he joined the Central American Expeditionary Force. Later deployments included: Panama during the construction of the Panama Canal; Vera Cruz during the Mexican Intervention in 1914; France, shortly before and after the armistice ending WWI; and Nicaragua. 

In 1935, he joined the Fourth Marines at the American Legation in Shanghai, China. Price was promoted to Brigadier General in 1940 and assumed command of the Department of the Pacific in 1941. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he was promoted to Major General and placed in command of the Second Marine Division. He assumed command of the Defense Force, Samoan Group, in 1942. His assignment was to secure the approaches to Samoa Islands. His efforts in occupying and developing the U.S. presence on the Ellice Islands made the seizure of the Gilbert Islands possible, thereby opening the Central Pacific. For his ability, perseverance and tact he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal with the Combat “V” for heroism during direct participation in combat operations by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CinCPOA), for U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II.

Price returned to the San Diego area in 1944. The following year he retired. He continued to live in the San Diego area until his death in 1954.

Military Honors & Valor

Headquarters, 2nd Marine Division, Fleet Marine Force (FMF) Pacific
Legion of Merit w/V for heroism during direct participation in the defense of the Samoa Islands during the period of 1942 and 1944.

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When World War I broke out, Edmund “Ned” Cook, ex-cadet, Class of 1906, felt it was his patriotic duty to fight for the Allies. He traveled to England and enlisted. He became a member of the 4th Battalion of the British Grenadier Guards, the oldest and most famed infantry regiment in England.

The regiment was in France and a major part of the Allies offensive in 1917. Ordered to attack just before dawn on August 10, Cook went “over the top” dodging from shell hole to shell hole. German machine guns fired an unrelenting barrage on them on the Grenadiers. “Ned” Cook was struck and went down, wounded in the abdomen and legs. Refusing care during the attack, Cook told his comrades to “carry on, you fellows.”

Stretcher-bearers following the attack picked up the injured man who had refused the aid of his brother Grenadiers. They carried him to the rear where he died a few days later at Casualty Clearing Station Number 62.

“Ned” Cook was the first PMC casualty of the war. Sometime later, his wife wrote to Colonel Hyatt that Cook was an honor to PMC’s “teachings and guidance and you may be proud of your good soldier.”

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Rukard Hurd was born on July 15, 1858, in Cincinnati, Ohio.  He graduated from PMA in 1878, earning a degree in civil engineering.  After graduating, Hurd settled in Minnesota.  From 1889 to 1907, he worked in the life insurance business.  He served on the Minnesota State Legislature in 1901 and 1902. In 1915 Hurd was appointed director of the Department of Mines and Natural Resources for the Minnesota Tax Commission; he had already served as Secretary of the Commission since 1907.  Hurd also acted as a consulting engineer for the U.S. Bureau of Mines. 

In 1911, Hurd's Iron Ore Manual of the Lake Superior Region was published cementing Hurd's reputation as one of the leading mining experts in the northwest. During World War I, Hurd took a position as major in the Engineer Reserve Corps and was the officer in charge of the Division of Statistics and Reports.  He worked in the General Engineering Depot in Washington, D.C., from December 21, 1917, to June 5, 1918. Hurd was a long time member of the American Mining Engineers and the American Iron and Steel Institute. 

Hurd remained active with his alma mater by participating in the Western Alumni Association of Pennsylvania Military College, which each year presented a gold medal to the cadet of the third class who maintained the highest record of scholarship. In 1912 PMC awarded Hurd an honorary Doctor of Philosophy degree for his accomplishments in life and dedication to the school. In honor of PMC, Hurd wrote the words and music to three cadet songs: Rally (in memory of Theodore Hyatt), PMC Marching Song, and PMC Cadet Lay (dedicated to Charles Hyatt). Rukard Hurd died at his vacation home in Frontenac, Minnesota on July 27, 1922. He was 64.

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Horace Hobbs (Class of 1897) was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism during the Philippine Insurrection in 1905 and the Silver Cross for gallantry in France during World War I. He wrote “Kris and Krag: Adventures among the Moros of the Southern Philippine Islands” which is recognized as a classic work on the little-documented Philippine Insurrection.

Military Honors & Valor

1st Battalion, 17th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, Fifth Corps
Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism in action at Pala’s Cotta, Island of Jolo, Philippine Islands during the Philippine Insurrection.

1st Battalion, 26th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division AEF
Silver Star for gallantry in action while serving with the 101st Infantry Regiment A.E.F. in action near Beaumont, France

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Raymond W. Hardenbergh, also a member of PMC’s Class of 1898, left campus prior to Commencement to serve in the Spanish-American War. A Cadet Lieutenant at the time, he enlisted as a private in Company E of the 13th Pennsylvania Infantry, joining the regiment at Camp Hastings. Like his fellow cadets who entered military service, Hardenbergh received his degree in civil engineering.

From the 13th Pennsylvania, Hardenbergh went on to serve with the Army Corps of Engineers in Cuba under Colonel Edgar Jadwin, where he was appointed a Second Lieutenant in the regular army. His military career expanded further as he participated in the Philippine Insurrection. During World War I, he served as brigade adjutant with the 159th Brigade, 80th Division, American Expeditionary Forces.

Hardenbergh is perhaps best remembered not only for his service, but for his connection to “Rags,” the famed war dog and mascot of the 1st Infantry Division. Rags, a mixed-breed terrier discovered in Paris by Sergeant James Donovan, was trained to carry messages between front-line units. During the Meuse-Argonne Campaign, Rags delivered a critical message despite being bombed, gassed, and partially blinded—an act that saved many lives and brought him widespread recognition.

After the war, both Donovan and Rags returned to the United States, where Donovan later died in 1919. Rags remained at Fort Sheridan, Illinois, where gas victims were being treated. When Major Hardenbergh arrived at Fort Sheridan the following year, he and his family adopted Rags, providing a home for the decorated war dog.

In 1924, Hardenbergh was transferred to Governor’s Island in New York Harbor, home of the 1st Infantry Division, where Rags became something of a celebrity in Manhattan. Hardenbergh was later transferred to the War Department in 1934. Rags died in 1936 and was buried with full military honors; a monument was erected in his memory at Aspen Hill Memorial Park and Animal Sanctuary in Silver Spring, Maryland.

Colonel Raymond W. Hardenbergh died on February 3, 1949.

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Ezra H. Ripple, Jr., a member of PMC’s Class of 1898, answered the call to service before completing his studies. In May of that year, as the nation mobilized for the Spanish-American War, Ripple—then a Cadet Lieutenant—left campus to enlist as a private in Company D of the 13th Regiment of the Pennsylvania National Guard. Like many of his classmates who entered service, he still received his degree in civil engineering.

Ripple joined his regiment at Camp Hastings for training. At the time of muster, the 13th Pennsylvania consisted of thirty-six officers and 604 enlisted men. In May, the regiment was ordered to Camp Alger, near Dunn Loring, Virginia, where it became part of the 2nd Army Corps, First Division. The unit remained there until August, when it was ordered back to Pennsylvania’s Camp Meade near Middletown. The war came to an end on August 13, and the 13th Pennsylvania did not see combat.

Following his military service, Ripple worked as a mine surveyor until 1900, when he chose to pursue a career in law. He entered the law department of the University of Pennsylvania and graduated in 1904. The following year, he was admitted to the Lackawanna bar.

Ripple’s commitment to military service continued well beyond his early enlistment. In 1916, he commanded the 13th Pennsylvania during the Mexican Border Campaign. During World War I, he was drafted into service and assigned to Headquarters, 55th Infantry Brigade, 28th Infantry Division—once again answering the call in a time of national need.

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In late May of 1918 a massive German offensive smashed though the British and French lines. The Germans were now bearing down on Paris. The Marines were ordered to march toward Belleau Wood. An old hunting preserve, Belleau Wood covered about a square mile. In the heavy undergrowth the Germans created an ideal defense with a regiment armed with both light and heavy machine guns.

On June 6, the 3rd Battalion 5th Marines (3/5), commanded by Major Benjamin S. Berry advanced from the west into Belleau Wood as part of the Allied effort to take the village of Bouresches. As the first waves of Marines made their frontal assault, in a well-disciplined line, they had to go through a meadow of murderous machine gun fire. Almost immediately, Major Berry was wounded in his forearm. Marines attacked the woods six more times before the Germans were successfully expelled.

After the battle the wood was renamed “Bois de la Brigade de Marine” (“Wood of the Marine Brigade”) in honor of the tenacity of the Marines, by the French. An official German report classified the Marines as “vigorous, self-confident, and remarkable marksmen….

News reached P.M.C. that Major Benjamin S. Berry, ‘02, had been awarded the Croix de Guerre for bravery during the battle of Belleau Wood. On May 27, Secretary of the Navy Josephus Daniels presented a gold sword to Major Berry in recognition of his splendid service in France. The inscription on the sword reads: “From P.M.C. to Benjamin S. Berry, Major, United States Marine Corps, for bravery and distinguished service in the World War, 1917-18.” Later, Major Berry received the Distinguished Service Cross.

Military Honors & Valor

5th Machine Gun Battalion, 5th Marines, 2nd Infantry Division AEF
Distinguished Service Cross for extraordinary heroism while serving with the Fifth Machine-Gun Battalion, Fifth Regiment (Marines), 2d Division, A.E.F., in action in the Bois-de-Belleau, northwest of Chateau-Thierry, France. Major Berry led his men in a gallant attack across and into the Bois-de-Belleau on the afternoon of 6 June 1918, inspiring them to deeds of valor by his example. When he reached the edge of the woods he fell, severely wounded. Nevertheless, he arose and made a final dash of 30 yards across an open field through a storm of bullets, and reached again the first wave of his command, before yielding to exhaustion from his injury.

Navy Cross and Croix de Guerre for gallantry in action in the Bois-de-Belleau, northwest of Chateau-Thierry, France.

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Churchill Mehard was born in Mercer, PA and attended public schools. He then enrolled in Haverford College, PA. He left Haverford in February 1898, he arrived at PMC. Known as “Baldy,” for the lack of hair on his head, it was clear that he wanted to earn military honors in the Corps of Cadets and pursue a law career. Although he earned an appointment to West Point, he remained at PMC and in his senior year was appointed First Captain.

After Commencement, Mehard began his study of law at the Pittsburgh Law School and was admitted to the Allegheny County bar in 1903. Yet, his military aspirations remained. He enlisted in the Pennsylvania National Guard and was commissioned a First Lieutenant in 1903. As World War I approached, Mehard was commissioned into the U.S. Army under the National Defense Act of 1916, and assigned as an instructor at Fort McPherson, GA. On August 15, 1917, he was assigned to the 321st Field Artillery, 157h Brigade, 82nd Division AEF as a Major. After completing School of Fire at Fort Sill, OK, Mehard remained as a senior instructor. In May of 1918, he was ordered to rejoin the 321st Field Artillery in France. He led his troops through the second Battle of the Marne the St. Mihiel offensive, and throughout the entire Meuse-Argonne operation. Despite being severely gassed at L’Esperance, he was twice cited for gallantry in action. After the Armistice, he returned to America, and appointed Colonel of the field artillery of the Pennsylvania National Guard. In 1923 he was promoted to Brigadier General and commander of the 53rd Field Artillery Brigade.

Upon his return from France, Mehard resumed his law practice with his father, Judge Samuel Mehard. After his father’s death, Mehard reportedly became a “hard-drinking socialite” who was happy to be named the city solicitor of Pittsburgh. In 1939, he was found guilty in the City Hall consent verdict scandal (involving accusations of bribery) along with several other attorneys. Mehard successfully pleaded for mitigation of his sentence on grounds of his failing health. He moved to Arizona and died in September, 1943.

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After Commencement, Joseph Minturn returned to Indianapolis and opened a wood carving business, having learned the machinist trade before he entered PMC. Wood carving became nearly obsolete when photo-chemical engraving was introduced and Minturn decided to enter the Indiana Law School. He was admitted to the bar in 1895 and began a successful career in patent law. In 1916, he founded the Indiana Society of Mayflower descendants after learning that he was a direct descendant of John Howland, one of the passengers on the Mayflower.

In response to advertisements in the local papers in 1917 to join the Officer’s Training Camp at Fort Benjamin Harrison and his own sense of duty, Minturn applied and was ordered to report at once. He registered, was given a thorough medical exam and was pronounced “sound and all right, but over-age.” He was then sworn in. Within weeks, Minturn was honorably discharged from the Army because of his age (he was 56 at the time). He left Fort Harrison and immediately traveled to Washington, D.C. There he hoped to receive a special dispensation from President Woodrow Wilson. Despite his unsuccessful efforts to acquire Congressional support from the Indiana delegation, Vice-President Thomas R. Marshall, a fellow Hoosier, came to his aid by contacting the Secretary of War. Minturn received new orders to re-enlist at Fort Harrison. After he completed his training, Minturn was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the Quartermaster Corps and ordered to Camp Taylor, in Kentucky.

Fort De Piesnoy

At the start of World War I it became apparent that, because of advances in surveillance, there was a urgent need for specialists, called camouflers, who could fool the enemy through ingenious perspective illusions. Because of his ability to sketch and help make large-scale backdrops, Minturn was promoted and transferred to the Engineer School and attached to the 309th Engineers of the 84th division. In October, 1918, Minturn went to France with the 309th. There he was ordered to the A.E.F. Army Specialist School at Langres, France. He became an instructor in camouflage and military sketching. In 1919, the Army Schools were closed and Minturn was transferred to A.E.F. Headquarters. There he continued his work of illustrating manuals. In June, he returned to America and was discharged. He then returned to Indianapolis.

In 1920, Minturn and six other Indianapolis men who had served in the War founded The Service Club of Indianapolis. This group held regular lunch meetings to maintain the “bonds of friendship” they had formed during the War. The only requirement was that members had to have seen service in the Army, Navy or Marine Corps. In 1921, the story of Minturn’s war experiences along with many of his own illustrations were published in “The American Spirit.” He remained active in Indianapolis for many years and died after a short illness in 1943.

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Born in Iowa in 1860, George Herbert Webb attended the public schools of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania Military College. He graduated in 1880 with a degree in Civil Engineering and started his career as a surveyor with the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad. Beginning in 1889, he spent the next two years building a railroad in Chile. He then worked in Peru as the chief engineer of the Transandine Railway, a remarkable project which built a railroad through the Andes. He returned to the United States and by 1905 was made chief engineer of the Michigan Central Railway. He omit planned and rebuilt the Third Avenue rail yard in Detroit and in 1913, completed the new Michigan Central Depot.

In 1917, he left the Michigan Central Railway and was commissioned a lieutenant-colonel in the 16th Regiment of Engineers (Railway). The 16th was organized and trained within the city limits and was Michigan’s only volunteer regiment. Among the 687 members of the 16th Regiment were some of the best skilled tradesmen from Detroit. Shortly after World War 1 was declared, the Regiment was ordered to proceed to France. They arrived on August 27, 1917. For the next 21 months, they were in constant service. Along with the other Engineer Regiments of the American Expeditionary Forces, the 16th was assigned to building the infrastructure needed for the success of AEF. Its accomplishments included designing and building the Nevers Cutoff, allowing supply trains to bypass Paris, and repairing the supply line between Verdun and Dan-sur-Meuse during the AEF offensive in the Meuse-Argonne region.

After the Armistice, the Regiment continued its work for some time. On May 5, 1919, it arrived home at the Michigan Central Depot. They paraded through Detroit the next day, and was mustered out of service the following day.

In July, 1919, Colonel Webb was awarded the Army’s Distinguished Service Medal for: “exceptionally meritorious and distinguished services … with the execution of some of the largest construction enterprises in France. Confronted by difficulties of labor, material, and equipment, he set about his task with ceaseless energy, and by his resourcefulness, initiative, and skill he overcame all obstacles and completed these difficult projects with great success.”

After his discharge, Colonel Webb resumed his job as chief engineer of the Michigan Central Railway. He passed away in 1921 while living in Newton Lower Falls, near Boston.

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Irving J. Carr was born in Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, in 1875. After attending the public schools, he enrolled at Pennsylvania Military College. While at PMC he played baseball, was awarded the Marksmanship Medal and was an exceptional student.

Carr graduated from PMC with a degree in Civil Engineering and began his Army career. He served as an infantry lieutenant in the 17th Infantry during the Philippine insurrection. During his time in the Philippines, he participated in several battles and engagements against the insurgents at Magalang on the island of Luzon. He was awarded the Silver Star for his gallantry. Carr graduated from the U.S. Army Signal School at Fort Myer in 1908. In 1914, he was assigned to the 2nd Division, IV Corps and Third Army in France as a signal officer. During the Spring Offensive of 1918, Carr participated in the attacks at Aisne-Marne and St. Mihiel and in the Somme-Dieu defensive. During the 1920s, he graduated from the General Staff School and the Army War College. After the war, he served as signal officer of the Western Department and as chief of staff of the Hawaiian Division.

In 1930, Carr was appointed Chief Signal Officer. He took charge of the U.S. Army Signal Corps as the nation plunged into the Great Depression and military preparedness was less important. At the time, Carr commanded a very small Corps, consisting of approximately 270 officers and 2,500 enlisted men. During his command, the Corps introduced the use of the typewriter, FM radio and walkie-talkies were all introduced. By 1934, The Corps provided the Army with the most comprehensive radio net in the world. Message traffic averaged almost 82 million messages per year from 1931 to 1934.

Carr retired from the Army in 1934 and settled in St. Petersburg, Florida. After a long illness, he died on June 12, 1963. He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Military Honors & Valor

1st Battalion, 17th Infantry, 2nd Infantry Division, Fifth Corps
Silver Star for gallantry in action against insurgent forces at Magalang, Luzon, Philippine Islands.

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Less than a year after James Calvin Hobart Jr. graduated from PMC in 1916, the United States entered World War I, and he was eager to get into the fight.

Rejected a dozen times by various branches of the American military because of poor eyesight, he left home in Cincinnati in 1917 for France. There, on July 9, he joined the American Field Service as one of a growing number of American volunteers assigned to the French Army’s Réserve Mallet transportation unit. Praised by the French as “America’s first belligerents,” the 800-member unit convoyed ammo and materiel from the railheads on the Soissons-Fismes road to the Chemin des Dames on the Western front.

Hobart was placed in Transport Materiel Unit 397 Groupe Hémart. On a typical sortie, he ferried 10,200 pounds of 75 mm artillery rounds through shell-pocked terrain in his five-ton Pierce Arrow truck as French and German pilots dueled in the skies above.
The work was dangerous, and Hobart saw plenty of action.

“I watched what first appeared to be a column of black smoke,” he wrote in a letter home. “I caught one of these columns at its birth. It was a huge fountain of earth which rose, oh, I’d say about forty feet in the air, spread out and came back to earth. I’d counted about forty or fifty of these ‘Jack Johnsons.’ I closed my eyes and listened to the rifle fire; I’d lie on my back and see the Shrapnel bursting around a dozen French planes.”
The 23-year-old attempted to make light of the dangers. “I’m just as happy and safe as if I were at home,” he wrote his family in mid-August 1917. But in the next breath, he added: “God’s will be done. Remember that’s what you pray for and hope for. So, Mother, if anything happens, please take it that way. I intend to come back and would be darned sorry not to, but if He decides otherwise, let’s be glad it’s so.”

That month, Hobart was decorated for his service by the French government in a ceremony that included “one French general, on colonel, one major, one captain and a general of the British Army.”

“We, about thirteen of us, were called to attention…decorated and kissed twice, once on each cheek,” he wrote home. “At this point, a German plane was sighted and we all scuttled off the open field and made for a wood nearby.” Records of the century-old ceremony are elusive and it is not clear what medal Hobart was awarded. AFS drivers received three types of French Army decorations, the Légion d’honneur, the Médaille militaire, and the Croix de Guerre.

After he had served three months with Réserve Mallet, the U.S. Army assumed control of the AFS and Hobart (still disqualified from the military by what he called “these dishpans I have for specs”) joined the American Red Cross as an ambulance driver. “If PMC taught me anything,” he wrote a friend, “it taught me to perform a duty whether pleasant or not. I leave for Italy, December 3, 1917.”

Later, he wrote: “I am driving Ambulance 87. That was my old number at PMC. Funny how that was assigned to me!”

Hobart died in Albuquerque, N.M, at age 76 after serving as an administrative officer in the Atomic Energy Commission.

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Conrad, a decorated career Army officer who served in the Mexican border wars, the Spanish-American War, the Chinese Relief Expedition, the Philippines Insurrection and World War I—and as a professor of Military Science and Tactics at PMC–has the distinction of not only graduating from PMC, but also from the U.S. Military Academy at West Point (Class of 1892).

Born in West Virginia, in 1868, he was the son of Col. Joseph Conrad, who commanded a Union brigade during the Atlanta campaign in the Civil War and “carried in his head a bullet intended for General Phil Sheridan…when he interposed his person for protection of his Chief,” according a 1955 USMA alumni bulletin.

At Pennsylvania Military Academy, Conrad was one of the youngest and most brilliant members of his class. After graduation, he passed the entrance exam for USMA, where his experiences in Chester “enabled him to fit comfortably into the pattern of cadet life at West Point,” the alumni bulletin, written after his death in 1955, reported. After graduation from the Academy, Conrad, an avid horseman, was assigned to the 3rd U.S. Cavalry Regiment. While stationed at Fort Sam Houston, Texas, he was commended for his conduct in the field during the Garza Revolution on the Mexican border.

During the Spanish-American War, the 3rd Cavalry was one of five cavalry units assigned to the crucial assault on San Juan Heights. Three troopers in the regiment were killed and 52 wounded in the action, including 2nd Lt. Conrad, who was shot in the ankle. Conrad was also one of five troopers in the battle awarded a Silver for distinguished gallantry.

After three tours of duty in the Philippines and participation in the Chinese Relief Expedition at the end of the Boxer Rebellion, Conrad, by then a captain, served as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at PMC from 1902-1905. He took a special interest in the Cavalry Squad and was regarded by students as “firm and strict, yet always just, kindly and an ‘all-around good fellow.’” He returned to the college in 1924 to receive the Bachelor of Military Science degree, awarded to honor graduates who served in the military in time of war.

Conrad commanded the 38th Field Artillery during World War I and until it was demobilized in 1919. After that, he served with the Adjutant General’s Department in Washington, D.C. When he retired in 1932, he and his wife, the former Jean Hoskins, settled in Washington.

After his death in 1955, his plebe-year roommate at West Point remembered him as “as fine and loveable a character as ever was.” 

Military Honors & Valor

3rd Squadron, Troop K, 3rd Cavalry Regiment
Silver Star for For gallantry in action against Spanish forces at Santiago, Cuba on 1 July 1898.

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EUGENE HOOPES (Class of 1901) served as an engineer during World War I and became an aeronautical consultant for the military, working at air fields in the U.S. and Europe. He began his writing career in 1951 with the publication of “Tales of a Dude Wrangler,” a series of fictional stories told, as one reviewer put it, “by the type of wrangler one may find at any roundup, at any ‘dude’ ranch, or around any campfire where stories of the rangeland and its lore were told.”

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