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Written by david

Parent Category: Retirement Years (1973- 2010)

Category: Civilian Awards

Published: 21 December 2011

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Distinguished West Point Graduate Award

 

Below at the URL is the full text of the Distinguished West Point Graduate Award Nomination letter - with extensive documentation originally submitted to the West Point Association of Graduates by the Annapolis Association of West Point Graduates in 2000. It sums up all I have done as a West Point Graduate, even after I 'retired' from active service in 1973.

The Award was made in 2004 during Graduation Week at West Point. I was  only the 6th retired Colonel to have received this prestigious award since it was initiated. All the rest have been very high ranking (Lt Generals to Full Generals) officers and very selected civilians who have risen to positions of high responsibility after leaving military service after graduating from West Point.

http://www.west-point.org/academy/dgrad/Nomination.html  

Below are photographs of that 2004 Ceremony. and accompanying activities including the gathering of Hughes immediate family - all of whom attended . As well as a number of Enlisted Veterans of the Korean War who served in 'Lieutenant Hughes' Company K 7th Cavalry in 1951. They flew in from California just to attend. In tribute to that unusual loyalty to me, I wore a 7th Cavalry Hat - the only recipient of the award with a hat, all the others were bare headed.

 The Background of that Award is that any of the local - US or foreign land - West Point Associations, and any Graduating Class may nominate a graduate, and other associations or classes may endorse a nomination.

In the case of Dave Hughes Class of 1950, the winning nomination was made by the Annapolis, Maryland West Point Association of Graduates - Lt Gen (Ret) Jack Cushman '44, President, and Col (Ret) Bill Taylor '70 . Fourteen other regional Associations co-nominated Hughes.

 

The Award Medal

Front Side	Obverse Side

 

5 Retired General Officers, 1 Civilian graduate, 2 Retired Colonels, including me in the 7th Cavalry hat I became only the 6th Colonel who was awarded the Distinguished Graduate Award by 2004

 

The Display Citation

 

  

The Citation

 

 

All but Diana, who was in a wheel chair on Trophy Point and Lindsey, not present at West Point then.

 

President of the USMA Association of Graduates putting the medal on me

 

Indoor, Washington Hall, remarks by many. General Cushman who nominated me for the DG Award  is behind the Speaker. Announcement of Donations given to West Point by various Classes every year. Cadets, Alumni, and families all present.

 

Son Ed at the Great Chain on Trophy Point. It was stretched, on logs, across the Hudson River at West Point in 1778 to stop British War Ships from reaching Albany and splitting the Colonies. July 1st, 1946 I stood on Trophy Point with all new cadets from my Class on 1940,  and swore the Oath of Office. The view is north from West Point.

 

 

Mike Verlarde who was with me as a PFC in the battle for Hill 347 in Korea while we were in the 7th Cav - we stand in front of Custer's grave in the Cemetery at West Point. We called the Battle we won Custer's Revenge

 

 

Patsy and I in front of our Quarters (top Floor) when I taught at West Point, 48 years earlier

 

Patsy and her oldest, longest, friend - Cindy Adams - at West Point. Charlie Adams and I served together with our families three times - at Univ of Penna getting Masters Degrees, at West Point in the English Department, and on the beach near Schofield Barracks on Oahu in Hawaii.

 

 

Distinguished Graduate Pin which I wear on Civilian Clothes. I appear to be the only Grad who lives in Colorado who is a DG, even though there are several thousand retired graduates and many retired General officers, none of whom are DG's, who live in Colorado.

 

Me, Mounted during the Colorado Springs Rodeo Parade as Grand Marshal after winning the Distinguished Graduate Award.