October 17, 2012 - West Point and Round Pond Military Recreation Area. We hopped over to Highland Falls this morning. It is adjacent to the military academy at West Point. The academy consists of 3000-plus acres on a bluff overlooking the Hudson River. Benedict Arnold tried to trade the fortress to the British for $1,3 million - in today's dollars - during the Revolutionary War. West Point was designated a military academic institution by President Thomas Jefferson in 1802.
The institution is steeped in history. Generals Grant, Lee, Custer, Eisenhower, Patton, MacArthur and a host of other notables studied and trained here. We took a short tour today and you'll see pictures of George Washington on horseback, cadets marching to lunch, the Battle Monument dedicated to the more than 2000 former West Pointers who died during the Civil War fighting for the Union, the "million dollar view of the Hudson" and the Superintendent's residence. The residence has been occupied by soldiers like Robert E. Lee, General Douglas MacArthur and the "Father of West Point", Sylvanus Thayer.
Tomorrow, Ike Skelton will be presented with the Sylvanus Thayer Award for "service to the nation". Others receiving the Thayer Award include Bob Hope, Henry Kissinger, Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, General Colin Powell, Walter Cronkite, President Ronald Reagan and Neil Armstrong. That is pretty good company. This honor is the capstone of Ike's illustrious career of public service. We are honored to have been invited and are extremely happy for Ike and Patti and the whole Skelton family.
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