USMA Class of 1970

For distribution to Class of ’70. Please read before the Class Business Meeting if possible. Betsey and I share our home email dbblakeslee@me.com. My work email is don.b.blakeslee.mil@mail.mil. Dear Classmates, At the Class of ’70 business meeting I will be talking about how our class can make a significant contribution to saving General Washington’s Revolutionary fortification system at West Point, designed and constructed primarily under the leadership of Chief Engineer Tadeusz Kosciuszko. The Class officers have reviewed this proposal and have expressed their support for your review and discussion at the business meeting on Friday. This project would be considered in addition to the funds proposed for the NCEA initiative and is for $150,000 of class money. My wife, Betsey Blakeslee, Ph.D., has been leading the efforts at West Point over the past 5 years to save the Revolutionary sites at West Point. She is the president of the 501c3 Friends of the American Revolution at West Point, Inc., (FAR), that is leading this restoration effort along with Dr. Jim Johnson ’69, Vice President, who was the former Chief of Military History at West Point, and is the currently endowed chair of military history at Marist College and Executive Director of the Hudson River Valley Institute. FAR is approved by the State of New York, the federal government for tax exempt purposes, the Department of the Army and West Point officials. They meet regularly with Garrison Commander Dunham and members of his team, and they also meet quarterly with Superintendent Caslen who has publicly expressed his support for this initiative in many public forums at West Point. General Dave Palmer, former Superintendent at West Point and the author of the seminal book on West Point in the American Revolution, The River and the Rock, serves as senior advisor on the FAR board. In addition, Distinguished Graduate Ed Rowny, ’41, has just expanded the scope of the Rowny Fund at West Point to include: Kosciuszko’s Garden; Kosciuszko’s Monument; and the Revolutionary fortifications at West Point. AOG is in support of this expanded role for the Rowny Fund to support funding for the fortifications. AOG Rowny FUND Document Our class has the opportunity to significantly influence the ability to preserve the fortification system that General Washington called “the key of America.” We will ask for your consideration to reopen the historic connection between Kosciuszko’s Garden and the Revolutionary Supply Trail, known to you as Flirtation Walk but originally called Chain Battery Walk after the founding of West Point. The link between the two Revolutionary sites was only closed off 20 years ago because of some erosion on the trail. Making this connection will allow the one-third of Flirtation walk to be reopened and improve exposure to the many Revolutionary fortifications on the trail. I am very proud of the work Betsey has accomplished. She was awarded the highest civilian award from the Republic of Poland, (given to her by the president of Poland), for her work in restoring Kosciuszko’s Garden and Kosciuszko’s fortifications at West Point. Two weeks ago she received the President’s Gold Points of Light Volunteer Award which was presented to her at West Point by Dean (BG) Tim Trainor and Commandant (BG) Thomson and the Garrison Commander. Although the awards are well deserved, they are not why you should consider this project. The Revolutionary fortifications at West Point represent the most comprehensive series of fortifications in existence in America today from the Revolutionary period. It was West Point that Benedict Arnold commanded and that he attempted to sell the fortification plans for to the British for the equivalent of one million dollars. Over 70% of the 30 batteries, redoubts and forts are in need of significant preservation. I look forward to discussing this with you at the business meeting. Best regards, Don If you care for more information, you can read this report submitted to the class officers. Also - some pictures - Kosciuszko’s Garden at West Point in 1779 Redoubt 7 on Constitution Island Caved In Betsey Receives Gold Cross of Merit in NYC Problems with the links to Monaco; questions about the proposal to Blakeslee