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New Market Day 2007: Our Best Men
By Lt Col P
One of the best memoirs of World War II is the second volume of John Masters' autobiography titled, The Road Past Mandalay. In it, he describes his experience in command of a Chindit column operating deep behind enemy lines, far from friendly units. When the going was good, his column was lord of all it surveyed. But once they lost their mobility and started to get pinned down by the Japanese, their situation turned dire.
One of Masters' recurring themes is Send Your Best Man. He would instruct his subordinates to assign their best officers to tackle a particularly important task-- to take back a lost position, to hold a critical post-- and increasingly the best men were lost. The need to send the very best, despite the growing cost, weighed heavily on Masters and haunts his writings. It is the central tragedy not only of his book, but of war in general.
On 15 May every year, the great VMI family remembers the Corps of Cadets that marched forth to do battle in 1864 as part of the small Confederate army defending the Valley against the ever-stronger Union forces. Ten of those cadets paid the ultimate price at the Battle of New Market, and are honored each year by a special parade at which their names are called out, to be answered by cadets with, "Died on the field of honor, sir."
Masters-- who visited VMI in the 1930s-- may not have had the New Market cadets in mind when he wrote his memoirs, as he knew more than enough from his own experiences. Yet his words ring true. VMI has been sending forth its best since before the Civil War; today, our best men are found in every service and in every theater. And like their predecessors for over a century and a half, they go voluntarily, despite knowing the possible cost. The best men will always go, but not all will come back.
So this year, while we will not fail to remember the boys of 1864, let us also commit to memory the names of our best men who have fallen in this war, and honor those who still march out of the gates determined to win, whatever the cost.
Mr Gregory R. Wright, Jr, VMI Class of 1995
Capt. Lowell T. Miller II, VMI Class of 1993
Captain James C. Edge, VMI Class of 1996
Captain Luke C. Wullenwaber, VMI Class of 2002
Major Paul R. Syverson, III, VMI Class of 1993
Sergeant Ryan E. Doltz, VMI Class of 2000
Lieutenant Joshua C. Hurley, VMI Class of 2001
Captain John Robert Teal, VMI Class of 1994
Lieutenant Commander David Lucian Williams, VMI Class of 1991
Mr. Charles W. Mathers, VMI Class of 1962
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Comments
'The coward believes he will live forever
If he holds back in the battle,
But in old age he shall have no peace
Though spears have spared his limbs.'
Rah Virginia Mil!
Amen
fitting and appropriate tribute, Sir.
How refreshing in this day of bigoted PC.
I would strongly recommend reading the three volumes of Masters' autobiography in order: "Bugles and a Tiger", "The Road Past Mandalay" and "Pilgrim Son". They make up a remarkable memoir.
RIP Josh, Ryan, and Luke.
... Whole damn team!
The Institute is being heard from every day.
All of us who have ever passed Virginia Morning Her Dead in review are grateful for and proud of the sacrifices made by these VMI men, and all of the VMI men who now serve.
'70
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very well done... thanks for remembering ALL Americans who've fought over the years. I consider my relatives who fought for what they believed during the civil war amoung that group.
enjoy the site.