I turn over this segment of the blog today to David McNulty, secretary of the Class of 1963 from Pennsylvania Military College (which is now Widener) in Chester and a member of the PMC Museum Committee.
He's looking for some help concerning a historic event that occurred at the school 50 years ago, a visit by then President Dwight D. Eisenhower to the Chester campus, where he reviewed the PMC Corps of Cadets who marched in full military regalia.
David has a request. He's looking for some help in the way of anyone who might have photos or video of the visit. I'll let him tell the story:
"I was there as a Senior Cadet who would graduate and be commissioned two days later on June 2nd, 1963, 50 years ago today. I helped Sam Starnes write an article for the Widener Magazine telling the story of Ike’s visit to campus 50 years ago. Here are some links to that article and photos.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/widener/sets/72157633831133534/show/
http://www.widener.edu/news-events/magazine/spring%202013%20PDF.pdf
"General Biddle was the PMC Commandant of Cadets. Over his initial objection I convinced him to allow me to present my yearbook, the Sabre & Sash, to President Eisenhower in the midst of a very tight time schedule for the short period of time the president was on campus.
What made me convince Gen. Biddle to squeeze me into the schedule was the fact that I was editor of the yearbook and in a brilliant political move had dedicated the yearbook to General Biddle. I appealed to the general’s vanity and told him it would be a shame for the Supreme Allied Commander and President to leave campus without a copy of "his" yearbook. It worked. Attached is a photo of my presentation of the Sabre & Sash to President Eisenhower. I managed to get my best friend, Dave Lake, into the picture. We were both Phil Marion football players and members of the Ridley Class of 1959. We would not be denied. To top it off, two days later President Eisenhower sent a letter of thanks to me at my Holmes address in an envelope stamped with five stars symbolizing his military rank.
On that same day, May 31st, the president of our PMC Class of 1963 and Cadet Corps Commander, John (Jack) Lance Geoghegan, escorted President Eisenhower in a military jeep reviewing the Corps of Cadets. After the review of the Corps, Jack presented Ike with a sabre commemorating Ike’s visit and making him an honorary member of the PMC Corps of Cadets.
Jack was a very special friend, classmate, fraternity brother and fellow English major. He was one of the top ROTC Cadets in the nation in 1963. Two years later on November 15th, 1965, Jack was killed in Vietnam in the Ia Drang Valley battle. His story is told in the Mel Gibson movie, "We Were Soldiers". Jack was played by actor Chris Klein. When the movie was released the Daily Times put Jack on the front cover and told of the PMC - Chester connection to the movie.
One of the reasons I am writing this to you is that it is not only a noteworthy golden anniversary to a significant events, but as a member of the PMC Museum housed on Widener’s campus in the very building where Jack and I, and our other classmates were sworn in as 2nd Lieutenants on June 2nd, 1963, I would like your help in trying to keep this visit alive in our museum.
You will note from the photos of the event, especially Jack presenting the sabre to Ike, that there were a multitude of cameras and photographers on the field that day surrounding Jack and Ike. One reporter even appeared to have a double lens 3-D camera. Most all of the local TV networks were there with movie cameras and some of the new fangled video cameras.
If you go on YouTube and search "PMC - Eisenhower" you will see the only movie we have of that event. It is in primitive 8mm home movie quality. I am wondering if, with your vast connections in the media world, if it may be possible to initiate a search by an article commemorating this event and inviting anyone who knows anyone, professional or amateur, who was there on that day with a still or motion camera to submit photos, film and/or video to the PMC Museum at Widener University, One University Place, Chester, PA 19013, or contact me a mcnultyesq@aol.com or 610-328-6565."
Consider it done, David.
A great story, about a great institution, right here in Delaware County.
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Dave McNulty, PMC Class of 1963