When the Class of 1959 gathered on the Plain to take the Oath on 5 July 1955, we had no idea of the depth of meaning, and the honor of belonging to the most wonderful brotherhood that could possibly befall each of us.  Little did we understand that the very difficulty of our experience would bond us together like few others are ever bonded on this earth.  William Shakespeare understood this bonding well.  The bonding is deepest when it requires a commitment to do one’s duty in mortal combat, wherein one might lose his very life.  Thus, as King Henry V told his troops before they were to face the much larger and potentially more dangerous French army at the Battle of Agincourt,   “We few, we happy few, we band of brothers; for he who sheds his blood with me today will be my brother.  Be he ne’er so vile, this day shall gentle his condition.  And men in England now abed, shall think themselves accursed they were not here, and hold their manhoods cheap whiles any speaks that fought with us upon St Crispin’s day.”

The Father of our Nation, General George Washington, understood well this bonding of brothers during and from mortal combat as described by Shakespeare.  Gen Henry Knox, was a close personal friend of Gen Washington, and was successively appointed Chief of Artillery of the Continental Army in1776, Commanding General of West Point in 1782, and Secretary of War from 1785 until 1795. Retired Sec Knox received a letter dated 21 October 1798 from Gen Washington which stated, “As my first wish would be, that my military family and the whole army should consider themselves as a band of brothers, willing and ready to die for each other.”  And so my fellow Band of Brothers, with the understanding of Shakespeare and the blessing of our original Commanding General, we truly are a band of brothers for our entire lives.    

Many among us shed blood upon the fields of Vietnam, and all of us are eternally bonded by our membership in the West Point Class of 1959, which is over 50 years old.  Fifteen of us were killed in action and will forever be remembered by our country for their supreme sacrifice.  With the inexorable passage of time, we vow to support and honor each of our “brothers” as they grow older, and as we all prepare to meet our Maker.  Thus no classmate will die alone, unless he so chooses.  As you know we believe that anyone who was ever a classmate of ours is forever a classmate.  Thus, non-graduates are members of the Band of Brothers.

To Accomplish this mission, each Cadet Company has an assigned CQ. His responsibilites are to keep contact information all company mates, and to provide any and all assistance to company mates and widows in time of need. Since the Band of Brothers is spread all over the world, we have established a network of regional reps, whose purpose is to represent the class and to provide assistance to classmates and widows in time of need.