History Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets

1 history

1.1 years
1.2 post-world war ii
1.3 corps brass

history

the corps of cadets founded in 1876 creation of agricultural , mechanical college of texas, established all-male military college. texas a&m remained all-male military institution mandatory membership in cadet corps until 1964, when school began admitting women, , 1965 when corps membership became voluntary. members of cadet corps have served in every conflict fought united states since spanish–american war. during world war ii, texas a&m produced 20,229 aggies served in combat. of those, 14,123 commissioned officers, more combined total of united states naval academy , united states military academy during same timeframe. on 250 aggies have served generals or flag officers, while 8 former students have been awarded highest united states military award, medal of honor:

horace s. carswell, jr., class of 1938

thomas w. fowler, class of 1943

william g. harrell, class of 1943

lloyd h. hughes, class of 1943

george d. keathley, class of 1937

turney w. leonard, class of 1942

eli l. whiteley, class of 1941

clarence e. sasser, class of 1973 *

sasser not in corps.

early years

edwin jackson kyle, namesake of kyle field, in 1890 wearing cadet uniform

for school s first thirty-one years, through 1907–08 academic year, cadet corps organized 1 battalion consisting of 2 4 companies, designated companies , b , c , , d . on, these designated infantry companies, commandant ensured artillery training included in military instruction. aggie band organized in 1894 permanent institution within corps. in 1908, enrollment on 570, second battalion added. enrollment climbed, cadet corps continued grow multiple battalions, each 2 4 companies, , corps became divided multiple regiments.

the academic year 1916–17 saw division of corps 2 regiments. following year, 2 regiments had total of 6 battalions composed of eighteen companies , battery of field artillery. in 1918, enrollment surged 1,284, fifty percent increase on previous year. in 1919–20 school year, signal corps battalion , mounted cavalry battalion (later called cavalry squadron ) 1 cavalry troop added. air service squadron 1 company-sized flight added in 1920–21 school year.

in fall of 1923, cadet corps, total of 2,091 cadets in twenty-three individual units, became divided between infantry regiment , composite regiment. composite regiment included cavalry, field artillery, air service , signal corps units. air corps squadron (formerly air service squadron) phased out @ end of 1927–28 school year. in fall of 1928, enrollment @ 2,770 cadets, engineer battalion added, , following year third regiment formed out of expanded field artillery battalion. fourth battalion, coast artillery, added composite regiment in fall of 1933.

corps formation outside of old main, circa 1920

the cadet corps enrollment hit peak of 2,770 in 1928, great depression took toll, , fall of 1932 enrollment had fallen 2,001. depression waned , u.s. involvement in war became imminent, enrollment climbed pre-war total of on 6,500 in fall of 1941. in 1935, swelling enrollment forced formation of engineer regiment , cavalry regiment. these 2 new regiments, added infantry, field artillery , composite regiments, cadet corps, first time in history, had total of 5 regiments, encompassing thirty-two individual units (companies, batteries , troops). same year, chemical warfare service company added composite regiment, , following year second company warranted formation of chemical warfare service battalion. sixth regiment, coast artillery regiment, added in 1937. in 1939, band had grown point divided 2 units, infantry , artillery bands.

in fall of 1942, citizens of texas responded america s need military officers, number of individual military units in cadet corps hit all-time high total of 7 regiments of seventeen battalions comprising sixty companies, batteries, , troops, including band. cadet corps @ texas a&m sent on 20,229 former cadets world war ii, 14,123 of them commissioned officers, more combined totals of both military academies. february 1943 enrollment dropped less 4,000 cadets left school serve in u.s. military. 1944–45 school year saw enrollment drop low 1,600 , depletion of cadets forced reorganization of corps down 2 regiments (infantry , composite) consisting of total of 17 companies, batteries , troops, including 2 band units. in 1943, u.s. army declared mounted cavalry obsolete, although cavalry units continued @ texas a&m mechanized units until end of 1949–50 academic year.

post-world war ii

world war ii , demands of u.s. military took toll on enrollment. but, end of war, enrollment surged in fall of 1946, texas a&m gained use of bryan air force base, being closed, , converted number of buildings dormitories. in 1947, entering freshmen, approximately 1,500, assigned bryan air force base annex became freshman campus. cadet corps reorganized again accommodate these unusual conditions.

the 1947–48 cadet corps consisted of 5 regiments, headquarters group, , band during academic year. 5 regiments (a combined infantry , veterans regiment, artillery regiment, combined air force , cavalry regiment, combined engineer , composite regiment, , training regiment consisting of 9 companies of freshmen), headquarters group , band composed of total of 35 individual military units.

the 1951–52 academic year saw organization of cadet corps @ largest in number of individual units. sixty-six units (companies, batteries , squadrons) divided among 8 regiments (infantry, artillery, armor/engineers, first air force wing, 2nd air force wing, composite regiment, seventh regiment , eighth freshman training regiment) consisting of 21 battalions , band.

during post-war era , 1950s, various units of corps continued identified military branch. traditional branches (infantry, field artillery, cavalry, engineers, coast artillery, quartermaster, ordnance, signal corps, armor, chemical corps, transportation, army security, , army air force) continued represented. strength of air power , rise of importance of u.s. air force during era evident in organization of cadet corps army air corps units became air force flights (later squadrons). veterans companies , flights formed separate these older veterans younger cadets. beginning in 1948 athletes organized own batteries (later companies) accommodate special team practice schedules.

that same year, 1948, freshman regiment added band company , 4 air force flights total of 12 units. eighth freshman training regiment moved main campus in fall of 1950, , 1951, consisted of total of 15 freshman companies, batteries , squadrons, each branch designation, attached senior battalion of 4 companies of cadet seniors. during 1953–54 school year, on one-third of 57 corps units, total of 21, consisted of freshmen. following year, freshmen incorporated other corps units.

the 1954–55 school year, saw cadet corps begin take on organization (two army regiments , 2 air force wings, , band) familiar former cadets today. band, in 1939 had divided infantry company , artillery battery (field artillery band in 1940), dropped branch designations in 1947 in favor of 2 designations maroon band , white band.

the first unit logos, later evolved common unit names, began appear among air force units in 1955–56 aggieland yearbook. few of army units began follow suit in 1957-58 aggieland. but, in 1959–60 academic year, complete reorganization of first , second brigades , official abandonment of army branch designations, units in 2 army brigades began adopt unit nicknames , mascots, or outfit logos, in earnest.

president barack obama shakes hands cadets during visit campus in october 2009.

during vietnam war era, cadet corps composed of 2 3 army brigades, 2 3 air force wings, , band. each brigade composed of 2 or 3 battalions of 3 5 companies each, , each wing composed of 2 groups of 3 6 squadrons each. during period corps composed of many 40 individual companies , squadrons, including band.

the corps welcomed first female members in fall of 1974. @ time, women segregated special unit, known w-1, , suffered harassment many of male counterparts. women prohibited serving in leadership positions or in more elite corps units such band , ross volunteers. these groups opened female participation in fall of 1985, following federal court decision in class-action lawsuit filed female cadet; 5 years later, female-only units eliminated.

today, cadet corps coeducational institution, , thirty-seven of forty-four outfits gender-integrated. on 2,500 students, including on 300 women members of corps, and, although small percentage of overall student population, corps remains highly visible presence on campus, reminder of school s origins all-male military college. cadets active in many campus organizations , renowned school spirit, called keepers of spirit.

all military branches represented in organization of cadet corps today. composed of 3 air force wings, 3 army brigades, , 3 navy , marine regiments, fightin texas aggie band members may affiliated military branch.

corps brass

following corps reorganization , dropping of army branch designations cadets required new symbol used. solution corps brass - class gift class of 1960. created cadets company f-1 used symbol earning full membership in corps. cadets go through process of earning during fish year , prized uniform item many cadets. shield knights helm on sword , fasces crossed behind , scrollwork on top says per unitatem vis. these elements represent how 1 of first presidents of university, lawrence sullivan ross described. soldier (sword), statesman (the fasces), , knightly gentleman (the knight s helm). distinguish themselves, cadets in band not wear corps brass, instead wearing small brass lyre device. in recent years, bandsmen combine lyre insignia of u.s. army infantry , field artillery branches (crossed rifles , crossed cannons, respectively) on uniforms reflect affiliation infantry or artillery bands (these designations having been reintroduced in 1976).