Albany Academy - Cue Yearbook (Albany, NY)

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E ll Rear-2nd Lt. Goodman, 2nd Lt. Haven, 2nd Lt. Morris, lst Lt. Crane, lst Lt. Rees, lst Lt. Gray, 2nd Lt. Smith, lst Lt. Morehouse. Front-lst Lt. Q. M. McLeod, Capt. Cleveland, Capt. Duffy, Maj. Hawn, Capt. Olcott, Capt.-Executive Anderson, Capt. Swire. 'Phe Battalion From its inception in l87O, the Albany Academy Cadet Battalion has been one of the outstanding and distinctive features of the school. This year, as soon as school began, the Battalion was formed, and preparations were begun to make the second full-time war schedule a success. Under the constant supervision of Lt. Col. John Conners, Jr. N.Y.G., the recruits began their training with the seniors, who rotated through the various grades, instructing. Because of the unusual number of first-year drillers, all cadets received a full course of close-order drill. At last, after a full month of drill, the commissions were announced, these were awarded on the basis of the three military examinations taken last year and the Colonelis observations of the seniors during the preliminary period. John Hawn was named Major and became the seventy-third Battalion commander. Immedi- ately the five captains and the Major began the selection of the lower-ranking non- commissioned oihcers. A list was prepared and, after being approved by Colonel Conners, was read off in Chapel. The Battalion was now formed for the first time, and the appointed oflicers began the task of readying the Battalion for its first public appearance on Armistice Day. 44 32 D

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sabre drill the boys of Company B Smitty 8: Chat1' picking the winners the sergcants the finalists The Military

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' The parade went off creditably, and almost immediately the Battalion was called upon to appear at the football games with the High School and C.B.A., held in Bleecker Stadium. With the long-sought-for precision beginning to appear, the unit went indoors and began the winter drill program. Each cadet was given the preliminary exer- cises of rifle marksmanship, and, after a brief review of the positions, the older cadets began firing on the range. The recruits were worked extensievly on triangu- lation, the proper use of afsling, and sighting and breathing exercises, soon they were far enough advanced to take their turn on the range. The daily schedule was now put into operation, and it allowed for each cadet to Fire on the range once every two weeks. When not on the range, the separate companies practiced extended-order drill under their commanding ofhcers. One of the changes from last year was the addition of a demerit system and a military court. Demerits could be given by commissioned officers and recom- mended by non-commissioned oflicersg each cadet receiving a demerit was required to appear on Friday afternoon and walk it off in the quadrangle. When the Christmas vacation was ended, the drill routine went into another phase. Throughout January the Battalion formed each day either in the Buttery or in Chapel, and Colonel Conners lectured on military map-reading. After the completion of this course one week was devoted to lectures on first aid, adminis- tered by the medical-officer of the Tenth Regiment of the New York Guard. In February the individual companies commenced preparations for the annual Guidon, which remains the high point of the drill program. With constant use of the Troop B Armory, each company sought to attain its peak for the drill on March 31. The Battalion could use the Tenth Infantry Armory but five times before the drill, hence the drill periods in the last two weeks of March were lengthened to two and one-half hours on the days when the Armory was to be ours. Because of the nature of the Battalion drill, most of the time was spent in polishing it up and apreparing for the formations which were to be used in the Guidon, At last, after long preparation, the eventful day arrived, and from all sources -from the reviewing officers, headed by Brig. Gen. Ames T. Brown on down-the drill was a decided success. The traditional guidons were won by Company B, led by Captain Duffy, the salient feature of the Guidon was the excellence of all company drills. The Guidon over, the Battalion once again settled into its more ordinary routine. Additional practice on extended order and riflery was given, and in the Memorial Day parade the Battalion, more experienced and precise, made a fine showing. As the Battalion for the last time Passed in Review at the Competitive Drill and left the Held, looking back on the year's accomplishments, one can see how profitable the organization is for all concerned. It increases the qualities of leader- ship of everyone from the commander down to the last cadet in the rear rank of Company C, and as such, it is truly the outstanding feature of the Academy curri- culum. P. H. 44 33 PD