Eastern Washington University
With some of our Eastern Washington University (EWU) Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) Cadets still going through Advanced Camp this summer. I thought it would be fun to show one of our alumni going through Advanced Camp back in 1965 at Ft. Lewis, Washington. Does any of our EWU Army ROTC alumni recognize the pictured individual?
By the way here is a picture of the sleeping accommodations at Advanced Camp back then:
Since the creation of the U.S. Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) battalion at Eastern Washington University (EWU) in 1952, the Army has assigned a Professor of Military Science (PMS) to lead and administer the program. The PMS who also serves as the Chair for the Military Science Department, executes the important role of developing future Army officers and being a liaison to the local community and the EWU faculty, staff, and senior leadership. Below is a chronological listing of all Professors of Military Science that were assigned to Eastern Washington University since 1952.
Note: If you have any specific memories you want to share about any of the PMS’s listed below please leave a comment and share it with us.
William Zorn
Lieutenant Colonel, Aviation
1990-1993
This picture of Cadet Hall was taken by Eastern Washington University photographers back in 2003. Fortunately we no longer have the red sign that is pictured to identify Cadet Hall and instead have much better signs to better brand our building with today.
EWU ROTC alumni, Captain Levi Floeter stands in front of Cadet Hall in 2018.
Tomorrow, June 14th the Eastern Washington University (EWU) Army Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) will be commissioning 12 new Second Lieutenants into the U.S. Army. For this week’s Throwback Thursday, here is a look back at the Cadet officers from the 1955 EWU ROTC class which was the first to commission Second Lieutenants from EWU:
From left to right: Claude O’Brien, Kevin Kramer, Roy Bernd, Frank Eylor, Eugene Siegel, Tom Hoag, John Gower, Robert Corkins, Ned Baxter, Howard Uyeno, Tony Williams, Dick Laughon, Roy Butts, David Braddock, Bill Hoagland, Dennis Clark, Wayne Johnson, Jerry Wakefield.
Here is an old picture of Cadet Hall back in 1958:
Cadet Hall was constructed by the U.S. Army and first opened in 1956 which makes the building only 2 years old when this picture was taken. Incredibly the building still looks very much the same today.
Due to the Computing and Engineering Building built next to Cadet Hall in 2006, the same perspective is not available to be taken today. Besides the large building next door, Cadet Hall is now also surrounded by large pine trees and landscaping that was not there in 1958.
The stairs in the 1958 picture are also no longer there. However, after all these years Cadet Hall is still where all Military Science classes are taught, the faculty offices, gym, supply room, and our indoor rifle range is located at. Cadet Hall is aging gracefully and still proud to be the home to the EWU ROTC “Fighting Eagles” battalion.
Go ROTC! Go Fighting Eags!
Today is the 137th anniversary of the opening of Eastern Washington University all the way back in 1882. Back then a donation of $10,000 by Benjamin P. Cheney allowed the school to open its doors to 200 students. At its opening the university was called the Benjamin P. Cheney Academy. A few years later in 1889, the academy changed its name to the State Normal School at Cheney. 1889 was the same year that Washington received its statehood. The college would go through a few more name changes over the years until 1977 when the state legislature officially named the campus Eastern Washington University.
Historical photo of the original Cheney campus.
Modern day Eastern Washington University Campus.
At its founding the university focused on education degrees for its initial 200 students. Since then EWU has expanded to approximately 12,000 students with multiple colleges with over 100 fields of study. One of the fields of study that students can pursue is Military Science. The EWU Reserve Officer Training Corps (ROTC) program has been teaching students military science and commissioning officers into the Army for 67 of the university’s 132 years. The future of the Fighting Eagles Battalion shines as bright as ever and will continue to be an important part of EWU history and developing leaders of character for service to our great Nation.
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