Throughout its history, Pitt has had closer ties to the military and its service personnel than many realize.
Founded by a former chaplain in the Revolutionary War army of George Washington, former students, faculty, and staff of the institution have served in every war from present back to the War of 1812 in which four Pittsburgh Academy alumni served in the Pittsburgh Blues regiment that saw action in several battles.
Some of the more famous Pitt military service personnel include...
Colonel Samuel W. Black (class of 1834), a hero of the Mexican and Civil Wars
James Schoonmaker (enrolled at the outbreak of the war and immediately enlisted), the youngest colonel in the Union Army and a Civil War Medal of Honor winner.
Joe Thompson (A&S 1905, Law 1908, football head coach 1909-1912), Lt. Colonel in the 110th that won the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Medal, and the Croix de Guerre.
Boyd Wagner (Eng 1938), the first fighter ace of WWII and Distinguished Flying Cross and Distinguished Service Cross winner.
Jack Foley (A&S 1946 and former basketball manager), a Captain in Easy Company of 101st Airborn Division who was portrayed by Jamie Bamber in HBO's Band of Brothers.
Adrian Cronauer (A&S 1959), whose service as a military DJ in Vietnam was portrayed by Robin Williams in the film Good Morning, Vietnam.
Roscoe Robinson, Jr (GSPIA 1965), the first African-American Four-star General.
Gust Avrakotos (A&S 1962), CIA operative and Intelligence Medal of Merit winner portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the 2007 film Charlie Wilson's War.
Patricia Horoho (Nursing 1992G), the first female US Army Surgeon General and first female Commanding General of the US Army Medical Command.
That is only a fraction of the Pitt affiliates who have served.
During World War I (click here for Pitt history during WWI), Pitt served as a major training center for the Student Army Training Corp (SATC) and built seven army barracks on the upper campus, a 2,000 seat mess hall, as well as automotive and gas engine laboratory facilities. By 1918, 2,200 men were being trained at Pitt.
Here the Student Army Training Corp at Pitt poses on campus on May 17, 1918 in front of what was then the school's main building, State Hall (similar to Thaw Hall in design). State Hall was demolished in the 1970s to make way for the Chevron Science Center.
WWI Army barracks on the Pitt upper campus (approximately where the VA stands today) on June 17, 1918. The space crunch caused by WWI and its aftermath was directly responsible for the need to expand the physical plant of the university and helped to spur the idea of the "tall building".
Inside one of the seven WWI barracks circa 1918.
During World War II, Pitt also served as a major Army Specialist Training Program center. In all, 4,135 ASTP cadets passed through the university, with many being housed in the Cathedral of Learning which was renovated specifically to accommodate them converting classrooms into 100 dormitory rooms and installing appropriate bathroom plumbing and other facilities. The Bellefield Avenue entrance of the Cathedral was actually reserved for the the military, the Stephen Foster Memorial was taken over by the Air Corps as a R&R facility, a canteen was set up in what is now Bellefield Hall, and the lounge of the Schenley Hotel, now the William Pitt Union, was also used for the military. Pitt was also one of only 6 universities chosen to offer courses for civil affairs specialists to train in area and language studies for occupied countries, and the Nationality Room committees were actually employed to help find instructors for native languages.
Taking a class in the Cathedral of Learning during WWII.
The 1944 Pitt student yearbook (lots of great pictures in there, click link) had the following Service Hall of Fame section. Notice the University Service Flag hanging in the Commons Room of the Cathedral of Learning in the first picture. The top number are Panthers killed in service. The bottom, larger number are those that were serving. In all, 10,000 former students, faculty and staff served with 427 receiving medals. Pitt, itself, trained 7,051 service men and 232 gave the ultimate sacrifice while in service during the war.
Plenty more have served in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as conflicts in between.
Larry Fitzgerald visiting with a Pitt Marine in Iraq.
Today, Pitt has been highlighted as one of the most Veteran friendly universities, is one a major center of research for veterans issues and conditions of veterans disabilities, home to the Matthew B. Ridway Center for International Security Studies, and continues to be the home of Army and Air Force ROTC programs.
Detachment 730 Cathedral of Learning Poster
Founded by a former chaplain in the Revolutionary War army of George Washington, former students, faculty, and staff of the institution have served in every war from present back to the War of 1812 in which four Pittsburgh Academy alumni served in the Pittsburgh Blues regiment that saw action in several battles.
Some of the more famous Pitt military service personnel include...
Colonel Samuel W. Black (class of 1834), a hero of the Mexican and Civil Wars
James Schoonmaker (enrolled at the outbreak of the war and immediately enlisted), the youngest colonel in the Union Army and a Civil War Medal of Honor winner.
Joe Thompson (A&S 1905, Law 1908, football head coach 1909-1912), Lt. Colonel in the 110th that won the Medal of Honor, Distinguished Service Medal, and the Croix de Guerre.
Boyd Wagner (Eng 1938), the first fighter ace of WWII and Distinguished Flying Cross and Distinguished Service Cross winner.
Jack Foley (A&S 1946 and former basketball manager), a Captain in Easy Company of 101st Airborn Division who was portrayed by Jamie Bamber in HBO's Band of Brothers.
Adrian Cronauer (A&S 1959), whose service as a military DJ in Vietnam was portrayed by Robin Williams in the film Good Morning, Vietnam.
Roscoe Robinson, Jr (GSPIA 1965), the first African-American Four-star General.
Gust Avrakotos (A&S 1962), CIA operative and Intelligence Medal of Merit winner portrayed by Philip Seymour Hoffman in the 2007 film Charlie Wilson's War.
Patricia Horoho (Nursing 1992G), the first female US Army Surgeon General and first female Commanding General of the US Army Medical Command.
That is only a fraction of the Pitt affiliates who have served.
During World War I (click here for Pitt history during WWI), Pitt served as a major training center for the Student Army Training Corp (SATC) and built seven army barracks on the upper campus, a 2,000 seat mess hall, as well as automotive and gas engine laboratory facilities. By 1918, 2,200 men were being trained at Pitt.
Here the Student Army Training Corp at Pitt poses on campus on May 17, 1918 in front of what was then the school's main building, State Hall (similar to Thaw Hall in design). State Hall was demolished in the 1970s to make way for the Chevron Science Center.
WWI Army barracks on the Pitt upper campus (approximately where the VA stands today) on June 17, 1918. The space crunch caused by WWI and its aftermath was directly responsible for the need to expand the physical plant of the university and helped to spur the idea of the "tall building".
Inside one of the seven WWI barracks circa 1918.
During World War II, Pitt also served as a major Army Specialist Training Program center. In all, 4,135 ASTP cadets passed through the university, with many being housed in the Cathedral of Learning which was renovated specifically to accommodate them converting classrooms into 100 dormitory rooms and installing appropriate bathroom plumbing and other facilities. The Bellefield Avenue entrance of the Cathedral was actually reserved for the the military, the Stephen Foster Memorial was taken over by the Air Corps as a R&R facility, a canteen was set up in what is now Bellefield Hall, and the lounge of the Schenley Hotel, now the William Pitt Union, was also used for the military. Pitt was also one of only 6 universities chosen to offer courses for civil affairs specialists to train in area and language studies for occupied countries, and the Nationality Room committees were actually employed to help find instructors for native languages.
Taking a class in the Cathedral of Learning during WWII.
The 1944 Pitt student yearbook (lots of great pictures in there, click link) had the following Service Hall of Fame section. Notice the University Service Flag hanging in the Commons Room of the Cathedral of Learning in the first picture. The top number are Panthers killed in service. The bottom, larger number are those that were serving. In all, 10,000 former students, faculty and staff served with 427 receiving medals. Pitt, itself, trained 7,051 service men and 232 gave the ultimate sacrifice while in service during the war.
Plenty more have served in Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, and Afghanistan, as well as conflicts in between.
Larry Fitzgerald visiting with a Pitt Marine in Iraq.
Today, Pitt has been highlighted as one of the most Veteran friendly universities, is one a major center of research for veterans issues and conditions of veterans disabilities, home to the Matthew B. Ridway Center for International Security Studies, and continues to be the home of Army and Air Force ROTC programs.
Detachment 730 Cathedral of Learning Poster
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