Army Team Captain - Number 87 and members of the 1959 Team from Pennsylvania

William Stanley Carpenter, Jr

http://www.collegefootball.org/famersearch.php?page=1&submitted=1&school=Army&sortby=school

Class 1960

Company M-2

Home Town - Springfield, Pa.

Springfield High School

Date of Entry to Academy 3 July 1956

Date of Graduation 8 June 1960

Age at Graduation - 22

Cullum Number

Cadet Rank

- Corporal Cow Year

- Captain Firstie Year

Cadet Military Position

- Cadet Battalion Commander

Height - 6'2"

Weight - 210

Teams

- Football 4,3,2,1

- Track 4, 3

- Lacrosse 2,1

Coaches / Assistant Coaches

- Football Earl Blaik, Dale Hall

- Lacrosse Ace Adams

Football Team Captain

- Cow Year Pete Dawkins

- Firstie Year Bill Carpenter

Positions Played

- Football End

- Lacrosse Defense

Lettered

- Plebe Numerials Football & Track

- Yearling Monogram Football & Track

- Cow Army A Football & Monogram Lacrosse

- Firstie Army A Football & Lacrosse

Team Recognition

- 1958 Football Lambert Trophy Ranked 3d in the Nation

- 1960 Lacrosse 3 way tie for 1st in the Nation

Individual Recognition

- Football All American 1959

- Lacrosse All American 1960

- 1960 Schmeisser Trophy as Outstanding Lacrosse Defense Player (editors note Bill never played Lacrosse till Spring of 1959)

- NCAA Football Hall of Fame

- At Graduation Held or was tied for the all-time Army records for most 100-yard receiving games, career yards receiving, and single season catches and yards receiving

Post Season Play - North-South Shrine Game

Injuries -- Jeep accident, missed 1/2 of Yearling Football Season

Recreation

- Pistol 4,3,2; Skeet; Ski; Handball; Sunday School Teacher 4,3; Portuguese 4

Class Standing 195 + or minis 4

Officer Assignment to the Academy

1970 -73 Senior Infantry Instructor Office Military Instruction

- Receiver Coach under Tom Cahill

Bill coached "Joe Albano" Class of 1971 who ended up broking most of Bill's receiving records

His last 13 years of service included 33 months as a Brigade Commander, 2 Years as an Assistant Division Commander, 3 years as a Division Commander, 3 years as a Field Army Commander, and 15 months as a Theater J-3. Bill Carpenter never took the time to earn an advanced degree --

"His Boots Were Always Muddy"

Bill Carpenter's actions in Vietnam earned him a recommendation for the Medal of Honor; he was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross.

Bill Carpenter was an Army All American in Football and Lacrosse -- He Gave as a Cadet and as a Soldier.

The ties that bind Army Athletes

In 1952, Cadet Joe Austin of the U.S. Military Academy Lacrosse Team used a six foot stick while playing crease attack. Joe made an all-time West Point record of ten goals in one game and had a career total of eighty goals for three years of play which (when the story was told) was still a school record. He was selected 1st team All-American at attack.

In 1962, the then Captain Joe Austin of the United States Air Force, was an assistant coach of the Army Lacrosse Team. Bob Fuellhart '62, the second Lonely End, (following Bill Carpenter) on the Football Team, was playing on the Army Lacrosse Team as a defense man. Bob became very distressed when his favorite stick was broken in scrimmage. Assistant Coach Joe Austin, who had treasured his six foot high scoring attack stick for ten years generously loaned it to Fuellhart.

The head of the stick was much narrower than we liked for defensive use in those days but Bob felt that it helped his throwing and catching. (Today almost every defense stick has a head of this size which put Bobby much ahead of his time.) Appropriately, Fuellhart became first team All-American at close defense and won the Schmeisser Award as the outstanding defense man of 1962. Bill Carpenter was recipient of the Schmeisser Award in 1960.

This would seem to be quite a rarity for two players Joe and Bob, in two opposite positions, ten years apart, utilizing the same stick to become outstanding players of their times. Both Joe Austin and Bob Fuellhart were killed in the Vietnam War in the mid 1960's.

Joe Austin, awarded 2 Silver Stars, Distinguished Flying Cross, and Purple Heart was first declared missing 19 March 1969, and confirmed Killed In Action 25 May 79.

Bill Carpenter was nominated for the Medal of Honor received the Distinguished Service Cross.

Bob Fuellhart, awarded a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars (V), and Purple Heart, was Killed in Action 12 Aug 65, the day his daughter was born.

A Half Century of Lacrosse by William H. (Dinty) Moore III, the long-time Lacrosse Coach at Navy. It was told to Moore by Army Coach Jim (Ace) Adams. Edited by Butch Darrell Captain 1962 Lacrosse Team

Nomination West Point Sports Hall of Fame

The purpose of the West Point Sports Hall of Fame is to recognize and honor the Academy's greatest athletes.

More than any other college sports hall of fame, the Academy's should support West Point's Mission for no other institution in America trains each of its graduates to walk in another's land.

The Mission of the United States Military Academy is to provide a cadre of officers dedicated to a career of service to this Nation.

Attainment of Flag Rank meets that expectation.

The Corps of Cadets is surrounded by and lives in the shadow of the Academy's greatest military heroes.

A Medal of Honor nomination is in that tradition.

As Cadets we gave ---

As a member of the NCAA Football Hall of Fame; an All American in Football and Lacrosse, earning the Schmeissor Trophy as the outstanding defensive player of the year in Lacrosse; he stands with a very select group of West Point Athletes. Although the records he contributed to have long since been broken, as Football Team Captain against Oklahoma with one arm locked to his side from the elbow up -- catching passes, returning kickoffs, and playing defense, exemplifies commitment.

As soldiers we served ---

A career of dedicated service not only to this nation, but to the soldiers one leads demonstrates to the Corps of Cadets the expectation of each graduate. Attending only the absolutely required military schools, he spent nearly his entire military service leading America's soldiers. His last 13 years of service included 33 months as a Brigade Commander, 2 Years as an Assistant Division Commander, 3 years as a Division Commander, 3 years as a Field Army Commander, and 15 months as a Theater J-3. His Boots Were Always Muddy.

Our Nations highest honor for valor ---

Isolated on a hilltop, in command of a rifle company, facing insurmountable odds he led, resulting in his nomination for the Medal of Honor.

If the Army Sports Hall of Fame does support the Academy --- Bill Carpenter, Class of 1960, Army's Lonely End belongs. He is an example of a great Cadet Athlete and Soldier.