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View a eulogy for Harry De De Metropolis, USMA '39, who passed away on June 30, 1982.

Harry De De Metropolis

West Point, 1939

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by George Chester Chao, BA, Syracuse University MS, Embry-Riddle Aeronautical Unive on October 12, 2009:



Dear Major Harry De Metropolis,

When I was a little boy, I got to know you when I grew up in Poughkeepsie, NY. I am glad that I got to know you, when you worked with my father the late Chester Chih-Kung Chao an engineer at IBM. I was interested in becoming a West Point Cadet and an officer just like you when I was little. My late dad told me you grew up in a strict Greek Family,and I should always study hard like you did to get into West Point.

I will always remember you and your wife: Deloris and your son :Phillip who became a medical doctor. I will always remember visiting you at your quarters ay Academy Street in Poughkeepsie. I will always remember, my late Dad will bring home things from West Point that you were kind and thoughtful to leave off when you saw my late Dad at IBM. These were patches, West Point insignia pins,also the Graduation Program of the USMA 1971:"Professionally Done" Class,showing the firsties in full dress with their respective companies at Trophy Point, booklets, and an USMA catalog that showed the late General William Knowlton.

I will always remember you when you came to my family quarters in Town Of Poughkeepsie, you and your wife saw that there was a Penant of West Point in my room, poster of the Sherman Tank, and models of tanks and battleships. By the model battleships I built, I had a sign:" Beat Navy!"

I will always remember you were a man of literature! You are the author of the Cadet Prayer and Courtship at West Point. Also, you were the Classmate of General Andrew Goodpastor, and you knew General George Patton,and General Omar Bradley. You always told me.

In late June 1982, I came to visit a friend who was at West Point, attending Summer school for Cadets who failed classes. I didn't know that God called you back home until a year later after my Dad told me from workers from IBM. I managed to find out where your grave site is at the West Point Military Cemetery. I always remembered you telling me when I was little it was in your will, that you will be interred at West Point. I didn't forget about you and I managed to several times come see you.

I will also remember seeing pictures of you that showed me when you were a cadet at West Point and when you were an Officer. I always remembered seeing your picture in full dress in the 1939 Class Howitzer. I saw it when I was at your home and when I came to see USMA West Point Admissions Office. I will always remember you telling me, not to be disappointed if I never was accepted to West Point, and that there wre other ways to become an officer and other schools. Now, with three college degrees I was accepted to Medical school. Out of many thousands that apply to medical school, there are less than a hundred vacancies at many medical schools.This is even much more competitive than West Point! This is indeed.

The 1970's, 1980's, and years have swiftly moved by, and we are now in a new Century. It only seems likeyesterday, we saw each other. You and the other members of the Long Gray Line who became my friends will always leave memories and lagacy in my life! The reality is the inevitable, that all good things come to an end. There is a beginning and an end to everything including life.

Ultimately, the future military medical corps officer will always remember you forever for the rest of my life. I am glad in my life, I had the chance of getting to know you: Major Harry DeMetropolis! I am glad, in my lifetime that I had a chance and honor to eulogize a West Pointer and commemorate a life that is passed.


 
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