Arthur L. Gerometta

West Point, 1949

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Terry Powers on December 30, 2022:

17266 GEROMETTA, ARTHUR LOUIS 4 September 1925 - 1 April 2000 Died in Portage, Indiana. Cremated and inurned Ogden Dunes, Indiana. Aged 74 years. ARTHUR LOUIS GEROMETTA , born in Gary, IN, died at his home in Ogden Dunes, IN, after complications from surgery. Art was a 1943 graduate of Emerson High School, a football star, and went on to the University of Illinois on a football scholarship. The following year, he received an appointment to USMA, started his cadet experience in the summer of 1944, and continued to play football. With his agility and talent, he played for Army when the team became the national champions in 1944, 1945, and 1946. He, like so many of his classmates, served in Korea from the very beginning of that war but first went to Ft. Benning, where there was massive confusion - the class had orders to other places. Yet, as the days passed that summer of 1950, everyone knew that orders would be changed, and many in the Class of '49 would be going to Korea! While in Korea, Art fought bravely with the 1st Cavalry Division and maintained his great sense of humor. Not more than five minutes passed by before his humorous character set in. When all hell brook loose, he would say, "one could get a headache around here." His men followed him through those dark days. By the end of that war, Art earned the Silver Star, Bronze Star, and the Purple Heart, and Korea would remain on his mind for the rest of his life. He stayed with his division until 1951. When Art returned stateside, he was assigned to Indian Town Gap, PA, where he was aide-de-camp to GEN Lawrence Kaiser. He remained in that position until the general retired. Art then became an instructor in Military Topography & Graphics and helped the Army coaching football staff at West Point. With the 1951 cheating scandal under their belt and a season record of 4-4-1, Army did not have a very strong team. Art became an integral part of the coaching staff, was assigned to the plebe staff, and scouted Army's competition. It was in this job, while scouting in Pittsburgh and flying from Oklahoma, that Art met Nancy Hubbard, an American Airlines flight attendant. Art took her hand in marriage on 30 May 1953, and the couple lived on post at West Point. Of the many responsibilities COL Blaik gave Art to carry out, he especially enjoyed going to New York to bring back film coverage of the previous game. Art was to show Superintendent GEN Douglas MacArthur the footage and brief him about the team. Art was surprised at how much the general knew, especially about the rebuilding problems. MacArthur also spoke to Art about the great service his class had done in Korea. The experience with GEN MacArthur was an overwhelming one for a young lieutenant and veteran of Korea. Art said the general was very gracious and had a fine sense of humor. Their meeting was a high point in Art's coaching career. In 1954, he resigned from the Army and returned to Gary, where, in partnership with his brother Robert, Art became vice president of the Gerometta Construction Company. His son Gregg preceded Art in death. His wife Nancy; sons Marshall of Griffith, IN, and Bruce of Fullerton, CA; brother Bob Gerometta; sisters Jean Gerometta of Ogden Dunes and Anita Andrews of San Francisco, CA; and grandchildren Amelia and Tyler Gerometta of Columbus, IN, survive him. Art was very active in his community. He attended Ogden Dunes Community Church, held membership in the Rotary Club, Gary Old Timers Athletic Association, University Club, and Beta Theta Pi fraternity, and helped raise money for the YMCA. In 1962, he was inducted into the Gary Sports Hall of Fame. He was a past president of the Gary Country Club and an avid supporter of Portage High School athletics. He was honored to be inducted into the Indiana Football Hall of Fame in 1992. Art was a great football player on Army's great teams; however, his main mark at West Point was his ability with his hands in MT&G - he was number one every year. Art came back as an instructor because of this ability and never "found" a cadet. If a cadet needed extra help, he was ready to provide that help. When the chill is in the air, and the whistle blows for kickoff at West Point, old fans will remember the Blanchard, Davis, and Gerometta era.

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