Posted by George Chester Wei-Guang Chao on March 18, 2015:

I will always remember Coach George Storck, when he was the Lightweight Football coach at USMA. I got to know Coach Storck when I was in high school, living in Poughkeepsie, NY, and tried for admissions to West Point. As Athletic Director at USMA's ODIA, Mr. Storck had an excellent winning record in lightweight 150# football team! Impressive!!! When I was a little boy in the early 1970's I visited USMA, West Point often coming down the Hudson River from Poughkeepsie, NY. Back then the late General William Knowlton was the USMA superintendent, and late Coach Homer Smith was in charge of the NCAA Division I ARMY FOOTBALL. During a parade, General Knowlton was standing under a red flag with three stars with a few cadets. My late mother pointed out to me," Look at how Straight the Military Police Soldier is standing while saluting during the National Anthem and when the Cadet Color Guard passed in Review." In the spring of 1971, I can remember a big parade I watched from Cadet Chapel when President Richard Nixon visited West Point. I can remember back then when you and Brigadier General Earl Simms (back then: Major, Adjutant General Corps and USMA Admissions Officer) were hoping and rooting for me to come to West Point, and become a lightweight football player. The third attempt was close and we were optimistic! However, close but no cigar, a good try and It is a constructive and positive life's learning experience. Mr. George Storck and my High School Coach, Coach David Gettleman of NFL's Carolina Panthers were proud that I played football at SUNY CORTLAND, NCAA DIVISION III, graduating from SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY and Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, and making National Deans List: 23rd Edition. From setbacks, I took some detours, and if there is a will there is a way! I did it! When Coach Storck was at USMA's ODIA, Coach Storck often asked about the academic subjects I was doing. Just like Coach Storck would talk with his son: David who was attending Lehigh University about academics. Over time, Mr. Storck you were impressed when you my school work and did well academically and really improved myself to success. You saw my research that I did at the Universities like:" The Foreign Policies of Taiwan's Chiang Kai-Shek," " The Tragic Mission of the Space Transportation System Space Shuttle Challenger," " Aeromedical Rotarcraft Operations," and many other thesis, projects, and papers. You saw that as I got older and appreciated education more, I really buckled down and applied myself, you witnessed. I can remember on the phone during retirement, you would ask where do I have the time do all this? I was involved from Clinical Pathology at the hospital, Golden Key Honor Society, Americorps Basketball leagues, laboratory assistant, EMT, and held a job and still maintain excellent grades. Boy were you happy and proud and I ended up with three degrees and got into medical school. Coach Storck had a great personality and spent a lot of time in his busy schedule at USMA Athletic Office talking with me on the phone, and at his office when i was visiting West Point. He was a great gentleman, nice person to talk to, and had great wisdom. The years went swiftly by and it just seems like yesterday! Memories of George H. Storck will be forever! Not one day for the rest of my life will go by, I always think of him and often learning from experiences, mistakes, and maturity. I am glad I got to know Coach Storck when I was seventeen a junior in high school. George Storck was happy when I made it to become an Eagle Scout in Boy Scouts. I am sorry for the inevitable reality of death. Coach Storck comforted me when my late mom passed away from cancer in 2002, and my Dad from renal failure in 2006. I told George Storck,"I am a strong person!" "Going through experiences in life: I became a bigger , better, stronger, and wiser person for what I went through." "You followed the path of Colonel Thayer from Dartmouth University and General George S. Patton , 5 year cadet life at USMA," was in your biography in the 1954 Edition of Howitzer. I will remember in summer 1982, a postcard I mailed you from Fort Knox: while at ROTC Basic Camp, of General Patton with all the pompous colorful military medals and decorations on his military uniform, you had it proudly displayed on your desk at the Athletic Office at West Point. The Captain in The US Army on duty in your building on post liked it! With Coach Storck's retirement, I was glad I was able to postal mail George Storck packages of a chess set, crossword puzzles, jig saw puzzles, military science and history books, and articles on health. You left an impact in my life and a legacy in the Long Gray Line, and among the Gray Stone Buildings and facilities of the West Point, NY landmark. Things will not be the same as before when the world's population and community is minus one person God called back home. Life has a beginning and an end, just like a chemical reaction. Even in the General Patton Movie the inevitable reality in indicated," All Good Things come to an End!" George Chester Chao BA, SYRACUSE UNIVERSITY BS, EXCELSIOR COLLEGE MAeroSc, EMBRY-RIDDLE AERONAUTICAL UNIVERSITY

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