Carl Homer Cathey

West Point, 1955

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Carl H. McNair, Jr. on December 3, 2010:

Looking ahead to the upcoming Dec 11, 2010 Army-Navy Game in Phillie, I reflected today upon my first away Army football game in 1951 with Columbia, in New York City. As a Company E-1 plebe, companymate Carl Cathey and I doubledated that evening after the game with two young ladies who attended school in the City. I still have the picture of the four of us enjoying the Catholic Chapel's "Fisheaters Ball" at the old Hotel Astor -what a memorable experience. To steal a line from another book -- "We were Cadets once and young" - and smiling too. Carl Cathey was a shining exammple for all of us and we shared many other special memories over our lifetimes. Perhaps, my fondest in our senior years was 30 years later in 1981, when I was Chief of ARMY Aviation and Commanding General of the US Army Aviation Center and Fort Rucker. I invited Carl, a Command Pilot (Fighter Pilot that is) in the US Air Force to visit the home of Army Aviation and deliver the graduation address to a class of newly pinned Army and Air Force graduates of pilot training (since we trained all Air Force helo pilots as well as Army). Carl flew down to Alabama, spoke eloquently at the graduation ceremonies and we gave him a full orientation, concluding with the opportunity to fly our newest Army helicopter, the UH-60 Blackhawk. I put Carl at the controls (with a suitable co-pilot) as I became a passenger and observed from the jump seat. He mastered it quickly as we flew back to the Dothan Municipal Airport where he saluted sharply, and mounted the steps of his T-39, Sabreliner, for his flight back to the Tactical Air Command at Langley AFB. Carl was a pilot's pilot, a loyal comrade, and I trusted him in the air as much as I trusted him at the wheel of his van as we would drive to West Point for meetings in preparation for our 45th Reunion when he would soon assume the role as President of the Class of 1955. He lived a full and bountiful life, but much too short and we miss him greatly among our "band of brothers." Rest well, dear friend and classmate, as you now dwell among the angels in a sky that is always - "Clear Blue and Twenty-Two". Carl McNair Classmate and Companymate, Co E-1, USCC

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