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View a eulogy for Akos Dezso Szekely, USMA '64, who passed away on September 11, 1968.

Akos Dezso Szekely

West Point, 1964

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Marty Michlik on May 30, 2006:

Akos and I were in company E-2 together for the first two years of our cadet time. He was a quiet person, and there was always a hint of his Hungarian military heritage about him. That said, he was fully engaged in the joys of being a cadet in the early 60's. Akos wore stars so I didn't share many classes with him, but he was ever willing to help his classmates in academic or other persuits. He was also a gifted athlete and became quite proficient at race walking, then a relatively new sport.

I last saw Akos in Duc Hoa, Vietnam, I think in Spring of 1967, before he had gone off to command. We probably spoke for less than an hour, but I could tell he was eager for command. He very much wanted to contribute to the fight against communism.

As I remember, we agreed to future meetings at West Point during the reunions that were then in the future for us both.

I got in touch with Akos' father before our 20th reunion during the process of visiting each of our classmate's graves beforehand. His father was eager for news from Akos' friends. I put him in touch with Huba Wass de Czege, a classmate who was also from Hungary with similiar experiences. Classmates in the Washington DC area have visited Akos' grave before every reunion since then as we pay homage to our fallen classmates.

Akos was a fine man, a friend, and a true American patriot. His life was tragically cut short.

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