Posted by Bill Murphy on October 17, 2009:

Bernie and I were in I-2 our first two years. He was a kindred spirit and loved practical jokes. He was small in stature and had a very deep Bass voice. One time we were walking to class and were stopped by an upperclassman from another 2nd Regiment Company. He asked us our names. Bernie replied "My name is Mr Ferry Sir". The Cow said that Bernie looked like a Fairy. Bernie then told the guy that he was an A__H___. Initially I was aghast but then started laughing as did Bernie. The guy blew his top. Luckily the time for the class was drawing near and we escaped the ire of the Cow. Bernie had a lot of guts and did not let anyone get the upper hand on him. He was gifted in academics and often helped his fellow classmates who were struggling with their courses. As far as I know he was the first guy in our class to have a car. He got it the Fall of our Plebe Year and kept it down in Highland Falls. He, Ken Sprague, Ed Sims, Lou Jerge, and I used to go down to a bar in the Falls for a few beers after TAPS. None of us ever got caught. Met quite a few classmates during our midnight escapades who also liked to flaunt the rules. Never forget our first Christmas. It was a tradition in I-2 that the Plebes would put on a skit for the upper classmen before they departed on leave. Our skit was about the 1st Christmas and was quite irreverent. Bernie played the role of the baby and wore a white towel which was supposed to be a diaper. Dan Levin played the role of Mary. I was a shepherd whose job was to stand and hold a window pole up in the air. The pole was supposed to be a lightning rod in case a bolt would descend upon us due to the content of the play. Luckily we did not get zapped. Everyone in attendance laughed quite a bit and we plebes were a hit with the upperclassmen. The next morning the upperclassmen were in for a shock. During the night Bernie and several other plebes locked all the upper classmen's doors in the company. They had talked the Barracks Janitor into giving them a key. At reveille the only upperclassmen who were in attendance at the formation were those who had rooms on the first floor who could exit their rooms via the windows. The report went in that I-2 had many missing. It was great! Luckily for us the upperclassmen left that day on leave. We wondered for the next ten days what was going to happen to us upon their return. During our last two years we were in different companies in the 2nd Regiment. We still kept up our friendship and I enjoyed my time with him. Bernie was commissioned into the Engineers due to his high academic standing. I understand that he did well and still was wont to play a few practical jokes. He was great guy. May he rest in peace.

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