James Conrad Powers

West Point, 1964

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by George "Hork" Jacunski on April 10, 2007:

Jimmy and I got to know each other almost immediately after arriving at West Point. The vehicle which promoted this friendship was our membership in the Catholic Chapel Choir. Inasmuch as there were insufficient upper classmen to form an adequate choir, plebes were integrated, and as such were able to go on choir trips, while our Protestant brethren were confined to West Point for the entire plebe year. This was a wonderful benefit as you might imagine and the plebe choir group formed bonds that lasted the four years at West Point and until today. Five of us spent our four years together sharing all aspects-especially social-of cadet life: We were Jacunski, Powers, Brendan Quann, Bill Reynolds and Art Kelly. It didn't hurt that Brendan and Art were from New York City and we spent many a happy weekend under their guidance. I still have a photo of the five of us, in civies, at some unknown locale, raising our voices in song. The last time I saw Jimmy was in Vietnam shortly after his unit, the 4th Inf. Division, arrived in country. I was by then a seasoned veteran in the 25th Inf. Div and was selected to be on the team which provided the in-country orientation to the 4th. It was great seeing Jim and other classmates and savoring my role as the "old soldier."

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