Thomas Duncan Macvicar

West Point, 1965

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Dan Christman on March 15, 2020:

Duncan and I were together on the Brigade staff for a full year, and he was a joy to work with. We shared many tales of our travails with the TAC department, but in Dunc's case, always with a twinkle in his eyes and unmatched mirth as he related encounters with CPT/Maj Max Thurman, who was Duncan's officer counterpart in charge of Cadet Activities. What a wonderful man - caring, compassionate, the consummate leader. Duncan contacted me a year ago to ask about helping the "Dreamers" and what my current organization, the US Chamber of Commerce, was doing to move US policy forward on the immigration crises at our borders. His work and drive in this area were matchless, and they reminded me of what made Duncan the friend and leader that he was: an exhibiting of the core values that West Point seeks to imbue in all its graduates. When we were plebes, we all heard of course the "Duty Honor Country" speech by Douglas MacArthur. It still resonates, especially about what the General said regarding those "three hallowed words." "They build your basic character," MacArthur said, "they teach you to stand up in a storm, but to have compassion on this who fall, to master yourself before you seek to master others, to be modest, and thus to understand the simplicity of true greatness." Duncan MacVicar internalized these precepts better than almost anyone I know. We, and all who were influenced by him, will miss him greatly. Be thou at peace, dear friend.

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