James J. Walton

West Point, 1989

Be Thou At Peace

Posted by Chris Hartley on July 9, 2008:

I hope the Walton family accepts my profound condolences for their recent loss. As a G-4 Guppy plebe while Jim was a Cow in our company, I would be remiss if I didn't join Dennis, Cathy, and Karen in remembrance of the most influential person of my early cadet career. I say this because Jim was on my very first plebe-duty mess hall table once the 'cows came home.' I'll never forget hearing him before even seeing him; he paid lots of attention to me--I still have the 4Cs in a scrapbook to prove it. And it doesn't surprise me when earlier posters have lauded Jim's care for Soldiers and subordinates. Indeed Jim paid so much attention to my classmates and me because he cared for our development, our maturity, our well being, and our ultimate success. That concept was hard to see from the cold beverage corporal seat, but it didn't take long to become crystal clear. Jim's impression on us was ever present. From plebe year until the most recent time we spoke, Karen and I would always enjoy moments of levity by remembering Jim and his probing intonations. I have neither sung nor heard the Army Song without musing to myself about why I know the words so well. Be thou at peace.

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