
early books but thoughts his later books were just spinoffs. I recall that while I was working at the Pentagon, he would visit to do research for his books. He had contacts in the Department of the Navy. He would invite everyone who was
interested to eat their brown bag lunch with him. If I could write half as well as he did, he would still be twice as good as me.
According to CNN, on this day in 1964, the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY invented Buffalo wings. I had some last night for supper. It reminded me of my old mascot in my cadet company when I was a cadet at West Point. In these
political correct times, the company has changed to mascot to Coyote. When I found out about the change, I wrote a short story about the old Fighting Cock of C-3. I think you might enjoy it.
Maybe I missed the obituary announcement or the usually notice of the passing of a comrade in arms. I was stunned. I have such fond memories of the Fighting Cock. I remember one time, I think it was our 25th reunion, someone suggested that we order Buffalo chicken wings. The Fighting Cock was drinking a Sam Adams at that moment and started to choke. He choked so hard that the beer came out of his beak. He did not stop until someone told him it was just a joke. I laughed so hard that I cried. Later he confided that for years he did not realize that Buffalo wings were made from chicken. We all laughed again. I guess what made it so funny was the fact that it usually took a lot to ruffle his feathers.
The Fighting Cock of C-3 was quick with a joke. He could put down a few pints of beer and still be the first one up at the crack of dawn. He was a competitive athlete-never a quitter. When we would win, he would strut his stuff and crow about it. However, he knew his place in the pecking order and was respectful of every cadet.
I was teaching at West Point when the class of 1980 arrived with women. I thought for sure that the Fight Cock would quit, but he hung in there. He would prove to be a strong supporter of equal
opportunity. It was just another fight to him. Remember how he insisted everyone start call him the Gamecock after that? We did so out of respect for him, but he will always be the Fighting Cock for us old C-3 grads. Farewell, old friend.