Edward L. Rowny
West Point
.
Q.
In your career at West Point, were there any extra curricular activities that you
engaged in?
A ..
Yes. Having finished college, I was able to devote much of my time to extra
curricular activities. Having come from Hopkins, the West Point coach of the
lacrosse team naturally assumed I was a lacrosse player and put me on the team.
It wasn't very long before I was bounced off the team since I had never played
lacrosse and was not a good athlete. However, I liked the sport and later became
manager of the varsity team. In addition, I engaged in half a dozen other extra
curricular pursuits. One was the West Point debating team. As a matter of fact,
I was on the famous debating team that won the national championship in 1939.
That team consisted of Andrew Goodpaster, who later became the Supreme
Commander of NATO; William Kintner, who later became ambassador to
Thailand; and myself. I was also a member of the chess club and took part in
school plays. I engaged in as many extra curricular activities as I could, largely
because it allowed me to get to New York City quite often. I also participated in
athletics, but only got to the "B" squad of the track team. I ran the half mile.
Q.
Were there any people in your class at West Point with whom you established
l
lasting friendships?
A ..
Yes. I made a number of friends with whom I still keep in contact. I'm thinking
of Joe Gurfein, Pete Tanous, Herb Stem, Al Moody, Spec Powell, and a half
dozen others. My roommate was Larry Greene. I also became friends with a
cadet who rose high in the Air Force. George Brown became chief of staff of the
Air Force and later the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. He was my boss
when I was the Joint Chiefs of Staff's representative to the SALT II talks.
I also made lasting friendships with members of other classes. Those that stand out
were Bill Kintner, Class of 1940, and Andy Goodpaster and Bill McCaffrey of the
Class of 1939.
I think I should mention at this time that I made friends with several instructors
with whom I was to serve later on in the Army. One of these was Captain Ted
Conway who taught French. He became the commanding general of the 82d
Airborne Division and when I was promoted to brigadier general requested that I
be his deputy.
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