Oregon State University Army ROTC is an ROTC Battalion assigned to
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering c ...
in
Corvallis, Oregon. Its mission is to train Cadets in basic military leadership and commission them as
2nd Lieutenant
Second lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer military rank in many armed forces, comparable to NATO OF-1 rank.
Australia
The rank of second lieutenant existed in the military forces of the Australian colonies and Australian Army until 1 ...
s upon the completion of a bachelor's degree. Founded in 1873, the ROTC Battalion has continued to serve the nation and US Army Cadet Command and was given the nickname, "The West Point of the West" after it produced more commissioned officers than any other ROTC Battalion in the USA during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
[
]
Pre-Civil War
Prior to the
American Civil War
The American Civil War (April 12, 1861 – May 26, 1865; also known by other names) was a civil war in the United States. It was fought between the Union ("the North") and the Confederacy ("the South"), the latter formed by states ...
, the small number of officers the
Army
An army (from Old French ''armee'', itself derived from the Latin verb ''armāre'', meaning "to arm", and related to the Latin noun ''arma'', meaning "arms" or "weapons"), ground force or land force is a fighting force that fights primarily on ...
needed was provided by the
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy (USMA), also known metonymically as West Point or simply as Army, is a United States service academy in West Point, New York. It was originally established as a fort, since it sits on strategic high groun ...
at
West Point, New York
West Point is the oldest continuously occupied military post in the United States. Located on the Hudson River in New York, West Point was identified by General George Washington as the most important strategic position in America during the Ame ...
and a few other colleges, such as
Norwich University. With the expansion of the Army to unprecedented size for the Civil War, the need for trained officers quickly exceeded the number available. As a result,
Congress
A congress is a formal meeting of the representatives of different countries, constituent states, organizations, trade unions, political parties, or other groups. The term originated in Late Middle English to denote an encounter (meeting of ...
passed the
Land Grant Act of 1862, which specified that courses in military tactics should be offered at colleges established as a result of the Act.
Corvallis College (now
Oregon State University
Oregon State University (OSU) is a public land-grant, research university in Corvallis, Oregon. OSU offers more than 200 undergraduate-degree programs along with a variety of graduate and doctoral degrees. It has the 10th largest engineering c ...
) was founded in 1858 as an academy supported by the
Methodist Church.
[
]
1868–1906; educating the citizen soldier
Corvallis College was named a Land-Grant institution in 1868, and thus was required to begin teaching military science. The first students were described as "being fine of muscle and brain but had to be taught to read and do simple arithmetic," perhaps explaining why military training did not begin immediately.
A new college president,
Benjamin Lee Arnold, a
Confederate
Confederacy or confederate may refer to:
States or communities
* Confederate state or confederation, a union of sovereign groups or communities
* Confederate States of America, a confederation of secessionist American states that existed between 1 ...
veteran, arrived in the spring of 1872 "prepared to take charge of neglected military tactics as soon as arms arrived." Captain Benjamin D. Boswell of the
11th Infantry Regiment (and had served with the 4th
West Virginia
West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian, Mid-Atlantic and Southeastern regions of the United States.The Census Bureau and the Association of American Geographers classify West Virginia as part of the Southern United States while the B ...
Infantry during the Civil War) was on extended leave and had been voluntarily helping with the Cadets. In September 1873, he was "regularly retained as Professor of Military Science." CPT Boswell wrote about three difficulties: "There was sometimes no suitable room for drilling, there were no books on military science in the city, and that the boys were farmer's sons they went home on good days to help with the planting and harvesting when the weather was best for drilling."
For about four years a varied collection of blue uniforms were worn until 1876, when President Arnold arranged for a local tailor to have the first official Cadet uniforms made. Gray, with caps of the
Civil War type, it has long been speculated that they were inspired by Arnold's Confederate background, or perhaps from the "long gray line" of the US Military Academy at West Point. Each Cadet purchased his own for $16 to $18, depending on size.
Education in military tactics continued until 1877 when all guns were taken for the
Nez Perce War
The Nez Perce War was an armed conflict in 1877 in the Western United States that pitted several bands of the Nez Perce tribe of Native Americans and their allies, a small band of the ''Palouse'' tribe led by Red Echo (''Hahtalekin'') and ...
s, so "drill was not among the college activities of the time." In 1884, college president Arnold made a passionate plea to the legislature for 60 to 70 guns to replace those taken and never returned. Finally, in 1886, guns and a cannon were sent from
Fort Vancouver
Fort Vancouver was a 19th century fur trading post that was the headquarters of the Hudson's Bay Company's Columbia Department, located in the Pacific Northwest. Named for Captain George Vancouver, the fort was located on the northern bank of th ...
and drill and military tournaments began again. A Cadet band was organized in 1891 consisting of 13 pieces obtained by private subscription. The new band, together with two companies of Cadets, marched down the railroad station to perform when President
William Henry Harrison
William Henry Harrison (February 9, 1773April 4, 1841) was an American military officer and politician who served as the ninth president of the United States. Harrison died just 31 days after his inauguration in 1841, and had the shortest pres ...
arrived on the Presidential train.
The second Regular Army officer, 1LT C. F. Dentler, was detailed by the
War Department War Department may refer to:
* War Department (United Kingdom)
* United States Department of War (1789–1947)
See also
* War Office, a former department of the British Government
* Ministry of defence
* Ministry of War
* Ministry of Defence
* D ...
as Professor of Military Science in 1894. When he arrived, he was put in charge of Cauthorn Hall (now Kidder Hall), a dormitory known for the unruly behavior of its occupants. It is reported that "he put in operation War Department rules for behavior. In a short time Cauthorn was an orderly place, and every student was getting better grades in his classwork." That summer (1894), the Cadets marched in the
Portland, Oregon
Portland (, ) is a port city in the Pacific Northwest and the list of cities in Oregon, largest city in the U.S. state of Oregon. Situated at the confluence of the Willamette River, Willamette and Columbia River, Columbia rivers, Portland is ...
parade and were very popular with the
1st Oregon soldiers who "swarmed them to get all manner of drinks," since they were they only military unit carrying canteens. Uniforms returned to 'army blue' in 1896 after a vote of the Cadets.
In 1898, all regular officers and
National Guard
National Guard is the name used by a wide variety of current and historical uniformed organizations in different countries. The original National Guard was formed during the French Revolution around a cadre of defectors from the French Guards.
Nat ...
officers were needed on active duty for the
Spanish–American War
, partof = the Philippine Revolution, the decolonization of the Americas, and the Cuban War of Independence
, image = Collage infobox for Spanish-American War.jpg
, image_size = 300px
, caption = (cloc ...
. Lieutenant Woodbridge Geary, US Army, who'd been Professor of Military Science for two years, was killed in the
Philippine Islands
The Philippines (; fil, Pilipinas, links=no), officially the Republic of the Philippines ( fil, Republika ng Pilipinas, links=no),
* bik, Republika kan Filipinas
* ceb, Republika sa Pilipinas
* cbk, República de Filipinas
* hil, Republ ...
. The Cadet Battalion of 1901 commemorated his service with a marble slate. In 1898, the Mechanical Hall, which held all the military equipment, burned down, destroying everything. Later that year, Major Edwards of the Oregon National Guard, arrived fresh from the Spanish–American War to head the military program. He instituted many changes: New
Springfield rifles; the first Armory (now Mitchell Playhouse) was built; encampments were introduced. These three day encampments were conducted four miles southwest of Corvallis and became community affairs. City merchants brought out crates of oranges for the Cadets and visitors came to the camp, "an enjoyment long to be remembered."
1906–1941; an era of growth
1LT D.P. Quinlan,
5th Cavalry, US Army, had arrived as the new Professor of Military Science in 1905. By this time there were four companies of infantry, with detachments of field artillery, Cavalry, Engineers, Signal, and Hospital Corps and a 28-piece band. The blue uniform changed to olive drab, handsome with a black visored cap, white gloves and puttees. The college insignia was worn on it, and an orange hat band and orange breast cord were added for dress. The buttons had OAC on them, for the then Oregon Agricultural College.
Two historic leaders were at OAC during this period: College President
William Jasper Kerr, who was far seeing in his objectives and believed in the distribution of responsibility; and Captain
Ulysses G. McAlexander, whose record as a commandant and soldier was outstanding. McAlexander was commandant and professor of Military Science and Tactics from 1907–1912, and again from 1915–1916. While at OAC, he increased the battalions to four, and replaced the old Springfield rifles with the then modern
Krag–Jørgensen
The Krag–Jørgensen is a repeating bolt-action rifle designed by the Norwegians Ole Herman Johannes Krag and Erik Jørgensen in the late 19th century. It was adopted as a standard arm by Norway, Denmark, and the United States. About 300 we ...
rifles, securing 720 of them for the 700 Cadets.
The military band was increased to 60 pieces and played at commencements. Captain H. L. Beard, long their conductor, took the band to the 1915
Panama–Pacific International Exposition
The Panama–Pacific International Exposition was a world's fair held in San Francisco, California, United States, from February 20 to December 4, 1915. Its stated purpose was to celebrate the completion of the Panama Canal, but it was widely s ...
in
San Francisco, California
San Francisco (; Spanish for " Saint Francis"), officially the City and County of San Francisco, is the commercial, financial, and cultural center of Northern California. The city proper is the fourth most populous in California and 17th ...
, where they played for a month, bringing much acclaim to Oregon State.
With the increasing size and popularity of the Cadet regiment, the
Oregon Legislative Assembly passed an act providing for the construction of the present armory. Completed in 1910, the Armory was one of the largest and finest in the country. The 100 x 300 ft. riding hall allowed the Cadets to practice on horseback in all kinds of weather. The Cadets placed a bronze tablet, dedicating the building on 12 June 1911, to McAlexander "In Appreciation of whom, we the members of the Cadet Regiment of 1911, have placed this plate."
It can be seen today on the north wall of the building. In
World War I
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Major McAlexander became world-famous as the "Rock of the
Marne Marne can refer to:
Places France
*Marne (river), a tributary of the Seine
*Marne (department), a département in northeastern France named after the river
* La Marne, a commune in western France
*Marne, a legislative constituency (France)
Nethe ...
," while leading the
38th Infantry Regiment of the
3rd Infantry Division, and later as a major general who commanded the "
Texas
Texas (, ; Spanish: ''Texas'', ''Tejas'') is a state in the South Central region of the United States. At 268,596 square miles (695,662 km2), and with more than 29.1 million residents in 2020, it is the second-largest U.S. state by ...
" Brigade of the
90th Infantry Division 90th Division may refer to:
;Infantry
* 90th Division (1st Formation)(People's Republic of China), 1949–1950
* 90th Division (2nd Formation)(People's Republic of China), 1950–1952
* 90th Light Infantry Division (Wehrmacht)
* 90th Infantry Divi ...
. He was also awarded the military's second highest decoration, the
Distinguished Service Cross The Distinguished Service Cross (D.S.C.) is a military decoration for courage. Different versions exist for different countries.
*Distinguished Service Cross (Australia)
The Distinguished Service Cross (DSC) is a military decoration awarded to ...
.
By 1917, the military instruction had become so efficient that the War Department classified OAC as a "Distinguished College."
Regular training was discontinued during World War I and the
Student Army Training Corps (SATC) was established in 1918 (distinct from ROTC) to meet the demands for officers in the war. In this accelerated program there were over 3,000 students carrying 14 hours of collegiate work weekly (principally in engineering) besides their military subjects.
The
National Defense Act of 1916
The National Defense Act of 1916, , was a United States federal law that updated the Militia Act of 1903, which related to the organization of the military, particularly the National Guard. The principal change of the act was to supersede prov ...
had established the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC) and in January 1919, after the war ended, military training was reestablished as ROTC. Five major departments were organized:
Infantry
Infantry is a military specialization which engages in ground combat on foot. Infantry generally consists of light infantry, mountain infantry, motorized infantry & mechanized infantry, airborne infantry, air assault infantry, and mar ...
,
Field Artillery,
Engineering
Engineering is the use of scientific principles to design and build machines, structures, and other items, including bridges, tunnels, roads, vehicles, and buildings. The discipline of engineering encompasses a broad range of more speciali ...
,
Motor Transport
Motor transport (MT) refers to the operation and maintenance of a military vehicle fleet (especially trucks), and sometimes to the servicemembers to operate and maintain them. Traditionally, motor transport organizations are responsible for a unit ...
, and
Cavalry.
Polo teams were begun, coached by the ROTC officers.
In the 1930s, the rifle team won the "
Doughboy
Doughboy was a popular nickname for the American infantryman during World War I. Though the origins of the term are not certain, the nickname was still in use as of the early 1940s. Examples include the 1942 song "Johnny Doughboy Found a Rose in ...
of the West" trophy; the college continued to be rated "Distinguished College" by the War Department; and polo matches against schools such as
Stanford University kept Oregon State ROTC in the limelight. The ROTC band became two separate bands and presented over 200 weekly broadcasts on KOAC,
Military Balls added to the glamour.
However, an era was ending. The Cavalry dismounted in the mid-30s and horses were dispensed with entirely in 1937, when the field artillery "heavy horses" were replaced by motor vehicles.
1941–1945; a nation at war
Oregon State College was referred to as the "West Point of the West" during these years. More Cadets were commissioned than at any other non-military academy in the United States. In 1942, there were 1,683 ROTC Cadets. 110 officers were commissioned that year and went immediately into service. By 1945 more Cadets were commissioned than at any other school in the West.
Enlistments lowered ROTC enrollments drastically during the war years, but in March 1943, an
Army Specialized Training Program
The Army Specialized Training Program (ASTP) was a military training program instituted by the United States Army during World War II to meet wartime demands both for junior officers and soldiers with technical skills. Conducted at 227 American u ...
(ASTP) came into existence to provide troop technical training in engineering, communications, and languages. A student from those years remembers that at the beginning of the war all the young men were immediately put into uniform. Most of them were absorbed elsewhere, but the engineers stayed, later to be joined by ASTP groups.
In all, over 2,000 men were trained at the University while about 9,000 graduates and former students, many of them had their military training at Oregon State, served on active duty during
World War II
World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposing ...
.
1946–1978; educating for global involvement
After the Second World War ended in 1945, a
Department of Naval Science was added at Oregon State. Providing officer training for both the
US Navy
The United States Navy (USN) is the maritime service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. It is the largest and most powerful navy in the world, with the estimated tonnage ...
and the
US Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through com ...
, it is now one of the largest in the nation and has earned the unofficial title "Naval Academy of the Northwest." Women were admitted to the Naval program for the first time in 1972, and over 1,000 Navy and Marine officers have been commissioned since the beginning of the program.
[
]
The
US Air Force
The United States Air Force (USAF) is the air service branch of the United States Armed Forces, and is one of the eight uniformed services of the United States. Originally created on 1 August 1907, as a part of the United States Army Sig ...
was established in 1948, with the enactment of the
National Security Act of 1947. On 1 July 1949, the
US Army Air Corps
The United States Army Air Corps (USAAC) was the aerial warfare service component of the United States Army between 1926 and 1941. After World War I, as early aviation became an increasingly important part of modern warfare, a philosophical r ...
training branch became a separate officer training unit now known as Aerospace Science. The
Air Force ROTC draws more freshmen scholarships than any other AFROTC unit in the nation and has had over 1,000 officers commissioned, including the first women in 1970. In 1977, two graduates of the OSU AFROTC became the first women pilots in the Air Force.
Today, the Army and Air Force ROTC programs at the University share the McAlexander Fieldhouse.
The Army ROTC, from its beginning in 1917, had commissioned enough officers to make Oregon State the leader in the nation among non-military schools. In 1973, women were admitted to Army ROTC. Now the ROTC has very little military drill and the emphasis is on leadership training and general professional education. Military training has changed tremendously since the early drills on muddy grounds near
Benton Hall.
In 1962, ROTC was changed from mandatory participation for physically able male students to a completely voluntary program. In 1964, the ROTC Vitalization Act brought scholarships and financial aid to a streamlined ROTC program, and OSU attracts more scholarship winners than of any other school of its size in the nation. Leadership, scholasticism, technical, and scientific training are emphasized, as well as physical fitness. During this era, Cadets attending
Western Oregon University
Western Oregon University (WOU) is a public university in Monmouth, Oregon. It was originally established in 1856 by Disciples of Christ pioneers as Monmouth University. Subsequent names included Oregon State Normal School, Oregon College of E ...
and the
Oregon State University Cascades Campus
Oregon () is a U.S. state, state in the Pacific Northwest region of the Western United States. The Columbia River delineates much of Oregon's northern boundary with Washington (state), Washington, while the Snake River delineates much of it ...
also became members of the Beaver Battalion and train with them during labs and field training exercises. With over one hundred years of history, Army ROTC at Oregon State University and its partner schools continues to train junior officers and commission them into various fields of the Army.
References
Bibliography
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*
*
* {{cite book , last = Partlow , first= Leo L. {{hyphen Captain, F.A. (D.O.L.), U.S. Army , title= History of the Military Department {{hyphen Oregon Agricultural College , year= 1921 , pages= , publisher= OAC Press , location= Corvallis, Oregon , at = Oregon State University{{hyphenSpecial Collections and Archive Research Center: Memorabilia Collection, Box 106, folder 17., type = (internal)Cadet Course Catatlog , url= , oclc= , access-date=
Oregon State University
ROTC programs in the United States