Standing in the north end zone at the centerline is a bronze Bill the Goat statue, donated by the Class of 1965.
Five years ago, the Class of 1965 took it upon themselves to refurbish the Bill the Goat statue on the Yard just inside Gate 1, originally donated by the Class of 1915 in 1957. It was this project that sparked the idea for a new statue at the stadium.
Designed in clay by sculptor Tony Thamasangvarn, contracted by local business Signcraft, and cast in bronze by the Baltimore New Arts Foundry, the statue was erected on June 9, 2015, exactly 50 years after the Class of 1965 graduated from the academy.
The Class of 1965 and its "Link in the Chain" Class of 2015 donated a variety of brass items to be melted down and mixed with the bronze, including rank insignia, warfare devices, brass memorabilia from long military careers, shrapnel from Vietnam, a cube of steel from a nuclear submarine, and a tailhook from an A-6 Intruder.
What couldn't be mixed with the bronze was placed inside the granite base of the statue, said Class of 1965 president retired CAPT Jim Minderlein.
The official dedication of the statue will take place during homecoming weekend, at the Class of 1965's 50th reunion.
Wanted to add some provenance to the A-6A tail hook in the Bill the Goat Statue. It could also be material for Plebe Year questions/knowledge:
ReplyDeleteIt is from A-6A BUNO 155593 assigned to the VA-176 Thunderbolts. The aircraft was lost on 21 August, 1970 on a check flight originating from NAS Oceana, Virginia Beach, Virginia. Returning to NAS Oceana at a relatively low altitude the aircraft experienced hydraulic system/stabilator problems that caused an un-commanded dive and crash into Lake Chesdin. The tail hook was recovered from the lake near the Dinwiddie and Amelia County border. Aircrew survived the ejection with injuries and were picked up and assisted by two local residents. Andy P 65