(Kevin Remington)

Rector and President explain the need to remember veterans in speeches

By Row Sterne, ‘25

The stories and triumphs of these veterans were recalled once again as three of twenty plaques removed from the chapel last year were officially relocated.

Community members recently gathered at the university’s Memorial Gateway to rededicate plaques memorializing four Washington and Lee U.S. veterans in a ceremony put on by the Board of Trustees.

University Rector Mike McAlevey, ‘86, and President William Dudley spoke at the event.

McAlevey explained that the Memorial Gateway is a fitting home for those three plaques. “The plaques honor World War I and Vietnam veterans, and this Gateway is the proper place for them to be displayed,” he said.

The Memorial Gateway already featured plaques honoring community members who died in both World Wars, Korea, Vietnam, the Persian Gulf War, the War on Terror, and on 9/11.

“The plaques belong here; the names belong here. They join the names of our fellow alumni who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country,” McAlevey concluded.

In his speech, President Dudley profiled the four veterans honored on the plaques.

He began with Kiffin Yates Rockwell, Class of 1913, who is known as being the first American to shoot down a German plane in World War I. Rockwell was killed in action while fighting for the French and won the Médaille Militaire and the Croix de Guerre for his service.

Dudley remembered two other men for their sacrifices in World War I.

Daniel Clovis Moomaw, Law School Class of 1912, was captain of the W&L football team and served as an associate professor before enlisting in the U.S. Armed Forces. Lieutenant Moomaw was killed in 1918 during the Argonne offensive.

Second Lieutenant John Arthur Lingle, Jr., Law School Class of 1915, perished of pneumonia after arriving in England in 1918.

James Howard Monroe, ‘66, was also remembered for his heroic actions as a combat medic in the Vietnam War. Monroe was killed when he smothered a live grenade to protect his fellow soldiers.

He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in 1967. His medal citation reads, “Through his valorous actions, performed in a flash of inspired selflessness, Pfc. Monroe saved the lives of two of his comrades and prevented the probable injury of several others.”

President Dudley added that the four men demonstrate “the traits of leadership and service to others and citizenship that we prize as central to our institutional mission.”

“The stories of Clovis Moomaw and all those honored on this gateway illustrate these traits. It is a privilege for us to bring these stories forward as part of our commitment to presenting the university’s history in its fullness,” he finished.

As the ceremony came to an end, Kamron Spivey, ‘24 raised concerns about a plaque honoring American Civil War veterans, which the university has yet to rededicate.

Spivey shouted, “Where is the Liberty Hall Volunteers plaque that honors the 77 American veterans” who served in the Confederacy during the Civil War. Most of those soldiers had been students at then-Washington College.

This plaque was one of the first to be removed from the chapel and is currently not displayed for public view.

In her October 25 Columns article, Kelsey Goodwin said, “The Liberty Hall Volunteers plaque…will be contextualized as part of the new exhibit currently being planned for the gallery on the upper level of the chapel annex, adjacent to the recumbent Lee statue.”

Jackson Hotchkiss, ‘24, attended the ceremony and reflected afterwards, “I think it's important to recognize people that fought for the country from W&L.”

Several other current Washington and Lee students who attended the event concurred.

Speaking to The Spectator after his speech, President Dudley said, “We want to tell the important stories of this University and these are among them. It is important to the rector and to me personally; we appreciate the chance to say a few words.”