NOTES, RING PRESENTATIONS, May 22, 2004

I. INTRODUCE RING RECOVERY - The ring recovery effort was begun by Bill O’Neill ’92 in the late spring of 1999. He ran it virtually single-handedly until the fall of 2002 when he needed assistance due to the press of family medical demands. Since that date, LTC Michael McGurk, ’85 and LTC (Ret’d) David McClellan, ’01 Father, have assisted him. Ring recovery leans heavily on Tony Ferraiulo, the Director of Class Support of the Association of Graduates and his assistant, Patty Pfanzelter, for help on an informal basis and they have been wonderful supporters of this effort.

II. The effort seeks to recover wayward West Point rings and return them to their owner or the owner’s spouse, family, or descendants, to the USMA Library and Museum (two rings have been sent to the Museum, one from the Class of 1878 and one from the Class of 1917), to the AOG Class Ring Memorial Program (three rings have been sent to this worthy program, one each from the Classes of 1906, 1920 and 1932) and other “homes” that may be appropriate such as Veterans Museum which we now stand.

III. Ring recovery depends on the donations of the West Point Community in order to continue its work. It is an expensive undertaking.

IV. PRESENTATION OF CLASS OF 1931 RING

This is the class ring of the late LTC Raymond Silas Pratt, Jr., 9206 of the Class of 1931. His father was a member of the Class of 1901 who retired as a Colonel in 1940 and then was recalled to serve during WWII in the period 1942 - 1943. LTC Pratt was graduated and commissioned on 11 June 1931 in Field Artillery. His service included tours in Europe in WWII and in Korea during the Korean War. He retired in 1959 and died in Citrus Heights, California in March 1992.

Let me insure that this ring passes from hand-to-hand among you in order that all can have a close look at it. Note that it is a Tiffany ring. It has had a piece inserted to enlarge the band and the result is that the text “Jr.” is no longer clearly legible. It bears the wear appropriate for a ring worn for 60 years. The stone is very likely a ruby.

This ring had appeared on eBay in a sale that was ended early by its seller on 14 February 2004. We had already begun the effort to try to locate relatives of this graduate and had turned to our resident genealogist, Ms. Kitty Millard, ’55 wife for assistance. She very quickly reported that LTC Pratt’s daughter was named Judy Harris and gave us a fairly lengthy list of persons named “Harris” in the Citrus Height area. We began calling without luck.

When the auction ended early, we contacted the seller immediately to inquire why, with a view toward making an off-eBay purchase. We were greatly surprised to learn that the seller was none other than the Judy Harris we sought. We quickly closed a purchase of the ring for $450 and were glad to take it off the market at that price.

Ms. Harris had been disposing of her father’s memorabilia since he death. He had provided no instructions beyond telling her to do what she wished with these items. Included with the ring were some documents relating to her father’s service, which accompany the ring today.

One of these documents is a Bachelor of Science degree issued by the Military Academy over the signature of the Superintendent, then MG William D. Connor, dated in October 1933. This is quite a historical document. This was the year that Congress passed a law allowing graduates of the Military Academy to receive the degree of Bachelor of Science. West Point then issued this degree retroactively to every living graduate at that time.

Finally, in addition to the ring and the documents I have mentioned, we also present a Howitzer from the Class of 1931 and a 2002 Register of Graduates. This Register is the Bicentennial Edition that is wonderful to read and it contains photos of most of the class rings back to 1837.

I will now go to present this ring to the Colonel Arthur C. Meier II, a graduate of the Class of 1963 and the President of the Tennessee Valley Chapter of the West Point Society who will begin the ring on its way to its final home in this fine Museum. Before I do so, I need to say these words from ring recovery that are appended to every return of a ring:

- The West Point Ring Recovery Program provides this ring as a gift from the West Point community; neither money nor donation is required.

- We ask the following:

    - - That for the ring be cared for as the precious object it is. Protect it from theft or damage and advise us immediately if this ring is ever lost or stolen

    - - That the ring remain a treasured heirloom never to be sold.

    - - In the future, if caring for and cherishing this ring becomes a burden, we ask that the ring be donated to the Class Ring Memorial Program of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy.  In that program, the gold of the rings of the classes of the years past is used in providing the gold of the rings of the classes of the future.

Finally, I extend my thanks for the opportunity to be here which has been an honor, a privilege and a pleasure and which would not have been possible without the support of Tim Thames and each of you. Ring recovery is ever so grateful.

Colonel Meier, ring recovery is proud to turn over this ring to you.