Скачать или смотреть 25th annual ring melt ceremony-West Point Military Academy-USMA

West Point Military Acdemy has a wonderful tradition. West Point alumni can donate their class ring to preserve the “long gray line” of West Point traditions .Donated class rings from former cadets, both living and deceased, are melted into a gold ingot on site. During this ceremony, you hear the history and careers of these cadets and why they (or their families ) feel it’s meaningful to donate their ring back to the academy and current class to preserve these traditions. A portion of this donated gold goes back into the class of 2026 rings, and a small portion is saved as legacy gold. The Legacy gold, from rings donated during the 25 years, has rings going back to the 1890s.

968 rings have been donated up to this point. Some of the rings donated today were on the hands of soldiers during the Battle of the Bulge, D-Day, Vietnam, Afghanistan, Bosnia, and many other conflicts. This solemn and meaningful ceremony details what West Point meant to the lives and careers of these cadets, and why they (and their families) feel the importance of preserving the long gray line of the Academy. It’s truly humbling to hear the stories behind the donors. It makes you thankful for the freedoms that we have.