October 20, 2026

October 20, 1990: The Citadel beat the University of South Carolina on a touchdown with 22 seconds left to win 38-35.

Today we are remembering LTC T. Nugent Courvoisie, USA, Ret., The Citadel Class of 1938, aka The Boo, on the 110th anniversary of his birth!

October 18, 1984: MAJ Samuel R. Bird, USA, ’61, passed away. Bird is remembered as the leader of the casket detail at President John F. Kennedy’s funeral. Then stationed at Fort Myer (now Joint Base Myer–Henderson Hall) near Arlington National Cemetery, he was called to receive the president’s body upon its arrival at Andrews Air Force Base. With only short breaks, he remained by the slain president’s side for three days until the funeral. When the casket detail faltered while exiting Saint Matthew’s Cathedral, Bird calmly steadied the casket and led an unplanned final salute as the detail completed its solemn duty. For his leadership, he received the Army Commendation Medal. Known as the “Perfect Soldier,” Bird had completed Ranger and Airborne training and was considered on track for general officer rank. He volunteered for service in Vietnam, where on his 27th birthday—his last day in the field—he was struck by an enemy sniper. The wound left him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life, but he continued forward with resilience and dignity. His service earned him two Bronze Stars, the Air Medal, and the Purple Heart, and he was later promoted to major. His remarkable life, lived fully despite great adversity, was told in So Proudly He Served, written by his wife Annette Bird with Tim Prouty. Bird is honored on Panel 14E, Line 90 of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial.

Today would have been the 78th birthday of James O. Rigney, Jr., '74. You may know Rigney as Robert Jordan, author of the best selling series, The Wheel of Time. Rigney attended The Citadel as a Veteran Student. us.macmillan.com/author/robertjordan

October 16, 1948: Johnson Hagood Stadium opened with a game against Davidson. The stadium was formally dedicated later on December 4, 1948, when The Citadel hosted Clemson in a game that drew a then-record crowd of about 16,000 people.

October 15, 2026

CPT Terry D. Cordell, USA, ’57, was the first Citadel graduate to die in Vietnam. He was killed on October 15, 1962, when the U-10A Helio Courier aircraft he was flying was shot down over Darlac Province, South Vietnam. content.time.com/time/subscriber/article/0,33009,874527,00.html

"It was my fourth year at The Citadel and the fourth time October 15 had marked the beginning of basketball practice. Mel Thompson was famous for working his team hard on the first day and traditionally ran us so much that the first practice was topped off by one of us vomiting on the hardwood floor. I made my way to the locker room early that afternoon because I wanted some time to myself to shoot around and think about what I wanted to accomplish this season. Four of my teammates were already dressed when I entered the dressing room door. The room carried the acrid fragrance of the past three seasons for me, an elixir of pure maleness with the stale smell of sweat predominant yet blended with the sharp, stinging unguents we spread on sore knees and shoulders, Right Guard deodorant spray, vats of foot powder to ward off athlete's foot, and deodorant cakes in the urinals. It was the powerful eau de cologne of the locker room. I realized that my life as a college athlete was coming to its inevitable end, but I did not know that you had to leave the fabulous odors of youth behind when you hurried out into open fields to begin life as an adult. As I entered the room, I waved to Al Beiner, the equipment manager. He and his assistant Joe 'Rat' Eubanks were making sure that the basketballs were all inflated properly. Carl Peterson, another assistant, had just returned with a cartful of freshly laundered towels, still warm to the touch. 'The Big Day,' Al said. He was reserved and serious and considered the players juvenile and frivolous. Al's presence was priestlike, efficient. 'Senior year,' Rat said. 'It all comes together for the big guy this year, right, Pat?'" ~from My Losing Season, Pat Conroy, '67