Commandants of Cadets, 1872-1972

Commandants of Cadets, 1872-2000

From the day of its founding to the present Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University has had a commandant of cadets. The session of 1880-1881 is unique however. The Board of Visitors failed to appoint either a commandant or a president. Acting President Hart thereupon appointed a senior cadet as acting commandant and permitted this individual to select other seniors as acting assistant commandants. With this one exception all commandants have been appointed by the Board of Visitors.

Name Years

Gen. James H. Lane 1872-1880

Cadet Capt. James A. Clarke (acting) 1880-1882

Col. W. Ballard Preston 1882-1884

Lt. J. C. Gresham 1884-1887

Col. W. Ballard Preston 1887

Lt. J. T. Knight 1887-1890

Lt. J. A. Harman 1890-1894

Lt. D. C. Shanks 1894-1898

Col. A. T. Finch 1898-1900

Col. J. S. A. Johnson 1900-1906

Capt. G. H. Jameson 1906-1909

Capt. E. R. Dashiell 1909-1911

Lt. J. F. Ware 1911-1914

Lt. S. W. Anding 1914-1917

Maj. W. P. Stone 1917-1918

Maj. J. C. Skuse 1918-1919

Capt. C. C. Carson 1919-1920

Maj. F. E. Williford 1920-1924

Maj. W. R. Nichols 1924-1929

Lt. Col. J. B. Maynard 1929-1935

Lt. Col. C. H. Tenney 1935-1938

Col. J. H. Cochran 1938-1942

Col. R. W. Wilson 1942-1945

Col. George Henderson 1945-1946

Col. T. W. Munford 1946-1951

Col. W. B. Merritt 1951-1952

Maj. Gen. J. M. Devine 1952-1961

Brig. Gen. M. W. Schewe 1961-1967

Maj. Gen. F. T. Pachler 1967-1972

Brig. Gen. David S. Henderson 1972-1973

Brig. Gen. Earl C. Acuff 1973-1980

Lt. Gen. Howard M. Lane 1980-1989

Maj. Gen. Stanton R. Musser 1989-1999

Maj. Gen. Jerrold P. Allen 1999-

Source: Kinnear, Duncan Lyle, The First 100 Years: A History of Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Blacksburg, Virginia: Virginia Polytechnic Institute Educational Foundation, 1972), Apprendix II, p. 478.
Return to Virginia Tech Corps of Cadets

Name	Years
Gen. James H. Lane	1872-1880
Cadet Capt. James A. Clarke (acting)	1880-1882
Col. W. Ballard Preston	1882-1884
Lt. J. C. Gresham	1884-1887
Col. W. Ballard Preston	1887
Lt. J. T. Knight	1887-1890
Lt. J. A. Harman	1890-1894
Lt. D. C. Shanks	1894-1898
Col. A. T. Finch	1898-1900
Col. J. S. A. Johnson	1900-1906
Capt. G. H. Jameson	1906-1909
Capt. E. R. Dashiell	1909-1911
Lt. J. F. Ware	1911-1914
Lt. S. W. Anding	1914-1917
Maj. W. P. Stone	1917-1918
Maj. J. C. Skuse	1918-1919
Capt. C. C. Carson	1919-1920
Maj. F. E. Williford	1920-1924
Maj. W. R. Nichols	1924-1929
Lt. Col. J. B. Maynard	1929-1935
Lt. Col. C. H. Tenney	1935-1938
Col. J. H. Cochran	1938-1942
Col. R. W. Wilson	1942-1945
Col. George Henderson	1945-1946
Col. T. W. Munford	1946-1951
Col. W. B. Merritt	1951-1952
Maj. Gen. J. M. Devine	1952-1961
Brig. Gen. M. W. Schewe	1961-1967
Maj. Gen. F. T. Pachler	1967-1972
Brig. Gen. David S. Henderson	1972-1973
Brig. Gen. Earl C. Acuff	1973-1980
Lt. Gen. Howard M. Lane	1980-1989
Maj. Gen. Stanton R. Musser	1989-1999
Maj. Gen. Jerrold P. Allen	1999-

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Blacksburg, VA, 24062-9001

URL: http://spec.lib.vt.edu/archives/125th/cadets/command.htm
Last Modified on: Tuesday, 25-Sep-2001 08:16:01 EDT