
My father took me to see “Patton,” the Academy Award winning film for Best Picture. I’ve been a fan since. The famous bombastic general stands guard outside West Point’s library. He was a 4 star general but a 5 year student – rare at West Point. He’s looking down the Hudson River over a statue’s shoulder of his boss, Supreme Allied Commander Dwight D. Eisenhower. Ike was not a great student either, getting demerits for smoking and gambling. That’s why I like Ike.

We were on a need to know basis. I’ll never know who this military man was, but he loved the Hudson. He jumped out of a Cadillac SUV looking upper brass. I thought someone called him Colonel – Ike’s rank as the Big Duce was breaking out. He said in a veteran officer’s way, “My grandfather had a 49′ Hudson too.” He snapped a photo and was driven off.