“A West Pointer Can Do Anything”: An Olympic Pentathlete And Army Officer Serving The Nation

Guy Kent Troy was born on March 15, 1923, at Walter Reed Army Hospital, where his father, an Army doctor who had served in WWI, was stationed. His father then became a Veterans Administration doctor, and the family moved to various assignments. Guy and his older sister Harriet enjoyed a very active childhood, spending much of their time outdoors swimming, boating, and exploring. He attended Missouri Military Academy for his senior year of high school and lettered in wrestling. He then returned home to St. Petersburg, Florida, and attended junior college. When the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, the “war mood” took over the country and two companies of cadets were formed at the junior college. While in school, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps and trained as a pilot, eventually soloing and logging 20 hours before his appointment to West Point came in. In the summer of 1943, his father died and Guy attended the funeral at Arlington Cemetery before reporting for R-Day. Plebe year was challenging for Guy, and he tried out for a variety of sports (football, fencing, and track) to earn a spot on training tables in the mess hall. He enjoyed summer training, performed very well with the rifle, and appreciated instruction from the WWII veterans who were beginning to return to the Academy from the front lines. He played lacrosse for two years, earning a letter for the game against Navy. During his senior year, he commanded B-2. Based on wartime needs, the Class of 1946 was programmed as a 3-year class, and upon graduation, he commissioned as an Armor Officer. At the basic course, one of his instructors was Creighton Abrams, and his class trained on the M4 Sherman tank. His first assignment was with the Constabulary Force, maintaining law and order in Germany as part of the occupation. As Cold War tensions increased, his unit’s focus changed from a police mission to more of a tactical mission. When Guy became the Executive Officer of HHT, his Troop Commander was John Russell, a rider on the 1948 Olympic Equestrian Team, and he taught Guy to ride and jump. In 1950, Guy returned from Europe and was assigned to the 3rd Armored Cavalry Regiment, but was stationed for duty at West Point, training for the 1952 Modern Pentathlon Team. The team was essentially built from scratch, with Fred Denman USMA ‘51, PFC Thad McArthur, and Guy Troy USMA ’46 comprising the team. The team largely trained itself primarily on the grounds of West Point, practicing each event daily (horse riding and jumping, fencing, swimming, running, and pistol shooting), although other officers (COL Hull, LTC Leonard, etc.) added their expertise where needed. While training at West Point, Guy met his future wife Wynne and her daughter Pam. In early 1951, the team traveled to Buenos Aires to compete in the first Pan American Games, winning gold. The next year, the team traveled to Finland for the 1952 Olympics, finishing in 4th place. After the Olympics, Guy married Wynne and returned to Germany, serving with the 2nd Armored Division. In 1956, he returned to the States and was assigned as an ROTC instructor at the New Mexico Military Institute, where his two sons (Kent USMA ‘81, and Thad) were born. An unaccompanied assignment to Iran (MAAG Iran) followed from 1959 to 1960, where he served as an advisor for Iranian Armored and Cavalry units. After a stint at Ft. Leavenworth as a student and instructor, he joined the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii and took command of 3/4 Cavalry. For the next 23 months, he trained his Cavalry Squadron for Vietnam, but unfortunately left command before they deployed. After a year on staff with CINCPAC, he rejoined the 25th in Vietnam as the G2, Intelligence Officer, serving there during the Tet Offensive. Returning from Vietnam, he was assigned to Ft. Ritchie, Maryland, at the Alternate National Military Command Center, where he was in charge of the Defense Intelligence Agency section. His last major assignment in the Army was as the Defense Attaché in Austria from 1972 to 1975. He retired from the Army in 1976 and returned to his family farm in Liberty, North Carolina (historically Troy’s Store, NC), where he became a farmer and remained active in local issues. In this interview, he begins by talking about his experiences training for and competing in the 1952 Olympics. He then describes his life after retiring from the military in 1976. The interview then shifts to cover his family history dating back to the American Revolution, and his father’s service during World War I. Guy discusses his childhood and his West Point experiences. He then recounts stories from his career in the Army. At the end of the interview, he reflects on what his service and West Point mean to him.