“West Point Means Home”: Service In The Army And In Telecommunications

Mick Maus entered West Point after excelling in “all three sports” (football, basketball, and baseball were the only sports offered) at an all-boys Benedictine school in Arkansas, where his dad was also a coach. He knew about the Academy from the “West Point Story” TV show and became interested in applying after an officer visited his school recruiting for football. While he played football on the B squad during Cow year, he found his niche on the pistol team, whose coach was also from Arkansas. Meeting Coralinn, his future-wife, whose father was stationed at West Point, and marching in President Kennedy’s inaugural parade in January 1961 were his most memorable experiences at the Academy. He commissioned as an Artillery Officer and reported to his first unit in Germany. He soon learned that his future-wife’s family was stationed nearby. In 1965, Mick left active duty and entered the telecommunications field, working first for Southwestern Bell and later for AT&T in different locations in the US and in London, eventually settling in Dallas. One of Mick and Coralinn’s sons graduated from WP in 1987 and their daughter’s son graduated in 2019. The family also boasts three other West Point graduates in the classes of 1987, 1991, and 2020. In this interview Mick talks about his childhood, the cadet experience, and his time in Germany as an officer. He also explains how his West Point education helped him in the civilian business world. He concludes with some thoughts about what West Point means to him.