Vernon Prichard
Encyclopedia
Vernon Edwin "Prich" Prichard (January 25, 1892 – July 10, 1949) was an American football
quarterback
and military officer. He played college football
with Army
and was selected as a first-team All-American in 1914. He became a career officer in the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of Major General. He was lifelong friends with West Point classmate Dwight Eisenhower and, during World War II
, he commanded the 14th Armored Division from 1942 to 1944 and the 1st Armored Division
from 1944 to 1945 during the Italian Campaign
.
, Prichard was the son of attorney J.A. Prichard. The younger Prichard began his education at Morningside College
in Sioux City, Iowa
, where he also played football and established a reputation as a passer. In November 1910, while he was a student at Morningside, Prichard received word that he had been appointed to the United States Military Academy
at West Point, New York
. He enrolled at West Point on June 11, 1911.
team from 1912 to 1914. Prichard's teammates on the Army football teams included two of the leading generals of World War II
, Omar Bradley
, who played at the end position, and Dwight Eisenhower, who played halfback until a knee injury sidelined him. James Van Fleet
, commander of U.S. forces in the Korean War
, also played on the 1914 West Point football team with Prichard. Although he weighed only 158 pounds, Prichard played every minute of every major game during his three years of varsity football at West Point.
Prichard first gained national attention after an October 1913 game against Colgate University
. Colgate led 6–0 with ten seconds left to play, when Prichard sprinted 70 yards for a touchdown to lead Army to a 7–6 victory.
Throughout his football career at West Point, Prichard's favorite receiver was Louis A. Merrilat
from Chicago. The passing team of "Prichard to Merrilat" was one of the first great passing combinations in college football. The Prichard-Merrilat combination gained national fame after the 1913 Army–Navy Game, played in New York
before a crowd of 40,000 at the Polo Grounds
. Army had not defeated Navy
since 1905, and Navy was undefeated and favored to beat Army by odds of 6–1. Although Navy had allowed only seven points in its other games in 1913, Prichard and Merrilat teamed up to lead Army to a 22–9 win, with Prichard throwing two touchdown passes to Merrilat. The crowd reportedly left the Polo Grounds chanting, "Prichard-to-Merillat, Prichard-to-Merillat ..."
over and over again.
On the train trip back to West Point after the 1913 Navy game, the football team elected Prichard as the captain of the 1914 football team. A newspaper report announcing his election noted:
In 1914, Prichard led Army to an undefeated 9–0 season. In the final game of the season, Army defeated Navy, 20–0, as Prichard finished his college football career by throwing passes to Merrilat and Bob Neyland, who later became the football coach at the University of Tennessee
. At the end of the season, Prichard was selected as a first-team All-American quarterback.
At West Point, Prichard was known to his fellow cadets by the nicknames "Prich" and "Nigger". A profile of Prichard in a West Point yearbook noted:
, from September 1915 to April 1916 and participated in the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico from April to August 1916. While serving in Mexico, Prichard was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. Prichard returned to West Point for temporary duty during the fall of 1916 but returned to Mexico from December through February 1917.
, Prichard was promoted to the rank of captain of the infantry. He sailed for France via England on January 8, 1918. He entered Germany with the Army of Occupation via Belgium and Luxembourg and served in Germany and France through June 1919.
Prichard served as the Commanding Officer of the 27th Field Artillery Regiment from 1940 to 1941. He served as Chief of Staff 4th Armored Division from 1941–1942 and Commanding General 14th Armored Division from November 1942 to July 1944. From July 1944 through September 1945, he was the Commanding General of the 1st Armored Division (nicknamed "Old Ironsides") during the Italian Campaign
, including the Battle of Po Valley
and the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
.
Prichard and Eisenhower exchanged correspondence during the war. Shortly after the United States entered the war, Eisenhower wrote a letter to Prichard in which he confided "this is a long tough road we have to travel." In an oft-quoted passage, Eisenhower continued his comments to Prichard, noting that "men that can do things are going to be sought out just as surely as the sun rises in the morning," and "fake reputations, habits of glib and clever speech, and glittering surface performances are going to be discovered."
During the Battle of the Bulge
, Prichard wrote to Eisenhower, reminding him of what their football coach had taught them: "If things break badly or go against you -- stay with it all the harder." Eisenhower biographer Matthew Holland later wrote that Eisenhower had learned important lessons on the football playing field at West Point, and concluded: "World War II was won on the playing fields of West Point, and Ike would prove to be the quarterback of the winning team."
After World War II, Prichard became the Chief of the Army Public Information Division. In February 1949, President Harry Truman promoted Prichard from the rank of brigadier general to major general.
in Washington, D.C.
The craft was within yards of the dock at the Corinthian Yacht Club when an explosion destroyed the vessel. Prichard was thrown into the Potomac and killed instantly. Navy Commodore Wilfred Painter was also killed in the blast. Philadelphia soldier, diplomat and socialite Col. Anthony J. Drexel Biddle
dove into the Potomac in an effort to save Prichard and recovered his body.
Prichard's funeral was held at the chapel of Fort Myer
, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery
. The Army's chief of chaplains officiated at the funeral, and the honorary pallbearers included Secretary of the Army, Gordon Gray, and classmates from the West Point Class of 1915, including Dwight Eisenhower.
American football
American football is a sport played between two teams of eleven with the objective of scoring points by advancing the ball into the opposing team's end zone. Known in the United States simply as football, it may also be referred to informally as gridiron football. The ball can be advanced by...
quarterback
Quarterback
Quarterback is a position in American and Canadian football. Quarterbacks are members of the offensive team and line up directly behind the offensive line...
and military officer. He played college football
College football
College football refers to American football played by teams of student athletes fielded by American universities, colleges, and military academies, or Canadian football played by teams of student athletes fielded by Canadian universities...
with Army
Army Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
and was selected as a first-team All-American in 1914. He became a career officer in the U.S. Army and rose to the rank of Major General. He was lifelong friends with West Point classmate Dwight Eisenhower and, during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, he commanded the 14th Armored Division from 1942 to 1944 and the 1st Armored Division
1st Armored Division (United States)
The 1st Armored Division—nicknamed "Old Ironsides"—is a standing armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Bliss, Texas. It was the first armored division of the U.S...
from 1944 to 1945 during the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
.
Early years
A native of Onawa, IowaOnawa, Iowa
Onawa is a city in Monona County, Iowa, United States. The population was 3,091 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Monona County. It is the largest town on the Iowa side of the Missouri River between Council Bluffs and Sioux City....
, Prichard was the son of attorney J.A. Prichard. The younger Prichard began his education at Morningside College
Morningside College
Morningside College is a private, liberal arts college affiliated with the United Methodist Church located in Sioux City, Iowa. Founded in 1894 by the Methodist Episcopal Church, Morningside College is a private, four-year, co-educational liberal arts institution. Morningside has 21 buildings on a ...
in Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City, Iowa
Sioux City is a city in Plymouth and Woodbury counties in the western part of the U.S. state of Iowa. The population was 82,684 in the 2010 census, a decline from 85,013 in the 2000 census, which makes it currently the fourth largest city in the state....
, where he also played football and established a reputation as a passer. In November 1910, while he was a student at Morningside, Prichard received word that he had been appointed to the United States Military Academy
United States Military Academy
The United States Military Academy at West Point is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located at West Point, New York. The academy sits on scenic high ground overlooking the Hudson River, north of New York City...
at West Point, New York
West Point, New York
West Point is a federal military reservation established by President of the United States Thomas Jefferson in 1802. It is a census-designated place located in Town of Highlands in Orange County, New York, United States. The population was 7,138 at the 2000 census...
. He enrolled at West Point on June 11, 1911.
U.S. Military Academy
While serving as a cadet at West Point, Prichard played for the Academy's football and baseball teams. He gained his greatest fame in football as the quarterback for the Army Black Knights footballArmy Black Knights football
The Army Black Knights football program represents the United States Military Academy. Army was recognized as the national champions in 1944, 1945 and 1946....
team from 1912 to 1914. Prichard's teammates on the Army football teams included two of the leading generals of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
, Omar Bradley
Omar Bradley
Omar Nelson Bradley was a senior U.S. Army field commander in North Africa and Europe during World War II, and a General of the Army in the United States Army...
, who played at the end position, and Dwight Eisenhower, who played halfback until a knee injury sidelined him. James Van Fleet
James Van Fleet
James Alward Van Fleet was a U.S. Army officer during World War I, World War II and the Korean War. Van Fleet was a native of New Jersey, who was raised in Florida and graduated from the U.S. Military Academy. He served as a regimental, divisional and corps commander during World War II and as...
, commander of U.S. forces in the Korean War
Korean War
The Korean War was a conventional war between South Korea, supported by the United Nations, and North Korea, supported by the People's Republic of China , with military material aid from the Soviet Union...
, also played on the 1914 West Point football team with Prichard. Although he weighed only 158 pounds, Prichard played every minute of every major game during his three years of varsity football at West Point.
Prichard first gained national attention after an October 1913 game against Colgate University
Colgate University
Colgate University is a private liberal arts college in Hamilton, New York, USA. The school was founded in 1819 as a Baptist seminary and later became non-denominational. It is named for the Colgate family who greatly contributed to the university's endowment in the 19th century.Colgate has 52...
. Colgate led 6–0 with ten seconds left to play, when Prichard sprinted 70 yards for a touchdown to lead Army to a 7–6 victory.
Throughout his football career at West Point, Prichard's favorite receiver was Louis A. Merrilat
Louis A. Merrilat
Louis Alfred "Merry" Merrilat, Jr. was an American football end and military officer. He played college football with Army and was selected as a first-team All-American in both 1913 and 1914. He was wounded in battle while serving in France during World War I and later played in the National...
from Chicago. The passing team of "Prichard to Merrilat" was one of the first great passing combinations in college football. The Prichard-Merrilat combination gained national fame after the 1913 Army–Navy Game, played in New York
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
before a crowd of 40,000 at the Polo Grounds
Polo Grounds
The Polo Grounds was the name given to four different stadiums in Upper Manhattan, New York City, used by many professional teams in both baseball and American football from 1880 until 1963...
. Army had not defeated Navy
Navy Midshipmen football
The Navy Midshipmen football team represents the United States Naval Academy in NCAA Division I-A college football. They are a Division I Football Bowl Subdivision independent school and coached by Ken Niumatalolo since December 2007...
since 1905, and Navy was undefeated and favored to beat Army by odds of 6–1. Although Navy had allowed only seven points in its other games in 1913, Prichard and Merrilat teamed up to lead Army to a 22–9 win, with Prichard throwing two touchdown passes to Merrilat. The crowd reportedly left the Polo Grounds chanting, "Prichard-to-Merillat, Prichard-to-Merillat ..."
over and over again.
On the train trip back to West Point after the 1913 Navy game, the football team elected Prichard as the captain of the 1914 football team. A newspaper report announcing his election noted:
"The football squad elected its next year's captain on the train trip home. They chose Cadet Vernon E. Prichard of the second class as their leader. Cadet Prichard has played quarterback on the team for two seasons and got in every game except one on the army's schedule this season. His brilliant forward passing, spectacular open field running and excellent generalship have made him one of the season's leading quarterbacks. ... His election was unanimous. He is a color sergeant in the cadet battalion and popular with his teammates and fellow cadets."
In 1914, Prichard led Army to an undefeated 9–0 season. In the final game of the season, Army defeated Navy, 20–0, as Prichard finished his college football career by throwing passes to Merrilat and Bob Neyland, who later became the football coach at the University of Tennessee
University of Tennessee
The University of Tennessee is a public land-grant university headquartered at Knoxville, Tennessee, United States...
. At the end of the season, Prichard was selected as a first-team All-American quarterback.
At West Point, Prichard was known to his fellow cadets by the nicknames "Prich" and "Nigger". A profile of Prichard in a West Point yearbook noted:
"It's hard to tell the truth about Prich for no one knows just what it is. Some move him right up beside St. Peter and hand him a 'New Model Harp' with printed directions for playing, while others give him a dog's name and call him Nigger. But wherever you rank him, it's a safe bet that he'll feel right at home. He'll borrow his Satanic Majesty's opera cloak for the first night or slap the old Saint on the back and ask him for Bull and papers."
Early years
Upon graduating from the Academy in June 1915, Prichard received the rank of second lieutenant and was assigned to the 1st Infantry. He served at Eagle Pass, TexasEagle Pass, Texas
Eagle Pass is a city in and the county seat of Maverick County The population was 27,183 as of the 2010 census.Eagle Pass borders the city of Piedras Negras, Coahuila, Mexico, which is to the southwest and across the Rio Grande. The Eagle Pass-Piedras Negras Metropolitan Area is one of six...
, from September 1915 to April 1916 and participated in the Pancho Villa Expedition into Mexico from April to August 1916. While serving in Mexico, Prichard was promoted to the rank of first lieutenant. Prichard returned to West Point for temporary duty during the fall of 1916 but returned to Mexico from December through February 1917.
World War I
In May 1917, following the United States entry into World War IWorld War I
World War I , which was predominantly called the World War or the Great War from its occurrence until 1939, and the First World War or World War I thereafter, was a major war centred in Europe that began on 28 July 1914 and lasted until 11 November 1918...
, Prichard was promoted to the rank of captain of the infantry. He sailed for France via England on January 8, 1918. He entered Germany with the Army of Occupation via Belgium and Luxembourg and served in Germany and France through June 1919.
World War II
Prichard remained lifelong friends with his backfield partner, Dwight Eisenhower. Eisenhower later recalled that he looked for "natural leaders" from the ranks of football. Eisenhower believed that football, more than any other sport, instilled the belief that victory comes from teamwork and dedication. He identified Prichard as one of the officers with football background who had "measured up" during the war.Prichard served as the Commanding Officer of the 27th Field Artillery Regiment from 1940 to 1941. He served as Chief of Staff 4th Armored Division from 1941–1942 and Commanding General 14th Armored Division from November 1942 to July 1944. From July 1944 through September 1945, he was the Commanding General of the 1st Armored Division (nicknamed "Old Ironsides") during the Italian Campaign
Italian Campaign (World War II)
The Italian Campaign of World War II was the name of Allied operations in and around Italy, from 1943 to the end of the war in Europe. Joint Allied Forces Headquarters AFHQ was operationally responsible for all Allied land forces in the Mediterranean theatre, and it planned and commanded the...
, including the Battle of Po Valley
Po Valley
The Po Valley, Po Plain, Plain of the Po, or Padan Plain is a major geographical feature of Italy. It extends approximately in an east-west direction, with an area of 46,000 km² including its Venetic extension not actually related to the Po River basin; it runs from the Western Alps to the...
and the Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
Spring 1945 offensive in Italy
The Spring 1945 offensive in Italy, codenamed Operation Grapeshot, was the Allied attack by Fifth United States Army and British 8th Army into the Lombardy Plain which started on 6 April 1945 and ended on 2 May with the surrender of German forces in Italy....
.
Prichard and Eisenhower exchanged correspondence during the war. Shortly after the United States entered the war, Eisenhower wrote a letter to Prichard in which he confided "this is a long tough road we have to travel." In an oft-quoted passage, Eisenhower continued his comments to Prichard, noting that "men that can do things are going to be sought out just as surely as the sun rises in the morning," and "fake reputations, habits of glib and clever speech, and glittering surface performances are going to be discovered."
During the Battle of the Bulge
Battle of the Bulge
The Battle of the Bulge was a major German offensive , launched toward the end of World War II through the densely forested Ardennes mountain region of Wallonia in Belgium, hence its French name , and France and...
, Prichard wrote to Eisenhower, reminding him of what their football coach had taught them: "If things break badly or go against you -- stay with it all the harder." Eisenhower biographer Matthew Holland later wrote that Eisenhower had learned important lessons on the football playing field at West Point, and concluded: "World War II was won on the playing fields of West Point, and Ike would prove to be the quarterback of the winning team."
After World War II, Prichard became the Chief of the Army Public Information Division. In February 1949, President Harry Truman promoted Prichard from the rank of brigadier general to major general.
Death and funeral
Prichard was killed in a yacht explosion in July 1949. He was part of a group that had boarded the yacht Halcyon for a picnic cruise on the Potomac RiverPotomac River
The Potomac River flows into the Chesapeake Bay, located along the mid-Atlantic coast of the United States. The river is approximately long, with a drainage area of about 14,700 square miles...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
The craft was within yards of the dock at the Corinthian Yacht Club when an explosion destroyed the vessel. Prichard was thrown into the Potomac and killed instantly. Navy Commodore Wilfred Painter was also killed in the blast. Philadelphia soldier, diplomat and socialite Col. Anthony J. Drexel Biddle
Anthony J. Drexel Biddle
Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle I , also known as Anthony Joseph Drexel Biddle, Sr., was the man upon whom the book My Philadelphia Father and the play and film The Happiest Millionaire were based...
dove into the Potomac in an effort to save Prichard and recovered his body.
Prichard's funeral was held at the chapel of Fort Myer
Fort Myer
Fort Myer is a U.S. Army post adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C. It is a small post by U.S...
, adjacent to Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. The Army's chief of chaplains officiated at the funeral, and the honorary pallbearers included Secretary of the Army, Gordon Gray, and classmates from the West Point Class of 1915, including Dwight Eisenhower.