Military Timeline

1888: Thomas Clemson dies, leaves Fort Hill Plantation to the state to establish a college of scientific agriculture and mechanical arts

1893: Clemson Agricultural College established as a land grant college (Military College)

1917 WWI:

• Senior class volunteered en masse
• Total of 1,549 saw service
• 25 killed
• Medal of Honor: Ensign Daniel Sullivan
• Medal of Honor: Sergeant Evans Foster

1929: The Senior Platoon formed

1933: K-7 Scabbard and Blade formed

1936: Clemson first to have ROTC Infantry Brigade

1940: Clemson has 2000 cadets

1941-1945 WWII:

• Clemson provided more Army officers for the war than any other university except West Point and Texas A&M
• Total of 6,475 saw service
• 370 killed
• Medal of Honor: LTC Jimmy Dyess (Class of '31)

1942: Tiger football team begins running down the hill

1946: C-4, Pershing Rifles formed

1948: 4th Regimental Headquarters formed

1950-1953 Korea:

• Total of 1,500 saw service
• 20 killed
• 180 veterans enrolled at Clemson in fall of 1953

1955: Clemson becomes a civilian institution, ROTC mandatory for all male freshmen and sophomores

1955: Renamed "Clemson College"

1950-1972 Vietnam:

• 1960: Senior Platoon retired
• 1962: Counter Guerrillas formed
• 1964: Renamed "Clemson University"
• 1969: ROTC no longer mandatory
• 1971: ROTC becomes elective
• 1971: Clemson ROTC opened to women

1974-Present:

• 1974: First female commissioned at Clemson
• 1996: Military Heritage Plaza established
• 1998: Clemson Corps of Cadets Alumni formed
• 1999: ROTC recognized as an academic minor
• 1999: Cadet Life Gardens established
• 2000: Regimental room dedicated
• 2000: Pass-In-Review for president's inauguration