Presentation of the Lieutenant Kent Withers Slaughter Medal for Leadership and Academic Achievement
PS 143, Corona, Queens, New York

Kent started on the road to Annapolis in 1941 graduating at the top of his Sixth Grade Class at PS 143Q in Corona, Queens, New York. He went on to the Seventh and Eight Grades at Our Lady of Sorrows, a Catholic Junior High School, before taking and passing the exam for entry into the prestigious Brooklyn Technical High School. He succeeded there in establishing an enviable record in engineering, mathematics, and the sciences. He attended Summer School at City College in Manhattan, again receiving honors.

In 1953 the Honorable Robert Tripp Ross awarded Kent a Congressional appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. Kent became the first African American so honored from Queens, New York. He entered the Class of 1957 and joined the Brigade’s Fourth Company. He was one of only two African-American Midshipman in the Class of 1957. How different from today when we have 120 in the Class of 2016.

The writer can attest to the fact that Kent was treated as a complete equal by all of his classmates, his Fourth Company mates, as well as the upper classes in the Fourth Company. In fact, the Fourth Company had another very popular African American Midshipman, Edward Sechrest, in the year ahead of Kent, Class of 1956.

Regrettably, the nation was still in the throes of segregation in the mid-fifties. While on Liberty with his roommate, a white fellow New Yorker, he was refused entry to a theater. During one visit to Annapolis his father and brother were refused service at a convenience store yet the store served Kent because of his Midshipman uniform. At the 1957 June Week graduation services there was no room for his family at local Annapolis Hotels. Fortunately, Highland Beach had accommodations that were made available. It took time, but good men stood together to right that shameful wrong.

Upon graduation, Kent joined the U.S. Air Force, and after training assumed duties as a Navigator in the Strategic Air Command.

On 10 February 1960, while conducting training at Ramey Air Force Base in Puerto Rico, the B-52 with Kent on board crashed and all the crew were killed.

The tragedy resonated across all New York media, far beyond what would be expected for a junior officer. Residents of Corona and Elmhurst, Queens gathered to express their grief. The New York Times as well as local and national television covered the event.

Kent was Corona’s own, real, hometown hero. He broke the racial barrier on his own to get into the Naval Academy and to graduate!

In recognition of his legacy and positive impact on the community, PS143 instituted the Slaughter Medal for Leadership and Academic Achievement. For unknown reasons, the award was allowed to lapse. On 21 June 2013, it was reinstituted with plans to create a Plaque to record all future recipients. The Slaughter Family is contemplating a foundation to support PS143 efforts.

A few general comments regarding this 21 June 2013 graduation ceremony:

The Slaughter Family and the PS143 Principal invited the Class of 1957 to provide a representative to make a few comments about Kent and present a snapshot of the US Naval Academy.

Captain Walter T. Meukow, USN (RET) Kent’s Classmate and Fourth Company Mate was the designated representative.

The ceremony started with a march-on by a very disciplined, uniformed, group of bright faces enjoying the show.

The first order of business was a display of the Flag and the Pledge of Allegiance.

Then there was a rendition of the Star Spangled Banner that would put all our Super Stars at the Super Bowl to shame.
There were readings, and a very nice choral arrangement by all the graduates. Then Captain Meukow gave his presentation followed by the introduction of this year’s Medal recipient: Geraldine Valencia.

It was a heart warming affair, not only for the opportunity to honor the legacy of a classmate/company mate but also to see the future in the hands of such bright young people.

As a matter of interest, for the record, PS143 is over 91% Hispanic.

W.T. Meukow

Remarks to Accompany

The Lt Kent Withers Slaughter Medal
For
Leadership and Academic Achievement

Good Morning Principal Brito; Teachers, and I would like to interject that you folks are doing a great job as evidence how your students performed; Community Members; 2013 Graduates and parents and family, and the distinguished members of the Slaughter Family.

Thank You for having me.

I am honored to represent the Class of 1957 on behalf of our Class president, Capt Bill Peerenboom, in honoring Kent’s great legacy. I am even more pleased to represent the Fourth Company, Kent’s USNA Unit, of which I am the Company Coordinator.

When I was asked to speak I was so excited that I went looking for my uniform. I was hoping to dazzle you with my gold stripes and medals, and my honorary knighthood, but the darn thing shrank after hanging in the closet for 28 years!

Kent Slaughter, My Company Mate, was one of only a handful of Black American graduates in the history of the USNA in his time. He was one of only three in our Class. He was a role model, and his legacy is that of a man who greatly valued his education, starting at PS143, then to Our Lady of Sorrows, and on to Brooklyn Tech HS and to finally being appointed to the USNA.

It was easy for his company mates to see his confidence and to quickly bond with him. He was an exceptional student, a loyal and good friend who enjoyed the respect of his Company Mates.

The Company that I mentioned earlier is the way in which our USNA entering class of about 1100 was split up into smaller groups of 45. It’s somewhat like your “home room”, except it has four different Classes in a Company. The lowly Plebes (freshmen) trying to survive; The Youngsters (sophomores) happy to have survived; The Second Class (juniors) getting ready to take over; and the First Class (seniors) leading the Brigade at all levels.

We spent all four years together. Even now56 years later, we gather frequently to recall good times, and bad times.

In our time we all took the same classes, used the same dining facilities, had the same summer training on swift Destroyers, powerful Cruisers and Battleships. We went a sailing in large Task Forces, those days are gone.

On Summer Cruises we travelled the world visiting ports in the Mediterranean, England, Scandinavia and Canada. We laughed a lot and learned a lot exploring beautiful cities like Paris, London and Copenhagen to name a few. Copenhagen was my personal downfall. That was where I met my bride of 55 years!

Our Fourth Company started out with 44 Plebes. It was tough, it was challenging, but it was also great fun! 34 graduated. The attrition rate at that time was much higher than now. Kent and the rest of our company depended on each other. This was where life-long friends were made. Kent was as good as they come.

Right from here - Corona and PS 143 an Air Force Officer and recognized potential senior leader was educated.

Back then the only options after graduation were Naval Service (USN/USMC) or USAF – sea or air. I went for Navy Blue, Kent went on to fly in the Light Blue of the Air Force. He was a navigator who charted the course for the pilot and crew. In those days navigation was not so automatic, you had to be good.

Today, the USNA Class of 2016 has 120 African American (10%) and 142 Hispanic Midshipmen and 294 Women--

In our Class we had no women.

While, the mission remains the same – “to turn out Leaders who command the respect of their subordinates, as well as their fellow officers”.

Today, each and every Midshipman can major in any field they wish to (engineering, Pre-Med, History, English, etc…..) while of course having to complete the basic Technical Core of Requirements for a Naval Service.

The Air Force now has its own Academy in Colorado.

Four years of extraordinary education and hands on experience in a real world environment is valued at over $250,000 and it is free to all those who enter.

Liz Slaughter suggested this would be Time for a commercial:

“Hello Parents!!! No Loans. No Cost. Free. “

Not only that, but upon entering the USNA you are immediately in the Navy with the rank of Midshipman.

As a Midshipman working towards your diploma, you are paid about $1500 per month, with free room and board.

When you graduate, you WILL have a job!

Can any college match that?

But, there is a payment that you should consider before grabbing the brilliant Brass Ring. You will have to accept that or you are wasting your time.

Payment is in the form of putting in many more academic hours than your contemporaries at civilian colleges. You will work and live in a more structured and regimented environment than your friends at colleges; and you will be committed to serve 4-5 years as commissioned officers In the Navy or Marine Corp.

Many have graduated from the Naval Academy and become leaders in business, government, and even as President of the USA.

All who reach that point, whether staying in the service as a career or stepping out into the civilian world after completion of your obligation, will recognize that you have been armed with technical and leadership qualities that assure success in whatever course you choose. These rewards cannot be measured in dollars.

The USNA had 20,601 applications for the Class of 2016. Only 1,394 offers of acceptance were made. That translates to an offer rate of only about 6.7%.

So, this is what you have to do to if you are thinking about the US Naval Academy:

1. Start by working your tails off right here. In Queens... Listen to your parents, teachers and your principal.
2. Learn to discipline yourselves, and avoid doing silly things for fun that get you in trouble.
3. Study well. Learn the basics of math and science well.
4. Make your goal to be the best, not just to get by.

This school was an extended family to Kent and together with his family and the community it gave Kent the confidence and academic tools with which to get to the Academy, and to graduate.

You must appreciate all the sacrifices that your parents have made and the hard work that your teachers have done to give you the same tools that Lt. Kent Slaughter was given. These are the tools you will NEED to succeed. USE THEM!

My generation did not have all the distractions that you folks have. You can whip through games, text smart phones, and master computers, whatever, and make us old fogeys look inept. But think for a moment, who gave those toys to you?

A Naval Academy classmate of mine created the GPS Navigation System!!

I make this long winded introduction to bring a key point to you. I know this advice works; I hope you will listen, because I experienced it. How many of you know of WWII? . It was a pretty bad time and lasted from 1939 to 1945.

When I was your age my family spent 3.5 years in a Civilian POW Camp in the Philippines in WWII. School was only 3 hours a day.

We did Math, Geography, History, and English.

We had no entertainment. Not even radios! As food got scarcer, and scarcer, we did not have enough energy to do much playing around.

What we did do is read. We had a pretty good library. By the 7th Grade I was reading heavy adult books.

When we got to the States in 1945 much to my surprise I was ahead of my classmates in English, History, and Math because I could read and write pretty well.

I know you can text, but can you read and write good English? That is one of the key elements that give you entrance to the Academy and advancement thereafter.

The World is ahead of you. You will have good bounces and sometimes bad bounces. Take it for a ride, but always strive to be the” Best You Can Be” and Kent would be proud of you!

Finally, do any of you watch college football? The Army/Navy Game?

Well, at the Army/Navy game, which is televised worldwide, Cadets from West Point and Midshipmen from Annapolis march onto the field. Each unit and its leader are named, and his/her home town is announced.

I can just see it and for the world to hear as the Class of 2023 marches onto the field for their last Army Navy game as Mids:

“22nd Company led by Midshipman Commander Geraldine Valencia, from Corona, Queens, New York!

This Year’s recipient of the Lt Kent Withers Slaughter Medal for Leadership and Academic Achievement.

……………………………………
God Bless and Vaya con Dios –

➢ You can learn more about USNA by watching the DVD about the Academy that I gave to Principal Brito.