Photo: (left to right) The Citadel Commandant of Cadets Col. Tom Gordon, USMC (Ret.), ’91, and Cadet Sam Wilson after the Star of the West competition.
Freshman cadet wins 2022 Star of the West competition
Sam Wilson is currently the South Carolina Corps of Cadet’s best-drilled cadet. Wilson, a History major from Carlisle, Iowa, went up against dozens of other cadets for the title during The Citadel’s Star of the West competition Wednesday, May 4.
The competition, which began at The Citadel in 1886, is an annual event that recognizes and celebrates the precision required in military maneuvers and leadership positions in general.
As best-drilled cadet, Wilson will have his name engraved on the Star of the West monument on Summerall Field. The monument was raised in 1961, 100 years after Citadel cadets fired upon the Star of the West ship in the Civil War. The names of all Star of the West competition winners are inscribed on the monument.
Wilson will also be awarded the Star of the West medal, which contains wood from the old ship, during the South Carolina Corps of Cadets awards convocation in May.
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