The Knox Trophy is an award that was established on October 8, 1910 and given annually by the Sons of the Revolution in the State of New York to the United States Military Academy cadet with the highest rating for military efficiency. Named in honor of Henry Knox, the first US Secretary of War, the original trophy, made by Tiffany & Company was originally kept on display in the office of the West Point Commandant.

According to the Sons of the Revolution in New York (SRNY), the trophy was designed by Tiffany & Company and is still presented annually to the Corp of Cadets of the United States Military Academy by the Sons of the Revolution (NY). The tradition started back on October 8, 1910 and continues today as the Academy’s oldest military award.

The Knox Trophy exhibit at Fraunces Tavern museum (photo:left)  was designed and created by past SRNY President, Dr. Laurence Simpson. Since the early 1960s, each winner has received a similar keepsake Tiffany silver Revere Bowl.  A keepsake replica, alongside a print of General Henry Knox is on display at Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan. The Sons of the Revolution of New York owns and operates Fraunces Tavern in lower Manhattan near Wall Street and the New York Stock Exchange. It’s one of the most prestigious and famous historic landmarks in the United States. Part museum and part live tavern/restaurant, if you haven’t been, you need to put it on your bucket list.

Knox Trophy Recipients

What type of Cadets have won the Knox Trophy? You will see some the top Army officers on that list; William Westmoreland, Pete Dawkins (1959 Heisman Trophy winner/halfback), and several others, including John P. McConnell who was later the US Air Force Chief of Staff. Four of the Knox trophy winners became four star generals. Three winners are currently stationed at West Point.

” West Point chooses the recipient each year,” noted Dr. Simpson. “Currently the award is presented to the graduating senior cadet with the highest score in military science. The award is given annually at a special ceremony prior to graduation.” Each winner’s name and the year they receive the award are inscribed on the keepsake trophy.

Photo Above: Awards convocation May 31, 2002 - The Knox Trophy presented to Cadet Andrew T. Blickhahn by Dr. Laurence S. Simpson, president - Sons of the Revolution in the State of NY -------------------------------------------

According to Dan Coleman, a Sons of the Revolution in NY president in the late 70’s early 80’s, “the trophy was prominently displayed in the foyer of the hall where the ceremony was held.”  The photo at the right was held in Eisenhower Hall, a later building used for the ceremony.

Sherman L. Fleek, Lt. Col. US Army (Ret) United States Military Academy Command Historian noted, “The cadets undergo months and months, years actually of leadership evaluations, testing, training, and so on, since the trophy winners seemed to be First Captains because the First Captain excelled in leadership.”

Lt. Col. Fleek has promised that he’ll let us know when he locates the actual trophy. The Sons of the Revolution in New York is also looking into where the original trophy is being kept and displayed.

No one seems to know exactly where the original trophy resides today, but it is suspected to be in the USMA West Point Museum somewhere, according to military officials.

Sounds like another trip to the USMA in West Point is in order.

More Knox Awards

Researching further, there was also another Knox Trophy and Knox Metal that was presented by the Sons of the Revolution in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts from 1922-1940. Why a state level organization presented the award is unclear, but nonetheless the name was clearly to mark artillery excellence in the name of Major General Henry Knox.

On another note, interestingly, 1924 also is the year an annual competition to determine the best small cavalry unit in the Army was established. Named the Draper Combat Leadership Award, this cavalry competition was first held at Fort Riley, Kansas– then the home of the Cavalry School. Click Here to read more.

Additional Information:

• In case you’re wondering – the wikipedia post about the Knox Trophy originated here, not the other way around.
• Download pages from the Flintlock & Powderhorn Vol. 5 Winter 1987 including ALL the winners of the Knox Trophy from 1910 -1987 – Click Here
• To learn more about the Sons of the Revolution and Fraunces Tavern – Click Here
• To learn more about the history of West Point – Click Here
• To learn more about where General Knox created his first military training academy before West Point – Click Here.
• If you’re looking for a fun day out, go visit the West Point region. Here’s a great website. Click Here

List of Knox Trophy Recipients

2009 – Justin Wei Sen Lee
2008 – Jason Crabtree
2007 – Jonathan C. Nielsen
2006 – Peter J. Cacossa
2005 – James M. Edelen
2004 – Joseph Z. Wells
2003 – John R. Rhodes, Jr.
2002 – Andrew T. Blickhahn
2001 – Jonathan J. Hopkins
2000 – Scott Handler
1999 – Robert M. Shaw
1998 – Robert K. Bryant
1997 – Joseph M. Ewers
1996 – Scott M. Naumann
1995 – Hans J. Pung
1994 – Howard H. Hoege
1993 – Shawn Lance Daniel
1992 – Omar J. Jones IV
1991 – Douglas P. McCormick
1990 -
1989 – Mark M. Jennings
1988 – Gregory H. Louks
1987 – John Kai Tien, Jr.
1986 – Timothy Alan Knight
1985 – Brian Lawrence Dosa
1984 – William Edward Rapp
1983 – Lawrence John Kinde
1982 – John William Nicholson, Jr.
1981 – Stanley Raymon March
1980 – Vincent Keith Brooks
1979 – John Joseph Cook III
1978 – James Allen Hoffman II
1977 – Kenneth Franklin Miller
1976 – Richad Morales, Jr.
1975 – James Kevin Abcouwer
1974 – Jack Edward Pattison
1973 – Joseph Phillips Tallman
1972 – Robert Lewis Van Antwerp, Jr.
1971 – Thomas Alan Pyrz
1970 – John Thomas Connors
1969 – Robert Henry Baldwin,Jr.
1968 – John Lathrop Throckmorton, Jr.
1967 – Jack Bruce Wood
1966 – Norman Elliott Fretwell
1965 – Carl Robert Arvin
1964 – Richard Allen Chilcoat
1963 – Richard Everett Eckert
1962 – James Raiford Ellis
1961 – Harold Michael Hannon
1960 – Charles Paddoc Otstott
1959 – Peter Miller Dawkins
1958 – Robert Francis Durkin
1957 – William Thomas Huckabee III
1956 – Robert Gordon Farris
1955 – Lee Donne Olvey
1954 – John Chapman Bard
1953 – Robert Erwin Barton
1952 – Gordon David Carpenter
1951 – William Joseph Ryan
1950 – John Michael Murphy
1949 – Harry Agustus Griffith
1948 – Arnold Web Braswell
1947 – William Jackson Schuder
1946 – Amos Azariah Jordan, Jr.
1945 – Robert Evans Woods
1944 – John Holloway Cushman
1943 – Jun – Bernard William Rogers
1943 – Jan – James Edward Kelleher
1942 – Carl Columbus Hinkle, Jr.
1941 – John Norton
1940 – John Finzer Presnell, Jr.
1939 – James Lewis Cantrell
1938 – Harold Killian Kelley
1937 – Stanley Lowell Smith
1936 – William Childs Westmoreland
1935 – Herbert Caran Gee
1934 – John De P. Townsend Hills
1933 – Kenneth E. Fields
1932 – John Paul McConnell
1931 – John Knight Waters
1930 – Ralph Powell Swofford Jr.
1929 – Bruce Douglas Rindlaub
1928 – James Elbert Briggs
1927 – Charles Edward Martin
1926 – Raymond Coleman Maude
1925 – Charles Eskridge Saltzman
1924 – Robert Vernon Lee
1923 – Hugh Wagner Downing
1922 – Charles Josheph Barrett
1921 – G. (George) H.(Hamden) Olmsted
1920 – Howard Louis Peckham
1919 – Hugh Ambrose Murrill
1918 – John Thornton Knight, Jr.
1917 – Robert Marks Bathurst
1916 – Raymond George Moses
1915 – Roscoe Barnedd Woodruff
1914 – James Bell Cress
1913 – David Edward Cain
1912 – William Dean
1911 – Benjamin c. (Curits Lockwook, Jr.

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