<!DOCTYPE html>
<html>
<head>
</head>
<body>
<p>In 1955, <em>William Thomas “Bill” Blitch</em> was leading the carefree college life as a dramatic arts major with 11 years of ballet under his belt. After attending his older brother Bob’s USMA graduation, everything changed. Armed with his appointment, Bill blew back into Highland Falls from Tyler, TX in 1956, ready to excel in all that West Point could offer. One of several companymates from Texas, he regaled us with the charms and virtues of his home state. His ramrod posture and high performance made him our superb first sergeant. Breezing through most of his academic courses, Bill would distinguish himself both above and below ground, particularly as a member of the “Mole Patrol,” who explored the steam tunnels beneath the campus at all hours. High above ground, as part of the West Point Gymnastics Team, Bill lettered in the flying rings event all four years and was a football cheerleader his final year.</p>
<p>Along with companymate Ercole “Erc” Barone, Bill attended the Signal Corps Basic Officer Course at Fort Monmouth, NJ and then reported to Company A of the 69th Signal Battalion at Fort Meade, MD. Bill was detailed to the post Judge Advocate General (JAG) as battalion defense counsel, where he became well known defending almost exclusively enlisted deserters. Even though he lost all but one case, Bill’s remarkable extenuation and mitigation skills resulted in lighter sentences for many “clients.” In fact, when spotted traveling on post, his “clients” always gave him a “thank you” wave as they worked off their punishment. On a more pleasant note, in July 1961 Bill married Penny Matson after rekindling a First Class year romance at Fort Monmouth. </p>
<p>With the Berlin Wall going up in October 1961, the 69th was shipped by Army transport via Cherbourg to Orleans, France, where Bill held several platoon-level positions. Due to his legal prowess, he was once again called to serve as battalion defense counsel. This time he won all his cases, including one that found him pitted against companymate Erc Barone. Bill convinced the jury that the accused was, in fact, in the shower at the time of the alleged crime of AWOL. After so many successful cases, the commanding officer finally transferred Bill out of defense counsel duties.</p>
<p>Bill and Penny’s first daughter, Kim, was born in Orleans.</p>
<p>In 1963 Bill attended the Signal Officer Advanced Course at Fort Monmouth and then served as the adjutant to the 160th Signal Group at Fort Hood, TX. In 1964 it was off to Tuscaloosa, AL to serve as an instructor at the University of Alabama ROTC unit. Bill achieved some notoriety when he gave a demonstration of how ballet develops the strength, coordination and speed essential for close combat. Fully covered in the Alabama Sunday Magazine of the Tuscaloosa News, the article “From Ballet to Bayonets” featured photos of Bill executing the vertical butt stroke series. The no-longer-skeptical audience of ROTC students and senior noncomissioned officers were overheard saying, “I guess all that footwork business would come in handy in a bayonet fight.”</p>
<p>On a more peaceful note, Bill’s second daughter, Robin, was born as an Alabamian. Anxious to take his skills and talents into the private sector, Bill resigned his commission in 1967 and entered the software industry with IBM. In 1976, he began a career with American Software, Inc. and by 1979 had become a vice president. In the early 1980s Bill and Penny divorced. </p>
<p>In 1983, Bill married Suzanne “Suz” Jones, and she and daughter Tiffany joined the Blitch family. </p>
<p>In 1989, the now vice president of American Software for Europe, Africa and the Middle East moved to London for three years. Bill retired from the software industry in 2002 and returned to his beloved Texas. In 2017 medical issues found Bill and Suz moving to a retirement community in Griffin, GA to be closer to family. There, Bill “continued to make friends wherever he was and went out of his way to make everyone he met feel like their name was important.” </p>
<p>Bill’s daughters described him as an outgoing, joyful man who “could sell ice to polar bears,” traits very familiar to us from our USMA days. He was proud of his service and often shared stories of his companymates, using many of the official (and unofficial) lessons learned to teach his children and grandchildren. When leaving the house or ending a long-distance conversation, Bill would not say, “Goodbye,” but rather, “Remember who you are.”</p>
<p>After graduation his companymates saw this on display at the mini-reunions held in Monterey, San Antonio, Vermont, Seattle and several other places. In Monterey he commandeered a motel conference room and set up a USMA museum filled with displays of tests, papers, and other artifacts from our days at West Point. He then gleefully engaged the “civilians” staying at the motel, proudly telling one and all we were West Point, Class of 1960. </p>
<p>Bill’s outgoing and helpful nature brought joy to his family, friends, colleagues and many others. He served his country well when it really mattered. Well Done, Bill!</p>
<p><em>— A-2 Companymates Ed Laurance and Erc Barone, along with Bill’s Family</em></p>
</body>
</html>