The class the stars fell on
United States Military Academy Class of 1915
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Interest in “The class the stars fell on” spiked on Wikipedia on 2026-02-24.
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Key Takeaways
- " The class the stars fell on " is an expression used to describe the class of 1915 at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York.
- Of the 164 graduates that year, 59 (36%) attained general officer rank, more than any other class in the history of the academy, hence the expression.
- Eisenhower, one of the five-star generals, went on to become the 34th President of the United States.
- Truman and Eisenhower.
- Of this class, which includes John J.
"The class the stars fell on" is an expression used to describe the class of 1915 at the United States Military Academy in West Point, New York. In the United States Army, the insignia reserved for generals is one or more stars. Of the 164 graduates that year, 59 (36%) attained general officer rank, more than any other class in the history of the academy, hence the expression.
Due in large part to the timing of World War II, two graduates reached the rank of five-star General of the Army, two became four-star generals, seven three-star lieutenant generals, 24 two-star major generals, and 24 one-star brigadier generals. Dwight D. Eisenhower, one of the five-star generals, went on to become the 34th President of the United States. The other, Omar Bradley, became the first Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, under Presidents Harry S. Truman and Eisenhower.
The term had previously been applied to the class of 1886, which, due to World War I, produced a large number of general officers. Of this class, which includes John J. Pershing, Charles T. Menoher, and Mason Patrick, 25 out of 77 (32%) became generals.
About the class
Some 287 cadets entered the United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, in 1911, the largest plebe (entering or most junior) class up to that date. That year, the United States Congress changed the rules regarding appointment to the Academy. Previously, Congressmen had been allowed to make one appointment every four years. This was now increased to one every three years.
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