Farewell to a true Brother Rat: Peter K. McCrary '56

Mr. Peter K. McCrary (class of 1956), a strong supporter of the rights of the Virginia Military Institute (VMI) Corps of Cadets, The Cadet, and alumni passed away on Thursday evening, February 8, 2024 at the age of 90. Mr. McCrary was the son of Samuel '30 and Lucille McCrary, and often boasted to his family and Brother Rats of his honor being named "the prettiest baby" born in his city that year. He was among a long line of legacy VMI cadets and alumni including his Father Samuel E. McCrary '30, Uncle John A. McCrary '34, Son James K. McCrary '82, son Peter M. McCrary '88 and grandson Sam McCrary 2023. A physics major at VMI, Mr. McCrary ran track all four years at VMI while excelling academically as a Distinguished Military Student, Member of the Dean's Advisory Committee and winning the John H. French medal for the highest proficiency in mathematics. His running abilities once earned him a bone in his official cadet record for "running on the stoop and failing to halt when challenged by an Institute official." Mr. McCrary's Brother Rat (BR), Jack Prizzi '56 recalls, "I knew Pete reasonably well at VMI because both he and my late roommate, Don Pearce, were physics majors, earned academic stars for each of their 4 years at VMI, and continually vied for No 1 In the department. Ultimately, Pete won. After graduation, we went our separate ways. After he became an attorney or, 'a country lawyer', as he referred to himself, we reunited, but only for an occasional lunch with my wife and his beloved Annie." Mr. McCrary served on active duty in the field artillery during 1956 and the Army Reserves from 1956 – 1964 during which time he returned to VMI from 1958 to 1959 to teach physics and math as well as served as a Tactical Officer for the Corps of Cadets. In 1958 Mr. McCrary's total VMI salary was $4,800 of which $500 was his additional pay for performing as a Tac Officer. In the private sector, Mr. McCrary completed a 17-year career as an aerospace engineer working for Avco Everett Research Laboratory in Everett, Massachusetts. This included service as the company's Technical Supervisor for their missile monitoring activities at the Kwajalein Missile Test Site in the Marshall Islands (1966) making optical and radiometric measurements of re-entering Inter-Continental Ballistic Missiles (ICBM) critical to the United States' anti-missile research program and developing advanced re-entry vehicles. A true life-long learner, he returned to Virginia to start a new career as a lawyer in Manassas after graduating from New England School of Law in 1977. Mr. McCrary practiced law into his early 80s. As Mr. Prizzi '56 told The Cadet: "I always knew that Pete was a straight shooter and a tenacious fighter when necessary. I saw those traits in action while he chaired our 65th Reunion in the fall of 2021, a role he adopted. I had told Pete that I could not attend the Reunion, but he asked that I come. I could come to Manassas and stay at his house, and the next day we would drive to Lexington. After the Reunion, we'd return to Manassas, I could spend the night and then return home. I thanked Pete, but did not attend the Reunion." In just one example of this tenacious love for honor and his BRs, and mostly unknown to his class and the VMI community, Mr. McCrary learned soon after graduating that one of his BRs resigned from VMI the day before graduation, never receiving his diploma. On his own initiative Mr. McCrary investigated the situation and found his BR was intimidated into resigning. Mr. McCrary relentlessly fought what he saw as this great injustice all the way to the Superintendent and the VMI Board of Visitors (BOV). In the end, the Superintendent, Major General William Hammond Milton, Jr., wrote of his appreciation for Mr. McCrary's efforts and called the actions against his BR "unethical". Solely due to his refusal to allow any injustice at VMI to stand, the BR was designated a graduate and received his VMI diploma. MG Milton wrote, "There is no implication in his files that he is other than a graduate of the Virginia Military Institute and, to answer your question, I feel certain his resignation was under duress…" Mr. McCrary set the example by saving his BR's honor and restoring his reputation. This continued to his death as he continued to fight for the honor that is VMI's cornerstone no matter what the personal consequences. This included unfaltering support of his BRs, their widows, the Corps and, The Cadet newspaper. An example of his dedication was his fight to ensure his BRs and others could engage on the issues facing VMI and all alumni could nominate and select Alumni Association Board members of their choosing. Another such example, was when VMI and Alumni Agencies initially refused to support live-streaming, recording, or distributing copies of his class's last memorial service during their 65th reunion. The result of Mr. McCrary's action was not only a live-stream and recording the services, but escorts by '56 legacy cadets for the widows. He paid the cost to create and send DVDs and other items from the memorial to them. When the Alumni Agencies refused to provide their contact information, Mr. McCrary worked with other alumni to locate them on his own. Peter McCrary was all that we can hope to be as VMI men and women. He is survived by his wife of 64 years, Anna; three sons, James '82, John, and Peter '88; one daughter Suzanne; eleven grandchildren (including Samuel McCrary '23); and ten great-grandchildren If you have a VMI alumnus you wish to honor please contact The Cadet at: info@cadetnewspaper.org