Last year I wrote about the MacManus Award, a program I helped revive with the Rutgers University Reserve Officer Training Corps. Captain Colin D. MacManus was a US Army Infantry officer and an Airborne Ranger who graduated from Rutgers in 1963. Captain MacManus was killed in action in Vietnam in February 1967 and posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action.
To commemorate Captain MacManus’ life, each year the MacManus family awarded a .45 Auto to the graduating senior who held his Rutgers Corps of Cadets assignment, and in 1973, that was me. The award was a very big deal to me in 1973, and it’s still a big deal to me today. I still shoot my MacManus .45 regularly.
The MacManus award fell away a few years after I graduated, but we were successful in restarting it in 2020. The young man who won the MacManus award last year communicates with me regularly. He’s now a US Army Infantry lieutenant going through the Ranger School at Fort Benning Georgia. Good people, these are.
My good buddy at Rutgers, Colonel Javier Cortez, selected the top cadet at Rutgers for the 2021 graduating class, and I’m happy to report that this year’s honoree will receive his 1911 from the Colt company (last year’s award was a Springfield Armory 1911, another fine handgun). This year’s Colt is the Classic Government Model just like you see in the photo at the top of this blog, and Colt is putting some special touches on it through their Custom Shop. That’s the same Colt model I was awarded in 1973, I’ve put a few tons of lead through it since then (230 grains at a time), and my Colt is still going strong.
Because of the pandemic, there was no award ceremony last year. We’re doing the award ceremony via Zoom this year, and I’m looking forward to it. If you would like to read more about MacManus award and its revival last year, you can get to it via this link:
This is good stuff, folks, and I am delighted to be associated with the effort. These are fine young men we are honoring. I’m proud of them, and I know you are, too.
Keep up with all the good ExhaustNotes stories!
You should be doubly-proud, Joe. First for winning the award back in the day, and again for resurrecting it. I know it will be a very meaningful event in the lives of these young honorees.
Thanks, Greg. I am most proud of the young men who win this award.
Joe/ congrats. I didn’t know this about you . Much respect!
Thanks!
Joe, this story about the MacManus award and your involvement with it is awesome. A belated congratulations to you for being honored back in ’73, and for your good efforts to revive the award.
As you know, I was never in the military, but I’ve always had great respect for our soldiers who serve our country. If it is open to anyone, I would enjoy the chance to be part of the Zoom ceremony for this year’s MacManus award winner.
FYI, you might remember that my 97 year old Dad nearly died in Germany when an explosion went off near him during WWII; thankfully, after 6 months in a hospital, he recovered. To this day, however his body is still full of shrapnel.
Take care, old friend.
Thanks, Jeff. I’ll see what I can do about getting you included in the Zoom presentation.
Joe
Very cool thing you did and are doing, well done.
Thanks, Larry. To me, the very cool thing is what these young people are doing.
Mr. Berk,
The Scarlet Knight battalion is grateful to you and for your continued support and advocacy to retain our traditions. Cadet Hom (Branching Aviation), the recipient of the The Colin D. MacManus Award this year is tremendously proud. He understands its significance, history, and proud lineage. Last year’s recipient of The Colin D. MacManus Award, 2LT Bruce, continues telling stories of what a great weapon the Springfield Armory 1911 is, and how honored he was to win this award.
On behalf of the Scarlet Knight Battalion, thank you for keeping this tradition going.
Go Knights, Humble Winners!
Respectfully,
Javier A. Cortez
Lieutenant Colonel, US Army
Professor of Military Science
Army ROTC
Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey
157 College Ave – New Brunswick, NJ 08901
o: 848-932-3208
c: 732-648-1944
e: Javier.a.cortez.mil@mail.mil
Follow Rutgers Army ROTC program “Scarlet Knight Battalion” on:
Instagram @rutgersarmyrotc
Facebook @rutgers army rotc (Scarlet Knight Battalion)
http://www.armyrotc.rutgers.edu/
I’m happy to be associated with the program, Colonel Cortez. Thank you for your efforts in reinstating the MacManus award.
Outstanding article Joe. I would love to see the award ceremony as well.
You bet, Mike. I’ll send you the details as I get them.
Kudos to you, Joe, and everyone else involved in it. This is really good news to hear.
Muchas gracias, Roberto.