I have been trying to figure out for a long time the exact date I graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy. That task is all that much harder because I have no conventional memories of even attending the U.S. Naval Academy. But I feel that I did and a while back I latched onto 4/30/82 as the date I graduated. But that is confusing because I am not certain if that was the official graduation date of my class. One theory is that I left early, before the class graduated because I was being sent as an observer of the Falklands War. My theory is that the Class of 1982 graduated on 5/28/82 while I was in the Falklands.
To reinforce my theory that I left the Academy on 4/30/82 is one of President Reagan's cabinet choices. I am guessing he knew I was going to graduate on that date when he made this selection a year or two earlier. Samuel Pierce was 59 years, 33 weeks, 3 days, old on 4/30/82.
Nomination of Samuel R. Pierce, Jr., To Be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development
January 20th, 1981
The President today nominated Samuel R. Pierce, Jr., of Long Island, N.Y., to be Secretary of Housing and Urban Development.
Mr. Pierce is a senior partner in the New York City law firm of Battle, Fowler, Jaffin, Pierce & Kheel.
Mr. Pierce was born on September 8, 1922.
