2020 Hall of Fame Inductee
University of Maryland (1950)
1st Lt. Joseph Tydings was born the son of a U.S. Senator, and in a pattern that would reflect the accomplishments of his lifetime, he eschewed any privilege his family could have conferred and enlisted in the Army during the Second World War. He served as a Calvaryman in occupied Germany from 1946 to 1948, and was advanced to the rank of Corporal.
Upon returning home, Tydings pursued a commission through Army ROTC at the University of Maryland, where he studied government and politics. During his time as a student, he rose to become both the Student Government President and the Cadet Regimental Commander, eventually graduating and commissioning as a 2nd Lieutenant in the Infantry Reserve in 1950. He was a member of the last commissioning cohort before Army ROTC departed the university.
Tydings was appointed as U.S. Attorney for Maryland in 1961 by President Kennedy, where he gained a reputation as a tireless corruption fighter. The reputation catapulted him into the U.S. Senate in 1964, where he continued to champion progressive policies and was known for his ability to reach across the aisle to build coalitions. Later on in his career, as a member of the Board of Regents of the University of Maryland, Tydings helped return Army ROTC to the school in 2002, bringing his career of service full circle.
Joseph Tydings died in Washington, D.C., from cancer, on October 8, 2018 at the age of 90.
About the Army ROTC Hall of Fame
The ROTC Hall of Fame was established in 2016 as part of the ROTC Centennial celebration. The first class (2016) inducted 326 former ROTC Cadets who had distinguished themselves in their military or civilian career.
The Hall of Fame honors graduates of the Army Reserve Officers’ Training Corps who have distinguished themselves in military or civilian pursuits. It provides a prestigious and tangible means of recognizing and honoring Army ROTC Alumni who have made lasting, significant contributions to the Nation, the Army and the history and traditions of the Army ROTC Program.
Read more about all 16 of the 2020 Hall of Fame Inductees.
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