West Point officials confirmed that 30 cadets were injured last month during a large scale pillow fight, according to reports Friday.
The pillow fight was part of a time honored tradition at the United States Military Academy. For generations, Freshman celebrated the end of their first year with the event. It was seen as a safe way to build camaraderie and blow off some steam. This year on Aug. 20, however, some pillows were reportedly stuffed with hard objects.
“West Point applauds the cadets’ desire to build esprit and regrets the injuries to our cadets,” Lt. Col. Christopher Kasker, a spokesman for the academy, told The New York Times. “We are conducting appropriate investigations into the causes of the injuries.”
West Point officials have reported 24 concussions. Additionally there have been unconfirmed reports of dislocated shoulders, broken arms and broken ribs along with at least one cadet with a broken leg. The incident was first reported on social media sites like Twitter, YouTube and forums like Yik Yak. It wasn’t until Thursday, though, when the brawl was confirmed by officials to the Times.
“4 concussions, 1 broken leg, 2 broken arms, 1 dislocated shoulder, and several broken ribs,” one cadet posted on Twitter. “That’s one hell of a pillow fight.”
The tradition dates back to at least 1897 according to testimony in 1901. At the time the event was the subject of a congressional inquiry on hazing. Since that time there have been no reported injuries until now.
According to its official website, the academy was established in 1802 with legislation signed by President Thomas Jefferson. Prior to that it was used as a strategic base dating back to the Revolutionary War. It was even used by George Washington when he was a general.
In 2012, 27 cadets at the United States Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs were treated for injuries after a snowball fight. As NBC News reported at the time, that snowball fight was also a tradition that turned to violence.
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