Hugh John Casey - Early Life

Early Life

Hugh John Casey was born in Brooklyn, New York on 7 June 1898, the son of John J. Casey, a plumbing and heating contractor, and Margaret L. Casey. John J. Casey's grandparents were immigrants from Ireland and England. His grandfather served on Union side in the American Civil War and was killed in the Battle of Shiloh. Margaret’s parents were Irish immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania.

Hugh Casey was educated at Manual Training High School from 1910 to 1914, graduating at the age of 15. He won a New York State scholarship and entered Brooklyn Polytechnic Institute, where he studied civil engineering. After a year there, he took a competitive examination for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point held by Congressman Daniel J. Griffin, the chairman of the House Committee on Military Affairs, ranking first out of 62 applicants for the appointment. To enter, Casey raised his age slightly, adopting his brother's 7 June birthday.

Casey entered West Point in 1915, where his best friend and roommate was Lucius D. Clay. At West Point, Casey played football as a halfback, substituting for Elmer Oliphant. One of Casey's duties was keeping Oliphant proficient at mathematics. Unlike most appointees to West Point, a grateful Casey wrote frequently to Griffin about his progress and sent him football tickets. When Casey's younger brother Martin Charles Casey wished to go to West Point, Griffin directly appointed him to the class of 1920 without having to pass the examination. Martin served with the coastal artillery for eleven years before being medically discharged due to migraine headaches on 30 November 1931. Martin later became a successful lawyer. Both brothers acquired the nickname "Pat" and West Point.