War with Spain and The Great War

Spanish War Era Citadel The year of 1898 was an eventful one at The Citadel. Gen Johnson Hagood, class of 1847, father of The Citadel's rebirth, and Chairman of the Board of Visitors died in January. Just a few months later, the United States declared War on Spain. Citadel graduates again answered their nations' call with several graduates serving in combat.

After the century closed The Citadel slowly began to expand. The Corps of Cadets remained the same size since a third floor was added to the barracks in 1849. From 1849 to 1909 the Corps of Cadets remained at a constant average strength of 225 cadets. The only exception was during the Civil War at which time a maximum of 343 cadets were mustered during the Battle of Tulifinny in December 1864. During the four years of Civil War, The Citadel was asked to produce as many officers for the Confederate States Army, Navy, and Marines, as the barracks could hold. In 1910 a fourth floor was added to the barracks increasing the size of the Corps to a constant average of 325.

Just prior to World War I, a border dispute with Mexico erupted. By 1916, U.S. troops were dispatched to stop the border incursions caused by Pancho Villa and other Mexican citizens illegally crossing the border and raiding U.S. border towns. The Mexican Expedition also known as the Mexican Punitive Expedition resulted in the deployment of the first U.S. military aircraft which were used for reconnaissance on enemy positions in Mexico.

Among the early military aviation pioneers was Capt Robert H. Willis, Jr., U.S. Army Signal Corps, Citadel class of 1908. Originally, Capt Willis was an infantry officer and served in combat during Philippine Insurrection, but became interested in "flying machines" and became one of the first military aviators in the United States upon his return from the Philippine Islands in 1912. Capt Willis is considered to be the first graduate to serve in what would later become the U.S. Air Force. He was stationed at Ft Brown and Ft Sam Houston, Texas when the Mexican Expedition began. He was recognized by Gen Pershing as an expert in the new branch of military aviation and flew the first combat reconnaissance missions over Mexico in 1916 and 1917. He was handpicked by Gen Pershing to lead Army Air Service operations in World War I and quickly promoted to Major (1917) and Lt Col (1918). Sadly, Lt Col Willis, U.S. Army Air Service, First Honor Graduate Class of 1908, was killed during World War I and buried at Remiremont, France in 1918 with full military honors.

During World War I, 316 Citadel graduates served in combat, nearly 100% of all able-bodied and living graduates. Several graduates were commissioned in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1917 and 1918. This high number of Marine Corps commissions led to a U.S. Congressional investigation because other military colleges only received a few commissions per year. The Citadel became known as the "Military Academy of the Marine Corps." This tradition continues as The Citadel commissions more Marine Corps Officers than nearly all other colleges with the exception of the Naval Academy. Even today, the Naval Science Department at The Citadel is one of two detachments in the entire country led by a Marine Corps Colonel. Despite the large number of graduates commissioned in the Marine Corps, The Citadel was still a small college. Each graduating class from 1846 to 1926 only averaged 25 men. Even by antebellum standards, The Citadel was a small college and by the early 1900s, even the smallest of the new Land Grant military colleges were at least twice the size. The Citadel needed to grow.

Reconstruction The Greater Citadel