The West Point Cemetery App, Ghostly Assemblage, and WPAOG
By Desrae Gibby ’91, WPAOG staff
Since 1999, forward‑thinking graduates have worked to bring West Point’s history to the public in innovative ways. One of the earliest champions was West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) Distinguished Graduate COL (R) David Hughes ’50, a pioneer in Bulletin Board Systems and wireless communications. Bill Taylor ’70, inspired by Hughes’ vision of “footsteps in the future,” launched “Virtual West Point,” which livestreamed parades and the 2001 and 2002 USMA graduations, four years before YouTube. In 2001, its website also featured an online video tour of the West Point Cemetery hosted by Freed Lowrey ’67.
Taylor, a former Signal Corps officer with a master’s degree in computer science from Johns Hopkins University, has continued to push the boundaries of how technology can illuminate West Point’s past. His latest contribution is the West Point Cemetery app, created in collaboration with Ghostly Assemblage Inc., New Zealand’s Hallowed History, USMA, and WPAOG. Through precise GPS positioning of gravesites (to within 10 centimeters) and rich multimedia storytelling, the app brings the nation’s oldest military post cemetery to life. Visitors can explore the hallowed ground, be guided to specific graves with remarkable accuracy, and gain meaningful historical context that both educates and inspires.
This project was made possible through Taylor’s hard work and the support of Mark Bieger ’91, president and CEO of WPAOG; COL Khanh Diep ’99, chief of staff of USMA; the West Point Cemetery; WPAOG staff, USMA Digital History Center, and the Simon Center for the Professional Military Ethic. WPAOG’s data services played a crucial role by aligning the cemetery’s records with the Association’s database, enabling WPAOG to share the text of approximately 15,000 memorial articles. As a result, the app now provides TAPS memorial stories, grave locations, and some videos that honor the “ghostly assemblage” at the West Point Cemetery.
To enhance the experience, Taylor and MAJ Robert E. Opatovsky, USAFR, Retired ’70 installed a Starlink terminal in the cemetery, dramatically improving connectivity and ensuring seamless access to the app’s features. Taylor’s long‑term vision is ambitious: “a video behind every marker.” One of the most moving examples is the memorial video created with the family and classmates of 2LT Emily Perez ’05, whose story continues to inspire.
The app exemplifies WPAOG’s core mission of honoring the dead of the Long Gray Line. In 1871, Professor Charles Davies, Class of 1815, reminded graduates that remembrance strengthens the young in hardship, comforts them in sorrow, and rewards them in triumph. It binds generations together—graduates, families, classmates, and the broader West Point community. With its vast historical archives, WPAOG is uniquely positioned to support this digital evolution and is profoundly grateful to Taylor for his dedication and vision in helping make these articles accessible to a wider audience.
The West Point Cemetery app (available for download on Apple and Android devices) marks the next step in those “footsteps in the future.” Visitors can walk among the graves, guided with geolocation accuracy, encounter the “ghostly assemblage’ and learn about the lives, sacrifices, and legacies of the graduates who shaped the Long Gray Line and the nation it serves.
