Obituaries

Fifty-first Annual Report of the Association of Graduates of the United States Military Academy At West Point, New York, June 14th, 1920, Seeman & Peters Inc., Saginaw, Michigan, 1920.
Jens Bugge
No. 3620. Class of 1895.
Died, July 17, 1919, at West Point, New York, aged 48 years.
Jens Bugge was born on a farm in Wisconsin on September 21, 1870. About a year and a half later his family moved to Minnesota, where his father engaged in general merchandising at Wannamingo and an adjoining town. When Bugge was about eight, his family took up a homestead near Urness, Minnesota. Here he performed many of a man’s tasks; in later years being particularly proud of the plowing record he had made when he was eight years old.

He attended district school three and a half miles from his house, walking both ways and rarely did he miss an attendance even when the roads were heavy in the severe periods of winter. Upon completion of district school he continued to work on the farm during the summer and when work there grew slack, he hired out as a harvest hand. In the winters, he attended high school at Alexandria, Minnesota, earning board and room by care of a horse, a cow and a furnace and by odd jobs. During his course in high school he also taught two terms of three months’ each in district school.

After graduation from high school, Bugge secured a position as bookkeeper in a bank in Alexandria, gaining the use of a room in rear of the bank by acting as night watchman. While so engaged, he took the competitive examination in which he won his appointment to West Point. He had not been of the studious type, even though he had accomplished so much by hard work and application. He loved games and sociability and accepted every opportunity for frivolity and fun.

As a cadet, Bugge first came into prominence in his class by participation in athletics, in all phases of which he excelled. His was a naturally active brain capable of making a correct and careful analysis. Combined with this was broad common sense gained through early and varied associations with men. He therefore brought to class affairs a maturity of judgment which was great value.

Graduating number four in his class, Bugge was assigned to the Infantry and entered on twenty years of active service wherein he gained the reputation of being one of the most able of the officers of his period. This service included five and a half years as instructor, senior instructor and assistant professor in Drawing and Ordnance and Gunnery at West Point; nine months as an aide; two years and four months as regimental adjutant; honor graduate Army School of the Line in 1908; graduate of Army Staff College in 1909; Army War College 1910-1911; Naval War College, summer of 1911 and member of General Staff and Assistant Director Army War College, 1911-1912. He was relieved from the general staff in 1912 by operation of the “Manchu” law.
He served in the Philippines from November 1901 to July 1903, having station in Cavite and participating in General Bell’s last expedition against Malvar though the Lolo Mountains. From October 1902 to July 1903, he was aide to Major General George W. Davis. He went to Cuba with the Army of Cuban Pacification, serving there for ten months, performing company duty for a period and then being detached for duty at Army Headquarters, after which he was in charge of the Cuban Reform School for boys.

Upon relief from the general staff in 1912, Bugge was again ordered to the Philippines, where, in addition to performing his company duties, he was a member of the Defense Board, participating in the maneuvers of 1914 as Chief of Staff of Detachment Number One and Adjutant of the Coast Defenses of Manila Bay. During the winter of 1913 he went on a hunting trip to Indo China where he contracted a severe case of malaria. He never recovered his health, for while still under treatment for malaria he was found to have diabetes. He was finally returned to the United States, sick, in January of 1915 and from then until his retirement in September 1916, he spent long periods at the Letterman General Hospital and at Army and Navy Hospital at Hot Springs.

Immediately after his retirement Bugge was assigned to duty as Professor of Military Science and Tactics at Leland Stanford University, where military training was being started. He continued in this position until January 1918. In the summer of 1917 he was on duty in the office of the Adjutant General of the Army, where he handled many of the personnel problems in connection with war time expansion.

Bugge refused to concede that he was no longer capable of active service and after repeated applications to the War Department and to General Headquarters, American Expeditionary Forces, he was in January 1918, ordered to France. Even after arrival there he was not contented, for his desire was to command a regiment on the front. A common remark of his was, They say I will kill myself. Very well. That is my lookout. I would rather be a dead live wire than a live dead wire. All I ask is the chance.

He performed general staff duties in France, being promoted Lieutenant Colonel in May 1918 and Colonel in September 1918. He was assistant to A.C. of S., G-1 at Headquarters, S.O.S. and at General Headquarters; A.C. of S., G-1, 1st Army; A.C. of S., G-3, 1st Corps and temporary Chief of Staff, 35th Division. He was always most interested in tactics and welcomed the opportunity to transfer from A.C. of S., G-1, 1st Army, to A.C. of S., G-3, 1st Corps. In the latter position he served during the operations on the Vesle, the St. Mihiel offensive and the earlier stages of the Meuse-Argonne offensive.

In October 1918, Bugge again became too sick for duty and was hurriedly sent to the United States, arriving early in November and being at once detailed as Commandant of Cadets at the Military Academy. For several months he apparently improved in health. He was enthusiastic over his work and bragged of having beaten death. In the late spring he began to decline and on June 30 was taken against his will to the hospital, where he remained until his death. He refused to accept the diagnosis as to the seriousness of his condition until two days before his death, when he admitted that his active days had been finished.

In 1909 Bugge was married to Miss Calla Cuttell, of Topeka, Kansas. His widow and three children, two girls and a boy, survive him. Even in his last illness his family was given first consideration and he tried to spare them worry or fear as to his condition.

His was an unusually clean and upright life. He was considerate of others’ weaknesses, but in his own affairs possessed the courage to stand by his convictions. With subordinates he was particularly fair and patient. He was proud of his profession and gave to it his best efforts. His keen brain, common sense, fairness, honesty and experience, made a combination which caused those who have been associated with him to mourn the loss of an able and brilliant officer and lovable man and friend.

The following resolution was passed by the Academic Board of the United States Military Academy:

Whereas, The Rule of Divine Providence has operated to call from us our Associate, Colonel Jens Bugge, Commandant of Cadets, we, the Academic Board of the Military Academy, desire to record an appreciation of the loss we have sustained.

Colonel Bugge was an honor graduate of the Academy. An ambitious and energetic soldier, he served with distinction in nearly every field of endeavor open to an officer of the Army.

Forced into retirement on account of a mortal disease contracted during a Philippine tour, at his insistent request he was permitted to remain continuously on active service to the end of his life and his determined will power was such that he never faltered in the performance of any duty.

Called abroad on Staff service during the Great War, it was his earnest desire to command troops at the front. This was denied him on account of his health, but he was honored by being returned from France, in order, as Commandant of Cadets, to apply his experience to the training of future officers at the Military Academy.

He proved to be the force needed at this period of rapid and critical change in the internal affairs of the Academy. In the face of unusual difficulties he handled the disciplinary affairs of his office with the vigor to be expected of him, but showed at the same time a rare capacity for moulding the opinion of the cadet body along correct ideals which served to reduce to a minimum the enforcement of punitive action. His was largely the duty of transmitting to an unformed mass of students, deprived of association with older classes, the traditions and the intangible spirit which is the real wealth of the institution. In this, by frequent lectures and conferences and by his own virile example, he has succeeded beyond the measure vouchsafed to most men.

For his influence on the Military Academy and for his example as a type of the brave and honorable soldier whom it is her purpose to produce, the Academic Board desires to express its esteem and lasting gratitude.

Therefore, be it Resolved: That the foregoing be entered upon the record of the proceeding of the Academic Board and that a copy thereof be sent to the family of the deceased.

W.A. Ganoe
Lieutenant Colonel of Infantry,
Adjutant,
Secretary of the Academic Board.

Douglas MacArthur
Brigadier General, United States Army
Superintendent,
President of the Academic Board.

C.F.T.