Texas A&M Army ROTC - April 2025
In a heartfelt tribute to a proud Aggie and lifelong leader, the family of A. Charles “Charlie” Fischer ’64 returned to Aggieland to gift two of Charlie’s ceremonial sabers to rising senior Cadets in the Texas A&M Corps of Cadets. The sabers, which Charlie carried during his time as a student leader and military officer-in-training, now serve as a powerful symbol of service, leadership, Aggie Values, and an enduring legacy.
Charlie Fischer, who passed away in 2017, was a distinguished member of the Corps of Cadets and a decorated Aggie. His family sought a meaningful way to preserve the artifacts from his time in the Corps and inspire a new generation of Aggie leaders. With help from longtime friend and hunting companion James Wendlandt ’80, the Fischer family was able to connect the sabers with two deserving Cadets currently preparing to commission into the U.S. Army.
Wendlandt enlisted the help of his friend Karen Allen, former military admissions counselor with the Texas A&M University Don & Ellie Knauss Veteran Resource & Support Center (VRSC). Allen then collaborated with the Army ROTC Department at Texas A&M to identify two Cadets whose academic focus, leadership, and military service ambitions mirrored Charlie’s own.
At a small ceremony in front of the historic Arches on the Quad, Cadets Madison Cronin ’26 and Tyler Silves ’26 were presented with Charlie’s sabers by the Fischer family. The moment was a moving reminder of how the Aggie Family continues to grow across generations.
Cadet Cronin, an Animal Science major from Hot Springs, Arkansas, will serve as the 2025-2026 Brigade Commander. Cadet Silves, an Agricultural Leadership & Development major from Katy, Texas, with minors in Agricultural Economics and Military Studies, will serve as the 2nd Battalion Commander. Like Charlie, both cadets are Agriculture majors who will commission into the Army after graduation.
“Receiving Mr. Fischer’s original saber from his time as the Commander of Company C-1 is an incredible honor and a powerful reminder of what it means to be an Aggie,” said Cronin. “It’s a privilege to carry his saber representing the values he stood for and to be connected to such an amazing family.”
Silves echoed the sentiment, stating, “Receiving the saber was an honor. It is also a reminder that we are in the right place to make a difference in the future, and time and time again, quality leaders from this University and the Corps of Cadets go on and do great things in their careers and for the country.”
Charlie Fischer graduated in 1964 with a degree in Animal Science. While at A&M, he was a Distinguished Military Student, commander of Company C-1, a member of the Ross Volunteer Company, and chairman of the Student Agricultural Council. After serving in the Army as a Field Artillery Officer at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Charlie began a 37-year career with The Dow Chemical Company, eventually serving as president and CEO of Dow AgroSciences.
Through this thoughtful act of legacy and connection, the Fischer family, has ensured Charlie’s values, leadership, and love for Texas A&M will continue to march forward through two inspiring Cadets leading the next generation.
