Editing Hugh John Casey (section)

==Early life==
[[File:Hugh John Casey (1898–1981) at West Point in 1918.png|thumb|right|200px|At West Point in 1918]]

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.<ref>{{harvnb|Casey|1993|pp=xiv, 4}}</ref> John's grandparents were immigrants from [[Ireland]] and [[England]]. His grandfather served on the [[Union (American Civil War)|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]].<ref name="Casey, p. 5">{{harvnb|Casey|1993|p=5}}</ref>

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.<ref>{{harvnb|Casey|1993|p=3}}</ref> To enter, Casey claimed to be slightly older, adopting his brother's 7 June birthday.<ref name="Casey, p. 5"/>

Casey entered West Point in 1915, where his best friend and roommate was [[Lucius D. Clay]]. At West Point, Casey played [[American football|football]] as a [[Halfback (American football)|halfback]], substituting for [[Elmer Oliphant]]. One of Casey's duties was tutoring Oliphant in mathematics. Casey decided that winning games was more important than playing, and he helped keep Oliphant proficient at math. 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 wanted to enter 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 graduated from Stanford Law School and became a successful lawyer.<ref>{{harvnb|Casey|1993|pp=5–7}}</ref><ref>{{harvnb|Cullum|1940|p=477}}</ref> Both brothers acquired the nickname "Pat" at West Point.<ref>{{harvnb|Casey|1993|p=98}}</ref>