1928 Army ROTC Rifle Trophy

Diane Smith

I work at the Army ROTC. Did you know that there used to be a firing range beneath the Greek Theater? From 1934 to 1991, cadets who were members of Pershing Rifles used the basement of the Chi Omega Greek Theater as a firing range.

OSHA shut it down due to (obviously) problems with ventilation. We now have an air rifle range in our Drill Hall. Pershing Rifles was a “national honorary fraternity for the group of best drilled cadets,” according to a March 1, 1934 Arkansas Traveler article. Pershing Rifles is still an RSO on our campus and is now open to everyone, not just cadets. It’s not a fraternity, either. Females are welcome. The Pershing Rifles team has won it’s share of accolades, including the one pictured – the William Randolph Hearst Trophy. I believe this is the oldest trophy in our Drill Hall. The other picture shows members of the 1954 Pershing Rifles Team practicing in the Greek Theater rifle range.