Dick Prescott's Fourth Year at West Point Or, Ready to Drop the Gray for Shoulder Straps

"Dick Prescott's Fourth Year at West Point" by H. Irving Hancock is a story about Richard Prescott's final year as a cadet where he has to try to be a good leader while going through difficult military training, friendships, and school rules. The book focuses on Prescott and his strong sense of duty, which causes issues, especially with Cadet Jordan, who wants to get back at Prescott for reporting his laziness. At the start, Prescott is in charge of building a pontoon bridge during a training exercise, and he has to deal with problems both with the task and with Jordan's anger. Jordan’s anger leads to plans to get even with Prescott, creating divisions in the class and a code of silence. The story gives a look into the lives of cadets, the responsibilities of leadership, and the importance of honor and loyalty, suggesting more conflicts as the class deals with military rules and personal relationships.