The Disappearance of Richard Cox

Richard Cox was a third-year cadet at the United States Military Academy at West Point who disappeared without a trace on January 14, 1950, following a visit from a mysterious stranger who identified himself only as "George." A fellow cadet described the visitor as darkly compelling and unsettling, and noted that Cox returned from their meeting appearing deeply troubled. Cox met with "George" a second time the same evening and left with him. He was never seen again.

The disappearance triggered an extensive Army and FBI investigation. Cox had served in occupied Germany after World War II, and investigators pursued the theory that he had encountered criminal or intelligence-connected elements there that followed him to West Point. The identity of "George" was never established despite extensive efforts. Cox had no history of behavior suggesting voluntary desertion, and his personal belongings, money, and plans all pointed to an unplanned disappearance.

A 2006 book by author Harry Maihafer argued that "George" was likely a man named David Westervelt, whose history included criminal behavior and connections to Germany during the occupation — a theory that attracted attention but was never proven. The Army has never closed the investigation officially. No remains, no confirmed sightings, and no physical evidence of what happened to Cox have ever been found.

Richard Cox would have been the first West Point cadet to disappear from the Academy without explanation, and his case remains unique in the institution's history. Whether he was killed by "George," disappeared voluntarily, or met some other fate has never been established. His story has attracted persistent interest as an unsolved military mystery with Cold War-era overtones.