The 1993 Aggie Bonfire; the relative size of the wedding cake-style structure can be seen in comparison to the people standing at its base.

Aggie Bonfire was a long-standing tradition at Texas A&M University as part of the college rivalry with the University of Texas at Austin, known as t.u. by Texas A&M students.^[1][2] For ninety years, Texas A&M students built and burned a bonfire on campus each fall. Known to the Aggie community as "Bonfire", the construction and annual fall event symbolized Aggie students' "burning desire to beat the hell outta t.u."^[3] The bonfire was traditionally lit around Thanksgiving in conjunction with festivities surrounding the annual college football game. Image File history File links LinkFA-star. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Texas A&M University redirects here. ... Pairs of schools, colleges and universities, especially when they are close to each other either geographically or in their areas of specialization, often establish a college rivalry with each other over the years. ... University of Texas redirects here. ... Look up tu, TU in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ... For the AC/DC box set, see Bonfire (album) For the German band called Bonfire, see Bonfire (band) A bonfire (commonly mispronounced bombfire) is a large controlled outdoor fire made from bales of straw or wood. ... The First Thanksgiving, painted by Jean Leon Gerome Ferris (1863-1930). ... A college football game between Colorado State and Air Force. ...

Although early Bonfires were little more than piles of trash, as time passed the annual event became more organized. Over the years the bonfire grew to an immense size, setting the world record in 1969. In 1999, the Bonfire collapsed during construction, killing twelve people, eleven students and one former student, and injuring twenty-seven others. This article is about the year. ...

The tragedy led Texas A&M to declare a hiatus on an official Bonfire. However, since 2002, a student-sponsored coalition has constructed an annual unsanctioned, off-campus "Student Bonfire" in the spirit of its predecessor.

Early years

The students of the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas, known as Aggies, burned their first bonfire on 18 November 1907 to congratulate the football team on a recent win.^[4] The first on-campus Aggie Bonfire, a heap of trash and debris, was burned in 1909 to generate enthusiasm for a variety of sporting events. A decade later, the focus of the event narrowed to the annual rivalry game between Texas A&M and the University of Texas, held near Thanksgiving Day.^[5] Little information was recorded about the early Bonfires; the 1921 Texas A&M yearbook mentioned the "final rally" of the students before the game against Texas, but did not refer to a bonfire. Six years later, the school yearbook published a photograph of the event.^[3] Seal of Texas A&M University The history of Texas A&M University, the first public institution of higher education in Texas, began in 1871, when the Agricultural and Mechanical College of Texas was established as a land-grant college by the Texas Legislature. ... For the AC/DC box set, see Bonfire (album) For the German band called Bonfire, see Bonfire (band) A bonfire (commonly mispronounced bombfire) is a large controlled outdoor fire made from bales of straw or wood. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1907 (MCMVII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (link will display the full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar (or a common year starting on Monday of the 13-day-slower Julian calendar). ... A college football game between Colorado State and Air Force. ... Academic Plaza The campus of Texas A&M University, also known as Aggieland, is situated in College Station, Texas, USA. Aggieland is centrally located within of three of the 10 largest cities in the United States and 75% of the Texas and Louisiana populations (approximately 13. ... Thanksgiving is a holiday celebrated in much of North America, generally observed as an expression of gratitude, usually to God. ...

Freshmen were expected to build the early Bonfires to help prove their worth.^[3] For almost two decades, the students constructed Bonfire from debris and wood acquired through various, sometimes illicit, means, including appropriating lumber intended for a dormitory in 1912.^[6] In 1935, a farmer reported that members of the Corps of Cadets carried off his entire barn to serve as fuel for Bonfire. To prevent future incidents, the university made Bonfire a school-sanctioned event. The following year, for the first time, the school provided axes, saws, and trucks for the students and pointed them towards a grove of dead trees on the edge of town.^[5] Corps of Cadets Corps Stack The Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets (often The Fightin Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets, The Corps of Cadets, or simply The Corps) is a student military organization at Texas A&M University. ...

During the 1940s, the school paper described Bonfire as "'the greatest event of the football season'".^[3] The 1947 Corps handbook stated that "bonfire symbolizes two things; a burning desire to beat the team from the University of Texas, and the undying flame of love that every loyal Aggie carries in his heart for the school;" this was often shorted to "the burning desire to beat the hell out of t.u."^[3][2] The Bonfire design changed in 1942. Universal Studios, filming the movie We've Never Been Licked on the Texas A&M Campus, built a bonfire as a prop for the movie. Their structure used a design simliar to a teepee where all the logs rested against each other in a conical shape.^[3] The logs were placed at an angle between 23 and 30 degrees, giving it "a tremendous vertical and horizontal resistance".^[7] This allowed Bonfire to grow from 25 feet (10 m) tall to over 50 feet (20 m) tall.^[6] Aggies adopted the change, and the teepee design was standard for Bonfires for the next twenty-five years.^[3] Logo of The Battalion The Battalion is the student newspaper of Texas A&M University. ... The Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets (or the Corps of Cadets or, often, just The Corps) is an organization at Texas A&M University that trains students in the ways of the military with the option of a commission to the military upon graduation. ... This article is about the American media conglomerate. ... Weve Never Been Licked is a 1943 propaganda film. ... Categories: Stub | Buildings and structures | Survival skills ...

Beginning in 1952, Bonfire was made from only fresh-cut logs.^[3] The event suffered its first fatality in 1955, when a student was struck by a swerving car.^[5] In an unrelated move the same year, the Bonfire site changed from Simpson Drill Field in front of the Memorial Student Center to Duncan Field, near the Corps of Cadets dorms. In 1957, Bonfire collapsed two days before its scheduled burn day. Students worked around-the-clock to rebuild the structure, and finished the Bonfire as scheduled.^[8]

During this time period, University of Texas students, unhappy with the symbolism of Bonfire, tried multiple times to ignite the stack early to no avail. In 1933, and 1948, students from the school rented an airplane and dropped fire bombs onto the stack. In 1956, they attempted to plant explosives at the Bonfire site.^[8] Additionally, in the late 1970s, a College Station police officer was fired after trying to ignite Bonfire several days ahead of schedule. Students spotted the officer and chased him across campus before he could succeed.^[5] College Station is a city in Brazos County, Texas, situated in Central Texas. ...

Organizational change and expansion

In 1965, membership in the Corps of Cadets became voluntary for students at Texas A&M. Before, Corps leaders directed construction of Bonfire. However, because the Corps had no authority over the "non-regs", or civilian students, a separate Bonfire leadership structure was instituted. The new leaders were designated with colored hard hats, or pots, with the overall leaders known as redpots.^[3] Corps of Cadets Corps Stack The Texas A&M University Corps of Cadets (often The Fightin Texas Aggie Corps of Cadets, The Corps of Cadets, or simply The Corps) is a student military organization at Texas A&M University. ... The Aggie Bonfire leadership was comprised of Texas A&M University students who were in charge of the construction of Aggie Bonfire, known as Bonfire, a large bonfire burned on the Texas A&M University campus annually from 1909 until 1999. ... Yellow hard hat A hard hat is a type of helmet predominately used in workplace environments such as construction sites to protect the head from injury such as from falling objects. ...

The first Bonfire built with both Corps and non-reg participation was in 1963.^[9] The stack was scheduled to burn only days after the assassination of President John F. Kennedy. Out of respect, the students dismantled the stack.^[5] As Head Yell Leader Mike Marlowe explained, "It is the most we have and the least we can give."^[9] President Kennedy with his wife, Jacqueline, and Texas Governor John Connally in the presidential limousine just moments before his assassination The assassination of John F. Kennedy, the thirty-fifth President of the United States, took place on Friday, November 22, 1963, in Dallas, Texas, USA at 12:30 p. ... For the pop band, see Presidents of the United States of America. ... John Kennedy and JFK redirect here. ... The Aggie Yell Leaders are a group of Texas A&M University students that leads Aggie fans in a series of yells during athletic events or other school events. ...

In the following years the structure became more elaborate, and in 1967 the flames could be seen 25 miles (40 km) away. In 1969, the stack of logs set the world record for the height of a bonfire at 109 ft, 10 in (30 m) tall.^[5][10] Out of concern for the safety of participants and the community, the university limited the size to 55 feet (20 m) tall and 45 feet (10 m) in diameter.^[6] As an added precaution, nearby campus buildings were equipped with rooftop sprinkler systems. Despite the new height restrictions, in the 1970s, the Guinness Book of Records listed Aggie Bonfire as the largest Bonfire in the world.^[5] “Miles” redirects here. ... ‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ... This article is about the complete system. ... Suresh Joachim, minutes away from breaking the ironing world record at 55 hours and 5 minutes, at Shoppers World, Brampton. ...

Design change

In 1978, Bonfire shifted from its previous teepee design to a wedding cake style, in which upper stacks of logs were wedged on top of lower stacks. The structure was built around a fortified center pole, made from two telephone poles spliced together by cutting matching notches, approximately 10 feet (3 m) long, and with five gallons of glue. Four steel plates were bolted to the two poles, and a .375 inches (1 cm) cable wrapped around the joint and secured to the pole with steel staples. Four perimeter poles were placed 150 feet (46 m) away and ropes were stretched between the perimeter poles to center poles and tension placed on them to hold the center pole together. After the center pole was erected, logs were placed vertically around it in a multi-tiered wedding cake design composed of thousands of logs.^[8] By 1984, the logs were sloping only 14 degrees.^[7] The spiral arrangement of the logs was designed to make Bonfire collapse into itself in a twisting motion, thus protecting spectators.^[8] Although the tradition stated that if Bonfire burned through midnight then A&M would win the following day's football game, the introduction of the wedding cake design drastically reduced the time it took for Bonfire to fall, sometimes burning for only 30 or 45 minutes.^[7] This article does not cite any references or sources. ... Pole carrying electricity, Cable TV, and telephone equipment (top to bottom). ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... ‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ... An inch (plural: inches; symbol or abbreviation: in or, sometimes, ″ - a double prime) is the name of a unit of length in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... A centimetre (American spelling centimeter, symbol cm) is a unit of length that is equal to one hundredth of a metre, the current SI base unit of length. ... This article describes the unit of angle. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ... A college football game between Colorado State and Air Force. ...

While the Bonfires of the 1960s were constructed in five to ten days, working primarily in daylight, by the late 1970s, changes in the school led to a more elaborate and lengthy construction schedule.^[3] Construction began in late October with "Cut", obtaining wood by cutting down trees with axes, which took several weekends.^[3][8] After Cut, students brought the logs to campus during "Load", a process by which the logs were loaded by hand onto flatbed trucks and brought to campus.^[8] In early November, crews began "Stack", a three-week period in which the logs were wired together and Bonfire took shape. Near the end of stack, known as "Push", students worked around the clock in rotating shifts. The first four of the six stacks were built with the efforts of all safety-trained participants. The day before Bonfire was scheduled to burn, junior redpots would build the fifth stack, and then senior redpots would build the sixth.^[8] 24/7 is an abbreviation which stands for 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, usually referring to the availability of a service. ... The Aggie Bonfire leadership was comprised of Texas A&M University students who were in charge of the construction of Aggie Bonfire, known as Bonfire, a large bonfire burned on the Texas A&M University campus annually from 1909 until 1999. ... Jet fuel is a type of aviation fuel designed for use in jet-engined aircraft. ... For the AC/DC box set, see Bonfire (album) For the German band called Bonfire, see Bonfire (band) A bonfire (commonly mispronounced bombfire) is a large controlled outdoor fire made from bales of straw or wood. ... A college football game between Colorado State and Air Force. ... Texas Longhorns athletics programs include the extramural and intramural sports teams of The University of Texas at Austin. ...

To ensure safety during the Stack period, the organizers maintained a perimeter around the working area, and allowed only safety-trained students through. Cranes, donated by local construction companies, assisted in getting logs onto the upper tiers, and volunteers from those companies were on-hand at all times to offer advice. Emergency medical technicians were also required to be on site at all times and no more than 70 students at a time were allowed on the stack.^[8] Once the stack was finished, "an outhouse painted orange [symbolizing a] t.u. frat house"^[11][12] was bedecked with derogatory statements about rival University of Texas at Austin and then placed on top of the stack.^[13] An emergency medical technician (EMT) is an emergency responder trained to provide emergency medical services (EMS) to the critically ill and injured. ... Outhouse near Crabapple Lake, USA, with chipboard walls, and a fiberglass ceiling This article refers to an outhouse, privy or kybo that is an old type of toilet in a small structure separate from the main building which does not have a flush or sewer attached. ... The University of Texas System comprises fifteen educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are general academic universities, and six are health institutions. ... Look up fraternity in Wiktionary, the free dictionary. ...

Although between two and five thousand students participated in the construction of Bonfire each year, most worked only part time, and many worked only one or two shifts.^[3] Student workers were organized by dormitories or Corps units, with a separate off-campus student team. Many former students participated with teams they belonged to as students. Each team had assigned shifts, although individuals were not limited to working only the assigned shifts.^[8] Students working on Bonfire wore "grodes"—old t-shirts, jeans, and boots. By tradition, grodes were either not washed until after Bonfire burned or not washed at all.^[14]

In 1983, the city of College Station began manufacturing Austin city limits signs for students to place at the summit of the Bonfire so that students would stop stealing signs from Austin.^[5] The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band began building the outhouse, ending the tradition of stealing Bonfire's components.^[15] Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: , Country State Counties Travis County Government  - Mayor Will Wynn Area  - City  296. ... City limits refers to the defined limits of a citys area. ... The Fightin Texas Aggie Band (also known as The Noble Men of Kyle or the Aggie Band) is the official marching band of Texas A&M University. ...

Controversy

Although women were allowed to serve coffee and provide first aid in the late 1960s, in 1974 they were officially banned from both Cut and Stack. The ban was partially rescinded in 1979, when women were again allowed to participate in Cut, and completely rescinded in 1981. Few women participated in the early years, as female volunteers were subject to verbal abuse from their male counterparts.^[3] In 1987, two female photographers from the school yearbook alleged that male workers shouted obscenities and threw dirt on them as they tried to take pictures of the raising of the center pole. The redpots responded that women were always welcome to participate as long as they did their share of the work, and that the photographers were standing dangerously close to the stack.^[16] To find their own place in the Bonfire hierarchy, female students founded the all-female Bonfire Reload Crew to provide refreshments to those working at Cut and Stack.^[17] The 1993 Aggie Bonfire; the relative size of the wedding cake-style structure can be seen in comparison to the people standing at its base. ...

Injuries plagued the construction process. In 1981, student Wylie Keith Joplinn died after being run over by a tractor at the Cut site.^[18] At the 1985 Cut site, one student broke his hip,^[15] and, in 1989, another student lost two fingers when logs crushed his hand.^[19] Fractures and amputations were rare, but many students suffered cuts, scrapes, or exposure to poison ivy.^[5][15] Binomial name Toxicodendron radicans (L.) Kuntze Poison-ivy (Toxicodendron radicans or Rhus toxicodendron), in the family Anacardiaceae, is a woody vine that is well-known for its ability to produce urushiol, a skin irritant which for most people will cause an agonizing, itching rash. ...

The 1980s also saw increased alcohol consumption during the Bonfire ceremony. In 1988, police issued 140 Minor In Possession citations and arrested six people. The following year, the local police department brought a paddywagon to the site for the first time, as they anticipated mass arrests for alcohol violations.^[19] As many as 150 police officers were on duty during the Bonfire burning from the Texas A&M and College Station police departments and the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission.^[20] In the United States, a minor in possession, or an MIP, (also referred to as a PAULA, Posession of Alcohol Under the Legal Age) is a civil infraction, and subject to civil penalty. ... American paddywagon, Duluth, Minnesota, 1909 Paddywagon and Black Maria are slang terms for either a police car, or a police vehicle used to transport large groups of people who have been arrested. ... The Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission (TABC, formerly the Texas Liquor Control Board) was created in 1935. ...

In 1989, the Campus Ministry Association, representing 17 religious denominations, unanimously approved a resolution asking the university to change Bonfire because of concerns about safety, participant academic performance, humanitarian considerations, and the environment. Shortly afterwards, the Faculty Senate's Committee of the Whole approved a resolution asking for a panel that explored alternatives to Bonfire.^[18]

Although students protested Bonfire's environmental impact since 1970, no changes were made for decades.^[3] In 1990, a student, Scott Hantman, asked the Bonfire leadership to help him address the problem. The group solicited volunteers, and in the spring of 1991, they planted 400 trees. The tradition, Aggie Replant, has been repeated every year since. Replant became an organization independent of Bonfire in 1994 when it gained its own Student Government Committee.^[21] Aggie Replant is a Texas Aggie tradition started in 1991 by Scott Hantman, a graduate student at Texas A&M University, and chair of the Environmental Issues Committee. ...

Later years

After being held at the Duncan Intramural Fields on the south side of A&M's campus for twenty-seven years, in 1992, Bonfire was relocated to the Polo Fields on the northwest corner of campus. This more isolated site, with a larger area for people to gather, made it a safer location.^[22] After heavy rains in 1994, the partially completed Bonfire began to slowly lean to the side as the soil underneath shifted. Student officials had enough warning to clear the area and tear down the Bonfire one week before its scheduled burn date.^[5][17] Nine tractors, two bulldozers, and two forklifts dismantled the stack, which, at 70% completed, stood 40 feet (10 m) tall and 45 feet (10 m) wide.^[23] A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... ‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ...

The 1994 collapse of Bonfire was witnessed by thousands of people around the world. The Texas A&M Department of Computer Science set up a camera aimed at the Bonfire site that took a picture every 10 minutes and posted it on the Internet. On the day of the collapse over 29,000 visitors visited the web page, at a time when only 20 million people worldwide had Internet access.^[24]

Students and alumni flocked to the Polo Fields, working around the clock, to rebuild the Bonfire in time for the game.^[9] It was completed only hours before it was scheduled to burn.^[25] After the 1994 Bonfire was burned, two tons of lime was spread on the Polo Fields to stabilize the ground. This layer hardened to a consistency similar to concrete.^[26] This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

In 1996, a student died in a car accident on his way home from Cut. The student and several companions were riding in the bed of a pickup truck when the driver lost control and the truck rolled. Nine other students were injured.^[27] The best selling North American pickup truck, the Ford F-Series. ...

In its later years, students building Bonfire used logs donated by local landowners who wanted their land cleared for construction or farming.^[8] Over 8000 logs were used each year in the late 1990s, taking about 5000 students a combined 125,000 man-hours to construct.^[6] After being doused in 700 lb (318 kg) of jet fuel, applied by staff members at A&M's Fire Training School, the Yell Leaders, Drum Majors, and Redpots then lit the stack with torches the night before the annual football game against the University of Texas when at home and two nights before the game when it was played in Austin.^[8] The pound or pound-mass (abbreviations: lb, lbm, or sometimes in the United States, #) is a unit of mass (sometimes called weight in everyday parlance) in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... Shown above is a computer-generated image of the International Prototype Kilogram (“IPK”). The IPK is the kilogram. ... Kerosene or kerosine, also called paraffin oil or paraffin in British usage (not to be confused with the waxy solid also called paraffin wax or just paraffin) is a flammable hydrocarbon liquid. ... Yell Leaders are a tradition at Texas A&M University. ... A high school drum major uses hand gestures to lead his band. ... Nickname: Location in the state of Texas Coordinates: , Country State Counties Travis County Government  - Mayor Will Wynn Area  - City  296. ...

This event was very popular amongst current and former students and people traveled from all over the state and the nation to observe the burning of Bonfire. Hotel rooms within a 65 miles (100 km) radius of College Station were booked weeks or months in advance of the date Bonfire burned.^[28] Crowds ranged from 30,000 to 70,000 people, depending on the weather and the strength of the Aggie football team.^[8] The 1998 Bonfire was broadcast live on Fox Sports Southwest.^[20] “Miles” redirects here. ... ‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ... Fox Sports Net headquarters in Los Angeles. ...

Collapse

Bonfire Recovery, November 19, 1999

At 2:42 AM on 18 November 1999, the 40 feet (10 m) high stack, consisting of about 5000 logs, collapsed during construction.^[8] Of the 58 students and former students working on the stack, 12 were killed and 27 were injured.^[8] Within minutes of the collapse, members of Texas Task Force 1, the state's elite emergency response team, arrived to begin the rescue efforts.^[29] Rescue operations took over 24 hours; the pace was hampered by the fact that many of the logs were removed by hand for fear that using heavy equipment to remove them would cause further collapses, resulting in further injuries to those still trapped. Students, including the entire Texas A&M football team and many members of the university's Corps of Cadets, rushed to the site to assist rescue workers with manually removing the logs.^[8][30] The Texas A&M civil engineering department was also called on to examine the site and help the workers decide the order the logs could be safely removed, and, at the request of the Texas Forest Service, Steely Lumber Company in Huntsville, Texas sent log-moving equipment and operators.^[8][29] Bonfire survivor John Comstock was the last living person to be removed from the stack. He spent months in the hospital following amputation of his left leg and partial paralysis of his right side. Comstock returned to A&M in 2001 and later earned his degree.^[31] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 488 pixel Image in higher resolution (924 × 564 pixel, file size: 87 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This is from http://www. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 488 pixel Image in higher resolution (924 × 564 pixel, file size: 87 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This is from http://www. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... A foot (plural: feet or foot;[1] symbol or abbreviation: ft or, sometimes, ′ – a prime) is a unit of length, in a number of different systems, including English units, Imperial units, and United States customary units. ... ‹ The template below (Unit of length) is being considered for deletion. ... Urban Search and Rescue Texas Task Force or TX-TF1 is a FEMA Urban Search and Rescue Task Force based in Texas and is sponsored by the State. ... The Falkirk Wheel in Scotland. ... Texas Forest Service (TFS), first started in 1915 by the 34th Legislature of Texas, is an integral part of The Texas A&M University System. ... Huntsville is a city and also a newly designated micropolitan area located in the U.S. state of Texas within Walker County. ... Partial hand amputation Amputation is the removal of a body extremity by trauma or surgery. ... This article does not cite any references or sources. ...

Aggie family unites

Within minutes of the collapse, word of the accident spread amongst students and the community. Before sunrise, the accident was the subject of news reports around the world. Within hours, 50 satellite trucks were broadcasting from the Texas A&M campus.^[8] At noon, students held an impromptu prayer service in the center of campus, at Rudder Fountain.^[32] An official memorial service was held less than seventeen hours after the collapse. Over 16,000 mourners, including Texas Lieutenant Governor Rick Perry, packed Reed Arena to pay tribute to those who died and those who had spent all day trying to rescue the injured. At the end of the service, as A&M University President Ray Bowen presented roses to the families of the dead and injured students, the crowd spontaneously stood in silence, linking arms with those standing next to them, before quietly singing Amazing Grace. Only after all of the rescue workers and family members had left the facility did the audience depart.^[33] Official language(s) No official language See languages of Texas Capital Austin Largest city Houston Largest metro area Dallas–Fort Worth Metroplex Area  Ranked 2nd  - Total 261,797 sq mi (678,051 km²)  - Width 773 miles (1,244 km)  - Length 790 miles (1,270 km)  - % water 2. ... Lieutenant Governor of Texas is the second-highest executive office in state government. ... James Richard Perry (b. ... Reed Arena is a sports arena and entertainment venue located at the corner of Olsen Boulevard and Kimbrough Boulevard in College Station, Texas, in the United States. ... A piper plays Amazing Grace on Memorial Day. ...

On 25 November 1999, the date that Bonfire would have burned, Aggies instead held a vigil and remembrance ceremony. Over 40,000 people lit candles and observed up to two hours of silence at the site of the collapse, before walking to Kyle Field for yell practice. At the stadium, fans spontaneously relit their candles as the Parsons Mounted Calvary fired the Aggie cannon twelve times, once for each victim. Former President George H.W. Bush and his wife Barbara and Texas Governor George W. Bush and his wife Laura attended the remembrance ceremony.^[32] is the 329th day of the year (330th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Kyle Field is the football stadium located on the campus of Texas A&M University in College Station, Texas. ... Midnight Yell Practice (often locally, just Midnight Yell) is a regular event held at Texas A&M University. ... Order: 41st President Vice President: Dan Quayle Term of office: January 20, 1989 – January 20, 1993 Preceded by: Ronald Reagan Succeeded by: Bill Clinton Date of birth: June 12, 1924 Place of birth: Milton, Massachusetts First Lady: Barbara Pierce Bush Political party: Republican George Herbert Walker Bush, KBE (born... For the daughter of President George W. Bush, see Barbara Pierce Bush. ... In politics, Governor of Texas is the title given to the chief executive of the state of Texas. ... George Walker Bush (born July 6, 1946) is the 43rd and current President of the United States, inaugurated on January 20, 2001. ... Laura Lane Welch Bush (born November 4, 1946) is the wife of the forty-third and current President of the United States George W. Bush and is thereby the First Lady of the United States. ...

The following day, the Aggies upset the Texas Longhorns, winning 20–16 in the annual rivalry game. The game began with a flyover of F-16 jets, all piloted by former A&M students, in the missing man formation. At halftime, the Texas Longhorn Band dedicated their performance to the students lost and injured in the collapse, and ended by playing Amazing Grace and Taps, then removing their white hats in a show of respect as they walked off the field. The Fightin' Texas Aggie Band also played a tribute to the fallen and, contrary to the usual tradition, marched off the field in a silent cadence. The stadium was so quiet that a baby's cry was the only noise heard throughout the crowd of over 86,000.^[34] Aggie students, who normally sit only when the opposing band plays, stood throughout both performances and gave both standing ovations.^[35] Head Coach Mack Brown 9th Year, 92-22 Home Stadium Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium Capacity 85,123 - Grass Conference Big 12 - South First Year 1893 Athletic Director DeLoss Dodds Website MackBrown-TexasFootball. ... Lonestar Showdown logo The State Farm Lone Star Showdown is the official moniker (trademarked in 1996)[1] for all varsity mens and womens athletics competitions between The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University. ... The F-16 Fighting Falcon is an American multirole jet fighter aircraft developed by General Dynamics and Lockheed Martin for the United States Air Force. ... The missing man formation flying over the USS Arizona memorial in Hawaii For the Vince Welnick group, see Missing Man Formation (band). ... The Longhorn Band on the field at a football game vs Baylor in 2006 The Showband of the Southwest performs at Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium in 2007 The University of Texas Longhorn Band, also known as the Showband of the Southwest or LHB, is the marching band of... Taps (Butterfields Lullaby), sometimes known by the lyrics of its second verse, Day is Done, is a famous musical piece, played in the U.S. military during flag ceremonies and funerals, generally on bugle or trumpet. ... The Fightin Texas Aggie Band (also known as The Noble Men of Kyle or the Aggie Band) is the official marching band of Texas A&M University. ...

The Bonfire Memorial Commission collected the hundreds of thousands of items that were left by grieving visitors at the site of the collapse. At the Systems Building, Texas A&M leaders erected pictures of the deceased students. There, over a dozen seniors left behind their hard-earned Aggie rings, permanently donating them to the students who did not live long enough to earn their own.^[36] Various organizations also established funds to memorialize the victims and to help with expenses incurred because of the accident. In total, the funds received over US$250,000.^[8] Texas A&M University The traditions of Texas A&M University are entrenched in the culture of Texas A&M University. ... The United States dollar is the official currency of the United States. ...

Cause, aftermath, and controversy

A commission created by Texas A&M University discovered that a number of factors led to the Bonfire collapse, including "excessive internal stresses" on the logs and "inadequate containment strength" in the wiring used to tie the logs together. The wiring broke after logs from upper tiers were "wedged" into lower tiers.^[8]

Detractors further blamed the school for the accident, saying that, in the name of tradition, administrators turned a blind eye to an unsafe structure being constructed with minimal engineering and safety protocols. Before the collapse, some people expressed concerns about the safety of Bonfire, citing the partial collapse that occurred in a previous Bonfire, the progressively shorter Bonfire burn times (collapse of the stack after lighting dropped from several hours to less than 20 minutes), and numerous incidents involving alcohol or unsafe horseplay at the Bonfire site. At least two of the students killed in the 1999 Bonfire collapse were beneath the legal drinking age yet their autopsy results showed high blood-alcohol levels, however, inconsistencies in the test results led to questions about their accuracy.^[37][38] Blood Alcohol Content (or Blood Alcohol Concentration), often abbreviated BAC, is the concentration of alcohol in blood, measured, by volume, as a percentage. ...

Parents of students injured or killed in the 1999 collapse filed lawsuits against Texas A&M officials, including President Ray Bowen, Vice President of Student Affairs J. Malon Southerland, the 1999 redpots, and the university.^[35] In one of the six lawsuits, plaintiffs alleged that A&M officials violated the Bonfire victims' right of due process by placing those victims in a "state-created danger" by not ensuring Bonfire's structural integrity and by allowing unqualified students to work on the stack.^[38] The plaintiffs pointed to a $2 million liability policy the university obtained in 1996 and accidental death and dismemberment insurance policies that the university obtained for student workers as early as 1987 as proof that the administrators knew of the dangers of Bonfire. Texas A&M maintains that the insurance policies were actually purchased by an advisory committee to Bonfire and not the university.^[35] On 21 May 2004, Federal Judge Samuel B. Kent dismissed all claims against the Texas A&M officials.^[38] In 2005, 36 of the 64 original defendants, including all of the redpots, settled their portion of the case for an estimated $4.25 million, paid by their insurance companies.^[39][40] A federal appeals court dismissed the remaining lawsuits against Texas A&M and its officials in in 2007.^[41] Accidental death and dismemberment insurance (also known as AD&D) covers death or dismemberment as a result of an accident. ... is the 141st day of the year (142nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Samuel B. Kent is a judge for the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas in the single-judge Galveston Division covering Brazoria, Chambers, Galveston, and Matagorda Counties. ... The United States Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit, or simply the Federal Circuit, was founded in 1982 to combine similar federal cases to a specialized appellate court. ...

The Texas Board of Professional Engineers announced in 2000 that the Aggie Bonfire met the requirements to be considered a complex construction project that should be regulated by state engineering laws. If Bonfire is resumed by the university in its former state, it will have to be designed and overseen by a professional engineer.^[42]

Bonfire was postponed until 2002 to restructure it to make it safer. Delays in the development of a safety plan, and a high estimated cost (primarily due to liability insurance), led A&M president Ray Bowen to cancel Bonfire again.^[43] Bowen's successor Robert Gates upheld this decision, stating that a "change in the status quo regarding the future of Bonfire would be inappropriate while litigation is still on-going".^[44] Liability insurance is a part of the general insurance system of risk transference. ... Robert Michael Gates (born September 25, 1943) is currently serving as the 22nd United States Secretary of Defense. ...

Bonfire Memorial

The Bonfire Memorial Spirit Ring

A memorial was constructed on the university polo fields, the site of the accident. Construction began in October 2003 and was completed by November 2004.^[45] On 18 November 2004, five years following the incident, the Bonfire Memorial was officially dedicated. The memorial is composed of three design elements:^[46] Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Metadata Size of this preview: 800 × 600 pixelsFull resolution (2048 × 1536 pixel, file size: 1. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ...

• Tradition Plaza – Marks the entrance to the memorial and reflects on Aggie traditions.^[46]
• History Walk – Consists of 89 stones representing the 89 previous years of Bonfire. A gap in the timeline signifies the 1963 Bonfire, which did not burn due to the Kennedy assassination. The three previous Bonfire-related deaths are also memorialized on this time line.^[46]
• Spirit Ring – The ring surrounds the site of the collapse and represents the spirit that brought the students together. Twelve portals are placed around the ring, oriented toward each student's hometown. Twenty-seven stones complete the ring, representing the 27 students injured in the collapse.^[47]

The memorial design has been recognized by several organizations as an outstanding architectural design and masonry feat. The American Institute of Architects, San Antonio Chapter, recognized the memorial as a winner of the 2005 AIA San Antonio Design Award.^[48] The memorial also was recognized as a winner of the 2005 MCAA International Excellence in Masonry Awards.^[49] The American Institute of Architects (AIA) is a professional organization for architects in the United States. ...

To further honor the victims, in 2000, the Aggie Replant Committee planted twelve live oak trees at the Polo Grounds.^[21] Southern live oaks on Skidaway Island, near Savannah, Georgia Live oak is a general term for a number of unrelated oaks in several different sections of the genus Quercus that happen to share the character of evergreen foliage. ...

Continuation

The 2005 Student Bonfire

Despite the university's refusal to allow Bonfire to take place on campus, a non-university sanctioned Bonfire took its place. The first of the unofficial Bonfires was held in 2002 and was known as the "Unity Project." This fire consisted of three piles of wood, with the center stack being 35 feet (10 m) high.^[50] Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (453x604, 34 KB) Summary Texas A&M 2005 Student Bonfire burning. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (453x604, 34 KB) Summary Texas A&M 2005 Student Bonfire burning. ...

In 2003, the event became known as Student Bonfire. In a design approved by a professional engineer, Student Bonfire uses a wedding cake design, but, in a departure from tradition, every log in the stack touches the ground. For added support, four 24 feet (10 m) poles are spaced evenly around stack and then bolted to the 45 feet (10 m) center pole with a steel pipe. These poles are known as Windle-sticks, after Levi Windle, a staunch supporter of Student Bonfire who died in an unrelated accident in 2003.^[51][52] Since the group does not receive funding, Student Bonfire charges a small fee to each attendee to cover expenses. Attendance for Student Bonfire ranges from 8,000-15,000 people and the event is held in Brazos County or one of the surrounding counties.^[51] Brazos County is a county located in the state of Texas. ...

See also

• Traditions of Texas A&M University
• Hex Rally

Texas A&M University The traditions of Texas A&M University are entrenched in the culture of Texas A&M University. ... Hex Rally (sometimes Texas Hex) is a pep rally at The University of Texas at Austin that occurs in the week prior to the annual football game between the Texas Longhorns and their main rivals, the Texas A&M Aggies. ...

References

Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 232nd day of the year (233rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... The Dallas Morning News is the major daily newspaper serving the Dallas, Texas area. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Texas A&M University redirects here. ... 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Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 342nd day of the year (343rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Salon. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 226th day of the year (227th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 326th day of the year (327th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 238th day of the year (239th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... The University of Texas System comprises fifteen educational institutions in Texas, of which nine are general academic universities, and six are health institutions. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 237th day of the year (238th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 324th day of the year (325th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1998 (MCMXCVIII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link will display full 1998 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 5th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1987 (MCMLXXXVII) was a common year starting on Thursday (link displays 1987 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 319th day of the year (320th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 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Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 358th day of the year (359th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 84th day of the year (85th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1992 (MCMXCII) was a leap year starting on Wednesday (link will display full 1992 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 300th day of the year (301st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 302nd day of the year (303rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 308th day of the year (309th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1994 (MCMXCIV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link will display full 1994 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 317th day of the year (318th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 234th day of the year (235th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 267th day of the year (268th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1996 (MCMXCVI) was a leap year starting on Monday (link will display full 1996 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 1995 (MCMXCV) was a common year starting on Sunday (link will display full 1995 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 228th day of the year (229th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 322nd day of the year (323rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 331st day of the year (332nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 332nd day of the year (333rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... This article is about the year. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... February 28 is the 59th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 123rd day of the year (124th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 153rd day of the year (154th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Logo of The Battalion The Battalion is the student newspaper of Texas A&M University. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 246th day of the year (247th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 208th day of the year (209th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 72nd day of the year (73rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 115th day of the year (116th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 144th day of the year (145th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 166th day of the year (167th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2000 (MM) was a leap year starting on Saturday (link will display full 2000 Gregorian calendar). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 169th day of the year (170th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 36th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... The New York Times is a daily newspaper published in New York City and distributed internationally. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 58th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Logo of The Battalion The Battalion is the student newspaper of Texas A&M University. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 301st day of the year (302nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2003 (MMIII) was a common year starting on Wednesday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Logo of The Battalion The Battalion is the student newspaper of Texas A&M University. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 323rd day of the year (324th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2004 (MMIV) was a leap year starting on Thursday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 325th day of the year (326th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 48th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 330th day of the year (331st in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Also see: 2002 (number). ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... 17 November is also the name of a Marxist group in Greece, coinciding with the anniversary of the Athens Polytechnic uprising. ... Year 2005 (MMV) was a common year starting on Saturday (link displays full calendar) of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... is the 305th day of the year (306th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2006 (MMVI) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ... Year 2007 (MMVII) is the current year, a common year starting on Monday of the Gregorian calendar and the AD/CE era. ... is the 62nd day of the year (63rd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar. ...

Further reading

• The Texas Aggie Bonfire : tradition and tragedy at Texas A&M, (2000), ISBN 0967943302

External links

• The official Aggie Bonfire site (now an official memorial site)
  • Memorial for the Fallen — includes information about the fallen and victims
• Video of Longhorn Band's 1999 Tribute — requires RealPlayer
• Bonfire Memorial Site
• The Special Commission on the 1999 Bonfire
• Student Bonfire - Rebuilding the Tradition