The pillow fight at West Point Academy is an annual bonding tradition but this year’s instalment in August reportedly left around 24 participants unconscious after some of the cadets stuffed their pillowcases with hard objects.
According to the New York Times, another cadet even suffered a broken leg in the event and others dislocated shoulders, in the ultimate example of overenthusiastic people taking something fun way too far.
The academy has since insisted that none of the injuries are severe and all the cadets have returned to duty.
Video and images of this summer’s pillow fight emerged online a couple of weeks ago, showing the sheer scale and carnage of the skirmish. However, West Point only confirmed the occurrence of the pillow fight on Thursday.
The annual night-time event has been described as a harmless way of blowing off steam at the end of a gruelling summer of training, but it’s fair to say that the soldiers were a little over-exuberant this year!
No disciplinary action has been taken against the cadets and there are no plans to end the yearly pillow fight which has taken place since 1897.
It’s all a little bit Full Metal Jacket isn’t it? Maybe take it just slightly easier on each other next year, guys?
