European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 10, 1985, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday november 10, 1985 the stars and stripes Page 17 Deerfield and scored 1.200 on the Scholastic aptitude tests. A standout hockey player. Shea was recruited by Harvard Yale and other Eastern colleges. He was our no. 1  said Steve Hoar a Lormer assistant coach at West Point. I be known him since his Sophomore year at Deerfield. He was a Fine player one of the Best around in the Boston  Shea became the army s fifth All Lime leading scorer. On a recruiting Viii to West Point Shea met Gen. Joseph p. Franklin then the Academy s commandant and both were equally impressed. He basically talked to me about the difference be tween West Point and an Ivy league education said Shea. He pretty much convinced me that i could do Well at West Point. He told me that an Ivy league education for a person Lite myself would t he beneficial. I d be in the Middle of my class and i would t be Able to show any leadership. The big difference was responsibility he said. Hoar finds it hard to believe that Shea would put any thing in jeopardy. Any firstie senior walks a Fine line. They Don t want anything to go  his Latty describes Shea As somewhat naive and Trust ing. Biff in some ways is very shy and very private said his older sister Lauren. He s not demanding. He does t ask a lot of questions. He accepts it calmly and quietly and then mulls it  added his Mother Frances he s very naive to the real world and the real things people  Shea could not have guessed that the Academy s punishment for mishandling a package would spell the end of his army career. Back on april 1, in the hectic remaining hours of the 24 hour Central guard duty shift at Washington Hall Shea and three cadets in his charge Cross referenced packages and broadcast announcements that echoed through the Stone Barracks. Michael Lungaard one of the tour on duty signed for a United parcel service delivery of approximately 100 packages including a Box addressed to Frank Condor. The cadets checked the company roster but failed to and anyone named Condor. We looked in the package for a separate name a company name Shea said. We thought  misdirected the  White the four searched the Box of five size 17vz shirts and two pairs of pants size 34 Waist for an identifying slip a delivery of 200 weapons arrived. The Box was tossed in the Back of the guard room and the four concentrated on checking serial numbers on m-16 and m60 rifles grenade launchers and pistols. After dinner a commanding officer told Shea to clean up trn  room. Get rid of the rest of the stuff the officer said. Do whatever you want with the rest of the stuff throw it  Shea tossed the wrappings and refuse away and considered disposing of the package addressed to Condor. Instead he tossed the Box on top of an empty locker in his company s trunk room a storage facility for some 200 Cwi to. I thought Why throw these clothes out Shea said. At the end of the year All the firs ties throw their clothes in a Phe what happens is you go and take the clothes you want. I figured someone could take the clothes and Wear  three weeks later Cadet Frank Cowden approached Shea. Do you have a package for me he asked no replied Shea. There were a Bunch of packages in the Central guard room. It might have gotten thrown out because i threw out some of the packages we could t identify. I did t see anything with your name on  by the urn she realized the mls marked package belonged to Cowden it was too late. Cowden had already contacted the criminal investigation come. Sgt. Thomas Cline an my with the command asked Shea if he took the package. He denied stealing it but recalled throwing a package of clothes in the trunk room. Shea took clone to the trunk room and pointed out the package. The clothes had been worn and some items we resound. If i was going to steal somebody s clothes. What would i have done with the clothes Shea said. I mean you would t leave them there. That would be ridiculous. A month before graduation. That s stupid it s Tocy. You d throw them away anybody would Dine Ned a report indicating Shea had admitted stealing the package and had intended to Wear the clothes Al though they were much too big or his 5-foot-9. 160 Pound Frame. Shea initiated the report without Reading it. On May 15, the army charged Shea with larceny in the theft of $450 Worth of clothing and conduct Unbe , military acid my cad Fri in their Camhout a Hall. New York Titi photo coming a Cadet. As word of the charges spread Shea found himself shunned by senior officers. It started to become a  Shea said. They got real quiet. It was like me against  an article 32 hearing was scheduled for May 21. The Day before graduation. Shea said his military counsel. Cap. John huw5n of fort Dix  told him. They think you re guilty and they to flying to make an example of you to show other cadets not to  Shea s civilian lawyer. Mark Amsterdam complained he had too Little time to find witnesses who d seen the clothing in the trunk room. We never had a Chance Amsterdam said. Shea considered resigning then but the colonels said the system works. It will be fair you la have your Chance at the article 32 hearing Shea said. At the hearing Cline Cowden two character witnesses for Shea and the other cadets who d been on Central guard duty testified. Shea was never called to the stand because every Lhing would be  a said. After the hearing Shea Felt it would be too painful to stick around Campus during graduation time. He asked Permis Sion to return to Massachusetts but was told he d been assigned to a work detail. He would have to stay to perform various clerical duties. A week later Shea s car would t Start. A Mechanic told him someone had poured five Gallons of water into the Gas tank. Intensifying Shea s ordeal on Campus was the suicide of Daniel Cockerill a Sophomore Cadet and standout Lacrosse player who hanged himself in his room May 19. Because of the pressures on Biff Cockerill s death seemed especially tragic to the Shea family. My husband was devastated by the look in Biff s  said mrs. Shea. He got into a shouting Malch with the tactical officer. He said. I want my son Back in Good Condi Tion not in a casket " Shea finally received permission to leave on june 6. The article 32 hearing report calling for a general court martial was submitted to the Academy s superintendent. It. Gen. Willad Scott who approved it and told Shea to pre pare for trial. She t Mother called officers at West Point sent letters to congressmen and even telegraphed first lady Nancy Reagan saying her son was being used As a Scapegoat. He has no rights As a Cadet. Please  col. Richard w. Tragemann of the department of army responded to mrs. Shea s Telegram assuring her that your son s rights will be protected during the investigative process and any proceedings which May  but Biff Shea already Felt Defeated. No matter what happened at the court martial there was no Way i could win Shea said. And even if i won the court martial my character was already ruined my career in the army was already done even it i beat the court martial they d bring me up on Honor charges or misconduct. No matter what there s no Way to beat the  Shea resigned from the army on june 27. The army eventually granted him a general discharge under Honora ble conditions. Officers at West Point refused to discuss his Case referring All questions to the Public affairs office where spokeswoman Andrea hamburger said there would be no comment. Shea s plight which Cost his family $ 15,000 in expenses and Legal fees took an emotional toll especially on his ailing father. Francis Shea sr., a High voltage splicer suffers from degenerative asbestosis and pc poisoning. He finds ii difficult to comprehend the army s treatment of his son. He did his four years and he s honest As the Day is Long the senior Shea said tearfully. He respected the uniform and they lied to  after leaving West Point Shea worked for a construction Crew and coached Peewee hockey in the Boston area. For months his dress Gray uniforms Hung neatly in his closet. Then on oct. 9, Shea walked into the Navy s new England recruiting Center in Boston and applied to the flight program in Pensacola. Fla. I wanted to prove to myself that i could be a Good  Shea said. On a recent visit to West Point Shea strode across Campus with the proud bearing of an officer head High shoulders Back Chest out. Underclassmen hurrying past paid no attention to the Young Man in scuffed Cowboy boots. On his Way to Washington Hall Shea paused briefly at an army personnel Only sign before walking past it. I m still a  he said firmly