The Citadel's nickname was inspired by the 1961 epic film "El Cid," starring Charlton Heston and Sophia Loren. At the time many cadets took their "The Citadel" auto decals and cobbled them up to "EL CID." One alumnus recalls that The Boo (LTC Courvoisie) came by while he was mounting the altered decal and "tried to shame him into foregoing the activity"--which the cadet did until The Boo was out of sight. (Source: communication from Alfred E. (Ed) Williamson, Echo Company, Citadel Class of 1963; communication from MAJ Steven Smith, Commandant's Office, March 1, 2007)
