George W Sibert

2 July1999. Still one day late and still at least two beers short of a six-pack. Good news and bad news on photos. Good is that four not used in 111^th will appear here. Bad is that being late means that photos of Jim Ramsden’s plaque unveiling ceremony in Cullum Hall, dedication of the George Walker Debate Room in Lincoln Hall, Bill Serchack’s 65^th birthday and our ’99 Mini (Grad Enrichment Seminar) will appear next time. Sorry.

Roll call. Sadly, this list continues to grow. We are definitely in the zone of consideration for the final selection. Most recent to fall was Ted Burke (D-1) who died on 31 May 1999 of a sudden heart attack. There was a memorial service at Roswell United Methodist Church (near Atlanta). Especially sad is that Ted & Dr Mary McCreary were to have been married there on 10 July. Mary; Ted’s son, Tom; his three daughters, Maureen Liegeot, Kathy Rekston and Betsy Burke; his four brother and many other family members were at USMA for the funeral mass at the Catholic Chapel followed by interment in the West Point Cemetery on 15 Jun. The 38 of us at the ’91 Mini attended Ted’s final P-rade. Your Scribe learned that Ted was graduated from Highland Falls HS. Many of his old friends and classmates from before our cadet days attended the services also. My thanks to Jay Tirre for representing ’58 at the service in Roswell and for sending the newspaper obit, passed along to the new D1 CCQ John Schaefer for help in finding an author for Ted’s Assembly memorial article.

Another joining the ghostly assemblage was Ron Brunner (I-1) on 20 Nov 98 in Los Angeles from liver failure. The class was notified late with little information, but Ken Herberger provided more details. Ron’s ashes were spread in the Pacific at his request. He was an Asst Pastor at Mt Zion Missionary Baptist Church and was very active in prison ministry. Ron was a major influence in establishing Habitat for Humanity in LA. He served as LA Director for Habitat in 1995. In retirement, he continued to volunteer work for Habitat. Ron is survived by his three sisters: Charlotte Pruitt in Pasadena, CA; Jean Pruitt in Moreno, CA and Marland Clemens in College Station, TX. Donations can be made to Habitat for Humanity in Ron's name. Scribe’s addition: reunions are important opportunities to see one another. It was great talking to Ron at our 35^th and having him lead the former choir and glee club members in singing at our dinner. I had not seen Ron since graduation

At the conclusion of the ’91 Mini on 17 June, 28 of us gathered in the cemetery for our traditional Memorial Service. We’ve lost eight since the service at Camp Buckner during our 40^th. In addition to Ted and Ron, the other six (reported in earlier columns) were Joe Scherffius (ex-M-1), Jack Madigan (H-2), Jim Ramsden (I-2), Dick Webb (I-2) and Larry Burchell (’59 M-2). Tom Burke added his mother, Joanna Burke who died in 1985. We miss them – all 110 classmates, former classmates and wives.

LIFO. Last in, first out inventory technique for other news, I have more sad information to pass along. Quoting from Don Johnson’s 28 June letter: "the most frightful words one ever hears – ‘she is in critical condition and we will do everything we can to save her.’" That is what he heard in March while he & Pat were vacationing in SC. She started feeling poorly, thought it was flu. Progressed to having difficulty breathing, so they called a rescue squad. Initial diagnosis: lungs clear, antibiotic will take care of her. On the way home Pat got worse, so Don took her to ER in "big city of Hamlet, NC." She went into the ICU where done got the line quoted earlier. Six days later Pat was air lifted to UVA Med Center where she spent 45 days in hospital, 35 on a respirator. Seems Pat had a rare bacteria immune to antibiotics. She wound up with a rare lung problem, but is home: completely debilitate and on 10 drugs, primarily prednisone. Don writes, "She seems to be improving, but the docs say it will take a year, maybe more." Another one to add your prayer lists.

1999 Mini Reunion, a happier subject. Thirty-eight of us reported into Herbert Hall on 14 June. We were billeted in the new barrack near the Supe’s quarters, about where E-2 lived in Old North Area in our cadet days. MacArthur’s statue is on the corner of the plain at the corner of these barracks, hence the names "Mac Short" and "Mac Long." Our band included Cartwright, Fay, Votruba, Goodenough, Bauchspies, Tony Bauer, York, Brockwell (printer of our Memorial Service bulletins), Hansult, Buckalew (moderator of ’58 email lists), Shellenberger, Galen, Jerry Mitchell, Sigurski (guy who thought of having a Mini at West Point), Downing (CINC Obits), Nun (keeper of the class addresses), Stevens, Weckel, Sedgwick, Sibert, Puscheck, John Schaffer, Oelke, Prochaska, Oberg, Lee Miller (famous for helping the ladies sell Howitzer art), McGrew, Le Towt, Paul Johnson, Rector, Brintnall, Hudson, Holecek, Lawton, Guenther, Dan Johnson, Glover and Millspaugh.

We had three grand days of talking to cadets there for myriad reasons: summer school, the detail for summer school, the detail preparing for CBT (Cadet Basic Training, still called "Beast Barracks," but far more soldier oriented than cadet oriented as in our day), the detail preparing for CFT (Cadet Field Training, Camp Buckner) and the detail leading a group of high school rising seniors who are invited to spend a week at West Point based on their pre-SAT scores. I must have missed some.

We had "Core Courses": briefings from the Dean (1^st morning in Thayer Hall), the Com (2d morning at Camp Buckner)) and Supe (3d morning in Washington Hall). We had "electives" on two afternoons. ’58 went to Ted Burke’s funeral and the George Walker Debate Room dedication. We had a bus tour of the facilities with the USMA Installation Planner. We had PE in the Gym (just beginning a major 5-year renovation funded as an Army MCA program). We were in the portion with the obstacle course—which will be retained virtually as we endured it minus the parallel bar arm walk with some balance beam in its place. We had breakfast in Grant Hall, at Buckner and in the Cadet Messhall. Other meals were in the O Club, lunch in First Class Club, in a special function room in Washington Hall, and on the Supe’s boat.

Many of us arrived as doubters and skeptics. Most left as believers. As Mark Sigurski said to me on the phone today, "The Corps has – has gotten better!" More from Mark, "the kids on our tables were impressive, self-confident… the conversations were good. The officers are genuinely interested in the cadets, not as adversarial as in our day." He found the Graduate Enrichment Seminar "very positive and refreshing." It was far better than Mark expected. I add my Amen to his remarks.

The Supe, Com and Dean were all good presenters, and good listeners. They listened to the questions and comments of us old grads from classes of ’40, ’46, ’50, ’51 (one of our Tacs), ‘53 ’55 (two of our firsties), ’57, ’59, ’60, ’61 (one of our plebes), ’67, ’69, ’75, ’76 and ’89. They answered the questions directly with no evasions. And so did the staff members who had the "electives."

In the orderly room of D-4 (where we were billeted), I found cadet spot reports and "wrote up" the Supe, Com, Dean and our "Tac," LTC John Luther ’77 who was stuck running the first Grad Enrichment Seminar. I cited the Com for bravery: he put us on the rifle range with M16s and live ammo after briefings by the Director of Military Instruction and the Master of the Sword! We were greeted at the range by soldiers from the 10^th Mountain Div who issued us "Kevlar," the name for helmets which replaced our "steel pots." Then cadets coached us in the fighting positions and adjusted the sights after firing six rounds for zero. Three more rounds for "record" and Mike York was the "top gun."

While on the dinner cruise, the Supe announced that the final bricks had been removed from Shea Stadium on the North Athletic Fields. I promptly yelled out that I would like a brick—which I got the next morning at the beginning of the Supe’s talk to us. Many asked excellent questions and made provocative comments. Two of the best or most interesting were from COL Thaddeus Nosek ’40 (Army-Ret) and LTG Leavitt ’50 (USAF-Ret). Nosek told the Supe how much he enjoyed the seminar and suggested USMA host an Elderhostel so that grads and wives could stay in the barracks. That "action" was passed to LTC Luther.

LTG Lloyd Leavitt commented that the seven Army values, Loyalty, Duty, Respect, Selfless-Service, Honor, Integrity and Personal Courage, did not include Country. LTG Christman responded that Selfless-Service represents Country. I agreed with Leavitt that the new CSA should consider changing that one to the simpler word, Country, the defense of which is the raison d’etre for the US Army!

There was an excellent and longer report from George Lawton on our class email and the many briefings will be posted to a web page long before you read this. Chances are there will be an accompanying article in the Assembly. We missed the rest of you. I fully expected 70-80 based on prior Mini-Reunions. YOU should consider attending a future seminar. Remember, the idea was Mark Sigurski’s. When ’58 got in touch with the Supe about such a Mini, he jumped on the idea and broadened to Grad Seminar for all classes.

There are many "sound bites" I could relate about the three days, but two should get your attention. The first concerns Beast Barracks: the new cadets will spend only five days in cadet uniforms and the remainder of the time in BDUs (current version of fatigues), ending the summer with a live-fire squad ambush exercise. The second is about the HS seniors there for the week while we were attending the seminar: it is the best source of recruiting for USMA—30% of the attendees wind up as cadets! I spoke to a few, one of whom was wearing a t-shirt with Manassas wrestling. He confirmed he was a wrestler. I told the group we wanted them all, but the wrestler had to come because we haven’t beaten Navy in something like 30 years!

Two Tony Smith pieces which missed the 111^th column. First, at our April class lunch and business meeting, Tony arranged for Arnaud de Borchgrave to be our guest speaker. Mr de Borchgrave has vast experience as a correspondent, considerably more time in dangerous places than most soldiers, is well known as former Chief International Correspondent for Newsweek and more recently Editor-in-Chief of the Washington Times. He is now CEO of UPI and a senior advisor at CSIS, the organization that keeps Tony off the welfare rolls. Arnaud sandwiched in lunch (pun intended) before catching a plane en route to Europe to continue by train and bus to Belgrade for an interview with Slobodan Milosevic. The interview was reported in the NY Times and Washington Times on/about 1 May. A simple thank you for BG Smith and Mr de Borchgrave seems inadequate, but it is the best your Scribe can do. Thank you!

In an email to those on the class net I wrote, "Rodney Smith '53, Tony's brother, was killed in Vietnam in June 1967 just before assuming command of the 1st Engineer Battalion, 1st Infantry Division. I knew his brother in Vietnam; he was an outstanding soldier. In fact, this family of Smiths, father and two sons ('26, '53 and '58) are great sons of West Point who have rendered terrific service to the Army and our country."

The next bit about Tony and his brother Rod is quoted from "Gray Matter," an email circulation about West Point. "The ski slope at West Point, dedicated in 1946 to the memory of CPT S. V. Constant, provides a recreational and competitive sport for the community. The slope's main run has recently been named the ‘Rod Smith Run,’ in memory of the man who contributed greatly to the slope's development. During his tour as an instructor and assistant professor in the Department of Military Art from 1962-66, LTC Rodney Howe Smith ('53) was also a ski instructor, and instrumental in the design and building of two new ski lifts and the installation of an extensive snowmaking system. He implemented a pommel lift on the slope beside the bunny hill; a slope that was known as the "Rod Smith Glade." His brother, BGEN (R) Anthony Smith, said the task was a ‘labor of love for Rodney. He marked each and every tree.

"The dedication service on February 12th included a plaque unveiling, speeches, and a ceremonial ski run on the glade by the Superintendent, ski club cadets and members of the Smith family. " Well done, Rod, rest in peace.

Back to the almost present. COL Daniel J Kaufman ‘68, Professor and Head of Social Sciences hosted the George Walker Debate Room dedication in Lincoln Hall (the BOQ next to Cullum Hall in our days). Tom Carpenter, a debate partner of George’s, was key to making this debate room a reality, working with our class Executive Committee, the Walker family and USMA. Tom and LTG Abbott C Greenleaf ’49 (USAF-Ret), who was the OIC of the cadet debate team for George’s four years, made excellent remarks about George and his prowess as a debater. George and Jim Murphy ’57 were the team that won the 1956 National Debate Tournament. They finished second in 1957. As firsties, George and Tom won the annual debate between USMA and RMC of Canada. Tom’s longer letter report is temporarily AWOL in my piles of paper; therefore, more details and photos next time.

Not unlike Pooh, a bear of little brain, I have forgotten to mention a book all DC files should buy, "Washington, D.C. Past and Present," by Peter R Pencser, son of Lynn & Pete. The younger Peter has matched historical photos of DC with current photos he took from the computer-matched, exactly the same perspective. Many old photos could not be used because a photographer cannot stand at the same place to take the current version. Judy & I take some small credit for this book because we introduced Lynn & Pete during EOBC in Sep-Oct 1958.

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Ray Tomlinson, son Roy '86, Chris Dreyer '32 (Kay Lou's stepfather) in Dec 97	Jonh and Laura Schaffer at Hershey Mini Sep 97	Edgie Waller, Margaret Mary and Don McCullough Dec 97	IG/CMI Team at First Class Club Aug 97

112th Column