F-1 at Bretton Woods, NH in Oct 01 (Dick & Barbara Bauchspies hosts)Pictures at end of column
128th Column. 1 Mar 02 (your Scribe went on Medicare rolls today). Late, but my b-ache is not wanting to start because of bad news. My last submission was filled with great news about Santa Fe Mini, wedding photo, news of another wedding and two engagements. Sadly, we have lost four class (and classy) ladies since that upbeat report.
4 Oct 01. Report from Pete Brintnall: “Larry Malone's widow, Joyce Del Re, died of cancer in October. We just learned about it. As you know, Larry was honored specifically at the class memorial service two years ago and Joyce accepted the invitation by the class to attend. The DC M2 folks took her dinner the night before the ceremony where we all got to know each other for the first time. She was a lovely lady and we all had a wonderful evening. John Herren served with Larry while at Georgetown and he got to know Joyce well. John wrote the following and gave me his permission to share it with the class.”
Continuing with info from John Herren: “I am saddened by the news of Joyce's death although I knew she was battling a form of cancer. A lovely lady and old time friend who, fortunately, recently overcame many years of bitterness over what she saw as the futility of Larry's death in Vietnam. This happened when she came up to take part in the reinstitution of the Malone Trophy award at Georgetown five years ago and when she took part in the memorial service where Larry was honored by our Class on 21 May 2000. At least she died knowing that the country and particularly ‘58 valued Larry's sacrifice. May she rest in peace, John.” AMEN.
26 Jan 02. Jack Gordon notified us of our next loss: “I'm sorry to report that Cary Martin's wife, Maria, died of cancer January 26. Sam Collins, Harry Kramp, Jerry Lewis and I represented the class at services Thursday.” Fortunately for your Scribe, the first of our Mini Reunions was in Palm Springs. There I met Maria when she & Cary attended that western class gathering. Confirmed Californians that they were, I do not believe they came east for any of the reunions at West Point. The class is thankful that Sam, Harry, Jerry and Jack attended the services. Grip hands! May Maria rest in peace and may classmates continue to support Cary.
4 Feb 02. We lost one of our June Ladies, Barbara Zimmer. Here is Wick’s poignant email to the class: “My Sergeant Major, Chief Scout, and dearest friend deployed on Monday 4 February for a better place. She went into an outpatient clinic on Thursday for a routing procedure -- to inject anti-inflammatory into a pinched nerve in her neck. The needle caused a stroke and permanently paralyzed her form the C1 to C5 disk. She was ventilator dependent but her mind was fully functional. By Sunday, the kids got in from Europe and we all said our last good-bye. Life support was pulled Monday and she died almost immediately at peace and surrounded by her family.
“We had an Irish wake that night and got drunk while sharing memories of her. She was cremated, no funeral, flowers, donations, or condolences. For her, it was a good way to die. For me, I'm having difficulty in writing this. Wick Zimmer I-2.” There is nothing I can add to that message except to say that Barbara & Wick are in our prayers. Since Barbara’s death, Wick met with firstie roommates Stan Bacon and Dale Cockle in Austin. First time in 43 years those three had gotten together.
19 Feb 02. We lost another June Lady, Ethel Brown. Report from Jack Downing: “Sadly I must report that Ethel died today. Clyde left a message on my answering machine so I have no particulars. He will call back later. I'm sure that we all mourn her passing. She moved to Highland Falls to be near Clyde and became close to all H-2.”
And a later report from Kyle Rector: “Attended the service with Steve Glick '57 & his wife Carol. There was a receiving line at the back of the chapel. Got to express my condolences to Clyde and his family. Clyde gave a very moving talk about Ethel and their experiences as a military family. Ceremony was first class. John Soper was there. He and Clyde were roommates.” Ethel will be buried at West Point Cemetery on Good Friday, 29 Feb. Jack arranged for H-2 and class flowers at 27 Feb memorial service at Ft Sill Chapel.
Short story about Ethel. I roomed with Clyde and Jim Hall firstie year when Jack screwed up at landed on Bde staff. Ethel would drive out from Highland Falls with boodle for us via the tunnel under the gym direct to 55th Div. I was the only one she would allow to make the pick-up. Ethel’s rationale: if Clyde were caught it would screw up their social plans. Jim was H-2 company commander and Ethel thought it would be unseemly for him to be caught. I was expendable!
Plebe Marchback. Ed Weckel has promoted this event (his third) via class email net. CCQ Pete Penczer in his latest company-net email reports that “Frank Harlem is also going to do the Plebe walkback with Jody LeTowt and John Brinson, so now (C-2 has) three for that event.” Reporting on all classmates signed up is similar to painting a moving train. Scribe will wait for the after-action report from Ed. May be too late to sign-up when you read this in May, but contact Ed if interested.
Definition of aging. Bud Moentmann’s son Jim ’81 made colonel BTZ and is commanding an Aviation Group in Korea. One of our sons a colonel? O-6 command? We are getting old. Soon we will have a grandchild attending USMA.
Class Ring Memorial Program. Ron Turner had this idea and, with AOG help, made it a reality. ’02 was the first to have gold from “old grads” rings included in the gold for their rings. The ‘03 meltdown of 19 additional class rings along with gold saved from the first meltdown was on 25 Feb. Ron was not able to attend because Sue had open-heart surgery on 12 Feb. According to Ron, “she is a ‘tough’ lady. She has come through with ‘flying colors.’” He went on to say, “She will be ‘up and at it’ for Pensacola and for the Vienna cruise.” Prayers and best wishes for Sue’s recovery.
Back to meltdown. Dick & Barbara Bauchspies filled in for Ron as our class representatives. Dick presented ’58 rings donated by Tom Claffey and Ron Turner. Dick wrote a wonderful letter and enclosed the program, an article from Providence Journal, and an article entitled “Chivalry in Adversity,” written by MG Andrew Low ’42. MG Low died 1 Aug 00 and his wife & daughter donated his ring. The chivalry in adversity was his account of being shot down, bailing out and being captured by Germans. Low’s ring was taken by soldiers and, on the third day of interrogation, was returned by a Luftwaffe officer. The officer advised Low to hide it and not wear it again until he was free. All rings are special, but this one even more so. Thanks for the report, Dick.
Another special ring story from MAJ Pat Mangin ’90, a “P” in G&EE. “Two faculty members and four cadets from the Dept of Geography and Environmental Engineering recently visited Thailand during an Advanced Individual Academic Development (AIAD) workshop, sponsored by USARPAC. During the last visit (Aug 01), the West Point Society of Thailand sponsored a dinner for the USMA delegation and it was hosted by GEN Pichitr (our own Pete Kullavanijaya). He told us a fabulous ‘lost ring story’ during dinner. He lost his ring in Vietnam while he was an advisor there. Just last month, an antique dealer from NJ contacted AOG about a ring he found with General Pichitr's inscription on the ring band. I do not remember all of the details but I thought it would be a great Assembly article or at least mentioned in your class notes for the Assembly.” Done. Many thanks to Pat Mangin.
Out of space, story of my life. You cannot believe how much info I have on hand. Time for an email edition of 128.5th Column that I hope to snail-mail to those not wired. Next time war stories from skiers at Whistler and Pensacola Mini.
PS--more sad news. Jim Frick died on 8 March. No details, but I believe the cause was heart attack. Jim will be buried at Arlington National Cemetery on 1 April. "Well done, rest in peace."
------------------------ Photos listed below (click on thumbnail for larger view) ----------------
1.
F-1 at Bretton Woods, NH in Oct 01 (Dick & Barbara Bauchspies hosts)
2.
L-R: Chuck Davis, Walt Patterson, Mike Jones & Mac Williams (they were
1,2,3,4 in pilot training class)
3.
Almost a “Texas mini” in Oct 01
4.
Jim & Dottie Castle and Flipper in Nov 01
5.
L-R: Sullinger, Rector and Higgins at Kyle’s daughter Catherine’s wedding
20 Oct 01
6.
Beat Navy party in San Francisco: Gordon, Kramp, Lewis, Grimm (host) and
Collins
7.
Sam & Joan Collins and family Nov 01