131st Column. 3 Sep. Late. Nothing new. Yes, there is. Seven photos were submitted following the Plebe March-Back on 13 Aug. And, the column was actually begun when the last one was sent in, but your digitally challenged Scribe lost it somewhere in cyber space. If you think this effort will be more disorganized than ever, correctomundo.
Once again this column must begin with bad news. John Meloy joined the ghostly assemblage on 11 Aug, a victim of cardiac arrest. In fact, John had terrible year with an undiagnosed illness that began on business travel in Jul or Aug 01. The DC gang from both his ’58 & ’59 classes were fortunate in seeing John at our annual memorial service in May for ’58 files who fell in SE Asia. This year we honored Ralph Wensinger, another double ’58 & ’59 file. This accounted for large turnout from both classes. Back to John, our thanks to Phil Gibbs, yet another double ’58 & ’59 file, for keeping both his classes up-to-speed on John’s deteriorating condition. Our prayers are with Irene and their family. John will be buried at Arlington, but the date and time are still to be determined. For this son of West Point it can surely be said, “well done, be thou at peace.”
I recently checked my email at the local Ludington, MI library. Tidbits follow. Back in 1957 some ten French hives made an exchange trip to the French military academies. And, 45 years later four of them made the repeat trip. As you may recall, Tony Smith was instrumental in getting St Cyr cadets to march in USMA 2002 graduation p-rade as part of the bicentennial celebration. And, Tony was key to getting USMA cadets to march down the Champs in July as part of St Cyr’s bicentennial. I believe this was first time US troops marched down the Champs since the celebration ending WW2. Dale & Dodie Hruby, Butch & Nancy Ordway, John & Marti Sewall completed the 2002 trip section with Bonnie Lourie & Tony. The 130th had a photo of Tony & Linc Jones receiving DA awards in connection with arranging foreign participation in the USMA Bicentennial.
While touring L’Ecole Polytechnique, our four Francophiles found a portrait of M. Monge (1746-1818). Monge is a forebearer of our own Mung Moore (source of his nickname?) It was an enlarged version of an 18-Franc stamp. The family resemblance was striking! Sorry the photo is not clear enough for Assembly.
I had a great report on the Third Annual Williamsburg invitational, but the email message disappeared after reading it. Tony & Billie Nadal excelled again on this one. Watch for the dates for 2003 repeat of this activity. Perhaps Tony will arrange it in conjunction with our 45th Reunion. Is there any reader who does not have 45th on his calendar? Hope not, but for good luck the dates are 10-14 Sep 03 (Garry Roosma) with a cruise to Nova Scotia following (Betty Puscheck).
Glenn Brown, in an email to F-2 files, reported that son Lt Cdr Glenn Jr, USN has been “promoted ahead of his contemporaries” which is Navy-speak for below the zone. Son Glenn is a Naval Aviator. The basic message from F-2 CCQ was to seek help for Renate Sheehan on Leo’s memorial article. Having a CCQ moving out so smartly on this task is great news for our CINC Obits, Jack Downing. Glenn, pop your chest up on both accounts!
Company Reunions. C-1 is having another in Sep. Jack Tierney is hosting it at South Padre Island, the site of our 1991 Mini Reunion organized by Jack. From the email traffic, herding the C-1 cats has been more work for him than doing the class mini.
D-1 is having one in Sep, organized by Ben Franklin with assistance from Curt Stender and CCQ John Schaefer. They are meeting in SW Colorado. Activities include a ride on the Silverton-Durango narrow gage railroad. Not sure whether they will learning the words of the country song about the railroad, but...
B-2 is the third company. They gathered in Lynchburg, VA for an affair organized by Don Johnson. They hoped to have Chaplain & Mrs George Bean join them for dinner on Sat night. For both D-1 and B-2 these reunions are their firsts. Other companies with one reunion include A-1, D-2 and H-2. F-1 alias “Fun One” and A-2 are battling for the lead in company reunions. G-2 and I-2 are others with multiple reunions along with C-1 as noted earlier. No doubt there are others I have missed, but missing information is a great way to hear from those involved. If YOUR company was overlooked, please let me know. If YOUR company is rightly AWOL from the list, call your CCQ; get someone in gear to organize a company gathering. Great fun based on the testimonials received combined with personal experience thanks to John & Suzie Soper H-2.
Non-grad classmates. I have been in touch with a number of our non-grad classmates as well as classmates we gifted to ’59 & one ’60. Many have accepted the offer of 30th Reunion Books and class pins (favors for our ladies left over from 30th or 35th reunion) for the price of postage. Together we have been cleaning up the information about them for the upcoming 2002 Bicentennial Register of Graduates and Former Cadets. Aside: if you have not ordered this “keeper” Register, shame on you! Good news is that more of these classmates have applied to become Associate Members of AOG. The Register lists non-grads in two categories. First are those who are “Associate Members of AOG and those about whom other significant information is known.” Below them is the simple alpha listing of “other class members.” The ’58 entries have been improved by adding three to the upper category and six to other class members who had been omitted from prior Registers. We have also provided “significant information” to move some from lower to upper category.
30th Reunion Books & pins. Same offer to any classmates or widows. These are yours for price of first-class postage. Write, call or email. My stockage is being reduced. Love it.
Classmates in need of your prayers, cards, letters. Many of you know that Charley Glover is battling cancer. A blessing for Charley has been support of friends and classmates, especially his I-2 company-mates. The DC gang got to see Charley at the annual Salisbury affair in connection with Army-Navy game in 2000. Charley came to the dinner the night before the game in Meadowlands in Dec 2000 and then the game. For up-to-date info on Charley, please contact I-2 CCQ Stan Bacon.
Pat Donovan is dealing with a malignant brain tumor. Many of us who attended the Santa Fe Mini in Nov last year were fortunate in getting to see Pat & Betty there. A highlight of that reunion for me was joining the Donovans and Connells for lunch one day. Pat’s G-2 company-mates have been staying in close touch with Pat & Betty. For update information contact G-2 CCQ George Lawton.
Red Warner is the third to mention here in need of prayers and cards. I-2 and other classmates have been great about visiting Red. Accepting the risk of sin by omission here is my list. First is Joe Shea (big Joe, one of our last gifts to ’59). Joe has worked hard on behalf of Red to improve his care and living situation. Reminds me of MacArthur’s words about sowing seeds on the fields of friendly strife and bearing fruits. In this case the fruits have not been battlefield victories in distant lands, but genuine love and concern for a football hero dealt a very tough blow by life. In no particular order other visitors include Garry Roosma, John Brinson, Joe Schwar, Mike Daley, Bill Graf (who arranged the visit of the Army football captain with a ball signed by the team. There was a photo of this visit in an earlier edition of these notes), Jim Morgan, Ed & Marilyn Linkiewicz and Jack & Margie Downing. For contact and update information, please check with I-2 CCQ Stan Bacon.
Plebe March-Back. Extracts from our class organizer Ed Weckel follow: “Our march back was bittersweet. First off -- we lost Dan Johnson to the "Ghostly Assemblage" shortly after he signed up for this year's march back. George Lawton had to pull out because of a serious fall in July, resulting in injury to his shoulder and neck, requiring him to wear a neck brace for a while. John Brinson decided that with eight knee operations (four on each leg), the risk of further injury by his participation was too high and he reluctantly withdrew. “Ace” Rolie Peck (one of the original marchers in 2000) had to cancel due to unexpected business requirements. Wally Ward fell off his roof and injured his shoulder early in the year. Later he injured his Achilles tendon at our Pensacola mini reunion while playing softball. Due to hard training and perseverance, Wally was, however, able to complete the march back -- his third -- with a smile on his face and a promise to be there again in 2003 and beyond.
“Now for the good news. The Class was represented by seven marchers (LeTowt, Hugh Morgan and Sibert (First Time Marchers) and Bauer, Collett, Ward and Weckel
(Repeat Marchers). For Hugh Morgan, this was his first plebe hike -- ever. If interested in the details, you'll have to contact Hugh directly.”
Out of time and space, but not information. Scribe closes with an admonition to begin your training or work on your B-ache for Aug 2004 March-Back with plebes from ‘08! YOU can participate in 50th anniversary of our plebe hike and first opportunity to make significant contact with our 50th Reunion class of ’08. Scribe throws down a marker -- ’56 had 18 marchers this year with class of ’06.