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154th Photos


          Pictures at end of column

 154th Column.  23 April for Sep-Oct Assembly (next year’s subscriptions begin in Sep; hope YOU subscribed and are not reading a classmate’s magazine).  As promised, more on B-Squads because I ran out of space in 153d for Jul-Aug edition.

            B-Squad Tennis & Squash.  From Jim Castle: “I earned the ‘58 numerals and the USMA monogram and still have them on my B-robe and Gray Jacket.  They were for Squash and Tennis.”   John Bradley confirms this info: “Non-lettering upper class members of the squash and tennis teams were awarded USMA Monograms.”

            B-Squad Soccer.  From Van Van Fleet: “I played on the B Squad Soccer Team yearling year.”  Another B-Squad soccer player, George Robertson: “I played B-Squad soccer yearling year and got the USMA monogram on the gray jacket.  Also got ‘58 numerals for plebe soccer.  As I recall, we played some prep schools on B-Squad and a couple of JV teams when A-Squad played other varsity teams.  Most of my memories are blurry except when Pete Kullavanijaya ask me if I wanted a blind date with a good looking girl at Ft Eustis named Gale”  Good thing Robertson said yes to that blind date offer: more important than numerals or monograms!  And from Bob Julian: “I played B-Squad soccer cow year.  I have no recollection of opponents or record.  The B-Squad letter award was called a ‘monogram.’  I was awarded one.  I was not good enough to make A -Squad firstie year (and as a firstie, could not remain on B-Squad) - therefore back to intermurder.”  Another soccer player wrote: “McGrew: C and B Squad Soccer, 4, 3, 2.”  This confirms that soccer did not have Firsties playing B-Squad.  Apparently, there was no similar prohibition against Firsties on other B Squad teams.

            B-Squad Lacrosse.  From Jim Tilley: “If it were not for B-Squad, I never would have played at the Corps Squad level.  I played all of about 30 minutes of A-Squad but always played a full game at the B-Squad level.  Lacrosse was my passion.”  And from Joel Moore: “I was too small for football; too short for basketball -- the two sports I played in HS.  I played Lacrosse as a plebe, yearling and part of cow year.  My recall of those days: as Plebes, we played a number of games during the spring, mainly against HS teams in the area and some as far away as Maryland, hot bed for lacrosse.  With Ray Riggan as our goalie, I believe we had a near perfect record.  During Yearling and Cow years on B-Squad our opponents were mainly athletic clubs and maybe a junior college or other small colleges.  We did pretty well, but lost Ray to the varsity: the better part of our defense.  All games were played at the academy: no travel funds for B-Squad.”  And from John Cook: “I had never heard of Lacrosse until Plebe year.  I played C-Squad that year, to get on a corps squad table in the mess hall.  Every year, I was cut from the tryouts for A-Squad.  So I played on the B-Squad for three years.  That may not be a record, but only a turn-back could have spent more time on the B-Squad.  I have not picked up a lacrosse stick nor seen a game since graduation.  Do have some fond memories though.”  John concluded with “Life is great here in Duck, on the Outer Banks of North Carolina.  It's my idea of paradise.”  That’s it for email on B-Squads.

            29 June, due tomorrow.  Had this virtually finished last week when the mother of all thunderstorms came thru and fried my motherboard.  Fortunately, the stuff on B-Squads was saved to a CD.  Sadly, the rest was lost.  Then over the weekend we had rain rated as 200-year storm.  Basement was flooded.  Your Scribe is not a happy camper.

            ’58 Leads in Sports, the title of an article by Bill Miles in 14 March 1958 The Pointer which ties in with info in 153d and 154th Columns about B Squads.  Bill highlighted our Major and Minor A athletes.  He wrote that a class contributes as individual athletes, as teams or both.  “The Class of 1958 has contributed to Army Athletics in both of these ways.  The (class) has formed the backbone of the Golf, Gymnastics, Hockey, Pistol, Soccer and Swimming Squads for the last two years.  In some cases they have been ‘carrying the ball’ for three years.

            “However, the outstanding individuals also demand notice.  In this category there are such names as Bourland, Kernan and Slater, Football; O’Quinn, Gymnastics; Riggan, Lacrosse; Byrne, Track; Jones, Rifle; Johnson and Shely, 150 pound Football; Kirk and Goodman, Swimming; Shepherd, Baseball; Harvey, Hettinger and McCormack, Hockey; Parks, Golf; and Oxrieder and Villanes, Soccer.  These are outstanding individuals.  There are many more.”  Long article: gold mine of ’58 athletic history.

            Bill’s concluding paragraph sums it up with some stats: “In their first three years members of the class were awarded 186 sets of Class Numerals, 143 Academy Monograms, 60 Minor A’s and 79 Major A’s from the Army Athletic Association.  Since they arrived members of ’58 have competed on the last Army Boxing Team and the first Army 150 Pound Football Team.  The Class of 1958 has been largely responsible for the greatest Golf, Gymnastics and Hockey Teams in Army Athletic History.”

Something Bill could not have known in March was that Army’s Lacrosse Team went on to win the NCAA Championship in 1958!  Bill did write more about Lacrosse, quoted here in light of NCAA bit: “The Lacrosse squad’s Captain Ray ‘RB’ Riggan is the third Army player to be named an All-American in the past four years and the second goalie to attain such an honor here at West Point.  The squad is augmented by the work of Bob Grete, Dick Smith, John Evans, Mike Harvey, Brad Eliot and Jim Ramsden.”  Scribe thanks Bill Miles for his “gold mine.”  And, thanks to Bill Parks for donating Mary Jane’s collection of Pointer magazines to me, a treasure trove of class history.  More from this super athletic article in future submissions along with more from other Pointer issues.

From Scribe’s message after Savannah Mini sent via class net, repeated here for those not connected: “We had a fantastic gathering for the Savannah Mini.  If you missed it, you really missed a great one.  Roger Waddell and Jae Stanton can pop up their chests!  There were company dinners, an Engineer dinner, a Glee Club dinner, a Memorial Service in St John's Episcopal Church (complete with Bugler from 3d ID Band for TAPS), a fantastic Class Dinner with the Gonzos who had assistance from Fred Easley (aka Elvis Presley) and Kathy Schwar (aka Marilyn Monroe) to celebrate the birthday of penultimate youngest classmate Joe.  Penultimate?  Yes, Joe Schwar is next to youngest.  You all know the youngest is Dave Livingston (AWOL from Savannah) - baby Dave will turn 69 on 13 June 2006.”

Mea culpa is due here.  Joe is NOT the penultimate youngest.  This honor goes to Karl Oelke (5/26/37) followed by Glenn Hall (5/24), Otto Thamasett (5/23), Dick Kloskowski (5/16) and Joe (also 5/16, therefore, tied for 5th).  My error generated a number of emails to correct the record.   Short recap: 33 who entered on 6 July 1954 were born in 1937.  Subtract four non-grads not in touch with class and three who have joined the Ghostly Assemblage and we have 26 “youngsters.”  More than you wanted to know on this subject.

Our 17th annual memorial service at the VN Wall on 21 May honored 13 classmates who died in Southeast Asia with focus this year on Bob Degen.  D2 showed up in force: 38 classmates and wives, including Sylvia and Bob’s daughters, one son-in-law, one significant other and one granddaughter!  They had two company dinners Fri and Sat before the service and the ANCC Brunch following the service.  Kudos to Paul Ruud D2 CCQ for making all the company arrangements plus D2 dinner hosts Bill & Nancy Gillette and Stew & Eve Willis.  Next year the service will be on 20 May.  Special attention will be paid to Dave Nidever L2.  Come and share stories about Dave!

Ghostly Assemblage.  Sadly, the ranks continue to grow.  Jim Emmons made this transition on 29 May.  On email there has been information about Jim and his memorial service in Cottonwood, AZ.  I cannot repeat the info here because it was lost in my PC.  I do know that Judy plans to have Jim’s interment at West Point in Sep-Oct when the dust settles a bit for her.  Watch your email for those details.  Most should remember that Jim was a Medical Corps doctor in the USAR who was recalled to active duty for Desert Storm back in 1990-91.  I think he was LTC then, but know he retired in 1995 as COL.  A very belated photo of Jim wearing BDUs and helmet while deployed appeared in 147th Column in Jul/Aug 2005.  Jim was the only classmate who served “over there” in the desert during DS/DS.  “Well done, be thou at peace.”

Must add photos and send this to my editor in Germany.  I cannot scan actual photos received because of dead motherboard.  Thanks to those who sent/send digital photos.

 

1.  D2 at Wall in front of Bob Degen's panel (58 154 D2 VN Wall 2006.JPG)

2.  John Brinson and all his Georgia Crackers (58 154 all cracker.jpg)

3.  Birthday Boy turning 69 & color of his shirt, not shown in B&W (58 154 birthday boy.jpg)

4.  “As good once as (they) ever was” Gonzos plus one (58 154 Gonzos plus one.jpg)

5.  Marilyn Monroe singing "Happy Birthday, Joe"(58 154 Marilyn Monroe.jpg)  

6.  Vamp of Savannah -- first female grad, another first for ‘58! (58 154 Vamp of Savannah)!

7.  Josh Jaschen & Bill Serchak at the Wall (58 154 Josh & Serchak at the Wall)

8.  Hawaii Four-O! Far west of Savannah (58 154 Hawaii.JPG)