MAY 2008
Jack Smith was buried at West Point
on November 13 with a service at the Old Cadet Chapel, following the funeral in
2007 Wall Ceremony: Jean Gercz Erschnig, Arleigh Bell, Frank Gercz, Jr., and grandson Matthew Gercz.
Court & Gioco Prisk are in a
condo in metropolitan
Court Prisk on his 70th.
Court is now in a wheelchair much of the time, so his interests in scuba, racket ball and hiking have of necessity taken second place. But he travels with Gioco, tries his hand at writing novels, and is working on a family history. He likes to cook and has great fun on Thanksgiving and other holidays. He is helping Jerry Jervell on the reunion yearbook and looks forward to attending our 50th with Gioco. He’ll probably need his wheelchair some, he says, but may find some help with Bob Cyr’s motorized carts.
Bill Luther, Norm Rosner, and
Bill Zaldo in Rosner’s yard in
John Moellering has been elected Chairman of the Board of USAA, having served on the board since 1996, most recently as vice chairman. Previously John has been a White House Fellow, Commandant of Cadets at WP, and Assistant to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. Nice to hear you’re still employed, John.
Joe & Jane Phillips are in
Joe & Jane Phillips
Tony & Sandra Pokorny are in Lawton, OK, where Tony recently completed a strategic plan for Fort Sill and Lawton, a project he says was interesting and fun to do. He and Gerry Stadler recently have switched jobs in the Texoma WP Society, Tony becoming the past president and Gerry the new one. But the real news, according to Tony, are two new grandsons, one named after him, and the other named Thayer Lee; the latter by his daughter who knows nothing of WP history. She just liked the name.
Tony Pokorny with new grandson,
Thayer Lee.
Bill Toskey sends the photo from the
A2 reunion in
A2 reunion in
Back row: Bill Toskey, Hugh Socks, and Tom Russell.
John Corby writes that
Pete & Judi
Dawkins were in
Andy & Lynn O’Meara are sucking up life on the beach on Pawley’s Island, SC, where Andy is working on a manuscript of war stories by our classmates regarding their leadership in combat with his co-editor Jim Abrahamson. They have received some excellent input, says Andy, and hope to have a “lessons learned” book to pass on to the Class of 2009 finished this March.
The National Geographic magazine asked Andy to work with them on the production of a TV special, an oral history of the Vietnam War. He says he was only one of many recruited for the project, and he appeared to be of interest to the producers because he was one of the few who served in the early years of the conflict, and who was willing and able to talk about the situation we encountered. Many of us saw the results on Presidents Day in February and were impressed by it.
Andy is active in his local veterans’ organizations, belonging to Disabled American Veterans, the Purple Heart Society, the Combat Infantryman’s Association, the Vietnam Veterans of America, the Veterans of Foreign Wars, and the American Legion. He is also, I might add, one of our well-informed and eloquent patriots on the internet.
Marty & Chris Plassmeyer.
Marty & Chris Plassmeyer made the last issue, but your expert computer geek couldn’t get their photo up. So here it is.