Class Poop

Lt. James F. Hennessee
214 Grimes Street
Fort Bragg, N.C. 28307


Class Notes 1967v25n4Jan

As the Class of '65 looks upon its 2d New Year since graduation the resemblance of present assignments to those of a year ago is practically unnoticeable. European tours have been curtailed for stateside duty in Army training centers. CONUS assignments within the year shifted internally for many. And first-tour hardshippers have returned to greener pastures. The overwhelming majority of movement, however, has been in the direction of SE Asia. 1967 finds our class roll in Vietnam rising daily.

From Germany in late 1966, the big news is the lack of classmates still there. Jerry and Janie Merges wrote from Munich of a happy winter. Jerry is in the 1/21st Inf with Joe and Judy Wetherill. Jerry is S3, and Joe is "A" Co. CO. Mike Momcilovich is a troop CO in the 2/9th Cav. He is all set for flight school in 1967. Pete and Carolyn McArthur had a son Kenneth in July and are stationed in Gelnhausen. Bob and Ann White are with the Arty in Munich. Ken and Imi Yoshitani are also in Munich with the 3d Engrs. John Harrington is S1 in the 2/3d Cav in Kaiserslauteer. Also in Deutschland, Steve and Trish Davis wrote from the 2/9th Cav. Bill and Edie Byrne are in the squadron where Bill is a troop CO.

From the AF comes news from several classmates. Terry Tutchings wrote from F-4C school in Tucson. Bob Fritz is headed for K.I. Sawyer AFB, Mich., to fly a B-52. Jimmy Hall and Bob Jones are also with Terry at F-4C school, along with Joe and Ann Kosciusko and their two tiny daughters. Tom Ridenour is putting in ground time at Peterson Field, Colo. Phil Harper is at nearby Fort Carson in the Army. Tony Livic, after a year on the ground, decided he wanted to fly and is in school at Laredo and due to graduate in July.

Tom Johnson sent news of hopes for an early departure for grad school from Kirtland AFB. He and Glenn Doughty are assigned to the AF weapons laboratory. Jack Koletty works in the Special Weapons Center, and Jim Webb is on the base management engineering team. Tom says Jim has applied for transfer back to the Army, and it looks as if he will soon be in Greens instead of Blues, bringing with him his wife Dianna and their baby girl, Andrea Lynn.

Dave and Rosemary Kuhn sent news from Charleston AFB, S.C. Dave and Bill Bradburn fly C-14l's out of Charleston . Bill and his wife Kathy have a little girl named Cheryl.

Jack Cooley wrote from the 53d Arty Gp Hq in Belleville, Ill., of a happy event; he married Maria on 3 Sept with Tom Croak as his best man.

From Fort Campbell Gil and Cindy Curl wrote from the Army training center. John Pickler is an S3 in a training battalion there, and Gil is down with one of the companies. More news from Campbell way came from John Mogan with whom I had a long talk recently when he paid a visit to Fort Bragg. He says most of our classmates have departed the 101st for Vietnam. He is now aide to Maj. Gen. Sternberg of the 101st. John told me a lot more, but I didn't take notes, and the memory is as bad as ever.

Bill Birdseye wrote of an early return from USAREUR along with Jim Talbot and Steve Philo. They are all now at Fort Benning on the Ranger committee. Ron Walter is still at Benning with the 197th Bdc.

News from graduate schools: Duncan MacVicar wrote from Berkeley where he's studying physics. Also there are Jim and Marianne Paley, Cam McConnell, and Gordy and Sandy Long. Bud Bucha and Jim Airy are nearby at Stanford. Duncan saw several classmates at the ARMY /Cal football game. Among them were Chuck Shaw, Dennie Sellers and Tony Pyrz with Maryanne and young Tony Jr. From the Defense Language School were Tony Borrego and Mitch Bonnett. Also in attendance were: John Madia, Jim and Sandy Thames, Chuck Buckosky, Karl Plotkin, Jon Thompson, and Tom deJonckheere.

Bob Huffhines is attending Harvard Law School. He wrote of Don Exelby, Mike Shulick, and Ed and Suzan Knauf , all stationed nearby in Bedford, Mass., in the AF. Cris Kinard finished his Master’s at Ohio State and now works for American International Oil Co. in NYC. Also at Harvard are Lloyd Briggs and Jim Golden. Tom Bumpass is in law school at Wake Forest.

Chuck Moseley wrote from Princeton that he and Jim Scheiner are the only '65ers in attendance there. Jim was married in December to Kathy Cornhauser of Minneapolis. Chuck and Cathy attended Homecoming at West Point and saw Scottie Nelson. He talked with the Jannarones who said Jack is stationed in Florida.

Here at Fort Bragg those of us who remain got together for an evening out the week before Christmas. Attending were: the Dick Williamses, the Ron Williamses, the Harry Joyners, the Bob Arvins, the Russ Campbells, the Doug Gibsons, the Joe DeFranciscos, the Don Erbeses, Grant Fredricks, Leo Kennedy, Barre Bernier, and Cam and me. A great time was had by all. Leo Kennedy is getting ready to take the big step with Doris Jurgens on 18 Feb before he leaves for Vietnam in May. Congratulations, Leo.

John Connor wrote en route to Vietnam where he should be by now. Of the 4 classmates with whom he went to Panama, only Lance Hewitt and Sonny Arkangel remain. John wrote that Marv Jeffcoat is married and is also en route to Vietnam and the 173d.

Bob Selkis wrote from Boston where he is still in the hospital after being wounded in Vietnam. He was married in July and has seen Rocko McGurk, Fred Grates, Denny Lewis, and Mike Berdy.

From the "Fighting 4th Div" in Vietnam, Mike Applin, who is XO of "B" Btry, 4/42 Arty, sent a long letter. Frog Clement is XO of "A" Btry, 4/42 Arty, and limits his running to the fire support base. Jim Helberg and Mike Lapolla are in the 2/8th Inf. Mike had seen Fred Scruggs and Dirk Coleman. Barry Zais is aide to Brig. Gen. Walker, ADC of the 4th Inf Div. Pat Kenny is the father of a new daughter, and Mike also has a little girl, Heidi Michele.

Letters from Vietnam also bore sadness for the Class of '65. In early November Dick Collins and Charlie Brown were killed. Shortly thereafter, Bernie Kistler also died as a result of enemy action. I am sure every classmate is aware of our loss by now. But even though they have departed from this life, we of '65 want their wives, families, and loved ones to know that their memories will never die. They live on with us in treasured memories as friends and classmates who paid freedom's highest price.