Author: Megan Klein

Registration deadline is April 30, 2014

To register, fill out and send the form located on the AOG website at:

http://classof64.kintera.org/50thReunion

I suggest that you print out a copy of the form before sending it.

Our
buses will leave the Crowne Plaza in Suffern at about 8AM on Saturday, the 17th
of May and go directly to southern Manhattan in the general area of the World
Trade Center. We should arrive by 9:30, and
most of us are planning to spend two hours or so in the area. Basically, you are
on your own until pick-up later in the evening in the Times Square area.
Depending upon the number of folks going to NY City and your desires for
returning to the Crowne Plaza, we will have
one or two returning groups – one at about 5PM and another about 9:00PM –
leaving from the Bryant Park area (5&6th Avenues/40&42nd Street). John
Farnsworth has volunteered to do the "one step forward" inspection before
boarding the buses – he has extensive experience with this
maneuver.

I would
highly recommend forming small groups of Classmates/Roommates, etc. and
start your planning process. NY City has some unbelievable web sites covering
just about anything you might want to do. Just spend a few minutes googling NYC
tours, walking tours, etc., etc and you'll see. Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island,
Boat Tour of Manhattan, Broadway Shows, Lincoln Center, Art and Historical
Museums, the Intrepid Air and Space Museum, the "Art Kelly" Pizza Walking Tour
of Arthur Avenue, etc., etc. In other words, there is something for everyone.
Here's a site to get you started (from Betsy Lonsberry): http://www.cityguideny.com/activityplanner.cfm.

Here's
an example of what I am doing –  My old roomie (I-1 Yearling Year) Hal Winton
proposed a "roommate day" in NY to me and Al Fulco. Hal, a great organizer has
us going to see Les Miserables in the afternoon (2PM) and then off to dinner at
a local French Restaurant at 5PM. Hal is willing to share his ideas and to give
recommendations – just drop him a note at bayonet@knology.net. 
Most of the Broadway shows have 2PM matinees.

The
French restaurant where Hal, Al and I are eating is Pergola des Artistes (252
West 46th Street, 212-302-7500). It is offering a special menu to those who make
advance reservations and identify themselves as "West Point Class of 1964". The
menu includes a 4-course meal with several choices of appetizers, mid-courses,
entrees, and desserts w/coffee or tea for $55/person, tax and tip included (wine
and cocktails extra). The restaurant only seats 70, so book early if you want to
take advantage of this offer. Recommend small groups (4-6 people).

From
folks who go into NY frequently, one thing they all tell me is to make
reservations, especially at restaurants. Bud Henry, who frequently visits his
daughter in NY, is also available to offer advice and recommendations; he's at
bud.henry@cox.net .

A
suggestion –  use the USMA 1964 class forum or info central to let all know of
your plans and to give other folks ideas of what to do.

For any
questions on the trip or Reunion, drop me a note at devans1964@aol.com. Should be a great day in NY
City!

Dan
Evans

The tentative Reunion agenda can be viewed at:

http://www.west-point.org/class/usma1964/Agenda1.pdf

Monitor this site for agenda changes.

Click on the following link to view Reunion info on the Class AOG Reunion site:

http://www.westpointaog.org/Page.aspx?pid=1860&chid=229

January 15, 2014

1

v.5a Class of 1964 50th Reunion Ward Book

Instructions to complete Individual Page

We are using the on-line Ward Book located on the www.west-point.org site as the place to update your Ward Book entry for the 50th Reunion.

th Reunion.

Mission:

:

 Complete your page in detail.

Complete your page in detail.

 Follow instructions below.

Follow instructions below.

 Be as voluminous as you can – e.g. upload 10 pics and lots of history/stories/anecdotes. Note: This requires all "new entries". The 2010 Directory is in paper only. Do not enter "same as last time or no change" on this version.

Be as voluminous as you can – e.g. upload 10 pics and lots of history/stories/anecdotes. Note: This requires all "new entries". The 2010 Directory is in paper only. Do not enter "same as last time or no change" on this version.

 Refer to the 2010 Directory to refresh your memory/facts.

Refer to the 2010 Directory to refresh your memory/facts.

 Have Fun.

Have Fun.

Notes:

:

 Westpoint.org is using our Ward Book for all classes to record "living history".

Westpoint.org is using our Ward Book for all classes to record "living history".

 Class of 1967 completed the "ward book-living history" for their last reunion.

Class of 1967 completed the "ward book-living history" for their last reunion.

Instructions to complete your individual page on line:

:

1. To use the online book, you need to have a current userid and password. The userid is in the form of wp plus your Cullum number (for example wp25183).

To use the online book, you need to have a current userid and password. The userid is in the form of wp plus your Cullum number (for example wp25183).

2. If you forgot your password, access the home page at www.west-point.org and click on the "Forgot Password" link on the right of the screen for directions.

If you forgot your password, access the home page at www.west-point.org and click on the "Forgot Password" link on the right of the screen for directions.

3. If the system does not accept your userid (unlikely event), click on the "Activate My Account" link on the right of the screen for directions.

If the system does not accept your userid (unlikely event), click on the "Activate My Account" link on the right of the screen for directions.

4. With your userid/password at hand, go to the home page at www.west-point.org and click on the "Ward Book" button on the right of the screen. This will take you to the Start Page of the Ward Book. Highly recommend you print this page for reference while you are updating your information. Log in to this "Graduates Only" section by clicking the "LOG IN" button on the left of the screen.

With your userid/password at hand, go to the home page at www.west-point.org and click on the "Ward Book" button on the right of the screen. This will take you to the Start Page of the Ward Book. Highly recommend you print this page for reference while you are updating your information. Log in to this "Graduates Only" section by clicking the "LOG IN" button on the left of the screen.

5. Log In with your ID and Password.

Log In with your ID and Password.

6. On the Start Page, scroll down to the numeric list of classes and click on 1964. This will take you to links to our class list. Navigate to your name and click on it. This will take you to your personal entry. Review your page.

On the Start Page, scroll down to the numeric list of classes and click on 1964. This will take you to links to our class list. Navigate to your name and click on it. This will take you to your personal entry. Review your page.

7. To edit your page, click on the "Edit" button at the top of the screen. This will lead to a series of inputs organized by Family, Career, and Essays (histories and war stories.) You can navigate through the various inputs either by working your way down the input screens or by jumping to different inputs by clicking on items on the list located to the left of the screen.

To edit your page, click on the "Edit" button at the top of the screen. This will lead to a series of inputs organized by Family, Career, and Essays (histories and war stories.) You can navigate through the various inputs either by working your way down the input screens or by jumping to different inputs by clicking on items on the list located to the left of the screen.

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8. On this page, scroll down to the Basic Personal Information section. This section is self explanatory. Note that you need to decide what groups can access your data. At a minimum you need to choose at least "My Class". We are requesting that you choose "Public" so that your narrative information will be viewable by all readers, but your personal contact information will remain hidden. By making it "Public" you are enabling the widows, next of kin, and honorary members of the class of ’64 to read your Ward Book entry. If you would like to see what a Public page looks like go the the Ward book without logging on and take a look at Gary Cecchine’s or Mike Harlan’s page. They are coded "Public." If you are not comfortable with making the entries public at this time, choose a more restrictive category, and we can work out the issues later. When you are done with this entry click on "Commit Changes".

On this page, scroll down to the Basic Personal Information section. This section is self explanatory. Note that you need to decide what groups can access your data. At a minimum you need to choose at least "My Class". We are requesting that you choose "Public" so that your narrative information will be viewable by all readers, but your personal contact information will remain hidden. By making it "Public" you are enabling the widows, next of kin, and honorary members of the class of ’64 to read your Ward Book entry. If you would like to see what a Public page looks like go the the Ward book without logging on and take a look at Gary Cecchine’s or Mike Harlan’s page. They are coded "Public." If you are not comfortable with making the entries public at this time, choose a more restrictive category, and we can work out the issues later. When you are done with this entry click on "Commit Changes".

9. As you work your way through the database, you will be able to create a new entry by clicking on the "Create New Entry" button. To edit or delete existing database entries, click on the corresponding "Edit" or "Delete" button. If you are not familiar with entering text in html, print the instruction sheet to use for your reference while entering your data. When you get to updating your "Remarks/History" try to click the "Commit Changes" button after the first couple of sentences so you can check that the entries you’ve made are being saved. Then go to 'Edit" again to continue. If you are making a long entry, it’s a good idea to periodically "Submit" or "Commit Changes" to your entry, then click on "View Info" to see what it looks like. This is the same as "Saving" your document and will keep you from losing everything if something goes wrong during the process. Then click on "Edit Info" to continue. You will probably see 3 entries for the 2003 Ward Book Essay History item. We have no idea why there are 3 identical entries. You can delete 2 of them and then enter your new entry. By leaving the older entry readers will be able to read what was entered for 2003. By creating a new entry each time you add something new, the history of each one will remain on your web page. [If you have a problem entering info in the History section, and you are using Windows 8, check to be sure you are using the Compatibility Mode by switching it off and back on.]

As you work your way through the database, you will be able to create a new entry by clicking on the "Create New Entry" button. To edit or delete existing database entries, click on the corresponding "Edit" or "Delete" button. If you are not familiar with entering text in html, print the instruction sheet to use for your reference while entering your data. When you get to updating your "Remarks/History" try to click the "Commit Changes" button after the first couple of sentences so you can check that the entries you’ve made are being saved. Then go to 'Edit" again to continue. If you are making a long entry, it’s a good idea to periodically "Submit" or "Commit Changes" to your entry, then click on "View Info" to see what it looks like. This is the same as "Saving" your document and will keep you from losing everything if something goes wrong during the process. Then click on "Edit Info" to continue. You will probably see 3 entries for the 2003 Ward Book Essay History item. We have no idea why there are 3 identical entries. You can delete 2 of them and then enter your new entry. By leaving the older entry readers will be able to read what was entered for 2003. By creating a new entry each time you add something new, the history of each one will remain on your web page. [If you have a problem entering info in the History section, and you are using Windows 8, check to be sure you are using the Compatibility Mode by switching it off and back on.]

10. NOTE: Each change is made through an iterative process. For example, if you want to add two medals to your list, you first click on "Recognitions" button in the list at the left, make your single "Create New Entry", and click on "Commit Change" for the first medal. To add a second medal, click of the "Recognitions" button, make the "Create New Entry" button, add information and click on "Commit/Change".

NOTE: Each change is made through an iterative process. For example, if you want to add two medals to your list, you first click on "Recognitions" button in the list at the left, make your single "Create New Entry", and click on "Commit Change" for the first medal. To add a second medal, click of the "Recognitions" button, make the "Create New Entry" button, add information and click on "Commit/Change".

11. At any point in the process you can view your pages by clicking on the "View Info" button.

At any point in the process you can view your pages by clicking on the "View Info" button.

12. If you have any problems with the entry and editing processes, please contact your Company Rep for help.

If you have any problems with the entry and editing processes, please contact your Company Rep for help.

January 15, 2014

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13. If your Company Rep is unable to provide the assistance you need, contact us [ Mike Harlan meh1964@gmail.com or Gary Cecchine gacecchine@mac.com ]. We are committed to helping you with the Ward Book for the 50th Reunion edition, and for as long as we are physically and mentally able to after that.

If your Company Rep is unable to provide the assistance you need, contact us [ Mike Harlan meh1964@gmail.com or Gary Cecchine gacecchine@mac.com ]. We are committed to helping you with the Ward Book for the 50th Reunion edition, and for as long as we are physically and mentally able to after that.

Dear Classmates:

My first novel – “The Deadliest Weapon” is now
published.   My goal was to write a military techno thriller in the Tom Clancy
style.  Some of the first readers of my book sensed the story sounded real.  For
the most part it is real – fiction based on historical fact.  Along with others I was
fortunate to receive great editing remarks from Jack Grubbs and Tom Anthony,
both successful authors, which helped me
improve the content and flow of the story.  Helen did a great job of editing the
book many times.  

Almost all of the
events in the story associated with the Army Security Agency (ASA) actually
happened as part of our operations in the Radio Research (RR) units I commanded
in Vietnam (RR was supposed to hide the fact from the enemy that ASA units
operated in Vietnam by disguising us as Signal Corps – the only ones fooled were
our own guys).   The Infantry patrols in the story were a combination of stories
told to me by friends who served in Special Forces and Long Range Patrols.
 Frank Lambert was nice enough to review this part of the story for
authenticity. I was never actually certain how the Viet Cong (VC) and North
Vietnam Army (NVA) personally reacted to our successes but what I read in
captured documents and what I heard from interrogations gave me a pretty good
picture of what was going on within their ranks.  Finally, Gen. Barry McCaffrey,
LTG Buster Hagenbeck, LTG Ted Stroup and Jim Price, the voice of the Detroit
Tigers were very gracious in their words of praise for the book which are
written on the back cover.

My initial motivation to write this story was
to applaud the actions of the men in ASA, whose story has never been told.  Also
to honor the sacrifices of the American fighting forces both in Vietnam and
subsequently.  The public still is not truly aware of the tremendous sacrifices
they and their families give executing the orders of their country.
 Interestingly, most of them do not think of it as a sacrifice but a call of
duty to serve.  I am eternally grateful that we have such men and women who year
after year allow us to live the wonderful lives we live.  I told their story
using a subject with which I am familiar and wrapped it in a good old fashioned
thriller that I hope all will enjoy.

To tell the story I intertwined
several themes.  The most important theme is the story itself which details the
emergence of electronic intelligence (ELINT) as an important intelligence source
supporting our combat forces. The deadly cat and mouse intelligence war within a
war between an American Captain and a VC Major weaves the threads ultimately
leading up to the TET offensive.  

Most of the American side of this saga
happened.  The bright young men who operated our intelligence gathering
equipment were out there on the front lines with our combat units.  They set up
their equipment anywhere they could get a good signal;  Special Forces Camps on
the border of Cambodia, Fire Support Bases, Infantry Base Camps, and other sites
close to the Area of Operation of the enemy. The enemy side of the story is
fiction but since it is based upon good intelligence it very well could have
happened this way.   We did have our sights on a certain VC intelligence officer
who our Division G-2 wanted to capture.  At one point I actually had an air
mobile infantry company assigned to this mission ready to pounce on him at a
moment’s notice.  Using our electronic intelligence gathering information we had
him spotted on several occasions but when we moved in to capture him the cunning
bastard was gone.  My VC Major Pham is based on this formidable adversary.  The
excellence and high morale of our ASA troops is a major part of this saga and
demonstrates not only their competence but the competence of all our military
forces.

When a story of war is told, part of that story is about those
who start wars and their influence on them.  Part of a politician’s hand in
negotiating war or peace agreements is the war card.  If it is ever to be played
it should be the last card shown.  It should be the ultimate negotiating tool
signifying that a peaceful settlement has failed.  It should not be dealt
lightly since resorting to that card results in death.  Once that card is dealt
the military should be allowed to do their job to the best of their ability
without the interference of politicians.  Over and over again during the Vietnam
conflict, politicians who may have never been in the combat line of peril were
making unintelligent rules of engagement and combat decisions they had no
training to make.    

I was part of intelligence briefings to
Westmoreland and Abrams and inevitably the conversation turned to the conduct of
the war.  Both were visibly distressed by the meddling of politicians and the
layers of difficulty they placed on the ground commanders.  I recall in one such
briefing, with only about twelve people present, the MACV Commander in a
distressed tone stated that this war could be over in six months if the
politicians would leave the conduct of the war up to those who are best
qualified to do so – the military.  Unfortunately, they almost never do.  One
would think we would learn from our mistakes, but again, we almost never do.

Vietnam was our first war on which the media had an instantaneous
impact.   The public was privy to every action as they watched the Vietnam War
unfold on TV.  This phenomena provided the media a major stake in the outcome of
the war.  I witnessed firsthand how the media colored their reporting of the
Vietnam War and in many cases wrote their stories to fit their agenda.  Their
biased reporting hurt the war effort.   Walter Cronkite, the dean of American
journalists, touring Vietnam after TET was given several military briefings
 detailing the outcome of TET.  What Cronkite heard was not what he reported to
the American people in his news program after he returned to the U.S.   He
reported the war was lost and we needed to get out of Vietnam.  He was wrong.
 The TET offensive was a major loss to the enemy and it was a major victory for
our military.  Dissidents joined with the media to become a formidable anti-war
coalition.  This group combined with a mixture of celebrities was enough to
convince many Americans that the war was lost.  In many ways it demoralized our
own troops when they watched the television images of demonstrators chanting
anti-war slogans.  The efforts of those dissidents did not go unnoticed by the
enemy.  We captured flyers after TET written by the NVA and VC to their field
forces imploring them to not give up;  that American celebrities were on their
side and would help them win the war.  This combined group did a grave
disservice to our country and the American Military had to battle them as much
as the enemy throughout this crisis.  How these negative efforts affected the
military is part of my story.  The negativity surrounding that war still exists
today.  In a recent article the press refers to the Vietnam War as modern
America’s most controversial war while reporting a recent gathering of Vietnam
Vets.  

I hope “The Deadliest Weapon” properly represents the dedicated
American fighting men (now men and women), who despite the cards being stacked
against them by their own, fought gallantly to defeat the VC and NVA.  And
defeat them they did.  This is my message and one that needs to be reiterated
over and over until the negativity toward that time is purged.  We should
continue to thank God for each young person who fought gallantly in Vietnam and
thank God for the dedicated men and women who continue to serve.  We are all
better off for their efforts.  I am convinced that the reason so many Vietnam
Vets have never recovered from that war is the sense of abandonment they felt
from the politicians, the dissidents, the many celebrities, and the negative
press that turned against them.  Hopefully we will not forget that!

“The
Deadliest Weapon” is on sale at
amazon.com.  A portion of the proceeds from the sale goes to support
the important work of  the Disabled American Veterans (DAV).  If you choose to
read my story and you enjoy it I would appreciate your recommendation on Amazon.
 

Best regards,

Ian Carter ‘64