Send your input to Class Scribe - Denny Coll at dc65scribe@comcast.net
From Jim Kelly
A Vigil and a Mini Reunion with 26 Special S & D Classmates
I live in a small town, Port Townsend, which is located on a far edge of the Olympic Peninsula in Washington State. This past September a significant life event happened here that directly involved the esteemed West Point Class of 1965.
Wednesday the Wall is erected, requiring 40-50 volunteers and about eight hours. Each panel is hand-carried to the frame. By late afternoon the location is declared a National Memorial Site and is open to visitors 24/ 7 until it is disassembled on Sunday afternoon. Shifts of volunteers are required over the whole period to handle visitors, control parking and conduct tours. Even the 8 PM to 8 AM periods must be manned to help people find names on the Wall.
Sunday the Wall is disassembled.
I had nothing to do with The Wall coming to Port Townsend. That was through an incredible effort by a local Vietnam Vet who saw the Wall in Arizona. He had two high school classmates on the Wall, but when he visited the Wall, he realized that there were three more people from his high school and another older Vet who lived here also on the Wall. One of those was a Medal of Honor recipient who is the only Seabee to receive that Award. There are six names from a community, which in the 1960’s had a population of about 5,000 people. He felt the community needed to know about this and convinced the organizers in DC that the Wall should come here.
When I learned the Wall was coming here, I wanted to visit it and found out I could carry the panels on which you had personal connections. I also found out that the Medal of Honor Recipient died on June 10th, 1965, which was June 9th West Point time, the day we gave up cadet gray for active-duty uniforms and almost all of us followed him to Vietnam. He was a Navy Seabee assigned to help build an Army Special Forces compound and died defending Army troops.
To be sure I could do the panels, I went to a meeting of the local organizing committee. It was a disaster. They got a letter from the sponsors in DC that they were so far behind in what they had to do that they had a week to fix things or be cancelled.
Myself, the Vietnam Vet who got the Wall to come here and a retired Navy Chief, a submariner whose father was a Vietnam Vet and who surfaced at the last minute from the local bay, said this is too important to fail.
We bypassed the local organizers and communicated directly with the DC organizers. We found out what had to be done and convinced DC that we could make it work. We sucked up some potent Strength and Drive energy to fuel us. We did a lot of things ourselves and recruited the help we needed to put it all together.
I am proud to say that one of those recruits was my daughter, Bridget, who lives in Port Townsend. She organized the educational tours, which was one of the highest priorities of the Wall’s mission. She booked them solid to include the entire Middle School of over 300 students. She also took over the on-site management of the hundreds of volunteers and with a little help from her dad, made sure every one of the five day, 24/7 shifts were filled.
Going from a casual visitor and panel carrier to a fully immersed organizer, I experienced a lot. Just a few highlights:
- I did get to help carry and escort some of the panels. My first priority was my close grade school and high school friend who was a Marine helicopter pilot who died near Hue in April,1968.
- Then came our classmates. Our 26 classmates are on 22 separate panels. One panel, E-12, has three names and two others have two. I am no longer swift enough a foot to get to them all. I chose to do two. E-12 because it has three names, one of which is Dick Collins who was a roommate for a while and my Ranger Buddy. The other was E-27, which has Bob Arvin’s name, who I thought would be representative of the whole class.
Spending six days at the Wall, you get to meet a lot of people and hear astonishing stories. Two anecdotes.
- One Navy Vet in the line next to me happened to be from the Aircraft Carrier Forrestal. While sending aircraft to bomb North Vietnam in 1967, they had a devastating on-board fire that killed 134 sailors. Since they died on the same day all of them are on one panel because the sequence is by day of death. Talk about an instance of instant humility.
- A visitor to the wall was talking with a few of us at the site and expressed that he was in the Army at the time of the war, but when his unit was loading up for deployment, he went AWOL. They caught up with him after a while, and he spent five months in jail, but never had to go to Vietnam. The wall heals in the strangest ways,
I got so entwined with the event that I ended up doing part of the tours. The tours have three parts and there are only two staff personnel. When there are large groups, they do rotating stations. I ended up informing groups of students on the history of the Vietnam era and some of the facts about the troops on the ground. Not one young person could identify Bob Hope and Raquel Welch at a USO show.
The traveling Wall attempts to replicate everything that happens at the Wall in DC. This includes leaving items at the Wall. I followed suit and I left a Class crest at the wall with a note attached to the back that said: West Point Class of 1965 26 from ‘65 Duty Done Be thou at peace
Also, the local committee must collect these items and preserve them. Our crest will be preserved with the local Historical Society and become a part of local history. I can assure you of that because you can probably guess who collected all the items at the end of the event and set up the arrangement to preserve them.
The event provided a lot of personal satisfaction, and the overwhelming positive participation and emotional reaction of the community was just amazing. The only sad part was that my wife, Maryellen, was not here to be part of it. She passed away two years ago and would have been all in on making this happen.
At the end, spending six full days in the presence of the Wall and being reminded at every turn of its impact on our Class over the past 60 years, it did seem like a vigil and a reunion with 26 heroic Classmates who never had the opportunity to attend a reunion.
FROM BOB FRANK RE: LINDA SHERIDAN'S PASSING
Linda Sheridan died on 30 October 2025.
She was buried on 1 December 2025, in the Molly Corbin section of the West Point Cemetery. She is just a row away from Carol Tomaswick and two rows away from Dave Hurley’s wife Sheryl.
The funeral was attended by the family, Jim Tomaswick and the Franks. Three Ladycliffe classmates also were in attendance. Mark did not attend. He is in the VA hospital at Stonybrook NY in a long term care status.
Your letters to Mark expressing condolences should be sent to Mark’s daughter Jennifer. She visits Mark nearly every weekend. I suggest the following address:
Mark Sheridan c/o Jennifer Angelo 55 Franklin Street Northport NY 12768
NB Jennifer is the only child of the Sheridans.
STRENGTH AND DRIVE
FROM TOM ABRAHAM
As we get closer to the finish line we all reflect on what has passed. We may or may not talk much about Vietnam, but it is always there. We’ll never forget, even if we try. What we also will never forget is West Point. While my entire years were spent on NCAA sports, I will always cherish the friendship of the classmates of 1965. And while I missed a lot of cadet things, I somehow feel I was a good leader of an Infantry Platoon in Vietnam. Thanks to West Point. I love my brothers, and I will never forget those who have passed. Healthy and Happy New Year to my West Point brothers.
FROM JIM KELLY - A FOLLOW-ON STORY TO THE MOVING WALL/CLASS BLAST JAN 2026 #1 STORY
Letters from Kids to Vietnam Vets
We all grew up with the iconic voice of Paul Harvey saying, “The Rest of The Story”. This is a Paul Harvey moment.
My previous story about The Wall That Heals did not end when The Vietnam Wall Replica departed Port Townsend and the articles left at the Wall were collected and archived. One small private primary school scheduled a tour.
In preparation for the visit, the teachers oriented the students about the Wall and the Vietnam era. They decided the thing that affected them the most was the mistreatment of the Veterans when they returned to the States. They came up with a project to write open letters to Vietnam Veterans expressing their concern and to let them know they are appreciated. Nine students wrote letters and even decorated them in typical primary school fashion.
When the students arrived at the site for the tour, the teachers presented the letters to the tour coordinator, my daughter, Bridget. They specifically stated they did not want to just leave the letters at the Wall. The kids wanted them to be delivered to actual Vietnam Vets. Can you make that happen?
What do you do with that? The teachers certainly chose the right person to initially receive the letters. Without hesitation, and without any idea of how it would get done, Bridget accepted custody of the letters and assured the teachers that the letters would get to Vietnam Vets. What higher level mission could you be challenged with than delivering letters from nine- and ten-year-old students to Vietnam Vets as part of an event honoring Vietnam Vets and the history of the Vietnam era.
The task could not be done immediately.
When things settled after the Wall departed, Bridget consulted with me. During the event we had interacted with several veteran support groups. We agreed that one particular group would be the most likely to help. We contacted the woman in charge, and she agreed to join in the mission.
I was given custody of the letters and started coordination to find local Vietnam Vets. A second woman from the organization suggested that we ask the Vets to send a response back to the students. This was something that she experienced when her husband had been in Vietnam and the students from their local small-town school would send letters to soldiers and they would send responses back. It was very impactful.
The mission now expanded. Now we had to find Vets who would also be willing to write a response.
Through a lot of time, effort and persuasion, nine Vets received a letter and responded. The responses were collected and delivered to the school to be given to the students. I was one of the Vets who took a letter and responded. I also had the opportunity to read all the letters and the responses. The letters from the kids were so simple, but somehow also so profound, sincere and personal.
There were questions like “what was the weather like there?” And comments like “I hope you are getting all your veteran’s discounts.” The responses were from a very diverse group of veterans. They were also moving and heartfelt. Some were short notes and grandfatherly advice. One was a two-page letter with pictures and articles about Vietnam.
It was a truly meaningful and emotional experience. However, the story is not ending here.
I recently met with the teachers to let them know the original letters will be archived with the Historical Society. I was informed that in the new semester, the students are going to go over all the responses and prepare their own responses to the Vets. Maybe some pen pal relations will develop.
My conclusion is that there is hope. The youngest generation is being taught good values and consideration for others. Also us geezers in the older generations still care.
FROM WALT SAXON'S "SIGNIFICANT OTHER"
Thanks Denny, for getting back to me. I am Walt"s significant other and have been for 25 years. He does not have internet access and uses mine when it is needed.
We attended the recent reunion together in April and signed up for it using my email address, which has changed from "jan1nnp@aol.com" to jan1nnp@gmail.com.
Walt is doing well and you can reach out to him on his cell phone - 410-703-9133. That might be the best way to get the information that you need. He could also call you if that works better and you are comfortable sharing your number.
All the best, Jan Wilson
USMA 2026 RING MELT
The ceremony was filmed and is available on YouTube. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=d_cxgmu8j3k
For those interested in getting to the heart of it, Leighton AtteberryRandy Guenther is at 1:06:47; John Howell is at 1:07; Walt Kulbacki is at 1:08:23; and Bob Radcliffe is at 1:08:50.
John Howell’s ring was placed in the crucible by daughter Kristen Marks and son Patrick Howell, ‘92. Bob’s ring was placed in the crucible by Faye Hayes, Bob’s wife, accompanied by her twin sister Maye.
STRENGTH AND DRIVE
Bob Frank
A CHRISTMAS NEWSLETTER FROM BOB WOLFF
Phyllis and I moved into senior independent living community (the Carnegie in Gaithersburg, MD) in August 2024. It has been an interesting transition but we recommend such a move to those who want to be afforded new friendships (all seniors), lots of activities and in our case a dinner with other residents every evening.
I was asked to help plan and MC an event on Veterans Day. I was honored to host the event which was attended by over 100 of the 200 residents and included LTG(R) Todd Semonite, former Chief of Engineers, as the keynote speaker. We had high school color guard, a singer for the national anthem and Amazing Grace at the end and a trumpet player for TAPS.
So many residents commented on how meaningful the event was to them. The Carnegie also had a Wall of Honor to which they mounted a photo of the veterans.
Here is a photo of mine from the 93rd Engineer Battalion in 1968 in Bearcat, Vietnam.
FROM LOCO
The food was great and a good time was had by all. The next gathering will be in WARMER weather… probably in April.
UPDATE FROM LARRY NEAL ON MAY EVENT
Response to our planned golf and touring gathering in May has been superb!
We have over forty attendees signed up so far, with "tourists" outpacing "golfers" three to one! We are arranging excellent tours of Williamsburg's many attractions for the non-golfers ans well as selecting two different courses for those who golf.
The group is staying at the Holiday Inn and Suites, 515 Bypass Road in Williamsburg. If demand exceeds their room capacity ,we also have the Comfort Inn next door on standby.
If you would like to attend, now is the time to let us know. Instructions are below:
Respond to Larry (larryneal1965@gmail.com, (970) 481-0446 call or text) with the following:
I likely will attend: Yes or No Name: Guest(s): Will Play Golf: Guest will play golf:
AND FINALLY, IN CASE YOU WERE CURIOUS AS TO WHAT OUR FAMOUS WINE MAKER HAS BEEN UP TO
Tommy Thompson
Current: 3880 Wyllie Rd Apt 5C Princeville HI 96722-5517 (808) 212-1184 (Home) (808) 346-3258 (Cell)
A lot of friends here now deceased. I’ll be 83 in April.
Still in pretty good shape, except for nagging hip flexor strain and old sports injuries flaring up.
Had some mouth/neck carcinomas removed this year, hope they don’t come back. Heart Stents in August 2023, apparently still working.
I belong to the 2nd Armored Cavalry group. AOT in Bayreuth/Kronach/Hof Germany, 1963.
My draft memorial article/eulogy/history sent to West Point whoever keeps this stuff. AOG? Hopefully more to come.
Tommy
FROM FRED SMITH ON ARMY/NAVY GAME
The Army Navy is being played in MetLife Stadium on December 12, 2026. This stadium is home of the NFL Giants and Jets and located in East Rutherford, NJ
Attached is a form outlining planned activities for USMA 1965.
The game will be a big draw and hotel rooms are already sold out with costs of $500/night and more.
There is a block of rooms for our Class as described in the attached. The Sheraton Lincoln Harbor in Weehawken is 8 miles from the Stadium with easy access to NYC by Ferry.
Please make your own reservations and forward the form as directed for planning purposes.
I need to keep track of the number of reservations for the Room Block contract
Thanks Fred Smith 610-716-0177
JIM TILLMAN RE: LARRY STRASSNER MEMORIAL SERVICE
Pat Strassner called yesterday evening to say that they have settled on June 7, 2026 for Larry's memorial. It will be a 'casual' gathering at a friend's home on the Severn River in Severna Park, MD. They plan to send out an announcement/invitation about 5 weeks before to all who hope to attend. If you could put this out in your next class notes and ask those who might hope to attend to contact me, I will forward their information to Pat.
Any advice or guidance you have for me or Pat would be greatly appreciated. Thanks for all your help.
Jim 410-821-8162 724 Stevenson Lane Towson, MD 21286 jimandloutillman@gmail.com
OUR SONNY!
TIMMERMANN'S MEMORIAL SERVICE
As promised, here is my Father's Funeral announcement for the West Point service/ceremony/reception.
My Mother has sent out invites to our family and friends as of this weekend. If you would please post to the Class of 1965, all who will be in the area are welcome although we understand and can appreciate people's limitations.
Appreciate your ongoing support! Thank-you Sir! Eric R Timmerman Eric.r.timmerman@gmail.com (785)492-7650
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FROM - TED KLEINMAIER
Request to Classmates-
I have recently been appointed to the position of director of the board of a thriving charter school located in Palmetto FL - Manatee (County) School for the Arts, founded by David Kraner, a Vietnam veteran AF pilot and United Airlines retired pilot.
We have enrollment of ~2,500 including preschool and K-12.
We are looking for contacts to help us explore starting a US Space Force Junior ROTC program. I hope some of you have friends, relatives or other contacts for us to meet/discuss. Thank you in advance!
Strength and Drive!
Ted E. "Ted" Kleinmaier, Jr. CCIM 6645 41st Street Cir E' Sarasota FL 34243-7930 cell (317)-590-7814
FROM MIKE VIANNI VIA MITCH BONNETT Lowering the cost of education
See below info I received from Mark Viani, Mike’s son, today- Mitch
See below info I received from Mark Viani, Mike’s son, today- Mitch
A development has surfaced that could dramatically reduce college costs for children or grandchildren in military families — even if they live outside the state.
Our late classmate Mike Viani’s son, Mark Viani, recently secured in-state tuition for his daughter at Penn State despite living in Virginia. Because of his honorable service, the university refunded the out-of-state tuition already paid back to January 1, 2024.
Mitch
From: Mark M. Viani MViani@beankinney.com Subject: RE: [External] How You Lowered the cost of education for your kids
Please accept my apologies. We just found this email in a deep spam folder. I’m happy to discuss. My call is 703-474-6791.
In short, the children of honorably discharged US veterans and of active-duty military and reservist are entitled to instate rates in Pennsylvania state colleges starting January 1, 2024. This applies to children who live in and out of state. So, in my case, we live in Virginia. Because I served honorably and can produce my DD214 as proof, my daughter has been getting instate rates. Moreover, Penn State refunded the difference for the out-of-state tuition we paid since January 1, 2024.
The process is VERY EASY. All I had to do was contact the Penn State Bursar’s office and then their office of veteran’s affairs. They had me email in a copy of my DD214 and my daughter’s birth certificate (showing I am her father) and then they approved the change in two days. See the link below. https://onwardstate.com/2025/01/15/veteran-families-can-now-receive-in-state-tuition/
Mark M. Viani 2311 Wilson Blvd., Suite 500 Arlington, VA 22201 703.284.7287 direct │ 703.525.4000 main │ 703.525.2207 fax mviani@beankinney.com │ vcard │ bio beankinney.com
FROM JOHN SWENSSON ON RIC & PATTY SHINSEKI'S EFFORTS - NISEI - SECOND GENERATION JAPANESE ANMERICANS
We were blessed to have a visit last week to San Francisco of Ric and Patti Shinseki. Ric was here as the keynoter of The NISEI
Soldier Tribute. “I AM AN AMERICAN,” that is a travelling exhibit of the Nisei (second generation Japanese Americans) experience in the context of the internment of 120,000 individuals of Japanese descent, most of whom were American citizens during WWII.
This is part of our country’s history and a story of courage, resilience, and commitment to country. And, despite the taking away of civil liberties, thousands of Nisei (including Ric’s father and uncles) served in the U.S. military; most famously in the all-Japanese American 100th Infantry Battalion and 442ndRegimental Combat Team, which became one of the most decorated units in U.S. history. Additionally, Japanese Americans also served as linguists and interpreters with the U.S. Army’s Military Intelligence Service, (MIS), which also served as the precursor to the military’s Defense Language School.
Ralph Adams and the late Duncan MacVicar and I and our friend Bob Obana from the MIS Board, were here when Ric first came out in 2016 to retrieve artifacts appropriate to telling the Nisei story as a part of a travelling exhibit. This is one more example of Ric’s dedication and wonderful leadership, in this instance as longtime Chairman of the Army History Museum.
Ric introduced himself as Sansei, third generation Japanese-American and then he told amazing stories about Nisei soldiers. The exhibit is currently at the MIS Museum at the Presidio of San Francisco and then it will travel around the country for the next five years.
But, as I tell my students, after Pearl Harbor, we incarcerated Japanese- Americans. Sadly, an order was signed by the President based on a highly dubious report of collusion by Maj Gen John L Dewitt.
I was privileged to know and have in my classes many times the late Jeanne Wakatsuki Houston who with her husband wrote FAREWELL TO MANZANAR which did much to educate the American public about the Japanese-American internment.
But the Nisei are almost all gone. There was one 99 year old soldier and two widows over 100 at the conference When they are gone, there will be few living Nisei. The travelling exhibit will keep their memories and incredible accomplishments alive. So this exhibit will travel the US being of great import in the education of the next generation of Americans. Thank you, Ric, for telling and preserving the story. Another chapter of your amazing contributions.
A picture of Ric from the traveling exhibit is at attachment. If you look at the photo, in the background beside a young 2LT Shinseki you will see the late 2LT Joe “Kula “ Kukea, our classmate who died while serving as a Water Captain in Honolulu in 1996, 30 years ago.
The officer who introduced Ric quoted from Ric’s remarks about Patty at Ric’s retirement which brought back fond memories of the large class gathering for Ric’s retirement, and of course, Patty’s wonderful support of Ric throughout an unparalleled career as a junior officer, Army CofS, and VA Secretary. Thank you, Patty……..and Ric.
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RIC’S RESPONSE:
John — a thousand apologies for missing you in SF. Just back from purchasing a new iPhone. My Samsung died, as best I can pinpoint, around or shortly before 18 Feb. I did not realize I was without comms the entire weekend until I tried to check-in for return flight.
— Thanks for the generosity of this spot report about the opening of the Nisei Soldier Traveling Exhibit — a collaboration between the Army’s National Museum, the National Veterans Network (a Japanese- American Veterans ORGANIZATION), and the Army Historical Foundation, with which I am affiliated.
— This exhibit is slated to visit 11 cities over the next five years. If this “museum beyond the walls” concept works well, there could be other educational traveling exhibits in the future.
— Three uncles, a cousin by marriage, and one of Patty’s future brothers-in-law served with the 100th Infantry Battalion and the 442nd Infantry Regiment, which eventually merged into a single unit, the 100th/442nd Regimental Combat Team. My Dad did not serve wth them — a small correction to the very generous report you provide.
John — thanks for your friendship and this incredible support. I am honored. Patty and I send all best wishes to you and Susan. The next time we travel to California, I promise to ink up with you.
Kindly — Ric
FROM: JAY VAUGHN - GEEZER REPORT
They have been traveling in their 5th Wheel RV from their Utah home with a stay in Tucson on their way to San Diego and LA to watch their beautiful twin granddaughters, Penn State freshmen, play lacrosse.
While our motto is that "Any story worth telling is worth telling again, and again, and again ....", it was a special treat to hear stories from Preston and Sandy.
We space our lunches apart at two months because that is just beyond the time frame when we might remember what we talked about at the last session. Our next lunch is planned for May 5 and we would enjoy entertaining any classmates wandering through Tucson on that particular day, especially one with fresh stories to tell.
AND NOW, THE MAX THURMAN STORIES
FROM JIM KELLY - Military Mom vs Max
Panama was what you might call a “hot spot” in the late 1980’s. Members of USMA 1965 plus families were in the middle of it. I was the Military Assistance Commander at the Embassy and Bill Connolly was the Comptroller at the Army HQ located in the Canal Zone. In the summer of 1989, Frank Hennessee was assigned to Panama. He brought with him his General. Max Thurman was now Commander in Chief of SOUTHCOM and Frank was his Executive Assistant. This was his new orbit, and interesting things always happen when Max is in charge.
This is not a combat story about “Operation Just Cause”. It is about how some prosaic events can be influenced by the presence of a dynamic force that is influencing everything in its orbit, and how an even more powerful force can contend with it.
Some context and a little history are needed to set the scene. In the 1980’s The Canal Zone had two significant categories of American Communities. The military personnel from all services and their families constituted one group. The other group was the American personnel who worked with the Panama Canal and their families. The Military rotated in and out. The Canal Zone people, from now on called “the Zonians” were there permanently.
In almost all aspects it was a peaceful co-existence. There were a few differences. DOD provided the School. The Zonians were allowed to attend the school and acquired a few advantages as permanent students. The Military had PX and Commissary access. The Zonians did not.
More directly related to this story was a DOD policy that allowed college students of Military families going to school in the US to be given a duty status for Space Available Flights going to Panama during the Christmas Holiday Season. This privilege was also made available to Zonians. The students had to make their way to Charleston, SC. Once there, they would, in short order, be able to get a seat on a cargo aircraft to deliver them home for the holidays. We had a son in that category.
Just Cause began on December 19th. While the actual fighting ended by Day 2, there was much confusion and chaos in Panama because the entire security structure of the country was temporarily shut down. This was not a “Snatch and Grab “operation. One restriction imposed by the CINC was that no civilians would be allowed to enter Panama by either civilian or military means.
By the 19th our son and many others were already on the way to Charleston and were told when they arrived that they could not get on a plane. There was no knowledge of when that would change. Our son had to make his way during a snowstorm to catch a bus to his aunt’s home in Charlotte NC. Others had to seek places to go.
After a few days the situation in Panama became more manageable. At some point a representative of the Zonians got the CINC’s ear and persuaded him to make an exception to policy to allow the Zonian students trying to reach Panama for the holidays to be allowed back because this was their Home. A notification was sent out announcing the change in policy applying only to the Zonians and stating the rationale as Panama being their Home.
Well, to say it in the mildest terms, this did not sit well with one Maryellen Kelly. Her equally authentic family Home has willing been determined by the military, depending on where her husband is assigned: at this moment, Panama. She also had a son stranded in North Carolina waiting to try to get Home.
She knew a few officers who worked on the CINC’s staff. A normally gentle and calm person became outraged and was fueled by the overwhelming force of a military mom looking out for her kid. What appeared was a dragon level flame burning up the telephone lines to SOUTHCOM HQ and heating the handsets of the phones on the other end. In those days we were still using landlines and old telephones.
To paraphrase a much more elaborate message: “Fix this now. I have in front of me three telephone numbers and my finger is on the dial: my Congressman, my Senator and the Associated Press. I am serious”.
Frantic cautions were transmitted. Within an hour a new announcement was sent out that military family students were now included. Our son and the other students did get back home for the holidays.
I am sure Max would never have consciously excluded the military students. It was a stressful time. As a life-long confirmed bachelor, military kids coming home from college was not on the dashboard of priorities. He did respond in Max fashion, but it took the determination of a military mom to wake him up.
JOHN SWENSSON ON MAX THURMAN
I first met Max when he was a promotable Captain en route to his majority and an assignment as Cadet Activities officer which his brother Roy had been.
Two stories of many I could tell : First the Haircut:
First the Haircut:
The late Duncan MacVicar called and asked me to go on the Glee Club trip to NYC and the Ed Sullivan show. I explained I had to be in DC on Saturday--he said no problem--I just need you for Ed Sullivan (I was CIC of Choir, Duncan of Glee Club.)
On Sunday I drove up from DC to the Ed Sullivan Theater and a new Officer, Maj Kristilyk (sp?) sent me back to WP and would not allow me to go on the show. He wrote me up for intentionally skipping a formation away from WP and wrote Duncan up for Exceeding his authority by allowing me to skip Saturday. I was the Regt Adjutant at the time so I told Bud Bucha what had happened.
That afternoon Bud told me to say nothing, and that the Regt SGM whose name started with an H had "fixed the quill." A week later I was going to get a haircut and Major Thurman told me to report to him after my haircut. He said "Have you been written up for anything?" I said that I believed such to be the case. He asked if it had come down on a 2-2? I replied negative. He said--and I'll admit this bothered me as using my honor against me--"Did someone fix the quill?' I said I believed that to be the case. He asked if his name started with an H. I said I believed so........ He told the Comm that COL Hamblen, the 2d Regt Cmdr, had fixed the quill and nothing more was said (Until after we had graduated and I told Max who really fixed it.) And thank you again, Bud Bucha.
Second the movie: I took my then wife to meet Roy and Max and we had dinner at Maison Blanche in DC. I relayed a message to Max that a mutual friend, Ron Ressler of Ford Aerospace, thought the Army needed a movie. Max agreed and said he would send me a staff study on why the Army had no movie (An internal problem.)
On a white paper tablecloth in the restaurant,Max and I wrote the first story sketch that eventually became, with a lot of writing help from the late, great Step Tyner, and Max FIRE BIRDS (Buena Vista 1990) with Nicolas Cage and Tommy Lee Jones. Max was listed first in the end title credits--though he did not like the movie :-(
During the making of the movie, Max flew to LA to meet Arnold Kopelson, the Producer. After dinner in the restaurant Spago the chef came out and asked if everything were OK. We said yes, and he started to leave. I said "Excuse me, but are you Wolfgang Puck?" He said yes and I told Max this was the most famous chef in America. Max was wearing his "Suit of lights" with ribbons and four stars, and he asked Puck to raise his right hand, and swore him into the Army. Sadly no iphones in those days to record the picture.
Roy and Max were great mentors. Max had me assigned as CO of the LA Recruiting Bn against my wishes, but needs of the Army..... I have a picture of them in my office here at home with their two collies, Rex and Rax. Max of course is an honorable member of '65.
John
STAN GENEGA ON MAX
In 1983 I was a Lieutenant Colonel, Battalion Commander in the 5th Infantry Division at Fort Polk, LA. We had a visitor that day- the relatively new Vice Chief of Staff, US Army- General Maxwell Thurman. He wanted to speak to all Commanders so we were assembled in the conference room. He entered and worked his way through the crowd shaking hands and greeting those he knew. He got to me, shook my hand, and said, “You’ve done well, Stan.” I thanked him and said, “You’ve done pretty well yourself, General.” He grinned and moved on.
Spring, 1965, just shortly before graduation. Barbara and I were walking in front of Cullum Hall on a bright Sunday morning. A few yards in front of us, Major Max Thurman bounds out of the building onto the sidewalk in greens, perhaps bound for chapel. He said hello as did I (and saluted), then introduced him to Barbara as my fiancée. With his inimitable smile he greeted Barbara then said, “You know if Stan needed a wife, the Army would issue him one!” He then chuckled a bit, wished us the very best, and took off.
Stan Genega
PAUL KANTROVICH (Slightly edited)
I have a Maxwell Thurman Story: Yearling year my grandfather Sam died. He lived with us for 12 years and, since my dad was on the road a lot, I was close with my grandfather. My dad called me and asked I go to the funeral...I was 18...my grandfather lived with me for 2/3 of my life by then and the funeral was in NJ 1 1/14 hours away from WP. Major Maxwell Thurman refused my going to the funeral. He claimed my grandfather wasn't a close enough relative!! I stood in front of the Major and explained my relationship but he refused my attendance and I told him "You do what you have to do Major and I'll do what I have to do!" I went AWOL and went to the funeral. When I returned Major Thurman sent up a psychiatric review of me to get thrown out of WP!
I spent 2 hours with the Psychiatrist...he was a tennis player....we had a great session! Afterwards the doctor told me I wasn't a typical WP cadet but not to change. He felt the Major should have been meeting with him instead of me! And to make a long story short...Maxwell Thurman became a 4 star general!!
TAD ONO on MAX THURMAN
Many of us knew Max but in case no one else writes about him, I will tell you about my relationship.
I met Major Max Thurman walking through the East Barracks sallyport when he said, 'Are you the Mr. Ono who left his shoes on the parade field?" Then, he became my co. Tac in L-1 my Junior Yr.
Yes, he was that chicken shit tac who allegedly wore only one shoe so he would fool the cadets as he came up the stairs. I remember a counseling session up in his Tac office when he told me that I was too BJ with the plebes by calling them by their first names while he talked about "Joe" Kosciusko.
We next met while we worked in Temp A at OPO(Office of Personnel Opns) those old wooden structures at Ft McNair. I was back from VN followed by grad school, I think he was back from a Bn Comd tour in VN. Without missing a beat, he greeted me "Hi Tad, how're you doing?" Amazing memory.
We then met in ODCSPER when I was an action officer and he came in as the PER. I wrote him a 3-pge on a yellow legal pad critique of his generalship to which he did not reply. By then, he was known as the head guru of the 'smart' folks in the Army who thought outside the box to make the Army more different, friendlier to the women, more innovative, etc. etc.
We then met in Japan when he came to do the honors of the change of command for the Cdr of US Army, Japan. His trusted exec Ted Stroup, '62, told me that Gen Thuman wanted to see me in his quarters. He received me warmly and asked about my family and so forth.
I next him in his office as VCSA when I took a few of my senior civilians from the LA District. Ted was there as the XO manning the front desk who took us to see the Max who greeted us very warmly. Not too long after that, I reported into my new job at TRADOC, commanded by none other than Max T. As we were checking into out quarters, Max came knocking on our door , saluting and saying "reporting to inspect your quarters". I cracked up laughing, went to get one of our daughters to introduce her to this crazy general, who greeted her warmly.
He then had me report during one of his meetings, introduce me as a gymnast and commanded me to do a handstand right then and there.
He retired from the Army there but then was recalled/retained by Pres Bush to go to Panama to capture Noriega.
I saw him last at an Engineer Commanders conference where he was the guest speaker. By then, he was suffering great pains from his leukemia. Many of us were from '65 and he came to talk to us. The last time I spoke to him was on his last visit to Oahu when he passed word to a mutual friend Al Ono to have me call him. Max was one of a few consequential leaders of the Army during my lifetime who made a significant difference.
We will never forget him. RIP, General Thurman.
FINALLY, SOME OBSERVATIONS ON MAX FROM YOUR SCRIBE
I do not recall knowing Max at WP, but I did meet him somewhere else along the way. I had always heard that you were "either with Max, or not!" I also had heard that Max never forgot a favor.
When Max was called to fix Army Recruiting, he flew to Chicago and from the plane, one of his aides (and our Classmate, whose name escapes me) called and asked me to join Max et al the next evening at a very fine restaurant in Highwood, just outside of Recruiting Command's new home at Ft. Sheridan, just north of Chicago.
At the dinner, Max observed that he did not know anyone in Chicago except me (strange) but he needed to. His request: Could I gather 10 "movers and shakers" and their spouses, bring them to Ft. Sheridan for a Command Brief on the new Army recruiting efforts ("Be all you can be") and Max would host them at dinner at his quarters. I told him I knew maybe 1 "mover and shaker," to which he replied, no problem, just find and bring 10. The "catch?" Max would ask them each to invite 10 more M & S'ers.
So, my 9 plus 1 couples showed up, Max gave a dazzling presentation, we walked over to his quarters and he dazzled everyone even more by knowing everyone's name and drink preference. It was also my first experience with splitting couples apart at different tables, a practice that I now love to do.
You guessed it - within about 12 months, Max knew just about every Mover & Shaker in the Windy City!
Several years later, I received a call from my old buddy (and former Comm) Joe Franklin "55 who was then our 2-star in Spain. Joe & Connie had graciously hosted my 2 oldest (Brian & Shannon) at their lovely, government-provided estate, for several weeks at the end of their month-long French Exchange Student program.
Joe wondered if we could host the son of one of his friends in Espania. They wanted the boy to "experience America." So, Claudio came and spent a month with us, several weeks of which was at our place in Virginia Beach. I thought it would be wonderful to also take Claudio to see our Nation's Capital on our way home from the beach.
I called Max and asked for his advice, since we only had one day to visit before Claudio would fly back to Spain. "No problema," says Max. Plan on staying at my Quarters at Ft. McNair (he was the Vice Chief, I think, at the time). He would be out of the Country, but his brother would take care of us. Are you sure, I replied? I will be coming with my 4 kids and their 3 buddies (all under 13) + Claudio! OK, then, and Thanx!
His bachelor brother Roy (a retired 2 or 3 star himself) made us all a fantastic dinner and then made sure we were all ready to depart the next morn at 0Dark30 by banging a pot as he walked down the hall of bedrooms on the 2nd floor.
Off we went for private, escorted tours of the: * White House * Smithsonian Museum * Arlington Cemetery to include the Tomb Guards' quarters * and one or two other places (which I cannot remember).
The kids thought it was neat, their parents were flabbergasted when they heard what we had seen/how we had seen it and all in all, Max proved once again, that he never forgot a favor.
Quite an amazing person!
FROM TERRY RYAN
Bob Harter and his recently deceased spouse Mary were given special recognition for their support of the WPAGC over the 18 years of its existance with the presentation of the WPAGC challenge coin. Club president, EJ Herold, USMA '81, presented the coin.
The event was organized primarily by USMA '61 and our very own Bernie Ziegler. Strength and Drive was well represented at the function with twenty-three classmates, wives and significant others present.
FROM LARRY NEAL
Bruce both entertained and enlightened us with a theme of continuity in the Long Gray Line and service to our country. He talked about his father, who was killed in action in WW2 shortly after Bruce was born who he never knew, but inspired his career. His story was illustrated with photos of young Bruce as a newly commissioned officer, as a paratrooper; and the current curmudgeon, author, consultant, and consummate contributor to the Class of ’65. His presentation was very well received.
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