2021-10-COR-DPh-2140-CB

The

Grizzly Sig

Winter 2022–23

S I G M A C H I B E TA D E LTA C H A P T E R AT T H E U N I V E R S I T Y O F M O N TA N A

News

From Beta Delta

Undergraduate Chapter Consul Phil Resch

Beta Delta is going to be very engaged this spring with the following activities:

New Pledges We recently pledged two men, who are scheduled to go active in spring 2023.

Sweetheart Formal Weekend

Heart of the House Fundraiser

This function will be held at The Lodges at Seeley Lake in April. Besides the usual brotherhood, mirth, and merriment, a new sweetheart will be chosen.

Derby Days This annual fundraiser will be held this spring, with a goal of raising $2,000 for the Huntsman Cancer Research Center in Salt Lake City. Huntsman is one of the world’s premier medical facilities and is heavily supported by Sigma Chi International.

Scholarship Dinner We’re looking forward to honoring active brothers who will be awarded scholarships funded by Beta Delta Alums. Thanks for providing us with such a great benefit.

2023

Captain’s Cup

Plans are underway for the annual golf tournament in Missoula, which is traditionally held in June. Information will be forthcoming soon about the date and venue.

Stay tuned.

Our beloved 1110 Gerald is now over 115 years old. As a distinguished member of the National Registry of Historic Places, keeping the house in good repair is an unending labor of love for the Sigma Chi Building Foundation’s board members Walt Kero, Dan Cederberg, Rich Thompson, Nate Cranston, Mike Schruth, Dave Trimmer, and Stewart Hansen. Current high-priority projects include a new heating system for the main house, new fencing on the south property line to replace the deteriorating brick wall, and code-compliant fences and handrails for the sun deck, northeast entry deck, and main house entrances. All of these repairs require adherence to historical architectural and design considerations. To this priority list, add ongoing painting, carpet and furniture replacement, and electrical and plumbing repairs.

Sigma Chi Building Foundation is approved by the Internal Revenue Service as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization. All donations of cash, as well as securities and real estate at market value, are tax deductible. We rely on the generosity of brothers and friends to keep the house livable and looking its best. To make a cash donation, go to www.grizzlysigs.com/index.php/donations or mail to Alumni Relations, P.O. Box 876, Ithaca, NY 14851-0876.

If you would like to donate securities or real estate, contact Walt Kero at waltkero@msn.com, or call him at 406-880-9146.

Thanks for your ongoing financial support of Beta Delta.

www.missoulasigs.com @SigmaChiBetaDelta

@UMontanaSigmaChi

BETA DELTA CHAPTER Active Chapter Phil Resch, Consul

betadelta.consul@gmail.com

Chauncey McGraw, Chapter Advisor cleemcgraw@gmail.com

Sigma Chi Building Foundation SCBF owns 1110 Gerald, oversees fundraising for scholarship and major capital needs, and manages the Beta Delta scholarship endowment.

Walt Kero, President waltkero@msn.com

Nate Cranston, Treasurer nathan@thecranstons.com

Dave Trimmer, Secretary Davetrimmer1@gmail.com

Dan Cederberg, Director dcederberg@cederberg-law.com Rich Thompson, Director rich@regenesis.net

Mike Schruth, Director jmschruth@gmail.com

Stewart Hansen, Director shansen@everlogs.com

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 30

BETA DELTA HOUSE CORPORATION

Montana takes on Idaho State on Saturday, September 30. The traditional homecoming parade will precede the game, a Beta Delta tailgate function will be hosted near the stadium, and a reception will be held at the house following the game.

BDHC leases 1110 Gerald from SCBF, rents to active chapter members, and oversees routine maintenance on 1110 Gerald.

To receive the latest news from Beta Delta, please provide your current mail and e-mail information to AlumniRecords@elevateims.com.

Chuck Denowh, President cdenowh@gmail.com

2

2023

Home Coming

THE GRIZZLY SIG | WINTER 2022–2023

In Hoc Signo Vinces, Rich Thompson, ΒΔ’70, Montana ’73

Flags

Of Their Fathers

By Dave Trimmer, ΒΔ’73

This isn’t a story about brother Terry Stockdale, ΒΔ’72. That’s the way he wants it to be and the way it should be. But, it is a story about Buck, as his Beta Delta brothers know him, because it seems to have, without direct ties, many principles of the Sigma Chi White Cross woven into it.

A simple gesture, years in the making, came to fruition in 2016. And, when he thinks of it today, which he does almost daily, he still tears up. So obviously, no matter what anyone thinks, Stockdale believes what he did was the only thing he could do.

So, he told the story of digging into his dad Glenn’s footlocker, filled with the things that told his Army story: enlisting in the Montana Army National Guard after graduating from high school in Billings, being sent to Fort Lewis, Washington, for training before Pearl Harbor, and serving in the Pacific during World War II. There was Staff Sgt. Glenn Stockdale’s uniform, medals, knives, machetes, and three small Japanese flags.

This is about the flags, but not as we know them.

The flags, with writing and blood on them, intrigued Buck, and he learned they are called in Japanese “Yosegaki Hinomaru” or, loosely translated, signature flags or good luck flags.

“Dad explained the flags, knowing the flags are personal items, not battle flags,” Buck said. “It was their ‘love letters from home’ is the best description I’ve heard.” Family and friends would sign or write something on a flag before it was given to Japanese soldiers as they went off to war. If they ended up in American hands, well, there couldn’t have been much good luck involved. But, Buck found out, like GI love letters, they are cherished links for the families.

Before his father’s death more than a decade ago, Buck asked if he would like to make an at-

tempt to return the flags.

The answer was an adamant “No.” “I understand,” Buck said. “I didn’t walk in his shoes. I have no idea.

That was a very brutal enemy he fought.”

Buck’s research, though, convinced him that maybe he should check into how to return Japanese flags. He found out the emotional connection Japanese families have to the flags might override his reasons for keeping the flags that were in his possession.

After much family discussion, Buck decided to try to return his flags and reached out to the Obon Society, located in Astoria Oregon, where the flags are celebrated with a ceremony. Keiko and Rex Ziak try to find the families of the soldiers who had the flags.

It’s a move that didn’t come lightly and a decision that still torments him to some extent. “It bothers me to this day,” he said about going against his dad’s wishes. “It’s there with me all the time. I still haven’t completely reconciled it, but I know the families over there treasured these flags. That’s how I reconcile it, for them. It’s not easy to explain.”

“I’m hard-headed like my father; I’m sure I would say the same thing he did,” he added. “But, my hope is, after all these years, he would forgive and forget.”

Because of the writing on his flag, first and last name, as well as hometown, the family was quickly found. It turns out an infant son, Masaru Kishi, and his two-year-old sister, Kayoko, lost a father, Toshigusu Kishi, they basically didn’t know or remember.

Buck wanted to be there when the family received the flag, so Obon helped him arrange a trip to the Osaka area to hand it over.

The emotions recorded from that moment, when the daughter, now in her late 70s, said, “You finally came back to us,” are enough to make Brother Buck cry, along with those of us who know Buck, share the White Cross with him, and can see the impact it had on him.

“I mean, yeah, it’s just beyond comprehension what it meant to them,” he said, breaking up again.

“You know, it wasn’t just a souvenir, it was their father coming home.”

In many ways, this has become the Terry Stockdale story, as he has become a go-to interview in support of Obon’s efforts to unite flags and families.

“I’ve had nothing but positive reactions,” he said, because he said he doesn’t count comments with online stories. “I’ve always said I can’t think of the words; it was just the right thing to do. I would want someone to do the same for me if they had my father’s possession.” And the interview ended the way it started.

He said, “I just want to promote that these flags are out there. And hopefully, some Beta Delta Sig reads this and has one. If this article gets a few flags back to Japan, that’s what I want.”

For more:

www.cbsnews.com/news/the-flags-of-their-fathers

WWW.MISSOULASIGS.COM

3

Howie’s

Military Adventure

By Howard (Eiwoh) Wright, ΒΔ’68

May 1965: Turn in my Air Force ROTC uniform at University of Montana. My country won’t be needing me.

May 1968: Wrong! My country needs me after all. I enlist in the US Army College Option Officer Candidate School Program, the legal way to avoid the draft.

Aug. 1968: Off to basic training and advanced infantry training (AIT) at Fort Ord, California.

Dec. 1968: Home on leave for Christmas. Marry my college sweetheart Kate Mack, then back to Fort Ord for two more months of AIT. Feb. 1969: Finished up at Fort Ord a full-fledged 11B infantryman. Time to head to Fort Benning for infantry in the Officer Candidate School.

Aug. 1969: America landed on the moon. I now have my “Butter Bars” and a new esteemed title of lieutenant! Off to my very first army officer duty assignment at Fort Polk (Tigerland) near Leesville, Louisiana, for jungle training.

Feb. 1970: A way to get out of Tigerland is to sign up for more training. Off to Rotary Wing Aviation School at Fort Wolters in Mineral Wells, Texas.

Apr. 1970: Get the flu so bad that I can’t continue with critical pilot training. Am washed out of the program and put up for reassignment. Army says “you’re off to Germany,” but first Redeye-missile platoon-leader training at Fort Bliss, Texas. The Redeye is a handheld, infrared, surface-to-air missile.

Jun.–Aug. 1970: At Fort Bliss, learning to shoot down Russian airplanes. Promoted to 1st Lieutenant. Get my orders to Oberammergau, West Germany, and assigned to US Army Schools, Europe.

The

Grizzly Sig

Sep. 1970: Kate and I go to Oberammergau. Not a bad small town for kids who had only been out of Montana a few times before the Army. Arrived there, learned how to say “Oberammergau,” and am assigned to Supreme Headquarters Allied Powers Europe, US European Command. Assumed duties of adjutant to the commandant, NATO Weapons Systems School, a multi-national organization.

Sep. 1971: Promoted to captain and take on duties of protocol officer in addition to adjutant duties. First son, Andrew, is born.

Apr. 1973: Applied for and received a career branch transfer to the Army Adjutant General Corps.

Aug. 1974: Auf wiedersehen, Germany. Off to Fort Benjamin Harrison, near Indianapolis, Indiana, for nine months for more schooling at the Adjutant General Officer Advanced Course.

Second son, Grady, is born.

May 1975: Am assigned to the Military Enlistment Processing Command Station in Salt Lake City, Utah, as executive officer and personnel psychologist.

Jun. 1978: Back across country to Maryland to become the chief of personnel management at the US Army Seventh Signal Command at Fort Ritchie, Maryland.

Jan. 1979: My father became terminally ill and is treated at the Salt Lake City VA Hospital.

I am compassionately reassigned to Fort Doug-

las, Utah, to be close and to lend care to my dying father.

Feb. 1979: Wrangled an assignment as Utah/ Nevada/Wyoming area commander for the US Army District Recruiting Command, located at Fort Douglas.

Jun. 1980: Selected for promotion to major.

Jun. 1981: Decide that I’ve had enough Army and resigned. I took a management job with Marriott Corp. for the next 19 years.

2023: Enjoying retirement with brothers, family, and friends.

A special thanks to recent donor brothers Travis Tidyman, Rich Thompson, John Agnew and Ryan Coleman.

Have Alumni News?

We would love to hear from you. Please complete the donor reply form with your news, updates, and photos, and return the form in the enclosed return envelope or send to: Sigma Chi - Montana, Alumni Relations, P.O. Box 876, Ithaca, NY 14851-0876

The Grizzly Sig is published by Sigma Chi Fraternity at Montana University for its friends and members. News and photos should be sent to: Alumni Records Office, Sigma Chi - Montana, P.O. Box 876, Ithaca, NY 14851-0876.