Wayne State Reunion

point average among fraternities. This has been one of our goals for years, and we are proud of this honor.

In intramurals we are currently ranked second among fraternities for the IFC cup and have a very good chance of bringing it home. Last semester we came in second place in soccer and basketball and fourth place in roller hockey. This has continued into this semester with our current standing in soccer, football, and hockey being second, first, and second respectively.

We also celebrated our five year anniversary on November 6, 1999 with a banquet for brothers and alumni. A great time was had by all with 120 brothers and dates attending.

WESTERN CAROLINA

Our chapter has been doing great and we recently had a large turnout for our alumni weekend. As far as the campus activities go, we are participating in all of them. We had a strong showing to all the events, and we are really getting to be known on campus. We also have been trying to improve our relations with other fraternities and sororities on campus. We have also been extending ourselves to help organizations on campus.

WESTERN MICHIGAN

After meeting with the ABT and Housing Corp. in August, our brothers started the new year with reborn enthusiasm and many fresh ideas.

Fall rush was the most successful in the last five years with fourteen associates. After five busy and exciting weeks of pledging, all fourteen of them were initiated, doubling the size of our chapter for the second year in a row. James English ’89, Jim Sanford ’92 and David Oberdzinski ’99 were present at the ceremony to welcome our new brothers.

We then hosted our ninth annual Powder Puff tournament where ten sorority teams battled for the most prestigious non-intramural sports trophy on campus. Our sports participation is a source of pride again this year. Not only did we successfully compete in all intramural sports, but we also participated and placed high in sporting events organized by the University and other organizations. Our involvement on campus and in the community was recognized by the IFC with a Chapter of the Month award.

On October 23rd we welcomed over 50 of our alumni to the annual homecoming celebration. In conjunction with the ABT and Housing Corp., we kicked off the festivities with a formal meeting at a local restaurant where exciting new plans for building a brand new fraternity house were presented by Jeff Jones ’92 and Charlie Carter ’91. With continuous chapter growth and development we are looking at moving into the new house within the next three years. ABT and Housing Corp. presidents Matt Spaulding ’92 and Jim Sanford ’92 presented reports on continuous chapter standing with Delta Chi and lead a fund-raising campaign to pay off our fast shrinking debt of over four thousand dollars. We were excited to share our fraternal experience with Jim Wright ’64, Jerry Spade ’61 and Jim Moore ’60. We appreciate their involvement with the chapter. We also would like to extend our gratitude to Bob Peterson ’58 who presented the chapter with some important memorabilia that he had saved and preserved for many years. It was a day filled with many shared memories for all involved and a day we will never forget. Credit for helping us finance this year’s Homecoming should be given to the ABT and Housing Corp. and also all the alumni who have given donations.

Front row: Ed Stell ’62 and Tom Kelly ’66, back row: Jack Vincent ’65, Bob Cain ’64, Don Kleckner, Jerry Patera ’64, Andy Jackson ’64, Don Beesley ’63 and Rick Rehn ’66.

Wayne State Delta Chi Alumni Reunion

- Ed Stell ’62

On October 16, 1999, 97 brothers and their wives met at the Nova Hilton outside Detroit, Michigan for a reunion. The group spanned pledge years from 1961 to 1973. The class of ’64 had 12 members in attendance. John Zoulas ’64 came the greatest distance from Seattle, WA. Some of the brothers toured some of the “old” favorite night spots and visited the house (now an apartment building). Dennis Stillwagon had old films converted to video and 100’s of old still pictures. Watching these great videotapes brought back many fond memories. Dancing and lots of reminiscing followed a great dinner. Some brothers had not seen each other in over 30 years. After a few minutes it was like old times. Everyone vowed to meet again in 2004. The goal will be to have even a larger turn out including brothers from the 50’s and late 70’s. Efforts are underway to organize a formal alumni group. To learn more about what’s going on and to catch up on what your old friends are up to, check the Wayne State Delta Chi web site at http:// www.delatchiwsu.org. See you in 2004 if not sooner.

In the Fall/Winter issue of the Quarterly, we featured the research of George L. Hopkins IA ST ’61 on Delta Chi members listed on the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, D.C. In response to that feature, we received several responses. Some of those responses included names we had inadvertently left out of the first article. Included here are some quotes from those responses as well as a corrected listing.

Dear Ray:

Thanks from the bottom of my heart for the article on Delta Chi Members on “The Wall.” If you will send me the mailing or email address for Brother Hopkins, I would also like to personally thank him.

I have such fond memories of my Iowa Delta Chi brother, “Brit” Podhajsky. His great sense of humor, the sparkle in his eye, his sincerity, and his patriotism will always be with me. It was one of my saddest days when I learned he had been killed. Each of the brothers listed undoubtedly touched their brothers as Brit touched me. Each future visit to The Wall will have new meaning for me having read this article.

I should point out that Brit was an Air Force officer, not Army as listed in the article. As I recall, he flew C-130s. Brother Mike New with the Iowa Foundation could confirm that, I believe.

Thanks again for the wonderful article and all of the work that went into it. This old Vietnam veteran sincerely appreciates it.

In the Bond, Fred McLain, IA, ’66 Colonel, United States Army (Retired)

Dear Brothers, Enclosed is my gift to the Delta Chi Educational Foundation. In the Fall/Winter 1999 edition of the Quarterly, I noted the article on page 20 about Delta Chi members on “The Wall.” An omission from the list is Earl Glenn Cobeil, Michigan State ’56, who was shot down over Vietnam and, I think, died in prison camp.

Fraternally, Richard Zimmerman, Michigan State ’56 Ray,

Are you wearing your Delta Chi Quarterly editor’s hat? Re: The article “Delta Chi Memebrs on ‘The Wall’” by George L. Hopkins in the latest issue. Please add (Richard Edris). It was reported that he was killed by a random mortar attack in Saigon while walking through a park.

Warm Regards, Ian E. M. Donovan, CDR, USN, Ret’d, Ohio State ’55

Hi Ray:

Just finished the Fall/Winter ’99 Quarterly.

The article titled, “Delta Chi Members on ‘The Wall’” really brought back memories for me. I remember saying “good-bye” to Mike Rasmusson as he was getting ready to go to Vietnam. I had only recently returned from my tour there, and wished him well. I was terribly saddened when I heard of his death, especially since he had only recently married before paying the ultimate price.

Keep up the good work on the Quarterly, I always look forward to reading it.

Bil Knoblauch, Sacramento ’68

Dear Brother Galbreth:

I noticed the listing of 12 Delta Chi members on “The Wall” in our Fall/Winter ’99 Delta Chi Quarterly. Please include Earl Glenn Cobeil in a future issue.

Glenn was my room and late late study mate at our Michigan State Chapter house.

Tragically, Glenn died in the “Hanoi Hilton” in 1970; his remains were buried in Arlington National Cemetery after the war. I visited his grave last Memorial Day. Several years ago I met his wife, who has remarried, and Glenn’s two children. I put up a plaque in his honor at the chapter house.

A brave airman, LTC Cobeil was awarded posthumously the Silver Star, the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Purple Heart.

Fraternally,

Rank Name Chapter/Yr. Branch Panel Row Casualty Date 1/LT Harold L. Cheadle Miami ’66 USMC 47W 39 23 AUG 68 LTC Earl G. Cobeil Mich. St. ’56 USAF 29E 23 5 NOV 70 1/LT Robert G. Dodson Conn ’65 USMC 53W 34 07 JUL 68 CDR Richard Edris Ohio St. ’50 USN 12E 3 1 NOV 66 LCPL Steven E. Emrick Alabama ’69 USMC 39E 58 16 FEB 68 LCDR Robert T. Hanson Miami ’64 USN 04E 135 21 JAN 74 SGT James B. Hiemenz FL ’68 USA 19W 39 14 AUG 69 CPT Joseph P. Holland Conn ’64 USA 36E 51 01 FEB 68 COL Edward H. Johnson OR ST ’54 USAF 1W 100 17 APR 79 CPT William A. Justice Ohio St ’63 USAF 09W 116 03 JUL 70 WO Donald A. Krumrei OK St ’67 USA 08W 22 16 JUL 70 MAJ Robert L. Miller WA St ’58 USA 52W 7 09 JUL 68 CPT Norbert A. Podhajsky Iowa ’66 USAF 06W 94 29 NOV 70 CPL Michael A. Rasmusson SAC ’69 USA 09W 3 02 JUN 70 LT William C. Vasey Penn St ’66 USN 05W 32 07 JAN 71 Myron E. Ranney, Michigan State ’56

Editor’s Note:

While working on this article, I remembered that Robert P. LaBouy WA ’66 and past “AA” had done research on POWs and contacted Bob to see if we could include some information on our POWs. In my note to Bob I mentioned that we already knew of Congressman Sam Johnson SMU ’51. Johnson spent nearly seven years as a POW, three in solitary confinement.

Dear Ray,

In response to your questions, I was sorry to see that we hadn’t listed the name of Edward H. Johnson ORST ’54. While I have done some research on Ed Johnson, from all reports he was a true “hero” in every sense of the word, including riding his burning B-52 down in December ’72 enabling others to escape. While it was “felt” that he was a POW for some time, I suspect that wasn’t the case. Partial remains were returned in May, 1989 and they are interned at Arlington National Cemetery. I have visited the site and have some photos as well of his memorial.

Another former POW was Mike Benge ORST ’57. While a civilian employee of AID, his is another of the many harrowing stories of captivity. I would love to know his current whereabouts, so I could interview him in person. I know (or at least believe) he is now retired and living in the CONUS and have seen him in a recent TV spot on the POWs. (Editor’s Note: Anyone knowing his address, please contact the Headquarters.)

William M. Tschudy SMU ’58. Bill was a Naval aviator and shot down and imprisoned in ’65 and was flying one of the most famous of our Hanoi POWs, CDR Jeremiah Denton, when shot down over the North. He should be mentioned as he spent his toughest 7+ years in the University of Hanoi Graduate programs.

Ray, I only wish I felt more of our brothers were interested in the real life stories of these men. I had hoped I would hear from someone, anyone, when they saw the notes of Alex Vraciu, DePauw ’41 (Editor’s Note: See “Where did we get such men?” in the Spring/Summer issue). It is almost spooky that both Johnson and Benge came from the same chapter in such a close time span. Let me know if there is anything else I can do to assist you.