A Civil War Memorial for Andover In the spring of 2015, the Andover and the Military Executive Committee approached Phillips Academy’s senior leadership to recommend building an on-campus memorial honoring the significant contributions made by alumni during the Civil War. A specific decision on creating such a memorial will follow the Board of Trustees’ approval of a new Campus Master Plan as well as determinations of the proposed memorial’s message, location, design, and funding. Research undergirded the proposal, and that research continues today. The tally of PA alumni identified as Civil War veterans now stands at 814 Union and 50 Confederate soldiers and sailors. Four alumni died fighting for the Confederacy, 105 perished for the Union.
Hampton Roads by the CSS ironclad ram Virginia. It was no contest. The sinking of the Cumberland signaled the end for wooden-hulled, wind-powered warships, and launched Randall’s fame. Union writers celebrated his heroics: as the Cumberland sank, Randall continued firing a sternmounted cannon into Virginia’s open gunports. He survived the battle, retired from the Navy in 1882—and then returned to serve during the Spanish-American War. Randall died in 1904. Laudatory obituaries recalling his Civil War gallantry appeared in newspapers across the nation. “Voices from the Dead” was the title of a sermon delivered to Union troops March
26, 1865, in Charleston, South Carolina, where the war had begun almost four years before. Rev. Samuel Willis, Class of 1831 and chaplain of the 127th N.Y. Infantry, delivered that sermon. “Be faithful to every trust,” he declared, “to the Flag of our Union…now floating over the graves of our brave brothers—be ever true.” Willis had begun his homily with a biblical quote: “He being dead, yet speaketh.” May an Andover Civil War memorial speak for the honored dead, to those living today, and to those coming to Andover in the decades ahead. —David Chase
What of the stories behind these numbers? Theodore Wheaton King, Class of 1861 went AWOL from Andover after Fort Sumter was surrendered to Confederate forces in April 1861 and enlisted without consulting his parents. At 17, he was now Private King in Company F, 1st Rhode Island Infantry. Three months later, wounded and captured at Bull Run, King lay in Richmond’s infamous tobacco warehouse prison. There he suffered from infection, malnutrition, and overcrowded conditions. Private Teddy King died in January 1862, the first of 10 Andover Union POWs who perished as a result of confinement by the Confederacy. Isaac Ingalls Stevens, Class of 1833, graduated from West Point in 1839 and began a long career as an Army engineer stationed in the West. He held civilian positions in government, including service as the governor of Washington Territory. With the onset of war, Stevens returned to the Army. Appointed colonel of New York’s Cameron Highlanders, he was soon promoted to brigadier general, then major general. On September 1, 1862, at the Battle of Chantilly, the Highlanders’ flag sergeant was wounded and the guidon fell. Stevens grabbed the flag, raised it, shouted, “My Highlanders, follow your general!” and led his charging troops, flag in hand. A Confederate bullet found its mark and Stevens fell dead. Stevens’s cousins William O. Stevens and Gorham Phillips Stevens also died fighting for the Union. Before the war, William Randall, Class of 1846, captained New Bedford whaling ships. Volunteering for Navy duty in 1861, Randall became second-in-command aboard the USS Cumberland, a 50-gun, square-rigged heavy frigate—a formidable battlewagon of former days. On March 8, 1862, the Cumberland was attacked in
The Blue Guidon The Newsletter of Andover and the Military
Walter J.P. Curley ’40
Courage and Death at Iwo Jima Iwo Jima, D-DAY, 2/19/1945, 0430 hours—“We pulled on dungarees, piled into the mess hall for breakfast and went topside to witness the preliminary bombardment.” Awestruck by the force and power, U.S. Marine Corps 2nd Lt. Walter J.P. Curley ’40 recalls the pounding naval gunfire, strafing dive-bombers, rocket-firing ships and planes, and ships, ships, ships!
Theodore Wheaton King
Cumberland vs. Virginia
Isaac Ingalls Stevens
Spring 2016
general of the Third Amphibious Corps on Okinawa during the last major battle in the Pacific. After the Japanese surrender, Curley recalls a trip to Peking with Rockey to meet with Generalissimo Chiang Kai’shek and Madame Chiang; Curley was Madam Chiang’s luncheon partner.
By war’s end, Curley’s freshman class of 860 at Yale had lost 36 to the war, with many more badly wounded. A degree from Harvard 0930—“The shoreline bombardBusiness School led to work at ment let up. The first assault petroleum producer Caltex in wave headed in.” India and Italy. Curley later joined 1030—“We climbed down the J.H. Whitney & Company and rope netting into our landing discovered “the dazzling world craft, circled the landing area, of venture capital,” establishing hitting the beach at noon, moved his own firm, W.J.P. Curley & 25 yards, flattening on the black Company, in 1978. Public service sand. Raked by sniper fire. I paralleled his career. He was Curley with Chaing Kai’shek jumped into a foxhole on a dead tapped by New York Mayor John Japanese soldier. We moved 50 yards, choking on Lindsay to serve as commissioner of events and smoke and the stench of death. Howls of pain and chief of protocol (1973–1974); President Gerald Ford fear! Advancing, we set up a command post at the to serve as ambassador to Ireland (1975–1977); and edge of Airfield #1. The first night, screams of anger President George H.W. Bush ’42 to serve as ambasand fury, comrades being slaughtered. The second sador to France (1989–1993). day we were pinned down. Night! More mortar and Ambassador Curley was a trustee of the Frick artillery barrages!” Collection and on multiple boards, including February 21—“We constructed a command post Sotheby’s International, Bank of Ireland, and New and temporary POW stockade! Terrible news, Yorker magazine. Decorated by the U.S. Army, Navy, more casualties in our platoon! We routed out and Marine Corps and by the Republic of China, Japanese soldiers from caves and held them, stripCurley holds the rank of commandeur in France’s searching, medically examining, and interrogating Ordre National de la Légion d’Honneur. them. Prisoners helped to induce remnants of the The mottos on Andover’s seal—Finis Origine Pendet Japanese soldiers to surrender. Too often they chose (the end depends on the beginning) and Non Sibi a different end. (not for self)—were approved by Academy trustees “35 days after we came ashore, there were fewer in 1782, no doubt in anticipation of the life stories of than 1,000 Japanese alive out of the garrison of alumni such as Walter J.P. Curley ’40. 22,000. The combined casualty count (killed and —George S.K. Rider ’51 wounded) was 50,000—or one per minute. 6,800 of the 70,000 U.S. forces died in the battle for Iwo Jima!” Walter J.P. Curley died in his sleep on June 2, 2016, After Iwo Jima, Curley was assigned to the staff at the age of 94, having enjoyed the preparation of of Lt. Gen. Keller Rockey, USMC, commanding this article. Semper Fi.
Serving for the Future
Alumni Profile
After graduating from Andover in 1997, Lt. Cmdr. Luis Gonzalez attended Harvard College on a Naval ROTC scholarship, earning his commission in May 2001. He has spent most of his distinguished 15-year Navy career at sea, completing five operational tours on four surface combatant ships. Currently stationed at the Surface Warfare Officers School in Newport, R.I., Gonzalez is slated to take command of an Arleigh Burke–class destroyer in 2019.
Over There
Soldiers on the Hill This is the third of five annual articles remembering the centennial of World War I and its impact on Phillips Academy and its students.
“The unique nature of the United States, along with our international standing to support stability and democratic rule abroad, was reinforced at Andover—not only through personal interactions with the international faculty and students, but in recalling the non sibi charge of founder Samuel Phillips,” says Gonzalez. “We have an obligation not only to ourselves and our contemporaries, but also to our children, to ensure we leave the planet in a better state than we found it. I can think of no better way to do so than by service.”
ALUMNI CURRENTLY ON ACTIVE DUTY* Alexandra Bell ’13
Aaron DeVos ’01
Adrian Lehnen ’10
Matthew Sullivan ’00
Ansley White ’10
Hunter Washburn ’00
Walker Washburn ’08
Jarreau Jones ’00
Jess Choi ’08
Gil Barndollar ’00
Jake Bean ’08
Justin Accomando ’99
Hanson Causbie ’08
Grancis Santana ’99
Eamon Hegarty ’08
Ali Ghaffari ’98
Alex Ryan ’07
Luis Gonzalez ’97
Lauren Johnson ’07
Michelle Kalas ’97
Billy Cannon ’07
Jesse Ehrenfeld ’96
Helal Syed ’07
Kenny Weiner ’96
Karl Novick ’07
Rush Taylor ’96
Connor Flynn ’06
Laurie Coffey ’95
Brendan De Brun ’06
Randy Allen ’95
Aaron Stroble ’04
Ryan Shann ’93
Livy Coe ’04
Matthew Macarah ’93
EDITOR Charlie Dean ’79
Jenn Bales ’04
Spencer Abbot ’91
Tom Barron ’04
Craig Der Ananian ’91
ASSOCIATE EDITOR George S.K. Rider ’51
Steve Draheim ’04
Eric Hawn ’89
Matt Fram ’04
Rob Patrick ’88
EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE Charlie Dean ’79, chair Seth Moulton ’97, cochair Christine Balling ’86 Tom Beaton ’73 Livy Coe ’04 Laurie Coffey ’95 Johnson Lightfoote ’69 Karl Andrew Novick ’07 Robert Patrick ’88 George Rider ’51 Don Way ’63
Walter Haydock ’04
Kazimierz Kotlow ’83
Nick Ksiazek ’03
Graeme Henderson ’83
Cat Reppert ’02
Jim Donnelly ’82
Eric Chase ’01
Douglas Creedon ’79
—Lt. Cmdr. Jesse Ehrenfeld, USNR, ’96
From the Editor Veterans Day, November 11, 2015: I had the pleasure of participating in a meeting of the Office of Alumni Engagement; Summer Session’s Fernando Alonso (former director) and Danica Fisher (current dean of admission); and the Andover and the Military (AATM) Executive Committee. The LCDR Erik Kristensen Scholarship, established in memory of Erik by AATM and the Academy, was our topic. This special scholarship annually covers the costs for a child of a veteran to attend Summer Session. We began by discussing the single funded position, but departed, miraculously, an hour later having doubled the commitment. Andover and AATM will now share equally in funding two children of veterans as LCDR Erik Kristensen Scholars each summer. The creation of Summer Session in 1942—to facilitate early graduations in February 1944, 1945, and 1946 for young men anxious to serve their country—was perhaps Phillips Academy’s greatest innovation at the onset of World War II. An initial enrollment of 125–150 students was anticipated, but 197 students showed up for the rigorous eight-week program. As history instructor Fritz Allis ’31 recalled, “Most boys took a major course, which met for two hours a day, six days a week, and was roughly the equivalent to a year’s work in a particular subject.” Afternoons were filled with classes on Morse Code, navigation (land and coastal), first aid, and practical electricity, followed by body building for an hour and then sports. Andover’s famous obstacle course was also created at that time. The bond between Summer Session, education, and military service has, wonderfully, come full circle. Non Sibi,
Charlie Dean ’79 Editor 2
THE BLUE GUIDON The Newsletter of Andover and the Military Vol. 4, Number 2 Published biannually by the Office of Academy Resources, Phillips Academy
*We recognize this list may be incomplete; it is based on data we have received from alumni updates. If you or someone you know is not on this list, please e-mail Jenny Savino at jsavino@andover.edu.
The war in Europe began to have a marked impact on Phillips Academy by the fall of 1914. Trustee Henry Stimson, Class of 1883, recently President Taft’s Secretary of War, suggested marksmanship be required of all students. The school soon established a Rifle Club—despite a lack of rifles or access to a range. The trustees quickly approved the purchase of firearms and construction of a range in the basement of Borden Gym. By spring 1915, 140 boys had completed the training. When the United States entered the war in April 1917, schools were encouraged to establish training programs. Phillips Academy created an unofficial ROTC program on campus, and mandatory drills commenced on October 29, 1917. Out of 570 boys, 510 formed up in uniform that morning. Maj. Robert Davy of the Canadian Army led the program, and Monty Peck of the physical education department was the adjutant. Required training took place three hours a week with voluntary evening training classes on Tuesdays and Fridays. A battalion band was formed of 22 musicians armed with brass and drums. Target training moved to the new rifle range in the basement of Pearson Hall. The boys were not always happy in uniform. As one alumnus noted, “As I recall, the majority of the boys resented the military program and especially having to wear those uncomfortable, high collared uniforms
and the wraparound puttees.” Another noted, “[We] were victims of our preparedness rage. We were all put into olive drab, and drab and itchy it surely was.” To mark the end of spring training in 1918, a planned battle took place at Pomps Pond, including the digging of suitable trenches. Divided into Blues and Whites, the forces were to maneuver against one another, with the victor capturing the most prisoners. The exercise soon got out of hand. Many small groups raced through the woods willy-nilly, often ending in wrestling matches, though the rules forbade contact. Some boys jumped into canoes on the Shawsheen River and ended up swimming when their vessels were overturned by the opposing force. Though the senior leadership was reported to have been disgusted by the way the battle turned out, many a student had great fun. Enthusiasm for the ROTC program began to wane in the fall of 1918 as the Allied victory seemed more likely. At their December meeting, a month after the Armistice, the Trustees voted to end the military training program, and the days of puttees on campus were over. —Charlie Dean ’79 and Fritz Allis ’31
Recent News
Erik Kristensen Statue
Andover and the Military’s 2016 fundraising campaign kicked off in March, with assistance from the Office of Academy Resources. AATM Executive Committee members Don Way ’63 and Johnson Lightfoote ’69 have volunteered to contact many of our Blue Guidon readers to request donations to honor Andover’s veterans. We hope their appeal will resonate as clearly as the peals of the Memorial Bell Tower.
Artist Chas Fagan ‘84 recently drove to Washington D.C. to make a special delivery— a sculpture of fallen hero Erik Kristensen ’91. Fagan gifted this sculpture to Kristensen’s parents, Admiral and Mrs. Kristensen, P’91, after hearing about the young sailor’s bravery. Erik was in the United States Navy SEALs and was killed in action during Operation Red Wings, a story told in the film Lone Survivor. Fagan worked with the Kristensens extensively in order to create a bust that would capture the essence of this American hero. A replica of the bust is in the works and will be delivered to Phillips Academy in time for Veterans Day, which we will recognize with an annual dinner on Thursday, November 10, 2016.
Contributions can be made through the AATM page at www.andover.edu/alumni, or you can reach out to Don Way, USMC Vietnam veteran, at donway@donwaylitigation.com. Donations will help fund the LCDR Erik Kristensen Scholarship, Andover veteran activities on and off campus (including the annual Veterans Day Dinner in Paresky Commons), and our growing endowment. Upon reaching our goal of $1.5 million, AATM will be fully funded for many decades to come. Thank you in advance!
3