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Tulsa 35 USAFA .17
USAFA
USAFA 39
New Mexico 49 USAFA 37
USAFA 24 Navy 21
Colorado State 21 USAFA 11
USAFA 35 Texas-El Paso 7
USAFA 44
USAFA 27 Army 9
The “Home Bank” of the Air Force gives fast personalized banking services by mail, by phone, by wire, in person and family-type personalized service designed for graduates around the world. Your continuing support permits us to meet your requirements for hasslefree service.
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USAF
- P.O.
I
Sincerely,
Executive Director
Jim Wheeler, ’64
Editor
Tom Kroboth
Staff
Mrs. Freida Weber
Mrs. Kathy McCann
Ms. Leslie Weber
Falcon halfback Mike Brown picks up yardage in the New Mexico game Oct. 2 while tackle Scott Wachenheim leads the way. Brown was chosen Western Athletic Conference Player of the Week for his offensive play against Brigham Young, a game the Falcons
(Editor’s note: The following article is an address by Major General Robert E. Kelley, superintendent, to the Colorado Springs Area Joint Service Prisoner of War - Missing in Action Recognition Day Ceremony at the Academy on 9 July 1982.)
Good afternoon, Ladies and Gentlemen. Welcome, and thank you one and all for coming. 1 am particularly pleased that with us today are 86 former prisoners of wars.
I would like to recognize the senior POW from each conflict: from WWII, former superintendent of this Academy, Lt. Gen. Albert P. Clark; from the Korean Conflict, Master Sgt. Williebald Mayer; and from the Southeast Asia Conflict, Brig. Gen. David Winn.
We are assembled here today to honor these men and the thousands they represent whose personal experience is a constant living reminder of war and man’s inhumanity to man. Some may question why we recognize POWs. The words of our sixteenth president, Abraham Lincoln at Gettysburg, explain why—“It is altogether fitting and proper we should do this.
In addition, we honor those missing in action and we are most pleased that many of the wives and families of our comrades who have not returned are able to join us today—killed or missing in action-all of us who have seen war know the truth in the statement, “There but for the Grace of God go I.” I would like you to consider for a moment the very special situation of our wives, our children, our parents.
Those of us in uniform have committed ourselves to service to country. We have raised our hand and sworn to defend the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic—and if need be to die in this effort. A man who died for others defined this kind of sacrifice and even ranked it for us some two-thousand years ago. Jesus of Nazareth said, “Greater love hath no man than this. That a man lay down his life for his friends.” All here today can honestly say-we have had such friends! But our wives, our children, our parents, those we leave behind, —their suffering, their grief, their frustrations, their pain, their agony—how can we ever fully understand or comprehend their sacrifice.
I am reminded of the words of John Stuart Mills who wrote many years ago: “War is an ugly thing, but not the ugliest of things, the decayed and degraded state of moral and patriotic feeling, which thinks nothing worth a war is worse. A man who has nothing which he cares more about than he does his personal safety is a miserable creature who has no chance of being free, unless made and kept so by the exertions of better men than himself.”
The issue, my friends, is clear and simple freedom. Will we live free or not? Some have argued we are better Red than dead and we have fought before and will fight again to defend their right to express their view. Thank God that there is a United States of America; a country that has produced generation after generation from Concord Bridge to Bull Run, from Flanders Field to Anzio, Pork Chop Hill to Khe Sanh to the desert of Iran, men and women willing to pay the price of freedom. It has been a high price, but it has been paid. The wars of the 20th Century, WWI, WWII, Korea, and Vietnam have claimed over 630,000 lives. Over 142,000 captured. Seventeen thousand died while POWs.
The names of prisoner of war and concentration camps have and should have a ring that sends chills up our spine-Auschwitz, Buchenwald, Dachau, Bataan, Suan, the Hilton, the Plantation, the Zoo, Alcatraz and, oh yes, let us not forget the 60 million of the Gulag.
“Man’s Inhumanity to Man.” We have our own reminder from the war between the States to decide whether we would be one nation or two—30,000 from the South lost their lives; 26,000 from the North. And one-half, 13,000, died in a POW camp of that war called Andersonville. Yes, the price for freedom has been very high.
There is little that a grateful nation can do to honor these men. But we can keep the faith and hold high the principles for which they died. The words of Edmund Burke come to us out of the 18th Century: “The only thing necessary for the triumph of evil is for good men to do nothing.” Those Americans who have paid the price understood that very well. They also understood that someone must take the action—and the risks. So they stepped forward in the spirit of complete selflessness described in Isaiah, Chapter 6, Verse 8 in the passage which reads: “Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, here am I, send me.”
And so our comrades went. And I am sure they would go again, because man’s resolve and determination has shown time and again in the course of history that the human spirt must be free! Our former POWs with us here today and at similar recognition ceremonies across the nation are examples of that indomitable human spirit. Survivors that history has known so many times before.
History records that in the revolutionary war George Washington complained of the treatment accorded captured soldiers of the Continental Army. Time and again since then, the United States has recognized the uncommon hardships experienced by our soldiers, sailors and airmen held prisoner during times of war. Called upon to defend American ideals while undergoing extreme adversity in violation of fundamental moral standards and international codes, our men and women have fulfilled their duty to service and country. We assemble here today to recognize the special debt owed to our fellow citizens who gave up their freedom and their families in the service of our country.
(Continued on page 5)
A 14-year-old dream became a reality this past June for Chaplain (Capt.) Charles C. Baldwin, Academy Class of 1969.
In the 1969 Polaris yearbook, Chaplain Baldwin said he intended to fly for six years and then become an Air Force chaplain. During his five years as a pilot, he flew the Air Force’s “most boring’’ aircraft, the EC-121, and the “most exciting” (HH-53 Super Jolly Giant rescue helicopter).
“1 had such a rewarding experience as a cadet, 1 wanted to return to the Academy and try to give back some of the love and spiritual help that 1 received during those years,” Chaplain Baldwin said. “Chaplain (now Col.) Bob Browning, a 1959 Academy graduate, made such an influence on my life that I felt my experiences as a grad and a pilot could also be used by the Lord to help the cadets and the Academy staff.
“I’m convinced that the opportunities for effective ministry at the Academy are tremendous,” the chaplain continued. “The mission statement of the Academy includes “knowledge, character and qualities of leadership” as the goals for the type of officer we want to provide our country.
“I know that spiritual input is absolutely essential in helping the cadets become the leaders we need in the future. The moral and spiritual issues in this nuclear age are extremely sensitive.
“Our leaders must have a real relationship with God in order to make decisions that may affect the lives of millions of people,” Chaplain Baldwin continued. “We chaplains, along with the lay leadership in our chapel community, have an exciting and extremely important part in the mission of the Academy. I am glad to be back and to be a part of the mission we have here.”
After graduation and commissioning from the Academy, Chaplain Baldwin went through pilot training at Laughlin AFB, Texas.
From 1970-71, he flew the EC-121 at McClellan AFB, Calif., and Korat RTAFB, Thailand. Chaplain Baldwin then flew the HH-33 rescue helicopter, including a year at DaNang AB, Vietnam. He returned to McClellan AFB in 1973, again flying the EC-121.
He resigned his commission in 1974 to attend the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., and eventually became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Taylorsville, Ind.
He re-entered the Air Force as a chaplain in 1979, with his first assignment at Lackland AFB, Texas.
(Reflections: Continued from page 4)
However, it is not enough to just recognize their sacrifice, we must try to figure out why the war claxon sounds and do something about it. We must think about war, about peace and the future of our world. That is why this institution exists. We can no longer ignore or shrink from thinking the unthinkable. Military concerns underlie much of our foreign policy. The subject of war and peace is not too emotional and complicated for undergraduate study. What subject provides greater opportunity to teach students to put aside emotion and explore a subject cooly from all points of view? We are obligated to raise the difficult questions and guide our cadets to an understanding of the scope and limits of the use of force, and what constitutes global security in the time of our lives.
Finally, I offer for your consideration this afternoon the words of William Saroyan:
In the time of your life, live—so that in that good time there shall be no ugliness or death for yourself or for any lifeyour life touches.
Seek goodness everywhere, and when it is found, bring it out of its hiding place and let it be free and unashamed.
Chaplain Baldwin went on a remote assignment to Decimomannu AB, Sardinia, Italy, in 1981. He then came to the Academy, where he is a Protestant cadet chaplain.
Chaplain Baldwin and his wife, the former Anne K. Lively of Security, Colo., have three children, Pete, 11, Annalee, 9, and Luke, 3.
Chaplain Baldwin’s military awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross with one oak leaf cluster, Air Medal with three OLCs and the Meritorious Service Medal. (The Falcon Flyer, July 23, 1982)
vL* \f/ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^ ^
Capt. Charles McMillan, a 1973 Academy graduate, was among five Air Force people recently honored by a memorial at Hurlburt Field, Fla.
Captain McMillan was killed, along with four other members of the 8th Special Operations Squadron at Hurlburt, in the fiery explosion at Desert One in Iran which thwarted the attempt to rescue 52 American hostages.
To ensure the eight airmen and Marines who died in that mission are never forgotten, members of the Hurlburt Field community and Okaloosa County dedicated a memorial to those who didn’t return. The ceremony, held on the eve of the second anniversary of the rescue attempt, wrapped up an effort begun more than a year ago by the Hurlburt Memorial Fund Committee.
The memorial is a 12.5 by 9.5 foot, stained glass replica of a painting by Florida artist Jack Lorusso mounted in the west wall of the Hurlburt Chapel. Nearly 1,200 pieces of glass were used to construct the memorial, which depicts an American eagle perched on the shield of Hurlburt’s 1st Special Operations Wing. Streaming from the eagle is a rainbow of colors in which eight translucent diamonds can be seen, symbolizing the uniting of the eight lives in death.
June Lawrie, chairman of the Memorial Fund Committee, said, “This window will show the people serving in the Armed Forces now and in the future that there is support and understanding for their mission,” she concluded. (The Falcon Flyer, August 27, 1982.)
Place in matter and in flesh the least of the values, for these are the things that hold death and must pass away.
Discover in all things that which shines and is beyond corruption. Encourage virtue in whatever heart it may have been driven into secrecy and sorrow by the shame and terror of the world.
Ignore the obvious, for it is unworthy of the clear eye and the kindly heart.
Be the inferior of no man, nor of any man be the superior. Remember that every man is a variation of yourself. No man’s guilt is not yours, nor is any man’s innocence a thing apart.
Despise evil and ungodliness, but not men of ungodliness or evil. These, understand.
Have no shame in being kindly and gentle, but if the time comes in the time of your life to kill the killers—kill and have no regret.
In the time of your life, live—so that in that wondrous time you shall not add to the misery and sorrow of the world, but shall smile to the infinite delight and mystery of it.
Fall at USAFA has brought with it bright colors, an exciting football team, Homecoming and class reunions, numerous meetings of the AOG Board of Directors, and a very busy agenda for everyone. Hopefully, when the dust clears, the result will be continued progress for the association and a winning football team for USAFA.
Financial Growth The past 12 months has been a period of continued growth and progress for the AOG. It was an excellent year financially and after 14 years of sometimes sporadic growth, the association now is a corporation with a seven-digit net worth. Significant increases in both unrestricted and restricted monies controlled by the AOG have occurred in recent years to the point where the balance sheet has become impressive for a corporation that did not exist until January 1968. Along with the growth in income and membership has been an increased AOG role at the Air Force Academy in sponsorships and other programs. Also, and of equal importance, services to the membership have expanded and continue to be refined and diversified.
Dental Insurance
Two primary undertakings during 1982-83 need to be explained in some greater detail. Specifically, the Dependent Dental Program and the inauguration of the AOG Annual Fund. The dental program has been temporarily sidetracked and will not be offered to the membership during 1982 as originally planned. Partially as a result of the national economy, insurance underwriters are reluctant to undertake new group insurance programs in areas that have not been tested before. Since the idea of creating a group dental insurance program is relatively new in the alumni area, the AOG Board has found it impossible to date to find an underwriter. While efforts to launch the program continue under the guidance of the services subcommittee, there is no firm timetable that can now be announced to the membership. There has been enthusiastic graduate community support for the concept and given the total commitment of the AOG Board to create a program, the membership may be assured that eventually a credible program will be offered.
Annual Fund - The inauguration of the AOG Annual AFA Fund in the fall of 1982 was accomplished through a direct mailing in a colorful envelope designed to attract everyone’s attention. One of the handouts from that mailout is re-created in part on the back cover of this magazine. The theme for this year’s campaign is “Only you can provide the extra margin of excellence.” If each AOG member and graduate will reflect on the total experience he or she had as a cadet, it will be easy to remember the overall excellence of the total program; and, hopefully, we will all be willing to insure that the Academy experience will continue to be above that of any other institution. To do this in the contemporary context of austere defense budgets, it is necessary for appropriated funds to be supplemented by private funding. The AOG Board of Directors, in cooperation with the superintendent, will earmark these funds for worthwhile causes in furtherance of our commitment to excellence at USAFA. In future editions of Checkpoints the Annual Fund Committee will be making direct reports to the membership on how the annual fund monies are being utilized. If the experience gained at West Point and Annapolis can be transferred to our school, we can indeed all look forward to many worthwhile projects being funded through this AOG annual fund-raising effort.
Homecoming For the tirst time in many years, an official AOG business meeting was convened during Homecoming. At the meeting the chairman of the AOG Board, Jim Spittler, ’65,
announced to the assembled members the inauguration of the AOG Annual Fund, commented on the ongoing outstanding work of the AOG staff, and announced that after 6 1/2 years the current executive director would be moving on to a new position and that an active search was under way for his successor.
Reflections With this last point in mind, I will now turn to a few reflections on my tenure as executive director of the Association of Graduates. It is important to point out at the outset of this brief statement that I am leaving involuntarily. This job was accepted in the spirit that it was offered as a challenge to put the Association of Graduates on a business footing which would serve the AOG and the Academy well not only during my tenure but in subsequent years. The record stands on its own merit and it documents well our progress in the last 6 1/2 years. The many accomplishments that have been realized are the result of a joint effort on the part of all those who have had the opportunity to participate in AOG management, and they reflect the dedication and professional concern of those who have worked directly in the AOG office.
When I accepted the position in 1976, it was my intent to stay but a normal tour and then move on to other, bluer pastures. However, as the job took on definition and as the challenges surfaced, it became apparent that some continuity of management was very important if the AOG was to come of age in a responsible manner and to realize its full potential. Previous administrations have recognized the importance of continuity in the executive director position. To this end, the position was granted staff tenure in 1979, with the understanding that I would serve until June 1984. Further, it had been agreed that my successor would be identified in early 1983 and brought on board during the summer of 1983 so there could be an appropriate management overlap during academic year 1983-84. However, subsequent events have culminated in the articulation of new personnel policies governing Academy assignments which make it impossible for me to remain in this position through June 1984 as originally conceived.
Unfortunately, with my accelerated departure there will be little time for any overlap to preserve the management continuity that the master plan hoped for. This is unfortunate; however, each member can feel confident that the association is strong enough to overcome any short-term management discontinuities.
The message I left with the assembled graduates at Homecoming is perhaps worthy of repeating here. Specifically, the AOG will ultimately measure its success in term of the levels of participation and concern that the graduate community as a whole will demonstrate for the Academy. The association can only help the Academy insofar as and to that degree that the membership wishes it to be of service. The AOG was conceived as a service organization, has functioned in this capacity, and must continue to be just that. The constituencies that the AOG serves are wide and diversified. They go beyond just the graduate community to include the Air Force Cadet Wing, the Air Force Academy, and of course the United States Air Force. So long as the membership is convinced that our mission is worthwhile, our combined efforts will insure that excellence is always pursued with diligence to the benefit of the Academy, our association, and our service.
As I prepare for my next assignment, I extend sincere thanks for the outstanding support I have enjoyed; and I assure each member that 1 will continue to be an active participant in AOG affairs.
ASSOCIATION MEMBERSHIP YEAR. The association, in the past, established the membership year to begin with the spring issue of Checkpoints, which is mailed in May, and to end with the winter edition which is mailed in February. Membership also ineludes the annual Register of Graduates, normally mailed in November of each year. With this old procedure, it was necessary to offer partial-year memberships to those joining after April. A new system has been established which automatically will carry memberships for one year after your membership check has been posted, with an automatic reminder being sent two months prior to your membership expiration. This new service will save the association administrative costs and should streamline our membership renewal operations.
GRADUATE VS CADET IDENTIFICATION NUMBERS. Members have asked why their graduate identification number, used by the association, differs from their cadet identification number. When the AOG first transitioned to its original computer system in 1965, it was necessary to devise a numbering system which would incorporate all past and future classes. Some of the early classes did not have their class year within their cadet number. Also, not all classes used cadet numbers with the same number of digits. Additionally, it was decided at that time to have graduate numbers separated by increments of five (e.g. 830005, 830010, 830015, etc.) to accommodmte late graduates so that they could be added alphabetically to the graduate roster. These are the primary reasons that graduate and cadet identification numbers differ.
LIFE MEMBERSHIPS. The life membership program has been indefinitely suspended by the board of directors while they study alternatives which would be fiscally sound. Should the life membership program be reinstituted, it will be announced in Checkpoints.
CHANGES OF ADDRESS. Because most of our members are in the military, we are constantly updating their addresses. In some cases, this takes quite a bit of time and an address may not be updated in time for the next publication mailing even though the address was received prior to the mailing. In many other cases, we are not notified of the change of address until a member misses an issue of Checkpoints. To keep your publications flowing to your current address, please let us know your new address as early as possible. Also, your Class News representative would appreciate a short note on the change-of-address card concerning your new job or other relevant information. When sending in your change of address, please give us your graduate number. A copy of your mailing label from Checkpoints helps us even more.
GRADUATE THUNDERBIRDS. Two USAFA graduates have been selected for the new F-16-equipped Thunderbird aerial demonstration team. Maj. Lawrence Stellmon, ’69, of Hot Springs, Mont., will be the operations officer for the team. He had been assigned to Tactical Air Command Headquarters at Langley AFB, Va. The other graduate team member is Capt. Wayne Holum, ’73, a native of Twin Valley, Minn., who had been assigned as an F-16 instructor at Hill AFB, Utah. Other members chosen for the precision flying team are Maj. James Latham who will be the commander-leader, Maj. Shumpert Jones, Capt. Steven Chealander, Capt. John Bostic, and Capt. Howard Attarian.
1st
Lt. Robert B. Stephan, ’79, and Capt. Silvanus T. Gilbert III, ’78, have been named as Olmsted Scholars. Lt. Stephan will study at the University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, and Captain Silvanus will attend the University of Beijing (Peking), People’s Republic of China. Captain Douglas N. Barlow, ’78, and Captain Richard G. Waiton, ’76, were selected as alternates. The George Olmsted Foundation Scholarship involves two years of study preferably in international relations or political science taking into account the personal interests of the scholar and the curriculum offered by the foreign university. Specialized language training precedes the two-year course of study.
TEST. In the recent spring issue of Checkpoints, we ran an article on physical fitness by Capt. Rich Cote’, ’71, with accompanying PFT conversion charts. We failed to run the timing for the test, however. The entire test must be completed in 15 minutes. The pull-ups must be done within three minutes but if you stop you must go on to the next exercise. No resting in between. Push-ups also get three minutes with the same no-rest rule. Sit-ups are two minutes, and the run is 600 yards.
PARENTS WITH TWO GRADUATES/CADETS. Parents with two or more graduates, cadets, or a combination of the two, have asked why they receive two or more separate mailings on many of our merchandise offerings. The reason is that in our continuing effort to keep membership dues low by augmenting association income through merchandising efforts, we send much of this type of literature to parents of all graduates and cadets, not to just parents of association members. The computer, unfortunately, prints a parent’s address label for each graduate and cadet. To manually pull all duplicate labels would be very costly to the association. We apologize for any inconvenience this procedure may have caused.
GAME DEDICATED TO GRADUATE. “Air Attack,’’ a modern-day air war game recently introduced to the market, has been dedicated to Captain James E. Alexander, Class of 1968, who died of injuries received in a T-38 aircraft accident in 1972. The game, invented by Captain Alexander’s brother, Steve, of Colorado Springs, will soon appear at hobby and game stores throughout the nation.
MAILING COSTS FOR SABRES. The AOG still has a supply of sabres for sale to graduates for $85 if picked up at our office or $95 if mailed stateside. We have found that for APO addresses overseas, an extra $4 in shipping fees will cut delivery time from six to two weeks. Anyone wishing to have a sabre sent to an APO address may include the extra $4, for a total of $99, if they wish to shorten the mailing time.
GRADUATE CHILDREN AT USNA. Attending the U.S. Naval Academy in the Class of 1986 are Midshipman Stephen T. Fay, son of Lt. Col. Robert H. Fay Jr., ’59, and Midshipman Scott M. Quinlan, son of Col. Michael J. Quinlan, ’61.
(Continued on page 11)
For the past few years, I have followed very closely the ongoing debate over the direction the Academy should take, both academically and militarily. Since my own graduation in 1969, my views on the Academy and the way it does its job have undergone significant changes. These changes have occurred because of my exposure to the “real” Air Force and my perception of its needs.
Prior to attending the Academy, and also during my years as a student there, I firmly believed in its need for academic excellence. I still do, but the view has been tempered somewhat because of my perception that academics has overshadowed the military aspect of a cadet’s training. I graduated with a degree in aeronautical engineering and have since flown over 2000 hours in fighter aircraft, including over 1000 hours as an F-4 instructor. I have used some of my basic studies to help me perform my mission, but only a very small portion. Heat flow dynamics and rocket propulsion design have yet to be needed. My point is not that they should not be taught, but that they should be given the relative importance they deserve. My interchange with superiors, peers, and subordinates alike has exposed me to all kinds of leadership techniques, and it is the capability to get the most out of people and resources that is most critical to the Air Force now. The Academy was conceived as an institution that would produce leaders - not academic whizzes, not athletic giants, and not soldiers of fortune. Some would argue that leaders are born, not made. To a significant extent, that is true. But like any other talent, it must be developed -and that’s what the Academy should be doing. The admissions system should be doing its best to identify and admit those individuals who have indicated some degree of leadership and who show promise of further development. Academic excellence alone is not enough. We have MIT and Cal Tech to provide us all the engineers and scientists we are willing to pay for. The Academy itself should focus itself on helping to bring out and shape each individual’s leadership talents.
This brings me next to a discussion of attrition. My only concern with attrition is how it affects funding for the Academy, and that in turn depends on how it is presented to the Board of Visitors and the Congress. The point must be made that graduating 100 McArthurs, Grants, and
Lees is infinitely preferable to graduating 600 mediocre bookworms. The point must also be made that retaining 80 percent of 400 graduates past five years beats retaining 50 percent of 600 graduates. You will only retain those individuals who feel they fit into an organization and can contribute something to it. Therefore, we must align the Academy’s products with the Air Force’s needs, and the Air Force needs leaders.
I’ll finish up by looking at whether the Academy should stand for ideals which are timeless, or should reflect every little change society chooses to make. I view these as the extremes of a philosophical spectrum on which the Academy must take a position. It is my opinion that the Academy should stay as close to the ideal end of the spectrum as possible while carefully avoiding disconnecting itself from American society. Truth, freedom, patriotism, and all the other ideals that men have dreamed of and striven for through time should be what the Academy lives and breathes and bases its existence on. To try to emulate civilian colleges is to miss the point entirely. The Academy must produce individuals who will be the rocks and pillars of moral strength around whom the tempest of society swirls. Every step taken that makes the Academy less challenging and less demanding is a step away from the fulfillment of that mission. The demands on the leaders of today’s technological world are infinitely greather than they’ve ever been. The Academy’s mission is thus tougher and - more critical - than ever.
“The more you sweat in peace, The less you bleed in war.”
Sincerely,
Scott B. Sonnenberg, Major, USAF Class of 1969Dear Grad,
As an active-duty admissions liaison officer (LO), i.e., recruiter for both USAFA and Air Force ROTC scholarship applicants, I have just returned from a two-day conference for LOs held at the Academy. I am writing you for two reasons: first, to tell you that I was favorably impressed with what I saw and heard while at the Academy; second, to encourage active duty as well as Air Force Reserve graduates to consider becoming active, productive LOs.
First a few words about the Academy: our orientation included comprehensive briefings by the superintendent, the commandant of cadets, the vice dean, the assistant director of athletics, Jim Wheeler of our AOG, the registrar, and several of his key players. I was encouraged by what I saw and heard. The programs for the cadets are super and as tough as ever. And it still is a military academy, not a civilian university, with fairly recent additional initiatives to increase emphasis on the military part of the equation.
Now about the LO part: attrition at USAFA and in the AFROTC scholarship program is much too high, somewhere around 38 to 40 percent. Though many factors contribute to attrition, the experts agree that the lack of motivation on the part of the Academy appointee and AFROTC scholarship recipient is probably the greatest single factor. The best person to evaluate motivation (or lack of it) is the LO who deals with the junior high and high school students who eventually end up applying for the Academy or for an AFROTC scholarship.
Only a handful of the 2000-plus LOs are Academy graduates. We need more Academy graduates as LOs. (Only someone who has experienced it knows how really tough BCT is, let alone four years at the Academy.) Maybe you would like to be an LO, whether you are in the Reserves or still on active duty. It’s a very important, worthwhile, and rewarding additional duty. One aspect of being a professional is recruiting worthy new members into one’s profession. Think it over. If interested write to Lt. Col. Dick Brown, USAFA/RRV, or call him at autovon 259-2640 or commercial (303) 472-2640.
Sid Newcomb, ’60
I was much intrigued by my old roommate Mick Roth’s “New Mortgage Idea,” as presented in the Summer ’82 Checkpoints. The concept appears to be sound, and I would expect a certain market among those who expect their incomes to grow at least as fast as the national average. At any rate, it is a creative new application of the idea of indexing.
I am writing because I’d like to see the data behind Mick’s numerical examples. In comparing the accelerated payment example with the variable rate example, there seems to me to be a major question:
What is the relationship between per capita disposable personal income (which drives the accelerated payment amount) and long-term rates (some form of which drives the variable mortgage rate)? I should think that a portfolio holder or a mortgage borrower would have to make some type of estimate of the further courses of these two important variables in evaluating which of the mortgages would provide him the best outcome.
I shall look forward to reading your follow-on article on this subject. There’s no doubt about the need for new ideas such as this one to help us deal with the financial uncertainties of the 1980s.
Sincerely,
John Nehring, ’63Mick Roth’s mortgage plan is a very interesting concept, but the article didn’t mention its tax aspects. Housing prices here in California are so high that, even with two incomes, only the huge tax deductions for mortgage interest make home ownership possible for many people. While applying all the payment acceleration to principal would build equity very rapidly, it seems that it could be devastating to the borrower’s after-tax cash flow.
Gary Mills, ’65 (Editor’s note: See the last paragraph of Mick’s reply.)
Dear Editor,
1 was delighted to see that my article brought a response from John Nehring. I remember vividly that each evening during the time we were roommates, John would allow not a second over 30 minutes of study per course. He slammed his books shut by the clock and did a 4.0. I kept my books open and did somewhat less. So for John, and anyone else who is interested, here goes.
The following is extracted from a table used in my article that appeared in the January issue of Mortgage Banking:
Both loans begin as $80,000, 14 percent, 30-year contracts which gives both the starting point of $947.90 per month.
The VRM (Variable Rate Morgage) payments have been increased according to a typical formula for such loans. That is, that the interest rate may increase only up to 1 percent per year with an absolute ceiling at 21 percent. In the table that ceiling is hit in year 8 at a payment of $1,395.28. The GEM (Growing Equity Mortgate) has been increased by the factor 1 suggested-75 percent of the percentage change in per capital disposable personal income. The changes in the table are those that would have occurred if year 1 was 1969. At the end of year 11 the GEM is paid off while the VRM has over $78,000 outstanding. The actual numbers in this table were produced by Robert Tobin and Dr. Helen Peters of Merrill Lynch. Per capita disposable personal income is available from a number of U.S. Government sources. The table is a worstcase presentation. It assumes that events will cause payments to increase every year, and compares the effect.
The relationship between per capita disposable personal income and long-term interest rates is theoretically firm. Interest rates tie closely to inflation. Investors demand protection against inflation when they lend money and increasing rates of inflation will lead to higher interest rates. A key point in these considerations is that the income figures used, per capita disposable personal income (DPI), are measured in current dollars. (Most economic data are presented in constant dollars.) Therefore, there is by necessity a strong relationship between inflation and per capita DPI measured in current dollars. Inflation simply cannot exist unless the dollars are there to pay increased prices. The net result is that per capita disposable personal income and interest rates are related via the medium of inflation.
Now John said, “I should think that a portfolio holder or a mortgage borrower would have to make some type of estimate of the future courses of these two important variables in evaluating which of the mortgages would provide him with the best outcome.” There are many points to be made in response.
Estimating the future course of interest rates, or of any economic variable, has been a difficult to impossible function for many years. The most successful forecasters have correctly anticipated the direction of movement but have been overwhelmed by the scope of that movement. What I propose, however, does not rely upon forecasting. The GEMs currently being marketed would increase payments every year. This is not sensible. If you increase payments in a year like 1982 when interest rates are falling, no one involved in the loan will benefit. The homeowner is never helped if his payments are increased and, more importantly, accelerating the investor’s cash
flow while interest rates are falling does not help him. Therefore, I favor a GEM whose payments would be increased only if interest rates have risen. If that is the way the loan works, then it is no longer a choice between a GEM and VRM. The GEM is simply the superior plan. The cash flows are similar and benefit to the homeowner is overwhelmingly with the GEM.
One final word about taxes, an often raised point. I envision that if the GEM becomes widespread, Congress will recognize that its long-standing commitment to provide a tax subsidy to individual home ownership needs to be updated. We currently base that commitment upon a mathematical convention called interest. The advent of the GEM simply means that this commitment will have to be based upon something else; for instance a percentage of the monthly mortgage payment. There is, I believe, no chance that the policy of subsidizing home ownership would be abandoned because of a change in loan form.
Sincerely,
Michael J. C. Roth, C.F.A., ’63
Dear Lt Col Wallisch,
1 liked your article! It was great! And the ideas were so true! But, I have to tell you some points of information. I am a hard-core “Trekky.” Captain Spock and Lieutenant Saavik did not go to the Academy. They went to school, the equivalent of college, on Vulcan.
If you are interested in “Star Trek,” two books are very informative: Concordance and the Star Fleet Tech Manual. The tech manual shows Star Fleet Academy to be something different from the AFA. It is a combination of schools: West Point plus Annapolis plus AFA. And it is called Star Fleet Academy. They (the crew) beam aboard from someplace else, not “Space Command.” Bones never went to the Academy.
You’re right, not many admit to going to or graduating from the “Zoo.” I don’t know what the answer is, but the article was great!
Capt. Fran Doyle, ’72
Dear Editor,
While there are certain ah strengths in Captain Doyle’s position (particularly the part about his liking my article), it is difficult to really pin down specific facts about the future. What with time warps, garbled messages, and the effeet faster-than-light postal services have on things like tech manuals, well, you just
by Major Jim Fujita
The second USAFA Summer Alumni College is scheduled for the 12th through the 18th of June 1983. This event, which is cosponsored by the Dean of Faculty and the Association of Graduates, offers you and your family a week of educational and recreational activities in the Academy environment. Various plmnning committees are currently developing the content of both the “prescribed” and “elective” curriculums. The prescribed curriculum will be offered in the morning and will be open to all adult participants. A theme of the “The Air Force Family” has been adopted. A variety of social events and youth activities are included in the plans.
While resembling programs elsewhere, the Academy Alumni College will reflect some of the character unique to this institution. The intent is to provide information, experience, and dialogue that will stimulate learning and personal growth. And it is anticipated that the association with fellow graduates, their families, and Academy community will revitalize and rejuvenate in each participant those institutional principles and ideals inbred during the undergraduate experience. We are not inclined to focus on a series of “how-to” courses, nor offer a battery of lectures by prominent scholars. Nor would it be appropriate to take a “mini PME” track at this point. The program promises some universal appeal to all graduates, both active duty and non-active duty.
The First Alumni College was held in summer of 1981 and was a tremendous success. Earl Saunders, ‘61, and his staff did a super job. The week-long program included the housing of graduates and their families in Vandenburg Hall. According to Steve Landers, ’67, “the academic presentations were uniformly superb and intellectually stimulating; the kids were well cared for; grads and spouses were virtually unanimous in considering the First Alumni College a very meaningful experience.” Guy Dennis, ’64, said “the week was one that will always be with me. It was a week of chasing memories a week of pride for me to have my children experience where their ‘daddy’ went to school; simply put, on a scale of 1 to 10, the First Alumni College scored about 946.” These were typical comments from the attendees of the First Alumni College.
The Second Alumni College will offer the same type of program as the First Alumni College with one exception all participants will be housed at the Sheraton Inn, about a half mile from the south entrance to USAFA. All classes will be held in Fairchild Hall with ample opportunities for you to visit cadet dormitories, to eat at Mitchell Hall, and to have access to all
Academy recreational facilities. There will be a series of seminars of a thematic nature as well as optional “enrichment” presentations offered by the faculty. There will be a few social events (although we’re inclined to keep the cost down) and youth activities will be programmed on a demand-response basis. Attendees will provide their own transportation.
The cost of the Second Alumni College will be as follows:
A registration fee of $75 includes seats for two adults (over 18 years old) for all seminars and the cost of three socials, lunch from Monday through Friday for the graduate participant only, and operating costs. Spouses and children will pay a separate registration fee upon arrival; unlike Alumni College I, however, it will be a set fee, regardless of what the individuals choose to participate in.
The Sheraton Inn is offering the following special: $37 plus tax for a room with a double bed; no charge for children under 18 (double bed provided); each additional adult $5; roll-away beds $10; no charge for cribs; with a maximum of five people in a room. We will make your hotel reservations for you. Note: In the event you plan to attend the Alumni College but intend to stay elsewhere, please communicate that to us.
Children from six weeks to 12 years can be cared for in our new child care center during the day. The fee includes snacks and lunch for the entire week. Bring your children’s shot records please. Fees are: $40 for one child, $68 for two children, $96 for three children, and $124 for four children. Again, we will make your reservations.
Children from six to 12 years of age may attend the Academy’s Day Camp where youth activities will be organized and supervised. The cost is $30 per child and the children will be provided box lunches from the dining hall. More information will follow. Students who are between their junior and senior year of high school and who are highly interested and motivated towards becoming a USAFA cadet may attend the Academy’s Summer Scientific Seminar Program which is being held from June 12-19. The cost of $40 to $45 per participant includes all meals and accommodations. Applicants must pay for their own transportation. For more information, contact your nearest USAFA Liaison Officer.
For a small fee, older children will have opportunities to engage in supervised activities such as a trail ride, athletic games, and visits to interesting areas in the Colorado Springs area. Registration and application materials are being developed now. The packages will contain detailed information concerning the entire week’s activities. To receive your application package, simply mail us the completed form at the bottom of the page by January 14, 1983.
We anticipate a most rewarding experience. If you have specific questions or constructive comments, please contact us. A central office will be established sometime in the spring. In the meantime, Major Jim Fujita, Alumni College Project Officer, AUTOVON 259-4315 or area code (303) 472-4315, will field your inquiries.
Mail this coupon to receive application materials. The application form must be returned prior to 15 March 83 to be considered for enrollment in the Alumni College.
The 1982 edition of the Register of Graduates will not be mailed on schedule in early November. Delays traceable to the transition of the AOG Graduate Data Base to a new computer system have lead to unavoidable production delays. While this is regrettable, it is definitely preferable to the alternative which was to have printed on time but with inaccuracies and omissions that would have rendered the “hurry up” version virtually useless and not representative of the quality all members expect and deserve.
When the 1982 Register is received, members will note that an abbreviated format has been used this year to reduce data base errors that resulted from the computer transfer mentioned above and to save the AOG and the membership a substantial increase in printing and postage costs. This shortened format will contain essential current information and will serve as a handy reference on the location and occupation of all graduates. It will not contain the detailed biographical information that has been provided in earlier editions; but, under a proposed new Register concept, the biographical information contained in the graduate data base will be printed in an expanded version of the Register that will be hardbound and made available every five years. All members will, of course, continue to receive the annual Register and will be given an opportunity to obtain the complete, library version at a substantial discount.
Everyone connected with the maintenance of AOG records and the production of the Register is profoundly disappointed that the 1982 edition will not be available on time. However, all members can be assured that this one year will be the exception and the troubles encountered and overcome this year will lead to an even better product in the years ahead.
(Attention: Continued from page 7)
ALUMNI OF FORREST SHERMAN HIGH SCHOOL. A committee is working to hold a reunion of service juniors who attended Forrest Sherman High School in Naples, Italy, in the late 1950s and early 1960s. Anyone interested in attending or receiving information on the reunion, to be held in Washington, D.C. in June of next year, should contact Charlene Boothe Dale, 5976-6 Turnabout Lane, Columbia, Md. 21044.
(Letters: Continued from page 9)
don’t know what to believe! Therefore, I’ve taken a copy of my article-along with Fran Doyle’s letter and cited documentsand I’ve sent the issue forward (through time) for what I hope will be a definitive answer. Then we’ll know for sure. I expect you’ll be able to print that in an upcoming issue, around winter of 2035. Until then I send my best (in real time) to Captain Doyle, who has probably provided us with the best information we have at this time, in this century! It’s reassuring to know people like him go to school “...in Colorado.”
Lt. Col. Bill Wallisch
American Council on Education Fellow, The University of Pittsburgh (Tenure Associate Professor, USAFA)
MELVIN LAIRI) ACCEPTS T.D. WHITE AWARD. Melvin R. Laird, former secretary of defense (1969-1973), was presented the Thomas D. White National Defense Award by Major General Robert E. Kelley, superintendent, during ceremonies and a Cadet Wing parade on September 11. Mr. Laird was honored for his significant contributions to the national defense and security of the United States. He has been active in defense and security issues throughout his distinguished career and was recognized by the Academy for his farsighted contributions in those areas. The award is named for Gen. Thomas D. White, a former chief of staff of the Air Force and principal founder of America’s aerospace power. The recipient of the award may have made significant contributions to the country in any specific field of endeavor, such as science, technology, leadership, management, national affairs, or a combination of these. The annual honor goes to the American citizen who is judged to have contributed most significantly to the national defense and security of the United States during the years preceding the award. (U.S. Air Force photo by A1C Donna Tatro)
PHOTOGRAPH WANTED. We have a request for a photograph of an event which occurred in the early spring of 1971. During that period, Wayne Partin, then a fourthclassman, played bagpipes at the head of 35th Squadron as it marched to the evening meal. If any of our readers photographed this event, Wayne would appreciate a copy of the photo. His address is 200 W. Wyche St., Whiteville, N.C. 28472.
Dear Grads, In the summer ’82 issue of Checkpoints I proposed an idea for a group purchasing organization for USAFA graduates. This idea was modeled on the tradition of classes working together to reduce the cost of automobiles. In that letter I suggested expanding this concept to the purchase of other high quality, high value items at reduced group rates. Such an organization would include AOG member's as well as cadets. The response to my letter was very encouraging and a group of USAFA graduates is now working together to make this idea a reality. We’ve also contacted the alumni associations at West
Point and Annapolis and are discussing the idea with them.
We’d like to thank Lt. Col. Wheeler and the AOG for allowing us to put forth this idea in Checkpoints. I’d also like to thank all the readers who responded to our letter in the summer issue. You’re input was very valuable. Look for additional information in the next issue of Checkpoints. If any readers have specific items that they would like us to attempt to secure at reduced prices please contact us at the address below. Our group is committed to the success of this idea and we look forward to working with and for USAFA grads.
Bill Jones, ’76 8 Marion Circle
Mount Holly, N.J. 08060
The membership and the AOG Board of Directors of the Association of Graduates wish to offer a sincere “thank you” to Lt. Col. James F. Wheeler for his outstanding contributions to the Association of Graduates and to the Air Force Academy. During his tenure as executive director, the AOG has grown as a poration from total assets of less than $350 thousand in 1976 when Jim assumed the position to current assets in excess of $1.3 million.
During this period the AOG has been able to provide numerous services for the Academy, both tangible and intangible, some of which are outlined below. Many of the ideas for these programs originated with Jim Wheeler and were brought to fruition through his efforts, in his unique position, where loyalty is required by two masters the administration of the Academy and the membership of the AOG Jim was able to serve both interests because of his unfailing loyalty to their common cause, the best interests of the United States Air Force Academy.
During the relatively short history of the AOG there have been many programs instituted which have enabled the organization to grow in an orderly, yet rapid, manner. Jim has managed these programs skillfully and provided the continuity to keep them going. When necessary, he has provided the initiative for change to keep AOG programs growing and productive. A summary of some of the changes that have taken place since 1976 follows.
Homecoming: For any graduate who has experienced Homecoming over the past few years there have been numerous changes, some due to past experience and others due to substantial growth in our numbers and in the increased participation by the graduate community. There is no doubt that Homecoming has grown to be both a meaningful and enjoyable experience. The initiative that allowed this progress was undertaken in 1977 when Homecoming became an official Academy event and not just an AOG party.
Checkpoints: The AOG has a quarterly publication of which we can be justifiably proud. During his tenure, Jim has greatly improved this publication while keeping the costs in line with our budget. He did that by being an excellent peddler of advertising as well as a skilled editor and production manager. The increase in size, the addition of color to the cover, and the inclusion of a wide range of articles are all tangible improvements that have been realized during Jim’s tenure.
Financial management and budgeting: Through numerous large and small gifts, sales of art work and memorabilia, and sound management, the financial strength of the AOG has grown markedly. Through Jim’s entrepreneurial abilities the AOG has been successful with numerous marketing programs. Through his money-management skills, we were able to maximize the return of those monies to provide the most benefit. Jim has laid the foundation for continued growth and service for his successor to build upon in the coming years.
Fund-raising: Whether it was working with class committees to fund the Class Wall or corporate executives to fund scholarships and memorials, Jim has been extremely adept and effective. His professional handling of both the fund-raising, and the administration and accounting of those funds, has given the AOG needed credibility in the financial and corporate community.
Register of Graduates: With an expanding graduate population has come rapid growth in the size of the Register of Graduates. Despite tremendous increases in the costs of paper, postage, and printing, Jim has been able to keep costs down by expanding advertising in the Register, and through astute negotiation of printing contracts. He currently has proposals before the AOG
Board for a revised format to keep costs and membership dues down. Jim’s foresight in computerizing the AOG’s biographical records in 1977 has led to significant monetary savings and a much more complete graduate data base.
In addition to these programs, Jim has been responsible for gifts and memorials on the offical side of the house, has managed the AOG facilities and personnel, and has been instrumental in designing programs to expand membership in the AOG.
Future managers will measure Jim’s impact on the AOG by looking at the programs which were begun during his tenure, many of which were his original ideas.
Joint Service Academy Alumni Conference: During a period of growth a young organization is always looking for both new and old ideas that work. Since there were a few other service academies, with slightly longer histories than ours, why not set up annual meetings to discuss problems, solutions, programs that work, and those that don’t? Through Jim Wheeler’s initiative and efforts, the Joint Alumni Conference was established, and what was initially an effort by the junior graduate association to pick the brains of the others has turned into a very mutually productive annual session for all. Because of Jim Wheeler and his innovations and ideas, our AOG has achieved stature in this conference beyond our years.
25th Anniversary Book: The first 25 years of the Academy are well documented in this excellent publication. Not only has this been a valuable addition to the libraries of many graduates, but it has been an excellent public relations tool for the Academy and the AOG. This book has been presented to many dignitaries as a memento of their affiliation and support for the Academy. Jim’s role in proposing that publication and seeing it through to completion cannot be overemphasized.
100th Night: There was a period in time in the mid ’70s when there was no 100th Night celebration. The Colorado Chapter of the AOG in response to a suggestion by Jim Wheeler sought to rectify this situation in 1977. Through their efforts and those of the AOG, this tradition was renewed, and it has again become an
event that is cherished by the graduating class. In addition to aiding in the revival of this event, Jim Wheeler has created an operations plan so the event can be carried out no matter who sponsors it.
Athletic Hall of Fame: In 1977, Jim designed an Air Force Academy Athletic Hall of Fame and submitted a draft proposal to the superintendent and Athletic Association for possible action. The concept was deemed to have merit and after several reviews and revisions, it was approved in June of 1981 for implementation. The AOG is pledged to find a financial sponsor; and in conjunction with the Athletic Association, will one day oversee the creation of this much-needed vehicle for recognizing our outstanding athletes.
Class Wall: If anyone was to ask Jim which of his many contributions to the Academy he is proudest of, he would answer, “the Class Wall.” Given the task “to create a unique memorial for the Cadet Wing,” Jim conceived the Class Wall and worked closely with representatives of all the graduate classes to raise the money necessary to create it. It has, since its dedication in 1978, become a very attractive and permanent part of the Academy. The Class Wall serves as the backdrop for the annual Graduate/Cadet Memorial Ceremony at Homecoming and is a daily reminder to the Cadet Wing of those who have gone before. Audit and management review: Because of the growth of the AOG and the increased assets for which the AOG was responsible, Jim instituted an annual audit and management review procedure to monitor his activities and those of the AOG Board of Directors. This management tool has greatly increased AOG credibility with those who entrust us with substantial sums of money to administer for the institution or on an unrestricted basis in their behalf.
Thunderbird Overlook: The previous issue of Checkpoints has a very impressive cover, showing a T-38 in its Thunderbird colors, with Pikes Peak in the background. This Thunderbird Aviation Overlook is in recognition of the Thunderbirds, past and present, living and dead, who have done so much for the Air Force and the nation. Representing the AOG, Jim worked side by side with Mrs. Lynda Smith of Colorado Springs in raising the funds for this tremendous addition to the Academy.
One of the important functions of the AOG is to find, secure, and administer funds for endowments, sponsorships, and
fellowships. As a not-for-profit Colorado corporation, the AOG can accept conditional gifts to be administered on behalf of the Academy. Not only can we accept them, we actively seek funds for these purposes. Jim Wheeler has been aggressive and suecessful in acquiring new funds to support Academy and AOG programs.
Among the new programs which he has helped create is the Hedrick Endowment, sponsored by Mr. and Mrs. Frank Hedrick, formerly with Beech Aircraft. This endowment is designed to enhance the educational experience for all cadets at the Academy. Jim has worked closely with Mr. Hedrick and is finalizing the design of a program that will satisfy the donors’ wishes and provide maximum benefit to the Academy.
Jim has also worked very closely with the management of the Northrop Corporation and Brig. Gen. Charles Yeager to outline the funding and program for a graduate fellowship to be administered by the AOG in memory of famed aviatrix Jacqueline Cochran. In addition, Jim continues to work with the administrators of the will of Gen. John Gerhart, former commander of NORAD, who left a substantial endowment to the AOG to be used in support of graduate education programs.
The annual Ira C. Eaker Lecture Series brings to the Academy speakers of national stature who share their views with the cadets and the Academy community. It is co-sponsored by the Department of Political Science and the AOG. The endowment fund which funds this program was provided by Maj. Gen. and Mrs. Robert Smith (USAF, Ret) of Dallas, Texas. He is the chairman of the board of directors, emeritus of the Falcon Foundation. Jim has worked very closely with General Smith, a special friend of USAFA, on both the Eaker Series and the Falcon Foundation. Without doubt, his ability to work with individuals of this stature has been of tremendous benefit to the Academy and the AOG.
These, then, are some of the tangible accomplishments and contributions of Jim Wheeler to the AOG and the Academy. There are also numerous intangible benefits which have accrued and will continue to accrue to both organizations. The future role of the AOG at the Academy and the contributions which the AOG is able to make to the Academy will forever bear the indelible mark of Jim Wheeler’s term at the helm.
Jim, we thank you for a job well done and wish you the best for the future.
Dear Fellow Graduate,
This letter announces the search for a graduate to serve both as executive director of the AOG and director of USAFA alumni programs. Jim Wheeler, ’64, has served in these dual roles since 1976. He was made a tenure staff officer in 1979 which meant that his tenure would be up for renewal in r983. The AOG Board had sought to have Jim’s tour extended through at least June 1984 so his departure would not coincide with the 1983 election of a new president and half of the board of directors. In the event Jim’s tour could not be extended for one year, we had anticipated a year’s overlap with his successor. However, the superintendent has decided not to extend Jim’s tour and has made him available for assignment now.
While the AOG Bylaws and the AOG/USAFA Memorandum of Understanding both envision the day when we will separate these two positions and have a civilian as the executive director, that day has not yet come. The superintendent has stated his willingness to convert the staff position from an 0-5 to an 0-6 slot, to give this enhanced position additional responsibilities for coordinating all Academy fund raising, and to requisition a colonel to fill the job. Customarily, the AOG recommends to the superintendent the active-duty person to fill the government position. If the superintendent concurs, he requests the assignment
through normal Air Force channels. The AOG Board of Directors then appoints this person to serve as executive director. Therefore, we are seeking a senior volunteer from among the active duty members of the association to fill both jobs.
All the qualities of an outstanding officer are mandatory. In addition, and also mandatory, are the special skills needed to run a non-profit Colorado corporation with over $1 million in assets (fund raising, financial management, investments, marketing, advertising, publications, public relations, and office management). This job will challenge your management and leadership abilities in every way.
I am very concerned about this discontinuity in the management of the association and its potential for harm to both the Academy and the AOG. In this critical time, your association and your Academy need the best you can offer.
If you are qualified, interested in the position, eligible for reassignment immediately, and serving on active duty as a colonel or lieutenant colonel, please contact the AOG immediately.
Sincerely yours,
THOMAS J. ELLER, ’61 PresidentSelection for the highest honor bestowed by the Military Ordinariate involved a lot of work and dedication over a long period of time for Col. Mai Wakin of the Academy’s Philosophy Department.
The Terrence Cardinal Cooke Medal was presented to Colonel Wakin by Bishop Richard C. Hanifen, auxiliary bishop of the Archdiocese of Denver, during a special mass on August 25 in the Community Center Chapel. The Military Ordinariate, which sponsors the award, is the Catholic Diocese for all American men and women in uniform world-wide. Outstanding service to God and country by a layperson is the criteria for the medal.
Colonel Wakin’s outstanding lay contributions at the Academy and in the Colorado Springs area span 23 years. The colonel is a permanent professor, associate dean and professor and head of the Department of Philosophy and Fine Arts.
Colonel Wakin explained his reasons for remaining at the Academy saying, “1 enjoy dealing with cadets. We have an important mission here, and it’s rewarding to be a part of that mission.”
Chaplain (Col.) Alexander Ludwig, a former Community Center chaplain here, nominated Colonel Wakin for the award from his present position as installation chaplain at Ellsworth AFB, S.D.
“He was the most deserving Catholic military member to receive the award,’’ the chaplain said of Colonel Wakin. “His role as a professor and involvement in the local civilian Roman Catholic Church has earned his recognition. His many writings on the morality and war in the nuclear age portray a strong sense of Christian values.”
Colonel Wakin’s writings include a textbook titled “War, Morality and the Military Profession” which is used in the Academy’s required philosophy course, in military studies and in the Army’s Reserve Officer Training Corps course.
“Introduction to Symbolic Logic,” another text used in the Philosophy Department, as well as “Teaching of Ethics in the Military,” was co-authored by Colonel Wakin. His other works include a government publication titled “Viet Cong Intrastructure” and several articles for professional journals.
In addition to his classroom hours at the Academy, Colonel Wakin has taught theology courses to high schools for about 20 years. He has delivered lectures at several military institutions, ineluding the Army and Air War Colleges, several Air Force installations and in Canada and Europe. He lectures frequently for the cadet religious program.
Emotions concerning Colonel Wakin’s selection among he and his family are mixed: “I feel humble, and my family is proud,” he related. (The Falcon Flyer, July 30, 1982.)
Secondary Zone Selectees
1968
Caughlin, Donald J. Jr. Coe, Richard E. Dallager, John R. Dessert, Donald M. Jr. Hannah, Steven R. Gonda, John C. Ill Hopper, John D. Jr.
Hoge, William H. Magill, William S. Ill
Falcon Foundation officers and members met for their annual banquet and Falcon Scholarship presentation at the Academy on October 8. This year’s scholarship, created by the Northrop Corporation through its chairman of the board and chief executive officer, Mr. Thomas V. Jones, honored Brig. Gen. Charles E. Yeager for his lasting contributions to the U.S. Air Force and to the defense of the nation.
The Falcon Foundation is a non-profit, educational organization which provides scholarships to highly-motivated men and women to prepare for admission to the Academy. It was organized in 1958 by a group of prominent Air Force officers who recognized that many applicants with outstanding potential needed additional academic preparation prior to cadet appointment.
The foundation acquires funds necessary to sustain its scholarship program from memberships, contributions, and donations. The Association of Graduates is the sponsor of one of 42 current annual scholarships.
The foundation has recently relocated their corporate offices to Colorado Springs and named Lt. Gen. Benjamin N. Beilis (USAF, Ret) as president and executive director. At the foundation’s fall meeting, Association of Graduates President Thomas Eller, ’61, was elected to the foundation’s board of directors, as was John Olive, ’67, a Colorado Springs developer who has donated office space to the foundation.
To be eligible for a Falcon Scholarship, an applicant must be at least 17 and not have passed their 22nd birthday, be a citizen of the United States, be unmarried and have no dependent children, meet commissioning medical standards, and complete the Academy precandidate questionnaire. Applicants are selected on
The Falcon Memorial Scholarship for 1983 pays tribute to Captain David L. “Nick” Hauck, ’71, who was born on February 10, 1947 in Stubenville, Ohio.
Capt. Hauck, at the time of his death, was assigned to Nellis AFB, Nev., as a member of the Air Force Thunderbirds. He died on May 9, 1981 in a T-38 Talon crash during an air show at Hill Air Force Base, Utah.
Upon graduation from the Academy, Capt. Hauck earned his wings at Moody AFB, Ga., and was then assigned to Luke AFB, Ariz., for advanced training in the F-4 Phantom. His assignments included flying F-4s at Ubon, Thailand, and Eglin AFB, Fla.; OV-lOs at Osan Air Base, Korea; and F-15 Eagles for the 461st Tactical Fighter Squadron at Luke AFB.
Capt. Hauck will be remembered for his dedication to the security of his country and his record of service will long be an inspiration to members of the Air Force and all Americans.
motivation, college entrance examinations, high school transcripts and class ranking, physical condition, and leadership abilities. Additional information is available from the foundation at 2375 N. Academy Blvd., Colorado Springs, Colo. 80909.
Completion of a preparatory school does not assure appointment to the Academy and Falcon scholars are required to follow standard admissions procedures for all Academy candidates.
The foundation meets each fall at the Academy to establish a scholarship which honors an individual who has made a significant contribution to the country’s aviation efforts. In addition to the permanently-endowed scholarship, a portrait of the individual is presented to the Academy and added to the foundation’s Gallery of Great Airmen which hangs in the lectinar area of Fairchild Hall. This year’s portrait of General Yeager was a character study created by distinguished artist Ms. Darla Rockwood.
The Association of Graduates has participated in the Falcon Scholarship program for many years through its Graduate Memorial Scholarship program. The association’s scholarships for 1983 and 1984 honor Captain David L. Hauck, ’71, and Captain Jerry D.S. Bolt, ’64, respectively. Previous Graduate Memorial Scholarships have been named for:
1974 - Lt Allison S. Berry, ’69
1975 - Capt George R. Keller, ’65
1976 Capt Park G. Bunker, ’63
1977 - Capt Halton R. Vincent, ’66
1978 Capt Francis B. Midnight, ’64
1979 - Capt Leo T. Thomas, Jr., ’63
1980 - Capt Hugh K. Johnson, ’64
1980 - Lt Jon R. Brumback, ’70
1981 - Lt Richard T. Gray, ’71
1982 - Maj Robert A. Lodge, ’64
The Association of Graduates established the Graduate Memorial Scholarship program in 1973 in honor of deceased Academy graduates. Each year, the scholarship is given in tribute to a specific Academy graduate who gave his or her life in service to their country.
For 1983 and 1984, the scholarships are being sponsored by a Texas couple who have become close friends of the Academy and the Association of Graduates.
John and Shirley Dean live in Ft. Worth and manage to visit the Academy and Colorado several times each year. They were major contributors to the Thunderbird Aviation Overlook project and recently visited the Academy to attend the Navy football game as guests of the AOG.
John and Shirley support the Academy and have become avid fans of the Thunderbirds. Thus, the sponsorship of the 1983 and 1984 Graduate Memorial Scholarships was a natural match when the Deans expressed interest in honoring deceased graduates who were also members of the Thunderbirds.
The Association of Graduates and the Academy are very grateful for the sponsorships undertaken by the Deans and offer our collective thanks.
The 1984 Falcon Memorial Scholarship honors Captain Jerry D.S. Bolt. He was born in Lubbock, Texas, on October 3, 1942 and was a 1964 graduate of the Academy.
Capt. Bolt was killed in an aircraft crash at Nellis Air Force Base, Nev., on December 21, 1972. He was a member of the Air Force Thunderbirds aerial demonstration team at the time of the crash.
Before coming to the Thunderbirds, he served at Craig AFB, Ala.; RAF Station Bentwaters, England; Southeast Asia; and Nellis AFB. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with 14 Oak Leaf Clusters.
Captain Bolt was on the Commandant’s List all four years of his Academy training. He was a superior aviator and a professional officer. His example will always be an inspiration for cadets and graduates of the Air Force Academy.
by Col. John Clune Athletic Director
With half of the football season over, Air Force has a record of 3-4 and are 2-2 in the WAC. This year’s team has shown that they can play with anybody. Marty Louthan has displayed maturity and leadership on a team that has greatly improved. As of this writing the Falcons are fourth in the nation in rushing offense, 19th in scoring offense, 15th in total offense and 41st in net punting. Individually, John Kershner is 19th in rushing while Marty is 31st in rushing, 31st in offense and 39th in scoring. Sean Pavlich is tied for 24th in field goals and Dennis Moore is 11th in the kickoff returns.
The statistical count adds up to one thing exciting football. 1 don’t believe our team has let the fans down yet. We’ve shown courage and fortitude on the field. The 99-yard drive in the last few minutes to beat Brigham Young and the one-second field goal to defeat Navy has shown the character of the team this year. There is a sense of winning this year.
To give you an idea of the excitement and the highlights of the games up to this time, a short synopsis of each game is presented.
Before going into these, I would also like you to become aware of the start of the basketball and ice hockey seasons. During this time of year, these three sports overlap each other and it becomes one of the most interesting and exciting times in Falcon athletics. The ice hockey team begins its season in mid-November while the basketball team starts late November. To give the fan a better look at the upcoming seasons, 1 have added an outlook for each sport. This will give you an idea for the upcoming cage and ice hockey seasons.
See you at the games.
AIR FORCE 0 17 0 0 - 17
TULSA
14 0 14 7 - 35
Air Force opened the season against a strong Tulsa team, losing 35-17. The Falcons fell behind in the first quarter 14-0 but came alive in the second period to take a halftime lead of 17-14. Air Force moved the ball 60 yards in 10 plays, with quarterback Marty Louthan crossing from the one and Sean Pavlich converting for the Falcons’ first score. Tackle Konda Sullivan recovered a Tulsa fumble at the Hurricane 26-yard line, and Louthan scored the second touchdown after seven plays. Pavlich put the Falcons ahead with a field goal from the 31-yard line. The second half was all Tulsa, scoring two touchdowns in the third period and one in the final period to ice the victory. (0-1-0)
AIR FORCE 10 21 7 6 - 44
SAN DIEGO STATE 3 17 6 6 - 32
Quarterback Marty Louthan connected with wide receiver Mike Kirby for a 70-yard pass and touchdown on the first play of scrimmage to ignite the Falcons to a 44-32 win over WAC-rival San Diego State. The game produced the most points scored by two teams in the history of Falcon Stadium. Scoring in every quarter, the Falcons pushed for 21 points in the second period on
two touchdown runs of nine yards and three yards by Louthan and a three-yard tally by Mike Brown. Both Louthan and John Kershner had fine rushing statistics with 20 carries for 98 yards, and 32 carries for 180 yards, respectively. (1-1-0)
TEXAS TECH 7 10 0 14 - 31
AIR FORCE 3 14 10 3 - 30
In a heartbreaker, the Falcons were edged by Texas Tech in the final five minutes of the game, with the Raiders connecting for a two-point conversion after the final touchdown for the win. The Falcons netted 381 yards total offense, quarterback Marty Louthan passing for 170 yards, connecting on 10 of 15; fullback John Kershner rushing for 73; and Sean Pavlich connecting on field goals of 32, 28 and 35 without a miss. (1-2-0)
AIR FORCE 7 10 7 15 - 39
BRIGHAM YOUNG 3 14 14 7 - 38
With six seconds left in the game, quarterback Marty Louthan connected with a 22-yard touchdown pass to Mike Brown to give Air Force a 39-38 upset victory over WAC-champion Brigham Young. The win put the Falcons atop the WAC standings with a 2-0 record. The final touchdown came on a 99-yard drive during the final minutes of play. Brown’s winning catch earned him the honors of WAC offensive player of the week. In addition to the final catch, Brown had runs of 29, 16, and 3 yards in the key 99-yard drive. He also caught the winning two-point conversion. (2 - 2 - 0)
NEW MEXICO 14 14 7 14 - 49
AIRFORCE 11 13 7 6 - 37
New Mexico’s safety Ray Hornfeck intercepted a Marty Louthan pass on the one-yard line and returned it 99 yards for a touchdown to help the Lobos to a 49-37 win over the Falcons. In a seesaw game, the teams combined for 86 points, 958 yards and gave the regional TV fans a great offensive spectacular. Louthan rushed for 96 yards and was 6 for 14 for 117 yards in passing. Included in his rushing was a 72-yard run for a touchdown. Derek Foster had four carries for 87 yards while John Kershner had 73 yards on eight carries. (2-3-0)
NAVY 0 7 7 7 - 21
AIR FORCE 14 0 7 3 - 24
With only one second remaining in the game, Sean Pavlich calmly walked onto the field and drilled an 18-yard field goal through the uprights to give Air Force a 24-21 win over Navy and the first leg toward the Commander in Chief’s Trophy. Air Force took a 14-0 lead in the first quarter on a 25-yard run by Mike Brown and a two-yard run by John Kershner. Navy struck back in the second quarter, but the Falcons jumped to a 21-7 lead on a one-yard plunge by Derek Foster. Navy fought back to tie the score before Pavlich put it away. Marth Louthan rushed for 156 yards while Kershner added 124 yards. Kershner carried the ball nine straight times in setting up the winning field goal. (3-3-0)
Rick “The Rocket’’ Simmons will power the Air Force men’s basketball team this season, but how well the Falcons do will also depend on the development of young players, particularly in the backcourt.
The Falcons of head coach Hank Egan posted an 8-19 record last season, including a 3-13 mark in the rugged Western Athletic Conference, and with three starters returning, including Simmons, Air Force could improve on that mark this season.
Simmons, a 6-4 senior forward from Turnersville, N.J., led the Falcons in most offensive categories last season, including scoring with 386 points and an average of 14.3 points per game. He also was the top rebounder with a 5.6 average and those two feats earned him selections on the All-WAC second team.
“Overall, we had a good recruiting year and we could be better,” said Egan, starting his twelfth season as Falcon head coach. “How soon the young players help us is hard to say. Our front line isn’t as deep as last year but has more experience. We lose some defense with Greg Lewis gone but gain some offense.”
Lewis was one of the top playmaking guards in school history but has since graduated. Most of the experience at guard will be supplied by 6-2 senior Erwin Washington, who was the third leading scorer last year with a 7.7 points per game average.
Besides Simmons and Washington, the other returning starter is center Mike Edwards, a 6-6 senior from Billings, Mont., who was the fourth leading scorer at seven points per contest.
This winter Air Force will be in its third year of the WAC and Egan foresees another interesting race.
“The league overall will be more improved than last year with better balance from top to bottom,” Egan observed. “The top contenders appear to be San Diego State, Wyoming, Brigham Young and Texas-El Paso.”
With seven of the top 10 scorers returning, Air Force ice hockey head coach John Matchefts looks to a return of the team’s winnings ways.
The Falcons ended the 1981-82 season with a 12-17-1 record but played some exciting hockey. On home ice, the Falcons were victorious 11-7-1, including two overtime wins and a tie.
With the loss of eight lettermen, Matchefts will have a young but enthusiastic squad.
Back from the 64-goal-producing second line will be senior left wing Mark Manney and junior John Yelle. Manney, from Moorhead, Minn., was the leading scorer with 53 points on 27 goals and 26 assists. Manney also led the team in power play goals with 15 and had four three-goal hat tricks. Yelle, from Coon Rapids, Minn., was fourth in scoring with 36 points on 21 goals and 15 assists.
Other top scorers returning include right wing Bob Sullivan, left wing Steve Saari, center Bruce Umland, left wing Jeff Connors and right wing Dave Leibbrand.
Liebbrand, a senior from Hastings, Minn., scored 21 points on 11 goals and 10 assists and was the sixth leading scorer last season. Sullivan, a junior from Milton, Mass., scored 14 points on eight goals and six assists on the third line. Saari, the other wing on the third line, had eight goals and six assists. Umland, a junior from Brooklyn Park, Minn., had an outstanding year as the third-line center, scoring 13 points on seven goals and six assists. From Falmouth, Mass., Connors saw action on three different lines, scoring 10 points on four goals and six assists.
Moving to the first line in the latter part of the year, senior Mark Bogosian at right wing and junior left wing Jim Mackey return. Bogosian, from Cranston, R.L, was credited with three goals while Mackey, from Portsmouth, N.H., had two.
On defense, Matchefts will have to rebuild, using sophomore Tom Zuccaro as a nucleus. Zuccaro, from Mound, Minn., played in 16 games last season in a reserve role.
Key losses were seniors goalie Mike Drake and first-line center Tom Richards. Richards, from St. Paul, Minn., was the second leading scorer with 48 points while finishing his career as the sixth all-time leading scorer with 168 points on 78 goals and 90 assists.
Drake, the goalie from the past three years, finished the season with an .840 saves percentage. Drake, also from St. Paul, Minn., will be hard to replace in goal after starting every game the last two seasons.
Also gone from the first-line defense are Rich Lund and Mike Brill. Bob Devaney and Rich Donovan were also lost on the defensive side through graduation.
History has preserved the legends and memorabilia of America’s more famous aviation pioneers. The daring accomplishments of the Wright Brothers, Charles Lindberg, and many other well-known early aviators are recorded and maintained by many museums and collectors. However, there were other men who lived, flew, and contributed to our country’s aviation history during the span of time called “The Golden Age of Flight.” Captain Roy Noel Francis was one of the pioneers of this era when men flew while history was being written. Unfortunately for future generations, little information was collected or preserved on many of these lesser-known airmen during the time of these events. Much of what was gathered and recorded has been lost due to man’s neglect. Fortunately, Roy Francis methodically collected and identified the memorabilia of his era. He also insured that these original documents and hundreds of unpublished photographs were stored in vaults where they would be safe for future generations.
The Francis Aero Collection reveals much “hidden history” of our country’s early aviation efforts and has recently been catalogued and authenticated. This article, the first of a series, offers an overview of a man who has been considered one of America’s foremost aviation pioneers by historians, past and present. Hardly an “armchair aviator,” Francis combined inventiveness and experience with both flying and designing skills so that many consider him as one of the “missing links” in the short chain of aviation history from 1902 to 1915.
To have known Roy Francis, one would never have guessed the excitement this quiet and unassuming aviator could create with crowds while piloting his aircraft through death-inviting contortions which held spectators spellbound. In 1919, he held the distinct honor of being America’s most experienced aviator (most flying hours at that point in time) and according to newspaper reports, was probably the world’s most colorful and accomplished airmen of the period. He was selected to command and pilot America’s first trans-Atlantic crossing (1918), as well as the first one-stop New York to San Francisco transcontinental flight (1919). To be chosen for these two historic air routes demonstrates that Roy Francis not only possessed superior aviation skills, but had also proven his leadership abilities to assure success during a period of time when men were all too frequently killed due to poor judgement and naivete. Captain Roy Francis had the ability to maneuver within a pessimistic atmosphere, while flying through the clouds of doubt. He had vision beyond the established horizon to earn himself a place among America’s aviation pioneers.
In future issues, the excitement and adventure felt by readers of those days past when America’s Early Birds reached for the clouds will be recounted through previously-unpublished photographs, news publications and documents from the Francis Aero Collection. The following newspaper report is reprinted from a Los Angeles newspaper of 1910 (F.A.C. No. news 100F). The author is unknown, but the predictions made about Roy Francis’ future in aviation proved to be most accurate.
“ROY N. FRANCIS took to aviation just like a duck to water. Francis is a San Francisco man—he is not much more than 25 years old if that—and like Glenn Curtiss, the dean of aviators, he acquired a taste for dare-deviltry as a racing automobile driver. Before that he worked out on motorcycles and before that as a bicyclist. All his life he has had a penchant for fast going, whatever the means of locomotion.
“When aviation became a sport, Francis forthwith turned his eyes in that direction, but it was a long time before he saw the way clear to have his ambitions to become an aviator realized. It was only recently that he took the step that will, in time, undoubtedly, make him an accomplished and experienced man in that line.
‘Al’ Hall, of the Hall-Scott Motor Company, is a particular friend of Francis. Hall knew of Francis’ passion for flying and he made him a proposition. ‘You furnish the aeroplane and 1 will furnish the engine’, he said. That set Francis to work and it wasn’t long before he had started to Los Angeles, where he immediately went into conference with Jay Gage, maker of aeroplanes.
“The result was that Gage agreed to make Francis an aeroplane and work was begun almost immediately. For a week now they have been at work on the machine and by the time another week has gone by it will be completed. A 60 horsepower Hall-Scott motor will be here by the 10th of this month, and it is expected that the machine will be ready for the installation of the motor by that time.
“While the aeroplane is in course of construction at Gage Field, beyond the end of the Stephenson Avenue car line, Francis is working out daily on the old trail horse biplane, which is the property of Gage. Yesterday was the fiftieth day he has been at work experimenting and he really has become quite adept. As has been said, the art seems to come natural to Francis and he has no difficulty whatever in manipulating the craft.
“The first day he tried out on the Gage machine he got off the ground and each succeeding day has seen some improvement in his work as a flyer. In the event he becomes proficient in the art he may join the Dorgan group of flyers, who will tour the Orient sometime in the future. Francis is the son of wealthy people in San Francisco, who may easily afford their son’s entrance upon the career of an aviator.”
Captain Roy Francis was born in Santa Clara County, Calif, on Dec. 25, 1886. His family (of French-Canadian decent) established a homestead near San Jose and worked in farming and mechanical repair, ranging from farm equipment to autos.
“It was always my desire to pioneer things,” Roy once said, and pioneer he did, working first in a family-owned bicycle shop while attending public schools. In 1908, he helped pioneer radio and founded the Golden Gate Radio Company in San Francisco. Roy, along with his father and brothers, also founded the first auto rental business in San Francisco, called the St. Francis Garage. Roy and his brother, Denny, built and raced automobiles, and during this period of time, Roy’s dream of flying became a matter of fact only three years after the Wright Brothers’ second flight. In 1908, at Selfridge Field, San Francisco, Roy first flew (as a passenger) during an air meet.
Roy soon became a famous exhibition flyer (not a “Barnstormer,” a term used for pilots after WWI) realizing sufficient money from his exhibition flying to design and build the world’s first twin-tractor aircraft in the loft of Minor and Sargents auto repair shop, then located on Van Ness Avenue, near Sacramento
Street in San Francisco. Roy hired Parker and Patterson, the latter being a propeller maker. His first twin-tractor had a wingspread of 50 feet, was powered with a 60 horsepower, 8-cylinder “V” type, water-cooled Hall-Scott motor which developed a top speed of about 60 miles an hour, a cruising speed of between 45 and 50 miles an hour and a take-off and landing speed of about 30 miles an hour. It might be said that Roy was flying an original ultra-light. With this most stable aircraft, Roy became San Francisco’s favorite flyer and established many national and world records.
Future articles will recount the days when Roy first flew, herded cattle on the Army’s Presidio grounds in San Francisco with his Pusher Aeroplane, and continue through the “Golden Age of Flight” on into WWI. Later segments will show how, through the recommendations of General “Hap” Arnold, Roy was selected as superintendent of what has become one of the largest and busiest airports in the world, (Mills Field) San Francisco International Airport.
(Editor’s note: Bruce Francis Svihus, curator of the Francis Aero Collection and founder of the newly-formed National Aviation Historic Foundation in Colorado Springs, welcomes any comments and added information regarding pioneer aviation. Comments on the articles should be sent to the editor. Questions on the Francis Aero Collection should be directed to Mr. Svihus, Francis Aero Productions, Inc., 105 East Vermijo Avenue, Penthouse Suite, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80903. Telephone: (303) 633-6712.)
Class reunions, the presentation of the 15th annual Jabara Award for Airmanship, a Cadet Wing/Graduate Memorial Ceremony, and a football clash between USAFA and New Mexico highlighted USAFA’s Flomecoming 1982 held from September 30 to October 2, 1982.
Homecoming events started on Thursday evening with dinners for the reunion classes of 1962 and 1972. The Class of ’62 met for their class dinner at the Falcon Inn at Monument, and the Class of ’72 assembled at the Flying “W” Ranch for their reunion dinner. Everyone enjoyed meeting classmates that in many cases had not been seen since graduation, renewing friendships, and reminiscing about “the good old days.’’
On Friday morning, graduates and guests returned to the Academy for more Homecoming activities. There was an open house in the cadet area; and at noon, grads ate lunch with the cadets in Mitchell Hall. The golf tournament Friday at the Eisenhower Golf course, was won by the team of Mark and Ann Williams, Doug Hill, and Jay Camalick. During the afternoon, graduates had the opportunity to visit academic classes, tour the prep school facilities, and watch cadet intramural contests.
The day’s activities and the upcoming football game with New Mexico were the main topics of discussion at the all-class cocktail party held at the officers club Friday evening. After the cocktail party, the Class of ’62 held a class banquet at the Woodmoor Country Club.
Saturday’s events began in Arnold Hall with coffee, juice and pastries, followed by the traditional Cadet Wing/Graduate Memorial Ceremony. The memorial ceremony brought everyone together to remember those graduates who passed away during the previous year. The ceremony was highlighted by a roll call of
HOMECOMING BENEFACTORS. Lt. Col. James T. Hargrove, (USAF, Ret), executive vice president of the Air Academy National Bank, Mrs. Hargrove, and Mrs. Dottie Endsley, vice president of the bank, are thanked by Jim Wheeler, ’64, executive director of the AOG. The bank has for many years contributed generously first to the Sunday morning Homecoming breakfast and more recently to the food served during the Friday evening cocktail hour.
deceased graduates. As each deceased graduate’s name and squadron was called, a cadet currently in that squadron responded “Absent, Sir.’’ The cadet response represented the continuing bond the Cadet Wing and graduates have with our departed comrades-in-arms. The ceremony was closed with an F-15 flyover in the missing-man formation. The aircraft were flown by Major Bill Looney, and Captains George Wargo, Bob Chapman, and Kurt Chamberlin all 1972 graduates.
After the memorial ceremony, graduates and their families returned to Arnold Hall for a pregame barbeque luncheon and to kindle the Falcon fighting spirit in anticipation of the USAFANew Mexico game. Although the weather was beautiful, luck was not with the Falcons, who lost the contest 38 to 49, but the battle was hard fought and exciting. The Class of ’62 displayed their traditional spirit by unveiling their Homecoming queen, Wonder Woman, in a pregame skit.
After the game, Homecoming events continued with the Jabara Award Banquet in Mitchell Hall. The highlight of the banquet was the presentation of the Jabara Award for Airmanship to Lt. Col. Robert L. Brenci by Major General Robert E. Kelley, Academy superintendent. Colonel Brenci received the award for his heroic efforts as lead pilot into Iran during the American hostage rescue attempt. The Cadet Chorale provided entertainment and former chorale members joined the group for several songs.
After the banquet, Homecoming events were brought to a close with the Homecoming Ball in Arnold Hall. Everyone enjoyed a night of dancing and a final round of reminiscing before they said their farewells.
Homecoming 1982 was a success thanks to the efforts of many volunteers. A special thanks to the following for their contributions to Homecoming 1982:
—Homecoming Project Officer: Rick Storer
Class of 1962 Chairman: Jon Staples
Class of 1972 Volunteers:
Mike Peterson
Mark Williams
Larry Helgeson
Ben Harvey
Dave Morrison
Nick Boley
Terry Schressler
Fred Harburg
Pat Garvey
Class of 1973: Bob Frazier
Brad Shafer
Brian Binn
Mike Nelson
Ron Richards
Bill Beck
Mark Mayer
Terry Tyrrell
George Nield
We were saddened to learn of the death of Cynthia Ann Hosea who attended the reunion with her husband Captain Bruce Hosea, ’72. Cynthia died unexpectedly upon their return to Texas from Homecoming on October 4. Our sincere condolensces to Bruce, daughters Tracey and Cheyenne, and all the family.
The “RTBs” came back and USAFA will never forget it; nor will those who attended. A total of 76 RTBs plus families returned and recaptured the spirit of their class beyond all expectations. Highlights included:
Thursday evening: The Jack Starkey Memorial Dinner featured red bathrobes and T-shirts and continuous slide shows of the old days, plus lots of revelry into the early morning hours.
Friday evening: The banquet had RTBs with stomach aches from laughing as the toasting and roasting proceeded. K.B. Clarke got the award for destroying the most government property (two F-lOOs and one A-7), but Andy Banford disputed this (five helicopters and one A-4). Butch Viccellio got the highest-rankattending award and was given an engraved mug along with used red kneepads with stars on them. He was told, “The stars are what you’re after—the kneepads are how you get there!’’ His reply was, “You forgot the chapstick!” Irv Rokke was the runner-up. Rick Perlotto came from Belgium and received the longest-distance award. Tim Gilmartin received an award for working for the most airlines. Bill Coltrin roasted Don Egan; then Egan roasted the whole class for 10 minutes and Ken Needham’s wife, Pat, got the best-sport award. Roger Smith got a book entitled The Secret ofStaying in Love for being married three weeks (third time). Dino Lorenzini received an award for the first offspring to enter the Academy—he has two sons attending. Bob Connolly and Reb Daniels also have offspring in USAFA. Other roasts and toasts cannot be printed in Checkpoints.
Saturday: The RTBs had their very own “Homecoming Queen.’’ Frank Urban’s ’57 T-Bird brought an old lady to the west side of Falcon Stadium where Staples, Swonson, Gilmartin, Travis, Baughman, Scauzillo, Jensen and Hopkins escorted her to mid-field. As the cadets hissed and booed, that remarkable old lady with gray hair, glasses and a cane proceeded to transform into the “1962 Homecoming Queen,” Mrs. Nino Baldachi. The
wig came off, then the cane and glasses, and finally she dropped the RTB bathrobe and became a well-endowed (understatement) young lady dressed as Wonder Woman recapturing the youth and enthusiasm of the “Class of 1962.” The cadets went wild as Wonder Woman was given to the Cadet Wing who passed her up 75 rows of stands. Yes, the RTBs were back in style. The class of ’63 has been challenged to top this!
Following the game the superintendent had a reception for our class. Then we all gathered at the Jabara Banquet. The champagne was warm and corks and champagne flew everywhere—Swonson got doused from head to toe by an anonymous first classman. Jon Staples presented Bill Coltrin, the ’62 guest of honor, with a plaque from the AOG, and when asked how he felt about the 1962 RTBs, Bill responded, “After three days with this bunch, I’m ready to go home.”
Sunday : That tells it all except for the Sunday picnic where we all relaxed on a beautiful Colorado day at the Lawrence Paul picnic area.
Footnotes:
Dave Holt showed up entwined with his new bride-to-be. Roger Smith videotaped the major events and will have tape available.
Tim Travis is planning the 22Vi year reunion to be held either at Don Egan’s palace in Denver or Andy Banford’s marina at North Shore Lake, Tahoe.
T-shirts can be re-ordered if you want them—all of our class names are on them and they are neat—only $5.00 each.
Forgot one thing: The Class of 1962 has a bottle of brandy to be sipped by our last two surviving classmates. It will be held by the AOG and USAFA for the last two survivors and fed intravanously, if necessary. Sorry if I forgot something important.
Lieutenant Colonel Robert L. Brenci, USAF Academy Class of 1963, distinguished himself through his personal involvement in the preparation for the rescue attempt of the American hostages in Iran, his performance as the lead aircraft commander on that mission, and his conspicuous contributions toward the development of innovative new special operations capabilities for U.S. Department of Defense aircraft forces.
Colonel Brenci was singularly responsible for aircrew selection and certification and the development of totally new C-130 tactics and techniques employed during the Iranian operation. During the lengthy and arduous training period preceding the mission, Colonel Brenci provided professional insight, inspiring leadership, and dogged determination to the successful USAF preparation for the mission at Desert One. He was the driving force behind the development of a self-contained C-130 precision airborn radar approach, which allows descent to 100 feet above ground level without the use of external navigational aids when landing on unlighted runways.
During the mission he performed masterfully as the pilot of the first aircraft to penetrate hostile airspace. After taking off at a gross weight significantly in excess of design limits with the security cadre and the command and communications elements aboard, Colonel Brenci flew a lengthy low-level infiltration flight plan in limited visibility over rugged terrain. He landed his aircraft on an unlighted and totally-unprepared surface and marshalled the courage and professionalism of his aircrew when a passenger-laden bus chanced upon the landing site. He subsequently performed an extraordinary maximum-effort takeoff from the soft desert floor which resulted in rotation and liftoff at 94 knots.
Following the rescue attempt, Colonel Brenci debriefed the Secretary of Defense on the mission, participated in the preparation of the Holloway Commission report on the rescue attempt, and was personally congratulated by the President of the United States.
Since the rescue attempt, Colonel Brenci has made significant contributions toward refining and improving joint special operations tactics and techniques supporting National Command Authority objectives. Defining light patterns for special aircraft operations, establishing formation tactics, testing and evaluating newly-installed aircraft equipment, developing entirely new methods of airdrop of sensitive cargoes, and certifying clandestine aerial refueling techniques are but a few of his major achievements.
(Other Classes: Continued from preceding page)
Colonel Brenci served as Combat Talon force commander for the extensive JCS-directed Honey Badger operational test and evaluation program and supervised the preparation of a multicommand manual defining the new special operations tactics and procedures for Tactical Air Command, Military Airlift Command, United States Air Forces in Europe, and Pacific Air Forces. He was selected as the primary Combat Talon expert to prepare the Headquarters Tactical Air Command narrative for special operations force requirements which was briefed to the U.S. Air Force Chief of Staff and high government officials.
For his numerous contributions to the national defense, his superior conduct in several activities of genuine national significance, and his extraordinary qualities of courage, leadership, and self-sacrifice, Colonel Brenci is awarded the 1982 Jabara Award for Airmanship.
(Editor’s note: The opinions expressed in this feature and in the “Letters to the Editor” column are solely those of the authors. The A OG does not endorse or refute these ideas, but offers the forum to encourage a dialogue among graduates on topics of general interest.)
In the spring issue of Checkpoints, General Kelley shared some interesting, thought-provoking points that should raise key issues in all our minds. It is axiomatic that military leaders face a difficult challenge when trying to motivate their subordinates toward victory, and often this skill has been the only difference between winning and losing. It is also inconceivable that any commander in the field would speak of defeat while the outcome of battle was still in question. Such action would violate the trust placed in him by the nation he serves, and compromise the purpose for which his forces had engaged the enemy.
However, there are times, long before one is in the heat of battle, when the total cost of being winners must be the subject of careful reflection. These times permit personal examination of our own definition of the term, and give us the chance for insight that could influence how we conduct ourselves under fire. In the final analysis, there are few things more important to a military officer than winning, but to take the general’s comments a bit further, it bears mentioning that one must be cautious lest that desire hold a disproportionately high place in relation to other considerations calling for the attention of today’s officers.
It must be asked to what lengths we are willing to go to be winners, and by what standards we will measure ourselves. How strong is our desire to win, and how central is it to our motivation? If it becomes an overpowering need, could we still maintain enough distance from it so we are able to provide the necessary justification for the means we employ to attain our goals? When we keep score, are medals, below-the-zone promotions, body counts, or places on the Dean’s List sufficient to the task? In the present curriculum at the Academy, do we devote enough time to preparing officers to deal with the pressures of a highlycompetitive career when those pressures might require them to exceed what they believe to be the ethical limits of their service?
There can be as much danger in the intoxication of victory as in the despair of defeat; and, in either case, history often proves these two conditions temporary. The regrettable truth is that, in the profession of arms, an unrelenting drive to win (untempered by adequate restraint) has been the cause of atrocities committed by otherwise responsible human beings. The need to demonstrate power rather than strength has resulted in the destruction of nonmilitary “targets of opportunity,” the wasting of unarmed civilians, and a general disregard for the people of the land who were viewed as an inconvenience to the proper conduct of war. Vietnam exposed our country to some hard experiences from which we continue to learn. One of the lessons it might have taught us is that there is something which takes precedence over winning. As the Academy strives to produce “a crop of leaders who are educated, confident, intrusive, insightful, responsible, gutsy, accountable, and willing to take the heat,” care must be taken so that these characteristics are not measured solely in terms of winning. Accountability and responsibility are as much personal as professional issues.
The question here is not one of choice between pacifism and war. Nor is it the simple juxtaposition of a “Star Wars” concept of good and evil. It is a question of conscience, and the freedom given us to act within the constraints it requires. It is those constraints which keep us from using “an acute sense of duty” merely as a rationalization for behavior we might otherwise reject. Although it is never easy for the professional soldier to deal with these issues, without this questioning, a preoccupation with vietory may lead to tactics that quietly leave honor behind. Such reflection in an academic environment could help mold a sense of duty that would lessen the possibility of eventually regretting hastily-devised plans whose full implications had not been anticipated. To hear clearly, we must cultivate our ability to listen. If the voice within us is drowned out by the marches and cheers of those giving approval to our actions, we may find ourselves without that voice when the bands have passed and the crowds have gone away.
Perhaps one of the most important lessons a cadet can learn is that life is never so gracious as to allow us always to win, or to associate with winners. In fact, his or her real test may come when circumstances force a self-examination in the face of defeat. If what we think of ourselves is dependent on our ability to live up to some “winning combination” as defined by others, what will be the effect when failure comes? Sometimes, people who want most to win are those who, having lost previously, did not learn fully from the disappointments those losses brought. Much of the debilitating stress suffered by school children, business executives, military personnel and others has its roots in an externally generated pressure to achieve rather than a realistic acceptance of progress, given the physical and intellectual limitations of the individual. Maybe we should focus our attention on those aspects of confidence which, after a loss, enable us to stand up again when everything around us says, “stay down.”
It is understandable that some will read this and say that I have lost contact with the complexities of the world. On the contrary, it is those very complexities which compel me to write. In an age of laser weapons, particle-beam generators, hunter-killer satellites and nuclear devices of unimaginable destructive capability, citizens in general, and military officers in particular, must reevaluate the distinctions we make between winners and losers. World analysts agree that the combined arsenals of the nuclear powers now contain more than enough weapons to obliterate civilization as anyone knows it. The burden placed on graduates in the future, as General Kelley pointed out, will require a very special breed. They must be prepared to learn from the trials and frustrations presented by an intricately interdependent world community, and to face dilemmas that have never before been faced by military commanders. Decisions asked of them will have consequences unlike those of any other age. If America is to remain an effective voice in the arena of world affairs, the breadth and depth of its leaders cannot be less than the quality of its dreams.
I encourage General Kelley in his difficult job of trying to blend together the qualities of leadership which need to be an integral part of every graduate. I am indebted to the Academy for the numerous contributions it has made to my life as I have won and lost many times in the almost twenty years since graduation.
FIRST DONATION TO AFA FUND. Lt. Col. Jeff Schofield, ’67, vice chairman of the AOG board of directors, presents a check for $5,000 to the recently-launched Air Force Academy Fund drive. The donation was made by a graduate of Colonel Schofield’s class who desired to remain anonymous. Accepting the AFA Fund kickoff contribution are A1 Blumberg, ’68 (center), fund drive chairman, and Jim Spittler, ’65, chairman of the AOG board. The first Air Force Academy Fund drive was created by the Association of Graduates to provide an “extra margin of exellence” in the cadet experience. Contributions to the fund are tax deductible for federal income tax purposes and qualify for corporate matching gift programs. Contributions will be used to fund Academy and Cadet Wing enhancement projects for which federal funds are not available. The fund will allow graduates and associate AOG members to directly support the Academy and will enable the Association of Graduates to continue its tradition of sponsoring worthwhile projects for the Academy. Contributions may be mailed directly to: The Air Force Academy Fund, Association of Graduates, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80840. SUPPORT
C/4C Waldo F. Dumbsquat put another record on his brand new stereo. He turned the crank several times and stroked the black and white dog’s fur.
“The cadet store certainly provides the best in equipment,’’ chortled Warren Heels, Waldo’s roommate.
“The salesman said it was quadraphonic....’’
“That means you paid four times the retail price.”
“But I got a good deal on the dog,” pointed out Waldo.
“You aren’t going to play that Carpenters album again, are you?”
“I’ve only just begun....”
Warren took a record off his bookshelf. “Why don’t you play some Chicago?”
Waldo’s reply was cut off by a Command Post announcement.
“Attention in the area, attention in the area. CQs please post silently. The allied arts performance this weekend will feature SLIM WHITMAN in concert. He’s back from another successful tour of England. I say again. Command Post out.”
“Speaking of music,” noted Waldo, “have you heard about the proposed change to the Snack Bar?”
“I thought it was a Disco ice cream parlor....”
“Disco is out now. Arnold Hall is going to be turned into a Country Western Bar. The Mech Club wants to convert Pegasus into a mechanical bull ride!”
AOG RECORDS - Files maintained by the AOG are based on inputs from individual graduates. The AOG records are not open to the public and are not subject to the “Privacy Act”. Thus, all graduates are encouraged to insure that their AOG files are current. This includes photographs and current mailing addresses.
The Capital Chapter Wing Ding, held earlier this year at the Andrews AFB golf clubhouse, was a roaring success as the photo on the previous page attests. The chapter continues its active ways with our first luncheon planned for late October in the Pentagon’s executive dining room.
The chapter, in cooperation with other organizations in the Washington, D.C. area, was also planning a special express train trip for members and guests to the USAFA-Army game.
Due to summertime PCS moves, we’ve lost about 50 percent of our “corporate management” (alias adult leadership). Gone since last spring are Tom Leib, ’66, president; Lyn Dudley, ’66, director; and Carol Hodge, ’81, director. (Carol’s still in town but higher educational endeavors have become a full-time job for her.) Bob Pastusek, ’67, vice president, is acting president; Jim Graham, ’64, survives as secretary, and Johnny Whitaker, ’73, continues to guard the chapter’s meager savings and publish the newsletter. And, Ron Taylor, ’62 is the board of directors.
The Southwest Ohio Chapter is busy with the election of the new board of directors. Jerry Westerbeck, ’63; Pat Lynch, ’74; and Holly Emrick, ’80; are the members who will be leaving the board after serving for the past two years. The election will be going on until Nov. 1. The election results will be announced at the annual business meeting to be held Nov. 8 at the Wright-Patterson AFB Officers Club. Jim Wheeler will be our special guest at the meeting which will start at 1700.
The chapter held a golf tournament on Sep. 27 at Wright-Pat. 1 was out of town, so I don’t have the results of the tournament. However, I understand that everyone who participated had a good time.
We are getting ready to plan the 1983 State of the Wing Dinner on April 1, the 29th anniversary of USAFA. The dinner will be held at the newly-remodeled Wright-Pat Club. If you are in the area, mark that date on your calendar so that you don’t miss it.
The Colorado Chapter got the 1982/83 membership year off to a fine start with a well-attended get-together in Denver at Bill Maywhort’s house. Diane was not only a good sport about Bill’s “volunteerism,” but was a wonderful hostess, as usual. Many thanks to them.
Homecoming was a solid success and the chapter firmly supports the new annual fund. We are uniquely qualified as AOG members to support our alma mater. Be sure to send in your donation.
Our next function is an evening at the melodrama in Colorado Springs. We hope all the new Colorado arrivals will join us for the evening and join the chapter. After that function, we are planning a CrossCountry Ski Weekend in January near Geneva Basin; so we are definitely active. 100th Night follows on February 26, 1983.
We encourage all graduates in the state to contact us. Dues are only $5.00 a year and we need your support.
The Arizona Chapter of the USAFA Association of Graduates had its first meeting at Luke Air Force Base on October 22. Colonel John Stover, ’61, presided. Roy Miller, ’67, announced there will be an All-Academy Ball on December 26 for cadets at home on leave. The charge for this evening will be $ 15 and it will be at the Camelback Inn.
Arrangements are in progress for a January dinner in which Senator Barry Goldwater will speak. There will be more information about this function later. So far the membership totals 41, with more signing up all the time. A board of directors will be elected soon. After the business portion of the meeting was coneluded, Brig. Gen. William T. Woodyard, (USAF, Ret.), former dean of faculty at the Academy, spoke about the early days of the Academy from a faculty perspective. His humourous and enlightening comments about faculty and cadets were the highlight of a successful evening.
Following the meeting the membership adjourned to Hangar 404 and enjoyed the Oktoberfest sponsored by the 2nd German Air Force stationed at Luke.
Graduates in Arizona are encouraged to write William McKee, ’68, Suite 452, 6900 E. Camelback Road, Scottsdale, Ariz. 85251, for further information about upcoming activities. The telephone number is (602) 941-2160. Charter membership in the Arizona Chapter of the Association of Graduates is $5.
The North Texas Chapter continued its festive ways with an end-of-summer Mexicana Fiesta celebration on September 11. Sixty local area grads and ladies came out for the fun to help make this the most successful fall event for the active North Texas association. We’re not quite sure why, but Denny and Imelda King, ’63, volunteered to open their lovely home and pool, and acted as host and hostess for an unprecedented third time.
Good food, drink, and fellowship were the main fare for the evening. Special recognition for all the chalupas, dips and pralines go to Cathy Bjorklund (B.J.), Carol Ownby (H.), Marianne Staib (Bob), Margie Hale (Ron), Joy Reemtsma (Bill), Dyanne Smith (Dorian), Sharon Gibbons (Michael), and Imelda King (Denny).
Naturally, all of this good Mexican food had to be complimented with, but what else...a keg of Coor’s and five gallons of flowing margaritas. As with any gathering of zoomies, somebody always has a secret margarita recipe, and this gathering was no exception. Denny King was the able host as he mixed all kinds of tequilas, mixes, and secret ingredients to make one heck of a potent margarita. Then, through the magic of Bill Reemtsma and his magic Margarita Cactus Tree, margaritas continued to flow out of the cactus all night as fast as the group could yell “Ole!”
The evening ended with intense tests of athletic prowess as many of the braver zoomies and wifes took a cool dip in the King’s pool, and engaged in a lot of elbow bending in the heated spa.
The next activities for the active North Texas Chapter will be the annual membership drive and the annual business meeting/beer blast. All graduates, civilian and military, from the Dallas-Ft. Worth area are encouraged to join in the fun. For more information call B.J. Bjorklund at (214) 596-3765.
Earl P. Hopper, Jr., ’65
Earl P. Hopper, Jr., ’65
Lieutenant Colonel Earl P. Hopper, Jr., Class of 1965, who has been continued in missing in action status since January 10, 1968, was declared killed in action on July 14, 1982. Colonel Hopper was the copilot of an F-4D aircraft which was struck by intense hostile fire and crashed over North Vietnam.
While at the Academy, Colonel Hopper was consistently on the Commandant’s List and was a member of the ski club, the areo club, the ring committee and the rally committee. He earned his degree in engineering sciences.
Colonel Hopper is survived by his parents, Colonel (U.S. Army, Retired) and Mrs. Earl P. Hopper of Glendale, Ariz.
Marvin R. Loper, ’65
Major Marvin R. Loper, Class of 1965, died of injuries received as a result of a motorcycle accident on July 24, 1982, near Kettle Falls, Wash.
After graduation from the Academy with a degree in basic science, he completed pilot training at Laughlin AFB, Texas, and was assigned as a copilot in B-52Ds prior to a Southeast Asia tour. In Vietnam, he was injured on a combat mission while flying as an instructor pilot aboard a UH-1P helicoptor which crashed. After completing 72 missions, he returned as a UH-1F pilot to Francis E. Warren AFB, Wyo., after which he served as a flight commander at Officers Training School at Lackland AFB, Texas. From 1974 to 1979, he was a B-52H pilot at Wurtsmith AFB, Mich., and was then assigned as a fighter attrition analyst at Offutt AFB, Neb. At the time of his death, Major Loper was assigned to the 325th Bombardment Squadron at Fairchild AFB, Wash.
During his career, Major Loper completed Squadron Officers School, Air Command and Staff College, and earned a master’s degree in business administration from Central Michigan University. His decorations include the Distinguished Flying Cross, seven Air Medals, three Air Force Commendation Medals, and the Purple Heart.
He is survived by his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Marvin R. Loper, of Belding, Mich., and two daughters, Kathryn and Nancy Loper, of Omaha, Neb.
Terrell W. Work, ’66
Lieutenant Colonel Terrell W. (Terry) Work, Class of 1966, died on September 9, 1982 at Malcolm Grow U.S. Air Force
Medical Center, Andrews AFB, Md. Funeral services were held at the Cadet Chapel on September 14, with interment at the Academy cemetery. A flyover was performed by the 524th Bombardment Squadron, 379th Bombardment Wing, Wurtsmith AFB, Mich. On board the B-52 were the wing and squadron commanders.
With the passing of Terry Work, the Air Force lost a splendid officer from its ranks. A native of Colorado, Terry went to navigator training after graduation from the Academy, and began a very impressive career. Through dedication, talent and strength of character, he quickly attained leadership positions in both flying units and staff agencies. In his most recent operational assignment, Terry became chief of wing standardization only two years after initial checkout as a B-52G radar navigator a truly remarkable tribute to his abilities. He set a standard of excellence to which others could aspire. Terry’s next assignment was as a staff scientist and branch chief for the assistant chief of staff for studies and analysis, Headquarters U.S. Air Force, where he continued to excel with undaunted spirit, fully aware that he had contracted cancer.
The Air Force Academy can be proud of its alumnus. Terry Work lived a life of deep professionalism and integrity based on a principle he learned as a youth at home and at the Academy. I consider myself fortunate to have known Terry personally. He was a warm and personable individual who will be greatly missed by the Air Force, as well as his friends. On October 19, he was awarded the Legion of Merit posthumously.
A loving husband and devoted father, Terry is survived by his wife, Pat; his children, Kevin, Debbie, and Julie; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. William M. Work of Fort Morgan, Colo.; and his sisters, Mrs. Roxanne Jones and Mrs. Jolene Meyer. The family asks that contributions in his memory be made to Children’s Oncology Services, 1625 K Street, N.W., Suite 1205, Washington, D.C. 20005. (Col. William E. Dunne, ’66)
We regret to report the death of Second Lieutenant Rodney G. Lambert, Class of 1982, who was killed as a result of injuries received in a sky diving accident on October 2, near Coolidge, Ariz. Due to our printing deadline, we will publish his obituary in the next issue of Checkpoints.
On August 31, 1982, we suffered the loss of a very dear friend. Major Cecil O. Snyder III, Class of 1970, was killed when his T-38 crashed near Ramsey, Ill. Funeral services were held at the Edwards AFB Chapel on September 14 with burial in the Academy cemetery.
At the Academy, “Cec” was a member of 22nd Squadron and majored in astronautics, consistently making the Dean’s List. He was also active in scuba diving and skiing. After completing pilot training at Moody AFB, Ga., in 1971, he flew C-141s at McGuire AFB, N.J., attended Princeton University where he received a master of science degree in aeronautical engineering, and flew U-2s at Beale AFB, Calif. In 1981, Cecil achieved one of his major career goals by graduating from the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, Calif. He was assigned to the 6512 Test Operations Squadron at Edwards at the time of his death. Cec was the recipient of two Air Force Commendation Medals and the Air Medal. He was also a member of the Order of the Daedalians and the Princeton Aeronautical Group.
Those of us who knew Cecil will remember him for his gregarious personality, his broad and confident grin, his keen sense of humor, and a creative energy which touched all aspects of his life. Above all, we will remember him for his love of flying. He loved all types of flying: hot-air ballooning, soaring, and light aircraft flying. Cec was an excellent instructor, not only in military aircraft, but also as chief instructor of the Princeton Balloon Club and the Central New Jersey Soaring Club. This tremendous love of aviation affected everyone he came in contact with. His enthusiasm and inspiration will be sadly missed, but warmly remembered by all of us who were fortunate enough to have known him.
Major Snyder is survived by his wife, Sharon, and two sons, Stephen and Christopher, of Edwards, Calif.; and his parents, Mr. and Mrs. O. Cecil Snyder Jr., of North Brunswick, N.J. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Cecil O. Snyder III Memorial Fund, a scholarship fund for the advancement of space exploration, Association of Graduates, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80840. (Tony DeSantis, ’70)
Eric F. Brown, ’73
Captain Eric F. Brown, Class of 1973, died of cancer on August 14, 1982, at his home in Huntington Beach, Calif.
A former member of Cadet Squadron 12, his classmates will always remember him for his warm and trusting friendship. While at the Academy, Eric was active in numerous intramural sports and was an avid snow skier. His hobbies included woodworking and collecting almost everything. Eric graduated with a bachelor of science degree in electrical engineering.
Eric’s first assignment was at the Weapons Center at Kirtland AFB, N.M., followed by a tour of duty at SAC Headquarters at
Offutt AFB, Neb. He then attended the Air Force Institute of Technology where he earned a master of science degree in electrical engineering and then served as a special assistant to the Secretary of the Air Force in Los Angeles. He was medically retired in April of this year.
Eric is survived by his wife, Kathleen, and daughters Kelley and Shannon. Eric’s parents, Colonel (USAF, Retired) and Mrs. Brown reside in Satellite Beach, Fla. The many friends of Eric truly miss him and wish to express their deepest sympathy to his family. (Captain Scott E. Mills, ’73)
Larry D. Dowell, ’76
On July 27, 1982, Captain Larry D. Dowell, Class of 1976, was killed in an F-5 aircraft accident near Williams AFB, Ariz.
Larry was a member of the 11th Cadet Squadron and majored in management. He was a member of the Academy Tennis Team during his four years at the Academy. After graduation, Larry attended Undergraduate Pilot Training at Vance AFB, Okla., and after further training was assigned to Ramstein AB, Germany, flying the F-4. He was assigned to the 425th Tactical Fighter Training Squadron at Williams AFB, Ariz., at the time of his death.
Funeral services were held on August 2 at the First Baptist Church, with burial at Memorial Park Cemetery, Ada, Okla. Larry is survived by his wife, Sue, of Chandler, Ariz., and by his aunt and uncle, Mr. and Mrs. Quinton Blake, of Ada, Okla. Contributions in Larry’s memory can be made to the Larry Dee Dowell Memorial Fund, Association of Graduates, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80840. (Susan Dowell)
Cadet Fourthclass Anthony E. Trujillo, who entered the Academy this June as a member of the Class of 1986, was found dead by a search and rescue team at the base of a steep incline on the northeast face of Eagles Peak. He was reported missing on Oct. 12 after he did not return from a hiking trip in the Pike National Forest west of the Academy. His body was found on Oct. 15.
More than 1,000 cadets attended a memorial service for Cadet Trujillo on Oct. 19 at the Protestant Cadet Chapel. Funeral services were in Wood River, Ill., with interment in Roselawn Memorial Gardens in Wood River.
He is survived by his father, Mr. Angel E. Trujillo of Miami, Fla. and his mother, Mrs. Susan Trujillo of Illinois. Contributions in his memory may be made to the Anthony E. Trujillo Memorial Fund, Association of Graduates, USAF Academy, Colorado Springs, Colo. 80840.
Larry Cotton
5102 Linda Colonia San Antonio, TX 78233 (512) 653-9869
1 don’t know whether it’s the power of my prayers and pleas, your feelings of guilt, blind luck, or good, old-fashioned camaraderie— whatever, I’ve received some excellent letters from our classmates. Believe me, that’s nice.
On priorities of order of receipt and distance, Jim REED’s letter demands first comment. Jim is still with the United States Defense Liaison Office in Hong Kong, enjoying what I consider one of the most fascinating assignments you could imagine. 1 only wish I had enough space to print his entire letter, but you’ll have to be content with the highlights. In his official capacity, Jim has had many opportunities to visit the People’s Republic of China, but recently did so as a private citizen. On his off-duty time, he has helped to organize an auto road rally that is to go from Hong Kong to Beijing (Peking), and of course, he had to check out the route first hand. Defying logic, custom, and political protocol, Jim blustered his way in to China and drove more than 2,100 miles to Peking! He went into areas, armed with camera, where people have literally never seen a round-eye before. Amazingly, the Chinese allowed him to escape with 21 rolls of color film and a lifetime of memories. Despite his known status as a military attache, he was allowed into almost any area he wanted, including the Forbidden City in Peking. His letter is a travelogue that rivals Marco Polo’s, and I’m hoping that Jim will find the time to write the story for publication in a national magazine. In fact, maybe a book! Jim, I’m green with envy, but very thankful for your great letter.
On a less exotic but no less appreciated level, Bob FAY wrote to bring us up to date. His sense of humor has certainly not changed-witness his comment that after retirement he worked for a large corporation for a year and a half, and then got fired, “which proves conclusively that a below-the-zone colonel can’t hold a job in real life.” Bob is now running his own company in Las Vegas, providing operations analysis and system definition for aerospace, government, and commercial agencies. Bob also reports that both his sons have gone bad-one is about to enter Marine Corps pilot training, and the other is at the Naval Academy waiting to start pilot training too. Take heart, Bob, my twin brother was a Marine fighter pilot, but I’ve been able to live it down. We just don’t talk about it in the family very much.
I got a great “Howdy, Larry” letter from C.V. MILLER. He is back at Eglin, as I reported in the last issue, working as “deputy for surface attack,” in the Armament Division. Don’t know exactly what deputies for surface attack do, but it sounds threatening. C.V. is back there from a two-year tour in London, and is enjoying the Florida beaches after the London fog. He helped me update my last report on second-generation ’59ers at USAFA. His son, Scott, is a secondclassman there and will graduate with the Class of ’84. I don’t know for sure about the rest of you, but it makes me very happy to hear about our sons and daughters doing well, choice of college notwithstanding. C.V. also says that Bobby BLAKE is retired there in Ft. Walton Beach, building condominiums. Bobby’s golf handicap has deteriorated to about scratch, so he must be working pretty hard. C.V. also reports that Lee BARNWELL is a division chief in the Test Wing Engineering Directorate there at Eglin.
Fortunately, through the change-of-address cards that I receive from the AOG, I discovered that Bob BARNARD is living right up the road from here in Austin. Bob BUCKLES and I drope up and had lunch with him last week, and it was a fine reunion. Bob has his own business there, refinishing dental and hospital hardware, plus refrigerators, washers, ranges, and the like. Even in these economic times, he’s thinking about expanding, so business can’t be all bad. It was good to see Bob again.
While in Austin, Bob BUCKLES and I made an appointment with an acupuncturist who was guaranteed to help us stop smoking by inserting
tiny little needles in our ears. We went back and tried it. On the drive home, we were both very quiet for a while, then said to each other, in unison, “It’s not working,” and “I think he missed the spot.” Aw well, it was only 43 bucks.
Our San Antonio mini-reunion was quite a success. In addition to our locals, we had Karol BOBKO, Pat MUSMAKER, Ken SMITH, Jon BLACK, and Dave GROARK from out of town. Jim BROWN was host to the festivities, and General Stillman and his wife attended our BBQ dinner. As I’ve come to know is usual, the 23 years since graduation were awkward for almost 30 seconds. Probably not too surprisingly, our alcoholic intake has been somewhat subdued, but that didn’t harm our memories of some of the parties at the Thunderbird Motel on Colfax Avenue. It was an outstanding get-together that we hope will be repeated. To bring you up to date on the out-of-towners: Karol is still with NASA as an astronaut, and will be the pilot of the first launch of the Challenger, our second-generation space shuttle, due to launch in February-March; Pat is retired and still trying to get a teaching certificate (see last issue) down in Corpus Christi; Ken is working in the plans shop at 12th Air Force at Bergstrom; John is with Vought in Dallas; and Dave has his own very successful investment business in Dallas.
The change-of-address cards that I have received, unfortunately with no other information, are: Brad HOSMER to Honolulu, in what I believe is an ops staff job at 5th AF; Chuck KAAKE to Auburn Township, OH— I’d sure like to hear from him; Jim WEST to Salt Lake City; A1 WATERS to Kirtland AFB; Joe MORGAN to Bedford, MA; and Jim BLACKWELL to Alexandria, VA, which sounds dangerously close to the Pentagon.
The mention of Joe MORGAN reminds me of a war story. He and I collided at base ops at Buckley one day long gone by, and since we were both headed south, we decided we’d make a formation pass over the Zoo. Joe was flying a T-38; I was stuck in a T-Bird. As we let down over the Academy, on a beautiful, clear winter day, we got into the worst mountain wave turbulence I’ve ever seen. It was awful! We were getting beat up bad, and finally I looked over at Joe on my wing, he saluted me, kissed me off, lit both afterburners, and soared straight up out of the turbulence. 1 haven’t seen him since. It took me 15 minutes to climb out of the mountain wave. Joe, you owe me.
My standard closing plea still exists, but y’all did good by me this time. How about a Christmas card, with a short note? I’ve got to close this issue—I’m on my way over to Bob BUCKLES’ house, and he’s asked me to pick up a carton of cigarettes for him, too.
Fly Safe.
C.T. Douglass
1846 Baywood Drive
Salt Lake City, UT 84117 v.
Call Information Operator ' L/ 1 1 1
Sandra and Dean BRISTOW, Bev and Jim O’ROURKE, Brenda and I, and Big Tony B attended the largest single gathering ever held in the State of Utah as 65,000 fans in the first game at the newly expanded BYU stadium witnessed the most exciting football game we’d ever seen: AFA 39—BYU 38. In the last minute, AFA moved the ball 99 yards to score. All you could hear was the Cadet Pep Band and about 25 rooters (grads, etc.) in the corner of the stadium. In the greatest Air Force tradition, the Falcons chose to go for two points in the last six seconds to WIN!! Right before our very eyes! Exactly like the games leading to the 1959 Cotton Bowl! We have a great team, with lots of poise and courage, and Jim and 1 and the girls wore our Class of ’60 T-shirts with great pride. Jim moved to Salt Lake City from Miami last month, and commutes to New York City on Western to work as a 727 captain on Eastern.
In response to our spring column, Rosie CLER asks why it included one of the flyers he’d personally printed for placement on the inside of our toilet stalls. Do you remember this flyer, then?
What’s happened to A1 JOHNSON of ROSAL Production? How about a picture, Al? Rosie moved back to Denver last year but was upset to find that none of the old phone numbers seem to work anymore. He’s currently VP for International Satellite Communications, Inc., responsible for electronics-related projects in Mid-East countries, marketing of a residential satellite TV earth station, and exporting of products for various U.S. manufacturers. He wants to know: (1) Is Tony BURSHNICK ever going to send him movies of the ’20’s party? (2) Who has pics of the Roman Blast? (3) Do you remember the Queen City Jazz Band? (They performed at Zeno’s in Denver last summer and haven’t forgotten us.) (4) Who would possibly buy a car from Ralph LALIME? (5) Why has everyone changed except him?
Rosie Cler
Midge and Dick HILLMAN just celebrated their 20th in Carmel-they live in Rancho Santa Fe, his home town. Dick has lots of grey hair doing duty as a 727 check captain with CAL, liaison officer of the CANG in the San Diego area, marathon runner, and father of three (16, 13, mnd 2!). Deke JOHNSON owns and operates an auto parts distributorship in Boise, with a condo nearby in Sun Valley, and Nels DELISANT1 is now a Learjet dealer at SEATAC. Paul VALLERIE has been at Kirtland for three years as director of a special studies group for AFSC/Development Plans. He is in bliss, with 21 senior technical people working for him and his boss 2,000 miles away! Val expects to retire next summer. He must be doing a great job, as he received the New Mexico Federal Executive Board 1982 Manager of the Year Award. He’s going to finish his MBA next February through night school.
Bill SIEBECKER is president of Wilson-Hurd Manufacturing in Wasau, WI, operating two plants which produce aluminum nameplates and panels for heaters, medical equipment, hi-fi’s, and even the Budweiser labels that are molded into the handles on draft beer spigots at your favorite bar. He and his family were visited at their riverside home in
Wasau this summer by the Gary GULBRANSENs. Gary is still a 747 copilot for PAA, selling Mercedes, BMWs and Porsches for European delivery and raising avocados on the side in Santa Barbara. (Gary was the first classmate I ran into quite unexpectedly at Stapleton on our way to the 20th reunion. I’ll never forget the great anticipation we expressed in attending the reunion.)
Sid NEWCOMB, an ex-class scribe, just attended a training session for AFA LOs in his capacity as AFROTC PAS at MSU. He strongly recommends becoming an LO (as a former LO myself for five years, I agree) if you’re looking for a worthwhile additional duty on active duty or in the reserves. Just write to Colonel Dick Brown, USAFA/RRV. Sid says that despite what one hears about renewed patriotism and a slow job market, MSU has only about 130 cadets ir. their AFROTC program out of 42,000 students, graduating only 10 to 12 second lieutenants each year.
Wayne KENDALL is the new USAFA Cadet Dispensary honcho, joining Jock SCHWANK, commandant of the prep school, and Tony BURSHNICK, commandant of cadets. ’60 is in command, I’d say! In addition, listen to this: Jim KERR, still with Yazoo lawnmowers, has a fourthclass daughter at AFA. Don THURMAN, who, you’ll remember, died after an aircraft accident near Edwards in 1971 (how can we forget that terrible news), has a fourthclass son at AFA (Eileen Thurman still lives near Wright-Pat.) Denny HANEY, with AU at Maxwell, also has a fourthclass daughter at AFA, and K.D. MILLER, with Gary CREW at Martin-Marietta in Denver, has a son in the AFA prep school. Sid GURLEY, still with Sikorsky in Florida, has a secondclass son at AFA. Did I miss anyone?
Howie WHITFIELD is now commander of the Marine Wing Support Group 37 at El Toro Marine Corps Air Station in Orange County, CA. Dick SECTON has moved from Fort Washington, MD, to PANDP/SHAPE; Charlie LIGGETT to a new house in Cupertino, CA; Mike CLARKE retired (?); Paul SULLIVAN moved from Hanscom Field in Boston to E. Peppered, MA; Hal BROST from Centerville, OH, to Whitehouse, OH; Marty RICHERT from Andrews to Greenville, SC, and Reb GUILLOT moved to Tucson.
Finally, a recently-received testimonial to Sam WATERS from his crew chief: “By chance 1 found a copy of Checkpoints...on top of a dust bin in the Lakenheath mail room. Being a curious type, I began to thumb through it and, and to my amazement, I saw many names I had association with, but one name really caught my attention...Capt. Sam Waters, who flew Thuds. We were TDY to Korat from the 18th TFW, Kadena. Yes, Sam should be remembered and I take this time to thank you for doing so. Sam always treated me with respect and he was so easy to get along with although from time to time he would swear I was trying to do him in. This was always said in a joking manner.” J.J. Smith has completed 19 years in the USAF, with 18 spent on Thuds, including five tours to Thailand. “How may grads I stuffed into cockpits I’ll never know, but whoever they were, they were the best bunch of guys I’ve had the pleasure to serve with. Just keep sending us the best officers in the world for all of us to benefit from and maybe this world will be made a little bit better to live in. Thanks for taking the time to read this. T. Sgt. J.J. Smith, 548 AGS, Box 6612, APO NY 09179.” Sam, you’ll recall, was shot down over NVN in ’66 and declared KIA in ’74. He was a good friend. Keep those cards and letters coming, folks.
Thomas L. Sutton
R.R. #1 Box 102R
Collinsville, IL 62234
Home: (618) 632-6635
AV: 638-4139
Some people did move this summer after all, class. Jack BRIGHT is at SHAPE after a scintillating tour in Hawaii. Jerry GILL has departed the Air War College staff for Box 10381, APO NY 09012. Good on ya, Jerry. Jim ULM moved to Reese AFB-a location not too far distant from Vance where he was before AWC. Bill FOSTER moved to Annandale, VA. Marc ANDERSON has departed APO NY 09132 and moved to Jerry GILL’s address of APO 09012. Yes, I know that’s Ramstein, but there is no humor in that.
Well, that got us through the change-of-address cards. Exciting, huh? It takes a lot of imagination to get anything interesting from the information on a change-of-address card.
NEWSFLASH: Thomas A. MULVEY of Mt. Laurel, NJ, has been inducted into the Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville chapter of the Beta Gamma Sigma. Membership in said fraternity is an honor earned
through outstanding scholastic achievement. It is one of the highest honors a student in a school of business or management can attain.
1 met some interesting people in August when I took an inspection team through the Pacific Theater visiting a few islands of paradise. While in the Philippines, 1 visited with Frank WILLIS quite regularly. 1 even accompanied him to Korea where his C-130 wing successfully completed a very tough OR1. As a matter of fact, his was the first C-130 wing to do that in 18 months. Of course, 1 was just a bystander. Frank and Clare live in a beautiful, huge, old, tropical home at Clark AB with live-in maids, etc. They are enjoying their tour and are doing quite well.
Just down the street from Frank is another great big house where Colonel Thomas WILLIAMS lives. Tom was just moving in while 1 was there (Actually, Beth was moving in. Tom was said to be working.), but Tom was assuming a challenging leadership role in the fighter wing there and his people were getting an ME1, so he was busy. 1 did see him at the club on at least two occasions dancing and things-but then when your household goods aren’t unpacked yet, you have to dance somewhere. Tom is excited about the change of pace from San Antonio and is looking forward to a good tour at Clark.
A little farther north on the island of Okinawa, another classmate was assuming a vice commander job in a SAC tanker wing. His name was Thom SCHUTT, and I guess it still is. He and Sharon were enjoying their assignment as well. Getting youngsters into college from such a distance is a little tough, but the SCHUTTs have two there now.
I couldn’t find any classmates in Korea or on Guam. We must be doing all right with the assignments people. But then, I couldn’t find any at Hickam either. When 1 visited with Teney TAKAHASH1 at last year’s reunion, he said that all I had to do was look in the phone book to find him. Do you know how many TAKAHASHls there are in the Honolulu directory? And none had Teney in front of them; only several hundred “T”s. Unfortunately I hadn’t brought your address with me, Teney, and my hotel charged 50 cents a local call, so 1 promise to be better prepared next time.
When 1 returned from the Pacific, I left immediately to enroll my son at BYU. While in Utah 1 got to spend a couple hogrs with Clair and Kay CARLING. Clair took the big jump and retired on 1 July. He moved from being the deputy director of the global positioning system SPO (among other things), a job with world-wide visibility and fantastic pressure, to being a slum lord in Salt Lake City. On the side he’s running carnival rides for the kiddies in Liberty park. Well, that’s really unfair; Clair isn’t a slum lord. He owns some very nice apartments. And while he is indeed running some amusement park rides, he’s just helping his sister run her business while he’s on vacation. You see what an unscrupulous reporter can do with the news? It’s on TV every night that way. Anyway, Clair is going to work with industry in North Salt Lake and has purchased a lovely home in Bountiful on the side of the Wasatch mountains overlooking the Great Salt Lake. In that location he’s almost a neighbor to his old pilot training and test pilot school classmate, Stuart BOYD.
Some of you will appreciate the humor in the Catch 22 that Stu finds himself in. Having spent several years in Aerospace Systems Division, Air Force Systems Command, directing the development of the F-16 weapon system, Stu is now at Hill AFB, UT, operating in Air Force Logistics Command as the F-16 program manager. He’s charged with fixing what he built. No one should deserve such punishment.
Speaking of punishment, Dick COPPOCK drives 260 miles a day to commute to work. Don’t that beat all? Dick has just completed a tour as the AFROTC leader at Bowling Green and is now the deputy commandant of the Ohio Valley Area AFROTC. Unfortunately, Dick can’t sell his house in Bowling so he commutes to Columbus every day. On top of that, he travels from one school to another doing his job, so 1 suspect he has an ingrown seatbelt. Hope you sell the house soon, Dick.
Received a note from James E. WILHELM. Jim and Nancy attended Naval War College in ’81 and from there moved to Wichita Falls, TX, where Jim was the DO for a new NATO pilot training program. He had instructors and students from 11 different countries and I’ll bet none of them spoke Texan. However, Jim was replaced by a German colonel in May and is now the commander of basic military training at Lackland. Jim says that having the largest people wing in the Air Force makes for interesting duty-I suspect 24-hour-a-day duty. We’re glad to hear from you Jim.
When 1 returned from my last trip, 1 had a note on my desk that said Wayne HARING had called. It said you’d call back later, Wayne. What did you have for me?
Back in June we received guidance from our class investment counselor, Dick DAVIS. Dick is back on Wall Street selling stocks to financial institutions and has done well for his clients in spite of a few market problems. He recommends we go bullish in the stock market now. Dick also says that he’s back into artistic things as hobbies (makes one’s
imagination run wild), and he also enjoys horseback riding. Thanks, Dick, for the news and recommendation.
Steve HO has retired from active duty and is the Far East product marketing and sales manager for the Bausch and Lomb Instruments and Systems Division. You can guess that he travels extensively in the Far East and that he loves it. 1 know you’ll enjoy the challenge, Steve.
Got an exciting note from croquet and wine connoisseur, Brice JONES. I quote him: “Dear Tom, you can send me a couple ’61 carafe and wine glass sets if you still have them. 1 enclose $28-Thanks Brice JONES.” Thanks for the newsy letter, Brice. Does that mean you didn’t win the croquet tournament? To tell you the truth Brice, 1 have never had the sets. Earl SAUNDERS inserted that note in the last newsletter, and today 1 learned that he’s moved to Hanscom, MA. But don’t worry, guys, I’ll find him and mail you your glasses. In the meantime, your checks are secure. I’m probably going to invest them with Dick DAVIS’ stock market.
Thank you class, for your support. I’ve particularly enjoyed doing the last two issues because I have received lots of interesting information. It’s a lot like trying to write a “one” OER on a clod one day and on a fast burner the next. The first is drudgery while the second is a real pleasure. We try to have the best letter in the magazine. Don’t think we miss often.
John W. (Jack) Jamba
Chief, Missile Systems Safety Div. (ESMC/SEM) ■\ AT Patrick AFB, FL 32925 Ig
Home: (305) 777-3552 oSp
AV: 854-4340/4433
Hi Redtags! Well, here I am at the Falcon Inn at Monument, CO, writing the column during a break in our 20th Homecoming activities. The Jack STARKEY Memorial Dinner last night was a blast and the dinner tonight should be also. However, that is all covered in a separate article in this issue.
First, a letter from Lanny LANCASTER: “As usual, there’s good news and bad unfortunately I’m going PCS to Clark (13AF/DO) in early October (short notice) so will miss the RTB 20th; but the new assignment should prove interesting. Bob KEIGHERY is the new 474TFW/DO at Nellis (recently returned from PACOM). Rip BLAISDELL is leaving in October to become the 8TFW/CV. I have talked with Troy TOMLIN recently and he says that he plans to attend the reunion. Best of luck with the reunion!”
The change-of-address cards show that Fred FIEDLER is now a student at Air War College as is Austin C. WEDEMEYER. Bob LANNON lists his grade as “Mr.” in Austin, TX. Don HALLAGER is the vice wing commander of the 42nd Bomb Wing at Loring. He regretted not being able to attend the reunion. By the way, Charlie HALE came in from Loring with his family for the reunion. Bill O’ROURKE lists his new address at Columbus AFB. Nick FRITZ shows Wright-Pat for his new station and he was also at the reunion. His new job there is director of projects in the B-l Program Office.
Dick MANGOLD, the infamous MING, is now a resident of Burlington, WI. He has been furloughed by the airlines several times since leaving the Air Force and has decided to look for more stable employment. By the way, his shining head gave Roger SMITH trouble as Roger las trying to videotape the various reunion events. The glare was almost too much for the videotape light sensitivity.
Joe HINES is now resettled in Altamonte Springs, FL, which is only a two-hour drive from me. Mike MAJOR and Tom KEANEY list Alexandria, VA, as new addresses but Tom shows National Defense University as his assignment. Kent LAMMERS has been reassigned to the 48TFW. Paul ROBINSON is now in Tucson and was at the reunion. A1 HARWICK was also here. He is the air advisor to the 187TFG of the Alabama Air National Guard.
Niels JENSEN is now marketing director for the Kelly Field National Bank in San Antonio. He says he acts more staid on duty than he did at the reunion. Frank URBAN is sales manager for the newly-formed Hewlett-Packard Logic Systems Division in Colorado Springs. He’s using “his solid technical background” from USAFA to good advantage in this hi-tech industry (grad school helped Ha, Ha). Tim GILMARTIN looked younger than he did at graduation. He still enjoys flying for Continental out of Denver. Before I forget, Jon STAPLES and wife, Carolyn, together with all the other reunion committee members, did a fantastic job. Everyone’s thanks to them.
Stan PATRIE is still in San Diego flying for PSA and doing his share for USAFA as a liaison officer. By the way, Charlie HALE said he has his
seventh job at Loring as the assistant DCM. Jack SWONSON is the DO at Norton for the 63MAW. Fred and Arlene HENDRYX came in from Cincinnati and managed to survive the festivities despite the bad influence of their fellow RTBs. Bob McNAUGHTON is still flying for Western out of Salt Lake City but lives in Larkspur, CO. Bob TAYLOR came in from Medford, NJ, and still flies for United out of New York. “It was a hell of a reunion.”
I don’t have much time left so I’ll cut this column short to make my deadline. The reunion committee has a special article in this mag to recap the “best ever” Redtag blast. Hope you all can make the next one.
Skip Lee
1024 Rota Drive
APO San Francisco 96334
Home: Country Code (671) 362-1111
AV: Pacific Code (317) 366-7251
Dateline Guam we are in Typhoon Condition I. Typhoon Mac is 50 miles south of us and creating severe operational difficulties for military units based on this tropical island in the Western Pacific. I will say this base Andersen AFB is much better off today than when 1 was last here in 1979. All the buildings have gone through complete rennovation, including military family housing, and can withstand the strong winds and rain that a typhoon can produce. Still, once crosswinds exceed 25 knots for a C-130, there is not much else to do but sit here and work on the Class News column.
Why are you reading about Guam you ask? Well, since the last column I received notification for reassignment and on 14 September, assumed command of the 54th Weather Reconnaissance Squadron the Typhoon Chasers - and am loving every minute. The only real bad note about the job was having to leave daughter Susan behind in Boulder, CO, where she is a freshman at the University of Colorado. As further comment: my only real goal in the Air Force was to command a flying squadron and I can assure you, this one flies!
Due to our move I have very little information to pass on. We had one day in Colorado Springs and 1 stopped by the Association of Graduate office and picked up the change-of-address cards. The rest of my Class News file is packed with our hold baggage. The hold baggage was to be available on 16 September and as of this moment 3 Oct it has not been delieverd. Unless they (TMO) finds the hold baggage soon, we will be put in the “unusual” position of having the household goods shipment delivered first.
Anyhow enough excuses. I’ll put what I know on paper and be done with it. Overseas moves this summer include Jim HANNAM to Zaragoza, Jim BUTT to HQ Allied Air Forces Central Europe (NATO) at Ramstein, and of course, Skip LEE to Andersen AFB, Guam. Additionally, I have Bob DESANTO going from Willie to Montgomery, AL; Joe CABUK from Langley, VA, to Woodbridge, VA (near the Pentagon); Geoffrey W. MCCARTHY from Westfield, MA, to Brandon, FL; and Frank TAX from Dover, DE, to Rockand, ME. Finally, Bryant CULBERSON to Langley from Camp Smith, HI (CINCPAC). Except for Bryant, who is going to HQ TAC/DOX, I have no idea what job changes are taking place. A short note on the change-of-address card would really help.
Before leaving Scott, Linda and I had dinner with Jack and Alice MARTINES. They were settling into base quarters and Jack was learning the ropes of his new job as chief of doctrine at HQ MAC/XPPD.
During our one day stay in the Springs, I happened to bump into Johnnie HALL. John had just taken over Cadet Military Training at the Academy. With John, Bob ROHATCH (his boss), Kip KIPPENHAN, and Larry THACKER all there in C-Springs, the 1963 Twentieth Reunion should be well organized. God willin’ and the creek don’t rise. I plan to be there! That’s it for this time. Better coordination with the AOG on my part and increased participation (i.e. cards and letters, and info on change-of-address cards) from you folks will certainly improve the content of this column.
Jim Graham w
12218 Oakwood Drive Woodbridge, VA 22192
Home: (703) 494-1848 w)
Office: (202) 693-8247 —^
Hello from the hallowed halls of ICAF... When I checked in at Ft. McNair this past August, it seemed a bit like a class reunion, with Will MCKENNEY on board as a National Defense University Research Associate, just for starters. Also Dennis MADL is at ICAF. He and Lynn made the move from ESD and the Boston area and are now living near Mt. Vernon. Dick SLYE and Carolyn remain in the DC area (at Ft. Washington, MD), with Dick leaving the Academy Group in the Pentagon this past summer to come to ICAF.
Also at Ft. McNair, of course, is the “other schooP’-National War College. And there are a bunch of ’64 types at NWC again this year: Bob LAWRENCE and Terry DILLON for example. Terry was flying KC-135s at Loring prior to NWC. Also, Bob WOODS came from Norton where he was the DCO for the 63MAW (C 141s). He and Wanda live at 10107 Marshall Pond Rd, Burke, VA. Tim KLINE ended a tour with AGOS at Hurlburt and now lives at 2526 Dover Hill Ct., right here in beautiful downtown Woodbridge, VA 22192. We certainly don’t have to look far around here to see a new but familiar face....
As usual, we have a number of address changes this time, some of which you may have in the Register by the time you receive this issue. However, here we go. Cliff KRIEGER is at Carlisle Barracks, PA (Army War College). Paul BELMONT is at Air War College (3431 Dresden Dr, Montgomery, AL 36111). Jim RICHMOND is in Washington training to be the air attache to Burma, effective June 83. Jim’s current address is 2729 Carter Farm Ct, Alexandria, VA 22306. Bob THOMAS has moved from sunny Valdosta, GA, to 78 Sweeney Blvd, Langley AFB, VA 23665. Brett DULA moved to SAC HQ/XPH at Offutt AFB 68113, back in June. I don’t have a new street address, but I’ll bet they could find him with just that much. It seems that Tom BROWNING is also in the Washington area, since I have a mailing address change from him, but I don’t know what he’s up to. Tom is at 5860 Kara Place, Burke, VA 22015. (It’s obvious that we need to take time out for another longawaited ’64 social event, just to find out what everyone is doing around here.)
I gotta tell you I received a very newsy letter from Roger HEAD, who, believe it or not, just recently arrived in Washington from his tour with the Navy at Pt. Mugu. Rog ran into Dick HACKFORD who is also at Andrews (they’re both at Systems Command HQ). Dick came all the way from Australia! Rog also says that John HOFFMAN was all set to come to DC from Edwards, but MPC kept him in a flying job due to rated supplement shortages. And of all things, he’s flying the F-15... what a fate...! Rog pointed out (and we recently saw in AF Magazine) that Marty BUSHNELL is the F-16XL test pilot at Edwards, and is apparently the first AF type to fly it. Marty, you certainly have my attention. We’re looking forward to hearing about it. Roger said that he teamed up with John MIKELS on some AMRAAM work back at Pt. Mugu, with John in an F-15 out of Holloman and Rog on his wing in a Navy F-4J. Also heard that Ed HARVEY was very busy at Space Division in the TAC Liaison Office, and worked with Rog from time to time on one of their satellite programs. Apparently Ed is now at Air War College. Jim and Nancy STEWART are still in Albuquerque where Jim is with AFTEC. Roger said he and Jane spent the night with the STEWARTs on the way back east. They love the area and were super hosts! And Rog, thanks for the super letter!!
We were treated to a surprise visit last month when Mike and Les ROBBINS found sufficient business in Washington to leave the Honduras for several days and come north (?) for a vacation. Wasn’t really a vacation, as Mike had much work to do in various offices in and around the big building, but it did seem like something special. We got a bunch of people together and invaded Casa Maria for nachos and margaritas, and a few war stories were exchanged over the length of the table. Jack and Carie COLE were there, as well as Dave and Sue MUEH, plus uncounted others. To make a long story short, I really believe Mike and Les are “blooming” in Teguchigalpa, and are enjoying most aspects of their tour there, with maybe one exception being the schools. But, in any case, it was very nice to see them even for such a short time.
Saw John LORBER several months back as I was out-processing and he was in-processing. John had just come in from Upper Heyford, where he’d been an F-l 11 squadron cmdr, and was expecting to work in JCS/J5. John’s now living in the Springfield area. He said he’d seen Tony
MELLOS while in LA, and Tony is doing just fine... and is still involved in thriving health food and paddleball court businesses. John also said he’d talked with Joe RODWELL while in Colorado Springs, and Joe is also doing very well thank you.
While at the AFA Convention several weeks ago, I happened to see Ed MECHENB1ER, who was representing Fairchild in their booth there. (Hello Ed...still waiting.) Also saw Paul KAMINSKI, though too briefly to really carry on a conversation. In a different vein, a recent news release announced that Steve RITCHIE “has departed the Adolph Coors Company in Golden, CO, to establish his own speaking, film, and television firm in Las Vegas, NV, called Steve Ritchie Associates, Inc.” Steve will continue his numerous speaking appearances, as well as his involvement with several TV and film productions, and his new firm will support these and other goals. Good luck Steve!
Finally folks, 1 think it’s time to call an end to my stint as class news secretary, and give some other budding or accomplished writer of prose his big opportunity. I’ll continue to write the column until a volunteer comes forward and we can make a smooth transition, but let this be my request to you to consider taking the job on. It really has been fun in many ways, and certainly informative. But it’s time for someone else. Let’s see, if each of us takes it for two years... that’d be just under a thousand years we could cover. But seriously, please call or write, either to me or to the AOG office at the Academy. Your ready support will be appredated. So long for now.
Scott Duncan 5620 Herberts CrossingBurke, VA 22015
Home: (703) 978-6545
AV: 225-4602
The good news is we do have a class correspondent. The bad news is he’s been out of touch for sometime. In fact, last year working as the understudy to Denny SCARBOROUGH was quite an education. We all appreciate him and the outstanding job he did while trying to keep the news of ’65 flowing to interested classmates everywhere. We also wish him well as he tries to “get smart” at NWC. All the best, Denny!
On a much more serious note, we’ve received news of the death of our classmate, Marv LOPER. He was killed in a motorcycle accident near Kettle Falls, WA, in July. He is survived by his parents and twin daughters. A memorial fund has been established in his name. Contributions may be sent to the Special Olympics, c/o Maj. Joseph LOPER, 6898 Sylmar Court, Huber Heights, OH 45424.
The status of Earl HOPPER, Jr., has been changed from MIA to KIA. He was carried in that status from Jan 10, 1968 until July 14, 1982. Earl was lost on a mission over North Vietnam. Our sympathies go to the families of both these fine members of our class.
The recent mail brought many change-of-address cards from ’65ers on the move. Among them are Jerry WILKOWSKI from Seymour-Johnson to the Pentagon where he toils as a planner in JCS. Craig McKINNEY now appears at Osan in the land of Kimchi, where he’s listed as the deputy for plans and coordination of the air component command there. Merrill EASTCOTT appears to have joined the Shirley Highway car pool corps, reporting in from sunny Florida. He can take the place of Kary La FORS who left northern Virginia for a stay in Massachusetts.
Other new faces in the area include Tom PILSCH and Howie ESTES, both over at Ft. McNair and the National War College trying to help Denny with his homework. Jim PAGE, an old skiing friend, passed me on the way in from the Metro Station. Jim is in AF/XOOTA following school at the Naval War College. John TAIT and Ed DUFF are at ICAF.
Word has it that Wendell HARKLEROAD is a business “biggie” with the firm of Church and Dwight, where he’s their vice president for materials. He’s living in Holland, PA., with wife Irene and young son, Eric. Clint ROBERTSON was last seen as a T-38 ops officer in the 97th FTS at Williams AFB. More names in the news include Bob DAVIES, who moved from Wright-Patterson to a new assignment at Andrews AFB. Ted LYNN has moved from Albuquerque to Oklahoma City, where it looks like he’s employed as the chief of the contracting division for the Air Logistics Center there.
Larry STONE passed along information on “best alive” members now serving at Little Rock AFB. He commands the 34th Technical Training Squadron there. Harv SHELTON became “top cop” as the commander of the 314th Security Police Squadron. Ken McCLEAR is the leader of the 61st Tactical Airlift Squadron while Tony MRAS commands the
314th Avionics Maintenance Squadron and Paul WILKE is the commander of the 50th Tactical Airlift Squadron. Seems the base/wing is either in real good hands, or ...?
From Seymour-Johnson we hear that Mike SHORT commands the 334th TFS and Tad OLESTROM is the 337th TFS/CC. Jim MINER is the ops officer for the 335th TFS.
Larry FARRELL is the new DO for the 388th TFW at Hill. He and Vickie are living on base there. John HAAS is assigned to SHAPE’S operations division. Also checking in with an “APO NY” is Jim McARDLE who appears to have left scenic Belleville, IL. Dave COOPER moves to scenic Montgomery, coming from the Pacific. He probably has a neighbor in M.J. KEEFE, who’s change-of-address card shows a move from Glendale, AZ, to Maxwell AFB. Jeff SILLIMAN now resides in New Waterford, OH, after a move from Europe.
Following an evening over at Denny SCARBOROUGH’S house, we remembered that Tom MURAWSKI is now assigned in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations where he’s trying to rewrite the Navy’s effective writing manual. Should be an interesting job. John J. KELLY, Jr., is alive and well in AF/XOX. Peter BROWN, now an attorney, and Jerry WALTON are both in Los Angeles fighting smog, freeways and housing prices. Lee RAUSCH says Armond TURNER is at Shaw along with A1 SWEENEY and the previously-reported John SELLERS and Steve SHEEHAN.
Two final tidbits: Chris NIED is alive and well in Aurora, CO. He’s a management systems analyst with Stearns-Roger Engineering Company. Wife, Jan, and three children all enjoy life back in the Rockies. From Shaw AFB we have word that Lee RAUSCH retires as of May 31, ’83, with nearly 24 years service. All the best to Lee in his future career.
That’s it for now. I’d appreciate all the cards and letters I can get. It looks as though I’m stuck in the “five-sided” funny farm for the next few years, so you won’t have to worry about lost mail. Let me know what’s going on, and I’ll try to share your news with everyone! With the upward mobility shown in this recent PCS cycle, there should be lots to write about.
Dan Cecil Box 4598 APO, NY 09179 Eriswell 2733
It must be our turn to defend Europe. John GROZIER occasionally comes back to fly at Lakenheath and he told me John CASPER is the new chief of USAFE Stan Eval. I checked around and sure enough, John has recently relinquished command of Norvenich Forward Operating Location to become stan eval chief, so he has been in Europe for quite a spell. The grapevine says he enjoyed that commander slot. John is currently flying A-lOs. I wonder if he has flown every fighter aircraft we have over here.
A few days ago Johnie MCFALLS called and told my oldest son, Brien, that he was headed for Cranwell in December. Brien was a little sketchy on his information but I suppose J.O. will be in the Royal AF College of Air Warfare like Nick KEHOE was a few years ago. We won’t be far apart so I hope to get together with John soon. Dale ELLIOTT is at Ramstein in USAFE Current Operations. Bill BLITT is director of plans and programs at Sembach. Ron BOATRIGHT is wing FOL officer at RAF Bentwaters where Duane TWAY is still in the wrench-bending business keeping those A-lOs flying. George FINAN reports Jim THOMPSON is in training with him at Cannon headed for Lakenheath. We sure can use the experience of those two guys; they’ve both flown the FI 1 IF before.
Bill HUDSPETH wrote a note which reads, “Jim ROBERTS took over for me as ops ofcr of 7th Spec Opns Sq flying Combat Talon MC-130s on 8 Jul 82. I became commander of the 7th, USAFE’s best flying outfit, that same day. Anyone desiring to terrain-follow around Europe is invited to apply.” You said it well Bill. Congrats to Bill and Jim on the new jobs; the 7th at Rhein-Main is in good hands. Randy JAYNE was recently preparing to defend Europe as a National Guard F-4 pilot. My family had the pleasure of a delightful evening with him during his TDY to England. He is in the right civilian business though; by the end of the evening I was ready to buy the F-16XL sight unseen!
Actually, you guys in the Pentagon, at TAC Hq, in Asia, or wherever, probably think it is our turn there as well. Isn’t it interesting to see how the Class of ’66 has fanned out into a wide variety of conditions and
places? The active-duty fellows have progressed into the field grade ranks and many have pinned on command pilot or master navigator wings. The civilians are doing important jobs in industry or communities as executives, doctors, lawyers, airport managers, engineers, you-name-it. By the way, nobody was written claiming to hold the most exotic job.
A few days have passed since the last sentence and I’ve looked at the ’82 Lt. Col. list. There are a few classmates on it (including me) and 1 want you to know I’m happy for us all. I was sorry to see some names were missing again this year; I’ve struggled to compose something worth saying to you fellows, but have failed. I know how it feels to work your heart out and be disappointed. All I can say is keep up the good work.
Ryan DENNY wrote telling of his young pair of children and then he shared about some classmates. Ryan’s two youngest are Kyle (16 Feb 80) and patrick (21 May 82). Let’s see, Don ROSS’ two youngest combine to be about 55 months old (1 Oct) and Ryan’s to 35 months; that’s pretty young, Ryan. He says he could retire with 30 years service and neither Kyle nor Patrick will be out of high school! Ryan is ops officer of the 39TAS flying C-130s out of Pope AFB. He often travels and sees many classmates. Part of his letter follows: “Mike PARMENTIER was down here at Pope AFB a few weeks ago to see a big CAPEX at Ft. Bragg. He’s a GS-15, working at DOD in PA&E. (He’s the guy who tells the AF that they’re buying the wrong planes.) He tells me that Mike GAFFNEY is at Air War College and that Rusty GIDEON is at the Pentagon working on future fighters. I talked to Ben DUNN the other day. He is teaching at and attending the Navy War College. I also talked to Dennie WATSON. He is in the AF Reserve (full time) and is the ops officer of the C-130 unit at Rickenbacker AFB. I was TDY to Little Rock AFB in June and saw Bill WACKER. He is the chief of the C-130 instructor school there. I also ran into Bob JAHNKE, who was just getting ready to leave Little Rock for Wright-Pat to work in simulator technology. I ran into him and Ron SCHILLEREFF at the O’Club. Ron works for (I think he runs it) a bank in Little Rock, AR...”
Walt KING wrote from the A1 Yamama Hotel in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. He was serving for a month TDY as DO of the AWACS operation there. He and Fran have three children, Walter (15), Tracy (13), and Michael (6). Fran teaches third grade and they’re real happy to be in Norman, OK. Jim DOZIER wrote that the moved after three years in NATO AIRSOUTH to Mountain Home, ID, to fly F-Ills, maybe the EF-111. They leave Italy with some regrets and report Naples isn’t as bad as its reputation. He says in part, “My bid for Who’s Who is not that I wasn’t kidnapped (although it was tough cashing a check for a while), but (1) 16 years without being in the same MAJCOM twice and/or or most MAJCOMs, in order: USAFA, ATC, SAC, PACAF, TAC, AFLC and DOD. (2) Oldest fleet of POVs: 1949 Chev PU, 1965 Mustang and 1966 Red Porsche 912.” Ya got me Jim!
I hear Terry ODONNELL and Steve CONVER have had some interesting sailboat excursions-I’d like to hear more about those. Mike WHEELER is working at the National Security Council level. Pat OLEARY is an attorney in the Washington DC area. Jim HAMERNICK holds a senior political appointment administering public financed low income property for HUD. Dave OAKES is AMRAM test director. John MARSHALL is a squadron commander. Kent CARLSON is at the 313AD, Kadena. Mike CONNORS is a strategic planner at the JCS level in the Pentagon. Dave FALES left Little Rock for the Pentagon. Butch ZENT is at the College of Naval Warfare, Newport, Rl. Bob BOWERS has moved from his air attache job to Springfield, VA. Popular spot, Springfield; Don HAUSAM just moved there too. Lyn DUDLEY is in Montgomery, AL, and Fred MEYER recently joined him there. Don HALLENBECK is asst chief operations and training, 33TFW, Eglin AFB. Charlie SARFF moved from wing executive officer at Moody to Arlington, VA. Jim HIGHAM left the T-41 squadron commander job at the Academy for San Antonio, TX (staff job, Jim?). And Arne WEINMAN escaped HqSAC to move in at K.I. Sawyer AFB. Jim WOODY sent the sad news that Terry WORK died of cancer. Jim, Hans MUEH, Dick BETHURAM, Tom MARKHAM and Bud KELLEY all attended the funeral. I’m at a loss for words, except to express our sorrow to the family. We might remember them in prayer as they adjust.
Over 130 of us will need new hats this year; congratulations to all of our new Lt. Cols.!
July 9 was National POW/MIA Recognition Day. Kay BOSILJEVAC was kind enough to invite me to the Congressional Prayer Breakfast that morning. The rank of the attending dignitaries was only one of the indications that this administration appears to take a more vigorous approach toward the unresolved MIA and live-sighting issues than has occurred in many years. The Sec. Def., Mr. Weinberger, appealed on humanitarian grounds “to the hearts of the Vietnamese and Laotian leaders, not impugning any past motives, for fresh vigor.” He pledged that these issues were regarded “of the highest national priority,” and that the U.S. was going to increase efforts through every feasible channel. The chairman of the League of Families, in response, charged the secretary with the responsibility to follow through. The chairman of the Joint Chiefs, Gen. Vessey, pointed out that this issue is vital; the nation must show every past, present, and future member of our Armed Forces an unrelenting effort toward keeping this ultimate trust, in return for the commitment of our lives. Representative Bob Dornan of California, who from the beginning has been a staunch Congressional leader on MIAs and a continuing encouragement to the League of Families, was to go to Switzerland in August to talk to a past Viet Cong propaganda chief, who claims to have personally seen 30 to 40 live American pilots in Hanoi in 1973. Mr. Dornan also ferociously advocated that the U.S. accept the Vietnamese prime minister’s offer to let the U.S. have all the half-American children that wander the streets of Vietnam, as well as all the members of the concentration camps who, “having tasted freedom, can never be allowed loose in Communist Vietnam again.” Afterward, at the Pentagon, there was a ceremony headed by the chief of staff, and a flyby with the missingman formation.
Also on that day, the State of Kansas honored Dennis PUGH. You will remember from two Checkpoints ago that Dennis was finally changed to KIA status. I still remember sharply the details of the debriefing tape following the unsuccessful two-day SAR effort. He had flown with me on a mission just the week before, we had shared our faith, and were enriching our friendship that had existed since Doolie days. I’m sure it was heartening to Dennis’ Dad in Kansas and to his brother, an FBI agent in D.C., for his state to take notice of Dennis and the still incomplete issue of our MIAs.
I never fail to have frustrated and angry feelings at our seeming national and personal inability to do anything in response to the continued trickle of reports of live sightings and large body caches in SEA.
Ray LEOPOLD again gave me a lot of news and provided a couple of corrections as well. Sorry that I misspelled Loren SHRIVER’s last name, and Gary PETERSON was in China only (!) for vacation. On a recent trip to USAFA, Ray saw Jeff SCHOFIELD, who is the new IG for our alma mater. Also seen there was Don HICKMAN on a liaison officer trip. Don and Janet live in Iowa, where he is a nuclear power plant engineer. They have four children: Wendy, Angie, Robert, and Joseph.
Chip FRANCK is leaving OSD for B-52s at Barksdale. Ron MORISHIGE has left F-4s at Keflavik for the Air Staff, Fighter Studies and Analysis. Pauli BURNETT and family are now PCS at Edwards AFB.
F. Scott JACKSON, I apologize and stand abashed. Folks, Scott still has not missed a reunion or homecoming, after all. Turns out there was a West Coast, “in-style,” segment of our 15-year reunion. See the photograph on the next page (identity guesstimates, L to R) of: Ron ROUNCE, Larry THAL, Roy MILLER, John WINGFIELD, Tom MENZA, Rick WEIZENEGGER, Brian DONOVAN, Scott JACKSON, and Eric THORSON. They met on 7 Jun 82 on Eric’s 96-foot, 82-ton fantail yacht, “Electra.” With them were wives and friends, including Bill Francke (20th Sq. AOC during 1967), and Jim SOULEK, ’65. They “cruised the harbor (Newport Beach, CA), had drinks, a catered dinner, and watched movies of the graduation ceremony in 1967. Then we had our own moment of silence for our fallen brethren, and cut the cake with Eric’s saber a terrific evening.” The “Electra” has been restored by Eric to its classic 1930’s elegance of brass, leaded glass, and precious woods, yet with modern conveniences. The ambience of this lovely craft was recently detailed in a special article in the Balboa Bay Window, and I wish I had space to reprint the whole article. “Electra” has also been used
for a number of civic functions, as well as entertaining old friends. Eric, 1 think your yacht epitomizes the grand style that most of us only dream of, and I hope that before long you can get away for that couple of months in Hawaii to truly enjoy it.
A1 ROWE just wrote from Rhein-Main. He says that being in the 7th Special Operations Sq. is kind of like “EUCOM’s ambassadors in blue or green or black or whatever we’re wearing that day,” to the rest of Europe. He also reports that the class fund is healthy-over $800-a good foundation for future functions. Anyone making contributions should send the check to Al, made out to the “Class of 1967 Fund.”
Larry RATLIFF gets the far-out letter award this quarter. It seems that his job in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, is much like it would have been to be a pioneer in forming our own Air Force. He has been writing the regulations on everything that has anything to do with tactical airlift. During this remote tour, his family is still at Dyess, where he anticipates reassignment in April ’83.
AOG Updates: John RETELLE has moved to the Air Force Human Resources Lab, Williams AFB, as an aero-engineer. Chris BAUER has moved to Albuquerque, as has Bill THOMPSON. Fred WILLIAMS and John FITE have left Montgomery, AL; Fred for a European assignment, and John to Belmont, NC. John BERZINS has gone to Europe from the Armed Forces Staff College at Norfolk. John PLETCHER is now at Wright Patterson (ASD/EN). Don OWEN has joined the ranks of us in the Washington DC area, with a residence in Springfield.
We wish you all blessed holidays at this year’s end. And don’t forget to send us your annual newsletters!
Mark Torreano m-i i, / 3 * t f
Box 245
APO San Francisco 96328 V'rv
Office: AV 225-4283
Home: AV 225-5371
Bring on the mikans! Fall in Japan is mikan time. The mikan is a delicious, juicy tangerine-type citrus fruit that brightens up your day. It’s also a spectacularly beautiful time in the mountains near Yokota and Mt. Fuji. We recently took a trip to Nikko, a place of temples, shrines, and a crater lake where the leaves were already showing off. It was a rainy day, with mist rising through the tall cedars and around the temples, looking just like a painting. The best part of autumn here on the Kanto Plain is the clear skies and frequent views of snow-dusted Mt. Fuji. I also had a great experience during a mid-September TDY to Hawaii, when I decided to spend a night camping out on the beach at Bellows AFB. My middleage foolishness was rewarded with a tremendous sunrise of bright metallic pinks and yellows that I will never forget. So why is Mark prattling on like this? Because we all need to see/do more of these relaxing and refreshing morale-building activities. Start today, take a walk with your wife or children.
Big news around here is that the exchange rate is up to 269 yen to the dollar-highest in over a year. Also, two F-16 squadrons will be formed at Misawa AB in northern Japan beginning in 1985, so all jocks and hopefuls begin plans for what promises to be a very enjoyable flying assignment, and at the same time, one that will beef up our posture in this part of the world.
CONGRATS: My failing eyes spied the following comrades in the recent Lt. Col. selectee list in the Air Force Times: Dick COE, George
DEGOVANNI, Bill DRENNAN, Larry FUNK, John GRAHAM Jr., Gary HOFFMAN, Bill HOGE, Henry HUNGERBEELER, Henry JOHNSON, Chuck JOHNSON, Steve MISH, Dick MOSBACH, Dave MULKEY, Tom O’BIERNE, Bob PAVELKO, Steve POLK, Bill SASZ, Jim SEEVERS, Steve STALEY, Paul TAIBL, and Ralph TEMPLIN.
I’m sure there were some I missed and I beg forgiveness; see the BTZ list in this issue for that info. You guys are all doing, and making us look, great. I was especially glad to see three of my fellow BCT/CS-02 mates on the list HOGE, SEEVERS, and STALEY.
Enjoying “surf’s up’’ conditions, from left, are Carl McPherson, Jerry Brown, Bob Durham, Chuck Lewis, and Bob McGuire in Abilene, TX. Host Jerry Brown’s pool was unfortunately under repair.
LETTERS: Bob DURHAM writes from Dyess AFB, TX, where he, Cathy and family have come from Bob’s TAC officer job at West Point. Bob sends along this very interesting “pool party” photo of some very distinguished classmates. Carl McPHERSON has recently replaced Bob MAGUIRE as Cdr of the 772 TAS (C-130), with Bob off to Army War College; Jerry BROWN (whose pool was under repair) is with the 463 TAW in flying training; Bob DURHAM is ops officer for the 773 TAS; and Chuck LEWIS is 774 TAS chief of scheduling. Bob also says that he heard Bobby FLOYD and Buck McCANTS are commanders in MAC somewhere.
Right after the claim in the last column for the first all ’68 commercial cockpit crew (Chuck KAVCSAK and Hank MOORMAN - Air Cal DC-9), I received a letter from Steve McPHAIL saying that he and Bob DALEY flew together in a Southwest Airline 737 on 26 Oct 1981. Before 1 can declare a winner, I need to get a date from Hank or Chuck, but I suspect Steve and Bob may have the title. More later. Steve adds that he heard a NOTAM was issued to clear the skies the month he and Bob upset passengers’ stomachs. Steve passes word that Mike LANGLEY joined Southwest in May and that Steve works with Chuck RICHARDSON in the local USAFA liaison officer program. By the way, Steve sent a photo of the precedent-making crew, but the camera apparantly had indigestion and it won’t repro here. So maybe Chuck/Hank can claim the first photographed ’68 crew? Thanks for the effort, Steve and Bob.
R.K. BROWN dropped a note and a Polaroid of a recent get-together at the Seven Star Inn in (St. Louis?) Missouri with Mike WAGNER and Mic EDLUND. Mike is a lead process engineer for Sun petroleum; R.K. is a wing weapons officer for the 131 TFW, Missouri Air National Guard; and Mic is a systems engineer with GE Space Systems Div. Mike and R.K. are married (Mike and Sally have 3 1/2 kids; R.K.’s wife, Kathleen, sings professionally at Top of the Sevens in St. Louis) while Mic, a bachelor who’s social life suffered grievously during a two-year MBA program, was apparently moving toward the deer. Cute, but unfortunately a buck. Thanks for the letter, R.K., but don’t wait 14 years to write again ’cause the stamp will cost $5.
And a final word about the DORGERS, Mitch and Barb, who are living in Hawaii, where Mitch is at PACAF/XP and Barb is a United Airlines stewardess. Seems that in about July, Barb suffered a severe break of her ankle, developed an infection, and spent August and half of September in the hospital. Which is where 1 came in on my TDY, a visiting classmate who Mitch invited to dinner two days after his “invalid” wife returns home. I was amazed to find Mitch was actually alive when 1 arrived, but was even more astounded that Barb had hobbled about the kitchen and fixed Chicken Florentine! Not the “Colonel,” but Chicken Florentine! Only goes to show that ’68 wives are the best, and 1 name Barb the hand’s-down winner of this issue’s “Spunky Spouse” award. Thanks for the great hospitality, both of you. Hope you are 100 percent very soon, Barb. From our conversation that night, I learned that Bob DENNY has finally found the right woman, who turns out to be a lady we know well: Colleen MOXEN. They are now settled at Barksdale AFB, LA, where Bob is assigned. Best wishes for happiness go to both of you from all of us.
MANEUVERS: Kim ANDERSON to Tulsa; Brooke BAILEY and Steve BORAH to Springfield, VA; Marty COLE to USDAO Brasilia; Glenn GILLETTE to Castle Rock, CO; John GRAHAM, Jr. to Holloman AFB, NM; Fred GROSS to Trenton CFB, Ontario, Canada; Bob HILTON to O’Fallon, IL; Bill HOGE to Shaw AFB, SC (as an 0-2 FAC with the 21 TASS); Bob JOHNSON, Burke, VA; Cuffy KELSO to APO NY 09012; Frank PALERMO to Wallingford, CT (three children); Gene ROSE is at Maxwell AFB, AL; Bill RUSSELL to Mayodan, NC; and Joe SMITH and Bill WALSH to USAFA.
FINALE: Send Xmas cards, letters and family photos. Have the best holiday season, and go into the New Year with big plans. See you in ’83.
Michael R. Thiessen
Brown & Thiessen, P.C.
City Center Square Suite 2121 1100 Main, Kansas City, MO 64105
Home: (913) 649-7692
Ed WEISE forwarded the shot in the next column of 15 ’69ers who were at ACSC last year. See how many, if any, you can identify. Names are listed at the end of this column. There were a total of 21 from our class attending. The six not in the picture were Jeff STEPHENSON, Tom TOOPS, Jim DOWNEY, Ed ALLEN, Doug SCHOTT, and Art SCHWALL. Jeff has gone to EUCOM to work for a Navy admiral. Tom went to AWACS at Tinker and may be found at various times in Okinawa and Saudi Arabia. Jim is flying 141s at Travis. Doug is in the Washington, DC, area. Ed is in the Pentagon in studies and analysis playing airlift expert. J.P. BOYER is in one of the manpower offices having returned from Okinawa. Tim MEULLER is also at the Pentagon. John REDDY is at Scott AFB. Terry SCHWALIER is with MPC at Randolph in colonel’s assignments. Larry LOUDEN is at Dyess in C-130s. Jim PETEK is at WPAFB. Buddy HERRINGTON is in Montgomery. Jeff WISE is in C-130s at Rhein-Main. Thanks for all the info, Ed! It would be great if similar heavy concentrations of ’69ers were documented to us. Now try your skills at identifying the ACSC troops.
Wally BERG reports that five more ’69ers are at Leavenworth at Army Command and General Staff College: “J.J.” BURNS, Crit CRITTENDEN, Don DESSERT, Dave HAMILTON, and Wally.
Fred STEWART reports from Alabama that he is currently assigned to the Air War College. He is one of many from our class currently in Montgomery.
Bob ALLEN is an instructor, navigator and career counselor at Little Rock AFB. His wife, Sylvia, is the director of the base recreation center which Bob notes was the best in MAC in ’80 and ’81. Bob reports that Terry BRADY has left his U.N. Peace Observer duties in Israel and
Can you name these members of the Class of 1969 who were at Air Command and Staff College last year?
Lebanon for Pope AFB. Joining Jeff WISE at Rhein-Main Air Base is Clay BAILEY (from Army C&GSC) who will be with the 37TAS. Incoming to Little Rock are Ken FRESHWATER from Armed Forces Staff College, and Mike GRENARD from HqTAC. Leaving Little Rock AFB are Dick KELLS for ACSC and Glenn BERRY to Korea. Dr. Billy WADE has left the Air Force for private practice in Ashdown, AR. Bob offers the following news about Matt BRADLEY who is doing well with free-lance photography especially for the National Geographic Magazine. He is currently doing a National Geographic book on America’s wild and scenic rivers. Bob wants all classmates to say hello when they pass through the tactical airlift crossroads of the C-130 school at “the Rock.”
Gary HOE has forwarded what he terms his “once-a-PCS letter.” Gary graduated from AFSC last January in class number 70. Gary enjoyed the joint staff work and planning and notes that something like 80 percent of the graduates go to joint tours. Gary is tech director in the test division of the field command of the Defense Nuclear Agency at Kirtland. Gary seems to have a most interesting job, one I know he is excellently suited to manage. Remember COMP SCI 101 (one-oh-dumb!), the computer class for humanities majors? When I could not make the computer print my name, Gary and his wife-to-be, Penny, were corresponding through original computer programs they developed. I don’t recall if I ever did get the computer to print my name. Gary reports that Scotti INGRAM and Vic TAMBONE were in his class at AFSC. In addition to a diploma, Vic also left AFSC with a lovely wife, Ginny.
Art PAVEL is also at Kirtland. Gary wants all GREY TAGS that pass through Albuquerque to give the Hoes a call for a free meal and even a night at the “Hoe-tel.” (Gary’s pun, not mine!)
Roy COPPINGER forwarded a notice of the arrival of Erin Lindsay on June 9, 1982. Roy, Erin and the rest of the family are in Portland, OR.
Stik TURNER and family have moved from Myrtle Beach and are now with the Canadian Air Force in an exchange tour at North Bay, Ontario. He is a staff officer with a newly-formed fighter group.
The following new locations were reported in change-of-address cards. Dave NELSON, Naval Observatory, Washington, DC.; Brad DE AUSTIN, Maxwell AFB; George DeFILIPPI, Arlington, VA; Pat SISSON, Montgomery, AL; C.J. WAX, Randolph AFB; Frank CROFT, Palo Alto; Bob TROY, Kenner, LA; Jeff POSNER, Edwards AFB, CA; Mike COOK, Omaha, NE; Burr CRITTENDEN, Ft. Leavenworth, KA; Jim KULA, Grafton, VA; Wildcat PHILLIPS, O’Fallon, IL; John YOUNG, Friendswood, TX; Gene WHALEN, Tucson, AZ; and Ron LOVE, Montgomery, AL.
Now for the identification of those in the enclosed picture. Back row: Larry LOUDEN, John HOPPER, Bob JONES, Buddy HERRINGTON, John REDDY, Bill HORACEK, Terry SCHWALIER, and A1 DUNHAM. Front row: Wayne WARREN, Bob PAINE, A1 MCCREE, Jerry RIFENBURG, Jim PETEK, Jeff WISE, and Ed WEISE.
Michael L. Rose A>
1011 Venus Drive
Colorado Springs, CO 80906
Home: (303) 634-3050
Office: (303) 576-6314
TUVCiW*r W"
The first bit of information I have to pass on is the loss of our classmate, Cecil O. SNYDER III, in an aircraft accident on August 31,
1982. I’d like to thank Tony DESANTIS for coordinating with the AOG and writing the obituary which appears in this issue.
I received a letter from Doug NAVERSEN, M.D., who wants all to know that he is separating from the USAF and going into private practice in Medford, OR. He just finished a five-year tour as the Elmendorf AFB dermatologist. Hello to those ’70ers remaining at Elmendorf and good luck to Doug in his new venture.
The second of three letters 1 received in a one-week period was from another doctor, Moses HERRERA. He and Judy have three girls (Leeha, Carmela and Neilla) and are stationed at Eglin where Moses is assigned to the teaching staff at the family practice residency at Eglin Regional Hospital. He mentioned that Terry ANGSTADT is at Eglin as a flight surgeon, that he ran into Charlie B1SBEE awhile back, and that he likes family medicine and raising girls. Thanks for the input, Moses!
Dana and Linda ARBAUGH are having a spectacular year in Palo Alto where Dana is an applications engineer with Watkins-Johnson Company. Dana was recently promoted to major in the Air Force Reserve and their special news is the arrival of a son, Michael McVey (see photo). Thanks for the business card, letter and super picture, Linda.
Michael McVey Arbaugh at one week old.
Relocations since the last issue were numerous and are as follows: John MITCHEL to AFIT with General Dynamics at Ft. Worth in August; Pat (Carol) COLLINS to a civilian engineering test pilot position with Douglas Aircraft in Long Beach, CA, in January of this year; Jim (Rita) DEORIO to Vacaville, CA, in June; John HORNOR to Santa Cruz, CA, in July; Dale SMITH to Annandale, VA, in June; Dwight (Bonnie) ELLIS to Langley AFB in July; A1 (Julia) WURGLITZ to Bethesda, MD, in June; Mike (Barbara) PADDACK to Dolores, CO; Buck COLYER to Fayetteville, NC; Denny ADAMS to Casper, WY; Dennis FUNNEMARK to Hampton, VA; and Rick TUSETH to Poquoson, VA.
That about wraps it for this quarter. Best regards to all and God’s blessings to those of our classmates who are no longer with us.
Ralph Getchell
Quarters 4506 C, USAF Academy Colorado Springs, CO 80840
Home: (303) 472-6958
AV: 259-4548
A month ago, when I finally succumbed to Dave FROSTMAN’s strident pleas for a replacement “scribe” for this column, it seemed like a good idea. Keep in touch with the class, etc. “Piece of cake,” Dave said. “All you do is wait for the cards and letters to come pouring in maybe make a phone call or two. When the column is due, you just shuffle the cards one last time and make that BS degree pay off. NO SWEAT!!!”
Having successfully lured his prey, Dave promised to send his “Master Address file” and “all the cards he’d received since the last column.”
It wasn’t until Dave’s long-awaited package arrived did I realize that I had been duped by a real pro. First of all, the Master Address file consisted of two 100-card capacity recipe boxes each stuffed with about 300 cards, most of them over five years old. How he ever got them all in there, I’ll never know, but they’ll do for a set of chocks if I ever have to park on a hill.
Unfortunately, his “stack of cards and letters” from which this novice was to develop a newsworthy column consisted of one very nice letter from Terry HOLMES’ mother. Period. If Dave isn’t selling used cars or swamp land, he ought to be!
Anyway, Terry and his wife, Christine, are in Canberra, Australia, where he is halfway through a tour as an occupational medicine type with the RAAF. Chris is working for the U.S. Embassy there and they’ve managed to do a fair amount of traveling down under.
Having thus run dry Dave’s fountain of knowledge, I bravely set out on my own. My first stop was to visit my fellow AOCs, Mike OONK (CS-18) and Steve DEHAVEN (CS-39). Steve was no help at all; like the rest of us, he’s got his hands full just keeping track of his cadets (no joy, no tally, no clue). Mike suggested that I mention that Larry SMITH (currently a military training instructor here) and Steve SMITHERMAN (F-15s at Holloman) have been selected to be AOCs next year.
Frankly, if anybody had suggested 11 years ago that there would be five ’71ers here as AOCs at any one time, they’re sanity, not to mention sobriety, would have been highly suspect.
I thought my big opportunity to play cub reporter would surely come during Homecoming. The memorial ceremony was really impressive; the air was severe clear while the F-15s flew over in memory of Mike LAUDERDALE and those other grads who passed away this year. However, only Larry CASADA (with Delta out of Atlanta) and Fred STRAUSS (a “strip ripper” with Chicago Center) were on hand to join me for a rather spectacular demonstration of how not to open warm bottles of champagne. The final humiliation of the evening came when we were coerced into having our class picture taken with the equally absent Class of ’70!
My last desperate act was to go a-whimpering over to the AOG office to explain my lack of mirthless prose. Happily, they were able to find their old shoebox with ’71 change-of-address cards and the following revelations: Budge WILSON has left Holloman and is on his way to Kadena in an Ego Jet. Ken GINGRICH is now at Hq TAC. Ryan PARADIS is booking it (or something) at ACSC. Terry WEIMER is flying the White Rocket at Sheppard, Bill STOOKE is orbiting somewhere over Offutt, and Mike UECKER is a B-52H RNav at Grand Forks. Ron VICKROY is a sales manager for Crown American in Johnstown, PA. John BLIND is back at USAFA after picking up a PhD in metallurgy from Oxford, while rumor has it that Mark LEWONOWSKI is maxing out his funmeter in Taegu, ROK.
Following those willing to admit what they’re doing are these “no comment” types: Bobby BLACK, Travis to New Baden, IL; Phil SPIKER, Belleville, IL, to Burke, VA; George FARSCHMAN, Littleton, CO, to Santa Maria, CA; Bob CULBERTSON, USAFA to Milford, NH; Jeff MATSUNAGA, L.A. to Maplewood, NJ; Mike HANSEN, Scott AFB to Jacksonville, AR; Charlie LANGFORD, in and around Louisiana; Jim SWEEDER, Fairborn, OH, to San Antonio; and Bob BORKOWSKI, from unreadable to Atwater, CA.
Well, that’s all the gnus that’s fit t’print. If you haven’t broken the code, the success of this column depends on your getting me the word by phone, letter, surreptitious entry on a change-of-address card, carrier pigeon...whatever. As an AOC, I’d like to issue a standing invite to those of you of the cross-country persuasion to drop in to Pete Field when you get the chance, to chat with the cadets (small groups or large, your choice), breathe JP-4 on those of us who are temporarily deskbound and check out the changes. I guarantee a good time.
T.J. Mancuso 11697 E. Kentucky Ave.
Aurora, CO 80012
Home: (303) 343-4231
Work: (303) 629-1800
Two free bits of advice under the new tax law: schedule (and pay for) any elective medical or dental treatment before the end of the year; and make sure you’ve got sufficient homeowners insurance, since you’ll be limited in casualty loss write-offs next year.
Those of us who do a lot of work in tax-exempt financing are still trying to gauge the business effect of TEFRA’s denying ACRS to IDBs under the IRC (a few legal-type abbreviations, just to get even for all the USAF/RTU/AOC/BFD/FSH-type stuff I wade through each quarter).
I got a letter from the White House, and thought maybe 1 forgot to register for the draft. But it was a note from Greg JONES. He sent me a picture of 16 fat, balding men, none of whom could apparently afford long pants, and insisted each was a classmate. Well, I’m forwarding the foto to the AOG. Reportedly, that entire group was unable to empty a single keg of beer during the D.C. 10-year reunion, which reflects a certain credit upon themselves. Allegedly pictured are: John WICKHAM,
The Washington, D.C. area ’72 10-year reunion. Rumor has it that the participants were not allowed to wear long pants off duty for unspecified security reasons.
Mike DRENNAN, Mike GRETT, Tim O’SULLIVAN, Dave KERBER, Rick KOSKELLA, Jim DIXON, Skip MORGAN, Erik WINBORN, Clint ASBURY, Tom FISCUS, Ed QUINN, Doug ADAMSON, Brett BERLIN, Bernie CAREY and Greg JONES. There are enough lawyers in that group (as with any random Washington group) to warrant malpractice insurance.
While I was talking to the White House on the phone, Greg was interrupted by a call from Bill LOONEY at Langley. Seems old “Tunes” had managed to get a TDY to Homecoming to aim his F-15 during memorial services. Just remember, Eagle drivers, the mountains are to the west, and not too fast over the dorms.
Christine SIMPSON (AKA Mrs. Charles) dropped a brief bio on Chuck from Hahn AB. She concluded that “it never dawned on him that someone might like to know what he’s been up to.” Truth is, Chuck, no one probably does, but since your wife took the time to write, we can mention that you’re out of F-4s and into F-16s at Hahn when not terrorizing locals in Spain or Turkey, and you’re getting a few grey hairs, like the old Silver Fox. She mentioned that Marc SANDERS, Chuck’s old partner in crime from CS-13 and 16, is a civilian again, which probably worries the livestock back home in Montana. The Simpson’s are adding their second dependent in January, so congrats will soon be in order. Well, Chuck, to restate that great line from the Draught House, “What can I say?”
Among a group finishing tours as Branniff exchange officers was John GAWELEK, who’s back in the blue flying KC-707s at Carswell. Pete MCCARTHY is there in Buffs, and Gary GAEDE is in family practice at the Carswell clinic, “specializing in tennis.” Bill McGARVEY is in the metroplex doing what he does best with American. Frank CANTWELL gets the good-deal award on a SAC/TAC exchange tour flying F-15s at Holloman. Mike BROWN opened up a slot there by (figuratively) punching out of F-15s to look for a three-piece suit job on this side of the Air Force. Mark KUNO is farming in Washington state and flying a seismic research helicopter from any bare flat spot in the Rockies.
Speaking of “bare flat spots in the Rockies,” we dined Mexican with Doug and Robin HILL and Tammi (i.e., Mrs. Jay) CAMALICK the other night. Doug expects to be furloughed from Air Florida by the time this hits the press, and Jay is pushing something with propellers out of Memphis for Republic.
Got a good letter from the “old man” in my BCT element, Ed MARSHALL. Ed’s an engineer with Your Seattle City Light, and has been having a great time since separating (“amoeba-like”) from the Air Force. Story has it that when he left, they ran out of forms to give him a reserve commitment. (Question: “If we send the form to you at your home of record, will you sign it and send it back?”) His current news puts Rich KRAPF at Ramstein; Ray JONES is superintendent of penitentiaries for the State of Delaware (“seriously,” says Ed); Karl METZ is enjoying the view up in Elmendorf, with “the coldest speculum north of the lower 48,” in the OB/GYN clinic; Fritz RADEMACHER wants to join the Marine Corps Reserves; Ted THOMPSON wants to be chief of staff; and Rob STONE Hies C-5s out of Travis.
Catherine LEE sent a letter to “Mr. Mancuso,” but I read it anyway. Scott is doing graduate work in Black Magic (i.e., EE) at Texas Tech through AFIT, and is the proud dad of three mini-Lees.
Dave NEWILL is out of the plastic car end of the auto business and is doing a “Pentagon tour” with GM in Detroit, living in Lake Orion, ML
He’s probably one of the few people to move to Michigan to look for a job.
Archie SMILES called Rick ARTIM here in Denver and got patched through to me eventually. Archie is a Delta pilot who got tired of the way people talked in Georgia, and is flying out of his native Boston and living in New Hampshire. (Archie mumbled something that sounded like, “1 stotted to hate Atlanter, so I gawt Delter ta transfa me up heah.”) Rick is cutting on soldiers as an M.D. at Fitzsimmons.
Phil PACINI called to say he was still a test pilot with Sikorsky Helicopter in Connecticut. He still enjoys autogyrating, and was planning a Guard TDY to New Mexico about the time of Homecoming. John NESTICO is the other Connectican who called about Homecoming. The “Italian Scallion” (Did I pronounce that right?) is an attorney in Manhattan.
Rich DENNEN called to talk about our days as roommates in Bulldog 13. Rick still lives in Redondo “Oh wow, for sure, awesome” Beach, CA. (Rick was in the Space Command before there was a Space Command, if you catch my drift.) He does construction work, and enjoys the California lifestyle with his wife and two little surfers. Rick passes word that California remains a haven for the upright, academically inclined conservative American Republicans like the president, and Dan FARR and Dave BULL.
Fran DOYLE writes to say he’s doubly broken-hearted about departing T-38s (and ATC) and leaving lovely Lubbock to fly C-141s at McCord. He is proud to be escorting his two Corvettes out of West Texas.
Some old membership renewal forms put Ron and Maryellen WALLACE at Ramstein, where he’s stan-evaling with USAFE and swing-winging it in F-llls at Lakenheath when he gets a chance. And Charles “Rubber Chuckey” HORTON is all checked out in F-16s and got a job as a flight commander at Hahn, as if we didn’t have enough problems with the West Germans already.
From the change-of-address cards, Steve and C.C. HOYLE are gone to Fremont, CA; Jerry MARTIN has left one college town for another, kinda, going from USAFA to Columbus, OH; Bob SCHNICK has gone from Las Vegas to Hahn; Bob HINDELANG is departing San Antonio for Clark; John GRAHAM is leaving the Black Hills for Brooks; Gary GRAPPO has a new temporary address in sinking Winter Park, FL; and Dean and Sallie FOX now live in Poquoson, VA.
A recent trivia question in a great metropolitan newspaper noted that although the Army team of ’44 boasted the “Touchdown Twins,” it was the Air Force team of ’70 that took the laurels for scoring twosomes. I’m certain Brian BREAM would be delighted to know his name was buried in the sports pages of the Rocky Mountain News as half an answer. I wonder if Brian ever heard the adage: “To be a great lineman, you have to be big and dumb; but to a great back, you don’t have to be big.”
Just so you know, the post office, in its infinite zip wisdom, has added “Colorado Springs” to the offical address of the Academy, so as not to confuse it with any other Air Force Academies having similar zip codes.
We burned a few burgers and damaged the liquor cabinet with Chuck and Shelly WINTER over Labor Day. Shelly had been “taking names” for some of “the Boys” in preparation for Homecoming. In a weaker moment, she was kind enough to Kathy JOHNSON to let her know she didn’t have to rent a tuxedo for “Bobby Eugene” to get into the Jabara banquet. (Anyway, like I always said about my former roommate, you can dress up an Okie, but you can’t take one downtown.) Special congrats are in line for the Johnsons, who have recently adopted a long-awaited son, Paul, into their home. The Winters will be entertaining the Johnsons (or vice versa) and Pete and Vickie JONES during Homecoming. The way Chuck got slanty-eyed with me at a recent Bronco game, Shelly must have welcomed the NFL/PA strike.
Publication deadline for this bit of hard-core was before Homecoming; ergo, no news of how great the reunion was. (Although there’s probably a picture in here of 200 smiling couples, reduced so each face is approximately the size of a uranium atom.) Typically, deadline for the next issue of Checkpoints is about the time any issue comes out. So, if you read an issue, get mad because you’re not in it, but don’t write right away, a letter sent two weeks after you get a magazine appears five or six months later. (Great system - probably the same people who designed the old sick-call procedure.) If anybody has any candid photos of Homecoming, send them in. (Keep in mind, I don’t want to have to hide my copy of Checkpoints from my daughters under the bed with my latest issue of Bikers Monthly). Happy Holidays, and send a card (but do it soon, or it won’t be mentioned until June).
Special thanks to the guys who planned the reunion, without whose efforts those embarrassing moments would not have been possible.
QTRS 4207D, USAF Academy
Colorado Springs, CO 80840
HOME: (303) 472-0987
AV: 259-3590
1 trust that everyone has had a good summer. I use the past tense because fall has blown in with a vengeance here in Colorado. Summer is long gone and we expect a long and snowy winter.
We have some very sad news this column. Our classmate, Eric BROWN, died of leukemia this summer. Please see the “Gone but not Forgotten” column for details.
Also, Jim MATEOS’ mother died this past week. A.J. BR1D1NG and 1 attended the funeral here in town. Many of you may remember Jimmy’s father from his days in the gym at USAFA from 1970 to 1975.
Chris LAUDERDALE’S brother (Mike, Class of ’71) was killed in the Air Florida crash in Wash, DC. Tom HAMILTON and Keith K1RCHNER attended the funeral in San Antonio.
While there is occasion for hope for Don WILCOX’s son, Joey, because of minor improvement, Joey still remains comatose as he has since 1 May.
Our deepest regrets and sympathies go to all of the families of our classmates concerned; please include the above families in your thoughts and prayers.
Now on the brighter side. Jimmy MATEOS is the first USAFA grad in the AFRes to qualify as pilot in the KC-10. He says it’s an amazing machine, but has yet to be used to its full potential.
tion Systems. He says his business travel is limited to boat shows and air shows. Tom works 10 minutes from D-FW (phone (214) 462-5220), and he wants to hear from anyone passing through. He and wife, Leah, have a sailboat and are looking for excuses to go sailing.
Tom passes on the following: Keith K1RCHNER works at Texas Instruments in Dallas as a process engineer; Dave HARMON is a quality assurance engineer for Texas Instruments in CSpgs; Dean HAYLETT is at March AFB; Chris LAUDERDALE flies C-130s out of Little Rock; Pat SHEPPARD engineers Delta around out of Boston; Pat SHAFFER is an engineer in Idaho for Westinghouse; Jack GLAVAN is in Seattle (still in the AF) in CE; and John WIG1NGTON is at Bergstrom at Austin. Tom says he plans to be at Homecoming ’83.
Got a great letter from George KEH1AS. The CE Dept here has sent George to CSU for a PhD in sewers (honest, that’s what he says!). He’s already polishing his ’Vette for our Homecoming. He wrote mainly to tell me that Dave QUACKENBUSH married a beautiful girl by the name of Molly. They were married this past May in Dayton, OH. Both are stationed at LA Air Station where Molly is a GS employee. The wedding party included the likes of Paul MAZUROWSKI (now a civilian working for a medical supply company in LA) and Bill Moss (dropped out of USAFA as a three degree and is an accountant).
George also sent me a clip from the AF Times. It reads: “Capt Larry E. FABER of the 9th Strategic Reconnaissance Wing, Beale AFB, CA, has received the 1981 Koren Kolligan, Jr. Trophy for safely landing his crippled U-2 reconnaissance aircraft in bad weather. While flying a U-2 on an overseas operational mission Aug 3, 1981, Faber’s aircraft electrical system failed, causing loss of all instruments he needed to fly in bad weather conditions. With only the battery for electrical power, three times the fuel recommended for landing, and no elevator trim control, the captain was able to bring the plane down safely.” Congratulations, Larry!
By the way, 1 sponsored four doolies for the Doolie Dining Out this past summer (during our Doolie Dining Out the moonwalk took place -ring a bell, guys?), and one of the doolies was none other than Larry’s little brother, the fourth Faber to be a cadet at USAFA.
Finally, 1 got a letter from Todd LAVIGNE. He left the 50th TFW at Hahn this past summer. He was relieved by Don WETEKAM. Don has the distinction of leading the F-16 maintenance transitions at Hill, MacDill, and now Hahn, too. Don and Suzanne have apparently had ANOTHER baby daughter. Anyway, Todd is now a flight commander and squadron ops officer at OTS at Lackland. He says the job is rewarding and he likes it, but that the weather is too hot! Todd passes on the following: Andy PERONA and Chuck BRAMME1ER are stationed at Hahn and are currently at F-16 RTU; Scott MILLS is assigned to HQ ATC IG; Tom REAM is an analyst at MPC; Major Dr. Kirby KNOX is at Randolph; Don MElSTER’s at MPC handling CE assignments; Rick KARVOSKY is scheduled to move from HQ SAC IG to the CE officer’s course at Wright-Pat where he will be an instructor. Todd plans on being at the Homecoming next year he says just seeing Tom GRAYSON going crazy will be worth the airfare.
Greg REINECKE and Rich COMER both promised me some information for this column, but both have weenied out. Thanks a lot, guys!
Dan and Diane O’Hollaren are the proud parents of Paul Daniel, left, and Ashley Joy.
Dan OHOLLAREN sent me a note - he’s a specialist engineer with Boeing in Portland, OR, working on 757s and 767s. He and Diane just had a girl, Ashley Joy, last September. Their son has just started second grade. They have moved into a new house and Dan is doing a lot of the work on it himself. He flies F-4Cs with the Oregon Guard, pulling an occasional alert. Dan passes on the following information: Bill DIFFLEY is flying with PSA out of San Diego and Bob BURGER just moved to a hardship tour at Hickam flying WC-130s.
Ron FARIS sent me a note from Edwards. He’s a student flight test engineer at the USAF Test Pilot School. He just completed ACSC and received the MSM for his tour at USAFA. He’s having a great time at Edwards. By the way, Ron, A1 HOOVER will be at Edwards soon he’s in the next class to enter Test Pilot School.
Tom HAMILTON wrote me a nice letter, running to the rescue of Coppell, TX, his new home. He says, “Coppell is a future thriving suburb of Dallas located very close to D-FW Airport. My own factory relocated near here in Nov ’81, hence our search for a new home. Believe it or not, the Dallas Cowboys are building their HQ, practice fields, and training facilities here!” Tom was a C-5 nav for six years before he moved to Dallas and became the business manager for Texas Instruments Naviga
I also want to congratulate all you fast burners who made major two years below the zone. We had quite a few on the three-year board, too —I’m IMPRESSED! Congratulations are also in order for Frank KLOTZ, who has been selected as a White House Fellow. He was one of 14 individuals selected from 1,200 applicants.
Well, I guess that’s about it from you guys. Now, on to stuff from the GOOD OLE AOG: Dominic MAZZA is at the Dept of Psychiatry at Bethesda Naval Hospital (as a patient or doctor, Dominic?); John W1GINGTON is now at San Antonio (hey, Tom, your info is really current!); Spencer WAY is at USAFA teaching history; Dennis CLARK is at AFIT getting his MS in systems engineering; Barry SCHEINOST has moved from Denver to Oklahoma City, OK; and John SKALKO has moved to San Bernardino, CA. Bryan CLARK sent in some address changes for CS-19 guys: Leo AQUINALDO is in Sacramento; Chris BLACK pilots for Delta out of Boston; Dave FULK is still in Japan; Bob GLITZ is at Carrboro, NC; and Randy RANDOLPH is at Fairbanks (how about writing me a letter, Smoke?). Fred BECKMAN has married Terry, a former DOD school teacher that he met at Hahn. Fred is a civilian doing software engineering (where, Fred?) and an AF Intel Service Reservist for USAFE.
Well, Rich COMER just walked in and handed me a “Dirty Thirty” newsletter that he got from John BLECHER. It’s an entire column in itself, so I’ll have to edit it a little. Rich also gave me some info on some other guys, so things may be a little mixed up.
DIRTY THIRTY NEWSLETTER: Pit PITCOVICH is at the Chidlaw building in CSpgs he’s the proud dad of a new boy, Nathan Paul; Duff DELONG is the building supervisor at Penrose Hospital in CSpgs; Steve
GAST and wife Pam are at Wright-Pat where Steve’s getting his MS in space ops they have just adopted a little girl, Megan Nicole; and Mike WETZEL resigned and is at CSU in Fort Collins studying forestry. Greyson MORROW is flying helicopters up on the Alaskan pipeline; Mickey and Judy TRAMONTANA are out of the AF and up in New Jersey where Mickey flies for People Express; Mike and Lela KAUFMAN are at Enid, OK - Mike graduated from UPT at Vance and has NEVER been reassigned; Donny WURSTER is at Kirtland as an H-3 IP he left the AF for 15 months, but then came back in he’s now TDY at SOS; and John and Kathy BLECHER will be going to Holloman where John will be the base contracting officer. Rich SHURTLEFF is at MacDill flying helos; Bill and Pam PRICE are in Phoenix with ATC; Don OTT1NGER finished his MS at Wright-Pat and is now at Langley working on radio systems for Systems Command and TAC Don and Renee are enjoying Virginia and slapping mosquitos and eating crab; Bob and Robin BLAND1N are in Riverside, CA Bob schedules low level bomb routes for his B-52 buddies.
Saw Dave SCHRUPP here at the zoo. Dave teaches in the Foreign Language Dept here - he got his master’s at the University of Vienna —can you believe it?!?
Steve and Vicki CRISTIANI just had a new baby boy, Jonathan, who weighed in at 5 lb, 11 oz.
I’ll be at Homecoming this year; I hope to see a few of you turkeys. Bob FRASER is helping ’72 with its reunion so he can learn all the ins and outs and help make ours a smashing success.
Please notice my address is 4207-D, not 4210-D like the AOG had in the last Checkpoints. That’s about it! I hope that you all have a memorable and blessed Christmas!
Fall, my favorite time of the year, is here and football is upon us. Even though the pros are on strike, it looks like the Falcons have got a pretty good team this year. I was in Colorado and saw the San Diego State game and the team looked impressive. This could be our comeback year. There have been a lot of changes in the Springs lately. McDonald’s finally got wise and built a place right outside the south gate. Also there is a new mall there which is bigger than the Citadel. It’s really hard to recognize C-Springs anymore. 1 have had a few letters lately so I’ll get right into the news.
My first letter was from Rick CLEAVELAND. He and Gayle are in Kadena where Rick flies the F-15 in the 67th TFS. Rick says that they have been there for two and a half years and really like it. Also in the 67th are Kevin and Pat CASEY, Howie and Katie CHANDLER, and Kurt and Sharon MOODY. At Kadena in the 44th TFS are Rick and Valerie SANDWICK, and Ed LOSKILL. Rick tells me that Rick PILLING is now at USAFA in the soaring program.
My next letter came from Sam BIONDO. Sam is no longer at Scott. In fact, Sam is out of the Air Force and flying for New York Air out of New York. Sam is living in Centerville, VA. Also flying for New York Air are Scott MURPHY who lives on a yacht in Maryland, Frank SHANLEY who lives in New Jersey, and Mark SHEPROW who also lives in New Jersey. A1 ANDERSEN is flying for Midway and John BROCKMAN is living on his farm near Scott where he works at MAC.
I also heard from Jim MAPLES. Jim is a first officer on 727s for Piedmont Airlines. He is working out of Winston-Salem, NC. He and his wife, Susan, have been there since January. Jim tells me that Bob BINKLEY is flying for Piedmont also. Bob is married to a girl from Germany, but I don’t have her name.
Stew MONTI sent me the news that he has finished his master’s degree in I/O psychology. He and Anne are stationed at Randolph where Stew is working for HQ/ATC. The Montis are buying a house and say that anyone in the area will find the door always open.
My final bit of news comes from Craig ANDERSON. Craig and Rite are expecting their first cihld. They are expecting the new arrival in May. I’ve about run out of things to report for this column. I have one bit of interesting trivia to pass along. During the summer, our class had one member who was a 2Lt and one who was a major. Both of these guys were stationed at the same base in the same organization. It seems that we have our first 0-4 in the person of Joe KELLY. Joe is a doctor and at the time was at the med center at Travis. The 2LT was Paul SHERRY and, no, Paul has not been demoted or passed over. Paul resigned his regular com
mission to be sponsored for med school. He is still in school at Temple. During his school breaks he comes back on active duty. But the program will only allow him to serve as an 0-1. Paul ran into Joe while on duty at Travis last July.
That about does it for this issue. Remember to keep in touch so that I can keep the class informed on everyone. Since this is the last issue before the holidays I wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a great ’83. Everyone take care till next time.
Joe Stein Ar7
Quarters 4207F, USAF Academy Colorado Springs, CO 80840
Home: (303) 472-6105
AV: 259-4105
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SURPRISE: I’ll bet you didn’t notice that the name and address had changed in the box above. As you know, Stan COLLINS has been pinchhitting as the class scribe for the past few issues, but the AFIT work load has finally caught up to him. Who ever said school was fun? Rick LAYMAN had been planning to reclaim the honors, but I think he found out that you don’t ever get settled in at the Pentagon (until you leave). He’s putting in some long hours in the Legislative Liaison office there. That leaves me. Since I was returning to the womb here, Rick thought that it might be appropriate for me to take over the column. It looks like you’re stuck with me.
LETTERS: Sheryl and Tom MCCLAIN were the only ones to take pen in hand in time for this issue. Tom has just completed Wild Weasel training at George, and they’ll be staying on as permanent party there. It seems that the desert beats Korea every day of the week! Their family has also grown since last word, with Daniel (5) and Karen (1) blessing their lives.
The MCCLAIN grapevine also located some other ’75ers for us: Mike and Gwenda ROSEBUSH at USAFA (of all places); John STEWART in the cockpit of an F-16 at Kunsan AB, Korea; Rod and Vickie KALLMAN in F-5s at Williams; and Gary and Linda CRAIG in the aggressor squadron at Nellis.
ADDRESS CHANGES: The address cards were, by far, the biggest source of news waiting for me when I arrived. Those up- and re-rooting recently include: Steve and Sarah PITOTTI to Edwards AFB; Tom and Martha LAURIE to Reese; Scott and Rebecca HAMMOND to Eglin; the BENNERs to Wright-Pat (I think!); the BANNISTERs to Del Rio; Mike and Susan RUTH to Shaw; Craig MATT to Newport News, VA; the VREELANDs back here to the Springs; and the SOTOs overseas to Clark AB.
Tom ABSHIRE is passing out cigars these days. He and Diane now have a new daughter (as of 1 Sep), Erin Elizabeth. Congrats from all of us. I wonder if she’ll be in the class of ’03? Chris COMMEFORD also sends word that he is joining the AFIT crowd ops research is his specialty. And last, but certainly not least, word has it that Dave BEATTY is being indoctrinated in the ways of “grunt” life as an ALO in the 82nd Airborne. Good luck!
THOUGHT YOU MIGHT BE INTERESTED DEPT: Many things have changed here at USAFA since we last saw the place in our rearview mirrors, and some things never will. Those that caught my eye or relit the old memory lamp include:
The football team is really hot this year. They are ranked in the top five nationally in offense at this time. The victory over Navy will give us our best chance ever of winning the Commander-In-Chief Trophy. Go Falcons BEAT ARMY!
Shades of the real Air Force! A combination of the OR1 and stan/eval has come to the Cadet Wing. The cadet stan/eval program exposes them to this aspect of Air Force life early. This area also happens to be where I’ll be hanging my hat for the next eight months until an AOC job opens up.
The transition period for women at the Academy appears to be over. The women are completely immersed in the Cadet Wing and appear to be doing extremely well. Things have sure changed since our time.
ALMOST, BUT NOT QUITE: I had a picture taken of all the ’75ers on ASTRA assignments at the Pentagon, and had hoped to include it in this issue. Unfortunately, I had to start out for USAFA before it was developed. A friend successfully completed my alternate plan by picking up the prints and dropping them in the mail box for me. Enter the U.S. Postal Service! I haven’t seen a thing for weeks. If they ever do arrive, I’ll include a picture in the next issue. If not, I’ll throw in a STEIN original sketch (Oh no!). But for now, a word picture will have to do. Those pounding the halls of the five-sided paper factory are: Bob AKERS, Dan
BURKETT, Dave COMMONS, Lamar LEWIS, Dale MEYERROSE, Rick LAYMAN, Phil ROMANOWICZ, Frank DUBUISSON, Bill
DAVIS, Chip DIEHL, Charlie BERGMAN, Carl VAN PELT, Perry LAMY, Gil BRAUN, Dave KOVACH, Mitch MCVAY, John WOLTER, and Mark RISE If you need to get in touch (or get even) with any of the above, I have their office symbols, addresses, and phone numbers. But hurry. Some of them are leaving.
Chip DIEHL decided that he liked the staff life and landed a job with PACAF in Hawaii tough luck, Chip. Gil BRAUN has orders to Korea if they can ever find him on one of the golf courses in the D.C. area. Gil also plans to enter a marathon soon and is training toward that end. Better him than me! I’m sure he’ll update us on the outcome. And finally, Dan BURKETT thinks he has a job in San Antonio at MPC that is, if the Pentagon will ever let him go. He may be our token sacrifice for a four-year tour in D.C. area.
That’s about all for now. Since I’m just working into the job, I’d appreciate some cards and letters to bring me up to date with your current happenings. Photos are also worth a fortune. And just in case any of you are feeling homesick for USAFA or are passing through the Colorado area, please stop in or call. We’ll drink one in memory of the old days.
Another classmate has fallen in duty to his country. Larry DOWELL was killed in an F-5 accident in July. Our thoughts and prayers go to his family, and Larry’s friends.
I hope everyone is doing alright. And how about the Falcon football team? As I write this, they just defeated BYU on a touchdown drive in the last minute and 30 seconds, and a two-point conversion, 39-38! Hope they can keep it up!
Not much new to report here in Tucson, but Art and Kathy GEORGE arrived here recently-they join me and Sue, Carl and Mary REBARCHAK, Bruce and Cindy FREUND, and T.J. KOCH here as Hog IPs. I ran into Craig MANSON at the legal office not too long ago—now wait, it’s not what you think—1 was there for my household goods claim. No, really! Anyway, also here are Craig MOSER and Jay STRAUCH, as OA-37 FACs.
I received a letter from Mike and Debby FRICANO. Mike is at Keesler as a WC-130 nav, making the world safe from hurricanes. Mike tries to keep pilots out of the storms, but it seems they don’t listen to him. Mike reports on other ’76ers: Tim and Susie SHAFFER, fellow Hurricane Hunters; Kevin LALLY, an M.D., also at Keesler; Dave and Chris (Mike’s sister) BERG recently moved from Vandenberg to Wright-Pat for the AFIT space ops program; and Henry and Gale KELLY are at Tyndall in rapid runway repair with CE. Mike went to SOS in class 82-B, and sent a picture of other ’76ers in the class.
New Pillars of Professionalism are: Jim BUCK, Russ LANEY, Jim ROSE, Doug STEWART, Walt HEIDMOUS, Randy JOHNSON, Terry WILLIAMS, John AUS1NK, Mark EVANS, Dave DINGLEY, Johnnie NORRIS, and Jim WILLIAMS. Mike also enclosed a clipping from the Keesler base newspaper from more than a year ago which reported that Del CORNALI won a five-mile race there in 25:59 (Del was paced by Mike, who was riding his bicycle). J.C. TRETT1N finished third in that race at 27:50. Mike set a torrid pace on his bike, it seems, and finished 73rd out of 75 runners-heh, heh, just kidding, Mike. He further reports that John and Becky FLOERSCH are at Hickam, JC-130 pilot; and Mike SEVIER has received an ASTRA slot. Thanks for writing, Mike-and for the other two guys in the class not mentioned in his letter, write me and let us know what you’re doing!
I also received a letter from Steve STOCKDALE. Sue said, “Who is Steve Stockdale?” I replied that he was a classmate of mine, and that on the day we all entered the Academy he and I sat next to each other on the bus from the Ramada Inn to the “Bring Me Men...” sign. 1 told her that I had actually signed up for the USAFA summer sports camp, but got mixed up with all these other guys, and when I tried to explain it to a bunch of guys in blue they got very rude so I ended up staying for four years (so help me). Anyhow, I opened the letter, and it read: “Hi Wade, Back around the 3rd of July I thought about writing this guy whom I’d met some 10 years earlier on a bus bound for ‘this school in Colorado.’ Strange, huh? So 1 read that part to Sue—she told me she had heard that story before! So Steve is now keeping the world safe for technology at Texas Instruments in Lewisville, TX. He is a systems engineer in the High Speed Anti-Radiation Missile (HARM) program, and gives some hope for us non-tech types by reminding us that he prepared for this job with a humanities major at USAFA, and was then a “gas passin’ navigator” for awhile! Steve carpools with his wife, Cheryl, who is a TI secretary. Steve says that he saw John HOPE, Fred PHILPOT, and Rich LUHRS interviewing for jobs there, and that K.C. STE1NBAUGH and Dirk WERHANE work in QA for TI. Steve and Cheryl live about 10 minutes from D-FW, and invite guys to call when passing through. Thanks for the letter, Steve, and no, you weren’t the only guy to laugh at “Conan-the Strawberry Bavarian.”
Also got some change-of-address cards. One was from Bill LANNING. He and Ellie are back from Lakenheath, and now at Cannon, where Bill is an F-l 11 IWSO. They had baby number three, Rachel Jean, born 2 May. Congratulations! Jim, Becky, and Shelley DEAUX are now F-5 Aggressors at Alconbury.
Changes of address from the AOG: Greg SCHNEIDER, Yellow Springs, OH; Dave CLOUD, C Springs; Scott ANDERSON, F-4 IP at Homestead; Brad MOFFETT, Annandale, VA; Rich HOLDRIDGE, Menlo Park, CA; Monty LEE, Hawthorne, CA; Paul AUCLAIR, Vandenberg; Hal GETZELMAN, Tacoma, WA; Dave and Kymberly McELWEE, Miami, FL; and Roger and Ruth RECHSTEINER, F-4s at Taegu, were expecting their first child in August. Dennis REA is still at Nellis in the F-16. Jerry MORRISON is now at B-52 AC at KI Sawyersecond daughter, Julie, was born 12 Feb, and Abigail is now two; and Mike ELLEN is in South Pasadena, CA.
By the time you read this there will be another McROBERTS here. Let’s everyone be real careful in everything we do. Let me hear from you. Take care.
Jim “Mouse” Neumeister
2304 Galaxy Dr. sms Altus, OK 73521
Home: (405) 482-1607 lam.
AV: 866-6300 (Alert: 7311) Vv? -w
Greetings from sunny Altus by the sea. I’ll bet the editor’s note following Lou MICHELS’ last column threw everyone a curve as far as who the new Class News secretary would be, including John BUCKELY and myself. But when I received all the forwarded inputs from the AOG in the mail, that confirmed it. Don’t worry, John, I’ll definitely keep your volunteer status in mind for a couple years from now.
Fan Mail: Lou MICHELS forwarded a couple letters to me and also wrote to say he’s slowly settling in at Durham, NC, before law school starts. I don’t usually wish a masochist good luck, but good luck anyway, Lou. Our two core courses at the Zoo were two too many for me.
John REED wrote of a massive party at Holloman held early this past summer. He’s there flying AT-38s along with John HUNT (Dianna), Rob SARNOSK1, and Jon SPAIN. Mike WEINSTEIN (Bonnie), who’s in the
legal office at Holloman, suggested the get-together, which included many who were TDY attending Lead-In Fighter Training (LIFT). These included Skip DAY (Tracy) and Brock DEXTER (Cindy) going to A-lOs at Bentwaters; Duff MUIR (Mary) and Ed THOMAS (Glenna) to A-lOs at England AFB, Lee GUST1N (Kathy), Tim OLIVER (Karen), and Mac SIKES (Terry) to F-4s at Homestead; Norm RIEGSECKER (Shirley) going to F-15s at Eglin; and Tony BENEVENTO (Terri) staying at Holloman in F-15s. Also, Dennis BELLAMY (Lorraine) going to F-15s at Kadena, Bob HOOVER (Candy) and Jeff LEEPER (April) to F-15s at Langley; Pete MOHYLSKY (Denise) to F-16s at Hill; Lance BUCKINGHAM (Karen) to F-llls at Cannon; Art BIERSBACH (Lauri), P.J. LANDWEHRLE (Denise), and Mike LEVENHAGEN (Rowan) to F-llls at Lakenheath; and Wade PARKER (Linda). A special thanks goes to Bob HOOVER, whose camera equipment recorded the event (see photos). Others who have passed through Holloman inelude Frank ANDERSON, F-16; Tom HYDE (Leslie), F-16; and Mike OAKES (Laurie), F-15.
Mark SIZEMORE says he’s left his remote F-4 assignment in Keflavik for an F-5 job with the 64th Aggressor Squadron at Nellis. Perhaps there is justice, Mark. Others who have escaped Keflavik include Emmett TULLIA to Seymour, Chip LAMB and Bill RAMSAY to Spangdahlem, Roger SMITH to T-41s at USAFA, and C.T. MARSH to T-33s at Langley. Mark also says he, Ed MILLER, and J.W. FOISTER will all be staying at Nellis following their check-outs and look forward to seeing everyone while on the road or at Red Flag.
Live: Mike RUGGIERO (Lisa) was here at Altus going through C- 141 school prior to heading for Norton, where Felix GARCIA (Diane) is acting as his sponsor. Mark and Marie Celine STEGELMAN were down from Tinker and AWACS visiting friends here in Altus. Mark made the mistake of attending one of our squadron pool parties while he was here. I say mistake because we didn’t let him skate; we threw him in the pool like everybody else. It wasn’t our fault he didn’t bring a swimsuit.
Line 1: Speaking of Tinker and AWACS, I called Ben and Mary GOODMAN who are up there to congratulate them on the birth of Ben,
Jr., although I’m not sure the world is ready for another Good Benman. A mutual friend who had talked to my old roomo, Jim MILLIGAN (Ginger), said he was at SOS while waiting to start his U-2 training at Beale. Good luck, Poono; keep me informed.
PCS: Lee MONSON (Julie) is a T-41 instructor at USAFA. Lex DODGE (Laurie) is also there, I assume teaching following his AF1T residence. Don MOORE (Sharon Kay) is flying RF-4s out of Bergstrom. Jake SIMONS (Carolyn) is at Maxwell. Rick SPOTT (Debbie) is at Barksdale in KC-lOs if I heard correctly. John ROLL (Kimberly) is flying the F-16 at Hahn AB, Germany. Tony VILLALOBOS (Audrey) is in the 15TRS at Kadena.
Mr. Rick TURNER is pursuing a change of career goals in Columbus, OH. Good luck, Rick, and stay in touch.
Local: Seven ’77ers have been just passing through Altus for the past several years. Mark and Susan CASTELLANI are expecting a second edition to their family sometime this winter. Bruce PENNINGTON (Monica) has volunteered to go to K.I. Sawyer in the spring; he’ll be receiving a full psychological evaluation for sanity prior to departing. Wayne TERRY is engaged to one of our squadron copilots; he and Debbie have set a date in January. If they’re lucky, they may even get to pull alert together. Also here are Ron BORTHW1CK (Laurie), Alex FRACCH1A, Craig WEIBEL (Dana), and myself (Martha).
As an AC in a KC, I don’t get around nearly as much as Lou did, so I’ll really be counting on fan mail and phone calls from all you readers for our column. Please keep me posted on all of your assignments, parties, weddings, births, and anything else you would like included in our column. And if you’re ever unfortunate enough to be passing through Altus AFB, be sure to let me know you’re in town; particularly you C-141 wienies, who must really like it here because you keep coming back. Take care, and keep the mailman and Ma Bell in business. (Editor’s note: More Class Newsfollowsfrom John BUCKLEY who explains this issue’s “’77 Dual News” entry below.)
Despite the total mass of confusion regarding our class column, “Mouse” NEUMEISTER and I have coordinated our efforts. All class notes will go to him at Altus (or care of Checkpoints at the AOG office). 1 will get inputs to him from now on. He will write the column and get it to you all without further adieu.
Geno and Susie (“the Q”) REDMON are on their way to March, ending their Siberian exile to Wurtsmith. (Who am I to talk sitting here at K.I. Sawyer?) Geno is doing a super job as a KC-135 A/C and will probably vie with Steve CAMERON for CINCSAC by 1994. Speaking of Steve CAMERON, he got married to the chief weapons controller at the 21st Air Division, Hancock Field, NY. Congrats Steve, and please send us the lady’s name! Rumor has it Steve may be on the way to SAC’s B-l program. (Any confirmations or denials?)
Saw Paul SHUTT and Steve HANLON while serving TAC alert at Charleston AFB, SC. Paul is a C-141 IP and is ready to “move on” after three years at Charleston. Steve is a 141 FE and he joined the “ranks of the great unwashed” (i.e. us old married men) when he married Cindy in September. She’s a super lady.
Steve MARSH finished his F-16 checkout at MacDill and is back at Hahn AB, Germany. I wrote him trying to see if he’d fire inputs from the guys at USAFE back here to the Fatherland. Tony GRADY escaped SAC and fled overseas to Osan where he’s Hying OV-lOs. If he reads this, I’d appreciate a line to John BUCKLEY we need PACAF notes (hint, Tony!).
I saw Mike MAHAR at the Active Duty Liaison Conference at USAFA. He put his papers in for ASTRA and is keeping his fingers crossed. Crazy man Herb “Cajun” FORET has left Del Rio (Devil’s Island), TX, on his way to F-4Gs at George. (Only crazy men deliberately bait SAM sites so they shoot at you! I guess that’s why I want to do it so bad!) Danny WADE is also leaving Del Rio ASAP for C-5s at Dover. Mike (Cathy) PAQUETTE is Hying rescue choppers (UH-ls) at Hill AFB, UT. Tony (Dawn) DRONKERS is departing K.I. Sawyer for a logistics and plans job at Sembach.
I did spend a few days at USAFA the middle of September and I was very favorably impressed with the new Comm (Brig Gen BURSHNICK, ’60). The laissez-faire “quantity versus quality” policies that we remember so well are gone and grads are becoming more and more involved with recruitment and training policies. There is a definite emphasis on long-term, far-sighted management of the wing versus crisis management. Attrition is no longer being primarily equated with retention the problem is being attacked from the standpoint of recruitment; getting rid of the chaff at the front end. I left feeling a lot better about USAFA than I have since we left.
Don Avery
3011 Lanny Lane
Panama City, FL 32405 'f'K'Cf
Home: (904) 769-3013 V AV: 283-2121
Well, that’s all I have for now. Again, send your inputs to Mouse. He’s assured me he really is literate and capable of hacking the program. God bless you all.
There’s nothing like resigning one’s position as class correspondent to increase the How of mail and phone calls. I thank the many of you who provided me with so much information. Also, I was overwhelmed with the large number of volunteers to take over the writing of this column. Thanks to all for your willingness and hopefully you will continue to be a strong support to Jim ARNOLD. Jim has been a terrific asset to me over the years and will do a fine job. To contact him for future columns, call or write:
Jim Arnold
10708 Hollaway Dr.
Upper Marlboro, MD 20870
Home: (301) 826-4204
AV: 293-5830
Jim, in his second year of law school at George Washington, sent along a few tid-bits. Doug HALPERN (Teri) is still in T-37s at Laughlin; Guy MARTELLE (Kathy), space division at Los Angeles AFS; Mike SKOLAT (Kala) is in test/eval at Dugway Proving Grounds working on the ground launch cruise missile project; Arnie DOUVILLE and Jim WEIDMAN recently upgraded to AC in the C-130 at Little Rock; and Pete MARPLE (Kitty) just got married and is flying C-141s at McGuire. According to Keith HEISE at Reese, several of the guys there got follow-on assignments. Keith got an RF-4; Ted ANKENBAUER (F-15); Scott BAKER (RF-4); Brian GOTTSACKER (C-9); Brett VANCE (A-10); Steve UST (F-lll); Bill BLAZER (RF-4); and Greg DAVIS will be going to Randolph as a PIT IP.
Dick “Fig” NEWTON writes from Laughlin where he is presently a T-38 IP. Dick says he loves Laughlin and ATC-a first no doubt, but good to hear. He’s also working as an exec for the wing commander. Other “lucky” guys at Laughlin are Dave KLUZINSKI; Dave McFADDIN; Barry SARNACKI (going to PIT); Digger PHELPS; Mike EVERS; Rick KIRCHNER; Bob ANDERLITCH (new assignment: C-130); Jim RUBEOR (going to a C-5); Ron TAIT; Curt ARMSTRONG; Kurt GEARHART; Eric BROWN; Jim KISTLER (new assignment: A-10); Ken CHARPILOZ; and J.D. STERRETT.
Fig also kept up with a few other ’78ers. Jim RAMOS, a Navy defector, is Hying P-3 Orions somewhere in the Pacific; Steve SLICK is in OA-37s but has a new F-16 assignment; and Gary SHIRLEY to C-141s at McGuire. Rob WORLEY (Lori) works in the Occupational and Measurement Center at Randolph; Glenn LARSON (Lisa) is a T-41 IP at Hondo; Jim PENNEKAMP (Beth), KC-135, Pease; Lynn HOLLERBACH (B-52, Minot); Russ GLOVER (KC-135, Minot); and Bruce DUNTON is a newlywed and also a new AT-38 IP at Holloman. Bruce wrote to tell me this and other interesting facts but neglected to tell me the name of his wife who is a lLt in intel. Also at Holloman is Tim ENGLISH, Phil IRISH (from F-Y’s), and Mack McCULLUM (from F- 15s). Mack and I talked for some time the other day and he’ll be getting married in the spring.
Mark WORTHMAN called from Cannon where he’s a nav in the F-lll. He’s still single and is transferring to Lakenheath in February. Mark passed on that Randy READ, an RF-4 nav at Bergstrom, got a UPT class date early in 1983. Mike WRIGHT also called-all the way from Hawaii where he’s an intelligence officer. Other guys in intelligence in Berlin are T.J. KOPF and John KAUMOFF. Flying T-33s at Hickman is Tim KELLY. Other tid-bits from Mike include information on Mondo KAIN (Norton, C-141) and Terry KELLY (Plattsburg, KC-135). Mike and his wife, Joy, now have two daughters, Karen and Lisa.
Dave WINIGER and his wife, Ruth, will soon be here at Tyndall, along with their three kids. Dave is a weapons controller in Germany. Ruth informed me of two other ’78ers and their recent activities. Mark and Terry HEFFERLY had a daughter this past summer and Bob and Val HUELSKAMP also had a little girl. Mark is an IP at Sheppard and Bob is an IP at PIT.
Kip and Kelli WARTON sent along several names. Kip is stationed at Upper Heyford, and both he and Kelli are quite involved in a dynamic chapel program. Also at Upper Heyford, are Ron and Sharon MAGNUS; Mark and Sandy SWIGONSKI; Tom and Diana THACKER; Bill and Ann HADAWAY; George HURLEY; and Tim COLLINS just left for
Mt. Home. Mark and Kimmie DORSETT (chopper pilot) just had a baby girl in June. Barry and Joyanna JAMES are at Vance; P.J. and Joan VERGARO at Davis-Monthan; and Fred and Wendy BOONE at March.
Dorian Smith (Dyanne), B-52s at Carswell, is putting in a great deal of flying time. In fact he just returned from a TDY to England and Saudi Arabia. Dyanne also passes on that Dave and Dawn LILLY are doing well at Columbus where Dave is a check pilot.
Mike SPAIN is still flying B-52s at Barksdale and includes the following: Dave COX and Bill CHAMBERS just left Barksdale, Dave for Mather and Bill for Germany; Neal SLOANE is an EWO at Barksdale; Greg PETERSON (KC-135); and Gary MARTIN (B-52). Glenn DILOY, also flying Buffs, recently bit the dust-he got married. Mike and Cheryl NORRIS are at Lakenheath and Tom FOSSON was WSO of the quarter at Lakenheath.
Bill HOFERER reports from Blytheville that he had to go to the punch bowl at a recent dining-in due to the “unauthorized” wear of red suspenders. Pete SHOCKEY (KC-135) at the same dining-in, did not wear his class suspenders. Bill hopes all you ’78ers remember to wear red! Additional info from Bill: Guy FOLLANSBEE (KC-135, March); Terry HAYNES (B-52); and Gary COOPER (KC-135).
Finally, I received a letter from Col. J. Charles Whitman, an LO in Pennsylvania who passed on some info on some of his ’78ers. Craig ADLER (F-15, Kadina) received an AFCM; Greg INTOCCIA recently started law school; Bob and Linda ZIELINSKI recently had a son, and Bob also got selected to transition to the F-16 at MacDill in March; Gary SHIRLEY is still at McGuire and also serves as an assistant LO; and Mike MANGOLD, an F-4 jock, is still involved in para-skiing as a hobby and is recognized as one of the country’s foremost para-skiers.
Thanks, and may the Lord bless you all... Don.
In closing, going, for the last time, I must admit to having mixed feelings. I’ll miss writing for the Great Class of 1978, but then again, it will be good to get some freshness in the article—and Jim Arnold’s just the one. Please support him as well as you have me. Friends, a lot has happened over the past several years since graduation. We’ve all changed some and we’ve all remained the same some, too. The one thing I’ve tried to do through this article is express changes in my life and in the lives of others. The bottom line is this. The one, single most important thing in my life, and the one thing that has brought a change in my life, and many of yours, is a personal walk with the Lord. God has become very real in my everyday life. My prayer is that He will also become real in the lives of each of you and your families. Thank you for a very rewarding four years and may God bless you.
Mike Van Hoomissen
3475 Granada Ave. #329
Santa Clara, CA 95051
AV: 359-3012
Greetings to all of you from myself and all the ’79ers at Sunnyvale AFS, CA. Locally, Paul SCHUBERT (Toni) started night law school at Santa Clara and Mark PIMENTEL (Betsy) began a master’s in comp sci at Santa Clara. Jim BOHAC transfered to Sunnyvale from Hanscom and is rooming with me. Jim says that Russ LARNED married Vaune this summer and is flying F-16s and straightening teeth in the bar at Nellis. Congratulations Russ and Vaune.
Randy HELMS (Donna) called on 2 August to give me an update on several classmates. Randy is stationed at Scott in the T-39. He just upgraded to IP and looking for a C-5 after the first of the year. Their daughter, Randi Leigh, will be one year old in October. Thanks very much for the following info, Randy, and please call again. Chet
SCHIRMER is in C-130s at Little Rock. Jim SNELLER (Karen) is at Offut in the T-39. Their second baby was due 25 Aug. Tim PLAEHN married Kim, was in OV-lOs in Korea, and now is at Patrick as an IP. Ed WILSON (Marie) is flying F-llls at Upper Heyford and had a second baby girl in July. Steve FRANGOS is in his fourth year of medical school at USUHS Bethesda and is doing two months training at Travis AFB as part of the curriculum. Paul SWANSON married Melissa 10 July in Lubbock and drew a KC-135 to Ellsworth for a wedding present. Scott DENNIS (Donna) is getting his master’s in aero/mech at some nondescript little college in Cambridge called MIT. Jeff RODSETH was seen in-country at McClellan in a C-130 returning to Kadena. Mark NEICE (Leslie) is in the KC-135 and Gerry SMITH (Judy) in a Buff at K.I. Sawyer. Each have a boy now about one year of age.
Jim ROGERS (Lisa) wrote me from a Titan hole at Davis-Monthan in Tucson. He should be a crew commander in October and is looking for a bid to the AFIT Space Operations degree program in June. Jim and Lisa had a son, Kirk, in May of ’81. Also at D-M are: Rick BLACK, recently upgraded to instructor commander; Bernard ASIU (Laurie), received an early upgrade to commander and then an EWO instructor slot and became a staffer; and Pat PADDOCK, also upgraded to commander. I have not heard anything about Max WYMAN for a while, Jim, but I thank you very much for the correspondence. Please write again.
Scott “Smitty” SMETANA (Sarah) wrote me from Sioux City where Scott recently checked out as flight lead in the A-7 for the Air Guard. Scott often runs into Bill TRAVNIC who drives an A-7 for the Des Moines Air Guard. Scott skinned Uncle Sugar for more than $1,200 on the suggestion program recently. Next time you see Scott, help him spend it at the bar. Scott saw Paul BISHOP at George going through F-4 school along with weasel pilots Ralph TRAPAGA and Jan-Marc JOUAS a while back. Scott flew 2 v 2 against Clyde SPENCER in a F-16 at Mt. Home in July and saw Milt KOCHANIUK who blew through Sioux City on an ace ride not too long ago. It was great hearing from you Scott, and thanks for contributing to this article.
In other news, Bob SWAIN is in the A-10 at RAF Woodbridge along with Brock ESHLEMAN who is flying HH-53s. Bill SAWYER is in the OV-10 at Sembach. Joe DIFRANCESCO is an F-4 driver at Torrejon, Spain. Mark and Sherri BRALEY are stationed at Travis where Mark is a maintenance officer for C-5s.
I rendezvoused with Jim REGAN (Tanya) in Colorado Springs in August. He flew a T-38 up from Sheppard with Steve DICKSON (Dawn) for the weekend. Steve and Jim looked fit and well. I had a weekend of hard work on Jim’s condominium, drinking and telling lies. Checking out early Sunday at Pete Field base ops looked like old home week. Jim NELSON (Dina) and Charlie WADDELL each had a T-38 in from Willie. Fred LANKFORD (Laura) and Scott ADAMS each had a T-33 in from Castle. After a rough night of turning the town inside out old Fred was just as witty as ever as he peered at me through two burnt holes that he called eyes. Fred has his named painted on the gear doors of his T-33 so he knows which one to get back into in the morning. I always said those astro majors had it all in one sock.
Bud VAZQUEZ called the other day from Fort Meade to defend the character he said John COURTNEY and Mike DONATELLI had besmirched in previous articles, but I told Bud that everyone knew that his character was morally bankrupt and that as a person he was not worthy of salvation. Bud was flattered by my kind words and said he could not thank me enough. Actually, Bud is not a bad guy even if he doesn’t know one end of a lacrosse stick from another-just kidding Bud, thanks for the call.
I was in Boston over Labor Day. Ken MATTERN (Pam) had already left for law school at Duke. Bob DESMOND and I had a few beers at the Hanscom “O” Club before his lovely lady appeared on the scene. Never did see Bob the rest of the weekend. I also ran into Brad KURLANCHEEK in the bar and he said Karl REICHL was on station along with many other ’79ers including Tom McGOVERN and J.J. BROWNFIELD.
Special congratulations to Bill “Luke” LUUKKONEN who was recently married, and to Brian and Carrie KOECHEL who recently had a child. Congratulations also to Henry and Barb JOHNSON, parents of Matthew, born on 13 September. Henry just started class at the University of Virginia under an Academy-sponsored faculty AFIT slot in the Department of Government and Foreign Affairs. Henry expects a followon assignment to teach political science at the Zoo. Good luck, Henry.
I must again thank all of you who wrote or called me with inputs for the
article. We would like to hear from more of you. Mike DONATELL1 (Julie) will write the winter article. Julie was recently in the country 1 understand but Mike couldn’t break away from Germany. Please send correspondence to Mike at Box 3793, APO New York 09755.
Let’s be careful out there. Add a little extra on those approaches for momma and the kids. Best of luck to all of you. Mike.
As fall begins to turn the grass brown and the sunflowers begin to lose their leaves (When you don’t have any trees, you have to improvise.), I pen yet another letter to you from Enid. The wind has shifted to the south at Warp 9, and 1 just saw a flock of ducks flying backwards past the water tower. It has been a long summer for those of us in ATC, flying three times a day with students who can be as bad as a Saturday morning triplethreat the day after a toga party.
Gary GRAY, Bill HARPER, Art SMITH, A1 BAKER, Dave ALEXANDER, and Rick THIELE all say hello from Columbus AFB and they want to know when they will either get more IPs or less students. I hope they don’t expect a real answer from me. John GREEN called me from Eglin AFB where he is in ops research. John, either I copied down the wrong number or you gave me the wrong one because when I called back I got civil engineering.
I got a letter from Mark SEIBEL at USUHS (Uniformed Services University of Health Sciences) in Bethesda, MD. He has been working at Walter Reed Army Medical Center in D.C. He is half done with his schooling and says he has half a license to operate in an approved Air Force hobby shop, and that he and Randy MURPHY have two years left. Mark also said that the rumors about he and Linda GARCIA are not true. He had some news from Ed FOLSOM in Germany. Ed is flying OV-lOs and things are going well with his wife, Cathy. Also at Sembach
AB are Paul SMITH, Justin CHRETIEN, and Walt CARLSON. I know I have left someone at Sembach out, so forgive me.
Doug HAGER is still working in Philly at a defense logistics agency. This is a joint services agency, and Doug programs computers for the Air Force. Doug will be running in the Marine Corps Marathon in D.C.this November.
Locally, Rick BORNMANN, Greg HARSTAD, Tom HEEMSTRA, Jim MALEARE (recently married to Cherlyn), Peg DENNIS, Bruce THOMAS, Bob EVERDING, Tom SPICER, Brian GRIGGS, Bob HOLMES, Chrys LEMON, Chris GOLOB, Frank BUNTING, Jim FIRTH, Mark AUDISS, Russ HODGKINS, Mark FAIRBAIRN, Mike GLEICHMAN, (to be married to Jean Nov. 6), and Kelly HUMPHREY (a proud new father for the second time: a little girl), all say hi from Vance. Be good, God bless, and keep those cards and letters coming.
Ross LATORRA wrote from Eielson AFB, Alaska, where he and Andy COMTOIS (and his wife, Lynn) are flying A-lOs. He says that the moose hunting is great and sent this picture of the first fishing trip he and Andy went on. Ross says that the A-10s are there to keep the godless commie moose from invading the Alaskan pipeline and wreaking havoc with the local populace. Ross, John POSNER is more serious about his lady than you think, so the bet may still be on. Also at Eielson is Nelson BURGOS (RC-135s) and at Elmendorf are Steve BATTS (C-130s), Russ SINGLETON (HC-130s), Bob SCHLEY (T-33s) and Greg PARKER in Jolly Greens.
Linda GARCIA, thank you for writing. Linda is at the Defense Intelligence Agency in Washington DC. Sorry I don’t know more about Linda, but my new wife, Marcia, thinking you were an old flame, read the letter and I can’t find it. Next time you write, make it mushy and I know she won’t lose it. Ed GOGGINS said hello from Florida where he is flying T-Birds. Last month I was at Hill AFB and McChord AFB. At Hill base ops I saw Mike BROWN as he passed through flying C-130s. Mike is stationed at Dyess. Deron BROWN was flying C-130s out of McChord and he said that Mick PETAK and Scott SOTO were flying T-33s there and having a great time.
Last month, Curt HEIDTKE received an Air Force well-done for his excellent handling of an iced-up T-37 with one engine. Tommy P. EHRHARD was recently heralded as one of SAC’s safest misslemen in the SAC magazine’s safety screen. There Tom goes again; he was always a screen at the Zoo too (just kidding). Congratulations to our achievers from ’80.
Gruess Gott Meinen Freunden. Yours truly from Bavaria is back again. I want to thank Sue and Mark BRENNAN and Marty FRANCE for writing the last couple of Class News articles. I really appreciate the help. I intend to continue to ask other classmates to also write articles so we can get a little variety.
Well, life in Germany is every bit as exciting as I hoped it would be. Skiing the Alps, drinking at the Oktoberfest, and traveling the countryside makes life in Europe more than enjoyable. If you ever get an opportunity to be assigned to Germany, don’t hesitate to accept it. Let me warn you though, military personnel in Europe really work their buns off. An eight-hour day would be a mere blessing. I love it though.
Well there’s a lot of news to report this time around so I’ll get right to it. First the aircraft assignments:
C-130: Dave HUFF and Derek DICKEY are going to Dyess; Chris PATRIE and Terry DICKENSHEET are heading for Pope; and Jerry TIMMERMAN, Kirk JOHNSON, and Larry GALLOGLY are assigned to Little Rock. Brad BARBER and Bradley LARSEN are both going to McChord, and Fritz COX and Mark MURRAY are off to Clark. Jeff GOSSNER is going to Cheyenne to fly for the Wyoming Air National Guard for Project Season.
KC-135: Linda MCCULLERS (Robbins), Dan FARRISH (Plattsburg), Rob BONN (Loring), David MCSWAIN (McConnell), and Doug DICKEY (Grissom). Mike FLORES and Todd VITKO are both assigned to Castle. Mike, please keep reminding Todd that he’s in the U.S. Air Force, not the Soviet. Mike POOLE and Mike SCHILZ are heading for beautiful Ellsworth.
EC-135: Tom MALOOF (Offutt). C-141: Curt MCINTYRE (Norton), and Alex BAGGETT (Charleston). F-4: Mike JAENSCH, Greg HASTY, Steve KALE, Bill ROY, Craig FRANKLIN, Jeff THOMPSON, and Richard VOLLMER are all going to Homestead. RF-4: Richard AUGUR is off to Bergstrom, but I don’t know where Jeff GROUX is going. F-16: Don CHAPMAN and John HART are both going to MacDill. F-15: Jim FRASURE (Bitburg), Mike GRABOWSKI (Eglin), and Bob HAYHURST (?).
T-37: Vance will soon be seeing the likes of Chuck BEARD, Tim JACOBY, Rich RONNESTAD, Ray TORRES, Bruce BROWN, Wade JOHNSON, Guy PAYNE, A1 SCHMID, and Steve BURNS. Jack BERKEBILE will be going to Willie, and John JACKSON will be at Columbus. OA-37: Gary RICHTER (Davis-Monthan). T-38: Dave SCHOLL, Scott SCHROEDER, and Miles CROWELL will be IPs at Columbus. Greg WALSCH, Sam DUGGER, Mike NORTHRIP, Karen (BONIEWICZ) TORRES, and Dave TAYLOR will join the rest of our cLssmates at Vance.
T-39: Richardo AGUILAR and Brian REPOLE will be teaming up at Randolph, and Bill RIDLEY will be working at McClellan. Dan OPP and Brian DOMINGUEZ are heading for Wright-Pat. Ted BOWARD will be
flying the generals around at Scott as will Missy MRAZ at Offut, Tim MCK1BBEN at Pete, and Tim GALLAGHER at Langley.
A-10: Our tank killers, Greg TOVREA and Prank CHEESEMAN, are going to RAF Bentwaters. Chuck ROBINSON and Jack SWIFT will fly the Thunderbolts at England AFB, and Scott ALEXANDER is off to Myrtle Beach. OV-IO: Dusty SOMMERVILLE will be a FAC at Sembach.
B-52: Tim MCCLAIN will fly Buffs at Ellsworth. Mark DRITSCH is going to Carswell, and Greg HILL and Robert JOHNSON are at Blytheville. Scott SEMMEL also got a Buff, but I don’t know where. F-111: Jim VILLERS (Upper Heyford).
Gee, the Class of 81 is certainly spread around the world now. You guys at Sembach, I hope to see you soon. I get to Sembach occasionally because one of my sister-squadrons is there.
Aircraft assignments aren’t the only assignments I have to announce. Those of us “non-rated” types are also scarfing up some good jobs. Yvonne (WILHELM) SCH1LZ is going to be at Ellsworth with Mike as an air traffic controller. Bill KANESH1RO is doing laser research at Hanscom. Mike CARTNEY is working at the Pentagon right now and is apparently doing some amazing computer analysis. Leona FLORES, Tim HARRIS, and Jake JAKOBI are doing research at Wright-Pat. Rich “The Bachelor” TRENTMAN wrote me and said there are quite a few ’81ers with him at Eglin. I don’t know what they’re doing there other than soaking up the rays and frequenting the bars. Those at Eglin are Steve FITZGERALD, Pat SWANKE, Kevin LOPEZ, Greg TURNER, John MARLIN, Kevin MANNING, Bruce STARK, Eric GARVIN, Larry DARBONNE, Jim SCHOENEMAN, Jim FRYLING, Joe DORTCH, Dan BOURSON, Pat SIMON1TSCH, and Cecil STEVENS.
As usual, there are several weddings to announce also. Alex BAGGETT finally saw the light and married Jodi. Jeff GOSSNER married a Greeley girl named Sherry. Joe HAMILTON and Ted DUELL also took the big plunge, but 1 don’t know with whom. Steve KALE married a Pittsburgh girl named Mimi, and Brian JOHNSON and Bruce BRENCE married sisters. What is it that our class has about sisters? Richardo AGUILAR told me that if John BRENCE can find somebody to marry, then there is hope for all of us. Don’t hold your breath, Richardo. By the way Marty, Bill ROY married his high school sweetheart named Vickie. I think Mike JAENSCH has the right idea; he told me he’s sharing a place with two roommates female type of course. I should be so lucky. Mike NOEL got engaged last June to C1C Betsy Kalmeyer. They plan the wedding in June after graduation. Hopefully, both will be assigned to Sunnyvale AFS, CA.
Drew GRANT must really have a tough job. 1 heard he has been roaming the countryside on a bicycle and going on boondoggles to California. Drew recently visited Mike PARANKA in Maine, and apparently Mike is skinnier than I am (or than I used to be before I met German beer). It pleases me to inform everyone that Jeff GOSSNER has really made a remarkable recovery from his neck injury that he received during June Week, ’80. He received waivers to get commissioned and to go to UPT. He’s now going to Fly C-130s at Cheyenne. A little fighter spirit and help from that great pilot of the sky sure can do wonders. Do you all remember having to memorize the name “Harold W. Todd, Jr.” (the first grad to make BG)? Well, I had the privilege of briefing the nowMGen Todd a couple of weeks ago, and for some strange reason it felt quite awkward briefing someone who was part of my Doolie knowledge.
Before I sign off, I’d like to relay a sentimental letter I got from Yvonne (WILHELM) SCHILZ. She wrote, “I went back to the Academy in May to have the honor of doing two commissionings. I was never more proud to wear the uniform of a lieutenant and the ring of a graduate than I was for those few short days. Things have changed...for the better. The new library annex is going up and the dorms are getting a facelift. Yet, everywhere 1 walked were the sounds and memories of BCT, SERE, Hell Week, Ring Dance, 100th Night, finals week, and commissioning/graduation for the Class of ’81. I always knew 1 would miss the place, but there was something comforting in the place even though the class had
been 2LTs for a year.” Memories are forever. Keep those letters coming. Take care. ’81, Second To None.
Greetings fellow Redtags! This episode of “What’s New With ’82” comes to you from the DWI capital of UPT, none other than Columbus AFB. It’s not that we have more lushes here, it’s just that the Lowndes County sheriff wants the revenue for some new equipment. Makes life interesting because they actually wait right outside the gate on Friday nights, and even if you are sober, you can bet your license will be checked.
I’m down here for UPT with class 83-08. Since we’re the late class, we’re a bit light on Zooms, but here’s the list: Chuck BECKWITH (now married to Bernice BERMAN), Godfred “Demo” DEMANDANTE, Billy GRAHM, Jeff HOSKEN, J.E. JOHNSON, Chris KAPELLAS, Mark OTTOSON, Joe ROMANKO, A1 SHERMAN, Jim SIMPSON, Steve STODDARD, Paul THOMPSON, and Steve VOGT. A1 SHERMAN already made a mark (so to speak) by performing an unsolicited alteration of the body style of our class commander’s car. No big deal, except for the rumor that the good captain is on Al’s continuity!
Godfred DEMANDANTE has found out how the AFO works, too. Seems he took a three-month advance when we graduated. Trouble is, Sam’s computer worked out a great repayment plan. Demo got to pay the whole think back in three easy payments, one per month! At this very moment, he’s trying to figure out how to play video games on the smallest 2Lt pay in the Air Force.
Our class here is unique in one respect. We have four USNA grads. I guess they got wise and decided to land on runways that don’t move. They say they came because the AF was freer with waivers. That’s a switch!
As usual, there’s a whole group of grads down here, and as usual, I can’t remember all I ran into. Here are a few, however. Diana ANGELINE, Gail FRANCIS, and Marge BRYANT are all in ’07. Jeff WATSON and Dave BRANNACH are sharing an apartment here at Holly Hills until Jeff gets married at Thanksgiving. Other grads are Doc HENDERSON, Carlee (MURPHY) Bishop, Dave SILVIA, and Bill ZEMANEK. Glen DOWNEY is here with his new wife.
1 talked with Steve TOLDY, who is at Willy and also in 83-08. Their flight commander is lLt David M. RHODES. Dave introduced himself and mentioned that he wasn’t sure if anyone in ’82 remembered him. Then a nameless redtag uttered “Your class makes me sick.” When the laughter subsided, Dave was heard to say, “I see you do remember me!”
Along with Steve in ’08 is Chris MILLER, an ’80 Rhodes Scholar, who likes UPT except for his burping IP. Will HAAS is there, and he just bought a new Firebird. I understand he owes USAA just as much as he does the bank! Some others I know of at Willy are Lyn SOUTH, Bones JONES, Paul TAYLOR, Jim TUITT, Bob OTTO and Dan HARGROVE. Bob and Dan are married (not to each other!) and living on base. Their houses are both on Indiana St., and I understand that’s the only street on Willy where they’ll let Zoomies live.
Two of our classmates brought distinction their way, but for quite different reasons. I heard that John GOMEZ punched out of a T-37 at Vance. He had a short hospital visit, but is okay. Cathy PRIOR was first in her air traffic controller class at Keesler, and is now telling pilots where to go at Seymour Johnson.
As far as the news I’ve received, that about wraps it up. What I need from all of you is some LETTERS! Feel free to use the address at the top of the column. The mailman here loves to put things in my mailbox. It’s a novelty for him. I promise, any news you send will end up here in front of God and everybody. Fly Safe!
United States Air Force Academy Mission: To provide instruction and experience to all Cadets so that they graduate with the knowledge and character essential to leadership and the motivation to become career officers in the United States Air Force.
This limited-edition Gyrfalcon print by artist Tom Dunnington was created for the collector. Printed on neutral pH 100 percent rag paper, the edition is limited to 950 signed and numbered prints. The image size is 17 by 23 inches.
The gyrfalcon is seen here in its white phase with the arctic tundra in the background as a group of ptarmigan swoop across the face of a silent snow-capped mountain of the circumpolar region. The gyrfalcon, at two feet in length and with a wingspan of 44 to 52 inches, is the largest of the Falconidae family.
Heavily plumed, its visage belies its light weight (up to 60 ounces) and its very high "wing loading" (ratio of wing area to weight) that enables the gyrafalcon to dive and strike swiftly in the air.
Each print is hand signed and numbered in pencil. Prints are shipped flat via United Parcel Service. Your satisfaction is guaranteed. Just send your name and address along with a check or money order for $150 to: 1982 Gyrfalcon Print, USAFA Association of Graduates, P.O. Box 160, USAF Academy, CO 80840-0160. VISA and MasterCard accepted. If ordering with credit card, please include complete credit card number and expiration date.
Air Force Academy Assembly (Annual)
Graduate/Class Memorial Projects
Cadet Wing Organizational Awards
Biannual Military History Symposium
Cadet Heritage Program
Summer Scientific Seminar
Equipment for Cadet Airmanship Programs
Indoor Track Scoreboard/Timer
Academic Extra-Curricular Activities
Procurement of Professional Journals
Upgrade of Cadet Recreational Facilities
Create Honorarium Fund for Distinguished Speakers