Issuu

1,000

PHOTO COURTESY OF USNA

WORDS

Midshipman Action Group Members of the Midshipmen Action Group completed two rounds of clean up at Greenbury Point during two weekends in October. The first weekend, midshipmen focused on cleaning up Pipsissewa Trail and the surrounding area.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USNA

FEEDBACK

NAPS on 9/11 “It was with interest that I read Vice Admiral John R. Ryan’s ’67, USN (Ret.), account of the events of 9/11 at the Academy (July-August 2021 Shipmate). On September 11, 2001, I was the commanding officer of the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, RI. Due to the fact that we had many sailors and Marines who had previous force protection training, our team immediately integrated into the base force protection plan and provided a key augmentation element to the Newport team. We also provided trained emergency response staff directly to the effort in New York City for over two weeks. Could not have been any prouder of our NAPS team.” —Captain Bruce Bole ’78, USN (Ret.)

Alumni Astronauts The Alumni Association hosted a Called to Serve Speaker Series virtual event on 26 October with Captain Michael E. López-Alegria ’80, USN (Ret.), Captain Frank Culbertson Jr. ’71, USN (Ret.), Captain Wendy Lawrence ’81, USN (Ret.), and Captain Robert Curbeam ’84, USN (Ret.). Major General Charles Bolden ’68, USMC (Ret.), moderated the discussion which focused on the astronauts’ experiences with NASA, in space and the future of space exploration.

The event drew a large, online audience including high school classes. Many of the attendees shared their thoughts on a post-event survey, here are some of the responses: “Enjoyed how the former astronauts remained so engaged with the future of space travel. They were all highly regarded advocates. They exuded enthusiasm over every detail.” “The event was outstanding. This is the best one of this type I have heard. I particularly liked the comments the speakers made about how attending the Naval Academy influenced their lives/careers.” “It was well done and the candid input from the astronauts were very informative, as well as entertaining.” “The event was absolutely OUTSTANDING! The speakers were exceptional and motivating.” “Five of the most impressive, accomplished and courageous people I have had the pleasure to hear speak.”

Get the Goat “Alumni Association Team, I hope you are well! I am sure I am not in top 100, but found it really fun when I discovered this ‘find the goat challenge.’

I found him on page 37 in the bottom left corner of the picture of my classmate Lieutenant Commander Avery Wilson ’10, USN. I hope you are all well and safe during these crazy times.” —Anthony Scalabrino ’10 “Looks like Bill has joined a mid/sponsor reunion in Tokyo on page 37.” —Bill Jones

BZ Jordan Tropf ’14 A 24 October Facebook post congratulating Jordan Tropf ’14 for successfully running the Baltimore, Chicago and Boston marathons in three days with an average time of 2:30:30 per race generated nearly 300 likes. Many Facebook followers applauded his accomplishment. Here is a sampling of the comments: “For any non-marathoners … this is an insanely difficult and impressive endurance accomplishment. Running at a pace 15s/mile off of his current marathon pace potential three days in a row … still trying to get my head around it. BZ!” “100% concur—even the best marathoners in the world would be challenged to do this!” “Oh. My. Goodness. Is he human?” ®

Thank you for your feedback. To comment, correct or clarify, send your note and name to shipmate@usna.com.

Submissions have been lightly edited for length/clarity. 2 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

LETTER FROM THE PRESIDENT

“TURNING THE TIDE”

PHOTO BY DEBBIE LATTA

By Byron F. Marchant ’78

ith the glistening Severn River as the backdrop, six FA-18 Hornets roared above the Naval Academy on 26 May—a cherished tradition renewed. The return of the Blue Angels and the Sound of Freedom to Annapolis punctuated a welcome return to more familiar Commissioning Week activities in the wake of 14 months of COVID-induced disruption, adjustment and resilience. The Class of 2021 was commissioned following the graduation ceremony at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in the company of family and friends. In late June, plebes arrived for I-Day. The Alumni Association supported the Academy’s onboarding efforts for the Class of 2025 and, in August, families reconvened for Plebe Parents Weekend activities. As summer gave way to autumn, alumni returned in force to Annapolis. I am thrilled to report we had a record 22 reunions (including carryover reunions from those cancelled in 2020) this fall. It is wonderful to see our alumni gathering again to celebrate the pageantry of Navy Football. The long-awaited ceremony honoring the 2020 Distinguished Graduates was held in Alumni Hall on 2 September. The following week, on the 20th anniversary of 9/11, the Alumni Association hosted 250 family members and friends of honored graduates lost in the line of duty during our annual Honor our Fallen Heroes event. In October, Presidents Circle Weekend returned. As part of that weekend’s activities, forums were held in which midshipmen shared personal experiential leadership development (ELD) experiences made possible by the generosity of Presidents Circle donors. I invite you to learn more about those and other 4 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

impacts of our philanthropic support in the Campaign Report included with this issue of Shipmate. In this Year of Gratitude at the Alumni Association and Foundation, as we close our Called to Serve, Daring to Lead Campaign, I am grateful for all our alumni, family and friends who made 2021 a “Turning of the Tide” to more familiar and cherished traditions. Use your smartphone’s camera and focus on this QR code to see our alumni community celebrating our summer and fall activities. (https://www.usna.com/ Snapshot2021) We appreciate the patience our alumni community demonstrated the past 20 months as we’ve navigated these once-in-a-century challenges. Because we have been trained to excel in the face of adversity, we emerge as an Association stronger than ever and postured for continued growth. I want to especially thank Dan Akerson ’70 for his historic service as Chairman of the Foundation’s Board of Directors and as Co-Chairman of the Called to Serve, Daring to Lead Campaign. The Campaign Report included with this issue of Shipmate is a ﬁtting tribute to Dan’s leadership by example throughout the Campaign, and especially as Board Chairman since 2015. Ron Terwilliger ’63 will succeed Dan as Chairman at the November Board meeting. Ron is a great friend and longtime supporter of the Academy. The Campaign Report details his recent philanthropic projects, including The Class of 1963 Center for Academic Excellence endowed by J. Ronald Terwilliger ’63 and Classmates, and the Ron Terwilliger ’63 Center for Student-Athletes. We will be sharing more about Ron’s priorities and vision for the Foundation in Shipmate and other outlets in the coming months. The new Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation Center reached a milestone in early November with the beginning of demolition on the site off King George Street. Please use this QR code to see renderings of what we can expect when we open the Center in Spring 2023, and track our construction progress using the embedded link to the webcam. Finally, happy 246th birthday to the United States Marine Corps! We are proud to feature in this issue the momentous occasion of four alumni receiving general officer promotions in the Marine Corps this fall. Semper Fidelis! For all of the uncertainty of these past 20 months, one phrase endures and will endure: Go Navy! Beat Army! a

U N I T E D

S TAT E S

N AVA L

A C A D E M Y

A L U M N I

A S S O C I AT I O N

A N D

F O U N D AT I O N

SHIPMATE VOLUME 84 • NO. 8

IN THIS ISSUE DEPARTMENTS 2 Feedback 4 Letter from the President

GENERAL ADVANCEMENT Four alumni Marines receive ﬂag promotions, Black Marines join select company. 18

Byron F. Marchant ’78

6 All Hands 6 Advertisers Index 17 An Ocean Away Lieutenant Colonel Mathison Hall ’03, USMCR

SECOND ACTS Alumni pivoting to post active-duty endeavors. 24

27 38 39 41 116 139 140 162 168

MARINE ALUMNI RALLY TO AID AFGHAN EVACUEES Imperiled evacuees receive helping hand from Marine alumni. 10

THE WRITE WAY

NAVY RETIRES MOELLER’S #48 Legendary standout is Academy’s ﬁrst defensive player bestowed the honor. 28

Alumni authors share tips for aspiring writers. 30

LEGACY OF SERVICE Major Joslyn (Hemler) Fleming ’04, USMCR, and Susan D. (Fink) Yoshihara ’86 share the lessons in character, leadership and responsibility passed down to them by family members. 32

Get the Goat

This Bill is hiding somewhere in this issue. Find him and email us at getthegoat@usna.com with the correct page number and you will be entered into a drawing for a prize from the Alumni Association. Good luck! The drawing is limited to the ﬁrst 100 correct answers, so get reading. Bill was hiding in the bottom left corner of the photo on page 37 of the October 2021 issue of Shipmate.

Bravo Zulu Clear the Deck Alumni Products/Services Class News Chapter News Shared Interest Groups Last Call Classiﬁed Ads Staff and Assistance

Our Mission To serve and support the United States, the naval service, the Naval Academy and its alumni by furthering the highest standards at the Naval Academy; by seeking out, informing, encouraging and assisting outstanding, qualified young men and women to pursue careers as officers in the Navy and Marine Corps through the Naval Academy; and by initiating and sponsoring activities which will perpetuate the history, traditions, memories and growth of the Naval Academy and bind alumni together in support of the highest ideals of command, citizenship and government. SHIPMATE is the official alumni magazine of the United States Naval Academy.

On the Cover Chesty bursts out of the wall at the Ron Terwilliger ’63 Center for Student-Athletes.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 5

ALL HANDS In early November, 397 service academy alumni seeking new career opportunities participated in a virtual Service Academy Career Conference (SACC) that featured 75 companies eager to hire candidates with the skills and values service academies instill. Nearly two years after the pandemic forced the adoption of virtual events, SACC is on track to return to in-person activities beginning in February 2022 in Jacksonville, FL. This strikes to the core of the Alumni Association’s mission: to support and aid alumni throughout their journey post commissioning. While the Naval Academy Foundation does an incredible job raising money to support the Academy, the Alumni Association is laser focused on providing programs and services—such as SACC and mentoring—to assist alumni at every stage of their lives. Assisting with sharing job opportunities is the most important thing we, as alumni, can do for each other. Since the beginning of the Called to Serve, Daring to Lead campaign in 2013, and a renewed emphasis on SACC as the foundation for our career services programs, nearly 16,000 service academy alumni have participated in SACC events with 6,836 of them being from the Naval Academy. We created an online job board with current jobs available between SACC events. If you can influence hiring in your world, please work with us to continue to connect alumni with job opportunities. Another critical program for our alumni that we have focused on since the start of the campaign is the Alumni Mentoring Program (AMP). The Class of 1969 led the effort to create the AMP from scratch, working with vendors, creating training material, socializing it through class leadership, and raising sufficient funds to endow the program for the next 20 years. The Class of 1969 took this on to help create a program for alumni to help alumni. If you have a little bandwidth in your life, and a desire to help fellow alumni, please consider signing up to be a mentor (or a protégé) at www.usna.com/amp. This issue of Shipmate features stories of alumni lending a hand. General John R. Allen ’76, USMC (Ret.), and Haley Carter ’06 made extraordinary efforts to assist the evacuees from Afghanistan, see story on page 10. Alumni offer hints for those looking to pivot into the private sector in the “Second Acts” story on page 24. I also want to congratulate the four alumni who received general officer promotions from the Marine Corps in 2021, see story on page 18. November offered us a chance to wish a Happy 246th Birthday of the United States Marine Corps and to give thanks to all who have served our nation, particularly those who made the ultimate sacrifice to provide the freedoms we enjoy. Sincerely, Commander Craig Washington ’89, USN (Ret.) Editor-in-Chief ®

INDEX OF ADVERTISERS Herff Jones ..............................Inside FrontCover Jostens ................................................................23 Navy Mutual Aid Association ........................14 USAA ..................................................................15 USAA ......................................Inside Back Cover USNA Foundation ............................................16 Village at Providence Point ..............................3

Alumni Products and Services Alumni Merchandise: Chairs ....................39 Alumni Travel 2022 ..................................40 Service Academy Career Conference 2022 ....................39

6 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

2022 Distinguished Graduate Award Nominations Open Nominations for the 2022 Distinguished Graduate Award recipients are now open and will be accepted until 31 January 2022. The 2022 honorees will be recognized at a ceremony to be scheduled for Fall 2022. Candidates for the Distinguished Graduate Award will be living graduates of the United States Naval Academy who: • Have demonstrated a strong interest in supporting the Navy/Marine Corps and the United States Naval Academy • Have provided a lifetime of service to the nation or Armed Forces • Have made significant and distinguished contributions to the nation via their public service Nominations for this award are typically provided by the presidents of Alumni Association chapters or graduated classes. However, nominees need not necessarily be a member of the chapter or class presenting the nomination. A narrative detailing the nominee’s contributions and distinguished service justifying selection as the recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award must accompany the nomination. Submissions should be made to DGA@usna.com. Complete nomination guidelines are available at www.usna.com/dga. ®

Seals ’17 Feeds Local Community During Minneapolis Navy Week Lieutenant Jeanelle Seals ’17, USN, served as a community volunteer during Minneapolis, MN, Navy Week from 26 September to 2 October. A weapons division officer in charge of 40 sailors aboard MINNEAPOLIS-SAINT PAUL, Seals jumped at the opportunity to use her little free time to give back to the community she’s currently stationed in. LT Jeanelle Seals ’17, USN, helped feed her local community of “My brother (Isaac Minneapolis, MN, during Navy Week this September-October. Seals ’15) is a captain in the Marine Corps and he entered the Naval Academy in 2011. He’s always been my inspiration in life. When he entered, I saw the unique college experience that he was having and more importantly, I understood what his follow-up commitment of service would be. I just knew that was something I wanted to do as well. I want to give back to the country and communities that have given me the life that I live today,” said Seals. ®

PHOTO COURTESY OF ON COMMON GROUND NEWS

Editor’s Note

Navy Secretary Visits CONSTITUTION to Honor Navy’s 246th Birthday

“As a Hispanic American, I hope one of my lasting contributions will be my focus on diversifying our ranks. It has been an enduring interest of mine since I joined the Navy and at the forefront of almost every conversation I have had since taking command of recruiting. Our strength is in our diversity. Our voices are important, our experiences are relevant and our participation is vital.” —RADM Dennis Velez ’92, USN, commander, Navy Recruiting Command, regarding his induction into the Puerto Rico Distinguished Veterans Hall of Fame on 8 November in San Juan, Puerto Rico.

PHOTO COURTESY OF THE BOSTON GLOBE

Rear Admiral Dennis Velez ’92, USN, commander, Navy Recruiting Command, was inducted into the Puerto Rico Distinguished Veterans Hall of Fame on 8 November in San Juan, Puerto Rico. According to the Office of Veteran’s Advocate for Puerto Rico, induction into the Hall of Fame is awarded to Puerto Rican veterans whose character and distinguished accomplishments, either with the U.S. armed forces or in their civilian careers, exemplify professional excellence or meritorious contributions to society. To be inducted, an individual must be nominated by a third party who has knowledge of the nominee’s accomplishments. The nomination package is then sent to the board of directors comprised of five members who review and then select inductees based on their accomplishments throughout their military careers as well as their contributions to society in the fields of education, arts, sciences, sports, industry, government and community service. “Rear Admiral Velez was selected for induction based on his distinguished naval career, which includes being a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, MD, command at sea onboard FITZGERALD and SAN JACINTO, service as senior military assistant to the Secretary of the Navy and assignment as commander of Navy Recruiting Command, being the first Hispanic to do so,” said Brigadier General Fernando Fernandez, USA (Ret.), who is currently serving as the president for the Puerto Rico Distinguished Veterans Hall of Fame. ®

Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro ’83 made a special visit to CONSTITUTION in Boston, MA, on the morning of 13 October to join officers in celebrations to commemorate the Navy’s 246th birthday. Del Toro kicked off the ceremony by firing one of the cannons at CONSTITUTION celebrated the Navy’s 246th birthday with a 21-gun broadside salute. morning colors, which was followed by a 21-gun salute and honorary 19th century military drills. Following the ceremony, Del Toro shared a lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs with the nation’s oldest ship’s roughly 80 active-duty crew members. Many of the young sailors were surprised to have someone so senior sit with them in their galley, but quickly relished in the opportunity to discuss day-to-day challenges within the Navy with him. ®

RONALD REAGAN Wraps Up Five-Month Deployment PHOTO COURTESY OF STARS AND STRIPES

PHOTO COURTESY OF NAVY RECRUITING COMMAND

Velez ’92 Inducted into the Puerto Rico Distinguished Veterans Hall of Fame

RONALD REAGAN completed a fivemonth deployment in support of the withdrawal of U.S. and coalition forces from Afghanistan this fall after returning to its homeport of Yokosuka, Japan, on 16 October. The deployment marked the first time REAGAN has operated RONALD REAGAN returned to Japan after a 150-day deployment to the Middle East sparking celebrations throughout the crew as it within the U.S. 5th Fleet returned to its homeport. waters since 2012, with personnel assigned to the carrier strike group working alongside Task Force 58 to help secure the evacuation of more than 7,000 US citizens and evacuees from Afghanistan as part of Operation Allies Refuge. “This year’s deployment was historic and unprecedented for the Navy’s only forward-deployed aircraft carrier. Our crew’s unrelenting dedication, seamless teamwork and unmatched ability to overcome challenges enables REAGAN’s ability to provide support for Operation Freedom’s Sentinel and Allies Refuge during the final days of the war in Afghanistan. I am extremely proud of the crew’s resilience and success throughout this year.” said Captain Fred Goldhammer ’93, USN, commanding officer of REAGAN. ® NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 7

ALL HANDS

Snyder ’06 Adds Film Producer to Already Impressive Resume

Rear Admiral Earl Preston “Buddy” Yates ’44, USN (Ret.), passed away on 13 September and was laid to rest at the Naval Academy Cemetery on 13 October. The first commanding officer of JOHN F. KENNEDY, Yates was 19 when he was commissioned early during World War II and began his flight career toward the end of the war. ®

PHOTO COURTESY OF FOX SAN DIEGO

One of the Oldest Living Naval Aviators RADM Shelton ’45 Celebrates 100th Birthday This spring, San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, proclaimed 22 May 2021 as “Rear Admiral Doniphan B. Shelton ’45, USN (Ret.), U.S. Navy Day” in honor of Shelton’s 100th birthday. One of the oldest living Naval Aviators to date, Shelton served in combat tours during World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War from 1944-1969 and survived four Kamikaze direct hits in the Battle of Leyte Gulf while serving on ST. LOUIS. His most notable assignment before Shelton ’45 received retiring in 1979, after 40 years and one month of recognitions and birthday wishes from all over the active duty, was serving as supervisor of operations world including President for Project New Life, which saw the processing of Joe Biden, Pope Francis and the Navy’s Blue Angels. 43,000 evacuees and refugees from South Vietnam through Subic Bay. Shelton celebrated his 100th birthday along with family and friends at the American Legion Post 416 in Encinitas, CA, on 22 May during which he was presented with the proclamation as well as a signed Blue Angels photo and a detailed bio and letter of congratulations from Rear Admiral Samuel Cox ’80, USN (Ret.), director of naval history, curator for the Navy and director, Naval History and Heritage Command. ® 8 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

PHOTO COURTESY OF SWIMMING WORLD

First Commanding Officer of JOHN F. KENNEDY Laid to Rest at USNA Cemetery

Lieutenant Brad Snyder ’06, USN (Ret.), is a Paralympic gold medalist, featured author and now, first-time film producer. Snyder’s book, Fire In My Eyes: An American Warrior’s Journey from Being Blinded on the Battlefield to Gold Medal Victory, is currently going through the screenplay development process to become a feature-length film presented by Red Entertainment. Released in 2015, the book covers Snyder’s experiences in the Navy and personal life following an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) The story of Snyder ’06’s journey attack in September 2011 in Afghanistan from Navy hero to Paralympic that left him blind. In the years following the swimming star is made for the movies and this summer, its attack, Snyder overcame his challenges to heading to a theater near you. become a force on the U.S. Paralympic team, winning two gold medals and one silver at the London Olympics in 2012 and three gold medals and one silver at the Rio De Janeiro Olympics in 2016. In August, Snyder claimed gold in the paratriathlon in Tokyo. Snyder has also taught in the Naval Academy’s leadership and ethics department and currently holds the record among blind swimmers for the 100-meter freestyle event. Before agreeing to sign on as a co-producer and/or allowing Red Entertainment to use his story, Snyder made it clear to the production crew that he prefer veterans be considered first and foremost for any and all roles—behind the camera or in front. “If producers or executives need military support or consulting, they should hire a veteran with the experience. I believe veterans should be hired in all aspects down to the screenwriters, director and camera operator. I am sure there is a veteran out there that can do the job just as well as someone else,” said Snyder. The film is slated to be released in theaters this summer. ®

ALUMNI MENTORING PROGRAM Open to all Naval Academy alumni, AMP is about alumni helping alumni achieve more in their careers and lives. Register with AMP today to be a mentor, protégé or both. Visit www.usna.com/amp

PHOTO COURTESY OF USNA

Montel Williams ’80 Honors Army Veteran Couple with Renovated Home on Military Makeover

PHOTO COURTESY OF MYLIFETIME.COM

A Charlotte, NC, Army veteran couple have been chosen to receive a completely transformed home on the upcoming season of Lifetime’s Military Makeover, hosted by Montel Williams ’80. Luke Harvey served as an infantryman in the Army for six years. During a deployment to Iraq, Harvey’s convoy was hit by an Improvised Explosive Device causing him to suffer from a severe head injury that resulted in extreme memory loss and the inability to walk. It took Harvey two years to partially recover from his injuries. To recognize Harvey’s bravery and sacrifice, the military awarded him the Purple Heart and Army Commendation Medal with Valor device. While recovering from his injuries, Harvey met his partner Natasha Woodruff, a disabled veteran herself, who served as a geospatial engineer in the Army. During her time in the service, Woodruff was sexually assaulted, scarring her with permanent injuries and Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. Upon her retirement in 2014, Woodruff was awarded the Women of Courage award by the Pentagon. Williams selected the couple from a pool of nearly 200 candidates and will feature the renovation of the family’s home by top designers, contractors and home improvement professionals on an episode of Military Makeovers in the spring. ®

A new website, NavalAcademyTourism.com, is focused on welcoming tourists to the Yard and allowing visitors to plan their visit with information on available tours, buildings and sites to visit and places to eat.

Naval Academy Public Visitation Receives Fresh Set of Sails The Naval Academy launched a new Naval Academy Business Services Division website to provide easier access for tourists interested in experiencing the sights, scenes and activities on the Yard. The new site, NavalAcademy Tourism.com, provides a fresh take on one of the nation’s most notable institutions, focusing on welcoming tourists and allowing visitors to plan their visit with information on available tours, buildings and sites to visit and places to eat. “After touring the Academy, every visitor leaves with a greater understanding of what it is like to be part of the U.S. Naval Academy family. Our goal is to give visitors a more in-depth look at life at the Academy and what it takes to prepare midshipmen to become our nation’s leaders,” said Doug Borrebach ’84, USNA’s director of business services. NavalAcademyTourism.com supports the Academy’s Midshipmen Activities Fund which funds club sports extracurricular activities, academic groups and functions such as the softball team, Glee Club, Drum and Bugle Corps, Army-Navy pep rallies, promoting camaraderie and teamwork and more, bringing quality of life experience to the Brigade. Those interested in learning more are welcome to connect with Naval Academy Tourism on Facebook and Instagram as well as NavalAcademyTourism.com. ®

Military Makeover seeks to repay the men and women of the U.S. military for their service by carrying out top-to-bottom home renovations.

PHOTO BY STEVEN DINOTE

Navy Sweeps Team Golds at 2021 Armed Forces Triathlon

Athletes enter the Pacific Ocean at Point Mugu Beach in CA for the start of the 2021 Armed Forces Triathlon Championship on 11 September.

The Navy swept men’s and women’s team gold at the 2021 Armed Forces Triathlon Championship held at Naval Base Ventura County’s Point Mugu Beach, CA, on 11 September. Lieutenant Commander Kyle Hooker ‘09, USN, won his fifth Armed Forces men’s title with a time of 01:49:22 followed closely behind by Navy teammate Ensign Adam Estroff ’21, USN with a time of 1:52:10. In the women’s competition, First Lieutenant Stephanie Murphy ‘18, USMC, won her first Armed Forces gold medal with a time of 2:09:33 followed by Ensign Carolyn Riggs ’21,

USN, who won bronze with a time of 2:10:02. The championship marked the third straight team gold for Navy women, with Navy sweeping the team gold for the first time since 2018. Held on the 20th anniversary of the 11 September 2001 terrorist attacks, athletes and staff bowed their heads in a moment of silence to honor those lost on that tragic day. Following the ceremony, athletes lined up on the beach for the first time since 2019 after the pandemic halted Armed Forces competitions. ®

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 9

FEATURE

U.S. ARMY PHOTO BY MASTER SERGEANT KAP KIM

Gen John R. Allen ’76, USMC (Ret.), kneels after a memorial ceremony for fallen Marines at Camp Leatherneck, Helmand Province in Afghanistan on 19 September 2012. Allen commanded 150,000 U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan from July 2011 to February 2013. As the Taliban reclaimed power in Afghanistan in late August 2021, Allen had a hand in helping about 700 people evacuate the country.

MARINE ALUMNI RALLY TO AID AFGHAN EVACUEES 10 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Naval Academy alumni Carter and General John Allen ’76, USMC (Ret.), are two examples of Americans who stepped up to aid some of Afghanistan’s most at-risk residents during the Taliban’s rapid consolidation of power and the fall of Kabul. Women and girls, particularly those who championed access to education and athletic opportunities, are Taliban targets. So are Afghan security professionals and contractors who partnered with Americans for the past 20 years. From the time President Donald Trump’s administration began negotiating a withdraw from Afghanistan with the Taliban in February 2020, General Allen anticipated the chaos and devastation that ensued in August 2021. He was deputy commandant at the Naval Academy on 9/11, and would become the 79th Commandant shortly thereafter. He is a former commander of the NATO International Security Assistance Force and U.S. Forces in Afghanistan. Allen commanded 150,000 U.S. and NATO forces in Afghanistan from July 2011 to February 2013. Allen built relationships and forged friendships with people across Afghanistan. He said the United States surrendered gains made to protect American interests in the ﬁght against terrorism and rights for Afghan women by withdrawing without these protections in place. “This is not abstract for me at all,” Allen said. “I knew (on 9/11), as I looked across the Brigade of Midshipmen forming, that at some point many of the kids I was looking at that day were headed off to war in Afghanistan. Watching it collapse 20 years later made my stomach turn.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALEY CARTER ’06

ith lives on the line, Haley Carter ’06 instantly reverted to Marine mode. Afghanistan was rapidly falling into Taliban control in late August 2021. Carter, who left the Marine Corps in 2015, developed lifelong friendships as a coach with the Afghanistan women’s national soccer team from 2016 to 2018. As Afghanistan descended into chaos in the two weeks leading to the United States’ 1 September exit date, Carter was part of a six-woman group who leapt into action to assist the evacuation of the Afghan women athletes and their family members. Carter served two tours in Iraq in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom. The former Navy goalkeeper and professional soccer player leaned on her training at the Academy and experience in the Corps to assist the evacuation. This spontaneous collaboration used smartphones, savvy strategies and their contacts on the ground at the Kabul airport to usher about 200 Afghan evacuees to safety. They advised the Afghan women to rotate cell phone usage to preserve battery life, write phone numbers on their arms in case their phones were taken and suggested the oldest woman in the group hide the women’s legal documents around her upper thigh to avoid detection. Meanwhile, the support team—Carter based in Houston, TX; former Afghanistan women’s football captain Khalida Popal in Copenhagen; human rights advocates Kat Craig in the United Kingdom and Alison Battisson in Australia; former Afghanistan women’s football coach Kelly Lindsey in the United Kingdom; and Olympic swimmer Nikki Dryden in Australia—maximized technology to simultaneously direct the at-risk Afghans to the airport, connect with service members inside the airport gates and process visa paperwork with immigration attorneys in Australia. Carter naturally slipped back into solution-focused actions. Her mission was clear: get those women out of Afghanistan. Her instincts took over. “It’s extremely fortuitous I had a Marine Corps background,” Carter said. “I thought I left that life behind. But, most of that was from being a Marine and just managing it. It’s like muscle memory. That stuff never really goes away. “It feels like a lifetime ago but when you start to get into crisis or operational mode, you sort of fall into it.”

Haley Carter ’06 spent two years as an assistant coach with the Afghanistan women’s national football club. She and a group of five friends worked around the clock for a week to assist the evacuation of about 200 former players and their family members.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 11

FEATURE

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALEY CARTER ’06

Afghanistan’s women’s national football team represented the country in international competition following the fall of the Taliban in 2001. However, after the Taliban’s return to power, their lives were in danger. Haley Carter ’06, a former Navy goalkeeper and assistant coach on the Afghanistan women’s team, helped many of her former players evacuate their homeland.

Allen was inundated with requests to aid Afghans, including for individual family members, and assisting NGOs, relief organizations and corporations seeking to evacuate employees.

Trust Following her Marine Corps career, Carter played professional soccer for the Houston Dash while serving as volunteer coach for the University of Houston. In 2016, she joined the staff of the Afghanistan women’s team. It took years to earn her players’ trust. Women athletes put their lives at risk just by playing and some of them raised their profiles substantially when they came forward with sexual abuse claims against members of the Afghanistan Football Federation. As the U.S. military’s exit accelerated in the second half of August, Carter and her five cohorts created a priority list of women needing evacuation starting with those associated with the sexual assault investigation in 2018. Those women were instructed to gather passports, national ID cards, birth certificates and any other form of identification. The support team called their contacts with the governments of Australia, Belgium, the United Kingdom, Canada and the U.S. to identify possible relocation partners. “We cast a wide net to see who we could work with to get asylum or refugee status,” Carter said. As the Taliban’s grip on the nation tightened, it was imperative for Carter and her team to get those women out. She said the bonds forged on the soccer pitch were invaluable during the precarious days the athletes spent trying to get into the Kabul airport. 12 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

They encountered and survived desperate crowds, gun ﬁre, beatings and treks through sewage canals to reach the airport. “If we didn’t have the level of trust with that group of women I don’t think this would have happened,” Carter said. “When we gave them instructions, they listened. They responded immediately and followed directions even in dire circumstances.” Working on about two hours of sleep per night, the team rotated downtime to ensure progress never stalled. Carter’s role was to communicate and coordinate information for the Afghan women to get into the airport. Armed with little more than battery packs, water, food, one change of clothes and phone chargers, members of the Afghan women’s soccer team and their families made their way to the airport. Carter said the players split into groups to raise fewer eyebrows. They were advised to scream and cry if stopped by the Taliban and insist their husbands were inside the airport. They were poked with cattle prods and some had their phones taken. To avoid stronger Taliban checkpoints, they walked through sewage canals. As treacherous as their journey was, they were fortunate to have connected advisors with friends inside the airport gates. Carter said her team was able to relay names and same-day photos of the players to guards at the gates to hasten their entry. Carter said a Class of 2006 Facebook group, other Naval Academy alumni and friends still in the Marine Corps, assisted the effort by relaying real-time

intelligence. That was critical as routes opened and the status of individual gates changed, she said. “That made it much easier for me to communicate with my players,” Carter said. Even with assistance of a contact at the Abbey Gate, it still it took about 2½ days outside the airport for the players to gain entry after multiple attempts. On 24 August, the first members of the team got in. Of the approximately 200 members of the senior women’s national and other clubs who were evacuated thanks to Carter and her team, 87 were on the first flight after being processed. The Australian embassy proved to be a powerful ally. They processed visa applications in real time using data and photos relayed via smartphones originating from Afghanistan. “Without documentation or anyone on the inside— making connections—you weren’t getting into the airport,” she said.

‘Excruciating’ As U.S. military personnel executed President Joe Biden’s withdrawal orders, Allen began receiving calls for assistance from individuals, NGOs and businesses. One of the first people he assisted was a woman he sponsored as a Fulbright Scholar. He coordinated with a foreign service officer running a gate at the airport. Allen said the woman and his contact identified each other. The woman, her two young daughters, three sisters and five others were handed off to a German paratrooper who put her on a German aircraft and flew her to Frankfurt. Allen was relieved when he was notified they were safe in an airport hangar in Frankfurt, Germany. Many Americans made extraordinary efforts on behalf of Afghan nationals looking to improve the quality of life for their countrymen, Allen said. Anyone with connections to Americans, including Afghan interpreters and national security personnel, became instant targets when the Taliban seized power.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 13

FEATURE

PHOTO COURTESY OF HALEY CARTER ’06

“That is an example that was replicated thousands of times,” he said. Allen said he helped organizations get people out of Afghanistan, including employees and Afghans their organizations sponsored. He continuously worked the phones until the ﬁnal week of America’s military involvement in Afghanistan. On some occasions, he was talking directly with bus drivers while viewing a photo of the airport on his computer. He would provide real-time directions and help them follow the U.S. Central Command’s instructions. He would relay names, license plate numbers and the phone numbers of bus drivers to those inside the airport. In one instance, a bus was stopped by the Taliban and the driver beaten. A pregnant woman who tried to intervene was also beaten and went into labor. “It’s excruciating,” Allen said. “I’m talking in real time with people risking their lives trying to get out.” Not every attempt had a happy conclusion. Those haunt Allen. An interpreter who worked with Americans during Allen’s time in Afghanistan contacted him pleading for assistance. This man, now several years in the U.S. having successfully entered America under the Special Immigrant Visa (SIV) program, had been badly wounded trying to drag a wounded Marine out of an ambush kill zone in the Helmand Province while he was serving as an interpreter. His two brothers, also interpreters in Helmand for the Marines, were desperately trying to get out, and needed help. “I immediately wrote and transmitted letters of endorsement for his brothers’ SIV applications that strengthened the SIV packages to be evacuated.” Allen

said. “But even with their SIV packages in hand, they couldn’t get through the crush of humanity that had descended on the airport and the ensuing chaos at all the gates. They would be sitting on a bus outside the gate of the airport as the last U.S. plane took off.” “You can’t imagine the gut punch you feel,” Allen said. “I still lose sleep.”

‘Lost Everything’ Most Afghan evacuees left their homeland with their lives, but little else. Carter said she’s devastated for her athletes whose athletic endeavors and brave stand against abuse put them in jeopardy. Those women fled their homeland without any hope of returning. The Taliban immediately banned girls from school and the societal gains Afghan women made in the past 20 years—the right to work and to partake in the governing process—are likely to be stripped away. Afghanistan’s women’s soccer players proudly wore their nation’s uniform on the international stage. Now, the international soccer community is reaching out its hands to help. The Football Players Worldwide (FIFPRO) organization’s campaign (www.togetherunbreakable.org) was launched to raise $25,000 to help and resettle women footballers. FIFPRO will match up to $25,000 to help resettle players in Australia. The fund had raised about $13,000 in late October. “They’ve lost everything,” Carter said. “They’ve lost their identity. They wanted to represent their county and they may never get to do that again.” Carter is frustrated by the loss of the “brilliant, wonderful things that were happening for Afghan women,” with the Taliban back in power. She said its critical for the international community to remain focused and hold the Taliban accountable for mistreatment of women. Allen is exasperated by the Taliban’s return to power noting some of the same people who are back in the Presidential Palace helped support those who attacked the United States on 9/11. He fears what will happen to the women and girls under such an oppressive regime. Allen sees an opportunity to fight for the rights of women and girls. “It’s not impossible to have influence over the Taliban but it’s far more difficult now,” he said. “We have very few and very complex lines of communication.” a

Many members of the Afghanistan women’s national football team became Taliban targets for their activism. 14 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 15

THANK YOU From 1 July 2012 through 30 June 2021, more than 39,000 Naval Academy alumni, parents and friends came together to show their support for Called to Serve, Daring to Lead: The Naval Academy Campaign. Their generosity has had a positive impact on every aspect of the Naval Academy’s strategic plan and every component of midshipman moral, mental and physical development. Learn more about this historic effort in the Campaign Report accompanying this issue of Shipmate.

AN OCEAN AWAY

PREPARING FOR FUTURE WAR By Lieutenant Colonel Mathison Hall ’03, USMCR PHOTO COURTESY OF LTCOL MATHISON HALL ’03, USMCR

he Marine Corps is currently undergoing a force redesign in response to the rapidly changing character of war, from the proliferation of once exclusive technologies such as armed drones and precision guided munitions to the potency of cyber attacks on financial institutions and physical infrastructure. Our principal global competitors continue to blur distinctions between competition and conflict, engaging in low grade acts of war such as seizing Crimea or South China Sea islands in an effort to push the boundaries of what will elicit a response. They are effectively calling our bluff and exploiting our nation’s ongoing internal discord, betting and winning on the odds that we will not risk major combat. But where is the red line, and what are we willing to risk? In July 2019, Marine Corps Commandant General David Berger issued guidance to retool the Marine Corps to face these threats. The current changes to the Corps are arguably the most extensive since Commandant Thomas Holcomb completed the service’s interwar transformation in the 1930s. Broadly speaking, these changes are creating an amphibious force that is no longer focused on large scale opposed landings but rather on operating within the enemy’s weapons engagement zone to support naval campaigns, establishing a foothold for the introduction of large-scale joint forces, and acting as a persistent irritant that the enemy cannot defeat or ignore. The Marine Corps is taking lessons learned from our adversaries, recreating itself not as a concentrated combat force, but rather as a resilient distributed network that prevents adversaries from achieving their objectives while enabling friendly operational maneuver. That is all great, but what does it mean where the rubber meets the road? What are the graduates of the last 20 years who are serving in the battalions and squadrons of the Fleet Marine Force doing? Our commands, and more importantly our Marines and sailors, must be more versatile and autonomous than ever. All warfighting functions, including those traditionally executed at the battalion level, must be pushed down to the platoon and even squad level. Our Marine Air Ground Task Forces will become smaller in size but greater in capabilities by leveraging emerging technologies and a better trained, more independent force. We must become integrated meshed networks that can hide in plain sight, shoot, move and hide again. It cannot matter if the enemy targets and destroys any given node or

Marines of 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, conducting squad-level winter warfare training at Fort Devens, MA.

group of nodes in this network. Like a swarm of hornets, we must be able to reform, rerouting communications and fires seamlessly. A sergeant must be able to order strikes or change the squad’s mission without permission. The future Marine Corps will be a potent and deadly force, but this transformation will not be easy. Currently, the reserve infantry battalion I command is preparing to deploy to Alaska to practice and test these concepts in the far north—in mid-winter. Can we command and control small contingents of Marines spread over hundreds of miles of islands? Can we prosecute fires and sustain ourselves in the freezing polar nights? Will Russia and China be watching? The Marines and sailors of the Patriot Battalion—who are also teachers, police officers, students, engineers, tradesmen and more—will be on the front lines of competition short of conflict to push the needle of our emerging capabilities just a bit further as we prepare for a war we all hope we can prevent by being ready. a LtCol Mathison Hall ’03, USMCR, commands 1st Battalion, 25th Marines, the Patriot Battalion, in New England. He served for 12 ½ years on active duty as an infantry officer before transitioning to the Reserve in 2015, where he has been assigned to civil affairs and infantry units, training in Texas, California, New England, Virginia, Morocco and now Alaska. On the civilian side, Mathison leads technology research and development projects at the Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory in Maryland, including technologies that will support future warfighting capabilities. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 17

FEATURE

GENERAL ADVANCEMENTS FOUR ALUMNI MARINES RECEIVE GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTIONS here were too many variables for Major General Robert B. Sofge Jr. ’90, USMC, to realistically envision one day he’d wear two stars upon commissioning into the Marine Corps. Sofge said his immediate sights were set on his ﬁrst leadership role in the Corps. However, a 31-year career in ascending leadership positions was rewarded on 30 June when Sofge was promoted to major general. He is one of four alumni to receive general officer promotions from the Marines in 2021. Sofge said his service career has been a family commitment shared by his wife, Adrianne ’90, who served nine years in the Navy, and children— Lieutenant Samantha Sofge, a naval aviator, and son Robert, an accountant in Norfolk, VA. “It was one step at a time and one life event at a time,” Sofge said. “It’s not just me who serves. It was a series of decisions with an eye always to continue serving but (reaching Major General) was never certain.” Major General Brian Cavanaugh ’90, USMC, also received his second star this year. Cavanaugh credited a long list of mentors and superiors who helped him grow as a leader. He said those supporters—and the ability to nurture fellow Marines—kept him in uniform. Cavanaugh held his promotion ceremony in Hopper Hall at the Academy on 26 July. “You invest in people and you see them succeed,” Cavanaugh said. “It’s easy to stick around.” Brigadier General Ahmed Williamson ’94, USMC, and Brigadier General Sean Day ’94, USMCR, received their ﬁrst stars in 2021. Williamson said the odds of reaching general officer rank are so miniscule that aiming for it

18 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAJGEN ROBERT B. SOFGE JR. ’90, USMC

wasn’t part of his post-commissioning planning. He said the promotion humbled him. “Only one or two percent get this opportunity,” Williamson said. “Who plans life for the one or two percent? You can dream and hope you get that chance, but it’s really about performing at your highest level and impacting Marines’ lives to the maximum extent possible where you are right now.” Day said the thought of one day becoming a general officer, never crossed his mind. He said he was inspired by John Wesley’s charge “to do as much as you can, for as many as you can, for as long as you can.”

MajGen Robert B. Sofge Jr. ’90, USMC, received his second star during a 30 June 2021 promotion ceremony.

That creed helped him stay focused on making contributions over the long term. “My family has a long history of service to the country we love so ﬁercely, and living up to the example set by those who went before has always been an inspiration,” he said.

PHOTO COURTESY OF BGEN AHMED WILLIAMSON ’94, USMC

‘OPPORTUNITY TO COMMAND MARINES’ As his career progressed, Williamson said his commitment to leading and developing the next generation of Marines grew stronger. He said senior officers lead through the stress of the mission and build character so “when they go to lead, they are confident and can lead in those stressful situations.” Williamson said senior leadership trains Marines to be prepared “when rounds start flying and things get hard, that they can communicate, decide and act with confidence and bring their folks home alive. The opportunity to lead them in the most challenging environments is a privilege.” As commanding officer of the Marine Corps Officer Candidate School, Williamson said he was humbled to help shape the next generation of Marine Corps leaders at the entry level. Williamson currently serves as director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division at U.S. Marine Corps Headquarters. He said it was responsibilities such as these that keep him in the Marine Corps.

MajGen Brian Cavanaugh ’90, USMC, held his promotion ceremony in Hopper Hall at the Naval Academy on 26 July 2021.

“Young officers come in for the opportunity to lead Marines, but they stay in for the opportunity to command Marines,” Williamson said. Day currently serves as the Commanding General of Force Headquarters Group, Marine Forces Reserve and has led many units during his service in the combat arms. However, Day said leading Marines and sailors in combat made him appreciate the importance of leadership and relentless professionalism. Day said the most solemn moments in combat reinforced his desire to serve. He said Semper Fidelis took on a new depth of meaning for him the first time he took fallen Marines and sailors off the battlefield. “It all becomes very, very real when you witness the sacrifice of those who have given the last full measure of devotion,” Day said. “In both Iraq and Afghanistan, there were Marines who were injured and they could not longer actively serve. They asked me to, ‘keep going for them.’ BGen Ahmed Williamson ’94, USMC, has his stars pinned on by his wife, Mattrice Williamson,and his grandfather, retired Master Chief Petty Officer Melvin G. Williams Sr., USN (Ret.), on 14 August in Quantico, VA. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 19

U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO BY LANCE CORPORAL ASHLEY CORBO

FEATURE

BGen Sean N. Day ’94, USMC, (right), has his stars pinned on by LtGen Ron Bailey, USMC (Ret.), (left), and his father Dr. Homer A. Day (center) on 16 April 2021.

A motivation for me has been to carry forward for the fallen and those who are no longer able to serve.” Cavanaugh, who grew up in Baltimore, MD, said earning a second star wasn’t something he ever dreamed about. He said when he commissioned he expected to serve 20 years. He said his longevity is based on a commitment to serve and to assist future leaders. Cavanaugh said it was a surreal moment when he got the call from Marine Corps Commandant General David H. Berger informing him of his promotion. “It wasn’t a dream I ever had,” said Cavanaugh, who now commands 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. “It’s very humbling, I feel very blessed to be in this position.” Sofge said the bonds forged in Annapolis, in the Marine Corps and with mentors along the way clinched his career path. He said many in the nation’s leadership positions are people he met 25 years ago and served with during his time in the Corps. Those connections strengthened his ties to the Marine community. “It’s a sense of family at the upper levels of service,” said Sofge, assistant chief of staff J5, U.S. Forces Korea.

20 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

USNA LESSONS Lessons learned at the Naval Academy remain guiding principles for the newly promoted Marine general officers. Sofge, whose call sign is GMAN, said following the simple yet effective direction of “GMAN’s three things” is enough to keep most folks on the right path. • Do it right the first time. • I am my brother’s and sister’s keeper. • Nothing good happens after midnight. He said he gives this advice to everyone from colonels to privates. At the Academy, Sofge said he learned the value of timely and concise communication. That remains his leadership pillar. “It has helped me be successful in the fleet,” he said. “That facilitates doing things right the first time.” Williamson said his destiny was sealed attending the inaugural Leatherneck training session for Naval Academy midshipmen the summer before his first-class year. He welcomed the physicality and teamwork elements. He said uniting to persevere through adversity in a tough, austere environment intrigued and excited him. During a training session with enlisted Marines in North Carolina, Williamson was fascinated by the maturity, discipline and professionalism of those he was working with. He said having the trust of the Marine Corps motivated him and set him on his journey. “When you get in the field, you know if you want to be there or not,” Williamson said. “To be in the field with Marines piqued my interest. You see what honor and commitment really means. These are the kinds of people I wanted to work with.” Day credits the Naval Academy for providing the foundational skills necessary to excel in the Fleet and Fleet Marine Force. “The examples set by Marines like Colonel John Ripley ’62, USMC (Ret.), Major Doug Zembiec ’95, USMC, and Major General Charlie Bolden ’68, USMC (Ret.), along with the the strong network of graduates on the waterfront, in the squadrons and with the Marines in the field have been invaluable resources over the years,” he said. a

GENERAL OFFICER PROMOTIONS PLACE BLACK MARINES IN SELECT COMPANY rigadier General Ahmed “Will” Williamson ’94, USMC, was inspired and mentored by Black military trailblazers. He accepted his ﬁrst star in July with humility and appreciation for those who came before him. Williamson was one of three Black Naval Academy alumni to receive Marine Corps general officer promotions in 2021. Brigadier General Sean Day ’94, USMCR, received his ﬁrst star in April while Major General Brian Cavanaugh ’90, USMC, received his second star in July. This was a historic milestone considering prior to 2021, only 25 Black Marines had reached general officer rank in the Corps’ 246-year history, according to an August 2020 New York Times report. Only six Black Marines have earned three stars and none have worn four stars. The historic nature of these promotions isn’t lost on Williamson, director, Manpower Plans and Policy Division, who modeled his life of service after his grandfather, Master Chief Petty Officer Melvin G. Williams Sr., USN (Ret.), who served 1951-78 and his uncle Vice Admiral Melvin G. Williams Jr. ’78, USN (Ret.). “Throughout my life and my career, I have always seen examples of exceptional leadership; seeing African Americans represented was not an exception,” Williamson said. “I knew those who paved the way. I didn’t want to let anyone down.” The Williamson family legacy of service continues with Midshipman Nilah Williamson ’25, who arrived at the Naval Academy this past summer. Ahmed Williamson said the Marine Corps’ talent pool and opportunities are growing for people from all backgrounds. The Corps will be strengthened with diversity of thought and experiences, Williamson said. Opportunities for top leadership positions are within reach for all, he said. “We will need people from all walks of life, so we can be diverse in thought,” Williamson said. “I’m proud that my daughter is there. I’m proud that she’s at a school that is prepared to receive, value and leverage that talent.” Cavanaugh joins a select group of Naval Academy Black Marines to reach Major General including Charles F. Bolden ’68, USMC (Ret.), and Leo V. Williams ’70, USMCR (Ret.).

U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO BY LANCE CORPORAL JUSTIN J. MARTY

BGen Chris McPhillips, USMC, right, relinquishes 1st Marine Aircraft Wing colors to MajGen Brian Cavanaugh ’90, USMC, left, during a change of command ceremony at Marine Corps Air Station Futenma, Okinawa, Japan on 11 June 2021.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 21

FEATURE

22 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

PHOTO COURTESY OF BGEN AHMED WILLIAMSON ’94, USMC

Following in the footsteps of Bolden and Williams was humbling to Cavanaugh. He held his promotion ceremony in Hopper Hall at the Naval Academy in July. As the third Black Naval Academy alumni to wear two stars as a Marine, Cavanaugh thought the setting was fitting. Cavanaugh’s service career began in 1985 at the Naval Academy Preparatory School. He said the leadership opportunities for Black Marines have grown exponentially since he was commissioned although, as in society, issues of equality still need addressing. “We’re not where we need to be,” Cavanaugh said. “For folks who want to serve, 20 years is an awesome career. To be in this long, one, the door has to be open for you and, two, you have to want it, too.” To put the Marine Corps’ scarcity of Black general officers in context, consider Benjamin O. Davis Sr. who became the Army’s first Black brigadier general in 1940. A 1941 executive order by President Franklin Delano Roosevelt called for the Marine Corps to integrate. On 1 June 1942, Alfred Masters became the first Black man to enlist in the Marine Corps. It wasn’t until November 1945 that the Marines commissioned a Black officer, Second Lieutenant Frederick C. Branch, USMC. On 23 February 1979, Frank E. Petersen was promoted to brigadier general, becoming the Marine Corps’ first Black general officer. Petersen would retire as a lieutenant general. Academy alumni Bolden and Williams earned their first stars in the 1990s. Bolden received his second star in 1998 and Williams pinned his second star in 2000. The gap between Academy commissioned Black Marines reaching major general would span more than two decades. Williams said the general officer promotions of three Black Academy graduates is “absolutely tremendous.” However, he said the fact he has personally known every Black Marine general officer illustrates the dearth of such promotions. “I am really dismayed that in American history, we have only five Naval Academy Marine Corps general officers who identify as Black,” he said. Williams said ensuring Marine Corps leadership better reflects American society and the Corps’ enlisted ranks requires a generational vision. He said adding more Black general officers will require a persistent effort and sustained focus. A comprehensive strategy includes encouraging Black officers coming out of The Basic School to enter specialties the majority of general officers are selected from such as infantry, artillery and

aviation, Williams said. He said if the Marine Corps does not consistently prioritize equity, inclusion and diversity within its leadership ranks, its pool of general officers won’t look much different in 2040 or 2050. “We as a Marine Corps have always struggled with diversity in the officer ranks as a whole,” Williams said. “That gets to the heart of the problem. We are fortunate that these three outstanding officers have been appropriately recognized and promoted. “It’s not that you need to focus on one particular thing. This is a continuum, and you have to focus on every point, or you’ll never get to where you want to be.” Day said the emphasis on diversity is a critical component of the Commandant’s focus on Talent Management as part of the service’s Future Force Initiative. He said it is the right and just thing to do and is absolutely critical to improving warﬁghting effectiveness. Our adversaries are deadly serious about defeating our country and supplanting the freedoms we cherish, he said. Day said the country counts on Marines to win the battles that are necessary to preserve its freedoms. Fielding the best team possible is essential, he said. “It is obvious that our record for tapping into all the available sources of talent is plainly not good enough,” Day said. “The challenges our country faces are existential, and they require the very best we can muster.” Building upon the successes of trailblazers such as Major Generals Bolden and Williams is key, Day said. “They laid the foundation,” he said. “This is a battle, and just like any other battle, it requires us to impose our will on the problem. Marines don’t lose.”

BGen Ahmed Williamson ’94, USMC, receives his general officer flag from his uncle, VADM Melvin G. Williams Jr. ’78, USN (Ret.), during a promotion ceremony in July.

To honor the legacy of those who proceeded him, Day said it is crucial for the entire institution to makes consistent decades-long efforts to find, develop, support and retain those entering the officer pipeline and as they move up the leadership chain. Day appreciates having Cavanaugh as a “tremendous source of counsel” over the last few years. He said the numbers of Black alumni are so few that direct mentoring wasn’t really possible early in his service career. He is grateful for those who paved the way. “The examples that Major Generals Bolden and Williams set, despite all the adversity they faced, has been a source of great inspiration over my service,” Day said. Williamson said the nation is at an inflection point. He noted the flag rank promotions of multiple Black Marines is a testament to those who came before them and inspiration for future leaders. “The Naval Academy and other instituitions like it continue to offer opportunities to the nation’s best and brightest, especially in underrepresented communities,” he said. “I hope it validates there is quality talent in these communities.” a

PHOTO COURTESY OF BGEN SEAN N. DAY ‘94, USMC

‘OUR HEROES’ Williamson said during his career of service, he has tried to follow the examples set by his grandfather, his uncle and Academy alumni including Bolden, Williams, Admiral Cecil D. Haney ’78, USN (Ret.), Rear Admiral Julius S. Caesar ’77, USN (Ret.), and many others. He said their mentorship was invaluable and that legacy continues with Academy alumni, such as Cavanaugh, who offered advice on handling new responsibilities. Williamson said he never heard his grandfather say a foul word of what he endured as a Black Navy sailor. Instead, Melvin G. Williams Sr. spoke highly of the Navy and American ideals—work ethic and patriotism. The lessons and leadership of trailblazing Black officers resonates, Williamson said. “I wanted to be a part of that,” Williamson said. “They are our heroes. Our nation and our services have opened up their eyes to selecting the best qualiﬁed folks based their merit and ability to lead folks from all backgrounds.” Cavanaugh echoed that sentiment. He noted the exemplary careers of his major general predecessors. “That I’m following behind General Bolden and General Williams was even more humbling,” Cavanaugh said.

BGen Sean N. Day ’94, USMC, received his first star on 16 April 2021.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 23

FEATURE

SECOND ACTS ALUMNI PIVOTING TO POST ACTIVE-DUTY ENDEAVORS By Kim Catley

.S. Naval Academy alumni are trained to adapt quickly to meet the challenges of evolving situations. But as many seek to make the transition from active duty to the private sector, the number of options and opportunities leave much to consider. This pivot point often occurs when alumni retire or leave the service at a young age, with the potential for a completely different second career. In their 40s, 30s and even their 20s, they must re-evaluate their interests, learn how to translate their military experience in new industries and ﬁgure out the kind of life they want to live. And whether they shift to a parallel civilian role as a government employee, pursue a corporate path or strike out on their own, service members bring a necessary perspective and experience to their new positions. Here, four alumni share the twists and turns of their career paths and what they learned along the way.

TRY, TRY AGAIN

24 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

PricewaterhouseCoopers. However, Scott found he missed the connection to the DoD. Now, he’s back in the defense contractor space after launching a second company, Defense Cybersecurity Group, to help contractors meet compliance requirements. Each move held lessons, he said, from understanding career growth trajectories, to expanding his professional network, to better understanding his own work interests. For this reason, Scott, who frequently advises retiring service members on transitioning from the military, recommends letting go of preconceived notions about culture and longevity. “We’re used to being in the same military organization for 20 years or 30 years,” he said. “In a modern business context, that’s not the model. When going to work for a company, you may assume that’s a 10-year gig—and maybe it will be. But maybe you’ll get there and know the shoes are too small. “Don’t be afraid to look for something else.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CDR VINCENT H. SCOTT ’89, USN (RET.)

Commander Vincent H. Scott ’89, USN (Ret.), knows how to navigate a career pivot. In the 11 years since he left the Navy, he has worked in research labs, held positions in a big-four consulting ﬁrm and a multinational corporation and launched two businesses—all in search of his niche. His ﬁrst step out of the Navy was similar to the path of many retirees who pursue government contracting jobs with links to the military. As the director in the Oklahoma State University Multispecialty laboratory, Scott worked alongside veterans and in collaboration with the Department of Defense. The work was familiar, but he also used his time at the university to complete an entrepreneurship program and start his own business. “It was a fail,” he said. “So, I decided to try big corporate.” As a member of Procter and Gamble’s global cybersecurity program, Scott studied the norms and nuances of corporate culture. He then learned an entirely different leadership model when he moved to

CDR Vincent H. Scott ’89, USN (Ret.), frequently advises retiring service members on transitioning from the military. He said finding the right fit in the corporate world might mean switching jobs until a good match is located.

BE OPEN TO POSSIBILITIES PHOTO COURTESY OF NATASHA L. ROBINSON ’02

When Natasha L. (Sistrunk) Robinson ’02 graduated from the Academy, she thought she was beginning a 20-year Marine Corps career. But six years later, she was married with a toddler and decided to transition out of the military. Robinson landed a job as director of ﬁnance and administration within the Science & Technology Directorate of the Department of Homeland Security, working for fellow alumna Commander Lilia L. Ramirez ’81, USN (Ret.). Still, she kept wondering about her trajectory. Then, Ramirez gave Robinson a piece of advice. “She said, ‘Use this job to ﬁgure out what you want to do,’” Robinson said. “That was a good thing because I had the safety and the mentorship from my boss to say, ‘These are some things I’m thinking about. These are some of the opportunities I have, these are some doors that are opening.’”

The first opportunity came when Robinson’s work was published in an international magazine. She realized she should take her writing seriously and published her first book after she completed seminary school in 2014. Her book led to speaking opportunities, which she parlayed into her business, T3 Leadership Solutions Inc., which she launched in January 2020 along with the nonprofit Leadership LINKS Inc. All are focused on leadership development and mentorship. “I realized I could make money doing other things, aside from just applying for a job with the skill sets I have,” she said. “My passion is always leadership, but I like to exercise that in different ways. That’s the gift that entrepreneurship offers; it’s rare that I’m doing the same thing every day.” Natasha L. (Sistrunk) Robinson ’02, is a published author, and founder of T3 Leadership Solutions which provides consulting, mentoring and coaching to individuals and organizations.

MAKE A PLAN list of potential clients in mainland U.S. was blank—but Kelly saw only an opportunity to get creative. “When faced with crisis, challenge or change, figure out what needs to happen,” she said. “Brainstorm what you can do to solve the problem and create a list of action steps.” She applied that same approach when COVID-19 hit, and a year of conferences and speaking engagements disappeared in a matter of days. Instead, she took the time to finish several books— including a workbook that translates her corporate strategic planning process into a method for figuring out personal life goals. “I start with your core values and then look at your natural, innate strengths,” she said. “From there, we research where the market needs you. Then, you craft your vision to move forward and how to get there. Those are your action steps.”

PHOTO COURTESY OF CDR MARY C. KELLY, ’87, USN (RET.)

During her last active-duty tour from 2004 to 2008, Commander Mary C. Kelly ’87, USN (Ret.), taught at the Naval Academy and frequently presented with the Academy’s Speakers Bureau. When a guest at one of her presentations asked if she had considered becoming a professional speaker, Kelly was intrigued. She already had a job offer as a professor but loved giving presentations. She started working as a professional speaker on the side and joined the National Speakers Association to learn more about the business. After a few years, her company, Productive Leaders, was successful enough that Kelly left teaching behind. Thanks to her military background, Kelly was accustomed to hard work and discipline, which lends itself to running a business. There was only one area she wasn’t prepared for: marketing herself. For most of her military career, Kelly worked in Asia and Hawaii. Her initial

CDR Mary C. Kelly, ’87, USN (Ret.), uses the lessons she learned in the Navy to help others develop leadership skills through her company Productive Leaders.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 25

FEATURE BELIEVE ANYTHING IS POSSIBLE storefront for rent. Soon after, in December 2015, they opened Passport Habits. Getting the store off the ground also required Anthony to pursue the more traditional route, and he still had the itch to ﬂy. He initially took a job ﬂying private planes, but the schedule was unpredictable. Once he switched to Southwest Airlines, the pieces began to fall into place. “When I got my career where I wanted it to be on the airline side. I felt this relief of pressure,” he said. “I had more time, and it allowed me to be home and to help at the store.” Anthony and Michelle have never lost their optimism. Even as COVID-19 hit, which left Anthony grounded for a year and the two unable to travel to source new makers and products. Instead, they used the moment to invest in new opportunities for the store, paying their son to build a website and e-commerce tool, and taking time to organize shipping logistics. “I think that’s one thing the military taught us, that nothing is certain,” Michelle said. “You can up and move at a moment’s notice. I felt like that was a

strength of ours, that we knew how to roll with it. “If you really are passionate about what you’re doing, I feel like it always works out.” PHOTO COURTESY OF LCDR ANTHONY RAMIREZ ’96, USN

While on his ﬁnal active-duty tour, stationed in Bahrain, Lieutenant Commander Anthony Ramirez ’96, USN (Ret.), and his wife, Michelle, started thinking about their ﬁve-year plan. Over coffee and wine, they would brainstorm ideas, writing them down in a notebook. They saw a fork in the road emerge. They could take a traditional path, return to the United States and interview for jobs. Or they could go out on their own and start something new. As they made their way through the funnel of ideas, they zeroed in on a concept for a retail store. Throughout their travels, they met local artisans and fell in love with the goods they made. “At one point we thought, ‘How cool would it be if we brought this stuff back, and then sold them and told the stories behind them,’” Michelle said. As Anthony closed out his military service, Michelle researched, sourced products and prepared to hit the ground running once they moved to Ventura, CA. They debated between an appointmentonly warehouse and a public store until Anthony rode his bike past a small

LCDR Anthony Ramirez ’96, USN, and his wife, Michelle, own a retail store, Passport Habits, in Ventura, CA. The store sells unique items made by artisans around the globe that they discovered during their travels.

ALUMNI SUPPORT The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association offers several avenues for alumni to support one another and assist in the pivot from active duty to careers in the private sector. Here are a few of the programs available through the Alumni Association. • The Service Academy Career Conference (SACC) connects service academy alumni with private sector firms that have job openings. SACC events have been held virtually during the pandemic. In-person events are scheduled for Jacksonville, FL, on 24-25 February 2022; Washington, DC, on 5-6 May 2022; San Diego, CA, on 25-26 August 2022; and Dallas, TX, on 27-28 October 2022. For more information on SACC, visit sacc-jobfair.com/index.

26 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

• The Alumni Mentoring Program (AMP) connects volunteer mentors with protégés. Mentors and protégés are matched through an e-mentoring online platform and can engage in meaningful, confidential discussions about challenges, career and life planning and goal setting. Visit www.usna.com/amp to learn more about AMP. • Shared Interest Groups (SIGS) include the United States Naval Academy Minority Association, Run to Honor and USNA Women. Each group is also active in mentoring alumni. Discover more at: www.usna.com/SIG. • The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association’s Business Directory was launched in 2020 to help alumni locate and support fellow graduates. Businesses can be searched by class, location or industry. Visit the directory at: www.usna.com/ directory/alumnibusiness.

BRAVO ZULU 1960s

1980s

1990s

’62: BGen Thomas Draude, USMC (Ret.), was honored for his heroism and life commitment to the service of our nation with the declaration of 29 May 2021 as General Tom Draude Day in Illinois.

’81: VADM Walter Carter Jr. (Ret.), has had a dome gym at Burrillville High School in Burrillville, RI, named after him. Carter was the first graduate of the high school to commission at the Naval Academy.

’66: CDR Bruce Valley, USN (Ret.), was inducted into the New Hampshire Legends of Hockey Hall of Fame for his writings about the golden age of NH hockey in his book, Seahawk: Confessions of an Old Hockey Goalie.

’82: LCDR Kevin Brown, USNR, has been selected as Science Applications International Corp’s chief information security officer.

’90: RADM Edward Anderson, USN, was assigned as program executive officer, Undersea Warfare Systems, which will oversee undersea command and control and be the undersea domain for the Navy’s submarine program. RADM Troy McClelland, USN, was assigned as program executive officer, Shipyard Infrastructure Optimization, a dualhatted position with his current role as deputy commander of Naval Facilities Engineering Systems Command, within the Navy’s submarine program. Scott Schleicher, was enshrined into the Pennsylvania Wrestling Hall of Fame at Moutainview Country Club in Boalsburg, PA.

’68: Lt Col Rick Blank, USAF, was awarded the Legion of Merit for his distinguished service as the California State Guard Command Chaplain and Deputy State Chaplain in the State Guard.

1970s '70: VADM Cutler Dawson, USN (Ret.), has been named the chairman of the board of governors for the Center for Creative Leadership headquartered in Greensboro, NC. ’76: ADM James Stavridis, USN (Ret.), has joined the board of directors at Fortinet, a global leader in broad, integrated and automated cybersecurity solutions. ’79: CAPT Bob Tata, USNR (Ret.), the office managing partner for international law firm Hunton Andrews Kurth, was recognized as one of Virginia’s 500 “most powerful leaders” by VA Business Magazine in 2020 and 2021. LCDR Thomas Wittenschlaeger, USN (Ret.), has been appointed as chief executive officer of AYRO, Inc.

’83: RADM Michael Smith, USN (Ret.), has been appointed to the American Battle Monuments Commission by President Joe Biden. ’84: Col Sean Sullivan, USMC (Ret.), has been named partner at Del Galdo Law Group, LLC. in Beywyn, IL. ’89: LT Marvin Campbell, USN (Ret.), has been appointed as the new U.S. director of The Navigators. RADM Scott Pappano, USN, was assigned as program executive officer, Strategic Submarines, which encompasses the current OHIOclass nuclear ballistic missile and guided-missile submarines within the Navy’s submarine program. LCDR Stephanie Uz, USNR, was one of 12 exceptional federal employees to receive the Arthur S. Flemming Award, recognizing her work in applied science and engineering at NASA’s Goddard Space Flight Center advancing the application of satellite remote sensing through the novel integration of data and models to improve monitoring of water quality.

’91: LT Daniel Durn, USN (Ret.), has been selected as executive vice president and chief financial officer of Adobe. Robert Sehnert, has been appointed as president and chief executive officer of Area Wide Protective, North America’s leading traffic control specialist. Guy Torres has been selected as deputy chief procurement officer for the Internal Revenue Service. ’92: CAPT Dean Muriano, USN, has assumed command as commanding officer for the Center for Explosive Ordnance Disposal and Diving during a change of command ceremony at Naval Support Activity Panama City. ’94: Alexander Pease, has been selected as executive vice president and chief financial officer of West Rock Company.

’95: CDR Steven Mauro, USN (Ret.), was one of five new members inducted into the Greater Utica Sports Hall of Fame during a ceremony at Delta Hotels by Marriott in Utica, NY. John Phelan Jr. joined S&H Systems as vice president of sales. CAPT Josh Sager, USN, relinquished command of Carrier Air Wing Eight during an airborne change of command ceremony aboard Naval Air Station Oceana, VA. ’97: CAPT Christopher Perkins, USMCR (Ret.), has been selected to Academy Securities’ advisory board. ’98: CAPT Dave Forman, USN, has been selected to serve as Naval Academy deputy commandant. ’99: CDR Joseph Parker III, USN (Ret.), has been selected as deputy chief administrative officer of Worcester County, MD.

2000s ’00: Lt Col Patrick McBride, USAF, has assumed command of 211th Rescue Squadron in Anchorage, AK. ’01: CDR Joseph Spinelli, MC, USN, was named chief of neurosurgery at Walter Reed National Military Medical Center in Bethesda, MD. ’03: CDR James Diefenderfer, USN, has assumed command of THE SULLIVANS during a change of command ceremony on the ship’s flight deck at Naval Station Yokosuka.

Do you know someone who deserves a Bravo Zulu? Send to comms@usna.com.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 27

FEATURE

NAVY RETIRES MOELLER’S #48 LEGENDARY STANDOUT IS ACADEMY’S FIRST DEFENSIVE PLAYER BESTOWED THE HONOR

het Moeller ’76 weathered a turbulent plebe year in which he was “scared to death” to ultimately become a tormentor of opposing offenses as Navy’s defensive anchor. Moeller, whose ability to roam the field helped revolutionize the safety position, was a first-team All-American in 1975 and the East Coast Athletic Conference Player of the Year. On 2 October 2021, Navy retired Moeller’s #48 jersey, making him the Academy’s first defensive player to have that honor. The 2010 College Football Hall of Fame inductee was a two-time All-East selection and one of only six Midshipmen to be selected as a unanimous All-American. Moeller made a school record 25 tackles for a loss as a junior and recorded 275 tackles during his career. During his time in Annapolis, Moeller helped revive the football program. Following three consecutive 4-7 records, the 1975 team turned it around and finished 7-4. Led by Moeller, Navy’s defense was ranked third in the nation and fifth against the pass. Following his Marine Corps service, Moeller has worked in the technology industry. He lives in Montgomery, AL, and is president of Harrison Information Technology. Moeller joins Roger Staubach ’65 (No. 12); Captain Joe Bellino ’61, USNR (Ret.) (No. 27); Napoleon McCallum ’85 (No. 30); and Lieutenant Junior Grade Keenan Reynolds ’16, USN (No. 19), among Navy players whose numbers have been retired. Moeller recently spoke to Shipmate about his memories of playing football for the Midshipmen and the emotions of having his number retired.

Shipmate: What were your thoughts when you learned Navy wanted to retire No. 48? Moeller: (Navy Athletics Director) Chet Gladchuk called me on a Friday afternoon. He nonchalantly said, “we’ve decided to retire your jersey.” He said it’s overdue and he wanted to make that right. I said it’s about.’ The AD joked, “I want to hear you say, ‘what took you so long?’” I tear up about everything. That got me. My sisters tell me that that’s just like my dad.

28 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

It was a fantastic weekend (back in Annapolis for the retirement ceremony). It was kind of a blur. What made it so gratifying, I don’t like attention, was the time visiting with my teammates and companymates. I tried to just concentrate on asking them questions and not make it about me. I got to see a large contingent of my 20th Companymates. I wanted them to know how much I care about them. Shipmate: What memories stand out about your time at the Academy?

Moeller: It’s a journey. You start your plebe year scared to death. You make progress through plebe year and you think you’ve gotten over the worst. And then, you get a ﬁrstie who puts on the pressure and harasses you mentally and you have to overcome much of that. But it’s an important part of the process at USNA. I used football as an avenue to escape, to take all that energy and put it in a productive place. That was very valuable. We had two great coaches for the freshman team

this point in our lives. We played together. We wanted to succeed for each other. You’re playing for the guys next to you. It’s different at a service academy. You are truly bonded as one. Reunions like that weekend just bring that back. During Covid, since we did not gather as a group, it really hurt because I really missed those guys.

PHOTO COURTESY OF USNA

Shipmate: What was it like turning the program around in 1975? Moeller: We had a fantastic group of coaches. Coach George Welsh, Coach Steve Belichick, Coach Rick Lantz, Coach Lenny Fontes and Coach Jack Cloud, to name a few on the defensive side. We are very proud of that. We had two games that we lost by one point. We were really disappointed with that. Those two losses, at Georgia Tech and at Washington, we had a chance to win both those games. We really wanted to play in a bowl game that was signiﬁcant. Those two losses did us in. But, we’re very proud of what we accomplished.

From left to right: Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk, Chet Moeller ’76 with his wife, Jenny, and Superintendent VADM Sean S. Buck ’83, USN. Moeller ’76 became the first Naval Academy defensive player to have his number retired on 2 October 2021. Moeller was an All-American in 1975, helping lead the Midshipmen to their first winning season since 1967.

Coach Frank Gantz, who was a really positive and spiritual man and coach, and Coach Dick Duden, who had such a unique voice and was so profound in his communication skills. We loved the coaches. That started it and set the tone for what was to come in the following years. When George Welsh came in, I saw that as a way to start from ground zero. He didn’t know who we were since he didn’t recruit us. He started with different offensive and defensive schemes. Two of the assistants he brought in had recruited me before I came to the Academy. Lenny Fontes—he came from the University of Dayton—and Coach Gary Tranquil, who came from Bowling Green. It kind of gave me pause because I didn’t respond to

Lenny Fontes really well in the recruiting process before entering the Academy. I started out as the fifth or sixth string rover back. As I started understanding the game and position in the spring of 1973, I gained some confidence. By the end of spring, I was third string. When we returned from summer duty in the fall, they had me starting at rover. I said mentally, ‘I’m not giving this up.’ That was my mentality, I was going to do the best I could to hold onto that thing. In my second-class year, I felt a little more confident. As we worked together and began to know each other, it built into a group of guys who, when I was a firstie, loved and cared for each other. We all have such a camaraderie, even at

Shipmate: What lessons learned at the Academy have helped you since graduation? Moeller: Everything about football is a life lesson. Hard work, dedication, studying and doing our best on every play. Teamwork, it makes you a positive person and you learn a work ethic that is invaluable in serving our country and in the business world. Shipmate: How did those traits help you in the private sector? Moeller: I’ve taken what I learned from systems engineering and the diligent officer training at the Academy and applied that to my computer business. I love the customer service part of it. I love helping people. If I don’t have enough business on my plate (as the owner), it’s my own fault. My training spurred me on to work hard to generate that business. a

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 29

FEATURE

THE WRITE WAY Naval Academy alumni possess a treasure trove of great stories. Many entertain the idea of putting their memories, experiences or advice into print—whether it’s a novel or magazine article—but just starting the writing process can be tricky. To help alleviate some of the anxiety that can hamper the process, seasoned authors Captain George V. Galdorisi ’70, USN (Ret.), and Sean W. Gallagher ’96 shared some tips for aspiring writers.

Write It Down—Then Turn It Loose By Captain George Galdorisi ’70, USN (Ret.)

any years ago, Captain Dick Couch ’67, USNR (Ret.), penned an article in these pages titled “So You Want to Be a Writer.” After raising a number of caution flags (like discussing things with your “significant other” before absenting yourself from normal life to take on a major writing project), he ultimately revealed why he writes: “For me, I gotta write, and it’s the adventure of it that’s hooked me. As the writer, I can do it all. I get to be the national security advisor who recommends the action to the president who must commit the forces. I’m the senior officer who sends his men into action and who feels the pain if they don’t make it back. I’m the enemy and the defender; logistician and staff planner. But most of all, I’m a young man again, that fresh lieutenant who must lead his men into battle.” In two articles in Shipmate several years ago titled “Daydream Engineers,” Herb and I identified a substantial number of Academy alumni who had written successful novels. Among them are: Robert A. Heinlein ’29, Vice Admiral William Mack ’37, USN (Ret.), Captain Edward L. Beach Jr. ’39, USN (Ret.), John Claggett ’40, Captain Wesley Rush Jr. ’41, USN (Ret.), Lieutenant Commander Hank Searls ’45, USNR (Ret.), Captain P.T. Deutermann ’63, USN (Ret.), Captain David Poyer ’71, USNR (Ret.), Larry Carello ’73, Lieutenant Commander John G. Hemry ’78, USN (Ret.), Michael DiMercurio ’80, Commander Ward Carroll ’82, USN (Ret.), Anne Wilson ’89, Erin Beaty ’00, Jocelyn Fox ’10 and many others—too numerous to mention here. The point is, they all published successful novels. For many, writing seems daunting, something only “they,” (the anointed ones) do. Disabuse yourself of that notion. Storytelling is as old as human history. While there is no reliable 30 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

data that tells us when Homo sapiens first started speaking, we do know when they started telling stories—it was at least 40 millennia ago. We know this because there are cave paintings that date back that far. If this is sufficient encouragement, motivation and inspiration, the question then becomes: How do you organize yourself to take on a writing project? While there is no easy breezy “formula” there are some tactics, techniques and procedures that most successful writers have followed. The point of this article is to share those experiences to make your journey easier. When I do writing seminars around Southern California, many people come to those events with the notion that they’d like to write a book, typically a novel or a memoir. Most of the individuals with this aspiration haven’t written anything before: not a magazine article, a conference paper, or a newspaper op-ed. While there are some enormously talented individuals who have awakened one morning, decided to write a book, and had it published, I don’t know any of them. Every writer I know, who is a professional or personal colleague or friend, who has published a book has written articles first. Therefore, the first piece of advice is: start small with articles. Shipmate is a great place to begin. All right, you are at least vaguely motivated to write something, now the question is, “What should I write?” Here is what my first agent, John Boswell, suggested: “Write whatever you are passionate about.” Think of it this way: You’re in a bar with your friends, someone is talking, and you just have to say something. What do you say? Breaking down his suggestions more specifically, think about: What are you really passionate about? What do you wish you had more time for? How would you spend a year as a “professional dilettante?” What do you think about when you’re alone?

What do you worry about and what issues concern you most? What have you done that people seem curious about? Is there a topic where friends turn to you for advice? Whether you write one article, or more, you will get the writing juices flowing and get valuable feedback from editors. In the nonfiction arena, you’ll begin assembling the “grist” you need for a larger work. For example, before Captain Kevin Vienna ’73, JAGC USN (Ret.), and I wrote the book, Beyond the Law of the Sea, we had written numerous articles on the subject. Therefore, we didn’t begin writing the book staring at a blank computer screen. Here is where most writers channel themselves when they do take on a book-length project: nonfiction or fiction. While some of us do both, for most, our passion resides primarily in one of those bins. I’ll address nonfiction first. Why nonfiction? Frankly, it’s all about being selfish with your time. If you want a publisher to buy your novel, you have to write it first. That’s typically a 70,000 to 90,000-word effort, and if it doesn’t sell, your only alternative is to self-publish. Conversely, most nonfiction is sold to publishers based on a proposal. In other words, you put together a sales pitch, which is vastly shorter than an entire book. If it doesn’t sell, it doesn’t sell; but you haven’t made a massive investment of time and energy. For those wishing to pursue the nonfiction path, the two primary branches are narrative (creative) nonfiction, where you tell a true story using the techniques of fiction to entertain the reader, and expository (traditional) nonfiction where you write a book that describes, explains, and informs.

These are worthy projects to take on. Should you need further motivation to try your hand at nonfiction, go to a bookstore or to your library and take a look at the shelves. There is a cornucopia of nonfiction books but not that many novels. Bookstores are in business to make money. They stock what sells. Conversely, if you want to lean into fiction—great. This is an area where Naval Academy alumni have an edge. Serving in the Navy or Marine Corps—even for just your service obligation— means that you lived the adventure. Now you can do what no layperson can possibly do—channel those experiences into fiction that is based on fact, not fantasy. Every Academy alum I know who has written fiction writes novels firmly based in reality—that is one reason why they sell. If I tried to share everything I would like to impart here, this article would be impossibly long. If you would like to learn more either in the pages of Shipmate and/or e-newsletter Wavetops, please contact Shipmate Managing Editor Jimmy DeButts at jimmy.debutts@usna.com. In the meantime, you can log on to www.georgegaldorisi.com, go to Services, and then Seminars and Courses, and you can tap into six writing seminars that will provide help for your writing journey. And if you have questions and I can help, please reach out to me via my website. Captain George Galdorisi ’70, USN (Ret.), is a career naval aviator and writer. He has written 12 books distributed by mainstream publishers, including four New York Times bestselling novels. His latest thrillers, published by Braveship Books, are: The Coronado Conspiracy, For Duty and Honor, and Fire and Ice.

Note to Writers By Sean Gallagher ’96

have to think if you asked a million different writers, you’d get a million different answers regarding how they satisfy the requirements of being a writer—some may get up early and journal, some may stay up late to hit their daily word quota, some may stand on their head to watch the evening news—whatever works, you know? But I’d be willing to bet that no matter how much variety there might be between these million answers, few would disagree that one seems to get better at the craft the more copiously one reads, writes and pays attention to what’s going on around them. Also, I have found it helpful in my own writing to discard the notion of being an aspirant writer. I’ve come to believe, there’s no such thing as an aspirant writer. You write down thoughts, or you don’t. It doesn’t get any more exciting, I’m afraid; at least not from my vantage. Here’s how it seems to really work: one day you start calling yourself a ‘writer’ and you never stop. And to maintain this title, the only requirement is that you must chronicle your ideas. The

good news is that there is an endless supply of inspiration for great ideas all around you—all you have to do is write about it. So based on all that, I guess the next piece of advice I’d give a writer is keep a journal. If you want to be a writer, there are many activities you can engage in that will enhance your art and provide creative fodder: travel the world, eat exotic food, have a torrid love affair, befriend weirdos—the list goes on. And my humble advice— if you’re asking—is to do as many of these things as you’re able, and plenty more besides. Not only will it enrich the color and texture of your days (never a bad thing for a storyteller) but if you turn out to be a lousy writer, at least you’ll have the memories of an interesting life to fall back on. Finally, bring your moral compass; you’re going to need it if you hope to have anything interesting to say. a Sean Gallagher ’96 is a former surface warfare officer. He served aboard KINKAID and BOXER, as well as at the U.S. Embassy in Kingston, Jamaica. Gallagher is a writer and lives in Montana with his wife and kids. To hear his stories visit www.Montana3000.com.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 31

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAJ JOSLYN (HEMLER) FLEMING ’04, USMCR

FEATURE

Then-midshipman Joslyn Hemler ’04 receives the oath of office from her father, Col Jeffrey Hemler ’71, USMC, on Induction Day 2000 while her grandfather, CAPT Frank Hemler, USN (Ret.), observes.

32 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

LEGACY OF SERVICE Major Joslyn (Hemler) Fleming ’04, USMCR, and Susan D. (Fink) Yoshihara ’86 beneﬁted from the valuable lessons in character, leadership and responsibility passed down to them by family members who also served in uniform. On the following pages, they share the experiences and insight that aided them at the Naval Academy, as young officers and throughout their lives.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 33

FEATURE

PHOTO COURTESY OF MAJ JOSLYN (HEMLER) FLEMING ’04, USMCR

The Family Business BY LIEUTENANT COLONEL JOSLYN (HEMLER) FLEMING ’04, USMCR

13 August 1982: Joslyn Hemler, arriving. I entered this world exactly 60 years to the day from when my grandfather was born. I have always felt inextricably linked with my grandfather, as though cut from the same cloth. While a shared birthday is a nice coincidence, it is our shared commitment to service that makes our relationship special. Such service has given our relationship its structure and a deeper meaning. Growing up as a military brat meant I did not live near my extended family. Despite the distances, my grandfather and I kept in close contact in my early years through letters and phone calls. Those phone calls were integral to our grandfather-granddaughter relationship—time spent discussing the quiet, mundane aspects of life. For him, discussions about life after his military retirement often centered on which birds were visiting his bird feeder, his continued service to the church and his second career with ServiceMaster. For me, the phone calls were about tales of my schoolgirl days and community service projects. A retired Navy captain, my grandfather ran his calls like I imagine he ran his wardroom briefs: concise, helpful and always with a key takeaway. I would giggle as he outlined the topics of discussion for the telephone chat, usually no more than three items, with no deviation. He always kept us on task. But time, tide and formation wait for no one, and as I grew up, our calls transitioned from talks of young girl dreams to those of action—more speciﬁcally, what I would be when I grew up. I knew I wanted to serve my country as a military officer. Therefore, I applied to and was accepted to the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 2004, further strengthening the bond I shared with my grandfather. I come from a long line of naval service. Both of my grandfathers retired as Navy captains and my father retired as a colonel in the Marine Corps. My paternal grandfather, the centerpiece of this story, was part of the V-12 program during World War II while studying engineering at Purdue University. He was called to active duty and commissioned in 1944. He completed an initial training program on the grounds of the

34 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Naval Academy and was then assigned to a destroyer in the Pacific. My acceptance to the ranks of midshipmen meant I was joining the family business. I also had a sense of pride, as I was the first woman in the family to do so. Before I made my way to Annapolis, my grandfather scheduled weekly Sunday night calls with me to impart his naval wisdom. Calling me precisely at 1955 for our 2000 appointment (his first military lesson: five minutes early is on time, on time is late), each call would cover a different naval topic. Topics ranged from identifying military ranks, how to number ship compartments, how to calculate ship speeds and even a few sea stories to keep me engaged. When I walked through the doors of Bancroft Hall on I-Day I felt I not only had a leg up on my classmates, but I was secure in my place, knowing I was continuing a proud legacy of naval service. It was not long before I put my grandfather’s imparted naval knowledge into practice. My youngster year summer cruise found me working in deck division aboard HARPER’S FERRY. I was often tasked, with little guidance, as one of the sailors within the division. One day, I was handed placards to hang in various compartments of the ship. I remembered my grandfather walking me through the numbering of ship’s spaces on one of our first calls: first the deck number, then the frame, how it relates to the centerline and finally the purpose.

Then-2ndLt Joslyn Hemler ’04, USMC, receiving her “butter bars” at the Naval Academy Class of 2004 graduation

I completed the task in record time, much to the astonishment of my assigned boatswains mate. That evening, I happily called my grandfather and added my accomplishment to one of our three discussion points. When I swore the oath on I-Day I was sure I would follow in my grandfather’s footsteps as an officer in the United States Navy commanding at sea. I remember how reverently my grandfather spoke of his time at the helm of a ship and how he felt at peace leading sailors underway. With a faraway look in his eye, he talked of the responsibilities and rewards inherent in that type of leadership. But as I progressed through my four years by the Chesapeake Bay, I felt a call to serve in the Marine Corps, just like my dad. During my time in college, as had happened to my grandfather, war broke out. September 11 happened my youngster year, altering the trajectory of my military career. I was drawn to the camaraderie shared by the smaller of the naval services and the opportunity to lead small units on the battlefield. As I became more assured in my decision, I dreaded the call to my grandfather to tell him my thoughts. But as good leaders always are, my grandfather was already one step ahead of me. He listened attentively and then let me in on a shared secret, easing my fears. Thirty years prior, he had the exact same conversation with my father as he grappled with the same decision and nerves. My grandfather was proud of my choice; he could never be disappointed. I was already getting valuable leadership lessons—a true leader’s strength is not always in commanding, but in listening and guiding. Like the threads of a rope mooring a ship to the pier, my career as an officer was intertwined with my grandfather’s. My first deployment was aboard BONHOMME RICHARD as part of the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, destined for the Iraqi desert. During the Vietnam War, my grandfather commanded the aircraft carrier of the same name. For my grandfather, BONHOMME RICHARD was his last maritime command. Command of that ship was the capstone of an incredible naval career that saw him go from a destroyer in the Pacific during WWII, to MIT for his master’s degree, to creating the first version of the Navy Tactical Data System, to piloting A-4 attack aircraft over Vietnam as the commanding officer of VA-212. His time in uniform was everything he dreamed it would be—full of

adventure and immense responsibility—but always an opportunity to serve a cause bigger than himself. Just as BONNY DICK sailed in harm’s way under the command of my grandfather, it now steamed me across the Pacific and to my first crucible as a junior officer leading my detachment in convoy operations. My shipmates teased me that my grandfather’s ghost was walking the passageways (which was factually inaccurate, as my grandfather was very much alive), but seeing his name on the plaque of former commanders provided comfort. When leadership trials tested me, I felt at ease knowing that he and others had endured similar hardships. Like my grandfather, I, too, have had an incredible military career that has seen me lead convoys in Iraq, have a front row seat to the rescue of Captain Phillips off the coast of Somalia and serve as an aide to a U.S. Senator. It has been an honor to lead Marines and to serve a greater cause. I am thankful I joined the family business. My grandfather passed away in January and I feel unmoored. But as sailors look to the stars to find their way, my grandfather left me with one last piece of wisdom that guides me. Our last phone call was a week before he died. The main topic of discussion was which Marine Corps Reserve unit I should join. He quietly said, “I know, as always, you will make the right choice.” That last piece of wisdom—to always trust my instincts—has not failed me yet. Losing loved ones in the time of COVID has been especially difficult without the opportunity to come together in shared remembrance. Watching my grandfather’s military funeral ceremony over FaceTime was beautiful yet isolating. However, the rituals of the ceremony reminded me that time, tradition and service to country continue on. There is comfort in knowing that service continues—on a grand scale, but also on a smaller scale within our family. I continue to wear the uniform and, who knows, maybe someday one of my children will have weekly phone calls with their grandfather about what it means to serve. More importantly, my grandfather’s legacy lives on in the stories I tell about him, just like this one. Through sharing his life with others, I can reflect on his service and continue on. Because that is what a legacy is—a continuation. Rest easy, Grandpa, I now have the watch. Fair winds and following seas.

“Like the threads of a rope mooring a ship to the pier, my career as an officer was intertwined with my grandfather’s.”

16 January 2021: Captain Frank Hemler, departing. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 35

FEATURE

Induction Day BY SUSAN D. (FINK) YOSHIHARA ’86

PHOTO COURTESY OF SUSAN D. (FINK) YOSHIHARA ’86

Susan D. (Fink) Yoshihara ’86 with her father, CAPT George Fink, USN (Ret.), during I-Day 1982.

I remember my father’s advice before leaving me to endure the rest of my ﬁrst day in the Navy. Not Give ’em hell! or You got this or I’m so proud of you, but: “You know who you are.” It was late on a muggy Maryland afternoon in July 1982: I-Day. That 140-year-old tradition of taking boys and, in its last six years, girls, and making them men and women ﬁt “morally, mentally and physically” to serve their nation at sea. When it came to matters of morality and self-conduct, I was used to Dad’s terse imperatives. What I failed to realize at the time was how much more those words said about him than they comforted or assured me. Nor did I know how often I would grasp for that line in the next 24 years of my career. With them spoken, my father and I left my tearful mother, younger sister and oldest brother behind on Stribling Walk. There, along with other proud, weepy parents and girlfriends, they’d muster for the long trek home to whichever state they hailed from. Ours was Pennsylvania. Meanwhile, my father and I strode silently toward the broad brick courtyard, Tecumseh Court, named, along with four U.S. Navy ships of various classes, for a nineteenth century Shawnee chief.

36 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

We approached the place where, less than an hour earlier, standing in ranks with 1,200 others, I raised my right hand to take the oath of office as a midshipman in the United States Navy. Tall, ﬁt, bedecked in his Navy captain summer whites, while snapping salutes at every midshipman who passed, my father kept his focus on me, his third child, his eldest daughter. I saw the awe on their faces for Dad’s four gold stripes and the scrambled eggs on his cover. I knew that before the day was over, some of those same faces would be inches from mine, spewing indignities. I couldn’t have known that in a few years I’d be a Navy helicopter pilot in charge of a combat logistics detachment in the Persian Gulf War. On this day, I was a bleary-eyed 17-year-old a month out of high school. With my sweat-soaked “Dixie cup” clamped over my permed red hair, I’d left all remnants of civilian life behind in a canvas sack with my brother at six that morning, shortly after we’d arrived from our quarters on the Philadelphia Naval Base. My father, second in command at the shipyard there, overhauled aircraft carriers that rusted out during a decade of neglect following the Vietnam War and put them back to sea. Two weeks before, my father let me roam one of the WW II battleships on the waterfront. I found 1952 pinups still smiling out from inside faded lockers, opened drawers where green cloth notebooks held entries on the last line as if they were written hours and not decades before. Idealistic by nature, I found the big decks inspiring. I could see the battleships—IOWA and WISCONSIN—tied up to a pier just beyond my bedroom window. They’d be towed to other shipyards and return a year or so later as part of the Reagan buildup. I had just eschewed a scholarship to art college. On a dare, more than on a whim, I joined the Navy for the chance to sail on one of them, ﬁre their 16-inch guns and otherwise perform my role bringing down the Iron Curtain and ridding the world of Communism once and for all. That morning, when we pulled up next to the gym in our gold, wood-paneled Chrysler Town and Country station wagon, a smiling young man in summer whites ushered me and some other newbies inside. He gave us two minutes behind a cloth curtain to don oversized white, drawstring cotton trousers, a blue rimmed t-shirt, long sleeved white jumper, Keds and tube sox. “So this will be my ensemble for the next six weeks,” I thought.

Once the civilians were out of sight, he lined us up and said through a sneer, “Six weeks until the Brigade returns.” That’s how long he had to drill the slovenly civilian out of us. As he barked commands to salute, stand at attention and march in step on the basketball court, six weeks seemed like a thousand. “Before then,” he threatened, “We’ll purge a few hundred of you and send you back home crying to your mothers.” The rest of the day was a blur until it was time to say goodbye to everyone we knew and loved. The closer my father and I came to Tecumseh Court, the louder the screaming from behind the heavy brass doors on Bancroft Hall. With the ceremonies over and the commissioned officers gone home to their quarters, the firsties unleashed themselves onto the plebes whose parents had already bid them farewell. My gut tightened. Not from fear but a sharp, uneasy contradiction. I was suspended in two places at once: the unmitigated security and acceptance I felt, had always felt, at my father’s side, and a foreboding unknown of unchecked, menacing opposition. Dad’s tone was patient, measured. I’d heard it a 1,000 times: as he stood over my desk illuminating algebra, bent over my 1969 VW explaining the combustion of its air-cooled engine, raised his eyes to a contrail-streaked sky elucidating Bernoulli’s principle. He had few words for opinion, many for facts. The previous September when I announced my plans for Annapolis, I don’t remember what my father said. What I remember is his driving me every Sunday night that winter over an icy bridge to the New Jersey home of the local “Blue and Gold Officer.” The retired Academy graduate volunteered to gather aspiring midshipmen around his dining room table to work on SAT problems and get the “gouge” to master the application process. My math score was too low to compete. Everything seemed to ride on getting it higher. On the day I came home from school to find the results in the mailbox, I waited hours for my father to return from his typically long day in the shipyard. I opened it and handed it to him. When he saw the high score, his eyes filled up and he said quietly, “I couldn’t have done that.” I remember the words jarred me. My father had an imposing reputation. He was admired for his competence and success, respected for his authority and feared for his stern exterior.

I thought his admission a weakness. I recognize it now as modesty before the rising generation. I didn’t wonder then and am humbled to do so now, what he did during those hours I worked SAT problems, ate Cheetos and drank “bug juice.” A drive back to base was unlikely and I assume my father sat behind the driver’s seat of that station wagon, waiting for me. Not one to indulge unnecessary luxury, I’m sure he kept the engine off, though it often snowed. Never mind that it was his one night off, or that, bucking for command, this was one of his toughest assignments. That spring, a letter arrived from Annapolis. Dad was working late. My mother got his secretary to put me through. I can’t remember what he said. I only remember overhearing him on the kitchen phone later that night, telling a fellow senior officer the news. That call, more than the many kudos to come, assured me: I’d made him proud. Hence the rest of my father’s words in Tecumseh Court came as a surprise. “You know who you are,” he had said again, after we stopped and he turned to me. “So, if you ever want to leave this place, just come home.” His blue eyes held mine. “But don’t come home because it’s difficult,” he said. “It is going to be very difficult,” I barely heard the screaming in Bancroft Hall now. These were the words that he had come to say, the reason he had guided me away from my worried mother. “Come home only if there is something you cannot morally abide.” What transpired in his career to elicit this warning I didn’t know. I had grown up seeing him as a dad: mowing a lawn, loading a dishwasher, ﬁxing a broken appliance, bowing his head at Sunday Mass. The ethical vagaries of professional life lay, as yet, uncharted for me. He had made it look easy. “If at any time you cannot reconcile something with your values,” he said, “then forget how proud we all are. Forget all the parties that were thrown in your honor. Forget it all and come home.” I heard the shrill ﬁrsties beyond the brass doors. Ahead of rank, career and achievement, my father was telling me, hold fast to your integrity. I saluted. I headed toward the noise. I didn’t look back. a Susan (Fink) Yoshihara ’86 is president of the American Council on Women Peace and Security and lives in Northern Virginia with her husband and their two school-aged daughters.

“I was suspended in two places at once: the unmitigated security and acceptance I felt, had always felt, at my father’s side, and a foreboding unknown of unchecked, menacing opposition.”

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 37

CLEAR THE DECK

The responses from alumni who shared their experiences about their sponsor families were so strong for the October issue of Shipmate, we are publishing a second round. Sponsor families offer a “home away from home” for midshipmen and those relationships often extend past four years in Annapolis. For many, those relationships last a lifetime. Here is a second sampling of alumni sponsor family memories.

son, my husband, and I will always hold a special place in their hearts and home. When I returned in September for my 25th reunion, I stayed with my sponsors—after my parents visited my sponsor-sister in Louisville in August. We truly are family with one another after this many years! —Jo Roy Brooks ’96

Generous and Genuine I met Al Madigan in 1980. I was in the Class of 1982. At the time I met Al, he was a widowed father of five, still raising three of the five at home. Al was a veteran of both World War II and the Korean War and a true believer in service. Despite having more than enough on his hands, he sponsored me and eventually hosted a large percentage of my company (15) on the weekends over the course of the next three years. This included a memorable service selection night and a June Week graduation party that included our dates and parents. He continued to sponsor mids for the next 17 years. Al was probably one of the most generous and genuine people I have ever met. We remained close friends for the next 41 years. Al died in January 2021, at the age of 96. Although Al is gone, Chuck Gepford ’82 with his sponsor he has left those of us who knew Al Madigan at the Fleet Reserve Club in him with great memories! Annapolis for Blue Angels 2018. —Chuck Gepford ’82

Lifelong Ties I had two sponsor families while at the Academy. The first, while well-intentioned, just never clicked. The second began at the invitation of a fellow Class of ‘90 plebe to visit his sponsor family. Fast-forward 34 years later, and the ties that were forged when I was 19-years-old are still strong. Don and Carol Nelson offered a welcome home away from home, a respite from the strict rules and rigor of the Academy ... at least for a few hours on a Saturday or Sunday, or a full weekend as I gained more liberty time as an upperclassman. It was also a safe and healthy place to nurture friendships with other classmates outside the strict confines of the Naval Academy. Our friendship continued over the years, and we kept in touch. They visited when I was stationed in Texas and Portugal, and I did the same when I was back in the D.C. area. Our friendship has grown and matured over the years, much like a parent-child relationship. My hat is off to whoever developed the Academy’s sponsor program: a stroke of genius by any measure. —Captain Brian A. Hoyt ’90, USN (Ret.) ®

Truly Family My parents and I met my sponsors during Plebe Parents Weekend in August 1992—a random assignment between a Naval Officer commissioned out of Ohio State and his wife (both originally from Ohio)—and a Class of 1996 plebe from Ohio. It has now been a family-wide relationship for 29 years … a connection of a lifetime that originated over crabs at Cantler’s. I was fortunate enough to spend many hours eating and sleeping at my sponsor’s house as a midshipman—and my family was always welcome to stay with them when they were visiting the Naval Academy and Annapolis. Likewise, my family reciprocated hosting when my sponsors and their children visited Ohio over the years. I was also fortunate enough to be living in Annapolis from 2004-2008 when my husband was stationed at the Academy. During this time, I had my son—and my sponsors became “grandparents” for the first time! I was grateful to have my sponsor-mom living less than a mile away … especially because my mom was seven—hours away in Ohio! My sponsors have gone on to have three beautiful grandchildren from their wonderful daughters (my sponsor-sisters)—but I’m grateful that my

38 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

PHOTO COURTESY OF CAPT BRIAN A. HOYT ’90, USN (RET.)

PHOTO COURTESY OF CHUCK GEPFORD ’82

Sponsor Families

CAPT Brian A. Hoyt ’90, USN (Ret.), forged a lifelong friendship with his sponsor parents Don and Carol Nelson. The Nelsons visited CAPT Hoyt and his wife, Tammy, in Portugal in 2017.

This issue’s question: What was the best ﬁnancial advice you received post-commissioning? Please send responses (200-word maximum) to Managing Editor Jimmy DeButts at: jimmy.debutts@usna.com. Submissions have been edited for length and Shipmate style.

ALUMNI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

THE BEST SEAT IN THE HOUSE THE CLASSIC CAPTAIN’S CHAIR A true classic, the USNA Captain’s Chair is crafted of kiln-dried solid maple hardwoods. They make great gifts and are available with up to 2 lines of personalization.

Visit www.usna.com/shop for these and other wonderful items for yourself or a friend.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 39

ALUMNI PRODUCTS AND SERVICES

Whether you are looking to travel domestically or internationally, we have a trip to fit your style. D-Day: The Invasion of Normandy 3-9 June 2022

Dutch Waterways—Featuring Floriade 15-23 April 2022

Flavors of Northern Italy 21-29 May 2022 We look forward to celebrating 50 years of travel with you in 2022. For more information on these tours and all of our 2022 tours, visit www.usna.com/travel-2022

40 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

CLASS NEWS ’38

Life Membership: 0% Donor Participation: 0% Sec’y: Donald E. Brown Son of CAPT C. Donald Brown, USN (Ret.) 4105 Elizabeth Ln., Fairfax, VA 22032-1453 p: 703-978-4571; e: donaldbrown@earthlink.net

’39

Life Membership: 50% Donor Participation: 0% Vice Pres: CAPT Chip Seymour, USN (Ret.) Son of Harry A. Seymour 309 Melvin Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 c: 410-279-9195; e: seymour65@comcast.net Sec’y: Barbara Fidel Adams Also Sec’y for ’39 Navy Juniors Daughter of Jack and June Fidel 215 Ikerd Dr., Concord, NC 28025 p: 704-784-3876; e: adamsjimr@aol.com Thirty-Nine On Line: Barbara Fidel Adams e: adamsjimr@aol.com

Nov-Dec ’39 Shipmate column is a tale of two, great Naval AviatorsJack Fidel, ’39 and Dixie Kiefer,’19. This issue of Shipmate should be arriving in your homes the first week of December. December has great significance for the Fidel family. On 5 December, 1916 my dad, Jack Fidel was born in

’39: VT 80 patch illustration

Telluride, Colorado. He entered the United States Naval Academy in 1935 and graduated 1 June, 1939. He and his ’39 Classmates sailed with the mighty Pacific Fleet to Hawaii in 1940, to be based in Pearl Harbor. He met my mother, June Rooney in Honolulu. In April 1941, Jack transferred off OKLAHOMA (BB-37) to report as Gunnery Officer aboard USS SOMERS (DO- 381), home ported in Charleston. SOMERS primary mission was to search for German submarines, which were operating off the East Coast. 7 December, 1941 the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor. Jack had been corresponding with June Rooney quite regularly, and in early January, 1942 he sent June a Western Union telegram asking her to “come to Charleston and become Mrs. Fidel.” She sent him a wire which read: “I accept your proposal, but I don’t even know how to make coffee!” Jack wired her back and said: “Nothing to worry about, am taking a correspondence course in cooking.” They were married in St. Michael’s Episcopal Church on January 21, 1941. Completing flight training in New Orleans, Jack was sent to Pensacola for advanced flight training in TBMs, and then in May 1943

“But still when two or three shall meet, and old tales be retold...” received orders to Naval Air Station Fort Lauderdale as a flight instructor for torpedo pilots. He was told he would be receiving orders to a squadron on the West Coast, and while awaiting those orders, Jack celebrated his 27th birthday on 5 December. In early January of 1944, Jack received orders as Executive Officer of Torpedo Squadron 80 at Naval Air Station Quonset Point. Air Group 80 was scheduled to go aboard TICONDEROGA (CV-14) recently commissioned and scheduled to sail to the Western Pacific. VT-80 flew aboard TICONDEROGA for a shakedown cruise and went into Norfolk for minor repairs, discovered during that shakedown cruise. June joined him there in August and the ship deployed to WestPac in September. As Jack tells it in his Memoirs… “VT-80 was quite a party Squadron. We would think of all kinds of reasons to have a celebration. When we were thinking of reasons to have another party, I said - ‘we can celebrate my birthday’. The squadron members thought that was a great idea, and we celebrated my birthday many times. Captain Dixie Kiefer was the Commanding Officer of TICONDEROGA. He allowed the three squadrons of Air Group 8o to bring their party supply of liquor aboard the “Big T” and store under lock and key in a stateroom he designated. These

liquor supplies were to be used only for social events authorized by the commands and approved by Capt. Kiefer. VT-80 brought aboard the most liquor. This prompted Captain Dixie to remark: ‘You torpedo boys must think that we are headed out for one hell of a party!’ After several months, he collared me and said‘Just how many birthdays do you have Mr. Fidel! Ensign Higman helped me write a version of the song Dixie, which we sang for the Captain when he was invited to our parties”… …’He’s a grand old man who’s not forgotten, he’ll lead us now where things are a poppin! ...Look Away, Look away, look away, Dixie man. …On Dixie’s ship, where we will be the men who sail the mighty “T” …Look away, Look Away, Look Away Dixie Man. …Oh we’re proud to sail with Dixie, Hooray! Hooray! …With Dixie Man, we’ll take our stand to live and fight for Dixie… Away! Away! We’re one and all for Dixie Away! Away! We’re one and all for Dixie!’

’39: Cartoon drawn by Ensign Vern Higman to illustrate the esprit de corps of VT-80 and the friendly, competitive within Carrier Air Group Eighty, ‘CAG-BO’ Squadrons

Donor participation numbers as of 30 September 2021.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 41

39/39 CLASS NEWS Captain Dixie Kiefer,’19 was a great Commanding Officer and a great Naval Officer. Here are some excerpts from a June 2019 submission to Shipmate by Capt. David Proyer ’71, USNR (Ret.) with special thanks to David Rocco, author of The Indestructible Man (Erin Press 2017): “The Class of 1919 was graduated and commissioned a year early in June 1918 because of the demands of WWI. His first assignment was to CORONA, a converted motor yacht that escorted convoys and patrolled the Channel and French Coast from 1917 until war’s end. In 1922 he requested aviation duty, and after pilot training he reported to Aircraft Squadron, Battle Fleet as a seaplane pilot. He then served as a flight instructor at Pensacola, and in 1929, reported aboard LEXINGTON (CV-2). In the 1930’s, his career was interrupted by two accidents, but by May 1941 he was Executive Officer of WRIGHT (AV-1), which was underway between Pearl Harbor and Midway on 7 December.” “In another reminder of how different things were, though the Navy was officially dry then as it is now, Kiefer convened regular drinking parties for pilots aboard the carrier, calling them the ‘YORKTOWN Cocktail Club’. “ “YORKTOWN fought as part of Task Force 17 in the Battle of the Coral Sea. On 4 June, 1942, both YORKTOWN and LEXINGTON were hit. Kiefer received the Distinguished Service Medal for his ‘sound judgement, thorough planning and indefatigable zeal, unbounded enthusiasm and courageous example.’ YORKTOWN survived, but badly damaged, returned to Pearl Harbor. The ship was hastily patched in only three days and sent back to seaheaded for Point Luck and iimmortality. The Battle of Midway was the turning point of the Pacific War. The Japanese Carrier, HIRYU plastered YORKTOWN with three bombs. Wounded, Kiefer ran to the hanger deck and knocked the fire down with a hose when torpedoes slammed into the hull. The Commanding Officer, Capt. Elliott Buckmaster, ’12 gave the order to abandon. YORKTOWN was still afloat the next morning, and Buckmaster

sent Kiefer back aboard in charge of a damage control party to try to save her. Kiefer managed to stabilize her, but on 6 June, under tow, YORKTOWN was torpedoed again and Kiefer had to abandon ship a second time. Injured on the line he was descending, Kiefer kept fighting through to make sure the sailors in his rafts were picked up. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross and Navy Cross for his heroism aboard YORKTOWN. The Secretary of the Navy, James V. Forrestal, called Kiefer ‘the indestructible man’ when awarding him the Distinguished Service Medal for his heroism in the Pacific Theatre.” “After his recovery and light duty at training commands in the continental United States, Kiefer took over as CO of the newly constructed TICONDEROGA (CV-14), commissioned June 1944. As a Commanding Officer, Dixie was jovial, approachable and enjoyed a strong cocktail and a good party; however, in no way did he condone slackness; he trained his men hard, but also believed that sports, relaxation and the occasional drink together promoted bonding and eased wartime stress. ‘Cap’n Dixie’ preferred the open bridge where his men could see him. TICONDEROGA reached the Pacific in October 1944. Operating from Ulithi Atoll with Task Force 38, through November and December, she pounded Luzon, Japanese convoys and the Manila Bay area, dodging Kamikazes.”

and ran under ship, amidships. Destroyer then sunk by bombs. My wingman, Ensign Jensen in BM-108 shot down by Japanese.” - Nov. 5, 1944: “Made glide bombing attack on Zablon Airfield on Luzon, held by Japanese forces. Dropped twelve 100lb bombs and destroyed one Japanese airplane (Betty) and some barracks.” - Nov. 6, 1944: “Made high level (8000’) bombing attack on Cruiser, Destroyers and shipping behind Manila Breakwater. Anti-Aircraft fire very intense.” - Nov. 11, 1944: “Made torpedo attacks on Japanese Cruisers and Destroyers in Ormac Bay. Several ships hit. LTjg O’Reilly shot down. – Nov. 13, 1944: “Made glide bombing attack on piers, warehouses and installations around Manila Breakwater area. Dropped my 2000 lb bomb on large storage tank which exploded.” – Nov. 14, 1944: “Made glide bombing attack on piers, warehouses at mouth of Pasig River. Results unknown because of heavy anti-aircraft fire and smoke.” -Nov. 25, 1944: “Made glide bombing attacks on Japanese Convoy east of Santa Cruz, Luzon. Scored direct hit on large LSM, which sank. I was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for this attack.” *** ( Among Jack’s subsequent medals were included a second DFC

Jack Fidel, in his Flight Log, related the following about those operations:

- Nov. 5, 1944: “Made torpedo attack on Japanese Destroyer of the FUBUKI class. Torpedo set too low

42 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

‘39: Jack Fidel in the cockpit of his TBM Avenger

with Gold Star, Air Medal, Presidential Unit Citation with Gold Star, Atlantic and Pacific Theater with Four Stars, Korean Service Medal, Philippine Liberation Medal with two stars, Philippine Presidential Citation, and the Legion of Merit) Jack continued in his Memoirs: “I received orders 23 December to USS HORNET (CVA- ) as Commanding Officer of Torpedo Squadron 11 – former CO shot down during attack on Philippines.” Thus ended the wonderful association of these two, great Naval Aviators. Both were featured in the Academy Award winning 1944 documentary, “The Fighting Lady”. In the movie, Jack Fidel is seen in the Ready Room with members of VT-80 getting briefed for a flight mission. “Captain Dixie” is seen addressing his crew…. “Men, as soon as I finish talking we are getting underway…as you know, our final destination is a place called Tokyo. We will have to fight hard to get there; but when we drop our hook in Yokohama, I’m going to throw a party. All hands are cordially invited!” Commodore Dixie Kiefer and Captain Jack Fidel were both buried with full military honors in Arlington National Cemetery- Dixie on 16 November 1945, and Jack on 21 March, 2009. As had Pilot Officer John Gillespie Magee, Jr (author of “High Flight”), both of

39/44 CLASS NEWS these Naval Aviators “slipped the surly bonds of earth…danced the skies on laughter-silvered wings… put out their hands…and touched the face of God.” Respectfully submitted, Barbara Fidel Adams ‘39 Class Secretary

’40

Life Membership: 0% Donor Participation: 0% Corr Sec’y: Dr. Virginia Trimble Widow of Dr. Joseph Weber e: vtrimble@uci.edu p: 949-824-6948 ; fax: 949 824 2174

Dr. Virginia Trimble (e: vtrimble@uci.edu) shares: Good news, anyone who is out there! Another class of ‘40 widow has surfaced. She e-writes: M My son and I just noticed the post in the 1940 class news in the current Shipmate. I am the widow of Capt. Ralph Gerber USN (Ret.).We were married in 1970. He passed away in 2004, with services held at the USNA Chapel. The USNA was always close to his heart, as were his shipmates and their families. We attended the reunions every five years as a family from 1970 to 2010. (He and I had 3 children and 6 grandchildren). Ralph entered the Academy at age 16 and was one of the youngest graduates. I believe he was sixth in his class, though it may have been 4th. He retired voluntarily when his last assignment was to close the Brooklyn Navy Yard. Ralph and I remained very close to many classmates, and we always thought of them as our closest friends. Ralph was extremely close to John McMullen (also class of ‘40) and worked with him when he retired from the Navy, we moved to Florida in 1970 to run one of Mac’s shipping companies. So glad to hear you are keeping the class of 1940 alive. Rowena Gerber (widow of Ralph Gerber, frlgerber@gmail.com)

(but I think Joe Weber must have come in around number 20, below Ralph Gerber) If there are other 1940 widows and/or children out there, please let us hear from you! Virginia Trimble, widow of Joseph Weber (skiper of the SC 690, after the Lexington went down at the Battle of the Coral Sea) Only ‘40 is 4.0.

’41

Life Membership: 25% Donor Participation: 0% Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com

’42

Life Membership: 50% Donor Participation: 0% Pres: CAPT John (Jack) C. Crawford Jr., USN (Ret.) 11405 Farmland Dr., Rockville, MD 20852 p: 301-881-4268; e: jcraw71544@aol.com Vice Pres/Sec’y: Joan Curtis Wife of the late CDR Richard E. Curtis, USN (Ret.) 14518 Faraday Dr., Rockville, MD 20853 p: 301-989-8885; e: joan@jfcurtis.com

Hello Class of ’42 Classmates, Family and Friends, NOVEMBER AND DECEMBER ARE HERE AND THAT BRINGS

ARMY /NAVY FOOTBALL GAME!!!!!! IN MEMORANDIUM BERNICE (Beez) GLENDENNING JONES, 95 passed on June 12, 2021, in California. Bernice was the wife of the late Navy Pilot CAPT. Samuel Jones for 44 years. She was a graduate of Lincoln High School and Stanford University Class of 1947. Beez dedicated her life to service and was a lifelong volunteer of YMCA and Cupertino Historical Society & Museum. Beez was the daughter of an early canning-industry captain, George Glendenning, she was committed to the valley and the open space initiatives. She was affectionately known as “Chatty Kathy,” and always welcomed everyone around her with a friendly handshake and a heartfelt “Hello”. She was a loving mother of three children and eight grandchildren. JEAN SORTORE SMITH, 103, passed on August 24, 2021 in Decatur, Georgia. Jean was the wife of the late Paul B. Smith, USN (Ret.). Jean was born in Pittsburgh, PA, and moved to Georgia as a child, attending Girls High School and graduated from the University of Georgia with a B.S. degree in Home EconomicsClothing and Textiles. They married following his graduation from the United States Naval Academy. After World War II, Jean accompanied

Paul on his Navy assignments in Maine, Florida, California, Virginia, Georgia, South Carolina, Washington. DC as well as overseas assignments in Iran and Guam and travelled extensively for pleasure. Jean was a homemaker to their four children and worked in retail stores Woodward & Lothrop and Chickabee’s for more than Twenty years. Jean served her community through memberships in the Breckenridge Garden Club, St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church, where Jean and Paul were members for over forty years, Naval Officers Wives’ Club and many more. Jean is survived by her four children, nine grandchildren and twenty-five great grandchildren. Funeral Services will be held at St. Bartholomew’s Episcopal Church at a later date and Jean will be interred alongside her husband, Paul, on the grounds of the Naval Academy. Our prayers and thoughts are with the families of the Class of ’42. WISHING EACH AND EVERYONE OF YOU A BLESSED THANKSGIVING AND HAPPY HOLIDAY SEASON WITH FAMILY AND FRIENDS. GO NAVY!!!! BEAT ARMY!!!!! Joan Curtis ’42 Class Vice President /Secretary

’43

Life Membership: 20% Donor Participation: 0% Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com

’44

Life Membership: 37% Donor Participation: 16.67% Shipmate Corr Sec’y: William “Bill” Wakeland 9019 Antietam Dr., San Antonio, TX, 78239 h: 210-646-5870; e: wrwake@satx.rr.com

Good News, Heard from Bob Dval, son of our classmate, Harold N. Hval. The good news is that Harold is alive and 101 years old. I’ll quote his informative e-mail.

Both Rowena and I have lost track of our husbands’ copies of the USNA alumni volume, and so cannot swear to their ranks in the class ’42: Army-Navy Game Day

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 43

44/47 CLASS NEWS M Hi, My name is Bob Hval. My father, Harold N. Hval, class of ‘44, celebrated his 101st birthday last month. He is in assisted living in Tucson, AZ. Dad served in the South Pacific on the NASHVILLE as a fire control officer. After the war he served as an instructor at the mine school in Norfolk. He left the Navy in 1948. Worked as a technical writer, and later in real estate. He really enjoyed the USNA cap the Alumni Association sent him for his 101st Birthday. I still watch the Army -Navy game with him. Go Navy! Beat Army!

Harold N. Hval

It’s nice to have a family member to keep in contact with his classmates for him, and also be 101. Note the cap. Bill Wakeland, wrwake@satx.rr.com, 210 646 5870

’45

Life Membership:70% Donor Participation: 16.67% Vice Pres: LtCol William P. “Bill” Cosgrove, USMC (Ret.) 10450 Lottsford Rd. #5016, Mitchellville, MD 20721 p: 240-770-7333; e: billcos45@yahoo.com Corr Sec’y: Bonnie Boyd Daughter of CAPT E. L. Cochrane, Jr. ’45 4606 Marble Rock Ct., Chantilly, VA 20151 p: 571-342-2266; e: bonnieboyd2266@gmail.com

Ted Cochrane (left) is honored by Pastor Tom Joyce at Immanuel Bible Church

’45 Class Zoom Meeting, September 15, 2021

Wednesdays at noon EST (9:00 AM PST) for some interesting conversations on Navy football, of course, and nostalgic stories of long-ago tours of duty. Email your class scribe to receive either a Zoom link or phone call instructions. The Zoom meeting pictured above consisted of (top row, L-R) Mike Taylor (our Zoom host), Ted Cochrane, Nancy Taylor (widow of Thad Taylor), (bottom row, L-R) Rosemary Hsu-Brooks (widow of Don Brooks), and Charlie Sobel. Not pictured is Bill Geiger who had also attended this meeting. Sadly, since our last ’45 Class column was published, three classmates have died: James Richard Wiggins who passed away in Fairfax, VA on July 30, 2021; Henry Ashton Ramsay Peyton who passed away in New London, CT on Aug. 15, 2021; and Francis “Frank” Lloyd Sheahen who passed away in Highland Park, IL on August 16, 2021. Our thoughts and prayers are with the families of these classmates. Your scribe received more photos of Robert “Bob” Beresford Williams who celebrated his 100th birthday on June 23, 2021. The family writes that Bob attended four birthday parties and he gave a speech which he has turned into an article on how to live to be 100.

Website: www.usna.com/classes/1945

Weekly meetings of your ’45 Classmates and their widows are still held via Zoom since we are unable to gather at the Officers Club at Ft Myer due to Covid restrictions. Please try to join us on Bob Williams turns 100 years! 44 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

The next photo shows Bob being honored at the birthday party given by his Rotary Club.

Do you have photos to share of your memorable birthday or other celebratory event? Then please send them to your class scribe using the above email address. As always… Look Alive with ‘45!

’46

Life Membership: 42% Donor Participation: 43.75% Vice Pres: Larry Baldwin 13708 Leland Rd., Centreville, VA 20120 p: 703-631-9817; e: owl22@cox.net Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com DEFENDI RESPUBLICAM ADOLESCENS, NON DESERAM SENEX

A festive Bob Williams at his Rotary Club celebration

Another classmate who also celebrated his 99th birthday in style was Edward “Ted” Lull Cochrane, Jr. Although his official birth date is July 17th, Ted’s Sunday School class at Immanuel Bible Church in Springfield, VA surprised him with cake and gifts on August 15, 2021. Reading Ted’s service bio to the class was USNA class of ‘79 grad and church pastor Thomas “Tom” Joyce (CAPT, USN Ret.).

’47

Life Membership: 85% Donor Participation: 52.94% Pres: CAPT Jack M. Stevens, USN (Ret.) 200 Ankersa Way, Hunt, TX 78204-3400 p: 830-238-4355; e: captjack47@hctc.net Corr Sec’y: Eileen Marousek Daughter of Col. L. Marousek ’47 310 King St., Alexandria VA 22314 p: 703.507.2350 e: eileen_marousek@hotmail.com Tres: Priscilla Myerson Wife of Ed Myerson

Happy & Merry to Forty-Seven!! Hope you are all enjoying and thriving in the world. I would appreciate an update from all of you! Please let everyone know how you are doing. You know how to reach me! So excited as we approach the Army-Navy game time, I was able to facilitate the correspondence between our USNA Class President ‘47 and the Class President West Point ’47 on their memories of the

47/47 CLASS NEWS honored tradition aka The Greatest Rivalry!! CAPT Jack to Col Garcia: The Class Sec’y for USNA ‘47 (via Jo Ann Shipley) shared with me your contact information and thought it might be interesting if we were to connect. Army vs. Navy competition has always been very interesting – a rivalry like no other! I was a Midshipman 1/C when WWII was just ending. I was also a Cheerleader and we tried to initiate a strong rumor at West Point (and USNA) that the President of the US (F.D.R) was going to attend the Navy/Army game in Philly under the strictest security. Somehow, we got a limo and blacked out all the windows. With sirens blaring on a motorcycle escort we entered the stadium and stopped in front of the Navy stands. Two midshipmen with trumpets, sounded a loud fanfare and then out stepped the goat. I remember clearly that I was one of the vehicle guards riding on the limo bumper and carrying a submachine gun. My problem, after the stunt was executed was what to do with a submachine gun in the middle of Baltimore. My solution was to dis-assemble the machine gun, put it in my overnight bag and carry it back to Bancroft Hall. Navy-Army competition has been kept alive for many years and I hope it continues many more. Beat Army! As we approach 75 years at our respective academies, USNA ‘47 would like to wish our West Point compatriots all good things and hope we can keep a dialogue going. We look forward to hearing back from you! CAPT Jack M Stevens, USN (Ret.) & Class President USNA ‘47 COL Garcia returning correspondence to CAPT Jack: As I read the letter from Jack recounting the hilarious prank he and his fellow midshipmen played on the fans at the Army-Navy game (Yes! Army-Navy game is how it has always been referred to at West Point) during his time at the Naval Academy, I found myself reflecting on how a simple football game had remained so important to me over the years. I remember attending one particular game while at West

Point where Army took an early lead over Navy. They were able to maintain this lead throughout the game, so I thought this was a good time to make a quick run to the refreshment stand as to me the game was a sure victory. When I returned Navy was in a clear position to score another touchdown and win the game as we were nearing the end of the fourth quarter. My roommate and I looked at each other and in unison said, “How in the world did this happen to us?” Army did go on to defeat Navy and my classmates and I went back to the Academy to discuss the near loss we had almost suffered. We spent much time discussing the game - the plays, the calls, the refs, the what ifs and whys - and had many heated debates as to how we could have avoided the near loss had we been the coach calling the plays – but in the end we were all united in believing next year Army would again be victorious. After leaving West Point the Army-Navy game continued to be an important annual event for me. Over the years I have shared this tradition with my family – driving to West Point or Philadelphia to attend the game in person when time and distance allowed. When we were unable to go in person, we always made sure we were in front of the TV for the first kickoff. We hosted many a lively party for alumni and friends stationed with us in hope we could cheer our Army team to victory. As the years went by, I realized the true significance of this event was not actually who won or lost the game but that this was a tradition which bonds all of us together, whether you attended West Point or the Naval Academy, graduated recently or years ago. This game brings people together to enjoy a time-honored tradition – classmates, families, and friends – to share in the creation of new and happy memories. And I for one cannot have too many of those in a lifetime! As always go Army! Col. Gonzalo (Buck) Fernandez, USAF (Ret) & Class President USMA ‘47

Chet Shaddeau wrote a beautiful letter to the Class 60 years after Commissioning day. I took a paragraph and resending. A great read for those who never saw his letter: During this seething, churning period, we have seen enormous physical as well as philosophical changes occur, both to the world around us and to the Alma Mater whom we honor today. As has always been the case, there is never complete agreement on whether or not a given change is good or bad. There probably should never be a complete consensus – that way lies stagnation. Most of us can probably agree, however, that whatever it was the Academy itself gave to or did for us as individuals and as a class, it had an irreplaceable part in making us whatever we are today. No matter where we have gone, or what we have done there is always that little bit of us still caught strolling when we should have been doubletiming, or in the wrong uniform, somewhere between “formation” and the late bell on some half-forgotten afternoon back when the world was young and anxiously waiting out there for us to come and meet it toe-to-toe. We learned then how we were expected

to handle things, and looking back from this vantage point, the System apparently did a pretty good job, all-in all. {Couldn’t agree with Chet more :-} 15 years since Chet’s note and we were able to get some ‘47’s together for a Microsoft Teams virtual meeting to say hello on their 75th year after graduating. I have included some photos!! In the photos Jack and Frances Stevens, Hugh and Jackie Minor, Bob and Joan Roche and “Meis” and Harriette Meisel. We got Stan Gary and the Stevens together a week later! What fun to hear and see everyone. I received these beautiful photos that CAPT Dick Gardiner’s boys sent to me after he passed away. One is with his boys William and Robert and another of Dick on a carrier deployment. So special – he will be missed!

’47

’47 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 45

47/49 CLASS NEWS

Final Hours: It is my sad duty to notify you of the passing of your Classmates John Turnier, Phil Smith and wife Claire Teply (Tom). May they all Rest in Peace. That’s all for now Team ‘47! Look to the next Shipmate for more updates. I love receiving your notes in my mailbox, so please don’t stop sending them! Yours loyally for ’47. “FoBotS” (Fan of Best on the Severn) OX, Eileen

’48

Life Membership: 47% Donor Participation: 14.74% Sec’y/Webmaster: John Tsiknas 16061 Avenida Venusto, Apt. E218 San Diego, CA 92128-4414 p: 858-451-0967 e: johntsiknas@att.net Website: http://1948.usnaclasses.com

I received the following from Linda Postenrieder: M “I’m Linda Postenrieder ‘82, Puget Sound Chapter President. I wanted to let you know that your classmate, Carlton “Angus” McDonald, was our guest speaker in our monthly Speaker Series. He did an outstanding job. This will be in the Puget Sound Chapter column — but thought it would be fun to have your class know of his success. Here’s the overview: USNA Speaker Series: Wednesday, July 21, 2021, In July, CAPT Carlton “Angus” McDonald ‘48 USN (Ret.) gave us a comprehensive overview of today’s WA State/USA power status and provided interesting insight into his recommendations on curbing climate change and the types of power we need for the future. Angus commanded nuclear submarines. He was the Gold crew CO of the USS ULYSSES GRANT

SSBN 631. He was in charge of all sea trials for both crews before launching her in 1963. After leaving the Navy in 1970, Angus had a distinguished civilian career at Exxon Nuclear Company in Bellevue, WA and with the Washington Public Power Supply System. He’s a believer in renewable power like wind and solar. He also advocates to bring nuclear power back into our grid.” Thanks, Linda, for a wonderful glowing report – John Since the last issue of Shipmate, we learned of the loss of the following classmates and wives: Classmates: T.F Dedman, 13th Co. 07/26/2021 C.S. Davis, Jr., 17th Co. 08/09/2021 R.E. Wilson, 1st Co. 08/02/2021 R.P Smith, 5th Co. 08/19/2021 Wives: Elizabeth Reed 06/18/2021 Dolores Lally 03/24/2021

’49

Life Membership: 64% Donor Participation: 17.53% Pres: CAPT Richard A. (Rick) Claytor, USN (Ret.) 701 King Farm Blvd.,#203, Rockville, MD 20950 e. retxnavy@aol.com Exec VP & Treas: CAPT Richard A. (Al) Frost, USN (Ret.) 6516 Bellamine Ct., McLean, VA 22101-1481 Sec'y: Ursula Vosseler 2214 Chesapeake Harbour Dr. Annapolis, MD 2140 e. navygolfergirl@gmail.com Webmaster: CAPT Richard A. (Rick) Claytor, USN (Ret.) Website: www.usna-class49.org

PAUL LARIC Although you will be reading this several weeks after the passing of Paul, our beloved class secretary, it is very fitting that we remember him in our class column. He served as secretary to ’49 for the last decade and was without peer in his command of the English language and in his consummate ability to develop interesting material for the

46 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

column, created by many of our classmates, but also by himself (for the latter see a humorous article in the Shipmate issue of September 2021). When he decided to retire from his secretarial chores earlier this year because of arthritic pain in his writing hand and shoulder, the class agreed he should be made Honorary Secretary of the Class of 1949. Paul was recruited for the job by our late class president, Mickey McDonald, shown with him in this photograph taken at the 2009 60th reunion. Mickey’s daughter, Devon, wrote that after her father died, Paul wrote her several letters telling stories about his days at USNA when her dad was his roommate – she added “what a wonderful man and wonderful life!” Other tributes from classmates came in. John Bacon wrote that Paul and “wife” Mickey were companymates with rooms above Goat Court in the old 19th Company and that Paul graciously hosted in New York, where Paul lived, a small gathering of the 19th Company plebes including Fred Grabowsky, Pete Plank, Dave Sprague, and John with his wife Liz. John confirmed what many of us knew that Paul was a multilinguist – as Paul’s Shipmate article noted: Slovenian, Serbo-Croatian, French, German, and Russian. John Camp wrote that Paul was the kind of companion one longs for finding who will remain a constant friend for a lifetime. John said that we did things together as midshipmen and continued our contact by phone and mail when apart, adding that we enjoyed each other’s company by just being together, sitting side by side without even saying a word to one another. “What more could we ask for as a friend!” Commenting on Paul’s role as Class Secretary, John noted that his decade of service was enhanced by the astute assistance of Ursula Vosseler, another classmate’s widow, who together turned out newsworthy composition into an experience that was rewarding, fulfilling, and fun.

Paul died on September 9th 2021. In the words of his beloved wife, Dodo, they were “married for 71 wonderful years filed with joy, love and laughter.” The Class of 1949 will truly miss him.

Mickey McDonald (right) with Paul Laric

From the President In the previous issue of Shipmate, I mentioned that I had submitted to the Naval Academy Athletic Association the names of several highly accomplished athletes from our class who our class considered to contribute in a significant way to the athletic program. This was in response to a request from the NAAA Director Chet Gladchuk so that these former midshipmen could be honored by displaying their names in the newly created Ron Terwilliger ’63 Center for Student-Athletes in Ricketts Hall. Our class column in this previous Shipmate issue provided the detailed support for honoring Lee Chambers in Lacrosse. I also nominated three class of 1949 football stars, Reaves Baysinger, Scott Emerson, and Pete Williams. Following is a summary of the supporting information for recognizing these individuals in Football: The varsity football team had a somewhat uneven overall record during our Academy years of 1945-49, but there were some memorable achievements: In 1945, Navy compiled a 7-1-1 record and finished 3rd in the nation. Although we lost to Army the first three years, our record was salvaged in 1948 with a 21-21 tie with an Army team that was ranked 6th in the nation. The 1946 Army-Navy game was arguably one of the greatest games

in the long history of this fabled rivalry. Navy entered this game with only one win while Army was undefeated and ranked first in the nation. This famous Army team was quarterbacked by first team AllAmerican Arnold Tucker with two Heisman Trophy winners in their backfield, Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard. Navy lost this game 21-18 with Navy threatening to score inside the Army 5-yard line as time ran out. Reeves Baysinger will be remembered to Navy supporters everywhere for his outstanding quarterbacking in the aforementioned 1946 Army game which the Army coach, Earl Blaik, reportedly said was the tensest moment he had ever known in college football. Grantland Rice, the legendary sportswriter, said “this was greatest game ever played”. Scott Emerson anchored a strong defensive line and was named co-captain of the team in his first-class year. In the 1946 Army game, there was a memorable play when Army, in possession near midfield decided to rush on fourth down with less than a yard to go. The ball was handed to All-American Doc Blanchard for what was assumed to be a sure first down. However, Scott Emerson leading the Navy line stopped Blanchard, and Navy took possession going on to score its final touchdown. Pete Williams, known as “Pistol Pete”, was the star halfback on the team throughout all four years and was co-captain, along with Scott in 1948. Pete was also a key player in the 1946 Army game. Pete was carrying the ball toward Army’s goal line headed for the winning score when the officials, in a controversial call, ruled that the game ended even though it appeared to Navy fans that Pete went out of bounds just short of the goal line. After his final season at the Academy, Pete, along with Scott, was chosen to play in the New York Herald Tribune College All-Stars game against the New York Giants. Pete was subsequently elected to the College Football Hall of Fame.

’50

49/50 CLASS NEWS

Life Membership: 66% Donor Participation: 14.124% Pres: CAPT Thomas H. Ross, USN (Ret.) p: 410-757-3745; e: thasross@hotmail.com Vice Pres and Exec. Sec’y: CAPT John J. McNally, USN (Ret.) p: 703-765-8808; e: jmcnallyj@gmail.com Treas: Col William K. Rockey, USMC (Ret.) p: 703-842-3153; e:wkrockey@cox.net Email System Mgr: TBD Webmaster: CAPT J. Patrick Kittler, USNR (Ret.) p: 612-481-7948; e: pkittler@me.com Website: http://usna50.mysite.com Reaves Baysinger

Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com

John McNally shares some Sea Stories:

Pensacola’s hallmark: SNJ basic trainers disguised to resemble Japanese Zeros

Scott Emerson #75 with Pete Williams #22

In Memoriam Paul Laric, died September 7, 2021 in New York City, NY. CAPT Charles L. Culwell, USN (Ret.), died August 19, 2021 in San Antonio, TX. CDR Carl “Zeke” Harald Sebenius Jr. ,USN (Ret.), died July 13, 2021 in McLean, VA. CAPT Francis McKee Adams, USN (Ret.), died July 23, 2021 in Mercer Island, WA. RADM Joe Ekelund, USN (Ret), died July 28, 2021 in Monterey, CA.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation.

Hollywood and the Navy, a team! Growing up in North Jersey, Hollywood seemed a distant place to me, a fantasyland, but a source of great Saturday matinee movies. However, as time passed, I learned that, in our Navy careers, we experienced many of the adventures portrayed in Hollywood, and that sometimes, the Navy and Hollywood can prosper together! My movie adventure was fleeting, but memorable. It started at the Flamingo Hotel in Vegas, where I was attending a “tailhook” reunion (an annual gathering of Navy carrier aviators.) I ran into Captain George Watkins, or Gorgeous George, as he was known informally. This handsome, dynamic character, self-described as a consummate Naval aviator, was a gung-ho, ace Navy pilot, and roustabout. He had more carrier landings than anybody! So, I was kind of flattered, when the gorgeous one asked me if I wanted to be in the movies. Well, of course!

George was recruiting pilots to fly in a movie, planned by Twentieth Century Fox, to be called Tora Tora Tora, which, you’ll recall, was the Japanese code name for the surprise attack on Pearl Harbor! I signed up! A few weeks later, I received the call to report, not to Hollywood, but rather to the nearby Los Alamitos Naval Air Station. Taking leave from my squadron in San Diego, I left to join the cast. George had assembled 20 of us to fly the Japanese Navy attack aircraft. Actually, these aircraft turned out to be Pensacola’s hallmark: SNJ basic trainers, in which we had learned to fly, but disguised to resemble Japanese Zeros, dive bombers, and torpedo bombers. Big red rising suns could be seen on fuselages and wings. Fiberglass bombs and torpedoes were attached as appropriate. Mannequins occupied the rear gunner seats. Incidentally, one of the fake torpedoes fell off when taxing down the runway one morning. but was replaced in record time by the Movie crew. We were put up in a nearby motel. A fellow pilot and I were assigned as roommates, but we found to our dismay, that the room sported only a single, king-sized bed! After some discussion, we decided not to complain, since the room was free, it was late, and we didn’t want to rock this magic boat! Later that night, after we had carefully retired in our sides of the king-sized bed, we heard a knock at the door. It was opened, lights went on, and in entered a “young” lady, skimpily dressed, in high heels. She pranced around the room, waving her pink boa for several minutes, but without reaction from the two sleepy incumbents. She finally turned, and with a sigh of disgust at the lack of response, left. So, was this the culture of Hollywood? None of the other pilots had mentioned such a disturbance! We wondered! Undeterred, we reported for duty at 0800 for our initial briefing the next morning . Gorgeous George was in charge, of course, and he laid down his policy for this

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 47

50/50 CLASS NEWS bunch of free-wheeling would-be actors: “If anyone, after a bad night in town, cannot make the morning briefings on time,” he said, “don’t bother, just return home, and know that you are through!” Everyone showed up on time throughout. Issued WWII style cloth helmets and goggles, we thought we looked the part of 1940’s aviators. Thus incentivized, we took to the skies and rendezvoused in formations perhaps undertaken by the Japanese squadrons preparing for the attack. With George in the lead in his “Zero,” our large formations paraded in and around the LA skies. Thankfully, I never heard a response from the vast population below. The second week was carrier time. We flew out to operate off the USS RANDOLPH, an Essex Class carrier loaned (or leased) to 20thCentury Fox and decked out to resemble a WWII Japanese carrier. More large formation flying, simulated landings and takeoffs! We had a fine time, finishing filming on the day before Thanksgiving. On that beautiful day, we were treated to a festive Thanksgiving dinner in a picnic area on the base. It was also payday, and an agent from 20th Century Fox did the honors. This Hollywood paymaster seemed larger than life as he opened up his attache case and conducted an old-fashioned Navy payday. 20th Century Fox came through with rewards for our efforts of 10 days of fun! My honoraria was $1720, a fortune to me, circa 1968! What to do with all that money? Well, as a guy with several daughters who needed music l essons, I bought a piano. Perhaps not exactly what a warrior might purchase, but we all enjoyed it, and I must say that I felt better when I heard that our intrepid warrior leader, Gorgeous George, retired and cultivated orchids! Tora, Tora, Tora was a hit, and showed that anything is possible when the Navy and Hollywood get together! A Plebe Summer Cruise Adventure It was a bright sunny day in May 1946, when our Superintendent, Admiral Ingersoll, announced at

noon meal that two battleships, Iowa and Wisconsin, and the aircraft carrier, KEARSARGE, would host the upcoming midshipman summer cruise to Europe and the Mediterranean. The schedule, of course, was a marked improvement over the Wartime cruises, which, I was told, were conducted within the submarine-safe confines of the Chesapeake Bay. The Brigade erupted into cheers. The cheers got even louder when the Admiral announced the ships’ schedules included calls at several Northern European ports, including Edinbrough, Southampton, Oslo, Copenhagen, and Gothenborg. As a plebe who had never been far from Northern Jersey, (OK, Boot Camp at Great Lakes and NAPS) this sounded wonderful! As the cruise news got back to my family in New Jersey, I received a letter, while embarked, from my uncle, Norwood Potter, a retired Army Reserve Colonel, who had served in Berlin with the postwar occupation administration. He wrote that, when visiting Goteborg, I should convey his respects to his friend, the Baron Von Wombold (or maybe, Count, I forget.) adding that he had gotten to know the family while in Berlin, and, oh yes, there were, two attractive daughters about my age in the family. He also informed me not to worry about the address, just hail a cab and say: “take me to the Von Wombolds” Phil Ryan, agreed to accompany me on this uncertain and unannounced venture. We left KEARSARGE in our best midshipman Uniform of the Day and hailed a cab. Our stated destination startled the driver, giving me the impression that he had concluded that we must be important! He sped out of the city into the countryside. We soon came to a prominent, French Chateau. Entering the open gate, we motored up to the massive front entrance, scattering poultry en route. Climbing the steps, we rang the bell, waiting with uncertain anticipation. A butler appeared at the door. I conveyed to him that we had come to convey Col. Potter’s respects to the Von Wombolds. The butler disappeared. Soon,

48 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Baron Von Wombold appeared, and immediately invited us in. We were ushered into a vast sitting room, and met the family, including the two daughters. They all knew my uncle, Colonel “Potta” they called him, and we were pleased to have the daughters show us around the estate. The girls were a lively and engaging pair. Our tour of the grounds included a visit to the stables, where one of them somehow mounted a horse and charged around, bareback, which impressed this Eastern city boy. We were further impressed when they casually remarked that they had manned an anti-aircraft battery in Berlin during the last days of the War. Soon the pleasant afternoon was over, and we returned to the castle and found a formal dinner table set, awaiting us. It was one of those long banquet tables one expects to see when in a castle. After a few formalities, Phil and I took our seats with the Baron and other family members. I noticed that there were about four wine glasses arrayed at each place, and a waiter clad in a tux stood behind each chair. The dinner started. As each course was served, a black clad arm appeared from behind at my right and poured the appropriate wine. It was impossible to empty the glasses! Though alcohol had been prohibited for me back home, and though I felt I could hold my own with beer in the Navy, the copious wine started to take its toll. So. by the end of the dinner, as it was getting dark (In summertime Sweden!), we announced that we sailors must return to our ship. The Baron accompanied us to the castle door. I offered as graciously as I could to reciprocate his hospitality, and could the girls possibly visit us the next day aboard RANDOLPH? The Baron equally gracious, and with a smile, said No, in a way that didn’t allow for negotiation. He ordered a cab to take us back to the local rail station, where Phil and I boarded the next train into Gothenborg, our car was empty, except for four young Swedish Army draftees sitting at the far end. Phil and I, situated at the other end of the car, were entertained by the

draftees, who sang “Gonna Take a Sentimental Journey…” in English, perhaps for us. Anyway, it was a calming end to a fabulous day. Many years later, my uncle, the retired colonel, and his wife ran into Phil and Bets at the “Space Available” flight desk, in Rota. After talking for a while, they somehow established that Phil was my friend who had visited the Von Wombolds with me on that magic day in Goteborg. “It all came reeling back,” Phil told me, ’50 Recent Activities: M We had nine which was enough to put us in the Board Room. Mark Fruden with sons Scott and Bryant with wife Yolanda, Dick Martin with sons Rick and John and Debby and I. No political discussions; too discouraging. Good weather; shorts and no jackets. —Bill Martin ’50 Class Yearbook John McNally sent out letters concerning the availability of the Class Yearbook to many of the widows and family who, for various reasons, were not on the original distribution list. He received quite a few return letters, and to those he provided a copy. An abbreviated response from the family of our Classmate, Tom George follows: M “Dear Mr. McNally: My mother, Jackie George, shared your recent letter with me. She said, I remember his name. Mom is 92 and has some short-term memory challenges; but in good health for the most part. Still walks a mile every day. She lives in an independent living apartment and I live in a house on the campus of the same senior living community. My Dad, Thomas Benton George, Jr (Tom) passed away 11 years ago. Dad loved his Academy days. He talked about them often to me, especially in the early stages of his Alzheimer’s. Sadly, in the final year of his life, he forgot he had ever attended. I recently wrote about Dad and his time at the Academy. Late in his Alzheimers he shared

50/51 CLASS NEWS with me about Wesley Anthony Brown....the first African American to graduate from the Academy. Apparently, Dad was friends with him. That does not surprise me. I was just amazed that he had never told me the story before. Finally, YES, please mail or email a copy of the history of the Class of 1950. I want to share it with Mom and my entire family. I visit mom every day. Thank you, David George Thanks, and best wishes.

’51

Life Membership: 65% Donor Participation: 17.95% Pres: CAPT Thomas A. Boyce, USN (Ret.) 9014 Belvoir Woods Pkwy., Ft Belvoir, VA 22060 p: 703-780-7525; e: moomapa51@gmail.com Vice Pres: CAPT Bob Small, USN (Ret.) 874 Coachway, Annapolis, MD 21401 p: 410-849-2149; e: rhsusna51@verizon.net Sec’y: Lt Col Wallace G. Christner, USAF (Ret.) 8804 Gibbs Pl., Alexandria, VA 22309 p: 703-780-8632, e: wallace.christner@aol.com Class Fundraiser: RADM Guy Shaffer, USN (Ret.) 7101 Bay Front Dr., #125, Annapolis, MD 21403 h: 410-269-6609; e: ghbs51usna@comcast.net Communications: VADM Robert F. Dunn, USN (Ret) 819 Marshall Lane, Alexandria, VA p: 703-370-9589; e: robtdunn@aol.com Website: www.usna51.com

PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS Tom Boyce It is our sincere hope that you all enjoyed the summer sans the floods, hurricanes, cyclones, and COVID-19 that disrupted so many in this fair land. It is Navy football season and we 51-ers continue a tradition of 69 years—tailgating. Nonagenarianism and pandemic have thinned our ranks and put a damper on this wonderful opportunity for camaraderie and most of the time enjoyable Navy football (but not this year so far). The photo taken at the Air Force game, shows hale and hearty representatives of the following 51 clans—Gambke, Ghysels, Small, and Boyce. We owe a debt of gratitude to Ruth and Bob Small for all they do for the class and especially the VIP parking highlighted by their huge 51 flag we enjoy at each home game. It is a

‘51: Navy v. Air Force ’51 Tailgate

beacon we use to locate the class parking as we enter Gate 5. Appearing in the photo are our son James Boyce and family, Dave Ghysels and OAO Maxine, the Smalls, and the amazing Gambkes and Eileen’s gourmet spread. Barbara and I have been regular attendees since 1971 and have become very nostalgic when remembering our classmates and wives that can no longer join us for the festivities. (Picture of the Tailgate above). WEBSITE Since publication of the September 2021edition of Shipmate there have been eight iterations of news on the class website. Indications are that not many of you check the site, but if you’re at all interested in class news that’s a quicker way of getting it than Shipmate where material has to be to the publisher eight weeks prior to mail out. Please try it. You may like it; and if you don’t, lay into the editor, callsign robtdunn@aol.com or 703-370-9589. CONTACTS One of the nicest things about being a correspondent is that you hear from all sorts of old friends and classmates. In the recent past Larry Treadwell has checked in from Irvington, VA and he, in turn, put me in touch with Art Sundry now living near Chicago. Larry mentioned that both he and Art were 93 years old and when your correspondent volunteered that he too was 93, Larry’s rejoinder was, “1928 was a good year!” So it was. Herb Zoehrer perhaps of a bit younger vintage is a rather regular correspondent from the San Diego area and our ladies,

not to be outdone, are regulars too. That list includes, Barbara Crawford and Jane Kalisch. NEWS BETTER LATE THAN NEVER News that should have been reported earlier: our newest newlyweds were at our 70th reunion, lending a special joy to the occasion. Please greet and congratulate Captain and Mrs. Lowell Stockdale (Stock and Dottie Johnson).

REMINISCENCES Being as how this is football season, who can forget those bus trips to Baltimore to watch Navy football? Our record that year was not very good but liberty in Baltimore after those “Home games,” was something else. Of course, being spoiled and pampered pets of Uncle Sam none of us dared to visit Light Street and all its many “Charms;” “Charms” now disappeared, by the way. This December will mark the 74th anniversary of our Plebe Christmas. Only a few who lived on the West Coast or in Florida flew home (in their new khaki uniforms.) The rest of us took the train or the bus or were close enough or fortunate enough to drive. A large number who hailed from the

Midwest took the train from Baltimore. The B&O spared no expense and provided vintage coaches with hard seats and smoke from the coal fired engine streaming in through the windows, whether open or shut. Adding to the experience was a near-midnight engine change in Pittsburg with the cars ramming back and forth to the tune of hissing steam and track clicketyclack followed by sudden stops that almost threw us to the floor. That set the stage for a fragmented sleep between Pittsburgh and Chicago where we either transferred to another train to take us further on or were met by parents and siblings. After a night on the hard seats, smoke streaming through open windows and still in blue service uniforms now smudged and wrinkled, collars askew and bloodshot eyes we were beyond recognition and a sight to behold. These were the, “Spoiled and pampered pets of Uncle Sam.” In later years, flying or even hitch-hiking proved a vast improvement but, alas, the B&O is no longer with us. OBITUARIES By convention, obituaries are not run in class columns but saved for a section in the back of Shipmate. On the other hand, when available they are posted on the class website. Then, if you’re interested in our statistics or in finding a recent obit, you can check the Necrology page, also on the class website. As of September 23rd, we have lost 604 classmates out of the 725 who graduated including the most recent (then), Bill Surman, Frank Conlon and Ralph Moorehead. Our data on class wives is much less thorough but it has been reported that we recently lost Virginia Valora Vandegrift Black, widow of Don Black and Lois Ann Johnson, widow of Alfred (Bill) Johnson. CATCHING UP Even though our Seventieth Reunion was several months ago, a fair number of pictures have yet to be published. Here are a few of them on the next page.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 49

51/52 CLASS NEWS

’52

Life Membership: 71% Donor Participation: 20.95% Pres: CDR Robert H. Schulze, USN (Ret.) 1017 Towlston Rd., McLean, VA 22102-1116 p: 703-757-0332; e: rhschulze1@verizon.net ERIC AND SHIRLEY NELSON (“The Old Sea Captain”)

Vice Pres: Jack Young 20624 Highland Hall Dr. Montgomery Village, MD 20886-4021 p: 301-208-3550; e: jcy52@verizon.net Sec’y: CDR William J. Laux Jr., USN (Ret.) 2004 Whispering Ridge Dr. Great Falls, MT 59405-7813 p: 406-781-5475; e: wjlaux@verizon.net Treas: Col George W. Lester, Jr., USAF (Ret.) 5400 30th St., N. Arlington, VA 22207-1502 p: 703-241-1989; e: geova@verizon.net

SAM GINDER AND MAX HILL

70th Reunion Cord.: CDR G. Phillip Case, Jr., USN (Ret.) 7452 Spring Village Dr., Apt. 107 Springfield, VA 22150-4947 p: 703-451-3937; e: casep29@gmail.com Webmaste: to be announced Website: www.toughshoes52.org

OUR PRESIDENT (Tom Boyce)

WARREN ROTHMAN

Finally. Another picture from our past.

USS HARDER (SS-568) WITH ERIC NELSON IN THE LEAD. SURFACING

I was unable to participate in the September 2021 Class of 1952 Zoom meeting, but when I learned about Father Chuck Pollak’s presentation, I felt that it should be available not just to the 25 or so Zoom participants, but to all of the Class that we can reach. I asked Father Chuck to furnish me his notes or script, and he obliged immediately. M “As most of you know, several classmates meet monthly on Zoom for about two hours. Recently we have had some excellent talks by classmates in which they discussed an aspect of their military career that was particularly interesting to them or that might have been especially significant. During our September meeting I spoke about the next-to-last assignment I had before retiring in January 1979. It created some interest and Bill Laux asked me to summarize my talk so that it might be included in our column in Shipmate. Not an easy thing to do since the talk took an hour; but let me try. “I was one of the first officers in our class to be interviewed by Admiral Rickover for the nuclear power program. Rickover did not select me, and it was a major

50 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

disappointment. Because I was extremely interested in gaining experience in nuclear submarines, just starting to go into the fleet, I looked for another path to get that opportunity. A couple of years earlier, the President and Congress had agreed that the Number 1 national defense priority was to develop and deploy a new weapons system, nuclear powered submarines that could carry and fire nucleartipped ballistic missiles. I discovered that there was a three-year academic program at the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School that was listed as Guided Missiles. I applied for the program in 1958 and was selected, along with Dick Hart and Ralph Enos. Because of the urgency to get officers qualified in the missile field, the program was compressed to two and one-half years, and it was a difficult challenge, to say the least. Upon completion of the program, in December of 1960, all three of us were assigned to new-construction SSBNs. In my case, I was ordered to John Marshall, SSBN 611, the 9th missile submarine to be built, as the Prospective Weapons Officer. It was exactly the kind of assignment that I had hoped to obtain. Bob Denbigh was to be my Assistant Weapons Officer and, although he did not have the academic background in missiles that I had gotten at the PG School, did an incredibly great job throughout the building process and the Shakedown period and patrols that followed. On shakedown, each crew was required to fire two Polaris missiles which were configured with telemetry instead of nuclear warheads. Since there were two crews on each SSBN, Bob and I were part of the 17th crew to go through that test, and we were the first to fire both missiles perfectly, without a single on-board “Hold”; it was a significant achievement at the time, although in later years it became rather commonplace. “Following one patrol on John Marshall, I was selected by Admiral Rickover for the Nuclear Power Operator Training Program. After that qualification, I was Executive Officer on Sam Houston (SSBN 609) and then Commanding Officer of a nearly new SSBN, the Lafayette

(SSNB 616), for four years. My command ended in April 1970. I then served as Deputy Program Manager and Director of Engineering for a radically new torpedo, the Mk 48 Mod 1, then in development and in competition with a completely different Mk 48 version being developed by another program management office and separate contractor. We won the competition and the Mk 48, modified and improved over the years, is still the submarine torpedo in the field today, 50 years later. “In 1973, my boss, RADM Walt Dedrick, informed me that I was to be interviewed the next day in the Pentagon, by the Chairman of the JCS, ADM Tom Moorer. Admiral Dedrick was not permitted to tell me what the assignment might be but said that he thought I would be very pleased if I were chosen. I was dumbfounded. Why would the Chairman be interested in talking to me? “The next day, at his office, I was informed that ADM Moorer had been called unexpectedly to the White House, and that I would be interviewed by his deputy, VADM “Blackie” Blackwelder. The interview seemed unusual and rather strange. It focused more on my motivations for doing things rather than any accomplishments that I might claim. “Why had I chosen to study guided missiles?” “Why had I indicated a preference for program management rather than another sea duty assignment?” And then a strange question, I thought, “what did I know about Russian history?” “As it happened, I had studied Russian history while at the University of Kansas City before entering the Academy. I had been able to attend a house for juniors and seniors being taught by Alexander Kerensky. Kerensky had been the man who led the overthrow of the Russian Czars in 1917 and he was in charge also of the Russian military then waging war against Germany. Nine months later, Kerensky was overthrown himself by Lenin and Trotsky. I had been fascinated by the course, had read much Russian literature, and had kept up with current affairs in Russia.

52/53 CLASS NEWS “Admiral Blackwelder thanked me and said they would call me if they decided I was the right man for the job. Two days later my boss, RADM Dedrick, informed me that I had been selected, and that I was to be the Senior Naval Officer in the Strategic Negotiations Division of the JCS, involved with the SALT negotiations with the USSR. I later learned that the JCS wanted someone who had advanced education in Missile technologies, had served as a missile officer, had later had a higher command in the missile field, and who had a good knowledge of Russian history. In some crazy way, I had fulfilled all of their blocks! “My indoctrination was intense and detailed. I talked to State Department officials about the history of SALT, the primary issues between the USA and the USSR, current status, and forward objectives. At the CIA, I was given detailed briefings on the Soviet delegation, including their Ambassador Semyonov, the other members of their delegation, and even their interpreters, one of whom had been the man who interrogated Gary Powers after his U-2 plane was shot down over Russia. “Then on to private talks with each of the members of the JCS, particularly the Chief of the Air Force, General George Brown and the CNO, ADM Elmo Zumwalt. The USAF and the Navy were the services directly involved in SALT since those services included nuclear strategic forces. “A few months later I made my first trip to Geneva for direct negotiations with the Soviets. The U.S. team, from delegates to secretaries, were given per diem monies from which we obtained hotel rooms, bought food, etc. The Soviets, in stark contrast, had leased a huge mansion, enclosed by a high fence, and patrolled by armed guards with dogs. The Soviets could not leave their mansion unless at least 3 were in company (the only exception was their ambassador who go take a walk with his bodyguard). “After about two months, our session came to an end. President Nixon sent one of the Presidential planes to Geneva to bring us home, and that was a most interesting

flight, to say the least. All of us were treated as VIPs. We had a fueling stopover in England and all of us who were delegates or advisors to delegates had a special car and driver assigned to us; we could go wherever we desired as long as we were back within 7 hours for takeoff. “Shortly thereafter, the head of our Division, a Col Mel Bowling, USAF, was promoted to BG. There were two O-6s in the office senior to me in date of rank and both had been in the office for a year longer than I, but I was assigned as Chief of the Division. At that point, my job changed rather dramatically. As the Chief of the Division, I became the JCS point of contact with all of the organizations and people involved with SALT. They included persons not only within the National Security umbrella but also the US Senate, since the Senate would be required to confirm any treaty that might be developed. I had frequent meetings with Sen. Henry “Scoop” Jackson, Democrat from the State of Washington, chairman, and the Ranking Member, Sen. Arthur Vandenburg, Republican, from Michigan. Both were statesmen of the highest caliber, interested only in serving the country and wanting to keep well informed as we worked towards a treaty. I also represented the JCS in an interagency working group under the National Security Council and attended frequent meetings in the White House in that capacity. “During my last year in the position, President Nixon was forced to resign because of the Watergate scandal. All of those involved in the SALT process were dismayed. Nixon and Secretary Kissinger had taken personal interest in SALT, and we thought that the process would be severely impacted by the change in US leadership. But to our amazement and great joy, President Ford and Kissinger made a secret trip to Vladivostok a few months later to meet with General Secretary Brezhnev and the USSR Foreign Minister Gromyko. In just a very few days they reached tentative accord on a sweeping agreement that

exceeded our fondest expectations. Unfortunately, however, one provision in their agreement, pertaining to air-launched cruise missiles, was unacceptable to Gen George Brown, who had succeeded ADM Moorer as the Chairman, JCS. As a result, the tentative agreement was scrapped. But that is another story. “I was reassigned a short time later. But the JCS experience in SALT had been extraordinarily interesting. It was not the kind of assignment I had ever envisioned for myself. But there is no doubt that the education I had gotten at USNA, the Postgraduate School, and nuclear power school. the assignments to SSBNs as Weapons Officer, Executive Officer, and Commanding Officer, together had prepared me well. It was a highlight of my life, and I am thankful that I had the opportunity to serve our country in that position.” Phil Case reminds us:

after submission, and is therefore not a source of timely news regarding deaths, final services, etc. Let us hear what is going on in your life. Please send in your news, both by Chapter and individually. Your Classmates would like to know what you are up to.

’53

Life Membership: 66% Donor Participation: 22.49% Pres: CAPT Chris Zirps, USN (Ret.) 1902 Toll Bridge Ct., Alexandria, VA 22308-2447 p: 703-780-6124; E: CZirps53@aol.com Exec Vice Pres: CAPT Alvin S. Glazier, USN (Ret.) 7619 Leith Pl., Alexandria, VA 22307 p: 703-768-2762; e: glophin@aol.com Admin Vice Pres & Corres Sec’y: CAPT Arthur C. Bivens, USN (Ret.) 7448 Spring Village Dr., Apt.323 Springfield, VA 22150 p: 703-270-5940; e: acbivens@aol.com Webmaster: CAPT Paul Dudley, USN (Ret.) e: pdudley@1953.usna.com Website: www.usna53.com

M “Our 70th reunion is planned for April 24 (Sunday) through breakfast on April 27 (Wednesday) 2022, at the Double Tree Motel in Annapolis. 33 classmates plan to attend (all things being equal) along with widows and families. I hope to hear from some more of you. casep29@gmail.com Phil” We continue to receive word of the passing of Classmates, wives, and widows. Received recently: Frederick W. Kraft, CAPT, USN (Ret.), 9 January 2021, San Diego, CA Jack S. McKinley, LtCol, USAF (Ret.), 31 March 2021, Wichita, KS Mary Zobel, wife of William M. Zobel, RADM, CEC, USN (Ret), 17 July 2021, Virginia Beach, VA John W. Kuncas, CDR, USN, (Ret.), 5 August 2021, Export, PA William J. Hipple, CAPT, USN (Ret.), 22 August 2021, Dothan, AL Obituaries are distributed by e-mail, can be found in the Class website, www.ToughShoes52.org, and are published in the Last Call section of Shipmate. I encourage you to refer often to the Class website, as obituaries and other news items are available immediately as they are posted. This column is generally not published until two or three months

President’s Corner. Our 68th Reunion was a huge success. We had a total of 65 attending: 27 Classmates and widows and 38 guests. Because there were few attendees from the same Companies, the reunion provided a wonderful opportunity to mix and meet and exchange experiences with each other. The meal events, tours, and hospitality added venues for meeting others. It was a joy seeing guests pitch in to help when needed. Events included a welcome reception on the 28th, the Memorial Service and a cookout type lunch on the 29th, and finally the banquet on the 30th. We offered two tours during the reunion: a visit to the Class of 1953 Pavilion/Memorial Plaza on the 29th, and the USNA briefing and trolley tour at the Visitor’s Center on the 30th. The new Commandant gave us an inspiring briefing on what was he hoped to accomplish. He was impressive. Attending the reunion were: Andrews, F. (2), Barthelenghi, (2), Brady, F. (4), Crum, P. (1), Dempster, D. (1), Glazier, A. (2), Griggs, N. (2), Hill, E. (4), Hoffman, A. (4), Johnson,

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 51

53/53 CLASS NEWS L. (3), Jones, S. (1), Knight, R. (3), Kuhlmann, D. (2), Lammers, F. (4), Maher, P. (1), Matteson, M. (3), Mayberry, T. (2), Northrop, B. (4), Peters, E. (3), Raffaele, N. (2), Snouse, W. (2), Thalman, K. (1), Tiede, H. (2), Walker, P. (1), Westermeier, J. (2), Wilson, V. (4), Zirps, C. (1). Most everyone that attended looked hale and hearty. A lot of attendees wanted a copy of Earl Griggs Memorial Service comments. I will send to you by mail. Regards, Chris Memorial Remarks by Earl Griggs Greetings Class of 1953, wives, families, widows, and honored guests. Thank you for the privilege of addressing you at this, our 68th Reunion. Thank you as well to my dear wife, Mary Lou who helped me with these remarks, and these days with virtually all I do. It is a joy to be here with you in Annapolis, a place that holds so many memories for us. I appreciate the effort each of you made to be here today in spite of the obstacles of other commitments, distance, a pandemic and age. Gathering today, we remember our departed classmates, celebrate our lives of service and pay respect to the institution that shaped our lives along with the country that extended the opportunity I think we who had the great privilege of being members of the Naval Academy Class of 1953 lived and served in the best of times. My remarks today are about the American nation and culture that nurtured and inspired the Classmates we honor today, along with a few thoughts on our current challenges and hope for the future. At the Naval Academy, we read the Declaration of Independence our forefathers wrote in 1776 and we believed it. We do believe that we are endowed by our creator with certain inalienable rights, among which are: Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of happiness; and most importantly we believe that protecting these God-giving rights is the first and foremost duty of our government. We also believe with Thomas Jefferson that “where the government

’53: Classmates Attending 68th Reunion

fears the people—there is liberty, but where the people fear the government—- there is tyranny”. More importantly, the Bible tells us that fearing God is the beginning of wisdom and also the beginning of our pursuit of happiness. There are six more pages of Earl Grigg’s remarks. You may ask Chris Zirps for the full remarks as above. Pictures from the Reunion Bob and Anne Hoffman’s daughters, Cele Eifert and Christiane Frank came to the Reunion with Anne and they organized the group photo of the classmates in attendance. List Standing (L-R) Max Matteson, Paul Crum, Bob Northrop, Pete Walker, Diet Kuhlmann, F. Knight, Bill Snouse, Chris Zirps; sitting (L-R) Jim Westermeier, Fred Andrews, Herb Tiede, George Barthelenghi, Earl Griggs, Tom Mayberry, Vaughn Wilson, Ed Peters, and Al Glazier. Frank Lammers sent an e-mail with two photos, one with his son’s, (L-R) Ed, Tom, and Frank Jr. The other photo is with (L-R) Al Glazier, Frank Lammers (13), [He missed the Classmates photo] and Fuzzy Knight. Frank mentioned, “We had a great time and hope we will have a great time and hope if we have our 70th reunion. I plan on bringing my daughters, Deirdre, Patty, and Ann.”

Al Glazier, Frank Lammers and Fuzzy Knight

Max Mattison sent six photos, and I used three of them: Max and Ruth Mattison in the USNA Chapel; Max, Ruth, and Ed Peters out on the Chapel steps; and Max next to the Goat near our Class of 1953 Pavilion in the stadium.

Max and Ruth in the USNA Chapel

Max and Ruth outside the Chapel

Lammers Sons, Ed, Tom and Frank

Max next to the Goat 52 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Passing’s John A. Schuerger (22) died October 23, 2020 in Cypress. CA. John opted for the USAF. The Register of Alumni indicated that he was a Captain (Ret.). I called his son, John Jr., and he is passing arrangements…Irma C. Schuerger, wife of John Sr., died September 21, 2018 in Cypress, CA. Survivors include three children and seven grandchildren. Sally J. Dempster, wife of CAPT Darrell D. Dempster USN (Ret.) (16), died July 28, 2021in Annapolis, MD. Sally received of a Master of Science in Nursing from the University of Maryland. She was a Public Health Nurse in Annapolis. She met Darrel through a nursing school friend. The newly married Dempster’s were stationed in Japan from 1959-1963, following many stations. She managed a household while Darrell was deployed in the Vietnam on the USS RANGER (CA-61). Sally earned a Clinical Pastoral Education Certificate at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and also worked as an additions nurse at the Psychiatric Institute of Washington, DC. Survivors include her husband, Darrell of 64 years, four children, and seven grandchildren….* John S. Olson Sr. , CDR, USNR (Ret.) (9), died August 17, 2021 in Tallahassee, FL. John opted for Navy flying and received his wings in 1954 and assigned to ASW squadrons then spent four years as a carrier pilot hunting Russian subs. John remained associated with the Navy through the local US Naval Reserve as a Commanding Officer and carrier pilot. He started a second career in 1960 in the insurance and financial planning field in Tallahassee. He was one of the 15 agents for the 30 years with Travelers. He served as the President of the Florida Economics Club. He was active with the Boy Scouts. John was predeceased by his wife, Anne and his second wife, Mary. Survivors include three sons and seven grandchildren….* James R. Botten, CDR, USNR (Ret.) (21), died September 1, 2021 in Cheshire, CT. James served in the Naval Reserves including a period in the Vietnam War. He was an engineer for Sikorsky Aircraft for

30 years. He was predeceased by his wife, Janet. Survivors include two children and two grandchildren. Caroline B. Hinman, widow of CAPT Albert H. Hinman, USN (Ret.) (6), died September 2, 2021 in Jacksonville. FL Caroline and Al married June 6,1953 at the USNA Chapel. Caroline was the wife of a career Naval Officer. After living in eight different states over a 30-year Naval career, Al retired from the Navy and they settled in Jacksonville, FL. Survivors include a son and three grandchildren….* Frederic A. Mann, CAPT, USAFR (10) died September 3, 2021in Dallas, TX. Fred opted for the Air Force, and he served with fighter squadrons, flying F-86 andF-100. He resigned in 1957 and served in the USAFR until 1966. Fred joined with Texas Instruments in Dallas and started in the production of semi-conductors. Fred’s wife, Wanda of 68 years, predeceased him. Survivors include two daughters and six grandchildren….* M. Staser Holcomb, VADM, USN (Ret.) (13) died September 8, 2021in Edmonds, WA. Staser opted for USN flying service in VS squadrons and 3300+ hours in S-2s. Commanded VS-21 then off to USNPGS for an MS in physics, then a series of assignments in Washington, DC. Back to sea as Exec in USS SARATOGA (CV-60) and to CO USS GUAM (LPH-9). Then a tour as Military Assistant to the SecDefs, then back to sea as Command of Carrier Group One, then Command of the Seventh Fleet and finally US COMEASTLANT. Then retired from the Navy in 1985. In 1986 he joined USAA as a senior executive. He served up the chain to President/CEO. He retired from USAA in 1997. After that he served volunteer work. Survivors include his wife, Joanne, five children, and ten grandchildren. [I took this information from our 50th Year Legacy Book. The family info is 15 years old]….*

* See 50th Year Legacy Book Mail Bag Dick Wright (11) sent a handwritten letter 20 August 2021, M “Greetings from Flat Rock in the mountains of North Carolina where we are enjoying a cool, but wet summer…I have one thing to report. On 30 June 2021, my youngest grandson, George Wright, was inducted into the Class of 2025 at the United States Naval Academy. I was always hoping that one of my grandchildren would attend our alum mater. I am therefore both pleased and proud that he will be in the fourth in five generations to attend the Academy. My grandfather, George Logan, was a member of the Class of 1907, while son Ben was a member of the Class of 1985. Enclosed a photo of myself, George, and son Ben taken about a week before Induction Day…Life continues to treat me kindly, but age does take its toll. My Company, the 11th, is down to only four or five survivors. I keep wondering where all those years went!...I hope this finds you and Marcy well and enjoying a good summer…. Best Regards, Dick This is the last SHIPMATE of 2021. Hope you are well from the pandemic or old age and enjoy you and yours. ~ACB.

Dick, George and Ben

CLASS SECRETARY COLUMN DEADLINES Send to: classnews@usna.com

2022 ISSUE: Mar-Apr ’22 May ’22 June ’22 July-Aug ’22

DUE DATE: Jan 24, 2022 Feb 22, 2022 Mar 28, 2022 May 26, 2022

’54

53/54 CLASS NEWS

Life Membership: 57% Donor Participation: 22.43% Pres: CAPT George V. Zeberlein, USN (Ret.) p: 410-570-3233; e: gvzeberlein@gmail.com Exec VP: MGen William W. Hoover, USAF (Ret.) p: 757-221-0921; e: Hoovsf8@aol.com Sec’y: Mr. Phillip N. Livingstone 718 Appomattox Rd. W., Davidsonville, MD 21035-1909 p: 443-607-8666; e: livingstonep1@verizon.net Deputy Sec’y: LtCol Edward C. Tipshus USMC (Ret.) 8315 Fairway Dr., Worthington Hills Columbus, OH 43235-1148 p: 614-571-5565; e: ed@tipshus.com Treas: CAPT Robert R. Briner, USN (Ret.) p: 757-464-4850; e: bobbriner@cox.net Webmaster: CDR Will H. Croom, USN (Ret.) e: willyaye@gmail.com Website: www.54net.org

From Captain Robert R. Briner, USN (Ret.) who lived in Pearl on Dec. 7, 1941. After reading the class of ‘55 column recording Larry Baldauf’s [who lived down the street from me, in Pearl City] and Anne Parker’s [wife of Ted Parker] accounts of their experiences of Dec 7th, it has prompted me to give a class of ‘54 input, on the 80th anniversary of Dec 7th. To the best of my knowledge, Don Morton, Skid Masterson and I were the only class ‘54 members at Pearl Harbor, on Dec. 7th. Don and I lived in Pearl City. He lost his Dad on Ford Island, during the attack, his Dad was in aviation maintenance. Skid’s Dad was assigned to ARIZONA, but luckily was not aboard that morning. Skid and his family lived in Honolulu, at the base of Diamond Head My brother [7] and I [9] went to school, Monday threw Friday, via US Navy launch, from Pearl City to Ford Island, where a bus carried us around the air station to Kenneth Whiting Elementary School, next to the battleships. You could throw a potato and hit one! That morning, when we heard continual explosions, we went out into the front yard, with our mother, and the Japanese planes were flying low over our house, making their runs on the ships [we could see the

Japanese pilots in their cockpits]. My mother asked the Navy Lt. aviator, next door, “what are these strange planes with the red balls for their markings?” and he told her, “they are the Japanese attacking Pearl Harbor, get your kids to the Sugar Cane fields!” The fields were approximately a mile, just north of Pearl City. We could see the ack ack in the air from the ship’s guns and the large billowing smoke from the battleship ARIZONA. We were not allowed to return to our house in Pearl City, after the attack for security reasons and went by car to stay with Sally Phillips, in Honolulu, whose husband [ Bob Phillips’34] was on the battleship PENNSYLVANIA. My Dad ’30, was the senior duty officer on PENNSYLVANIA, in dry dock. The ship’s chaplain came around that night to let families know if everyone was OK. Dad and Bob Phillips were OK but 18 men were killed, by one bomb on PENNSYLVANIA. When we were allowed to return to our house, days later, the big two-story inn/lodge across the street from our house, had been leveled. My brother and I went through the wreckage and found eating utensils from the lodge and bullets from the plane. It had been a US Navy patrol bomber, shot down by our own “trigger happy” crews, who were shooting at anything flying in the sky. We moved to an apartment in Honolulu and later evacuated back to the states in Feb. ‘42 aboard the SS LURINE [same ship Anne Parker returned on]. Before Pearl Harbor it was a luxury liner and then it had been converted into a troop ship, to get as many civilians out as fast as possible. I am grateful my father survived Pearl Harbor and the Pacific War aboard the PENNSYLVANIA and later as commissioning chief engineer on the air-craft carrier TICONDEROGA, and lived to a ripe old age.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 53

54/55 CLASS NEWS one, leaving behind all the COVID gloom and frustration! “

‘54: Luncheon

Phil Livingstone reports: The Class of 1954 Annapolis area met for the monthly lunch. Contact Bill Greenlaw if you can join in. On Sept. 14th, Phil Livingstone, Bill Land, Bill Greenlaw, and Paul Petzrick attended at the Double T restaurant, as many restaurants were closed for various reasons.

Phil Livingstone and Bill Greenlaw routing for Navy while representing the Class of 1954.

Navy/Air Force Game September 11, 2021 at NMCMS, Annapolis.

’55

Life Membership: 65% Donor Participation: 16.52% Pres: RADM R. R. Fountain, Jr., USN (Ret.) Treas: CDR Robert P. Pirie Jr., USN (Ret.) Sec’y: CAPT Thomas F. Stallman, USN (Ret.) e: staltom@aol.com Corr Sec’y: Frederick Schoenberger e: fredseod@gmail.com Website: http://1955.usnaclasses.com/

Homer Norman Wallin, Jr. (8) passed away on July 8, 2021, in San Francisco, CA. Dennis Joseph Sullivan, Jr. (13) passed away on August 8, 2021, in Falls Church, VA.

Bobby Harold Freeman (20) passed away on August 6, 2021, in Springfield, VA. Elton C. “Buddy” Parker, Jr. (8) passed away on June 22, 2021, in McLean, VA. John Carlo Gonzalez (17) passed away on September 3, 2021, in Wilmington, NC. Update on our 67th Reunion by Bob Fountain, Reunion Committee Chairman “Preliminary arrangements for our 67th Reunion have now been completed and are on the street. Our Fall Newsletter outlined the Reunion Schedule and included a Registration form for you to sign up. After some delay, the Alumni Association has mailed out to each of you a detailed Reunion Plan or “Gouge” with complete information on the Reunion, registration information on our Reunion Hotel, The DoubleTree of Annapolis, and detailed Registration information for the Alumni Association which is acting as our agent for these details. Included therein is such detailed information as the names of you and your guests for name tag purposes and your preferences for significant Reunion meals on the schedule to enhance preparations beforehand. Now we need you to sign up in order to know who and how many are coming. The hotel reservations are of course cancellable and the registration refundable. The only wild card is the COVID resurgence which so far is under control in Maryland. With all of you presumably vaccinated we fully expect to go forward with the Reunion so long as enough sign up. Let’s make this Reunion a grand

A memorial service for Ted Parker was held at the USNA Chapel on Aug. 2, 2021. Those classmates attending included Jerry Nay, Tom Stallman, Don Sturtz, Hugh Seborg, son of John A. Adams, Robin Pirie, Bob Hinton, Bob Fountain, Walter (Spud) Flowers, Monroe Hatch and Angelo Cicolani. It was especially fitting that Ted’s celebration of life was held in this chapel where Ted was a frequent attendee and where he devoted much time and effort to maintain and improve this historic landmark which included the Class of 1955’s gift to restore John Paul Jones’ crypt. Bill Manthorpe (13) and the USS DELAWARE book. Bill’s comments follow. M “I have written a book “A History of American Naval Ships Named Delaware and Those Who Built Them and Sailed in Them.” It was sent to the publisher in 2018, dedicated to the officers and crew of the USS DELAWARE SSN 791. The governor of Delaware and Navy vet Senator Tom Carper both wrote introductions. The book was planned for presentation by the State of Delaware to the boat at her commissioning on 4 April 2020 in Wilmington, DE. That, of course, was cancelled by the pandemic, The submarine was “administratively commissioned” and has disappeared beneath the waves on several deployments. Thus, getting the commanding officer, some crew, the boat’s sponsor, Delaware politicians and the Secretary of the Navy together for a presentation has been an ongoing project for Senator Carper. His last info to me was

‘55: Luncheon at PortoFino Restaurant 54 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

“Spring 2022.” Meanwhile, the presentation copy of the book: leather covered, coffee table size, beautifully color illustrated, will sit in the Delaware State House in Dover. Hard and softbound copies will gather dust in a warehouse somewhere until a proper presentation can be arranged.” During a class Zoom in July, Fred Schoenberger (11) displayed a sample of his half hull models which he builds as a hobby from his summer home in Ocean View, DE - nearby to Bill’s home in Lewes, DE. Bill asked Fred if he could produce a similar model of the attack submarine of the Virginia class representing the USS DELAWARE. About three weeks later they met in Lewes and Bill got his wish. The photo below says it all!

L to R; Fred Schoenberger and Bill Manthorpe

Photo from the class luncheon on 8 September at Portofino Restaurant. Clockwise from left front are Spud Flowers, Demo Kolaras, Tom Stallman, Bob Fountain, Angelo Cicolani and Bob Hinton. Do You Remember Operation Midlift? The Oyster Bowl? “All the Way on an APA?” The eighth annual Oyster Bowl Game was held at Foreman Field in Norfolk, Virginia on Saturday November 6, 1954 with Duke University taking on the US Naval Academy; Duke had a young quarterback on its roster: Sonny

55/56 CLASS NEWS Jurgenson, future NFL star and Washington Redskin. This news item puts it all together. M “Navy shattered Duke’s big line and Duke’s morale with a furious first half attack today then stood off the kids from North Carolina to win Norfolk’s eighth Oyster Bowl football game 40-7. The Midshipmen, playing as if they were out to surpass Army’s 28-14 victory over Duke, the only game the Blue Devils had lost before today, smashed to a 26-0 lead in the first half. Then after Duke finally scored in the final quarter. Navy’s second-string lineup drove to two more touchdowns just to show that nothing could stop the Midshipmen today. It was Navy’s day on the field, first appearance in this city, and site of a huge Naval Base. And a capacity crowd of 27,000 turned out for the game, a Shrine-promoted affair for the benefit of hospitals for crippled children.” What the news writer left out was the fact that the Mids arrived by way of an attack transport (APA) that boarded them in Annapolis harbor and dropped them off n Norfolk in time for the game.

Space Force’s status as the sixth and newest American military branch.

’56

Life Membership: 73 % Donor Participation: 26.98 % Class Co-Chairman: Col George Mushalko, USAF (Ret.) (15) e: gmushalko56@gmail.com; p: 703-768-4543 Class Co-Chairman: CAPT Jim Van Metre, USN (Ret.) (4) e: jimvanm@aol.com; p: 410-224-3860 Shipmate: CAPT Pete Fitzwilliam, USN (Ret.) (13) p: 703-501-6776; e: petefitzwm@aol.com Sec’y: CAPT Doug Hayman, USN (Ret.) (11) p: 410-268-0740; e: dfhayman@comcast.net Webmaster: Alex Morris (2) p: 941-378-5598; e: alex.morris@1956.usna.com Website: www.usna56.org “Deo Fidelis et Patria”

The new Space Force Dress Uniform The dress uniform consists of gray pants and a dark blue coat. The coat features six diagonally arrayed silver buttons. Adding to the sci-fi appeal, each button bears the Space Force’s “Star Trek”-esque delta logo. The number of buttons references the

About the new Alumni Center: As of mid-September we ’56 have gifted and pledged more than $130K to our ’56 Class Project for our new USNA Alumni Center, slightly more than half of our goal of $250K but by only 31 donors. That leaves 231 of us living classmates to pick up the slack, $120K. Will you pledge a piece of that? If you have questions, please contact Chip Honsinger ’56 (4) at: honsinger57@comcast.net or 540-463-3145. As you may recall from the July issue, Don Anderson is a nongraduate who devoted his career to nuclear engineering in the civil sector. After a long absence from the Class, he attended our 60th reunion and then made a pledge to our Project. If he can do it.... (he’s my hero).

For the July, 2021 issue of the Severna Park Voice, Haley Weisgerber wrote a lengthy article on one of our own, reprinted here in part. “When Arnold resident and Navy veteran Edgar (Ed) Parker (13) looks back on his life, he is proud of many things but especially his volunteer efforts. Parker, who is originally from Massachusetts, graduated from the Naval Academy in 1956. He served until 1960 and settled down in Cape St. Claire in 1974 to be near the water and so his children could attend Severna Park High School. In 1985 Parker began to represent his community at the Eastern District Community Relations Council. He was asked to volunteer as the recording secretary, where he took meeting notes. He continued to volunteer for 15 years, but he remains a Council member to this day, representing Woodfield village off of College Parkway. After retiring from work in 1997, Parker continued his work with the county police by giving his time to the Volunteers in Police Service one day a week. For 20 years Parker assisted in non-enforcement roles with the police department. Inspired by a neighbor who ran frequently, Parker joined the Annapolis Striders. “I eventually got to where I could run 10 miles fairly comfortably,” Parker said. “I really do have a bureau full of T-shirts.” When he could no longer run, he volunteered to assist with parking and managing the finish line at longer races. From 2009 to 2018 Parker belonged to the Anne Arundel Public Library Foundation. A selfproclaimed “reader”, Parker served a nine-year term attending meetings and library events, donated money and helped with fundraising efforts. Parker was nominated for Volunteer of the Month by the Friends of Anne Arundel County Trails (FOAACT). His involvement with the trails began when he lobbied to Councilman Roop and Wayne Gilchrist for a trail along College Parkway near Anne Arundel Community College. “I thought you shouldn’t” have to have a car to go to community college,” Parker said.

“You should be able to walk or ride a bicycle.” His efforts were successful, and a study was launched to assess the area by College Parkway. He joined the board of directors and administered a boating safety course for 16 years. When the boating course was discontinued, he stayed involved a representative of the Broadneck Trail and as a “Trailblazer”, a group of volunteers who monitor the trails and help people along the way. He continues to make monetary donations and is currently working to install a special water fountain along the trail. After the first section of the Broadneck Trail was completed in 2012, Parker donated money to build a rest area by the Broadneck Library in memory of Allan and Edie Segree. He has also donated to build a large rest area by Jones Station Road and Peninsula Farm Road in memory of his wife Jean, and himself. In 2007, Parker lost his wife to Alzheimer’s. This inspired him to help run a monthly Alzheimer’s caregivers support group from 2009 to 2018 on top of his other volunteer efforts. There is no question that Parker has made a substantial difference in this community. He said that he wants people to remember him for the good that he did. “You have an obligation to help people,” Parker explained. “I like to help people, but I feel you have an obligation to help people.” The following announcements are made about the recent passing of classmates and classmate wives. Full obituaries for classmates will be presented in the Last Call section of this or a future issue of Shipmate.

Captain Walsh

Captain Richard Sheridan “Dick” Walsh, (5) U. S. Navy (Ret.) passed

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 55

56/56 CLASS NEWS away peacefully from Cancer on 31 August 2021 with his loving wife Joan at his side. He was 88. Dick got to USNA by competing with other Service “Juniors” for a Presidential Appointment. While at USNA Dick played lacrosse and he was a member of the team that won the 1954 National Championship. Upon graduation Dick chose Supply Corps and had a successful career making all promotions to captain on time. His senior sea assignment was Supply Officer in USS AMERICA (CV-66), a plum assignment. His career included attending University of Kansas to earn a master’s degree in Petroleum Management. This was in preparation for a Southeast Asia tour managing the supply of fuel for all naval forces in the area during the Vietnam War. Dick retired from the Navy after 28 years and was courted and hired by the defense contractor TRW as a Project Manager. He retired from TRW in 1990. He and Joan became RV enthusiasts, visiting every U.S. state and parts of Canada over the next several years. In October 2017 Dick and Joan became a part of the Ginger Cove Retirement Community in Annapolis, MD. Within six months, in April 2018 Dick was diagnosed with multiple Myeloma. Dick is survived by his wife, Joan (Shaddinger); his daughters Susan Thompson (Jeffrey) and Joan Beck (Kevin); seven grandchildren, Randi Lepre (Patrick), Philip Beck (Taylor), Jessica Brown (Daniel), Luke Thompson, Jacob Beck, Emma Thompson, Joseph Beck; and six great-grandchildren. Captain Michael Alexander “Mike” McBride (6), USN (Ret.) passed away 27 Aug 2021 at his home in McLean, VA from complications associated with Parkinson’s Disease. He was 86. Mike had a distinguished 29-year career as a Navy nuclear submariner; his significant assignments included Commanding Officer USS Sargo (SSN 583), Commander Submarine Group SEVEN, Chief of Staff (OPS) for COMSUBPAC, and Director of Intelligence Evaluation (OP-009) in the Office of Naval Intelligence. After

retirement from the Navy in 1985 he worked for Lockheed Corporation in various leadership capacities until his final retirement in 2003. he served on the Board of Directors for the San Diego Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphomia Society, raising awareness. In 2016 he retired permanently to Vinson Hall Community in McLean, VA. He will be especially remembered as a loving and compassionate caretaker for his wife Joan during her 3-year battle with ovarian cancer until her death in 2007. Mike is survived by his four children, Patrick, Kathleen, Timothy, and Robert, three daughters-in-law, six grandchildren and four greatgrandchildren, along with his wife of ten years, Janis Rich. Mike’s cremated remains will be inurned at USNA columbarium with his wife Joan Elizabeth McBride at a date to be determined. Oscar Eugene “Gene” Williams, Jr. (2) peacefully passed away at home with loved ones on 23 Aug 2021 at the age of 86. He was raised in the family’s generations-deep homestead of Rosewood Plantation in Lowndesboro, AL and graduated from Haynesville High School class of 1952 as both class Valedictorian and football letterman. Upon graduating from USNA Gene went Air Force and was trained and assigned as a B-52 navigator. While at the Seymour Johnson AFB in Goldsboro, NC he met his cherished wife of 61 years, Charlotte, on a blind date. She was attending Duke University in Durham, NC. Gene would say he saw her walk down a flight of dormitory stairs and “with just one look, that’s all it took.” They married on 2 April 1960. In Gene’s career he went to Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH where he earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Gene next flew SAC missions in Bremerhaven, Germany during Operation Chrome Dome. He next went to Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX where he earned a doctorate in Electrical Engineering from Texas Tech University. He retired from the Air Force as a major in 1976. Gene went on to work at

56 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, MS in their Research and Development Division, working on numerous technical projects, most notably the Aegis Spy One Radar System in which Gene was the Lead Engineer. He retired from Ingalls in 2005 at the age of 70. Gene was preceded in death by his parents Oscar E. Williams and Lily Claire Meadows Williams of Lowndesboro, AL and his son Joseph Robert Williams of Ocean Springs, MS. He is survived by his beloved wife Charlotte J. Wilbur Williams; two brothers; eleven children; and twenty-four grandchildren. Norman M. “Paco” Smith (4) passed away 15 Jul 2021 at the age of 86. He served 11 years in the U.S. Navy, primarily in diesel submarines and primarily deployed to WESTPAC, participating in three campaigns. After leaving the Navy in 1967 he continued his maritime career as a merchant mariner working both in engineering and as a deck officer. He served as engineer-in-charge in vessels laying undersea cables and oversaw the laying of the sixth transatlantic cable for AT&T. Norman then worked for Energy Transportation Company, first as the Master of LNG (liquid natural gas) Gemini, and later as Master of LNG Leo, both 100,000-ton 936-footlong tankers. During his career he conducted several rescues at sea, saving scores of lives both mariners in distress and refugees adrift in the South China Sea. For his efforts he was commended by the U. S. Maritime Administration. He received the Mary Patten Valiant Ship award in 1990, the prestigious Admiral of the Sea Award in 1989 and again in 1993, as well as a commendation from the United Nations Commission for Refugees. Norman is survived by his wife Dawna Youland; his stepson Bradford Bowman and Bradford’s two daughters Elin and Ingrid Bowman; his brother Jerry; his nieces Maria Enlow and Nina Madoo; and his nephew Michael. Charlotte Rebecca “Becky” Chavaria, wife of Charles N. Chavaria (4) passed away 23 July 2021 in Annapolis, MD. She was 86.

Becky worked for University of Maryland for 25 years, where she was administrative aid to Chancellor John Toll. In 2008 Becky was awarded the Centennial Medal for her dedication and service to the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. She is survived by daughter Susan and Blair Paterson of Annapolis, MD; Cris and Kim Chavarria of Pasadena, CA; and her grandchildren Chase, Connor and Kyle. Kathryn Broadwell “Kathy” Fazekas passed away 9Aug 2021. She was 86. Raised in North Carolina, Kathy attended Mary Washington College in Fredericksburg, VA, graduating with a B.S. degree. While there she met the late Alex Fazekas (7), a midshipman at the Naval Academy. In 1956 Al was commissioned a second lieutenant in the U. S. Marine Corps and they married. Kathy went on to complete a dietetic internship at St. Luke’s Hospital in Cleveland and became a Registered Dietician. The Marine Corps brought them to Albany, GA where Kathy worked for the Georgia Department of Human Resources as a Nutrition Consultant/Standards Surveyor Specialist. She travelled throughout Southern Georgia inspecting hospitals and nursing homes to ensure they met state and Federal dietary guidelines. In 1984 she was elected Georgia State Chairman for the Consultant Dieticians in Health Care Facilities. Kathy also became involved with the local chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution and was ultimately elected Regent of the Thronateeska Chapter NSDAR. This was a time-consuming but rewarding leadership position in the DAR, working to foster patriotic citizenship and community service. Kathy was preceded in death by her husband Alex, and sister Valerie Johnston. She is survived by her sons Bill Fazekas of Albany, GA and Courtney Fazekas of Swanee, GA; granddaughters Kathryn and Laura; niece Sandra Ann Robinson, and grandniece Isabelle Robinson.

57/57 CLASS NEWS

’57

Life Membership: 70% Donor Participation: 21.67% Pres: VADM Daniel L. Cooper, USN (Ret.) e: dandbcoope@aol.com Vice Pres: CAPT William H. Peerenboom, USN (Ret.) 1003 Rachel Ln. SW, Vienna, VA 221280 e: whp36@aol.com Sec’y: LTCOL Bart C. Campbell, USAF (Ret.) 4351 Kingspark Dr., San Jose, CA 95136 e: bcampbell57@pacbell.net Corr Sec’y: Col William S. Hamel, USMCR (Ret.) e: wshamel@aol.com Treas: COL John D. Regenhardt, USAF (Ret.) e: don.regenhardt@gmail.com Webmeister: CDR Charles R. Hall, III, USN (Ret.) e: crhall@comcast.net Website: http//1957.usnaclasses.com/

Our losses continue: Gloria Lynn Bownas, wife of Edward E. Anderson (12), died 24 June 2021 in Chesapeake, VA. She was born in Detroit, MI, 25 August 1952. Ferdinand C.”Doc” Dugan III (8) of Hague, VA, born 13 July 1933, in Catonsville, MD, died 15 August 2021. He and his wife Bobbie have been mainstays of the Class golfing group. James M. Gallagher (5) died 3 September 2021 at Hospice of Dayton. He was born 22 June 1935, in Fort Wayne, IN. Correction: In our September issue we reported incorrectly that a funeral service for Jim Foresman (3) took place on 24 June; this was actually his memorial service. A funeral service and inurnment were held later, on 15 September, at the Academy. Joseph J. Gawarkiewicz (19) died 21 August 2021 at Willow Valley Communities, Lancaster, PA, after a long illness. He was born in Staten Island, NY, in 1934. The widow of Urban R. Lamay (1), Kathleen H. Lamay, of Camp Hill, PA, died 22 September 2021. She was born 16 October 1936 in the Germantown section of Philadelphia. Cleve E. Loman, Jr. (1) died 17 July 2021, at the INOVA Hospital in Virginia. He was born 29 July 1933, in Salisbury, NC. Cleve was a great supporter and player in the Class

’57: Loman Service

golf group in the D.C. area, and reliable presence at social gatherings. A memorial service was held 28 August at The Fairfax retirement community for Cleve. Eight classmates were in attendance along with one honorary classmate and fellow golfer. From left: Dwight Avis (15), Jerry Smith (10), Cam Fraser (15), Bill Peerenboom (3), Jim Poole (15), Mac McMenamin (12), Pete Boyne (6), and Jack Kersh (Honorary). Jack P. Monroe, Jr. (17) (non-graduate) died 12 May2021 in Fredericksburg, VA. He was born 3 July 1933 in Honolulu. Robert A. Nelson (16) (non-graduate) died July 26, 2021 at Manor by The Sea, Ocean Grove, NJ. He was born in Jersey City 28 November 1933. Mary Jane Nace, wife of Richard H. Nace (12) died after a short illness on 2 August 2021. Peter Watcher (2) died at his home in Sumter, SC, 31 August 2021, at 89 years of age. He was born in Mt. Pleasant, PA. Patsy Ann Allen Wellborn, 88, of Glen Allen, VA, died on 10 September 2021, survived by her husband Robert M. Wellborn, Jr. (11). On a bright sunny morning of August 2nd, George “Fritz” Warren (4) was laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery. A large gathering joined the funeral procession, which was headed by a Marine Corps marching band and two Marine ceremonial platoons The horse drawn caisson bearing the urns of George and Barbara followed. At the gravesite “Taps” was played and a rifle salute was

rendered. The traditional removal of the American flag from the caisson, its precise folding by the Marine honor guard and presentation to his widow, Jacquie Warren, occurred, followed by a benediction. Fritz and his first wife Barbara were buried next to their two infant children, who died at childbirth. A reception followed at the Fort Myers Patton Hall (Officer’s Club) with about 125 in attendance including Warren family children and grandchildren, nieces and nephews, classmates, Marines of 2/4 (2nd Battalion/Fourth Marine Regiment) and many friends from his post-service days. James W. Zeberlein (22) died 18 September 2021 in North Salt Lake, UT. He was born 18 March 1934 in Baltimore. And now for some better news: From Dave Mitchell (4): M In mid-August, the Pacific Northwest was graced by the visit to Seattle of Peter Junghans (11) – our Class reunion master navigator. He was out in the San Francisco Bay Area for a family reunion with his three lovely daughters Lida, Trennie and Jamie. While camped out here in my getaway guest house, we managed to tour the greater Seattle area which brought back fond memories for Peter who last had been here some 60-plus years ago when his destroyer pulled in to the then-Bremerton Naval Shipyard, now renamed the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard. A major highlight of his sojourn here was a micro class reunion along with Art Wright (14) and Mike Giambattista (18) at Mike’s

superb abode up on Whidbey Island, complete with egg-laying chickens and an unobstructed westerly view of Puget Sound and the spectacular snow-capped Olympic Mountains. We had a marvelous lunch at the Penn Cove Taproom overlooking the historically quaint town of Freeland, after which we took a grand tour of southern Whidbey Island with all its hidden coves and charms. Before departing, Mike presented us all with a dozen “blue” eggs from his aforementioned chickens. The remainder of Peter’s all-too-short stay were taken up by sampling the local fine dining. All in all, it was a most pleasant diversion from the constraints imposed by the socially altering aspects of the Covid-19 pandemic. “Whenever two or three shall meet” – L to R Mitchell, Wright, Junghans, Giambattista

Whidbey Reunion

George Philipps (17) reports on our Forest Greens golf: M The ’57 golf group, or what’s left of it, played a scheduled round at Forest Greens Golf Course, Triangle, VA, on August 10th. Summer holidays, personal schedule conflicts and the beastly weather, heat index above 100 degrees for the majority of the afternoon, limited participation to six players. Team #1 Bob Crouch (21), Les McMenamin (12), and Mike Salmon (‘58) posted a winning score of 70. Team #2, Philipps, Jerry Smith (1) and Jack Kersh posted an also-ran 75. Closest to the pin awards were made to Salmon, Crouch, Smith and Kersh. While the weather was beastly hot, the course was in fabulous condition, especially the greens. Players could only blame missed putts on their own efforts. Course personnel were also most welcoming, always a plus when

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 57

57/58 CLASS NEWS considering a return the following year. Post-round consensus was to play Forest Greens again in 2022. Hope springs eternal. And once again 58-er Taylor Keith came through with a fine though sparse outing at the Pohick Bay golf course. In beautiful weather, Team A (Crouch, Hamel (23), and Smith) won over Team B (Philipps, Keith, and Avis), as well as a clean sweep of all four proximities on the par threes. In passing we pause to reflect on that great year: 1957. We then presumed to plant a tree in our name right there in the middle of the Yard. Here is the memorial plaque, still advertising our fame to all and sundry passers-by:

To establish this new award, Women for Navy Athletics will be assisting in raising the initial startup costs by the Spring of 2022. Coach Smalley was a great supporter of women and minorities alike. If you would like to donate, please go to: www.bit.ly/ coachsmalley Obviously a good cause. With that final plea, and yet another call to all you dear readers to share your news and stories with us, we close another edition of ’57

’58

Life Membership: 63% Donor Participation: 22.45% Pres: Lt Col Gordon M. Gerson, USAF (Ret.) e: gordon.gerson@1958.usna.com

a senior journalism fellow at Hillsdale College and a Fox News contributor. She is also the author of the national best-seller Justice on Trial: The Kavanaugh Confirmation and the Future of the Supreme Court. Her latest book Rigged: How the Media, Big Tech and the Democrats Seized our Elections went on sale in October. COM58 AND SECNAV – The new Secretary of the Navy is Carlos del Toro a retired Navy Commander and a member of the USNA Class of 1983. He was born in Cuba and came to the United States as a young boy. Gordon Gerson came to know the SecNav while both were serving as Class Presidents and they recently met again at a Parade at the Academy. Gordo did not say which of them was the honored guest at the Parade?

Corr Sec’y: CAPT Bill Schramm, USN (Ret.) 17 Calera Canyon, Salinas, CA 93908 p: 831-484-9058; e: w_schramm@comcast.net Webmaster: CAPT Fred Victor, USN (Ret.) e: avictor@erols.com Website: www.usna.com/Classes/1958

1957 Tree Plaque

Finally, a news update: As we all know, our classmate Dave Smalley (21) was a huge factor in the initiation and integration of women at the Academy, especially in the athletics world. Now the Naval Academy Athletic Association is moving to memorialize Dave’s legacy even more: The USNAAA Athletic & Scholarship Program Trustees have approved a new award to recognize an outstanding female studentathlete on an annual basis at the spring Trustees Head Coaches Dinner. The new award will be presented to the varsity or club female athlete who embodies inspirational leadership and uncompromising character on and off the playing field. It is named in honor of the late Coach Dave Smalley, who coached the first women’s basketball team when women entered the Naval Academy in 1976 and continued to lead the program until 1989.

MOLLIE HEMINGWAY – Bill Hemingway, 18th Company, wrote to report that his daughterin-law, Mollie Hemingway, was a 2021 winner of the Bradley Prize which is awarded in Mollie Hemingway recognition of her extraordinary talent and dedication to restore, strengthen and protect the principles and institutions of American exceptionalism. Mollie is a senior editor of the Federalist (an online magazine),

’58: The Poindexter Clan

58 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Academy was a Navy Aviator and also a NASA Astronaut with two missions in space. Alan was a Navy Captain and Dean of Students at the Naval Postgraduate School when he died in an accident. DC CHAPTER LUNCHEON – Have you ever wondered why our Classmates who attend luncheons in the DC area refer to themselves as the GREATER DC CHAPTER? Are they referring to the number of attendees or the geographical area or is it something else that is “greater”? I wonder? Anyway, their most recent luncheon was in July (for the latest up to date news be sure to read our class column). The guest speaker was Captain Donald Kennedy who spoke about the actions the Academy had to take to deal with the COVID problem. On-line instruction last year, graduating the Class of 2020 (5 separate ceremonies), inducting the Class of 2024, bringing the Brigade back to the Academy, etc. Attending the luncheon were Jack and Ann Adams, Dan Bellay, John Carty, Gordon and Jane Gerson, Mike and Eileen Giglio, Taylor and Lynn Keith, Eric and Barbara Mansfield, Paul and Barbara Polski, Kay Powell, Mike Salmon, Phil and (son) Tim Taylor, and Buff, Jean and (son) Rich Walter.

The Secretary of the Navy and our Class President

POINDEXTER CLAN – John sent the picture of his family gathered to celebrate he and Linda’s 63rd Anniversary. Two of the four sons in the picture graduated from the Academy. Mark was Class of ’85 and Tom Class of ’92. Another son, Alan, who did not attend the

Captain Donald Kennedy and Jack Adams

MORE HEMINGWAY NEWS – Bill and his wife Kathy celebrated their 58th wedding Anniversary on 6 July. He noted that he and Bill Bauer, who also celebrated his 58th wedding Anniversary this last summer, were both in the 18th Company and both went into the Marines. SEMPER FIDELIS KEEPING IN TOUCH – Gene Porter, 21st Company, attended a vintage boat show in Idaho and decided to visit his old roommate Marty Donahoe who lives in Salt Lake City. Marty resides in a senior

58/59 CLASS NEWS living center, but is in pretty good shape. They had lunch, talked about the old days and enjoyed each other’s company which is the way it should be.

Marty and Gene

CLOSING RANKS Ray Hardy, 13th Company, died on April 1st 2021 Mary Hardy, Ray’s widow, died on May 8th 2021 James Corder, 3rd Company, died on May 21st 2021 John Wells, 19th Company, died on July 21st 2021 Ted Smedberg, 19th Company, died on August 7th 2021 Russ Mowery, 21st Company, died on August 9th 2021 Carl Triebes, 8th Company, died on August 28th 2021 Ken Mitchell, 10th Company, died on August 29th 2021 John Daniel Haney, 16th Company, died on September 14th 2021 JD Peters, 13th Company, died on September 20th 2021 Ray Bumgardner, 22nd Company, died on on December 31st 2020 Nancy Stremic, widow of Tony Stremic, died on July 28th 2020

’59

Life Membership: 65% Donor Participation: 19.18% Chairman Exec. Committee: Gerald G Garbacz Sec’y: CAPT Charles C. Pease, USN (Ret.) 20510 Falcons Landing Cir., Apt. 1404 Potomac Falls, VA 20165-7596 p: 703-549-4285; e: classsec1959@gmail.com Shipmate Editor: Ed Hill p: 301-943-4185; e: hilled@aol.com Webmasters: Pete and Elaine Stout Website: www.USNA1959.com

Youngster Cruise, by Freeman Neish (11). I was ordered to a Destroyer for my Youngster Cruise and as a Midshipman 3/C, assigned

to duties with the Enlisted Crew. We had a wonderful Port Call in Oslo, Norway and I fell in love with a beautiful young lady – I still remember her name, Gretta Schultz. Her Father had been with the German Occupation Forces and remained in Norway after the War. Sweet Gretta ushered me to her home to meet her parents and they graciously invited me to join them in the Midsummer Nights Eve Celebration in the Fjord that very evening. It was an absolutely unforgettable event with singing and dancing around the many bonfires plus a few frosty beverages along with the romantic company of lovely Gretta. Our Liberty expired at Midnight and the sun was just setting at that time, but I figured if I was going to be cashiered out of the Navy, Norway was the place to have it happen. I finally rolled back aboard the ship at about 04:30 (One Bell, Navy Time) and I was duly logged in as having violated Liberty policy. I was summoned to a Mini-Mast with the XO and was awarded 40 hours of extra duty in the ship’s laundry. The laundry was a small space and truly qualified as a sweat shop. My job was washing and pressing the Midn 1/C, Officers, and Chief Petty Officers shirts. The 1/C Petty Officer in charge of the laundry gave me the necessary instructions. The washing process was fairly mechanical, but the pressing took some genuine skill. For one thing when the ship rolled to starboard the top element of the pressing device would slam down and lock – not a good thing if both your hands were in the presser. The PO in charge was very specific about one thing. I was to start by pressing the Midn shirts, and then the Officers’ shirts. When I had acquired the appropriate amount of talent, I could then, and only then, proceed to pressing the shirts of the Chief Petty Officers. An interesting insight as to the actual hierarchy of destroyer life. Not a lot of fun, but in retrospect, it was well worth every minute of the 40-Hour Penalty. Ah Yes, the Days (and Nights) of Yore

Black ToT Day, by Freeman Neish (11). 31 July 1970 was the last day on which the Royal Navy issued sailors a daily rum ration (the daily tot). Many of the Royal Navy Sailors wore black arm bands that day and ceremoniously buried the black bands at sea, following the issuance of that last Tot of Rum. As a side note, in the 1960s, my Destroyer, the good ship USS STODDARD (DD-566), was assigned the arduous task of being the U.S. Navy Station Ship in Hong Kong. Just one of the many sacrifices I had to endure during my Naval Career. My primary mission was serving as the Air Liaison Officer at Kai-Tak International Airport. My booth was located between the Air France Booth (employing six beautiful Eurasian Ladies) and the Qantas Airline Service Counter whose all-female staff, seemed to have the primary mission of Partying. I was billeted in a Hotel in Kowloon and journeyed back and forth to the airport daily with a provided car and driver. One collateral duty was to be the USN Exchange Officer aboard the HMS CARRYSFORT, a British Destroyer on a three-day shakedown cruise from Hong Kong following some engineering repairs. One of my duties was to supervise the issuance of the daily Rum Ration. I had to mark names on a clipboard to ensure that some enterprising Tar did not get two rations (gasp). Drinks on NATO Ships by Walt Wynn (11). Following graduation and while on my first ship, USS TROUT (SS 566), in the MED, I was assigned to a Greek submarine – diesel USN gift to Greece – for an overnight cruise out of Souda Bay Crete. Of course, I didn’t speak Greek and only a few of them spoke a few words of English. I was appalled with their routine while coming to periscope depth. Up they went not caring if someone else was nearby. No clearing of the baffles, no placing of the watertight doors on the latch, just pop up to periscope depth and hope for the best. Things were much better, however, when they served wine with lunch and dinner. They served

good Greek wine, not the ratsini (their term for the resin-tasting wine from being cured in pine barrels when oak wasn’t available). While still a junior officer in SUBLANT and SUBMED, TROUT called at Portsmouth UK ostensibly for refueling, but really just a liberty call. Submarines around the world assign a host submarine for visiting submarines. In this case, our British friends were treating us well. When invited aboard their sub, we were offered drinks. It was impolite not to accept, so I was recommended to have a “horse’s neck” which is ginger ale and whiskey. It seemed to be mostly ginger ale. I later found out that whenever the host sub opened a bottle for guests, the Queen paid for that bottle and the officers could later finish it without paying from their own mess dues. The motto of that submarine was “excreta tauri sapiential fulceat” which in fractured Latin translates, “BS overcomes knowledge!” Another interesting thing about that sub – upon returning from a deployment they received bags and bags of mail. Their routine was to separate out and deliver personal mail, separate out and retain classified mail and then throw out the rest. They did that for a while and after several months all the other official mail requesting replies were dealt with. They figured that anything important enough to warrant action would be sent again to the sub. The closest we came to surfacing alongside another vessel was on one flat-calm day in the Med. We came to periscope depth for some reason in a brightly lit waveless and windless day. Close aboard was a becalmed sailing yacht on which we could see the scantily clad and unclad lasses scurrying below while the guys just looked at us. Sorry, we weren’t ready to conduct periscope photo reconnaissance at that time. Darn. We could have gotten one of our required practical factors checked off had we been more ready. Who Are You, by Mitch Lathrop (11). OK, all you hotshots, think of this officer-of-the-deck steaming off the coast of Danang when a large black submarine emerges

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 59

59/59 CLASS NEWS from the depths not much more than 1,000 yards away. Friend or foe? What to do? We had absolutely no antisubmarine capability and the nearest DD was probably at least a half day away. All was well, though. It was a friendly, and they only wanted to exchange movies. So much for the silent service. Duty on the Swift Boats in Vietnam, by Freeman Neish (11). The Swift Boats were very effective vessels for countering the movement of VC Troops and Logistics on the Rivers and Canals in the Delta.

They were fast, maneuverable, and had a relatively shallow draft,

They had some formidable armament - specifically twin .50 Cal MGs in a tub above the Pilot House, and a very unique Piggyback .50 Cal MG and 81 mm Mortar mount on the fantail. The Mortar was fired using a lanyard and rigged to be able to accomplish direct fire as well as the traditional mortar lob fire. Most of the boats had M-60 MGs mounted on each side and the crew also used M-79 Grenade Launchers to augment the heavy stuff. PBRs in Vietnam, by Hank Mauz (11). With all due respect to the Swifties, we in the PBRs (Patrol Boat River) thought the swift boats were more like yachts. They had bunks, galleys and relative comfort.

This PBR lucked out. It was a minor hit.

I had a section of 10 PBRs operating out of Cat Lo in 1966-67. Those boats were 31-foot fiberglass hull with twin diesel engines driving Jacuzzi water jet pumps. They were pretty fast, had a radar and radio, and were well armed with twin 50 cal machine guns forward and a variety of 30 cal weapons and a grenade launcher. No bunks, no galley, almost no armor. Crew of four. We ate C-rations and heated the cans on the engine’s manifolds. Our patrols were about 14 hours long (counting transit time). We operated 24/7. When the PBRs arrived in-country, the swift boats operated off the coast and rarely ventured into the rivers. At least while I was there. And Later On, by Fred Touchstone (11). While the above-mentioned classmates were probably dodging “incoming,” in 1964-65, I was designing a modified Swift boat for an intelligence agency operating in the area that would carry a platoon of warriors in a shock mounted, hydraulically damped, compartment on a vessel traveling at high speeds in rough water (specifications are classified). Even the “pilot” had hydraulic seats to withstand the “g-forces.” I don’t know if they were ever approved for service as I was transferred before they were fully tested, and I no longer had a “need to know.” Later (65-66), I got to see miscellaneous USN and USCG small craft coming alongside for fuel and food while XO of a DER in Market Time. It felt great to be a “mother hen.” TAPS Navy Captain (Ret) Bruce David Nordwall (6) suffered from declining health and passed away at his home in California on 30 June 2021. Following graduation and flight training, he commenced his Navy career as a Navy helicopter pilot flying the S-2 anti-submarine aircraft on several aircraft carriers based in Coronado California. He managed to be involved in testing the new S-3, a jet-powered replacement to the S-2 in 1971-1972. He further applied his skills in aircraft design and testing until his

60 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

retirement from the Navy in 1985. He was soon recruited by McGrawHill’s Aviation Week Magazine where he was very successful. Bruce and Jociele spent the later years traveling, supporting their faith community, and being with family. Funeral services were held in Grover Beach, California. Navy Captain (Ret) Robert J. Touhey (3) passed away due to pneumonia complications 28 August 2021 at his home in Warrenton, Virginia, After graduation from USNA, Bob chose to specialize in helicopters, and spent several years flying ASW aircraft. Then he spent several more years he as a test pilot at the Navy’s Patuxent River airfield. During that position he was selected for training in a new configuration of the new UH-1B helicopter to become a light attack helicopter. Bob made the trip to Vietnam and did very well in his early assignments which were to escort Navy Seals to their target areas. Following this assignment, bob transferred to Navy Reserve, Bob spent eleven years with IBM Federal Systems. Bob and Anna later established their own consulting firm, and established their homestead in Warrenton, Virginia. Funeral services were held in Warrenton, on 8 September 2021 Anne Stone Harrington Kiland, wife of Captain Ingolf Kiland (6), died in their home in Coronado, California, on July 24, with Ing at her side.

senior in her high school yearbook. It was in high school she met the California Boy who would become her future husband. Anne attended Hollins College and graduated with a degree in English in early 1959. Later that same year she married Ing Kiland, now a young naval officer with duties on ships and submarines. Right away Ing whisked her away from Norfolk on their first of seventeen times moving around the country. Everywhere they lived, she immersed herself in volunteer activities, as a member of the Junior League and as the first chair of the International Azalea Ball in Norfolk. But she craved a career in business and yearned to earn her own income. Beginning in the early 1970s, she started her career as a residential real estate broker, where she developed her tough negotiating skills. Building a successful portfolio of clients in both San Diego and northern Virginia, she can boast of many satisfied homeowners still enjoying the houses she sold them, as well as many younger real estate agents she mentored along the way. Anne and Ing had two children, a daughter and a son, born in 1966 and 1973. She relished being their mother and imbued in her children a strong work ethic and a sensitivity to the plight of others, encouraging them to give back to their communities. “Pretty is as pretty does,” she always told her daughter. Ing Kiland hosted a Celebration of Life for Anne on 19 September at the Princess Anne Country Club in Virginia Beach, Virginia. Funeral arrangements for Anne were 21 September at the Arlington National Center in a family-only graveside service.

SHOP. CONNECT. ENJOY! Anne was born and raised in Norfolk, Virginia. She was a tomboy and a cheerleader in high school and was voted “Most Popular”

Shop through our Amazon Partnership portal. usna.com/amazon

60/60 CLASS NEWS

’60

From Harris Sperling (7):

Life Membership: 71% Donor Participation: 23.17% Pres: RADM Peter G. Chabot, USN (Ret.) p: 443-624-0094; e: pgchabot60@gmail.com Vice Pres: CAPT Douglas M. Johnston Jr., USNR (Ret.) Treas: CAPT Geoege W. Dowell III, USN (Ret.) Sec’y: Bill Lewis 1300 S Hwy A1A Unit 508, Jupiter, FL 33477 p: 804-334-6353; e: bilewis@comcast.net Web Master: Richard Harper p: 805-583-1640; e: Richard.Harper@1960.USNA.com Website: http://www.1960.usnaclasses.net

An update from of COVID effecting travel, the Sarasota mini-reunion has been pushed back from January to possibly May or April. We will continue to monitor conditions and arrange for the safest, most enjoyable Class get together possible. From Bill Ostendorff ’76 our outgoing DVP Chairholder: M “Class of 1960- As I wrap up my term as Class of 1960 DVP of National Security, I just wanted to say a final thanks to all of you and your class for your tremendous support. It has been a distinct honor to serve in this position and I am most grateful for the opportunity. My new email is Bill.Ostendorff@ gmail.com. If I can ever be of assistance in any way, please do not hesitate to let me know. I do hope our paths will continue to cross. Very respectfully, Bill Class VP Doug Johnston (5) sent along the following picture: “Class President Pete Chabot (14) and Hank Chiles (21) present a Bill the Goat statuette to outgoing DVP Chairholder Bill Ostendorff in appreciation for his superb performance in the Chair.” Doug

Bill Ostendoff with Chiles and Chabot

Egan & Sperling

M “Hi Bill, I am sending an article written by me when Hank Egan (7), my roommate at the USNA, and I got together after 62 Years. With best wishes and thank you for your work on behalf of the class, Harris Class Reunion After 62 Years: On August 31, Harris Sperling (7) and Hank Egan (7), roommates in the 7th company, met in Snowmass, Colorado, for the first time in 62 years. After a series of phone calls, Hank and his wife, Judie, left Colorado Springs to drive to Snowmass and meet Harris and his wife, Linda, who were vacationing in their mountain condo. The foursome celebrated this long-awaited reunion by having lunch in nearby Aspen. Hank, who played varsity basketball, and Harris, who played football, regaled their spouses with countless memories of their Academy days, and promised to not wait another sixty years before seeing each other. From Russ Hoke (6): M Dear Bill: Enclosed please find a brief write-up of the commitment services for Skip’s inurnment at the USNA Columbarium on August 20, 2021. On August 20, 2021, the ashes of Colonel Warren E. (Skip) Sweetser, III USMC ( Ret.) (6th Company) were inurned at the USNA columbarium. (Skip passed on November 17, 2020). Skip Sweetser The weather was not very cooperative (rain), but it was still a very fitting and moving

service. There were between 50-60 attendees – family, classmates, USMC colleagues, and friends. (Of the total, 29 of the attendees were just immediate family). The 1960 classmates that I saw included Pete Bos (7), Lyman Perry (7), Jack Suddath (6), Dave Derbes (6), and Bob Meck (19). Chuck Davis and a member of the 1960 Olympic crew team, both from the class of 1961, were in attendance as well. Before the service, we all took a personal guided tour of the boat house (Hubbard Hall) and saw the shell that the 1960 USNA Olympic Crew Foundation had gifted to USNA. A reception and luncheon followed the service at the Severn Inn, across the river from the academy. This was another opportunity for everyone to reminisce and to share stories of Skip and his family and what his friendship and commitment to his country, family, and friends have meant to all of us over the years Best regards, Russ I receive the following rom Harry Butler (10) and Ed Clexton (10) recalling how we are tied together sometimes years later. M From Harry to Ed: Recently we had a birthday celebration for one of our 55+ community residents who was turning 101. He’s Marine Colonel who fought in the Pacific in WWII. The party was organized by his American Legion Post, and a number of the Post members attended. In the crowd, there was a guy with a USS Eisenhower CVN 69 baseball cap. I went up to him and asked if he had sailed on the Ike. He said yes. I told him that my Naval Academy roommate (if I had said ‘wife’, I don’t think he would have understood) was Ed Clexton (10), who had been Skipper of the Ike. He told me that you were the CO when he was aboard. Turns out he was an enlisted nuke who could speak French, and Ike was to be off the coast of Normandy for the 40th anniversary of the D-Day invasion. He was called to the bridge to meet you, and you gave him a handful of

‘I Like Ike’ buttons to give to the French. It’s a small world. Hope you and Catherine are doing well. —Harry More to the story from Ed: M “I’m glad he had his IKE hat on! Every day at sea I would have a “nuke of the day” spend the day with me on the bridge and where ever else I was going except lunch. They were selected by their Division Officers and rotated by Division. I did that to try to maintain what I learned in Rickover school. Apparently he wasn’t one of those, but I’m glad he answered the call for French speakers before we went into Brest. It ended up a problem when the French cancelled our entry on a Saturday. It then turned out to be the only time I ever asked the crew to tell me what to do. I took a poll and asked should we wait another day and go in for 2 days, or should we just go home? I wanted to go in and the skippers of USS Virginia and USS South Carolina, my 2 escort CGNs, who were both senior to me, said whatever I want was ok with them. First I polled the Engineering and Reactor Depts, avg age 28, mostly married: they said “go home”. the only reason we were there for the 40th anniversary of D Day at Normandy was we (3) had just finished a deployment and were in stand down, but when I heard about this event I went to Air-Lant and said “respectfully, Sir, you should send IKE, not JFK, to Normandy”. I mean, come on, D Day/Eisenhower” and he said “Ed, since you asked, I agree with you”. I then, polled the Air Wing, avg age 24 and they said “go in, albeit a day late.” So, how to break the tie? Did I forget to tell you Naval Reactors in DC wanted us to go in because there hadn’t been a nuke ship in France since DeGaulle took over! I then went on the 1 MC to the flight deck, avg age 19. We waited a day and went in on Sunday; the stores were all closed but the bars were open. so, that’s how decisions are made in Naval Air. Ed”

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 61

60/61 CLASS NEWS

Jim and Toni Henderson with Suzi Watterson, Chris Umberger and Mike and Marcia Barr

’60: Tidewater luncheon group

From Rod Friedmann (5): M “It was a bright sunny day along the Eastern Branch the Lynnhaven River to Chesapeake Bay! Our Class Luncheon was held at an old standby called Chick’s Oyster Bar, featuring great seafood specialties, good service and plenty of “eye candy” pulling up to the dock to disembark their passengers. We had a perfect, but small table, overlooking the water, which held exactly ten classmates: Pete Chabot (14), Wick Parcells (12), Jim Eilertsen (21), Bill Kee (9), Henry von Kolnitz (22), Bob Powers (8), Bob Ianucci (16), Rod Friedmann (5), Bert Johnson (10) & Al Bissell (8). Navy football discussions were sparse, “old” Bancroft Hall tales still abound, but the afternoon discussions concentrated on Ed Clexton’s (10) exploits (sorry you weren’t there to defend your actions, Ed!)

Rod Watterson and Walt Draper sharing some stories

’61

Life Membership: 72% Donor Participation: 24.15% Pres: RADM Jerome F. Smith Jr., USN (Ret.) Corr Sec’y: RADM E. S. (Skip) McGinley II, USN (Ret) 1935 Independence Ave., Melbourne, FL 32940 p: 321-622-4640; c: 202-549-2472 e: skip.mcginley@1961.USNA.com; skipmcginley@cfl.rr.com

Ramon and Ana Mendez A delicious birthday carrot cake

Webmaster: Howard Winfree e: winfree@1961.usna.com Website: www.USNA61.org

Jane and Tom McNichols with Chris!

Ginny and Wally Guthrie The USNA Goat is bursting out at the Terwilliger Center

Happy 60th anniversary, Class of 1961! If you missed our reunion in September, you can catch up with all of these great photos, provided by Chris Umberger. We had hundreds of Alumni, friends, and family who gathered for luncheons, meetings, socializing, tailgating, and game watching. It was a really fantastic event with a good time had by all.

Connie and Skip McGinley pose with our class insignia

Linda Campbell, Bill Moore and Ron Campbell

Von Kolnitz & Powers

Bissell, Chabot and Kee

A beautiful memorial for Joe Belllino in the Terwilliger Center. You will be missed by us all

62 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Ron Campbell and Mike Barr

I’d like to take this opportunity to thank you all for the support you have shown me in providing inputs for the Class of ’61 Alumni column through a lot of years, especially in difficult times when socializing was not easy to do. I’ve been proud to be your focal for all of our class newsbites. This will be my last column and it has been a great run. I am handing over the reins to Bob Sherer, who will be looking forward to your news to share with us all. May you have many years of stories to share! Fair winds and following seas, Skip McGinley

’62

Life Membership: 76% Donor Participation: 20.40% Pres: CDR Walter F. Welham Jr., USN (Ret.) p: 703-501-1665; e: wwelham@aol.com Sec’y: Robert Giles 1749 Baldwin Dr., Millersville, MD 21108 p: 301-395-4379; e: robert.giles@gmail.com

This is John Wood’s description of where he was when President John F. Kennedy was Assassinated. M Hi Robert, Congratulations and Thanks for taking on the job as Secretary for our great Class of 1962. We will always remember Our Classmate Howie. Only once before, have I submitted anything for Shipmate, but I think you’re going to get a lot of mail because everyone remembers where he was when he got the news of JFK’s assassination. More about that later. My first duty station was aboard the USS NORFOLK (DL-1), where I was assigned to be the First Division Officer. I reported aboard her when she was in the Dry-dock at Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, VA and was pleased to learn that LTjg Joe Bellino, ‘61 was one of my shipmates and was the ship’s First Lieutenant. We left the shipyard early in October 1962 and sailed for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba and Refresher Training. On the way South, we steamed through Hurricane Elsa, which caused my only bout of seasickness. While in Gitmo, on 22 October 1962 we experienced a call to General Quarters (this was not a drill). We were there for the start of the Cuban Missile Crisis, which lasted 34 days, or until November 20, 1962. It seems one of our U-2 Spy planes had discovered that the Russians were building missile silos positioned so as to facilitate missile attacks on US cities and military bases. So, in retaliation President Kennedy directed that “CUBER” be encircled with Navy ships, effectively quarantining Cuba. We of the USS Norfolk (DL-1) remained in the Caribbean area as part of an effort to ensure the

62/62 CLASS NEWS Russians packed up their Nukes and went home. President Kennedy worked out a compromise where we had to remove our missiles from Turkey, and the Cold War had begun seriously. Probably the only good that came of all this was that the Concept of the red HOTLINE was instituted so that at least some form of communications existed between the Leaderships of Washington and Moscow. As other ships relieved Norfolk of her Monitoring duties, we sailed back to Norfolk, VA where we conducted local Operations until it was time that we embarked on our Norfolk’s first UNITAS cruise. We sailed South into the Atlantic and operated with the naval forces of Brazil, Uruguay and Argentina, and stopped in the key ports, finally steaming through the Straits of Magellan into the Pacific Ocean where we then operated with the Chilean, Peruvian and Ecuadorian navies. Saw Willie Tirado ’62 when we put into Lima, Peru. From there we proceeded North through the Panama Canal to The Caribbean Sea where we operated with the Colombian navy. We had just broken from an at-sea transfer when our Captain got on the 1MC for an announcement. He stated that the President had been assassinated that afternoon, not saying which one. Well, because of general confusion and political unrest in Venezuela, and knowing our stop there had been cancelled, we were wondering which “Banana Country” had lost their President. It was with total shock and dismay that we realized it was our President John F. Kennedy. The next day we had a Memorial Mass on the fantail of our ship. There were several Colombian sailors and dignitaries in attendance to honor our fallen president. John Wood, ‘62

Brooks Mancini shares “How I Got a New Army B-robe”

Brooks in his Army B-robe

In 2004 Diane and I moved to Reno just before I sold my company to my son. One the first couples we met was Ty Cobb and his wife Suellen. Ty was a 5th generation Nevaden and a Army Colonel who had taught at West Point and served under Collin Powell the National Security Advisor to Ronald Regan. Having been in Washington for so long, Ty knew lots dignitaries. One of those was General John Abizaid, CENTCOM Commander and former West Point Commandant. Gen. Abizaid was coming to Reno and was going to speak at a private dinner party at Lake Tahoe and Diane and I were invited to attend. He gave a great talk about

the Middle East and after the dinner I went up to him and introduced myself. We chatted for a bit and I told him that my West Point B-robe was pretty well worn and would he be interested in a bet on the ArmyNavy Game that was a few week away. We agreed on the bet. Diane and I hosted a A-N Game party and invited the General and his wife to attend which they did. As I recall the game was a blowout for Army and was the start of the 15-game streak of wins for Navy. Following the game, the General goes out to his car and presented me with the B-robe that you see here. We had several other bets in the following years but Navy won and he went back to Washington so that ended. Go Navy beat Army All the best, Brooks Fred Badger writes: M Hi Bob, Thanks for the picture and words about me in Shipmate. I would, however, like to correct a couple things that you wrote. First of all, I was only with IBM for about 8 years in Sales, Marketing, and Management. I did not do any recruiting while at IBM and left on my own accord to remain in CA and enter the Retained Executive Search profession. I remained in that

LUCKY BAG OF BOOKS To check out all the options for your reading pleasure, visit usna.com/LBB

’62: Tailgating at the Marshall gam

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 63

62/63 CLASS NEWS profession for 28 years, including the last 20 as CEO of The Badger Group in Northern CA. It was during that time that I was retained by corporations, large and small to help them recruit senior executives to join their management teams. That work was primarily related to the high technology world in the United States. I appreciate the work you are doing for our class and know how hard it must be to follow in the footsteps of Howie. Fred Stew Lingley shares: M Hi Bob, We have a much smaller tailgate crowd this year than 2019 and before. We did not take a photo of the tailgaters at the Marshall game. Only 5 of us were present. We did take a photo at the Air Force game. See attached. The classmates in the photo are as follows. Kneeling Greg Chauncey and Mike Abercrombie. Standing - Dick Lee, Corbin McNeill, John Arick, Ray Madonna and Stew Lingley. Nick LaDuca and Del hunt arrived too late for the photo. Stew

’63

Life Membership: 62% Donor Participation: 20.71% Pres: CAPT W. Spencer Johnson IV, USN (Ret.) Sec’y: Michael H. Shelley 27 Cambridge Dr., Brevard, NC 28712 p: 828-506-2201; e: nstar@citcom.net Website: www.USNA63.org

We have a lot of news to share with you. First, though, we note the loss of three members of the Class of 1963. We have learned that Charles C. Di Bari passed away on 1 January 2021. His daughter, Nicole Di Bari Roxby, can be contacted at 30312 Anamonte, Laguna Niguel, CA 92677. Mark F. Crane died on 1 August. His widow, Patricia, can be contacted at 1702 Westminster Way, Annapolis, MD 21401.

Wyatt C. Whitworth passed away on 17 August. Butch ’s daughter, Elizabeth Whitworth Elam, can be contacted at 6014 Killarney Drive, Corpus Christi, TX 78413. Butch Whitworth had donated his Marine Corps Mameluke sword to 2LT Toni Paruso ’13, joining several of our classmates who donated their swords as a legacy to members of the Class of 2013, our Link in the Chain partner. He was unable to travel for the presentation, so his 17th Companymate Bruce Webb passed the sword to Toni following her graduation from The Basic School in March 2014.

It’s not often we are able to honor our veterans with such an intimate gesture.

Toni Paruso ’13 with the Whitworth sword

Toni Paruso ’13 receives Butch Whitworth ’s sword

Captain (Major select) Paruso is stationed at Beaufort, SC, and has served a tour as a Company Officer at USNA. She contacted another 17th Company Marine, Bernie Conatser, to say that she would attend Butch ’s interment at the Coastal Bend Veterans Cemetery in Corpus Christi, TX. M When I heard of Captain Whitworth ’s passing, I was deeply moved. It saddens me to think that the first time I have been able to make this trip to see him — he won ’t be there. While I never had the chance to meet him, I have always felt as if we were connected. I have used the sword he bequeathed to me at every Marine Corps Ball since graduating from TBS. Sharing his story with my Marines, midshipmen, family, and friends has become an integral part of my story as a Marine. Having the opportunity to present the burial flag to his family is the greatest honor I ’ve received in the Marine Corps.

64 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

’63: The Sing Family at Parents Weekend

’63: Tom Meyer descending with his instructor

Last month’s ’63 column included news from Eli Dabich about his grandson’s induction as a member of the USNA Class of 2025. Phil Gubbins has checked in to say that he also has a grandson at USNA. M I am writing to claim equal time with Eli as I too have a grandson in the Class of ’25. I have enclosed a couple of pictures of Midshipman Philip Sing. The first is with his parents Anne and Roger Sing (King ’s Point ’82) taken on I Day. The second also includes his sister, Madeleine (Senior at the University of San Francisco) taken during Parents Weekend. I am looking forward to joining the 17th Company gang in South Bend for the Notre Dame game. Depending on how he is doing, I may even get to spend some time with young Philip.

63/64 CLASS NEWS We had a limo ride to the schooner Freedom, a beautiful sunset cruise with all the family and friends, and a post-party at a beach house.

Midshipman Sing ’25 and his parents

Two days after his 80th birthday on 27 August, Tom Meyer celebrated the milestone by skydiving for the first time in his life. He and his 19-year-old granddaughter Zoe went to the Dallas Skydive Center where they each made a tandem jump with an instructor from 13,000 feet. Tom posted videos of his jump on the internet. He was obviously enjoying every part of the experience. Seeing our children have good and happy lives is an ultimate joy. A good example of this comes from Bob Maier, who tells us of his son ’s retirement and new phase of life. M Cindy and I were in St Augustine over Labor Day. My son, Steve ’93 (USNA) retired after 28 years. His girlfriend Michelle did it up right.

Cindy and Bob Maier in Jacksonville

Steve went nuclear power after USNA, then to an attack boat and duty as a sub school instructor before the Navy put him through medical school. Then he was a flight surgeon for three years before being one of only two doctors selected for an ophthalmology residency. He spent his last active duty years in Okinawa and Jacksonville hospitals. As a retiree, he’s already

practicing at an ophthalmology clinic in Jacksonville. As I remarked at his retirement, I could never have made it through that career path. He has a lot of different insignia in his shadow box! NOTE THIS — it ’s something important to look forward to. Make a note on your calendar: The 60th reunion of the Class of 1963 will be held in Annapolis on the weekend of 20-22 October 2023. The football opponent will be Air Force. Californians Sue and Jim Penrod visited Dana and Derek Simmons in Asheville, NC, in late August. Lou and I joined them for a leisurely lunch at the impressive Sierra Nevada Brewery in Mills River, NC. Here are two pictures from that day. In the group photo are (l-r) Sue and Jim Penrod, Derek Simmons, Mike and Lou Shelley, and Dana Simmons.

Second Companymates Penrod and Simmon

That ’s all for now. Keep in touch and BEAT ARMY! QUALITY —’63

’64

Life Membership: 64% Donor Participation: 22.62% Pres: CAPT Micheal Farmer, USN (Ret.) e: farmer.mike@comcast.net Corr Sec’y: Roland Marquis 333 Valverde Ln., St. Augustine, FL 32086 p: 847-970-7562; e: bigroland1@comcast.net ’63: Steve Maier ’93 and his girlfriend Michelle

Website: www.usna64.org

This Shipmate issue is undoubtedly one of the most poignant your humble correspondent has submitted. Mike Farmer, our class president was a principal force in gathering, researching and clearing the material for the stories you are about to read. He opens with the following introduction.

Classmates, With the COVID challenges of the past 20 months or so I’m sure we are all looking forward to a Thanksgiving and Christmas season where we can safely be with our families – hopefully without the necessity for masks. This Shipmate edition includes stories about preserving the memory of Company-mates lost early in their careers and whose final resting places are known only to God. The first is about the successful efforts of Marty Block in getting the name of a 17th companymate included on a Memorial near the USNA Columbarium. The second describes efforts by Gale Treiber who performed yeoman duty following up on a History Channel program resulting in the unveiling of a truly remarkable love story. I am frequently reminded ’64 Cares is in our DNA and I look forward to sharing more of these wonderful stories with the class. Happy Thanksgiving, Merry Christmas, and Holiday Season. It’s an honor to be your Classmate, - Mike The first is a great story of determined persistence to honor fallen classmate Jim Roberts who was lost in an aircraft accident at sea on 27 April 1968. The story began in June 2021 with an email from Jim’s sister to 17th Company Rep, Marty Block, letting him know that Jim’s name was not on a Memorial near the USNA Columbarium, a gift from the Class of 1937 listing fallen Academy Graduates who’s remains were never found. Marty’s inquiries, and the very helpful assistance of the USNA Alumni Association, revealed Jim’s name certainly belonged on the Memorial with the Class. However, since the Memorial had been erected some years ago and there had been no additions since, the process for inscribing a new name became a bureaucratic challenge. With considerable legwork over the summer, the correct person

’63 couples at Sierra Nevada NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 65

64/64 CLASS NEWS was located and by early September Jim’s name was added to the Memorial.

ENS W.C. Lawton, USN, after his first solo on 13 October1964 (Official U.S. Navy Photo)

The Memorial Heading reads “Here we remember our shipmates whose resting places are known only to God.” This is certainly an earned tribute to Jim. It is also a tribute to the sense of caring for a fellow graduate and classmate embodied in the helpfulness of the USNA Alumni Association, and particularly to the caring and persistence of Jim’s Companymate and our Classmate. A huge ’64 BZ, Marty. As with about one-third of the Class, William “Billy” Crawford Lawton, had decided he wanted to become a Naval Aviator and fly jets after graduation. So much so that his roommate, Tom Gilmartin, remembered Bill eating a bag of carrots the night before his flight physical, in order to be sure of passing the eye test. Bill’s plan worked. He was selected for flight school, and after receiving his wings ended up flying F-8 Crusaders out of NAS Glynco, Georgia.

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation.

15 August 1966 started like most days for the young aviator. Bill had one mission to fly that morning, and he then had a leave chit which started that night at midnight. Bill had fallen in love with a young lady, April Kerr, from Northern Virginia, and his plan was to drive to that area where both his and April’s families lived. Bill planned to introduce April to his family, and then together they would announce their engagement to both families. Fate intervened however, and while returning from his morning mission, Bill’s plane maneuvered to avoid a line of thunderstorms and then disappeared somewhere off the coast of Georgia. The Lawton family of course was grief-stricken, but so was April. Her father, an Army Lieutenant Colonel and veteran of both WWII and Korea, forbade her grieving beyond the date of Bill’s memorial service, and then made her burn Bill’s photos and letters. She was told to forget about Bill, ordered not to intrude on his family’s grief by contacting them, and she was admonished to move on with her life. But April never forgot Bill, and after a short marriage to someone else, she divorced and raised a son, Montgomery, and a daughter, Allison, on her own. When her children were teenagers, April told them about Bill and their planned engagement. Each year the three of them celebrated Bill’s birthday, and they also memorialized the day of his tragic loss at sea.

66 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

April Kerr – A copy of the photograph Bill carried in his cockpit on every flight after he fell in love with April

The story of Bill and April probably would have ended there and might never have been told but for a particular quirk of fate. The History Channel in early September 2021 started presenting the second season of their series entitled “History’s Greatest Mysteries”. Their first show was entitled “Expedition Bermuda Triangle”, and it featured the search for Flight 19, the WWII Navy flight of five TBM’s that disappeared in 1945 without a trace in what would become known as the Bermuda Triangle. By pure coincidence, both April and Bill’s youngest brother, Don Lawton’74, were watching that History Channel show some 1500 miles apart. The first half of the show provided background information on Flight 19, and the preparations being made on the late Paul Allen’s exploration ship, the R/V Petrel, to search the ocean depths for the remains of the TBM’s. Although they did not find any wreckage from Flight 19, the Petrel and another vessel were then shown exploring several other wrecks on the ocean floor, including one that turned out to be a military jet. The History Channel’s research team had checked with the Navy and determined that the wreckage matched the accident report for Bill’s F-8, but they did not disclose Bill’s name on their show. When their dive team explored the wreckage and showed the

plane’s engine, April exclaimed, “That’s Bill’s plane!” The History Channel then showed the Navy’s redacted accident report. Although the report had blacked out Lt. Lawton’s name, it clearly showed the date of the accident –15 August 1966. As soon as April saw that date she was stunned but grateful that the Bermuda Triangle had finally given up one of its secrets. She had waited fifty-five years for some of the closure that she had hoped for. That closure also came to Bill’s family as Don saw the same evidence. As mentioned previously the Lawton family also had grieved. Bill’s mother and father eventually passed away and knowing that Bill had perished off the coast of Georgia, they had asked that their ashes be scattered over the Atlantic waters off the coast of Georgia. In May of 2013 Don flew his own airplane from Texas, picked up his brother, Jim (USMA ’68), and together they carried their parents’ ashes to the former NAS Glynco, now Brunswick Golden Isles Airport. Taking off just like Bill had done. they flew east and scattered their parents’ ashes near where they believed to be the site of their brother’s final resting place. What brought this story to life was Allison’s wanting to talk about her Mom’s continuing love for her fiancé, Bill Lawton, and to tell about her good fortune of having seen the History Channel show that documented the discovery of the wreckage of Bill’s plane. She had waited so long for that news. Allison sent her Mom’s story to her uncle, CDR Charles“CM” Wood ‘65, who passed it along to Dave Tuma, who in turn forwarded it to Mike. Allison followed her first email with several more which were passed to Bill’s brother, Don, who then shared April’s story with the rest of his family. They had known that Bill had a girlfriend at the time of his death, but they had no way to find her. Nor did they know until now of the happy engagement news that would have been told by Bill and April, if they just would have had one more day together.

64/65 CLASS NEWS So, thank you Allison and Don for sharing this beautiful but tragic love story about our classmate, Bill Lawton, and his fiancé, April Kerr. It answered so many of our questions about what had happened to Bill, and it brought back memories of times that we had shared with him during our four years by the Bay. It’s a love story for the ages. And, let us not forget the help of the USNA Alumni Association, and particularly to the caring and persistence of Bill’s Company-mate and our Classmate Gale Treiber in bring this story together, in just under 2 weeks, and getting the approval of the respective families to bring the story to you. Gale, we all thank you. Fair winds and a quartering sea, classmates

’65

Life Membership: 64% Donor Participation:45.24% Pres: CAPT Jim Minderlein, USN (Ret.) e: jimm65@verizon.net Corr Sec’y: CDR Dave Anderson, USN (Ret.) 1600 Ala Moana Blvd. #2208, Honolulu, HI 96815 c: 816-621-0878; e: daveand65@me.com; daveand65@earthlink.net Class of 1965 Home Page: http://www.daveand65.com/USNA65/ https://daveand65.wixsite.com/usna65photos

First, alas, those dear classmates who were reported by our Class Prez, Jim Minderlein, in the last period to have gone to their great reward – SIX of them, my God! They are: Herb Williams, Ron Henderson, Bill Matton, Tom Young, Paul Robinson and Chuck Humphrey. With this many wonderful c’mates passing, plus the need to do some other reporting on classmate activities, I am regrettably unable to herein give these fine men the rightful due and respect they merit by addressing in some detail their lives and careers. Please look for those details in this issue’s

Last Call or in the Last Call section of the subsequent Shipmate edition. So, sadly and briefly, here’s what we know. Herb Williams, who graduated with the 14th Company (one of my great company-mates) lost his fight with COPD on 27 July. Herb was from Fayetteville, NC, got his wings in Corpus Christi in 1966. Most of his naval aviation career, active and reserve was in flying P-3s. After 10 years of active duty, he continued flying P-3s in the Reserves while he worked in various Naval Aviation support roles in DC and Pensacola where he and his wife of 44 years, Betty, settled in 1980. Retired from the Reserves as a Captain in 1989 and fully retired 10 years later, Herb then enjoyed golfing, genealogy and birdwatching. Ron Henderson. Passed away in the last week of July. Ron graduated with the 17th Company and after resigning from the Navy as a Supply Corps Lieutenant, obtained his law degree from Ohio State University and had his own law firm in Toledo, Ohio where he began his law career at the Toledo Legal Aid Society. He retired from his law practice in 2017, During his life, Ron pursued a 50-year love of karate in the Goju Ryu Karate-Do organization. His wife of 55 years, Phyllis, was at Ron’s bedside at his passing. Bill Matton. Died suddenly at home in Davidsonville, MD on September 10. Following graduation and flight school, Bill flew on maritime surveillance and anti-submarine missions during the Vietnam War. He also graduated from NPGS and taught financial management at USNA. Bill commanded VR-24, a squadron in Sigonella, Sicily supporting aircraft carriers in the Med and completed his naval service in Norfolk, VA as Comptroller for the Atlantic Fleet, retiring as a Captain. Golf was his major passion – and a real talent he had for it. He starred on the Golf Team while at USNA and had many other stellar competitive wins over the years. Bill is survived by Mary, his wife of 52 years, two sons and five grandchildren.

Tom Young. Passed away on 16 September. There are few details on Tom’s career and life this close to the Shipmate column deadline but Forrest Horton recounted some recent experiences with Tom. At the time of Tom’s passing, he was back home in the Tidewater, VA area with families, brothers and his 11 grandkids. Following Tom’s adventurous naval career, including a tour of duty at NAVFAC Bermuda, he founded a very successful security systems business in Virginia Beach. He was predeceased by his wife, Pat, and had lived in Virginia Beach for many years. Paul Robinson. Paul passed away on 16 September while in hospice care. He had a difficult struggle with Parkinson’s Disease that he eventually succumbed to, surrounded at the end by his wife of 32 years, Jeanne, a son and his daughter. At USNA Paul excelled as a varsity gymnast and as a member of the Academy Glee Club and Protestant Chapel Choir. Paul had an exceptional naval career, beginning as a Surface Warfare Officer and culminating with an assignment as Vice Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, retiring as a Rear Admiral in 1998. Following navy retirement, Paul had executive positions with Ingalls Shipbuilding, Pascagoula, MS and as a consultant to BAE Ship Systems, Mobile, AL. He did an enormous amount of volunteer work for superb causes in later life. Chuck Humphrey. Passed away on 18 August in Lebanon, NH. Chuck graduated with the 8th Company and was a loyal supporter of our class efforts in support of our alma mater. He served four years as a Surface Warfare Officer following graduation and then began a successful career in asset management starting at Prudential and ascending to be a Principal at KPMG, helping companies, employees, and clients grow and protect their assets. Chuck founded his own Investment Advisory firm, C. E. Humphrey Associates in 1998 and he and his family settled in Pittsfield, NH. Chuck is survived by his wife of 56 years, Bonnie, a son, a daughter and a grandson.

On to some other news: From Ron Bishop, 07 Aug. M The Tidewater USNA ’65 Lunch Bunch enjoyed a lunch meeting on 03 Aug, at the Egg Bistro in Chesapeake, VA. There were eight classmates in attendance. As usual the old saw of “When two or more shall gather, and sea stories of history unfold….” was true as discussions of football, the Brigade return, and 55/56 year Reunion details prevailed. Those in attendance were: Ron Voelkel, Bill Newlon, Carl Spangler, Bob Finley, Mike Hester, Neil Jenkins, Ray Thomas and Rick Williams. The Lunch Bunch is meeting regularly again at the Egg Bistro in Chesapeake on the first Tuesday of each month. If you are or can plan to be in the area at that time you are cordially invited to join the lunch meeting at 1130 am. Cheers, Ron … also from Ron Bishop, 27 Aug M Ron Voelkel has been the glue that binds this Tidewater USNA Class ’65 Lunch Bunch together for many years now. With his departure after the 02 Nov luncheon at Egg Bistro in Chesapeake, we will be wishing him God Speed to Covington, LA near one of his sons. Ron, we hope you will stay in touch with us as do Dave Adams, Bill Frigge and Tom Forbes. All the best with fair winds and an angel on your wing classmate! Bob Finley, thank you very much for volunteering to accept the position of being the Tidewater USNA ’65 Lunch Bunch Coordinator. Ron From Mike Epprecht, 11 Sep M A brief report on the reunion. We had a brief encounter with Hurricane IDA which sponsored a tornado that touched down on West Street about a mile from the hotel on Wednesday afternoon. It did some damage to local businesses but we were unscathed except for a brief stay in the Ballroom Tornado Shelter for some classmates. About 275 finally showed up which included 135 classmates and 10 widows. First event was a Wednesday bus trip and tour of the USS NEW JERSEY, BB-62. Both were

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 67

65/65 CLASS NEWS Susy and Wyman Howard. A great day was had by all. From Rick Rickard, 13 Sep M A small group of ‘65ers gathered for lunch with our spouses today in Lafayette, CA. Here’s the photographic evidence. From L to R: Sue Wecht, Ron Wecht, Rick Rickard, Wayne Goodroe, Barb Goodroe, Allyson Rickard, Will Kirkland, Lexie Sifford (Will’s partner). Rick From Jim Wilson, 14 Sep

’65: Tailgate

great, with Doug Katz guiding us through the ship and telling some tales. Wednesday night kicked it off with a welcome reception at the Crowne Plaza. Thursday we had a great lunch with two speakers on the Naval Academy museum followed by a tour. Buffet dinner at the N* room that night. Friday was our Yard day starting with a Fun Run and then our Annual Class Meeting presented by our Pres. Jim Minderlein, very informative. We then held a very moving Memorial service in the Chapel. Our latest ’65 Shell was dedicated at Lunch. The Supe gave an excellent presentation after lunch and a large contingent of classmates went to the P-Rade. Friday dinner was a dress up event and was held at the Crowne Plaza Hotel. Saturday started with a inspirational prayer breakfast and then off to the stadium for a disappointing football game, but we did win the Party once again in the N* room. The reunion ended with our traditional Farewell Brunch at the Navy Club, all in all a lot of fun. We are

now looking forward to the 60th in 2025. Those attending the reunion received two packages of Class of ’65 cocktail napkins and a book of cartoons, compliments of the author, our classmate and cartoonist, Don “Waxer” Hallwachs. We purposely ordered extras so we could offer them to you. If interested in getting these, contact me at mike.epprecht65@gmail.com. Mike From Phil Ferrara, 14 Sep

M The Whale (most classmates know him as Pat Philbin) and Alice Wilson renewed their friendship that began June week of Plebe summer when the Whale and Bill “the Burden” Burd decided to walk on the roof of Alice’s Ford Falcon. As they dented the roof, Alice asked “Who are these A…holes?” I said these are two of my best friends. Since that time the Whale and I don’t like each other that much, but it’s not personal — it’s from confrontations on the basketball court. It’s great that Alice and the Whale have remained such good friends! At least I’m still good friends with Burdman. Jim Wilson

M On September 11, several classmates and spouses assembled at the ’65 tailgate and enjoyed the day immensely. We partnered with the ’22 Parents’ Club to conduct it. Scores of them were there. The pregame and halftime performances were fun to watch. The game has been blanked out of memory!! Visible in the photo are Moke DeMatta, Sonny and Judy Harrison, Linda Ferrara, Frog and Sam Kristensen, Bob Andretta, Sharon and Doug Katz, Jim and Diann Minderlein, and Ted Nanz. Also at the tailgate were

UPDATE YOUR PROFILE Log into Online Community at usna.com to update your profile.

’65: Bay Area Lunch 68 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Jim Minderlein will likely have Class Officer Election results out soon or you may have already seen them put out on the email Wardroom forum. From Doyle Borchers, 25 Sep M I have been reflecting on the wonderful time I had visiting with so many of you during our recent reunion. Thanks for such a great turnout to the 1965 Memorial Crew Shell dedication. For those of you who weren’t there, in 2005 Sted Garber and Rand Case came up with the idea of raising a fund that would buy a racing shell for the Navy Crew. Rand thought it would be appropriate to dedicate the shell to our three oarsmen classmates that were lost in Vietnam. (Bill Boles, Dave Driver and Dick Pierson). A group of us contributed enough money to buy the first shell and establish a fund for future shells. The idea was that after several years, we would sell the shell and with the proceeds and the growth of the fund, Navy would be able to buy a new shell, and over the years we would always have a Class of 1965 Memorial shell in the boathouse for Navy crews. The idea has worked very well and the shell we recently dedicated is the third shell we have bought for the Navy crews. The cost of new racing shells has increased significantly. The first one we bought was about $35,000 and the new one we just bought was over $57,000. What I am asking is that if you can, we would really appreciate your donation to our 1965 Crew Shell Fund. It is very easy to do. Doyle. (Ed. Note - If you would like to donate, please contact Doyle at vikingcaptain@comcast.net for details. Jim Minderlein also sent his thanks to Sted and Rand for their efforts in initiating this fund and having our class be recognized as being a part of the continuing history of NAVY CREW. Thazzit, Guys. Look for some carryover in the Jan-Feb 22 column – stuff I couldn’t fit in this time!

66/66 CLASS NEWS

’66

Life Membership: 66% Donor Participation: 21.12% Pres: Gen Carlton W. Fulford, USMC (Ret.) Sec’y: CDR Mike Baird, USN (Ret.) 10439 Rivington Ct., Lone Tree, CO 80124 e: mike.baird@1966.usna.com West Coast Sec’y: Robert G. Johnson Jr., Esq. 41391 Kalmia St., Ste. 210 Murrieta, CA 92562 Website: www.usna66.org

Wow! It’s December. This year has sped by and been filled with ups and downs. Hopefully the future will contain more ups. As I write this in September, Navy has not exemplified itself on the football field. My hope is that by the time you read this they’ve turned around and the Army-Navy game present a rosy outlook. It’s also the Christmas season, and I wish all of you a very merry Christmas and a happy Hannukah. Now to the news! Michael Kappes, son of Jim Kappes reached out to the Class regarding a visit to Annapolis. Mike’s son, Kevin, is considering the Naval Academy. The family was visiting so Kevin could attend the soccer ID camp, the week of 6-7 August 2021. Tom Eubanks was able to meet Michael, wife, Felicia, and Kevin for brunch and captured a photo to commemorate the event. Thanks, Tom!

Mike, Kevin, Tom and Felicia

On 28 August 2021, Tom Barry (16) died. A Class-wide email was sent that included his obituary. A Mass of Christian Burial was held on 9 September 2021, with burial in the Providence Cemetery in Front Royal, VA. Please keep Tom’s family in your prayers. Charlie Jones and Linda McCook provided brief recaps of the Air Force Tailgate participation. Here are their stories. From Charlie, “We had some 2016 grads and friends at the tailgate, including a very pampered dog brought along by Chris Huynh (‘16). Also signed up for the tailgate were Michelle Lee (‘16), Tommy Gruebl (‘16), Darby Nelson (‘16), Jacob (Jake) Rothstein (‘16), Mike Sappio (‘16), Tom Toohig (‘16), and Samantha Steere (‘16) with 4 friends: Jaclyn Hennegan, Rebecca Sayre, Jordan Skeie, Elise Skeie.” Pictured are Ginny and Charlie surrounding the 2016 attendees.

2016 Air Force Tailgaters

From Linda McCook – Five of the Sail On Solo (SOS) Air Force game and tailgate attendees are pictured below - from left to right, Kathy Madaleno, Linda McCook, Lori Scarbrough, Vicki Wiggers, Sandra Hale. It was a great Navy day, except for the score! Linda, Kathy, Sandra, and Lori were also at the first home game and tailgate. Linda and Lori were able to corral Bill the Goat for a photo. Thanks, Linda.

great song. Mike and his wife and Cookie and Rick Brown have been our friends since our sailing days in Key West. There were five grads in attendance and the youngest, Rob Hastings (’05), helped cut the birthday cake. We five posed for a group shot. From left to right, Rick Brown (’66), 3rd Co, the birthday boy, Mike Curreri (’73), Dan Schroeder (’61), 3rd Co., Ken Mayeaux (’73) and the young guy, Rob Hastings (’05). Great picture Dan. Thanks for sending it.

USNA Birthday Gathering

Kathy, Linda, Lori, Vicki, and Sandra at Air Force Tailgate

In a side note, RDML Eileen (Haskins) Laubacher (’90), daughter of Joanne and Mike Haskins, was recently promoted to RADM giving her a second star. She is currently serving as the Military Attaché in India. Congratulations to Eileen and to Joanne and Mike. Jon Barton sent the next picture of himself, Ken Smith and Will Wood. The occasion was a 12th Company mini-lunch gathering at their local pub. They noticed the lat/long sign over the entry and just had to take their picture under it. Thanks, Jon! Good one.

Linda and Lori at the Marshall Tailgate

My next bit of news comes from Dan Schroeder (’61) who writes the following.

’66 and ’16 at the Air Force Tailgate

M “We had the opportunity to attend an epic birthday party for Mike Curreri (’73), 15th company. About 60 people participated many of whom are veterans. So, it was a great patriotic event. Everyone knew the words to Lee Greenwood’s

Jon, Ken and Will

And that wraps up this issue. Many thanks to all who submitted items. Stay well! Until February... All the best...Mike!!!

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 69

67/67 CLASS NEWS

’67: Barrett memorial with Mary Catherine and Chris

’67

Life Membership: 76% Donor Participation: 28.84% Pres: CDR David E. Church, USN (Ret.) Sec’y: LtCol Jim McNeece, USMC (Ret.) 1603 John Worthington Way, Crownsville, MD 21032 p: 410-849-3423; e: scribe67@gmail.com

I’m sorry to say that I received word of the death of 4th Company’s Jim Johnson in Pensacola, FL on 29 September 2021. I didn’t receive a lot of information, but he and Barbara were married in St. Andrews Chapel after graduation. His career took him to Charleston, Newport, Vietnam, Adak, Long Beach, Ft. Meade and Pearl Harbor. While in Vietnam (1972-1973), he served as senior advisor to the harbor defense unit at the port of Vung Tau. In addition to his Navy career, Jim worked as a reporter for the Natchez Democrat from (1979-1980). He retired to Pensacola as Commander in 1989. During retirement he worked under contract training international students at the Navy Education and Training Command in Pensacola. Jim is survived by Barbara and their three children James Herbert Johnson III, Sarah Johnson Behnke (Matthew), and Bridget Johnson Sharp (Steve), as well as his granddaughters Izabel and Molly he so fondly referred to as “his precious girls.” A Mass of Christian Burial was said for Jim on 27 September 2021 at The Basilica of St. Michael the Archangel in Pensacola followed by interment at Barrancas National Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made in his name to Catholic Charities (https://www. catholiccharitiesusa.org/)

I reported the death of John Kieley in the last column. Jack Feehan sent a note that he and his wife Ronnie had attended John’s funeral on 24 August 2021: M A good number of our class attended. Among those I remembered there were: Steve Andres, Bill Stedfield, Bob Lang, Bruce Wright, Helene and Warren Millard, Terry Brown, Pete Phelps, Soupy Campbell, Jim Gilbert, and Steve Fisk. My apologies if I missed anyone. Eulogies were delivered by his former XO and by John’s three sons: John IV, James, Jeffery, and grandson James II. Following the interment, Candy graciously hosted a lunch at the Bernardo Heights Country Club. Those of us who were there toasted to John with his favorite drink: the chocolate martini. The family has requested memorial donations be made to Canine Companions for Independence (https://canine.org/) or The Elizabeth Hospice (https:// elizabethhospice.org/). Charlotte and Dave Church, Barb and John Aunchman, and Pat and I attended a Memorial Mass for Jim Barrett on 18 September 2021 at the Carmalite Monastery of Baltimore. Jim had passed away on 20 March 2020 but his services were delayed. Joe Barker wrote the eulogy which was read before the Mass. It was a small affair in an intimate setting at the monastery among the trees and was a wonderful remembrance of a gracious Classmate. We joined Jim’s wife, Mary Catherine, Jim’s son Christopher and other relatives at lunch following the service. I got a long piece from Jake Jakucyk and GK Jacobs about the 9th Annual 19th Company BeerFest:

70 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

’67: Chaplain Tucker, Bates, Jakucyk, Jacobs, Buettner, Skjei, Gordon and Priest

M The event took place on 9-12 July 2021 at Rosemary and Don Priest’s lakeside estate in Hartwell, GA. In attendance were JC Bates, Jake, GK, Terry Buettner, Sid Skjei and Adrian Gordon. We did some things other than drinking beer and telling lies on the back porch or on Lake Hartwell. We had free admission on Saturday to a local classic car collection to see about 50 restored cars from the 1950’s and 1960’s. Memories. Sunday afternoon we had a memorial service for several 19th Company mates who were roommates or friends with those of us in attendance: John Millen, Fred Stiesberg, Bob Rodgers, Sergei Kowalchik, Bruce Rossing and Jim Potts. After memorial tributes and a prayer led by retired Army chaplain Carter Tucker, we placed a rose for each man in a wreath which was later floated on the lake. At the wreath launching, we also spoke the names of other departed friends: Rick Amber, Joe Johnson, Dave Finney, Mike Egnotovich and Bob Bossert. Chow Sunday night was a burger cookout on the upper deck. Of course, this could not happen without incident. Earlier, Padre asked us to return his gas kettle grill to operational status, noting there was probably a hornet’s nest inside. Upon inspection, that was the case. Volunteering Bitz to light the grill (assuming he was the fastest runner), he left the top on the grill (to ensure the dastardly hornets couldn’t escape) and lit the gas from the bottom. There was a loud “Whoomp” noise as the top flew several feet into the air, turned

upside down and broke the handle when it landed on the deck. Many hornets were unscathed. During this meal, in addition to beer and soft drinks, Padre made some Cubi Specials (must be an airdale thing). He also allowed us to diminish his supply of high-end bourbons. This might have wound up in our mess bills. The main event on Monday was a 3-4 hour kayak trip down the Broad River with some rapids and some leisure floating time and an island midway to stop for lunch. After the kayak trip the group traveled back to Hartwell and had a fine Mexican food dinner at a local restaurant featuring mega margaritas. We all appreciate Don and Rosemary hosting this reunion every year. Others have volunteered but the pontoon boat will not fit in their swimming pool. Got a quick shot from Lou Romano. He said that while spending the summer on Sugar Mountain, NC he and Annie were visited by 32nd company roommate Kelly Spears and his wife Donna who drove up from Maryville, TN. Lou said “It was truly a fun reunion with lots of stories and memories of many wonderful times shared together.”

Kelly & Donna, Annie & Lou

’68

67/68 CLASS NEWS

Life Membership: 62% Donor Participation: 16.86% Pres: CAPT Gary A. Storm, USN (Ret.) 66 Franklin St., Unit 509, Annapolis, MD 21401 p: 410-757-7156; c: 443-924-1130 e: gastorm@verizon.net Corr Sec’y: CAPT Gordon I. Peterson, USN (Ret.) 5200 Brittany Dr., S., Apt. #102 St. Petersburg, FL 33715 p: 703-282-3411; e: gpeters621@aol.com

Soberanes wildfire, he served as the chaplain for the State Guard’s Task Force 578 that was mobilized to assist firefighters battle the massive fire over a three-month period. Rick’s military career also included 22 years’ service as a pilot in the Air Force, Aloha, Rick, and best wishes to you and Ruth in your new home in Kaneohe, HI!

Website: www.usna68.com ’67: Golfing Liverpudlians

And we still do have practicing athletes! The team of Bob Torres ‘67 and Lynn Walton ’71 won a silver medal in the men’s senior division pickleball Olympic event held at the Rolling Green Village etirement community. Bob said “Lynn had started playing pickleball a few months before the event so it was fortunate that we only had to play against a small number of other teams.”

Pickleball champs!

I received a press release from the Naval War College Foundation announcing that Doug Matthews has been appointed as a member of the NWCF Board. The goal of the NCWF is to contribute to the educational excellence of the College. Doug is Chairman of the Board and CEO of Interlease, Inc., a company that finances, trades and leases airliners and business jets. As a naval aviator Doug served two tours in Vietnam where he earned a Bronze Star with combat “V.” He pioneered the concept of Commercial Air Services (CAS) for the world’s militaries. A note and great photo from Danny Wong:

M Bob Havasy, John Morton, Skip Dittmann, and I recently returned from a golfing trip to England. This was our 4th trip across the Atlantic for the 4 of us since 2012. We have enjoyed learning the history of, and playing, some wonderful golf courses in Ireland, Scotland and England. This trip took us to the Liverpool area, where 3 of our golf venues were located. So, we also were able to take a trip down “Plebe Year Memory Lane”- the birth of the Beatles. As you can see, the artist intended to make the statues “larger than life”. But, little did he know that the ‘67 entourage would include Skip Dittmann. Ringo is somewhere in Skip’s shadow. As with the prior trips, we came home with a lot of wonderful, shared memories. OK, boys and girls, I have to close the book on 2021, but I still have some material left. Looks like we’ll start off the New Year with words from Greg Marshall about an Air Wing 21 reunion, from Dave Gentile about his and Amy’s travels, and how Dave Candler got involved with growing roses. I’m writing here in late September 2021 and unfortunately we can’t say SARS-COV-2 is behind us, but maybe we’re gaining on it. Everybody “Be Safe” as they say. I hope you have a great Holiday Season however you celebrate it and are back here on these same pages in 2022! That’s it...Goodnight!...Jim

The full-length version of this column was distributed by e-mail class wide and is posted on our Class website. As I write this close-out column for 2021, I am mindful that we nearly lost several classmates or their family members to the Covid 19 pandemic. I also cannot help but reflect on how many classmates have assisted those in need in local communities in many ways. Clearly, the theme of our class video documentary Prepared to Serve still resonates throughout our ranks. In that spirit, during a retirement ceremony in late August, the 13th Company’s Colonel Rick Blank was awarded the Legion of Merit for service as the California State Guard Command Chaplain and Deputy State Chaplain during the final two years of his nearly sevenyear service with the State Guard. Rick was cited for his “invaluable support” in many ways, including more than 4,500 hours of volunteer work. During California’s 2016

Brig Gen (CA) David Hawkins, California State Guard, presents Rick Blank with the Legion of Merit during Rick’s recent retirement ceremony.

Class tailgates resumed in Annapolis when the football season kicked off. “Tailgates have been wonderful,” Linda Hopkins reported. “It is great seeing everyone again after a year in ‘quarantine.’ Sandy and Bill Paine are the tailgate leaders, and they work hard to insure everything runs smoothly.” Ken Pyrz said spirit was also high on the West Coast for the season’s televised first game. “Doug Freeland opened up his massive home on top of a hill overlooking La Mesa,” Ken said, “and we had a fairly good turnout considering the

’68: San Diego Navy cheerleaders included, back row from left: Linda Duggan, Jiggs Higgs, Mila Higgs, Doug Freeland; middle row: Pat Marvil, Bob Duggan, Ken Pyrz; front row: Jack Vellis, Sharyn Pyrz. Photo by Nancy (Vellis) Hanssen. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 71

68/68 CLASS NEWS pandemic in California.” Ken also reported it was great to see everyone. Mention Navy football and I can’t help but recall the stellar team our class fielded plebe year. Jim Frezzell was a standout player recruited by Assistant Coach Steve Belichick and Anthony Urbanik to play at Navy. I touched base with Jim recently. “I am doing well and looking forward to autumn in New York,” he said. “I have my own consulting business specializing in veteran and minority recruitment.” Jim has also served on service academy selection committees for USNA, West Point, Air Force, and the Merchant Marine for Congressman Paul Tonko and U.S, Senator Gillibrand. Jim related that his plebe-year roommate, the late Kevin Delaney and his wife, Patricia, dedicated an Honor Chair in his name in Alumni Hall in 2009. “Since Kevin’s passing,” Jim reported, “Patricia and her family dedicated another Honor Chair at the Navy-Marine Stadium in my name. Nothing like Academy Classmates!” Keep charging, Jim!

Jim Frezzell pictured at right with the New England Patriot’s Coach Bill Belichick. The coach’s father, Steve, recruited Jim to play at Navy.

Our three distinguished former chiefs of naval research (CNRs)— Marc Pelaez, Paul Gaffney, and Jay Cohen—joined five other former CNRs in August for an all-day roundtable discussion at the Office of Naval Research HQ hosted by the current CNR, RADM Lorin C. Selby, as part of ONR’s 75th-anniversary commemoration. Marc, Paul, and Jay led the naval services’ science and technology research programs with distinction, serving consecutively from 1993 to 2006. RADM

Selby described the event as an incredible opportunity to discuss future naval power.

Phil Katauskas with daughter Julie at left and his oldest granddaughter, Jenna, a senior at GWU.

Former CNRs, from left: Marc Pelaez, Paul Gaffney and Jay Cohen.

Nancy and Jay Cohen were in New London, CT, 31 July for the launch and christening of HYMAN G. RICKOVER (SSN 795). Jay described the event as a fun day. “After the christening, Nancy and I shared the afternoon with more than a dozen of my sailors from ‘my’ HGR (SSN 709),” Jay said—the submarine he commanded for three years following its commissioning. “Their memories and sea stories from their deck- plate perspectives were wonderful and heartwarming,” he added. The 9th Company’s Phil Katauskas is teleworking full-time as an administrative judge in DoD’s Defense Office of Hearings and Appeals. He looks forward to a return to presiding over “in-person” security clearance due-process hearings. “It’s a big year coming up,” he said. “Son Alex ’02, an Army lieutenant colonel, will complete his Ph. D. in electrical engineering at RPI in May in preparation for a three-year posting at West Point to teach EE.” Alex and his wife, Lyndsay ’02, have two sons. Phil’s daughter, Julie, continues to run her public-relations firm; her husband, Pete, is the budget director for Centenary University. Their two daughters are attending college.

DONATE ONLINE Support the Annual Fund, visit usna.com and click Give Online.

72 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Nancy and Jay Cohen at christening of HYMAN G. RICKOVER (SSN 795).

In San Diego, Cathy and Bob Parda stood down their travel-and-touring company in 2018. After the pandemic’s hold on travel, they enjoyed a visit to Mexico this autumn. Bob is active on our 55th Reunion Committee. He is also writing a narrative about his experiences during the Vietnam War and subsequent career. Bob served as an advisor to the South Vietnamese Navy from May 1971 to June 1972 as part of the Accelerated Turnover Plan (ACTOV) —the “Vietnamization” program. The transfer of U.S. military equipment to RVN armed forces sought to make them as capable and self-sufficient as possible before U.S. combat forces were withdrawn. Following Vietnamese language course and SERE training, Bob reported to Saigon. “I served in IV Corps with Pat Sabadie and Jules Coles, as well other classmates such as Fran Holian who supported us from COMNAVFOR VN,” Bob related. “Jules relieved me when I completed my tour and rotated to the States. We were a small cadre of mostly

volunteers, including many nonAcademy types, attached to Fleet Command at the South Vietnamese Navy HQ in Saigon.” Bob spent six months operating out of Phu Quoc Island near the Cambodian border on former U.S. Coast Guard patrol gunboats (PGMs). “U.S. Navy ships and small craft being transferred to the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) were fully crewed by South Vietnamese Navy officers and sailors,” Bob explained. “I would go out on patrols to help the Vietnamese crew use the PGMs most effectively interdicting VC and NVA resupply efforts. We usually stayed on station for a month.” Bob was reassigned in late 1971 as an advisor at our Solid Anchor base at Nam Can in the heart of the Ca Mau Peninsula. Peninsula. “Using vintage WWII infantry landing ships and craft, our job was to keep the rivers open for local transportation and commerce,” Bob said. “By early 1972 most of our U.S. combat forces there had stood down.” Psychological operations—psyops —was a secondary mission. Visits to remote villages were made to convince villagers that the South Vietnamese government was committed to them. Bob accompanied the ship’s ‘ambassadors.’ “I felt it was a good way to establish credibility with the crew,” he said. Bob brought along a bag of candy for the village’s children. “I would speak some Vietnamese and, within a minute or two, I would have half the kids in the village hanging on my arms and begging for candy,” he said. A side benefit of Bob’s tour in Vietnam was meeting Cathy, his future wife. She was from a prominent, high-society Chinese family in Saigon. Following his tour, Bob served as an instructor with the NROTC program at Auburn University. He and Cathy reconnected in the States after she moved to Canada to attend college. They married in 1974. Bob acknowledged that he and his fellow advisors struggled at times transferring assets to the South Vietnamese Navy. “It was hardly an ideal situation,” he said,

“but the control and pacification of the Mekong Delta by 1971-1972 are considered important successes during the war. Advisors like me were part of the cleanup effort. The tide turned after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords in January 1973. I wish the outcome had been different, but at least South Vietnam did not fall for two years after President Nixon’s ‘Peace with Honor’ agreement.”

Cathy and Bob Parda, shown here at Auburn University during Bob’s tour as an ROTC instructor.

That’s a wrap for this column and for 2021. Sincere thanks to everyone for taking the time to share stories and photos during the past year. Please keep them coming in 2022! GO NAVY, BEAT ARMY! Take care and stay well, Gordo

’69

Life Membership: 59% Donor Participation: 21.18% Pres: MAJ Steve Comiskey, USMCR (Ret.) e: swcomiskey@gmail.com Vice Pres: Pat Stroop e: pstroop@hotmail.com Sec’y: Dr. Steve Hudock p: 571-419-0290; e: shudock@1969.USNA.com Treas: Ron Gumbert e: rongumbert@icloud.com e: ron.gumbert@gartner.com Website: www.usna69.org

CLASS SECRETARY COLUMN DEADLINES Send to: classnews@usna.com

2022 ISSUE: Jan-Feb ’22 Mar-Apr ’22 May ’22 June ’22 July-Aug ’22

DUE DATE: Nov 29, 2021 Jan 24, 2022 Feb 22, 2022 Mar 28, 2022 May 26, 2022

’70

68/70 CLASS NEWS

Life Membership: 61% Donor Participation: 20.97% Pres: CDR Edmund E. Moore, USN (Ret.) e: edmund.moore@gmail.com Sec’y: CDR Royal Connell, USN (Ret.) 7230 Meir Henry Rd., Pensacola, FL 32506 e: royal70@1970.usna.com Webmaster: Ed Moore e: edmund.moore@gmail.com Website: http://1970.usnaclasses.com

Greetings all, a good many of you heard me at the reunion, and I appreciate the feedback. Keep those cards and letters coming! Lots of news this month, but first: Sound the Last Post: Jim Nolan Reports that Mike Magaletti passed away after a brief and unexpected illness last August in Nevada. His son was not specific, but it was not COVID. There was a memorial service in Nevada in Oct. Mike was medically discharged pretty quickly after commissioning and according to Jim, spent his career in the computer business. Dale Daniel sent the following: “It is with great sadness I inform you that my Academy roommate, Marv Hamm made his last flight this morning after a battle with pancreatic cancer. He flew A7’s off USS Midway after graduation. After the Navy, Marv joined American Airlines becoming an American captain. After retiring from the airline, he joined the FAA officially retiring just this year. Marv was a guy who remained calm in a crisis and maintained a smile and a positive attitude through the many “RA’s” of Academy life. I am privileged to have been close to him during those formative years of our lives.” Jim Hinton’s bride Marilyn passed away in February after a lengthy illness. Marilyn graduated from Bowling Green State University 1970 with a degree in Elementary Education and worked as an Elementary Educator for many years in Florida and in Ohio. She also worked as an interior decorator for J C Penney. She will be deeply missed by all who knew her.

’70: The Great Bike Ride on the Baltimore and Annapolis Rail Trail

Reunion Follow Up: Below is the link to Reunion Dinner Dance photos. You can download, at no cost, whatever photos you want: https://hamiltonphotography.sh ootproof.com/USNA1970REUNION The Thursday before the reunion, I got a call from Skip Wittich who has been our Balfour Rep since our rings were sized back in 1968. His office was acquired by a competitor and they had to sign a non-compete contract, so he had to, at the very last minute, cancel his appearance at our reunion. Balfour still has an Academy Ring Rep, but it is no longer in Baltimore. Our new Rep’s contact information follows: Jayne Roland, Balfour, 431 Kinderkamack Rd., Oradell, NJ 07649 201-262-8800; balfourna@optonline.net. I would introduce yourself as a member of the USNA Class of 70, and tell her that you were referred to her by me as the Class Rep and Skip Wittich from the former Baltimore Office. Ed Moore’s Reunion Re-cap mentioned Chuck Lewis having some problems with blood pressure / heart after the game. He and Suzanne are staying with Grant Thorpe for the Air Force game. Chuck had a couple more issues with chest tightness and pain (last time playing pickle ball). Grant took him to the Anne Arundel County Hospital Emergency Room and Chuck underwent quadruple bypass surgery. Chuck sent a follow-up email in which he reported “breaking out of the cell block

post-opping at Grant and Kathy’s. Worst part is I almost bust a gut laughing at their antics. Seriously I’m getting stronger each day. So thankful for my family friends and classmates, I should be back on the Pickleball court in about 2 months!” Speaking of Grant, he reported on the Great Bike Ride on the Baltimore and Annapolis Rail Trail, with 13 classmates participating. Many zipped around the BWI Loop and completed 35 miles. It was a magnificent day to share sea stories. Paul Hollenbach sent me a photo update on Dan Bowler’s grandson Alexander Hoot and Paul’s grandson Ryan Hollenbach.

As Tom Bender and Dave Oberholtzer were leaving the Marshall game they ran into five Plebes from 30th Company, one of whom was carrying the Dirty Thirty flag. He writes: “The photo is Dirty Thirty ’70 meets Dirty Thirty ’25. We explained that we were in the 30th Company in 1970, and we also called ourselves Dirty Thirty. The lion on the flag honors Major Douglas Zembiec USMC, who was a USNA grad, two-time All American wrestler, and, I believe, 30th Company Officer. He was

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 73

70/70 CLASS NEWS nicknamed the Lion of Fallujah for his heroic actions in Operation Vigilant Resolve in Iraq in 2004 for which he received the Silver Star and Bronze Star. Major Zembiec was killed in Iraq in May 2007. The Marines’ Ziembiec Award for Outstanding Leadership in Special Operations was established in his honor. “

Jim Schwenk and Bob Miller christened the Crew Team’s gift of a new shell with water from the finish line on the Severn poured out of the cup the Navy lightweights won as 2021 National Champions - winning all 3 team events. The class raised $61,970 for the boat.

Frank Reifsnyder a photo of 10th Company at dinner.

Harry MacLaughlin reported: M “The Lacrosse team celebrated the anniversary of their National Championship. Our record was 11-1,

losing only to Hopkins, while also defeating 3 Club (semi-pro) teams and beat a favored Army team, 8-7, at West Point, to earn a share of the championship with Virginia and Hopkins! We had 14 classmates on the team that year, seven of which were able to attend the reunion.

Those in attendance: Mike Gottlieb, Ed Tempesta, Greg Murphy, Harry MacLaughlin (team captain), Gino Marchetti, Steve Soroka (’72), Tom Caouette and Gary Knight. Other key team members included Lenny Supko, Tom Herbert, Warren Eckert, Ben Tucker, Dan Pike, Jerry Haggerty and Jim Suhr. The team included 3 first team All Americans: Harry MacLaughlin, Greg Murphy, Len Supko and third team honors went to Ed Tempesta, the best face off man in the country! Tom Herbert earned first team All Maryland honors at attack. After the football game, Harry MacLaughlin hosted a team gathering at McGarvey’s. A surprise guest at the gathering was Larry Goldstein, one of the team’s favorite assistant coaches. The old war stories were flowing fast and furious and were great fun! As the evening wore on, and the spirits consumed, our team became greater and greater! Mike Gottlieb shared a great video that he created, called the ‘Decade of Dominance’, highlighting the years ’60 to ’70; in which Navy won or shared 9 National Championships, including 7 in a row. Mike also presented a gift to each team member; a picture book he created including excerpts from the decade and memories from the’70 players; truly a keepsake treasure!”

74 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

I got a note from Gary Knock: M “My son, Evan, ‘06, started his career as a Navy helo pilot, mainly flying SH-60’s. In 2015 he completed the requirements to be designated a Naval Aerospace and Operational Physiologist, receiving wings for that. By changing to the Medical Service Corps to become a physiologist, he had to accept a “drop in rank” from a senior LT to a “rookie” LT. Fortunately, he has been able to continue to fly as a Physiologist. Anyway, he finally received his promotion to LCDR and asked me to perform the promotion ceremony. He wanted to do it with us both in flight suits since I too, was a helo pilot. I actually managed to squeeze into one of my old flight suits for this! (The ceremony took place Sept 1, in Pensacola, the day before our 50th reunion started.) He sent pictures after the ceremony, including Class of 2039 grad Escher Knock in his flight suit, (We expect his call sign to be the same as both of ours, Knockers (Politically incorrect? Don’t Knock it!)) and 7-year old Navy cheerleader Stella Knock (Class of 2036?)

And finally, Frank Reifsnyder outdid himself sending another update on the 10th company. M “ “Following a very successful trip to the Galapagos Islands earlier in the year, Jean and Phil Eslinger, Charlotte and Bob Miller, Carol and PJ Falten embarked on a cruise around Iceland. They took the Golden Circle tour out of Reykjavik visiting many geothermal sites with names unpronounceable to anyone not fluent in Icelandic. One of the more interesting stops was along

the Atlantic Rift between the slowly separating North American and Euro-Asian tectonic plates. The site was used for some the scenes from the HBO series Game of Thrones. Departing Reykjavik, they started their clockwise circumnavigation around Iceland on the Viking Cruise Ship Jupiter, briefly crossing above the Arctic Circle while enroute to Akureyri, the second largest city in Iceland. Northern Iceland’s Natural Wonders included the Waterfall of the Gods, Iceland’s longest fjord, lava castles, and a lava labyrinth.

Bob and Charlotte at the Waterfall of the Gods.

On one of the stops they were assaulted by Midge flies which don’t bite, but get into your eyes, ears, your mouth, nose, even inside your mask and any other crevice they could find. One of the pleasures of the trip was enjoying the baths, geothermal pools filled with water heated by volcanic activity deep within the earth and then pumped into manmade pools.

PJ and Carol Falten, and Jean and Phil Eslinger enjoying one of the geothermal baths.

Ring-A-Ding-Ding!

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation.

71/71 CLASS NEWS

’71

Life Membership: 62% Donor Participation: 22.05% Pres: CAPT Perry Martini, USN (Ret.) e: pmartini71@gmail.com Sec’y: CAPT Mike Longworth, USN (Ret.) e: duke.longworth@1971.usna.com Website: http://1971.usnaclasses.net/

(The Shipmate editorial staff apologizes for the repeated column in the October '21 issue. The full column submitted for the October issue appears below with the NovemberDecember Shipmate following.) October submission Summer is nearing the end! If July and August were anything like June this year will be a real scorcher! I really like the fall! You likely remember some of my fond memories of fall in the Yard: the leaves turning color, cool days, the warpaint on Tecumseh, and the football games! This year we have our 50th reunion, so this is a very special year! I hope to see you there! Our 50th Reunion started on September 30th! As I write this column 472 Classmates and 467 Guests have registered for the reunion and an additional 81 classmates indicated that they will register! This promises to be one of the most attended reunions for our class! I know there are many activities to attend and much to celebrate. One of my companymates whom we have encouraged to join us at earlier reunions is registered! I surely hope he attends as it has been too long since we, 15/36 Company-mates saw him! By the time you receive this column we, the Great USNA Class of ’71, will know whom our new Vice President is! The election was held during August. Congratulations to our new Vice President! Here’s a note from yours truly! I started my retirement “job” January 2018 as Scoutmaster, BSA Troop 408 in Virginia Beach. My Eagle Scout son, Michael II, joined the troop in September 1996. For one year I was an assistant scoutmaster followed by 20 years as the

committee chair, and now as Scoutmaster. The billet keeps me thinking and planning on a frequent basis. And I get to sleep under the stars in a tent about eight times each year. This does not compare to camping with our Marine classmates, but it certainly is not like sleeping in my own bed! My job is made easier by two fellow USNA grads: Charlie Mann ’64 and Bill Weissner ’66. Charlie and Bill are all-around masters of the trade who help me keep the troop moving forward with advancements and camping skills. Below is a photo of Charlie and Bill with me at a recent Troop 408 Court of Honor. I am most grateful for their help and advice!

(L-R) Charlie Mann ‘64, Duke, and Bill Weissner ‘66

With sadness I am passing along information regarding two classmates who passed away since my last column. Steve Grames passed away July 12th after battling lung cancer for about three years. Steve entered USNA from Perrysburg, Ohio. After six years of active duty as a Naval Officer he worked for the Federal Government for 35 years until his retirement. Steve then worked another ten years as an attendant and manager in the parking division of the Town of Bethany Beach. Steve recently celebrated his 72nd birthday and his 49th wedding anniversary with his wife Allyson. He was well-known for his analytical skills, problem solving, managerial skills, and most of all for his dedication to Allyson and to their families. Steve was cremated and will be inurned in the Naval Academy Columbarium. John “Jack” L. Balcom passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday, June 22nd at his home in Merrimack, NH. Jack entered USNA from Newton, MA. Upon graduation he

served six years in the U.S. Marine Corps. He subsequently earned his Master of Science in Engineering degree from University of Southern California. He then had career as a logistics engineer. Jack represented District Hillsborough 21 in the New Hampshire House of Representatives from 2014-2016, serving as Vice Chair of Education for the 2015 legislative session. Additionally, he served as a Merrimack Village District Commissioner. Jack an active member of the community over the years, coaching youth soccer and performing in local theater and concerts. Jack is survived by his wife Marie (Mendelow) Balcom; his mother, Jeanne Balcom; daughter Lindsey and son Jon; and six grandchildren. A graveside committal service was held at the NH Veteran’s Cemetery on Wednesday, 30 June. November-December submission Fall is in full “bloom” in the Yard! Yes, my favorite season with the cooler air, football games, and Tecumseh painted in his glory! Our 50th reunion is in the books as are many good tales of us seeing classmates whom we haven’t seen in many years! I’m looking forward to filling our class pages with many photographs and interesting stories, so if you haven’t sent your photos and stories to me, please do so soon! And, speaking of football, here’s to a winning season! GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY! NOTE: As promised in my October column we, the Great USNA Class of ’71, have a new Vice President! Please join me in a hearty “Congratulations” to Jim Bryant, our new Vice President! As I write this column we have 512 Classmates, plus an additional 495 Guests (1,007 total) registered to attend. My January column I will note the exact attendees! I received this note from Bob Torres ’67: M “Duke, The team of Bob Torres ‘67 and Lynn Walton ’71 won a silver medal in the men’s senior division pickleball Olympic event held at the Rolling Green Village retirement community. Lynn started playing pickleball a

few months before the event, so it was fortunate that we only had to play against a small number of other teams.” Bob, thank you for the note! Glad our Navy team did well! Here’s to you and Lynn winning gold next year!

(L-R) Bob Torres and Lynn Walton with their silver medals

Rick Loerch sent this note: M “Gentlemen, I wanted to take a moment to test my link to you guys via email AND to say thank you for all you have done through the years. I have been missing in action for many of those years, but I am looking forward to seeing you and our 71 classmates at the 50th reunion. After graduation my knee injuries led to a medical discharge before I could enter Sub school. My career has been outside the Navy but my love for USN, USNA and the class of 71 remains. I have re-acquainted myself with the ‘71 website and the normal USNA sites. If there are any other lists, I should be put on please do so or direct me to the sites. Thank you for all you do. Duces Virum, Rick Loerch, 31st Co.” Thank for the note! Rick sent a follow-up note shortly before our reunion commenced. Unfortunately, Rick had to cancel. I certainly hope to see him at our next reunion. Sadly, I report that five classmates have passed away since the October column. David Edward Polzien of Wake Forest, NC passed away from cancer on September 16, 2021. He was Gun Captain of the Cannoneers for all four years. David graduated with distinction from USNA. He subsequently received his master’s degree from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1972. He served on the USS BASILONE, and later worked as an instructor at the Department of

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 75

71/72 CLASS NEWS Defense Computer Institute. After active duty, he lived with his family in North Carolina. He retired from GMAC Insurance in 2014 after a long career as an IT Director and Manager. David is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jay; two children, and two grandsons. There is no memorial service planned at this time. In lieu of flowers donations may be made to Transitions LifeCare of Raleigh, NC or Homes For Our Troops. George Hewes passed away in Oakland Florida on 16 September after a brave battle against brain cancer. George was a proud member of 2nd Company. He is survived by his wife Carol and daughters Suzanne and Francine. Memorial service and funeral arrangements are pending. Bruce Linder passed away in Coronado, California on 8 September 2021 following a stroke. Graduating from the 27th Company he served for 26 years, retiring as a Captain in 1997. As a Surface Warfare Officer he commanded a Guided Missile Frigate and two Major Shore Installations. A graduate of Coronado High School, Bruce had a B.S. degree in Physics/Oceanography; M.S. in Oceanography from the University of Michigan; and was a Federal Executive Fellow (National Security Affairs) at the Brookings Institution in Washington, D.C. Following retirement, he was as a principal with Booz Allen Hamilton (management consulting firm) in San Diego. Additionally, Bruce was well known for his four non-fiction history books–San Diego’s Navy (2001), Tidewater’s Navy (2005), The Navy in San Diego (2007), and San Salvador: Cabrillo’s Galleon of Discovery (2011) in addition to over 40 magazine and journal articles, published in the U.S., Europe and Japan. He has also appeared on numerous History Channel, PBS and local radio and television programs and was a noted speaker and lecturer. Additional information and details to follow on a complete obituary. Funeral services are pending. Bruce is survived by his wife Debbie.

Timothy Earl Poole passed away on May 6, 2021 of cardiac arrest. Graduating out of the 27th company, Tim served a career as a Surface Line Officer. He is survived by his wife, Jane Blocker, who he had known from academy days. They lived in the St. Augustine, Florida area. Additional details will be provided when available. Plans for his internment are still pending. Richard J. Wilkes passed away 13 April 2020 in Edmond, Oklahoma from congenital heart failure. R.J. was a member of the 15th company and was one of only a few classmates that started for the Navy football team as a Youngster (starting center). A memorial service was held at the Cape Canaveral National Cemetery on 23 July 2020. Too soon, it is time to close. Please keep our classmates and their families in your prayers for good health, especially continuing protection from the COVID-19 virus, healing when needed, and safety in travels. The pandemic highlighted that today is the gift of “the present” and life is precious and too short! There is not time to gladden the hearts of those who travel with us. Love passionately, give and share your blessings generously with others – as we are richly blessed so may we richly bless others. Our leadership at home, in our social circles, and in daily routines is vital to maintaining our nation’s constitutional republic. Now is the time to shape the future of our great nation as we strive for a more perfect union. There is plenty of work remaining as we increase our wisdom! Time, tide and column due dates wait for no man! Duces Virum, Duke

76 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

MATCHING GIFTS Call 410-295-4178 to find out how you can match your recent contribution.

’72

Life Membership: 58% Donor Participation: 25.68% Pres: CDR Bob Leib, USN (Ret.) e: rcleib1972@verizon.net Sec’y: CDR Rich Robison, USN (Ret.) 3126 North Greystone Dr. Morgantown, WV 26508 e: Scribe72@comcast.net Website: http://1972.usnaclasses.net Class Listserv: TheGouge-USNA72@googlegroups.com Facebook: USNA Class of 1972

Here we are coming up on another Holiday season, ladies and gents, complete with warm fireplaces and hot rum goodies to chase all those chills away. Ah, yes, indeed…December. It’s about this time of year (actually, right after Thanksgiving) that Mrs. Scribe starts to put the heat on this poor old boy to haul the 50 (or so) tons of Christmas stuff down out of the attic and get those trees and decorations put up. (Sort of like a come-around— y’know?) I confess I’ve come to bag-it a little in recent years…got away from doing that balancing act while stringing icicle lights on the gutters…now I merely hang a wreath on each window. Still got the snowman on the patio, the plastic toy soldiers on the front porch, the lights on a few bushes… you know, the easy stuff. But some things…well, you just gotta do…like the grand old LGB that still finds its way under the tree, chug-chugging in endless circles, spewing smoke to the delight of the grandkids. So, how many of you have had the opportunity to visit the Terwilliger Center for Student Athletes that was formally dedicated in Ricketts Hall back on September 11th? In addition to being the home of our Class of 1972 Sports Performance & Rehabilitation Center, the Terwilliger Center is also home of the Class of 1965 Navy Legends Exhibit that celebrates former Navy student athletes from all classes who excelled in their respective sports while at USNA. Bob Leib provides the story:

M “Back in May 2021, Chet Gladchuk, the USNA Athletic Director (AD), initiated an effort to recognize athletes that the members of each USNA Class considered highly accomplished. In other words, we—their classmates —would select these individuals based upon our view that they had a great impact on the morale of the Brigade and Academy’s athletic program during our tenure at USNA. We subsequently announced this effort through The Gouge and requested that nominations be submitted to me. After carefully reviewing all of the nominations, and in keeping with the AD’s submission guidance, the Class of 1972 proudly nominated eight of our Classmates for the Class of 1965 Navy Sports Legends Exhibit… “I had the honor of visiting the Terwilliger Center for Student Athletes during the last week of August. Let me tell you, it is very impressive, and I most strongly recommend that you and your family make every effort to visit the Center the next time you are in Annapolis. “The Navy Sports Legends Exhibit consists of four very large, vertically mounted, high-definition monitors. All you need to do is “touch” the name of an athlete and their pictures appear with detailed comments and a description of their athletic careers at USNA. (Although the NAAA was still uploading the information when I visited, I was assured they were on track to have everything uploaded by 11 September.) “We should all be very proud of our Class of 1972 Sports Legends and I hope that you will soon be able to visit USNA and the Terwilliger Center for Student Athletes in Ricketts Hall. We also owe a note of thanks to Chet Gladchuk for having the foresight and wherewithal to initiate this project and see it through to completion. Thanks also to those of you who nominated Classmates for this noteworthy and perpetual recognition.” Although word limits to the length of our Class column here in

72/73 CLASS NEWS Shipmate prevent me from including the text of the entire submission package here, Mike Lundblad has captured it all on the Class website at http://1972.usnaclasses.net/class-of-1972-sportslegends/. In response to Bob’s call, you (the Class) identified a total of fifteen Classmates: seven of them USNA Hall of Fame members, and eight others who had unique and noteworthy athletic accomplishments during our four years at USNA. They were: Rich Brilla (Track & Field), Jim Dunn (Squash), Butch Keaser (Wrestling), Nick Lakis (Track & Field), Denny Morral (150 lb Football), Bob Pell (Lacrosse), Kenny Paul (Soccer), Gordon Perry (Tennis/Squash), Rick Porterfield (Football), Mark Shickner (Football), Tom Schuler (Wrestling), Andy Tolk (Wrestling), George Voelker (Baseball), Dan Weaver (Football) and Jocko Worthington (Gymnastics). In keeping with the AD’s request to limit the number of names we submitted, our Class proudly nominated the following Classmates for The Class of 1965 Navy Sports Legends Exhibit: Lloyd “Butch” Keaser Tom Schuler Dan Weaver Mark Schickner Bob Pell George Voelker John “Jocko” Worthington Kenny Paul Take a few minutes to read the entire package on our website. It provides a great summary of what each of them accomplished and why they deserved this recognition—one that will forever remain a part of this exhibit. Congratulations! Closing ranks. On a more somber note, we lost two Classmates in the past several months. Bob Dengler (20th Company) passed away unexpectedly on 29 July 2021—his 71st birthday— from complications resulting from routine surgery. Bob is survived by his wife of 45 years, Denise, and his son, Kevin. Known as “Dengs” to his classmates and “Easy” to his fellow aviators, Bob grew up an Air Force brat whose home was wherever the Air Force stationed

his family. At USNA he majored in Oceanography, frequently made the Dean’s List and became an avid sailor. After a brief “ensign cruise” following graduation, he went to flight school and earned his wings in July 1974. His career included three tours in the Naval Air Training Command, VC-5 (Cubi Pt), VC-8 (Roosevelt Roads) and VF-126, where he was an adversary pilot graduating from Topgun’s Adversary Instructor Course. Bob accumulated an excess of 5200 flight hours, of which 4900 were in various models of the A-4 Skyhawk. After retiring from the Navy, Bob cruised the Caribbean in their Morgan Out Island 41 sailboat. He then did a brief bout as a high school physics instructor but found his calling in Naval Aviation Strike Training as a simulator and ground school instructor at NAS Meridian, where he instructed all stages of the T-45C simulator flight syllabus and provided every lecture in the aircraft’s ground training phase. The Class extends its deepest sympathies to Denise and their family. John Hinson (5th Company) died in a single-car accident on 18 September 2021. John came from the rural community of Whiteville near Wilmington, NC. He studied at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, joined the Marine Corps and subsequently attended NAPS. John came to USNA with our Class but departed during Plebe year. He subsequently served in Vietnam where he managed logistics and loaded ordnance onto combat aircraft. When he returned to the States, he became interested in real estate and moved to Atlanta where he learned the trade and went on to create a vastly successful business. Following a motorcycle accident that he was lucky to survive, John retired in his 30s, purchased a sailboat, and sailed the Caribbean for nearly two years. He re-entered the real estate business and moved to Fort Lauderdale and, subsequently, to Miami Beach where he was a pioneer in the Miami South Beach area. He created and developed one of his most successful real estate projects, The Ocean Club on

Key Biscayne, where he met and married his wife of nineteen years, Jeanine. After completion of The Ocean Club, he remained involved in real estate and philanthropic ventures. The Class extends its condolences to Jeanine and their family. May I once again remind you that it is 11 months until the 50th Reunion—27-30 October 2022. Did I say that more information would be forthcoming soon? Yeah, I did! So, dear readers, here we are at the end of another year. As always, it is a pleasure to continue to serve as your Scribe. Please take a few moments to not only remember those who are away from home, serving in harm’s way to preserve our freedoms, but to also reach out and help those who are in need in our communities. I recently saw the following quote from Og Mandino, which caught my attention and struck me as particularly appropriate in this current day and age—perhaps you’ll feel the same. “Beginning today, treat everyone you meet as if they were going to be dead by midnight. Extend them all the care, kindness and understanding you can muster. Your life will never be the same again.” Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays …and, of course, Beat Army! More to come…next year. D. O. Tried and True with ’72.

’73

Life Membership: 66% Donor Participation: 31.73% Pres: Mr. Dirk P. D. Mosis III p: 210-204-0352; e: dmosis3@aol.com Sec’y: CAPT James H. Chapman, USN (Ret.) 769 Largo Dr., Virginia Beach, VA 23464-2417 p: 757-462-0344; e: chap769@yahoo.com

Happy Holidays! I hope you are well and enjoying Navy football. Unfortunately, as I write this Navy has not gotten the start we would like but hopefully when you read this Navy is winning and getting ready to Beat Army! I am excited about this edition because it has inputs from folks I had not heard

from in a long time which I particularly like. Before I get to the news and updates, I have a note for us from Dirk. M “Classmates, Happy Thanksgiving! Beat Army! Early start to football season, as I write this, was off to a slow start, but ‘73 tailgates were awesome, as always. Thank you, Paul Ryan, Tim MClay, Erection Crew, et al; BZ! I was at Marshall and Air Force games. Great to see everyone…“see everyone” is a challenge for me in recognizing Classmates. With ball caps on, sunglasses, masks on some, plus age…in any event, tailgates are the best for me in reconnecting. I attended ‘23’s Commitment Dinner along with about 15 other Classmates and some spouses. Exceptional affair. (Sound system and roast beef in King Hall are about the same quality as in 1973.) Thank you, Joe Stewart, for coordinating this event for ALITC. Rich Kramlich delivered appropriate, focused, poignant words from The Anchor as guest speaker. The Second Class at my table were mature, smart, inquisitive and a bit jaded, cynical, post COVID. But, each had had a great summer, are taking foreign languages, are making up their minds regarding service selection, and believe in the Supe’s and ‘Dants teaching and leading, literally, in respecting each individual as an individual in their day to day activities. Our Country and Naval Service will be in good hands. I have had opportunities to have meaningful conversations with AD, Superintendent, Commandant, Chaplain, Foundation leadership, and to a person, I am impressed by each in terms of approachability, focus, leadership qualities, each being the “real deal”. I have toured Hopper Hall, the new cyber building (adjacent to Nimitz); The Ron Terwilliger Student-Athlete Center (former Ricketts Hall); USNI’s Jack Taylor Conference Center (former infirmary at Hospital Point). Private funding for the vast majority of costs, and each bringing much needed upgrades to the Yard. And the Chapel Dome’s new roof is

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 77

73/73 CLASS NEWS gleaming copper. Our 50th Reunion Gift Campaign is making very good progress achieving some of our goals-Athletic Heinz Lenz award; Unrestricted; close on Stockdale Fred Minier Visiting Fellow, and Unrestricted. Progress is happening towards 73% participation, and we are within less than $1 million of lifetime giving of Class since graduation of $7,300,073.73. Thank you to each of you who have assisted. Our other pillar, Academic, needs help. We now have a real mission and that is to fund a Cyber Tutor at The Academic Center. The Mids at my table at Commitment Dinner all use the Academic Center frequently. They each said a Tutor for Cyber would be a huge plus as each Midshipman, at a minimum, must take, and pass, two Cyber courses. And Cyber is the new Wires course as being really tough. So, with George Watt’s leadership, experience, expertise in philanthropy, we have another opportunity to donate to something that directly helps a Mid! Please be ready to give to this most worthy initiative-Cyber Tutor-as it gets rolled out. Have a meaningful, joyful Holiday Season! Non sibi, Dirk” Thanks Dirk, Here are the other updates. The first is from fellow 9th company mate and former roomie Carl Hance who wrote to say that he and his wife Tricia have retired to Prescott, Arizona, which is very near the small towns where they were born and raised. Carl followed his naval career with teaching and then a second career in Customs and Border Protection. Tricia is a former naval intelligence officer and then a civilian NCIS agent and has written widely of these experiences. She has also devoted time to extensive ancestral research which led to another book. She writes books under her maiden name of Tricia Mansell, and they are published in paperback and ebook formats on Amazon. Carl wrote; M “Three of her books may interest classmates: NAUTICAL DAWN: This is a personal memoir recounting the challenges of opening doors for women in the fields of naval

intelligence and law enforcement. Tricia was one of the first women in each of these fields; this book is meant to document that part of Navy history. The foreword to this book was written by RADM Cathal Flynn, the first active duty SEAL to achieve Flag Officer rank, and a man who Tricia worked for when he commanded NCIS. FACES, PLACES & CASES: This is an historical accounting of the real NCIS organization, with details of its mission growth and real criminal investigations and counterintelligence operations. The roots of the current NCIS were in ONI, and the depth and breadth of the mission has expanded greatly from the its early days. This book is meant to document part of Navy history. REAL AMERICAN HISTORY: Tricia is a direct descendant from settlers in both the Jamestown and Plymouth colonies of early America. She used genealogical data bases and numerous ancestral documents to record the settlement and expansion of our nation. She had ancestors who fought in every American War and uses this military history as a focus. She chose to include a couple of Carl’s ancestor’s history too, which include an early Texas Ranger and the famous Captain John Hance of Grand Canyon lore. This book is meant to document our country’s history, and be of interest to many, as we are a country of immigrants.” Carl, Thanks for the great update and good to hear from you. For all: If you have not got that holiday gift for your X-roomie, Tricia’s books are an option!

had just finished his 138th Ultra doing the Pine Creek 50 mile run in Wellsboro, PA. I had to ask what an Ultra was and learned it is anything greater than a 26.2 mile marathon. Wow! I’m thinking Ron did not have a problem with the mile run at the Academy!

Mike and Rob Hasting cutting the cake

From left to right, Rick Brown, ‘66, 3rd Co, Mike Curreri, ‘73, Dan Schroeder, ‘61 3rd Co., Ken Mayeaux, ‘73 and Rob Hastings, ‘05. Ron Bowman at the Big SKY Marathon (Race Director is on right)

My next item is from Dan Schroeder ’61, who sent some pictures and news of Mike Curreri’s birthday. “Jim, This past Labor Day we had the opportunity to attend an epic birthday party for Mike Curreri, ‘73, 15th company. About 60 people participated many of whom are veterans. So it was a great patriotic event. Mike and his wife have been our friends since our sailing days in Key West. There were five grads in attendance and the youngest, Rob Hastings, ‘05, helped cut the birthday cake.

I have several pieces of sad news. Ross Springer, 35th Co, passed away on August 5, 2021 after a short battle with pancreatic/liver cancer. Ross is survived by his wife of 34 years, Cheryl Springer, and his beloved daughter, Hillary “Paige” Springer. On 4 September, a memorial service was held in Montgomery, Texas. Memorial service for Ross Springer. Pictured with Ross’ wife Cheryl and daughter Paige are; Back row: Barry Stark, Dennis Shea, Bob Stephenson, Dave Garfrerick, Gary Rhoads, Mark Shaughnessy, Jim Snead, Al Murray. Front row:

The next item is from Ron Bowman. M “Jim, I’ve attached a photo of my finish at the BIG SKY Marathon near Ennis, Montana on 11 July. We started at 9,000ft in the Gravely Mountain Range and traversed down to the Madison River. We had haze from the Oregon fires and it got to 104 degrees.” I did a little googling and found out Ron came in first in his group and did the full marathon. Congratulations Ron! I asked Ron for some more info and learned that this was his 136th marathon. He told me he

78 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

‘73: Memorial service for Ross Springer. Pictured with Ross’ wife Cheryl and daughter Paige are; Back row: Barry Stark, Dennis Shea, Bob Stephenson, Dave Garfrerick, Gary Rhoads, Mark Shaughnessy, Jim Snead, Al Murray; Front row: Fred Brasco, Sal Mondelli, Bill Kelsey, Tom Kiernan and Dave Kucik

73/74 CLASS NEWS Fred Brasco, Sal Mondelli, Bill Kelsey, Tom Kiernan and Dave Kucik. Paul Fitzgerald, 20th Co, passed away in September 2021. He is survived by his wife Susan. I do not have any additional information. Look for more on the lives of Ross and Paul in an upcoming Last Call. Kathleen “Kathy” M. Chanik, wife of Marty Chanik passed away unexpectedly at her home in Fairfax, VA on 18 August 2021. Born in Glendale, CA on 3 November 1952, Kathy excelled in school, with a special interest for anything musical. In 1973, she became a Navy Nurse after graduating from Hollywood Presbyterian Hospital School of Nursing. She was stationed at Balboa Naval Hospital in San Diego where she met and married, Marty. In July 1977, Kathy left the Navy after five years of service to pursue her passion for music. She became a professional harpist. She was an active member of the harp community and was a member of the American Harp Society, the Folk Harp Society, and the Washington Area Folk Harp Society. A Celebration of Life was planned for 21 September 2021 at the Army Navy Country Club, in Arlington, VA. That’s about it. I hope you are safe and well and have wonderful holidays. Please remember our service members who are away from home at this special time of the year. If you are looking for a way to help our injured personnel you might consider Operation Mend run by UCLA. Beat Army! and Semper Fi! Non Sibi, General

CLASS SECRETARY COLUMN DEADLINES Send to: classnews@usna.com

2022 ISSUE: Mar-Apr ’22 May ’22 June ’22

DUE DATE: Jan 24, 2022 Feb 22, 2022 Mar 28, 2022

’74

Life Membership: 59% Donor Participation: 35.29% Pres: John Yaeger Corr Sec’y: Roger McEvoy 745677 p: 559-905-7362; e: usna745677@hotmail.com

Those friends thou has, and their adoption tried, Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel (Mid’n 1/C Polonius, USNA , Class of 1471)

Merry Christmas. Hopefully Santa will bring us all an early Christmas present on December 11. This is the last column of 2021. I have to begin by asking forgiveness. Kenny Dunn (35th Co.) sent me a note early this year to pass on the news that His Plebe year (10th) Company Officer, Colonel (then Major) Sweetser, had passed away on 17 November, 2020. I misplaced his note to me, and it did not get included in the next column. After a couple of issues had been published and he had not seen the info in either issue, he rattled my cage. I apologized for my oversight and told him I’d get it in the next issue I submitted. Guess what? I failed again. With much embarrassment, I apologize to Kenny, all of you. Following is Kenny’s note, which was originally written to 35th Company mate Bill Serues, and subsequently forwarded to me: M Bill – Good Sunday morning and thanks for giving us the news on Major “Skip” Sweetser’s passing. I always like to refer to him as “Skip” not out of disrespect for more out of a long association with the Colonel and how I perceived him from 1970 to today. So, Bill, that’s how you ended up in 10th Company? It was certainly our gain, you helped to fill us out from so many who left Plebe Year. What I like most about your story is how we really had to figure a lot of things out for ourselves in those days. There were not a lot of ‘outreach’ efforts to help us to navigate getting from point A to point B. You had to spend the night in the bus terminal in Baltimore. Baltimore is a tough city – but it was all you had at the time. There was no one to

‘come pick you up’ and make sure you were fed, etc. You figured it out on your own. We were still mostly self-reliant in those days. I am often amazed at our basic survival skills taught to us in the 60’s. Tom Evans (T.J.) and I were the “House Mice” (plural for “House Mouse”) for Skip’s office, since our room was directly across from him. I am chuckling recalling our expansive duties as House Mice: develop and maintain the “Major Sweetser Is IN/OUT” placard on the door of his office. That was our #1 job – make sure it is accurate! We used a USMC Huey helicopter with rotating blades that read IN or OUT when we positioned the blades. Years later when Colonel Sweetser was the Commanding Officer of the 2d Marine Regiment at Camp Lejeune, I was an artillery battery commander in the 10th Marine Regiment. We ran across each other and I confessed I thought he was an aviator because we had used a helicopter on that placard. He gave me that half-smile he always seemed to have, and replied, “Nah, I’m a Grunt.” You know, Bill, Skip always seemed to be smiling about something in those days – we didn’t have it so good in 10th Company, but he seemed to give the impression that everything was fine. I guess he knew that our tough times would serve us well in the long run – I certainly think so. I think it is great that you are golfing today. The snow is coming down pretty hard here in Stafford, VA, right down I-95 from Quantico. In a way I envy you – have a great time out there. At some point today, I am going to need to shovel the snow from my driveway (smile). Think of us up North, would you? Thanks again, Bill, for the fond memories of our time at USNA. Colonel Skip Sweetser, USMC (Ret.) stands out almost larger-than-life. We honor his memory. Come Around! K. D. Dunn House Mouse, 10th Company, 1970-1971 Thanx Kenny, for forwarding the info, and for your patience and persistence. As I read your note,

and saw TJ Evans’ name, I recalled that he was one of our first losses, killed in a AV-8A Harrier in April, 1977. And I do have distinct memories of Major Sweetser. A tall, blonde Marine who seemed to exemplify what a Marine officer should be. He looked to me like he was peeled directly off a recruiting poster and turned into real life. A great example for midshipmen. Kenny and I talked on the phone a couple of weeks ago, and he passed on a program that his company (35th) has initiated. They have started an Honor Role for their company, and each year they select a company member to be so designated, and Tom Feaster is the designated program chairman. What a great idea. This initiative will be a strong glue that holds 35th Company together in the future. I got a note from Dave Pattillo (2nd Co.) last month. I can’t improve on his words: M Joe Beaulieu (23rd co), David Pattillo (2nd co), and Jeff O’Brien (2nd co) recently met together at Jeff’s home on Sibley Lake in Minnesota. (Notice Jeff’s “I Love Me” wall behind the boys, although Debbie insisted the wall be in the garage). Jeff and Joe are Minnesota natives, both having returned to live in Minnesota after double retirements. Joe lives with his wife Cindy on Lake George in the summer months, living the other eight months of the year in San Antonio, Texas to be near their grandchildren, quite a contrast in weather and environment. Jeff lives full time with his wife Debbie right on the Minnesota lake, playing a lot a golf whenever they can (Debbie has an 8 handicap), but during the winter months they are socked inside playing pool and reading Dan Silva or John Sandford novels. Jeff walks every day, with his cutoff point for NOT walking at minus 20 degrees. Jeff’s naval career encompassed 24 years in the P-3 community, and after USN retirement he taught mathematics (calculus, trig) in an international school in Japan. Jeff just returned to live full time in Minnesota about three years ago. Joe’s naval career

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 79

74/74 CLASS NEWS was in the helicopter community, and after USN retirement he worked for 20 years with Georgia Tech as a program manager, living in the Buford, GA area until just this year moving to Texas/Minnesota. Both Jeff and Joe spend many a minute pontooning around their respective lakes (when not frozen), in a state with an extensive series of connecting waterways.

Steve Smith and his Piper Malibu

I admit to being easily impressed. But every time I learn of another classmate being a published author, I’m blown away. Chris Maddix (32 Co.) submitted the following:

Jeff, Dave and Joe

Thanx Dave. I also got a nice note from Steve Smith (36th Co.). Steve attended our June 5th dinner in Richardson, Texas, as was following up with me regarding his current flying activities. Steve flew A-7E’s off CV 62 Independence and CVN 69 Eisenhower. Then he had the very rare opportunity to experience how the other half lives: he did an exchange tour with a bunch of zoomies flying A-7D’s and A-10 “Warthogs” (Thunderbolt II’s). I’m envious. A-10’s spend a good deal of their lives flying below 500 ft. Steve left the service in 1982, had a second career, raised a family, and 25 years later started flying again. He recently purchased a Mooney in 2007 and flew it for 13 years. He recently moved up to a Piper Malibu, a pressurized, cabinclass single capable of operating up to FL250 (that’s 25,000 ft. for you black shoes). Those of you who do fly, you know what an incredible ride a Malibu is. Congrats Steve. The next time I get to Big D, let’s go flying.

M OK, so I waited almost 50 years to write for the first time, but I had a little news, so I figured why not? First, a brief update. I retired from the Navy in 1996, became a teacher and retired from that in 2018. I still homeschool (14 kids last year), umpire softball and baseball, and I published a book (Climbing Steep Literary Hills, at a Slow Pace) 15 Shakespeare plays written in such a way that middle school kids and company mate Mark Blahnik (32nd Co.) can understand them. Since graduation, I’ve worked with a few classmates, either flying helos or teaching - Mark McDermott (32nd Co.), Rod McQueen (11th Co.), Ken Juul (18th Co.), Rick, Cassara (29th Co.), probably others. Occasionally I’ve bumped into Pat Meaney (32nd Co.) on the NCR trail north of Baltimore. I still carry an 11 handicap in golf, and yes, glee club members, I’m still singing. Anyway, as a middle school teacher, I’ve helped two of my grads get into USNA - Hugh Davison, Class of 2014 and star swimmer, and Nick Doeller, Class of 2015 and nuclear engineer. On 9/11, in Easton Maryland, I officiated Nick’s wedding to Audrey McAvoy, another of my middle school students, and I wondered how often that’s happened - one USNA grad officiating the wedding of another USNA grad who also happened to have been a middle school student of his. Nick almost didn’t get there due to business with Afghanistan, but all went well.

80 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Chris Maddix

Don Baldwin, Bill Flader and Heschel Smith

Don Baldwin (11TH Co.) wrote that more than two years ago, Herschel Smith (11th Co.) had organized a small (6 staterooms) river cruise in Europe for family and close friends. After postponements for covid 19, they finally made the trip. Included in the group was Don, and Dr. Bill Flader (a company mate of Don and Herschel, who left before 2nd Class year). This cruise went up the Marne River. They stopped at many historic locations where key battles of WWI took place, including Chateau-Thierry and Belleau Wood. Due to space restrictions, I have to paraphrase Don’s note, but this region was where the allies stopped the German advance during the war. Two Marine Regiments (the 5th and 6th) were part of the Army 2nd Division. Plebe year, our 11th Company brothers were in 14th Co. Their Company Officer was then Major Duarte. He ended up commanding the 5th Regiment in Europe as Brig Gen. Thomas V. Draude. In that capacity he erected a plaque at Belleau Wood commemorating the Marine involvement in that battle. Note Don, Herschel and Bill at the plaque.

In addition, when visiting the Aisne-Marne American Cemetery afterwards, Herschel and Don were honored to participate in daily lowering of the flags that fly over the cemetery, a very solemn and touching ceremony. They are pictured here with Kelly M. Carrigg, The American Cemetery Superintendent.

SHIPMATE

LUCKY BAG OF BOOKS

More than 80 years available online to all Alumni Association members. Visit usna.com/shipmate

To check out all the options for your reading pleasure, visit usna.com/LBB

Kelly M. Carrigg with Herschel Smith and Don Baldwin

I’m out of space, so… Go Navy, Beat Army next week! —Rog

’75

Life Membership: 60% Donor Participation: 21.66% Pres: Chris Cikanovich e: chickc975@gmail.com Sec’y: CAPT Larry Warrenfeltz, USN (Ret.) 5732 Tamarack Dr., Pace, FL 32571 p: 850-525-8727; e: usna75scribe@hotmail.com Website: http//1975.usnaclasses.net/

Dear ’mates, As 2021 draws to a close, our Reunion 45+1 is in the rear-view mirror and we are starting to think seriously about the Big 5-0 in 2025. (Deadline for this issue was pre-reunion, so I should have some good photos for the January-February Shipmate.) All classmates should have received information on the class legacy gift we will be giving to USNA as part of our 50th festivities. If you want a fresh copy of the gouge, just shoot me a text or email. Condolences to the family of Lee Davis (8th Company) who passed away on 1 August. He struggled with throat cancer for the last couple of years. Lee was cremated, and his desire was to be buried at sea. Thanks to Mike Thumm for keeping us all informed. Condolences also to the family of Donald Van Osdol who died of a rare cancer called chordoma. Cancer Sucks! Once again, the class congratulates our recent Distinguished Graduate — Admiral Kirk Donald. During the course of the DGA festivities, Kirk had the opportunity to speak with quite a few mids, staff, and faculty. He reports that it was a great, few days and that he came away from it very proud of the Academy and all they and the Alumni Association are doing to make it better. Kirk had a chance to deliver some remarks at the Distinguished Graduate Award ceremony. M “One of the things I tried to get across to the Brigade (most were there and seemingly awake!) was the significance of the bond among classmates, my appreciation for that bond, and my pride in being one of the Flower Children and all that implies. I hope their experience is similar.”

75/75 CLASS NEWS Kirk sent President Chick a nice email (forwarded to the class email list) summarizing some of the current issues at the Academy. He welcomes anyone who has additional questions to contact him. Carl “CJ” Willis is deeply involved with the planning for the 2022 Leadership Forum on Diversity and Inclusion event that will be held 28 April — 1 May 2022 at USNA’s Alumni Hall. The main components of the forum are: (1) a Diversity and Inclusion Forum / Symposium “Engage, listen, learn, and leave ready to lead,” (2) An Alumni Career Fair and networking session: “Highlight your talent and network with top employers, and (3) The Alumni Gala Dinner featuring recognition of achievements, camaraderie with alumni, and a STEM scholarship donation. CJ’s goal is to spread the news as far as possible with our classmates and have as many attend this impactful event as possible.

10th Company celebrates Mike Lipari’s retirement

Bob Burns provided an after-action report on Mike Lipari’s retirement celebration. After 20+ years of teaching and coaching high school students, Mike decided to hang up his cleats. A retirement ceremony honoring his academic and coaching achievements was held at his house in June. The school faculty and staff were very appreciative — sharing many fond memories of Mike’s exploits. Representing 10th Company along with Bob were Steve Stanley, and Bruce Miller. Many sea stories were swapped … greatly entertaining the attendees. Mike told how he received the highly coveted Black N. He (or was it his car?) was caught driving within the 7-mile limit during 1/C summer. According to Mike, he was on First Class cruise when the infraction occurred! But in the highest

‘75: Celebrating Mike Langley’s induction into the USNA Rugby Hall of Fame

traditions of the Flower Children, Mike refused to bilge a classmate and took the punishment upon himself. As Mike’s 1/C year roomie, Zack Wilhoit confirms that Mike took the demerits like a man. Also, he was very quiet when he got up for each morning’s sunrise terrace drill session. Zack was ICOR for the whole year to provide protection from any further potential pap damage. Jon Greenert, Steve Ferguson, Doug Gibson, Chris Cikanovich, Sam Dennis, and Roy Hawkens gathered at USNA in September to honor Mike Langley as he was inducted into the USNA Rugby Hall of Fame. Chick was standing in line for a drink with a 1/Cfemale Mid rugby player. She asked, “Were you a rugby guy?” He answered, “No, I’m here for my classmate from ’75.” Her response: “Whoa!” But she meant it in a nice way. On behalf of the class, Butch Hansen sponsored a brick in the

Pensacola Veteran’s Memorial Park Walk of Honor. Thank you classmate!

1975 parachute

Deke Ahle reports that our class USNA parachute rig is finally completed and ready for use by the Mids. The main canopy is gold with blue cells at both ends and a large blue N-star in the center. Many classes have supported the USNA parachute team by purchasing rigs. The team sponsor, Bill Boniface ’72, has been actively fundraising for the team to make it a first class collegiate operation like the USAFA and USMA teams. Thanks Deke for making this happen! Preparing for Another Link in the Chain events in Tampa prompted

‘75: Class brick in the Pensacola Veteran’s Walk of Honor NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 81

75/76 CLASS NEWS Peter Damisch to think about alumni that preceded us in the chain. Here’s Peter’s story: M “Just prior to COVID restrictions, our expedition team landed on the very remote Ostrov Bennetta in the Arctic Ocean about 250 nm north of Siberia. This barren, treeless polar desert island is almost never visited. It is not on any shipping or aviation route, but it does have a direct link to USNA. Lieutenant Commander George W. DeLong 1865, was Captain of USS JEANNETTE in 1881. He was tasked to reach the North Pole by sea. Unfortunately, the ship (only 570 tons) was crushed and sunk by thick pack ice. Thirty-three crew members crowded into three small boats. On 16 July, DeLong discovered and named Bennett Island after an expedition patron. However, sea ice kept the boats (just 14-25 feet long) offshore for almost two more weeks. DeLong and crew were finally able to make the first landing on 29 July, claiming the island for the United States, along with the archipelago later named the DeLong Islands. (This claim was not pursued by the U.S., allowing Russia to assume sovereignty.) Despite a desperate survival situation, adverse weather and the need for rest forced the survivors to remain until 6 August 1881. They used that time productively to scientifically explore the 58-square mile island and to study and take samples of lichens, mosses and geology. Signs of polar bear, fox and birds were examined but none were seen. Upon departure towards the Siberian mainland, the XO and smallest boat were lost in a storm. DeLong’s boat made it ashore in an uninhabited area near the Lena River, but he and all of his crew members died of hypothermia and starvation. George Melville, Chief Engineer, led a third boat whose crew landed in a separate location. Melville rallied the survivors, searched 1,000 miles of frozen land, discovered the bodies of DeLong’s group, recovered the logbooks and all scientific records, then returned to the U.S. with thirteen of the original 33 personnel.

Melville later served as Chief Engineer of the Navy from 18871903. Melville Hall housed engineering classes at USNA from 1937 until 1982. DeLong and his crew were memorialized in the Naval Academy Cemetery in 1890 with a monument which uniquely includes a cross dripping with icicles. Our small polar bear team likely landed at the same beach as DeLong since the remainder of the Island is surrounded by sheer, icy cliffs. Given the ultra-remote location, I have been unable to learn of the most recent landing prior to ours. Our team may have included the first USNA graduate to explore this starkly beautiful site since DeLong. It was a privilege and honor to visit this part of Naval Academy history. Thanks for reading our column, Classmates! Type to you next year. ’75 Sir! Larry

’76

and helpers without whose contributions this extravaganza would not have occurred. Finally, thank you to all who registered and, despite the covid worries we all share, CAME. Unfortunately, some could not join us. In the days just prior to reunion kickoff, positive COVID-19 diagnoses and exposure quarantines derailed a few classmates; we missed you all! The help I received was incomparable - but that’s no surprise, is it?! Assistance from classmates began immediately. Last December I enlisted five as advisors to provide input from their hometowns across the country. Each month, January to May 2021, I canvassed Nick Flacco (CA), Eric Gardner (FL), Dave Lawrence (PA), Scott Moore and Greg Vaughn (nearby VA) for their COVID impact assessments and recommendations. Their input, reinforced by John Wilckens who provided a close view of conditions in Annapolis, resulted in the May decision that the reunion was ON!

Also performing heavy lifting were the following: Gary Hentz - Golf Tournament Rick Hamme and Bryan Dolan Prepared, staffed and led the Memorial Service and Prayer Breakfast Gary Greenfield - Reunion gouge on class website Greg Vaughn - Organized company reps and enabled remembering all deceased classmates Mike Seifert - Expert guidance from prior reunion leadership Peter Varsanyi - Kept the gouge flowing, especially buying/selling /trading football tickets and hotel rooms It was great to see so many of you, ’76; I can’t wait for the 50th and we can do this again! In addition to the tremendous win over UCF on the gridiron on Saturday 2OCT, our Classmate Chet Moeller had his Navy football #48 jersey retired in a ceremony on the field near the end of the 1st Quarter.

Life Membership: 58% Donor Participation: 17.74% Pres: Kevin Stone 928 Lynch Dr., Arnold, MD 21012 p: 410-974-4313; e: kevin.stone@1976.usna.com Sec’y: Mark Hubbard 774 Settlers Ln., Kure Beach, NC 28449-4907 p: 301-514-1645 e: Mark.Hubbard@1976.usna.com Website: http//usna76.wordpress.com/

After a terrific 45th Reunion, I will open with a summary of our 45th Reunion by organizer Bruce Petit: M On the last day of September nearly 600 classmates and guests gathered in Annapolis for 3 days of eating, drinking, swapping lies, and feeling young. The unmitigated highlight was provided by the Navy team and their unscripted win over UCF. Our 45th Reunion was a blast. I appreciate the many kind words and thanks Carol and I have received, and - yes - we are relieved to have our lives back. The real thanks, however, belong to 3 groups. First is Kevin Stone whose extensive preparations and continuous engagement set me up for success. Second is the legion of volunteers

82 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

‘76: Retirement Ceremony for Chet Moeller’s #48 jersey during Navy-UCF game

‘76: Navy Football Brotherhood Honoring Chet Moeller

76/76 CLASS NEWS

‘76: Class of ’76 45th Reunion Golf Tournament participants

Gary Hentz provided a report on the 45th Reunion Golf Tournament: M We had a beautiful day for golf on the fabulous newly renovated USNA course. Everyone had a great time but for some reason most thought the course played a lot longer than it did back in the day. Imagine that! Two good rounds by former golf team member Howard Aschwald (79) and semi-pro Skip Zobel (74). Hope to see a lot more classmates on the course in 2026! Garry Hall visited NAPS in September to participate in the first event for the Class of ’76 for the Another Link in the Chain program: M This September I had the opportunity to visit the Naval Academy Prep School in Newport, Rhode Island. It was Parents Weekend and the Midshipman Candidates just completed 8 weeks since reporting. During my visit I had the honor of being the reviewing officer and guest speaker at their first official Pass in Review parade. This is the NAPS class of 2022 and prospective USNA class of 2026. They are our Class of ’76 fifty-year class and our Another Link in The Chain. This marked our first event in the Another Link in the Chain program. We inherited a fantastic group with the NAPS class of 2022. I predict they will be amazing leaders in their class and in the Brigade. My partial remarks included the following: “Today I represent the NAPS class of 1972 and the US Naval Academy class of 1976. We are proudly your 50-year class. And

today you all become Another Link in The Chain. A chain that goes back 176 years. Today’s Parade represents yours and the Naval Academy’s Bicentennial Class’s first Link in the chain event. Many more will follow. ...Remember this, NAPS class of 1972 and Naval Academy Class of 1976 will be with you the next 5 years and beyond to mentor you, coach you, recognize you, and cheer you on to success. We are here for you.” It was an honor and humbling to represent our Class at NAPS for our first Another Link in the Chain event. The future is bright for our Academy with the quality of men and women at NAPS today.

NAPS CO, CAPT James Bahr ’96 and RADM Garry Hall reviewing the Pass in Review parade at NAPS

Colleen and Frances Devereux met up with Nancy and Mike Willy in late August for dinner. Later in September, we all participated in a Zoom meeting with our fellow 26th Co. Classmate, Craig “Weebs” Weber. During the planning process for the 45th Reunion for 26th Co.

Craig was the only person we had lost track of over the past few years. I managed to track down Craig whereabouts through contact with his son, Kevin. Unfortunately, Craig was admitted before COVID to an assisted living facility in Schenectady County, New York, due to the onset of Alzheimer’s. Mark Metcalf arranged the Zoom call (aptly named, “weebs-a-thon”) through the facility and most of the 26th Co. was able to participate (non-grads Rich Ellerson, Art Moreau, Craig Custer, and Roy Wiley were able to join the rest of us). Craig was extremely excited to see us all and it was heartwarming to see that he still recognized us and was able to remember a lot about our USNA days. We plan to continue with future Zoom calls with Craig.

Mike & Nancy Willy meet up with Frances & Colleen Devereux

Joe Medina provided an update: M I do not believe that I have previously submitted input to the SHIPMATE, so I guess I am about due. Upon reflection, my most memorable tour in my 30+ year Marine Corps career was the two years I had in command of ESG3 with an operational deployment to the North Arabian Gulf. After that I finished out my career on Okinawa commanding the bases and then the 3rd MEB. I retired in 2007, and soon got remarried – and started my life’s “Phase Two.” My oldest son, David Medina, graduated from USNA in 2013 and is now a Captain in the Marine Corps flying the V22 based in Futenma (and just completed a deployment with the 31st MEU). My wife, Melody, is an RN/MSN working at Baylor St Luke’s hospital here in Houston. We have two little girls, one 12 and one 7, in second grade! I also adopted a little boy, not so little now – who is a Junior in High School. I also have

two grandkids! After leaving active duty, I led a GE subsidiary’s Asia Pacific business operations based in Asia for about 5 years, and then was recruited by the Elliott Group to run their engineering field services business unit’s global operations, which is why we relocated to Houston in 2016. I “retired” from Elliott over a year ago, and now sit on two non-profit boards and keep engaged as a Fellow with the American College of National Security Leaders and as a Director with the Hispanic Veterans Leadership Alliance. I authored a book which was just released on 15SEP, BATTLEFIELD TO BUSINESS–One Marine’s Inner Voyage of Ethical Leadership”, which is available through Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and other on-line booksellers, but not yet in the bookstores. Any profits made will be used for veteran non-profit organizations and IVLG youth outreach programs). I have already done a few leadership discussions with colleges and high schools and intend to continue to support our nation through this effort. Larry Jones, Jim Doherty, Rick Elliot ’73 (Captain of the XC team our Plebe year) and Steve Giorgis met up with Navy Cross Country coach Al Cantello for dinner during the reunion weekend. In three years into retirement at age 90, Coach Cantello is as good with the one-liners as he’s always been. The banner with the “49” is for the number of victories over Army for Coach Cantello during his 55 years of coaching.

Navy XC teammates Larry Jones, Doc Doherty & Rick Elliot ’73 pose with Coach Cantello

With deep sorrow, I regret to inform the Class that we lost two Classmates recently: Lewis Thompson (34th Co.) passed away suddenly at his home

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 83

76/77 CLASS NEWS in Overland Park, KS, on September 28, 2021. Blaise Miller (31st Co.) of Tampa, FL, passed away on October 21, 2021. Our deepest condolences go out to the families of Lewis Thompson and Blaise Miller. Thank you to all of those who made the 45th Reunion a memorable one. Hope to see you all at the 50th Reunion. GO NAVY!

’77

Life Membership: 74% Donor Participation: 16.44% Pres: John F. Vuolo 71 Hidden Gin, Hinton, WV 25951-5184 Sec’y: Thom McKee 1202 Shady Creek Rd., Marriottsville, MD 21104 p: 410-489-5080; f: 410-489-5071 c: 202-438-1541; e: magoo1310@verizon.net

“When the ship that is tired returneth, With the signs of the sea showing plain, Men place her in dock for a season, And her speed she reneweth again.” – Admiral Hopwood’s 6th Law of the Navy. Ahoy, me hearties! There are days when our timbers, as if weathering a storm, are creaking and groaning so loudly Admiral Hopwood might well have been writing about us; though we doubt our speed, what velocity we once possessed, will ever be renewed, no matter how many seasons we’re placed in dock. Now, attention to brief! First up, Rob Creamer (18th Co.) recently visited Ricky Craig (7th Co.) at the Mad Dogs and Englishmen Pub, Ricky’s exceptionally fine establishment in Tampa, which Rob “HIGHLY recommends for any parched-throated classmates, family or friends in need of a quality brew and fantastic pub grinds”.

Ricky & Rob

Rob was spending time with relatives in the area, and owing to a previous 2003 stint with CENTCOM, remembered Ricky had a business nearby. Rob closed by noting the “sea stories flowed nearly as fast as the Guinness, only matched by the tides that we all know wait for no man, or woman! It was great to see Rick again and relive past glories. Semper Fi!” Semper Fi, indeed. Anyone visiting the Tampa area should take the time to hoist one…or three… with Ricky. Reports the first will be on the house remain unconfirmed. Speaking of Semper Fi, while visiting his nephew in the Big Apple a few months back, Harry Rouse (34th Co.) took the time to visit the memorial to Gene McCarthy (18th Co.) the Fraser Civic Association and others erected in his honor. Harry noted Gene grew up in the Fraser neighborhood of South Brooklyn and the monument is some 4 blocks from the house where he lived before reporting to Boat School. It’s in a small triangle (the Major Eugene McCarthy Triangle) of park land formed by Kings Highway, N Avenue and 31st Street.

Gene McCarthy Memorial

The memorial was dedicated on October 16, 1996, and the neighborhood holds a ceremony centered around it every May, usually the weekend before Memorial Day. Harry’s visit to Gene’s monument provides the perfect segue for this next item from Sean “OB” O’Brien (18th Co.), who forwarded news of an honor bestowed upon another fallen classmate, Jim Surch (21st Co.). Some 18 months ago, OB learned the Navy Rugby program had created an Alumni Association (NRAA) and was seeking ‘77’s involvement. Sean, who’d been

84 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

team captain and president of the Navy rugby club back in the day, utilized his Academy-instilled leadership skills to reach as many rugby classmates as possible, not only sparking interest in the organization but in due course learning the NRAA had started a Hall of Fame. Whereupon, due to the drive and inspiration of Dan Olivier (14th Co.) and Kevin Sullivan (14th Co.) a nomination for Jim was drafted and submitted. It was enthusiastically endorsed by the NRAA, and at a September 10th induction ceremony, OB presented a plaque for Surch to Chris Murray (13th Co.), who accepted on behalf of Jim’s family. Murr and Jim were best of friends ever since their first day of boot camp at Great Lakes in July of 1972. Chris read some remarks from Patty Barnett, Jim’s sister, who you’ll recall has met with members of ‘77 a number of times in connection with a memorial bench some of our classmates (Bravo Zulu to Dan, Kevin, Rob Lamb (6th Co.), Craig Turley (36th Co.), Joe Christofferson (4th Co.) and Tom Behrle (14th Co.)) placed in a park in Jim’s home town of Lompoc, CA. Jim’s Hall of Fame entry reads: M “LT James Surch, originally from Lompoc, CA, was killed in action during the suicide bombing in Beirut in 1983 while serving as the Naval Gunfire Liaison Officer. Jim led the 1977 team in scoring as a winger and was an inspirational leader. Jim was a highly respected teammate who left a lasting impression on generations to follow. In 2009, Jim was inducted into the Lompoc HS Hall of Fame and since 1983, Lompoc HS has been awarding the Jim Surch Memorial Award for Courage.”

Chris & Sean

Sharing the moment at the ceremony and dinner which followed are, left

to right below: Jim Bethmann (33rd Co.), OB, Tom Edwards (34th Co.), Chris and Rob Lamb.

’77 Ruggers

Sean said it was a great time which provided the chance to swap stories and compare injuries. As well as various orthopedic procedures and implants, no doubt. Tom Edwards, who started and coached the first Women’s Rugby Team in 1995-1996, also had the honor of inducting two of his former ruggers from the Class of 1996 into the HOF. Tom is shown below with Julie Alfieri (nee Maynard) and Jen Goddard:

Tom Edwards

Julie and Jen were the driving force behind the establishment of the program, and served as the team’s first co-captains, as well as club president and vice president. Other teammates/classmates who contributed in some manner to the nomination included Sandy Saunders (8th Co.), Mike Wertz (32nd Co.), Corky Gardner (18th Co.), Doug Isleib (18th Co.), Tom Frey (17th Co.) and John Madaio (14th Co.), along with the invaluable contribution of class historian Andy Wilson (18th Co.). OB also noted both the men’s and women’s teams have been in the top ten of the national rankings the past few years, with the men reaching as high as #3. The team, which now has a full-time coach, started off the fall season with a 69-0 drubbing of Air Farce. Oh, the humanity!

77/78 CLASS NEWS Having mentioned Andy Wilson, we were saddened to learn of the recent passing at age 95 of his father, Bob Wilson, USNA ’48.

Magoo & Tug

Bob Wilson

Bob is shown above wearing the sword and hand-repaired scabbard which now hangs in a place of honor in our office. Andy’s Dad was a one-of-a-kind character, but the story of Bob’s class ring is truly unique. As Andy tells it, being a thrifty Scot, Bob opted for the only free stone offered with his ring, a black onyx plug. The plug cracked shortly after his Ring Dance, so back in Mother B, he used a knife to carve a “stone” out of a green toothbrush handle, then buffed it using toothpaste as an abrasive. The “stone” has been in his ring ever since (75 years) and still looks great:

Andy Wilson’s Dad’s Ring

As you can see, he also kept the rest of the 1946-vintage toothbrush handle just in case he needed another “stone” (Hey, waste not, want not!), and possibly to prove he’d actually done it. A great story about a great guy who’ll be sorely missed. Finally, we’ll call it a day with this photo of Tug McGraw (22nd Co.) and yours truly taken adjacent to the monument honoring astronaut and Academy grad Willie McCool between the 14th green and 15th tee at the revamped Navy golf course.

The course was in primo condition, which is more than we can say for our game. Still, we had a great time with Tug, and really enjoyed the changes which were made to the course. Hat tip to Jim Kelly (11th Co.) for getting us on. Until next time, friends, fairs winds and following seas. Magoo

’78

Life Membership: 81% Donor Participation: 34.11%

Furthermore, we can buy at any Navy or Marine Corps Exchange all other Marine items sold in the Midstore. There is nothing to connect us as Naval Academy alumni who went Marine Corps. We Marine alumni are proud of our Naval Academy roots - we’d love to have Marine-connected USNA gear to display that pride. How about some “USNA- Marine” items and more general “USNA” branded gear? (Not simply “NAVY” because that isn’t who we are.) As this goes to print, I am writing the Academy Business Services Division to plead the case to get rid of that ill-marked gear and ask for more USNA-Marine type items (I’ve heard some great ideas for cool logos.). For at least the last decade 25% of each class has Commissioned as Marines. With many more Marines before them, there are a lot of Marine alumni. With smart marketing and branding, BSD can make a pretty penny on that gear. I leave you with an image of just one of the items on sale at the Midstore and the question- “Seriously, does that look right?!:

Pres: Glen Woods Sec’y: Vince Balderrama 1320 Homewood Ln., Annapolis, MD 21401 e: canoeu78@aol.com Website: usna1978.org

I am on my soap box to gripe about something bugging not only mebut a lot of USNA Marines. While I applaud the football team honoring Marines with special “Semper Fi” uniforms for the Navy-Air Force game, the sold “collateral” clothing is the problem. It is best exemplified by seeing Coach K – on national TV- wearing a polo shirt with the Marine Corps emblem and the word “Navy” below it. Seriously?! That eagle, globe and anchor emblem is NOT Navy’s emblem! Moreover, think of the message it sent to the world that the Naval Academy doesn’t seem to know naval service organizational structure or emblems. Likely, the average viewing citizen didn’t even recognize it as problem. (In which case we just spread misinformation and perpetuated more naivete about the military.) But to those in the know – especially Naval service veterans – it was a clear, BIG mistake.

In my Jul/Aug column I noted 34th Companymates, Randy Masters and Herb Nyberg’s, trek across the Grand Canyon and queried, “What’s

next - the Appalachian Trail (AT)?” Well, Randy said, “In fact, yes. A portion of it.” He went on to write that “Brent ‘OB’ Obenour (33rd Co.) thru-hiked the AT in 2018, and after noting my successful Grand Canyon hike decided to try me out on the final 100 miles of the AT. Aptly named “The 100 Mile Wilderness” in Maine, it starts in Monson and ends with scaling Mt. Katahdin, the northern terminus of the AT” OB, three of his DC friends, and Randy started out on 1 August and didn’t quit for 10 days. They had a resupply of food on day five but carried everything necessary on their backs. Randy added, “The terrain seems specifically designed to be challenging, with rocks, roots, and bogs as the norm with periodic hills to climb and rock falls to climb/ descend in what is best called ‘full body contact hiking’. We were blessed with perfect weather for summiting Katahdin, which is as close to mountaineering as one can get without supplemental equipment. OB and I proudly wore our 1978 Reunion hats…prompting some still wet-behind-the-ears 2014 grad to comment that we were looking pretty good - for old guys. Once I caught my breath and quit seeing stars, I told him to brace up.” Randy joined you other ‘78 airline pilots who “aged out” of a career. In February, he retired after 35 years at American Airlines. He ended his career as 787 International Captain in Philadelphia. Through the years he flew a variety of aircraft both domestically and internationally, across North and South America and Europe. Randy noted that, “Just like in the Navy, the airlines and airline life have changed dramatically

‘78: 30th Co reunion NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 85

78/79 CLASS NEWS The bottom line was that they “NEVER have I had a better time on a golf course!!…the game of golf may have suffered greatly that morning but the Men of EZ 25 had a blast catching up!!!”

’79

Life Membership: 91% Donor Participation: 20.70% Pres: CAPT Dave Jackson, USN (Ret.) e: djackson@usna.edu Sec’y: LCDR John “Wiz” Withers, USN (Ret.) 1886 Woodpoint CT, Lawrenceville, GA 30043 p: 240-298-1006; e: JDWithers@1979.usna.com Social Network Links: http://www.linkedin.com/in/wizwithers Facebook Group: USNA Class of 1979

‘78: OB and Andy on the Appalachian Trail

since I started, but it was quite a ride.” Well, enjoy the next “ride” and adventure, Randy! In September, Bob Lamont (3rd Co) wrote “Part of the USNA mission reads, ‘provide graduates who are dedicated to a career of naval service.’ The end of this month marks my exit from the civil service. After 22 years in the Marine Corps, 21 years as a GS testing Marine Corps equipment, and a four-year stint at a little-known undergraduate institution on the banks of the Severn River, I’m declaring Mission Complete. It has been an honor to serve Marines across four continents. I wish the next generation well, for I fear the challenges ahead. ‘Request permission to go ashore.’” Permission granted, Bob. On 24 Sep 30th Company had its annual Annapolis gathering. The weekend event started out with a golf outing at the Compass Point Golf Course. Among the duffers were Ray Kwong (32nd Co), Lew Wolfrom, Dick Boehme, Bruce Gearey, Tony Cato, Eli Turner (’77), and Brad Baylor. Bruce’s wife, Robin, acted as photographer. Ray and Eli helped round out their 30th

Website: www.usna79.com

Company foursomes. Others who joined for the weekend included Barb and Rick Paulsen, Brenda and Brad Thomann, Cindy and Larry Easton, and Tom Atkinson. Lew reported that Tony and Barb Cato also graciously hosted a marvelous Saturday evening dinner at their home. Joining Tony and Barb were Ingrid and Dick Boehme, Kathryn and Lew, Brenda and Brad Thomann, Brad Baylor and Nancy Alley, and Tom Atkinson. Post dinner entertainment included piano selections by Dick and Tony. Lew noted that it was many years ago at USNA that Dick provided Tony with his first piano lesson. Speaking of reunions, EZ-25 (25th Co) also had a small get-together on Sep 10th, with Ray Bracy, Elmer Nelson, Doug Diehl, and Mike Whaley playing a round on the USNA Golf Course. Mike noted that “these four former plebes from 25th Company…had never played golf together…no score was written down that morning, no bets were won or lost that day…” They played their own ball and sometimes played someone else’s ball. Occasionally, they lost several balls!!!

‘78: 30th Co dinner at Catos 86 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Magoo

The last mini reunion is also one of the most unique. Lloyd Prince wrote that some 7th Company “Seadogs” got together in Nye, MT. The pack included Gregg Burgess, Leslie and Lloyd Prince, Rob Westberg, Charles Witten and Annie Roth, Mark Korsmo and Scot Miller. The highlight of their trip was a four-hour tour of the Sibanye Stillwater Mine, the only active palladium & platinum mine in North America! Here we are miles inside and over 1500 feet deep in a mountain! Other activities included hikes, fly fishing, quilting, and meals at the lodge and other local establishments with consumption of lots “of adult beverages”. Great gatherings of “whenever two or three shall meet”. Until next time, Launchin’ Spot Four.

‘78: 7th Co Seadogs Deep Mine Tour

Greetings 79ers! As I alluded to in last month’s column, my wife Karen and I played host for an impromptu gathering of several classmates who all happened to be members of the same company. Rebecca and Bob Larys drove over from Jacksonville, FL to visit with us for a few days. Bob and I rode bicycles and drank beer, while Rebecca and Karen spent most of their time talking about how wonderful it was to have us as husbands (at least that’s what they told me). Coincidently, Lois and Bob Dupuis drove down from the “other” Jacksonville (NC). Lois has family in the area, and during their visit they jumped in the 2018 Corvette and drove over to our home for an evening. Also joining us was Atlanta resident Mike Leigh – I wrote about Mike last month, but as a refresher he was also in 8th Co. with the two Bobs until he decided to pursue nother path after Youngster year. Unfortunately, Mike’s wife Lori was unable to be part of the gathering due to other commitments. It turns out that Mike, Bob and Bob are all big “car guys” – Corvettes, Porsches

79/80 CLASS NEWS and the like. (Being the ever-courteous host, I quietly kept our Toyota RAV4 in the garage so as to not embarrass them.) All four of us were aviators, so we spent much of the evening reliving old glories of how we kept this country safe for democracy. All in all it was a great time, and it was the first classmate gathering at our new Atlanta-area home. We have it down now, so any classmates passing through Atlanta are always welcome!

Atlanta gathering: Mike Leigh, Bob Dupuis, Bob Larys and Wiz Withers

In other classmate gatherings, Craig Majkowski emailed to say that Kathy and Abe Ellis hosted another of their 3rd Company gatherings at their Salmon River Lighthouse and Marina on the eastern shore of Lake Ontario in New York. This was the seventh such gathering hosted by Kathy and Abe, and this year they had 15 company-mates attend. Other “Thirsty Third” guys included Henry Jones, Bill Williamson, Jeff Sherman, Jim Hicks, David Knab, Jim O’Connell, Pat Garcia, Joe Miller, John Quigley, Bob Wiesenberg, Pete Levoci, Mert Price and Denny Olsen. Craig reported that the weather was great and the food excellent, thanks to Mert who acted as Head Chef and coordinator. Craig especially commended Abe and Kathy for once again being awesome hosts. (Note: Craig also included a photo, which has somehow mysteriously vanished from my hard drive – I will get another copy from Craig and print it next issue.) Last September the Alumni Association was finally able to formally recognize the 2020 recipients of the Distinguished Graduate Award, among them our own Hon. Sean Stackley. Having begun his career in surface warfare and then switching to EDO, he was a major player in the design, construction, test and delivery of

three first-of-class warships, including the Arleigh Burke class DDG. After retiring from the Navy, he served as a staff member of the Senate Armed Services Committee, and in 2008 he was appointed by President Bush as Assistant Secretary of the Navy (ASN) for Research, Development and Acquisition. Sean was retained as ASN by both President Obama (the only Bush appointee within the Navy department to be retained) and President Trump, ultimately serving as acting Secretary of the Navy in 2017. He is this country’s longestserving ASN, surpassing Franklin Delano Roosevelt for that distinction. Under Sean’s tenure, 90 ships, 1700 aircraft and 20,000 weapons were placed under contract. Now working in private industry, Sean and his wife Terry are also sponsors for current mids. In their spare time, well, I’m not sure they have any spare time.

Sean and his wife Terry

I think RADM Jeff Lemmons (Ret.) summed it up best: M I Rarely does one encounter a trajectory such as his and witness the heart of the young man unchanged in the crucible of unforgiving and relentless work. I can think of no finer person to receive a Distinguished Graduate recognition. Congratulations, Sean, on this significant and most deserved recognition. You deserve every bit of it. I also want to publicly acknowledge Sean Cate for all his efforts in putting Sean Stackley’s DGA nomination package together. This was no easy task, requiring a lot of research and coordination with classmates. Sean (Cate) as also volunteered his help with further DGA nominations, so if you

think another classmate should be so recognized, please get in touch with him. With this year being the 20th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, September was a month for remembering those who have gone before us. On 10 September, the class ring of ENS John C Kennedy III (29th Co.) was donated to the Alumni Assn. by his sister Jan. John was killed in 1981 in an aircraft accident during flight training. It will be included in a display of class rings at the new Alumni Center. Frank Dombrowski has remained close with the family and attended the donation ceremony with Dave Jackson. As Dave said, it will be nice to have John’s ring there to remind us of his sacrifice. Also this month we mourn the loss and remember CAPT John Pasko (Ret.) who quietly passed away in September. As I wrote about that at the time, John required a double lung transplant in 2001, and had been fighting a long battle with complications from this procedure ever since. John’s wife Shelley and sons Joey and Danny were at his side. Daughter Kaitlyn is in Guam with her husband the CO of EODMU5, but they were both there in spirit. Joe Mulloy remembers “Johnny was an amazing friend, submariner, family man with close ties to USNA.” During his military career John was the CO of USS WYOMING (SSBN-742) and he and Shelley returned to the King’s Bay (GA) area on retirement. If any of you would like to send a note of condolence to the family, shoot me an email and I’ll put you in touch. Classmates, that not only wraps up this month, but it also wraps up another year of chronicling the exploits of 79ers across the globe. It’s an honor for me to report to you each month in the pages of Shipmate, and I truly appreciate the words of encouragement and feedback I’ve received from all of you. Karen and I send our best wishes to you and your families for this holiday season. Looking forward to a bright, prosperous – and hopefully less crazy – 2022. Wiz…

’80

Life Membership: 96% Donor Participation: 18.31% Pres: Tony Verducci e: Ajverducci80@gmail.com Sec’y: CAPT Joseph A. Grace Jr., USNR (Ret.) 15 Allard Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 p: 504-915-6711; e: joe.grace@1980.usna.com Website: http://1980.usnaclasses.net

Greetings Classmates, Sir there are now 30 Days and a wakeup until our 40+ Reunion. By the time you read this we will have already been together in Annapolis and shared our war stories, commented on how old everyone else looks and confirmed what we already know – that the Class of 1980 is a great group of Shipmates! Very much looking forward to seeing everyone! As you know, we had a pretty good storm (Ida) down here in New Orleans. There are a few of us in New Orleans and all experience a good bit of damage. We were without power for about 12-20 days, depending on how you measure – “have power back” – and without cable or connectivity for about 22 days. Still bags of trash, trees down, roofs are gone and basically living in an austere environment. Rick Schroeder, rschroeder@ joneswalker.com, who is an attorney here in the City said he lost about 40 trees and his chicken coop! All this in the middle of a major home renovation. We had the ceilings of the house built in 1740 fall in and a 100-year-old copper roof pealed back like a bad toupee. Unbelievable. Russ Granier, rjgranier@gmail.com, was busy hosting family and friends up in Baton Rouge. Everyone pulled together. Thanks for all the kind notes and calls. All good! There are many accolades that are given to various members of the Class, and we are extremely proud of all these accomplishments and acknowledgements. Recently, we have had two significant moments for Janie Mines, our Class of 1980 Vice President. First, she was designated a Distinguished Graduate of the Naval Academy – a tremendous honor! Here is the write up circulated by the Alumni Association:

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 87

80/80 CLASS NEWS Janie L. Mines ’80, the first Black woman to graduate from the Naval Academy, former Senior Executive Service Senior Advisor to the Secretary of the Navy, currently an author and senior vice president, inclusion and innovation at Academy Securities. Secondly, because of her role with Academy Securities, we have the NASDAQ honoring her in Times Square. Pretty spectacular. Well done Janie. She is not only an amazing executive and now Distinguished Graduate, but also an incredible Class Officer and Classmate!

Jeff Maynard, Pat Castleman and Tim Kobosko all there early to set up and staying there late to polish off the remaining booze. My kind of guys. The football record has us winning every tailgater: the “Stepping Out with ‘80” banner is flying high at every home game. Ellen and I continue to sponsor midshipmen every year. Currently hosting a plebe right up through some seniors. Hard to admit it, but I attended the retirement ceremony of one of our early mids we sponsored: that was interesting to say the least. Your humble scribe, David

they are also moving, in this case, to Florida. They expect to have their home ready in November. They are enjoying life in and Airbnb until it’s ready! He even sent in a photo of himself and his new Governor.

Greg Mislick, gmislick99@ yahoo.com, checked in from Monterey with a photo and an update as well:

It’s always good to see the notes come in from Classmates who are out there tearing it up! Dave Clement, clementdb@live.com, from 31st Company sent in a few photos and an update: JANIE’S PHOTO ON NASDAQ BILLBOARD

The 7th Company Seadogs have been very fortunate to have a consistent “herder of the cats” in David Foy, david.d.foy.civ@ us.navy.mil who has been their Company Rep since I can remember! Special thanks to him and all Company Reps who do a very good job of keeping everyone together – and the pay isn’t that great – but the payoff – is exceptional! Here is a quick personal update from David: M Joe, Dropping you a note from the foothills of Annapolis. About 16 seventh company Seadogs have roger’d up to return for our reunion. Lots of fun politically incorrect emails flying around within the group: never knew the follicly challenged could be so touchy!! We are putting up three or four at our house and probably one RV in the driveway. Should be fun. The 80’ tailgater gang have been holding their own in the good food category this season. Great turnout each home game with the heavy lifters Mike Sonnefield, Curt Coughlin,

M Hey Joe, Hope that you are digging out from the effects of Hurricane Ida and are doing well down there in New Orleans! Just a quick note to say that Karen and I had a fun dinner with two 27th company mates: Lynn and Brannan Chisolm, bchisolm@gmail.com and Delores and Brian Carmichael, beedeecee@sbcglobal.net, in Capitola, CA last week. Brandon and Lynn are on a ten-week driving cross country trip and stopped in our area for a few days. Here is a photo from our dinner. S/F, Greg Here are some general updates: Gianna and Don Senerius, dsenieriu@yahoo.com are splitting their time between Annapolis and North Carolina. Their son and their two grand kids are halfway around the world in Hawaii – a great destination for Grandparents…. Nancy and Jeff Bush, Minnie.b@att.net are in the process of buying a house in Boise and moving from California. Ellen and John Lowe, jl1709@ aol.com, is working remotely and

88 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

M Hi, Joe, I mostly retired from legal practice on January 1st. I have always enjoyed hiking but have taken up backpacking in retirement. We recently did 60 miles over 5 days on the Loyalsock Trail in Central Pennsylvania and several trips in Western North Carolina. The photos are from the trail. Just putting one foot in front of the other. If you’re not moving, you might be dead! One good thing I learned at USNA and in the Navy was the importance of staying active. Since Jenifer (née Joyce, 9th Company, ‘81) and I became empty nesters, we have been working out together. We jog, bike and weightlift 6 days a week when we aren’t out backpacking or day-hiking. We’re not winning any speed records these days but having a built-in workout partner helps with my motivation. We have a son Jeff in Minneapolis working on his PhD in Business at Univ. of Minn., a daughter Maura in St. Paul who is a 2nd year resident in family medicine, a son Stephen working in D.C. at the Navy Nuclear Power Program Office (was military, now a DON civilian employee), and a daughter Claire working on her Nurse Practitioner in Family Medicine at UNC Chapel Hill. We enjoy being Nana and Grandpa to 7 (and counting grandchildren ages 6 years down to 5 months). I’m still Of Counsel at my law firm in Raleigh, NC but trying to work as little as possible—like any good military officer, I trained my team so that they could carry on if I was no longer there for any reason (like backpacking!). It’s soooo nice being off the clock. I do most of the cooking these days. My Cajun mother from Opelousas taught me to cook and I really enjoy it. I’m no Mike Reed but I make a real good shrimp creole. I’m enjoying reading for pleasure again. For all those years my legal job was so much reading I had no stamina for it at home. That’s about it. Enjoying friends, family, cooking, reading, and backpacking! Best, Dave Mark Rushing, rushingm594@ gmail.com sent me a great email and a stack of digital photos. He was going through his old

80/81 CLASS NEWS Well, by the time this is in print we will have all sorts of reunion photos to share for our next Column. In closing, I hope that this note finds each of you healthy, happy, and wiser today than yesterday. Please take a few minutes to renew a friendship, call / teams / zoom / visit / text a Classmate and take care of each other. You never know what a difference you can make! As always, BEAT ARMY, Joe

’81

‘80:

Life Membership: 95% Donor Participation: 31.26% Pres: CDR Otto Stutz, USN (Ret.) 217 Coyatee Court, Loudon, TN 37774. c: 757-618-4487; e: otto@1981.usna.com Vice Pres: CDR Tim Disher, USN (Ret.) 1405 12th St NW Apt #2 Washington DC 20005 c: 410-507-9040 e: timothy.disher@1981.usna.com Corr Sec’y: Chuck French e: classof81scribe@gmail.com chuck_french@charter.net

‘80:

Webmaster: Patty Crandlemire Whitney

photographs from Winter Park and our days in Nuke School in 1981. We were sending them back and forth from Bruce Incze, pastor.bruce.apc @gmail.com, (now a pastor at Arkport Presbyterian Church in N.Y.), Andy “Tonto” Otano, usna80@ gmail.com and others. Here are some great photos as a blast from the past. Lots of fun! I lost most of my photographs during Katrina – so have no photos from those days! These were really a treat! See if you can identify everyone in the photos!

A while back I received this note from Bill Gieri, bill.gieri@gmail.com who had the chance to create the Blue and Gold – whenever two or more shall meet – and old tales be retold. He and his wife Joyce had the opportunity to get together with his former roommate of 3 ½ years, AJ (Arcelio) Josiah and his wife Andrea, while they were in Los Angeles for their oldest son, Austin’s, graduation from UCLA. As he described, “It was a perfect day as we wandered around the Santa Monica 3rd street Promenade, had a late lunch at street cafe, reminisced old 14th company days, and caught up on life.”

Website: www.usna1981.org Classwide messages: usna1981@yahoogroups.com

Fall greetings great class of 1981! What a fantastic time was had by all at our 40th reunion over Labor Day weekend (results of the football game notwithstanding…ugh, might be a long year). Great thing for the acting class scribe is that I have more fodder than I can fit in a single issue. So, my plan until I am relieved is to include tidbits and photos from the reunion in each future article… and will turnover that idea to my successor once the class elections are completed. First of all…a hearty BRAVO ZULU to Tom Jacob (17), Bill Johnson (31), the class officers, and anyone else I am overlooking, for organizing and delivering a fantastic reunion experience!! Hopefully you all have taken the opportunity to offer feedback and comments…while I personally think it may be difficult to improve on the experience, the class officers do want input so that our 45th can be even bigger and better than ever!

The weekend certainly started off with a bit of a bang, with the tornado that tore through part of town on Wednesday afternoon. Yours truly was on the USNA golf course when the storm hit, along with Tom Moore (21), Jeff Castleton (35), Dan Quattrini (1), Doug Heimbach (34), Tim Disher (12), Mike “Crusher” Carucci (32), John Clay (26) and Willie Taylor (25). The course shut down after about 6-7 holes, so the group made the command decision to reconvene at Hero’s Pub (formerly Weems Creek Tavern)…only to find the power out at the pub…but fortunately the beer taps were still working!! Thursday’s golf outing, organized by Jaime Navarro (3), George Basil (25) and Dave “Woody” Woods (25), was spectacular, played on a perfect weather day at the Renditions Golf Course in Davidsonville. Not to brag, but yours truly hit at least one good shot and managed to win the closest to the pin prize on the island green replica of TPC Sawgrass #17. And an extra special thanks to Ted Dumbauld (33) for his extraordinary donation of class crest-etched bottles for each classmate of the award-winning hemp-based whiskey/bourbon from his SoNo 1420 distillery (www.sono1420.com), including special bottles for prizes at the golf outing like this one (which now proudly adorns my liquor cabinet):

Also on Thursday was a highly successful bike ride organized by Tony Perotti (12)…I don’t have details on that for this issue, but will be sure to include more in the next.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 89

81/81 CLASS NEWS

Mike “Crusher” Carucci (32), Otto Stutz (32), and Bill McGuinness (28). Otto showing off his “modern” golf clubs. ’81: 21st Company at 40th (L to R): Mike Johnson, Mike McCloskey, Peggy Metzger, Jeff Edgar, Eric Stagliano, Tom Moore, Doug Kurtz, Carl Cramb, Dan McElroy, James “JD” Daniel and Chuck French

On Friday we enjoyed very high participation at our memorial service at the Chapel, and at the class meeting in Alumni Hall. After those events, Reecy and I were pleased to run into our old buddy John Riedel (17), enjoying outdoor refreshments, oysters, and people watching at Middleton’s.

John Riedel (17), Reecy (Payne) French (daughter of George “Pat” Payne ’52) and Chuck French (21)

My favorite event of the weekend may have been the company time on Friday evening. It was great reconnecting with many of my 21st company-mates…thanks Doug Kurtz (21) for setting this up for our group. We had a terrific time at the Ram’s Head Roadhouse (formerly Rudy’s Tavern), catching up on where we all are (and have been), laughing at retelling stories and memories, and reminiscing about our departed classmates Ted Wirginis, Deke Forbes, and Bill Davidson. Photos nearby:

Vince, Mike Mahre (2) and Dennis Murphy (1)

And as a last, and somewhat funny, photo, proof positive that the mid store had a sale on this particular shirt on Saturday morning…

Plebe year roommates Tom Moore, Chuck French and JD Daniel (all from Fun 21)

Saturday was another spectacular weather day, accommodating a truly outstanding day of touring the yard, shopping at the mid store, tailgating, and watching football. Always an awesome spectacle watching the march-on, fly-over, mids in the stands, all the pomp and circumstance surrounding home Navy football. Pictures are better than words, so here is a spattering of photos from the “Vince Hartmann Reunion Selfies Extravaganza”. Thanks Vince for being such an awesome photographer! Also, you should all check out the class website and the group photos from the reunion posted there: http://www.usna1981.org/ index.html

Nice Shirt!!

Vince, Rick Keller (8), Frank Caldwell (8) and Mike “Disco” Matthes (5)

Vince, Mary and Dan Quattrini (1)

I received a note from my good rugby buddy Ted Morse (33) that longtime class sponsor and honorary classmate Al Madigan passed away this past January. Many of you spent many memorable moments and cherished times with Al on the South River. Fair winds and following seas, Al. Here is a link to his obituary: https://www.legacy.com /us/obituaries/capitalgazette/name /albert-madigan-obituary?pid =197544940 So, I will call that a wrap on this issue’s article. Don’t forget to send your inputs for Shipmate to me at classof81scribe@gmail.com, chuck_french@charter.net, or you can text me at 865-548-8010. V/R, Chuck. ’81 Second to None! GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY! ’81 Second to None!

HONOR CHAIRS Vince Hartmann (1), Ted Morse (33), Steve “Wally” Chambers (24) and Mike “Crusher” Carucci (32)

90 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Remember or Honor a loved one in Alumni Hall. Call 410-295-4100 for more information. Vince and Tom “Tarzan” Carlson (24)

82/82 CLASS NEWS

’82

Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 22.34% Pres: CDR Janeann Treadway Conley, USN (Ret.) p: 410-251-7893; e: Jtcnaples@yahoo.com Vice Pres: CAPT Matt Moury, USN (Ret.) p: 410-263-7640; e: vicepresident@usna82.org Treas: VADM Terry Benedict, USN (Ret.) p: 703-913-7183; e: treasurer@usna82.org Corr Sec’y: CDR Mark Shields, USN (Ret.) 3 High Meadow Ln., Newark, DE 19711 p: 302-234-0835; c: 302-229-1085 e: m.shields75@yahoo.com

Don Bennett (23) and Smitty stocking up!

’82: Left to right: Craig Ryniewicz (8), Rick Smith (9), Brad Weiner (8), Steve Acalin (8), Meg, Marc, best man Jeff Mauro (8), Russ Gentry (8), Frank Valente (8), Jim Clifford (USNA-’74). Not pictured-Bill Ostendorff (USNA-’76)

Website: http://1982.usnaclasses.net Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/USNA82

Greetings to the great class of ‘82!, You should be receiving this issue of Shipmate at some point during the holiday season, and close to the big game against those Black Knights of the Hudson! Not sure if this issue will arrive before or after the game. We all know, however, that even though the Navy goat is old and gnarly, and even though he’s never been to school, we also know that he can certainly take the bacon from that worn out Army mule! Am I right? And who doesn’t like bacon? Take it, Bill! A few weeks ago, my mailbag was completely empty. I want to thank those of you who stepped up and answered my plea for submissions. Without you, there would be no column for ‘82! So on with the news! It is always great to receive stories and pics of classmate “mini-reunions”. Kevin Smith (20) sent in the following: M “Hey Mark…Over the summer I was able to catch up with three classmates. Terri and I enjoyed dinner with Don and Anne Bennett while passing through Stafford, VA. Darryl Manwaring came by to visit us in Chocowinity, NC and we were able to catch up with classmateneighbor Al Dobler. Smitty”

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation.

The triple threat of Smitty, Al Dobler (06), and Darryl Manwaring (20)

I also received the following very nice email from Rich Vogel (12): M “Hey Mark, How goes it? Vicki and I are living in the mountains of Western North Carolina, near Waynesville. We moved here nine years ago as the retirement destination and have not had a regret. Love it here. I have been semi-retired since June 2021 when I left my full time job with a tech company in Hickory, NC. Navy retirement officially started in August 2020 with my 60th birthday. I am working part-time with an IT consulting firm and tending to our 1.5 acre “farm” here in the mountains. Vicki spends her time tending to the goats, dogs, rabbits, fish, and flowers. Flowers and goats make for an interesting combination that has me building fortified gardens. :-) With this week’s flooding disaster here in Haywood county we are working relief efforts from food deliveries to remote area folks who can’t get out, to packaging supplies for the displaced. About four months ago we started a new hobby, Jeeping, having no idea we would be putting it to practical use post-disaster.

’82: Check out those socks on 8th company classmates Craig, Frank, Steve, Russ, and Brad. Looking good ‘82!

Hope all is well with you and yours. Rich” BZ to Rich and Vicki for helping their neighbors! Major life events are also great occasions to send me an email, and Marc Dapas (08) did just that: M“Good evening Mark, I hope all is well. I wanted to provide some input for our class news: On Sunday May 23rd, Marguerite (Meg) Broadwell and I were married in Purcellville, VA located in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. It was an absolute gorgeous day, with the outdoor wedding ceremony and reception inside a beautifully restored barn, culminating a wonderful wedding weekend. A number of my classmates (six of which were from my same company, 8th) as well as other USNA alumni were in attendance. My wife Meg retired on July 31st after 31 years with NASA and I retired in January 2019 after 30 years with the Nuclear Regulatory

Commission (NRC). We are living in Alexandria, VA and I am consulting for the nuclear industry. We really enjoy the D.C. area, but are considering where we want to live in our retirement years. As you can see from the picture nearby my 8th company classmates did an outstanding job representing the Navy blue and gold at the wedding with matching socks and ties.”

The newlyweds leaving the reception in a classic 1946 Dodge

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 91

82/83 CLASS NEWS Our classmates continue to do amazing things and have some great adventures! A perfect example of this is the bike ride across Iowa completed this past summer by Evin Thompson (30) and Dale Kemper (20). Here are the details: M “We recently both rode the Register’s Annual Great Bike Ride Across Iowa, RAGBRAI. A cross between a country potluck dinner and Mardi Gras that is a journey from the western border of Iowa to the Mississippi River over seven days. This was Evin’s 12th time and Dale’s 3rd. We met up along the way and had a great chat and rode together a bit. If any other class members are part of this throng of 15K other bicyclists that would like to do the ride or were on the ride and we just didn’t cross paths, would like to share some stories. Evin works on small boats in the Virginia Beach area. Dale is an A350 pilot for Delta living in Ohio. Dale offered anybody who does long haul flights on Delta to check to see if he is in the cockpit and offered a tour of this amazing aircraft. BEAT ARMY!” Wow-I checked out this ride online and it looks amazing. I am tempted to join next year. How about you?

Dale and Evin in the chow tent

Significant life updates, such as a well-deserved retirement are also great occasions for a Shipmate submission. Thanks to Joanne (Cerasuolo) Fry (11) for the following: M “Hi! This is Joanne (Cerasuolo) Fry. I haven’t given an update in a while, so here goes: John and I retired last year. John retired from the National Park Service (he had been at Cumberland Island National Seashore for the last 18 years), and I retired from teaching in Georgia public schools. We relocated to Kentucky, to the same town we lived in when John was at Mammoth Cave National Park. We

just returned from a bucket-list trip to Alaska, where we were able to visit Katmai National Park, Kenai Fjords National Park and Denali National Park. What a great adventure! Lots of hiking, some kayaking and a glacier landing! Anyone passing through south central Kentucky is welcome to stop in for a visit! Joanne”

and hated to see it end? You will be receiving the next issue of Shipmate at some point in the middle of the “Dark Ages” and at the beginning of 2022, the year of our big 40th reunion! As always, looking good ‘82! Mark

’83

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 23.16% Pres: LCDR Stephen L. Fischer, USN (Ret.) 31 Call Ct., Fredericksburg, VA 22405-2144 p: 540-840-7051 Vice Pres: Ms. Geraldine W. Santos Treas: Frank Vernet e: fgvernet@gmail.com

The new retirees Joanne and John in Alaska

So sorry to again end on a sad note, but since the last column, I have learned of the passing of classmate, Tom Savidge (12) this past July. Our classmate John Manganaro (11) sent in the following: M “All, I wanted to pass on to you the sad news of the passing of Tom Savidge USNA 82, 12th Company, in late July 2021. Tom and I were hired around the same time at American Airlines and we were based in Chicago. Like many in the nomadic life of an airline pilot, we maintained a friendship which started plebe summer 1978, maintained for four years 1 floor apart in 3rd wing, and sustained at American. Tom was always a steady friend and I will miss his ever present smile in the terminal.” Tom’s obituary has been or will be printed in the “Last Call” section of an issue of Shipmate. It is a fitting testament to his full, rich, and rewarding life. Tom will be dearly missed by family, friends, and the class of ‘82. My thanks to all of you who contributed to this column. I look forward to hearing from many more of you, especially if you have not sent in an update in a long time (or maybe never have!). I hope that all of you are having a wonderful holiday season. Remember how we so looked forward to holiday leave

92 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Sec’y & Shipmate Contact: CAPT Chris Pietras, USN (Ret.) 9404 Jackson St., Burke, VA 22015 c: 860-885-9009; e: 83shipmate@gmail.com Facebook: USNA 1983 LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/83 Website: http://1983.usnaclasses.net

The year has been flying by hasn’t it? September 28th as I write the monthly column which you won’t read until late November/early December; I find it difficult at time to remember that I am writing and

’83: AF Tailgater with SECNAV

’83: Beat AirForce

have to report info today but also think that you won’t read it for 6-8 weeks from now. So, a reminder to update your email (https://www. usna.com/profile) and the Class Facebook group (https://www. facebook.com/groups/1915013608 61460), so you get the latest newz when it happens instead of time late newz. Lots of newz in what could be called the Carlos issue, but he does get around and get seen. Carlos Del Toro was sworn in as our 83-5 Secretary of the Navy. In a message t family and friends Carlos said: M “I am deeply honored and humbled to once again serve the men and women who serve our Nation in the United States Navy and Marine Corps, and I pledge to fully dedicate myself to them and our country as we address the challenges and opportunities that lie ahead. I thank each of you for the kindness, support, advice, and friendship you have extended me, Betty, and my entire family these past several months and years as we have collectively strived to make our nation that much stronger in so

83/83 CLASS NEWS many ways whether through business, philanthropy, politics, or more socially as friends. I know we will continue that journey together moving forward!” After weighing the various options, the Class Officers and Board of Directors selected the weekend of 6-7-8 October 2023 as our 40th Reunion dates. The vagaries of football schedules make early choices tough, but this one is a set home game since it is Homecoming. Much more to follow, but we want to get the word out to everyone ASAP so you can consider your plans; the earlier you start, the better! Three games into the 2021 season and not a good story unfortunately. While there have been some sparks, inconsistent at best (also the Woops are 4-0). Of course by the time you read this, football fortunes may have changed and we could be above .500 and the woopers could be struggling. Here’s hoping that the team improves as the season continues and we are triumphant over Army at the end of the season. OK, so that’s not newz, per se, but a rehash of the past month and a wish for the future. But related to football games is the following newz: • Seeing our SECNAV toss the coin at midfield during the Navy/ AF game ! • Tailgater attendance is up – just seeing smiling faces at the gater is great ! • Fans in the stands – phenomenal ! • Mids marching on while we watch – da best ! Related to football is an international I had during the Air Force football game. I was sitting in Joe Spruill’s seats during the game (my wife and her best friend were in our regular seats). Next to me was the daughter of one of the grads who was being honored at halftime as well as her granddaughter. I had a wonderful conversation with her,

UPDATE YOUR PROFILE

but besides hearing the story of her father, what really stuck with me is that she mentioned Carlos and Sean speaking at the luncheon earlier that day and how they spoke so well in honor of the fallen. Well done Classmates ! Jim Wood checks in (I’ve edited his comments a bit): M Hey Chris, was so good to chat with you at the PRade. As my deceased dad used to say (he fought in Patton’s 88th infantry in the Battle of the Bulge, nearly died in a Nazi booby trapped house his platoon was searching…spent a year in a body case from shrapnel wounds) … “don’t let the bastards get you down!” Thanks for all you do man. Cheers, Jim PS Here’s me and my two charges happy in early retirement.

please look us up. Pam is semi-retired and I’m still flying 737 for United. We are up to 6 grandkids. Josh

Speeding

In our earliest picture of SECNAV, Lynn Thomas sent the following (yes Lynn is still in uniform – will she be the last (wo)man standing ?): At Navy Warfare Development Center, yours truly, SECNAV Carlos Del Toro, RADM (Ret) Paul Becker, and Chris “Kid” Gallagher. Kid is Chief of the MOC Exercise Support Team, and Paul is one of the retired FOGO roleplayers at the exercise. I’m here on AT as part of the exercise control cell. Carlos had been sworn in just 12 hours before this photo. Fun time!

the time, but had other evening engagements (or was he sent away so Carlos could make a move on designating the house as the SECNAV residence, hmmm). And yes, there were people with little earpieces shadowing the big guy. While the loop didn’t send the official photographer photos (form 2 is in the mail), here are a couple of photos from the event. L2R in the small group photo are: Pam Corwin, Pam Allinger, Katie Thurman, Carlos Del Toro, Sue Koye, Angie Smith Roth; L2R Cake picture (Senator Tim Kaine, Carlos, and Betty Del Toro); Large picture – all Classmates except the young man at the left in front of Mike Poirier)

Reception

Jim Wood

While Navy was beaten by Air Force in football, the alumni softball team beat them 19-10 in early August. Mark Lavoie and I are members of the team (and with many others alums way junior). Showing his athletic prowess, Josh Rubin checked in: M I had a big month this July. Lots of racing going on as we come out of the Covid thing here on the Gulf Coast. I got 3rd place in MC Scow Gulf Coast Champs, my 1st big MC regatta. I also won my AG at the Shadow Creek Triathlon a few weeks later. Great to see people out and about again. Pam and I are headed to Atlanta for MC masters this fall. If anyone is in Houston,

T+12 hours

On September 10th, Carlos was the reviewing official at the Friday PRade. Many Classmates attended and were invited to the post PRade gathering at the Supe’s house. Sean Buck was there for some of

Cutting the Cake

Log into Online Community at usna.com to update your profile. ’83: Classmates NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 93

83/84 CLASS NEWS Comments overheard during the PRade (paraphrased of course to protect the innocent and/or guilty): • Wow, I haven’t stepped on Worden since Plebe Summer (“nameless” Sailor) • Funny that Carlos is the reviewing official, he was the worst marcher in the company I’ll close this column with sad news. Two Classmates have passed away. They have physically left us, but not in our memories. • Honorary Classmate Stu Hedley passed away from COVID19 complications on August 4, 2021. Stu was a Pearl Harbor survivor and was 99 years old. A public memorial was scheduled for August 25th on the USS MIDWAY. • Tom Spriesterbach, 23rd company passed away on September 14, 2021. He turned 60 last December. Tom’s wife Alice read many emails to Tom while he was in the hospital and they lifted Tom up. A beautiful Celebration of Life service for Tom Spriesterbach was held on Saturday September 25th at the Chapelgate Presbyterian Church in Marriottsville, MD. It was well attended by family, church members, friends and Classmates. Flowers were sent on behalf of the class. Tom was severely injured in a Mountain Bike accident on September 5th and died following complications from surgery. The 23rd Company “Wildmen” and spouses love and admire Tom and Alice very much, and have observed their romance since Youngster Year. The eleven members in attendance were Sharon and Mark Ploof, Donna and Bill Stacia, Dee and Scott Sundt, Holly and Bobby Corolla, Diana and Keven Talbert, Kathy and Kevin Newmeyer, Rich Hans, Mike Silva, Mike Worley, Pam Horine and Tim Rebhorn. Pam came from Illinois and Tim from Texas to attend. NAPS Platoon 2-3 shipmates of Tom attending, in addition to Keven and Scott from 23rd Co., included Ruth and Frank Vernet (35), Steve Zotti (35), and Peter Webb (11). Steve came in from Tennessee and

was hosted by Margaret and Tom McKavitt (30), also in attendance. Plebe Summer “Mike” Companymate Bob Woods (24) attended, as well as Mark Woods (15), Steve Lewia (31), Susan Koye (20), Mike Vormbrocke (31), and Chris Pietras (17). Kevin Newmeyer and Rich Hans rendered fond memories of Tom from Bancroft Hall, the fleet and DoD Scientific achievements. Tom’s three wonderful children courageously shared experiences of a God-honoring husband, father, and grandfather. The pastor gave a short homily centered on John Chapter 3, depicting Nicodemus coming to Christ asking questions. This was Tom’s experience after attending a Billy Graham Crusade in Baltimore in 1981. Tom was a remarkable man with a brilliant mind will be sorely missed by all. I’m still looking for the earliest classmate on Active Duty. I believe the earliest that I have confirmed information on is Dan Casmey with a June 17, 1975 date. Is there anyone else out there that can beat his date ? A reminder for you to update your profile on usna.com. Only you can do it. Update with your latest mailing address, your correct phone number, your spouses name (if you have one – or at least update it to the correct one). And when you retire and move, update it again – that’s the only way you will get Shipmate in your mailbox. https://www.usna.com/profile Please reach out and touch your loved ones, reconnect with an old friend or roommate, whether in person or on the phone or just email or knock on a door – Life is fragile. Just do it today, as we can never count on the opportunity to be able to do so tomorrow. Got Newz? send to: 83shipmate@gmail.com Don’t forget our Legacy Giving effort. Go here: http://www.usna.com/give/1983 Once a classmate, always a classmate.

94 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

’83- A Class Act!

’84

Life Membership: 100% Donor Participation: 41.95% Pres: Mr. Brian D. Goodrow e: goodrow2@comcast.net Vice Pres: Karen M. Halverson e: dkhalvy@earthlink.net Treas: Mr. Stephen J. Shepherd e: stephenjamesshepherd@gmail.com Sec’y/Shipmate Contact: Kevin Monahan 428 Santa Mesa Dr., San Jose, CA 95123 p: 408-624-0773 e: kevin_monahan@comcast.net Website: www.usna84.org

Well and good, Fall has kicked off, Tailgate Tent is awesome, and I’ve been getting some great ‘84 News the past few weeks. Mike Moran retired after 37+ years of service in August with a small casual event supported by family, the RDA team, DCNO’s, PEOs, and Secretary Geurts. “It was a perfect way to bring things to closure for me in a comfortable and casual way. I have thoroughly enjoyed my time in the Navy and in service to our country and feel extremely fortunate to have had the opportunity to do so from my early days in 35th Company, to my multiple squadron tours flying the mighty P-3 Orion, with many great friends and mentors, to my acquisition time working with really talented government and Industry professionals; in PMA-290 and the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to help lead the P-3 to P-8 transition, followed by a tour supporting Sec Kendall at USD AT&L and the talented team there, before heading to China Lake for a fantastic tour with some truly dedicated professionals, then PEO T with a superb team that embraced a P-3 guy in their TACAIR world, before my final stop here at ASN RDA working for Sec Geurts and an awesome RDA team. I truly feel fortunate to have had the opportunity to serve – I love the people and love the mission and will miss both!!” Barbara and TD Smyers sailed the US Atlantic Coast, Bahamas and Caribbean for 2 years aboard their sailing catamaran La Vie Dansante. TD kept up (sorta) with their

adventures on their blog at www.sailinglaviedansante.com. They’re now living in Central TX, down near San Marcos Y’all, where TD is leveraging his Navy and nonprofit leadership backgrounds to educate the next generation of leaders. In August, TD was announced as CEO at Simple Leadership Strategies. Jeff Bartkoski has served as President and CEO at Mercy Flight Central in Canandaigua, New York since retiring from the Navy in 2014. Jeff served as Captain of USS BLUE RIDGE, CO of HSL-46, and Professor of Naval Science at University of Rochester.

Jeff Bartkoski

Mercy Flight is an independent, non-profit community-based organization providing air medical services to residents of New York State and beyond. Mercy Flight Central’s teams consist of skilled pilots, registered nurses, paramedics and volunteer physicians that provide the highest level of pre-hospital critical care to patients requiring advanced treatment and rapid air transport to specialized medical centers across the Northeast. “This extraordinary mission is enabled by the community we serve. Each individual, corporation, foundation and entity that provide financial contributions help extend our reach while ensuring our crews are equipped with the latest technology to care for our patients. Without the generosity of such partners, our service would not have the impact that is does.

84/85 CLASS NEWS Special thanks to Mel Hamner for a picture and an update on Lenny Price. Paul Arends visited Lenny in Seattle in August while Lenny was in the recovery center from his late July kidney transplant surgery. Lenny’s progress is going very well, is exceeding the doctors’ expected recovery timeline and has affectionately named his new kidney, Kenny. Meanwhile, Paul & Nancy Gawryszewski stayed with Mel & Susie for the Labor Day weekend Marshall at Navy home game. Mel & Ski reminisced on their own 1st Class year as the Color Company and boasted that 19 is the current Color Company as well!

Riles retired from Pepsi and is in San Diego doing a ton of surfing. Kurt Brandquist visited The Joe Bellino Exhibit at The Academy with family Geoff Brandquist (‘83), Kristen Brandquist Druggan, and RADM Tom Druggan (‘89). Kurt’s Dad, CAPT Ron Brandquist (‘60) played football for Navy in the late ‘50’s and is included in archival footage in the exhibit.

Kurt Brandquist with Dad #49 Ron Brandquist

Joe Arnoso visited Jorge Rodriguez-Saenz in Costa Rica this past Summer. Lenny Price, Paul Arends and Kenny

Hal Gilreath, Chico Menendez, John Stamos, John Riley, and John Woods attended the bi-annual Friends of Navy Sailing event August. Hal sailed a 420 with his wife Nancy, a Brown sailing alumna, Chico sailed a 420 w/ his son Arsenio; and Riles, Stames and Woodsy sailed a Navy 44. The event brings together supporters of the Navy sailing program with attendance from the classes of ‘61 through ‘21.

Joe Arnoso and Jorge Rodriguez-Saenz in Costa Rica

First 2 Tailgates went great. Can’t thank the Volunteers enough for their work beginning 5 hours before Kickoff and ending about 5 hours after the Final Whistle.

Stames, Chico, Hal, Riles and Woodsy on Land

Chico and John Stamos are Northern Virginia locals working for DoD. Woodsy is flying for Southwest, has moved to Ocala, FL and I’m told is CO of a Midway area Crash Pad. He didn’t move to the Villages, if anyone asks.

’85

Life Membership: 95% Donor Participation: 22.35% Pres: Bob Smith 1009 Caiman Ct., Sellersburg, IN 47172 p: 502-432-6185; e: robertsmith5@att.net Vice Pres: Stephen J. Pimpo e: sjpimpo@comcast.net Corr Sec’y: Vic Otero e: vic@otero-pearl.com

Well I start this Shipmate with a great report from an absolutely fantastic 36 year re-union. As many of you know we did it during an AWAY Football weekend. As I was skeptical of doing this to start it turned out to be a great move. We had a huge venue for the tailgater, we had over 8 hours of Classmate Face Time at the tailgater. No crowds, great weather and great bonding with an amazing group of classmates. We also found out that all of you need to practice your cornhole skills. But I do have a few BZ awards. Christy Sahler 36th co went from never playing to making it to the final 4 with her partner Norm Fitzpatrick 36th co. Joe Papetti found another sport he is not better than me, as his partner Pat Mcpherson lost a close final game to Dave “Skip” Mcdonnell and yours truly in the finals. Thanks for all that participated. I also want to thank my wife Jeanet for all the time she put in keeping the tournament on track. I wish I only had good things to write about in this article. After a great Bianchi Memorial Golf Tournament and getting a chance to play with Greg “Kegger” Miller 23rd co and John Hefti 23rd co, shortly after that weekend John Hefti was involved in a tragic car accident in Norfolk, VA. John will be honored at Oceana Naval Base on 5 Nov 2021. Never miss an opportunity to get together with a classmate, John traveled a long way to play with us, RIP John Hefti.

John Hefi, Greg Miller, Kerry O’Shanick and Vic Otero

Many pictures from reunion weekend. (Look for the reunion photos in Shipmate in the JanuaryFebruary 2022 issue.) Another thank you to Bob Smith who did a phenomenal job of putting on a first class reunion event. We will be back together in a short 4 years. Thank You to Giles Kyser who took on making our class coin and came up with a great design and a really cool keepsake. I have another note from Mark Rubino. M “Hi Vic, I hope all is well. I celebrated a milestone this past summer turning 60. In addition to my wife, I had some close shipmates join me at my celebration Tony Kwon, Tim Dougherty, Steve Trost, Rich Dezelon and Tony Califano. Mark might be the oldest guy in our class, I just turned 48. Happy Birthday Mark. Go Navy 85!

MERCHANDISE To order your class, chapter or parent club specific merchandise, visit usna.com/shop or call 410-295-4016

Nelson Rich, Jon Harber, Allison Webster-Giddings, Karen Halverson, Virginia ‘VA Forehand’ Horn and Capo di Capo Brian Goodrow

Live Strong , Kevin

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 95

86/87 CLASS NEWS

’86

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 12.49% Pres: Michael Cadwell e: michael.cadwell@accenture.com p: 505-400-3406 Vice Pres: RADM Jim McNeal, USN SC (Ret.) e: jamesm@ispards.com Treas: CDR J.T. Young, USNR (Ret.) e: jty2664@gmail.com Sec’y: CAPT Todd Wagner, MC, USN (Ret.) e: todd.wagner86@gmail.com Corr Sec’y: Mike Althouse e: mike.althouse@gmail.com p: 410-688-9060

Sneaking this article in a couple days late but also a couple days post-reunion because I needed to send a huge BRAVO ZULU to Marie Schanz Burris and the whole reunion committee for the amazing weekend they coordinated. Chris Castelli was everywhere it seemed, but did a fantastic job with

’86: That’s us!

the class golf outing and coordinating football tickets with NAAA. Jim Kilby put together a really interesting and informative Flag and General Officer forum Friday morning, while incoming class president Mike Cadwell arranged a moving and reflective memorial service for those classmates that have gone before us.

A.C. Raines and J.T. Young are to thank for the huge party on gameday, where as usual the Class of 86 had to get thrown out because the staff wanted to go home. Lastly, huge thanks to our outgoing class officers for their service the past several years – Scott Gureck (President), Jeff Hornberger (Vice President), A.C. Raines (Treasurer), K.J. Delamer (Secretary), and especially Anne Hammond (Corresponding Secretary). Send me your reunion pics and updates and read them here!

’87

M “I’m happy to announce that on May 22 I married Lora Thomas. Lora is a county commissioner in Douglas County, Colorado where I have had my law practice in the town of Castle Rock for the past 19 years. Lora is a Colorado girl through-andthrough and the daughter of a Korean War Navy vet; she served 26-years in the Colorado State Patrol and was CSP’s first woman captain and major. She’s starting her second term as commissioner and previously served as county coroner. It’s great being the husband of an elected official and having someone so special and talented to share my life. Lora can’t wait to tour the Yard, and of course, BEAT ARMY!” ~Tony Fabian

(L to R) The newly wed couple, Lora Thomas and Tony Fabian

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 14.63% Pres: Jim Matheson e: jmatheson@1987.usna.com Shipmate columnist: Robert Pinataro 9953 Watermark Ln. W. Jacksonville, FL 32256 e: rpinataro87@gmail.com; p: 770-722-6373 Website: www.usna87.org

’86: Roll Call of fallen classmates 96 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Hello Classmates, Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Holidays and Go Navy, Beat Army! I hesitate to guess how many of you may have sent contributions to our class column over the years and had your hard work fall victim to an issue of my usna email account not forwarding properly. (Odds are, it was my fault, but regardless… send your inputs directly to me at rpinataro87@gmail.com.) The good news is that I’m now receiving your news, and this month I’m happy to share stories from several first time contributors, including Tony Fabian. Congratulations to Tony Fabian on some very nice personal news.

Where’s a sword when you need one!

Joe Krensavage reports on a USNA get together aboard his beautiful yacht, Papillon! M “Mike Wanebo and Dave Sciortino ’86 reunited with me for a day of sailing on San Francisco Bay. Mike overlapped with me in Pearl Harbor 1989-1990, while he served aboard USS San Francisco and I served aboard USS Ingersoll. Mike, Dave and I worked together at Applied Materials in Silicon Valley 1996 -2000. Mike and Dave were

87/88 CLASS NEWS the groomsmen in my wedding at the Stanford Memorial Church in 2006 and were among the very first guests to sail with me and my wife, Cate, aboard our new yacht, Papillon. This sailing adventure enabled a day of precious togetherness with our wives and continuation of our cherished friendship.” ~Joe Krensavage

Papillon!

Steve Meyer and family have made a big move closer to family in Texas and report something about an urban cowboy… M “Back in March this year I relocated with my lovely wife of 27 years, Melissa, from Tampa to the Dallas area. We are settled now in ‘Trophy Club’ Texas, perhaps the most unusual city name I’ve ever listed as an address. Apparently the legendary golfer Ben Hogan designed only one golf course in his life, and it is here – so they built a special area in the golf clubhouse to house his large collection of trophies… a town sprung up around the golf course, and hence the name. I can promise everyone it’s not nearly as fancy as it sounds, and you would know this because they let ME move here! But I might have to take up golf again… though I hear it is a four-lettered word. We lived in Tampa the last 12 years or so, enjoying the sunshine

and great fellowship with classmates including Steve Swift and Tish (Dour) Wold and the excellent Tampa Alumni group. But with the kids out of the house, the year of Covid lockdown reminded me how important it was to be closer to family, and the DFW area is where we needed to be. We moved after the big ice storm, thankfully, and are settling in nicely. A fringe benefit of living in Texas is that I was able to release from storage the cowboy hat I bought on my 16th birthday when I last lived in the DFW metro area (went to high school two years in Arlington). The amusing photo is attached – I think we can tell that Urban Cowboy was movie of the year that year… I definitely got all 10 gallons worth of that hat! My kids of course helpfully suggested that perhaps the Pilgrims really settled in Texas. Work-wise, I am an Associate Director with Accenture in our Cloud First – Data practice. I’ve been with Accenture since 2011 and I lead our data practice related to NoSQL database technologies. I’ve always been a data-nerd, as many people may remember from ‘back in the day.’ Happy to connect with anyone sharing similar interests! We look forward to seeing anyone passing through the DFW area – please give us a shout and stop in! Once the Covid travel restrictions ease up you might run into me at the DFW or Love Field airports… though without the hat (I think it’s large enough to count as a carry-on item by itself). We also look forward to when Navy plays locally at SMU or Tulsa – I’ll be out to represent 87 once that happens! I’ve recently

’87: Steve just might have the best license plate in Texas

received my custom USNA license plate (photo attached for the class wall!) – glad to see that Texas allows us Old Goats to show support. That’s about it for now – like everyone else I’m looking forward to the end of Covid lockdowns and hopefully to get back to Annapolis for a few home football games this Fall. See “y’all” at the tailgaters and beyond! Beat Army, sir!” ~Steve Meyer

Thank you, Tony, Joe and Steve! It was really nice reconnecting with all of you, hearing about the goings on in your lives, and sharing all of this with our class. Please send your news to rpinataro87@gmail.com with “SHIPMATE” in the subject line.

’88

Life Membership: 100% Donor Participation: 17.14% Pres: Jim Schwab c: 972-489-4061 e: jschwab@crimstonepartners.com Vice Pres: Henry Stoever w: 301-787-9700 e: henry.stoever@gmail.com Sec’y: Sara Salas Wickard c: 757-589-0678; e: swickard88@gmail.com Website: www.usna.com “find my class”

Steve Meyer returns as ‘The Urban Cowboy’!

’88 All class column input is welcome. I’d tell you about my family, but I already did that this year. Thank you to Kurt Miller for

’88 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 97

88/89 CLASS NEWS M I finally made it out from Salt Lake City to Colorado Springs to visit Eric Rokke, hear cool fighter pilot stories, and relive our Thirsty Third firstie days with Paul Diehl on 1-1. Looking forward to the full roommate reunion sometime soon when Paul can join us in Utah. Best wishes, Barry

Gittleman and Rokke

Our ever-faithful class president, Denise Willert checks in with this report:

’88

breaking the dry spell. We look forward to hearing from the rest of the class. “FAST AND FEARED” USS Arleigh Burke (DDG51) r/Sara Photo on previous page—“Family photo on son Ron’s I-day for Class of 25 pictured: MIDN 2/C Beth Miller ‘23, Kurt Miller ’88, newlyminted plebe Ron ’25, 2nd Lt Katie ’21 (stationed Quantico), high school junior Rachel, and Cindy (Schultz) Miller ’90. Beat Army!” Photo above—“MIDN 2/C Beth Miller participates in a postponed Herndon, after a busy summer including 1st set plebe detailer, and signing her two for seven paperwork. Interesting times.”

’89

Life Membership: 100% Donor Participation: 19.28% Pres: Denise (Shorey) Willert 1700 Pilgrims Mews, VA Beach, VA 23455 h: 757-464-0429, m: 757-238-1102 e: denise.willert@1989.usna.com Corr Sec’y: Scott McFadden e: jscottmc89@yahoo.com Listserv: usna89@yahoogroups.org Listserv Subscription: send a blank email to usna89-subscribe@yahoogroups.com from the address you wish listserv traffic to be sent To Post a Message: write your message and send it to usna89@yahoogroups.com Unsubscribe: send a blank message to usna89-unsubscribe@yahoogroups.com Webmaster: Ingar Grev e: igrev@1989.usna.com

Greetings, 89ers! Our classmate Barry Gittleman sent in a brief update: 98 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

M Hello from Germany, everyone! The time seems to fly between these Shipmate submissions, as I feel as if I just sat down yesterday to write the last one. I hope the past few months have been full of fun fall activities for you and your family — I know fall is definitely my favorite time of the year. This past September 11th, the Naval Academy Alumni Association held its 9th annual Honor our Fallen Heroes event, where Master of Ceremonies Craig Washington (Vice President for Engagement at the US Naval Academy Alumni Association) welcomed back family members of those alumni Killed in Action or who lost their lives in military operations. Approximately 250 family members attended this year’s event from 30 separate families, representing alumni from the classes of 1922 to 2008. The families met for lunch and heard from Vice Admiral DC Curtis and General John Allen (both class of 1976). At halftime, the families were brought onto the field with an enormous American flag, with the Drum and Bugle Corps and the Glee Club presenting patriotic songs.

Ms. Mary Garrett Itin, Bill Watkins’ sister, attended with her family and visited our Class of 89 tailgate, escorted by classmates Edwin Henderson and Eric Cheney. Bill was killed in the early years of the Global War on Terror, shot down in an F-15 while serving with the Air Force. He is survived by his widow Melissa, also an Air Force officer. They have two children, a son who completed college and a daughter who is a freshman at Aurora College in Colorado. Ernie Greppins’ parents were scheduled to attend, but sadly had to cancel. The four other classmates we humbly remembered at this event include Bob Forwalder, Randy O’Neill, Robert Vogel, and Brett Becken. For more information about these and other great Americans, please go to www.usna memorialhall.org. In other Alumni Association news, please don’t forget that a tremendous opportunity is currently available to contribute financially to the new Alumni Center, both as a plankowner and as a class. As a class board, we’ve committed to “the goal of raising $100,000 by the end of 2022 for the new center, and with only eight plankowners giving $12,500 each (with individual recognition forever there memorialized!), we’re already there. Please contact me if you’re interested in contributing! I’ll be sending out more information about this over the next months. To proceed directly to the class donation link, just type “www.bit.ly/89AAFpledge” Again, I stand by to answer any questions you might have about this exciting project. Finally, I hope that you might have had the chance to purchase your customized Herff Jones Chapel Dome products by now. I know I’m looking forward to my paperweight and challenge coin! Several of you indicated that you would be interested in making a small contribution to offset the $750 set up fee — to do so, just send a check made out to USNA Class of 1989 and mail to the following address: US Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation, Attn: James Scally, 247

89/90 CLASS NEWS King George Street, Annapolis MD 21402. Sorry for the need to write a check, but it’s the best way to contribute at this point in time. Thanks for your understanding, and your generosity. Reunion planning is starting ... the next one is, in regard to planning purposes, pretty much right around the corner. If you’d like to be a part of the planning team, or have any other comments or suggestions, please reach out and let someone on the board know — Tony Newpower, Edwin Henderson, Heidi Fleming, Clint Carroll, Heather Purvis, Joe Fagan and I are standing by. We always welcome your feedback and input. That’s all for now, friends. Have a beautiful winter. Be well, be safe, be happy Now’s the Time, 89! Fondly, Denise Thanks Denise! And I am eagerly awaiting my Class of ‘89 Chapel Dome Christmas ornament! For those who might not heard yet, our classmate, Jim Miller had a heart attack on 4 July, 2021 and had double bypass open surgery two days later. Thankfully, he is going through cardio rehab, recovering well and getting stronger everyday. He asked to remind everyone to NOT ignore the warning signs! And Heidi Fleming sent in this update: M While at Sea Air Space 21, I got a mini-reunion with several classmates that I was able to catch-up with and all are well. Reggie Howard (Navy Programs at BAE) said his family is well. Looks like his son, Grant, in enjoying flight school in Pensacola. He is currently in VT-10 following in Reggie’s footsteps. His youngest daughter, Lilly, is doing awesome on the basketball court and likely going to be on the 8th grade team. She is only a 6th grader so Reggie trained her well. Patrick Herring is working program management at Leidos. His daughter, Emily, just graduated from Florida. Mark Vandroff, CEO Fincantieri Marinette Marine, was busy in the booth next to us. John Ostrowski, Boeing Government Affairs, on the floor engaged the

Navy and Marine customers in their booth. Chris Owens, President of BGI LLC, stopped by Lockheed Martin, where we caught up briefly. I also caught up the RADM Doug Perry, now Director of Undersea Warfare Division (N97) who is leading in the submarine community. RDML Scott Pappano, Program Executive Office COLUMBIA, leads the Navy’s top priority acquisition. I know there were likely several other ‘89er that I didn’t see. It was actually well attended this year, despite COVID restrictions. As always, it was great to see classmates representing the Navy and industry at Sea Air Space. All doing great things! What about ‘89! Our Class BoD continues to meet quarterly led well by Denise (Shorey) Willert from Germany!! BZ to Denise!!

’90

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 11.11% Pres: Frank Bendik e: fbendik90@yahoo.com Vice Pres: Joe Gugluizza e: joe@academyglobalinvestments.com Treas: Lawrence “Kai” Yeh e: kyeh@mpsgc.com Sec’y: Trey Alexander e: shipmate1990@gmail.com Website: www.usna90.com Facebook: USNA Class of 1990

Greetings Ninety! September 2021 turned out to be a very busy month. First, it was such a great pleasure to see so many of you at the 30th + 1 Reunion on Labor Day Weekend. I truly enjoyed being back in Annapolis and having the opportunity to finally celebrate 30(+) years with Classmates. Too bad the Navy Football Team did not play very well against the Thundering Herd of Marshall... that was ugly! I want to take this opportunity to publicly thank our amazing Reunion Committee Team... especially Kai Yeh, Frank Bendik, Lori and Joe Gugluizza for all of their dedicated efforts. Mother Nature blessed us with incredible weather and the turnout from Classmates was just incredible... too many people to even try to

name. As far as I’m concerned... everybody was there! Y’all know I’m the biggest cheerleader for USNA ‘90 and it truly filled my heart with joy to see so many of you. After 18 months of COVID that Reunion was just what this guy needed to feel good again! The following weekend was the 20th Anniversary of Sept 11th and it provided an opportunity for my brother Carlos (USAFA ‘87) and myself to get together for a bit of fun family rivalry. Again, too bad the Navy Football Team did not play very well against the Falcons... that was ugly! Carlos flew the mighty A-10 “Warthog” for 20 years (Active and Battle Creek MI ANG). He is now a Captain w/ Southwest Airlines (Chicago - Midway) and also serves as a Check Airman Pilot in the simulators (Dallas). He loves meeting USNA grads in the cockpit - especially ‘90! Don’t be afraid to say “Hello!” and tell a few stories. Lastly, I just returned from an amazing weekend in San Diego where we celebrated 30 (+) years of Service w/ CAPT Doug “Dusty” Rhodes ‘90, CAPT Scot “Doc” Somes ‘90, and CAPT Chris “Burner” Bunce (AOCS ‘91). Dusty served as the Commanding Officer of Third Fleet Maritime Air Ops (MAO) and Doc and Burner held various billets on his Staff. I won’t provide all the details from their end of tour awards - but, they (i.e. the Navy Reserves) were very busy over the past four years providing support all over the Pacific Theater. Just incredible accomplishments! Speaking of the Navy Reserves... the

Retiring Official for the ceremony was our very own Chief of the Navy Reserve - VADM John Mustin ‘90. I landed on Thursday night around 8PM and met up with Tina and Scot Somes at restaurant down in San Diego Harbor. I brought a couple of guests - Rick Gesell ‘90 and Keith Ruegger ‘91. Rick is a pilot for Alaska Airlines living in San Diego and Keith was my downstairs neighbor at NPS in Monterey. Friday night they held a “small” reception at the I-Bar onboard NAS North Island. “How in the heck did I not know about this little gem of a bar?” Seriously folks... if you’ve never been there - it’s a must see! The aviation memorabilia is incredible! For this old, retired USMC Aircraft Maint Officer - it was so much fun to be back in that Friday night aviation O’Club environment... all of the wooden cruise plaques on the walls... the airplane models hanging from the ceiling... tail flash plaques... and the next generation of Naval Aviators hanging out in their flight suits at the bar. It was really a cool event and great way to start the weekend. And, the brand new CMV-22B “Osprey” were parked across the street... they are gorgeous! Y’all don’t know how badly I wanted to wander out on the flightline for a closer look (I restrained myself). The Retirement Ceremony was held onboard the USS Midway Museum down in the Embarcadero / Bayfront Area of San Diego. Downtown San Diego / The Gaslamp District is absolutely beautiful today (so different from those 2ndLt years in 1991). The Retirement Ceremony

’90 NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 99

90/91 CLASS NEWS went exceptionally well. Once again, Mother Nature blessed us with incredible weather and the crew / staff / volunteers of the USS MIDWAY were spectacular hosts. VADM Mustin, CAPT Bunce Somes - Rhodes each gave very moving, heart-felt speeches. It was an incredibly emotional day filled with stories of deployments and service and camaraderie and family. You couldn’t help but choke-up a bit. Thankfully, during the middle of VADM Mustin’s speech... some dude in his weekend water-toy came cruising by the Midway with Kenny Loggins “Highway to the Danger Zone” blaring thru the speakers to help lighten the mood. I couldn’t help but laugh - the timing was perfect! USNA ‘90 grads who showed up for the weekend festivities included: RADM Ed Anderson, Greg Archbold, John Choi, Brian Gray, Doug Hewitt, RADM Jim Kirk, and Mike Riffice. So great seeing you guys!

went into this one, and the unprecedented circumstances in which it was executed, my hope is that despite all those challenges, we were able to congregate safely and celebrate this significant event! We plan to highlight this momentous occasion in future Shipmate articles so please send your stories and captioned pictures to sue@usna91.info.

That’s all I got for now. Stay Healthy! GO NAVY - BEAT ARMY !!! - Carter

’91

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 13.97%

Vence Harbuck Retirement Vence Harbuck retired on 31 July, 2021, following over 20 years of federal service with US Customs and Border Protection as a P-3 Pilot and Air Interdiction Agent. Vence was joined at his retirement party with family, friends, and classmates Mike Conover and Dan O’Shea, to celebrate his long, storied career. A great evening was had by all, with the pictures to show for it! As described by Mike, “A legendary SEAL, a legendary Pilot (at least that’s what the shirt says) and a legendary Marine (in his own mind), together for Vence’s retirement party at Open Grill Night @ Ortega River Club in Jacksonville, FL. And of course the whiskey is 91 proof!”

Pres: Evan Barnet p: 203-249-0071; e: evan@USNA91.info Admin VP: Julie Shank p: 858-663-9852; e: julie@USNA91.info Exec VP: Ray Barata e: ray@USNA91.info Sec’y and Shipmate Contact: Sue (Slaven) Macaluso e: sue@usna91.info p: 631-365-2070 Treasurer: Mike Smith p: 847-421-5850; e: Mike@USNA91.info At Large: Ian Hadden p: 501-313-9597; e: ian@USNA91.info At Large: Craig Benson p: 612-203-4280; e: craig@USNA91.info Website: www.usna91.info

Our 30th Has Come and Gone. It is hard to believe it was 30 years ago we were all together at USNA on the Severn, being sworn in as Navy and Marine Corps officers. By the time this Shipmate article is published, we will have celebrated this milestone with classmates, families, and friends at our 30th reunion held 21-24 October. With the 18+ months of planning that 100 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Mike, Vence and Dan at Vence’s retirement party.

After graduation in 1991, Vence served over 10 years on active duty, including 3 years as a Navy P-3 Pilot in VP-16 in Jacksonville, FL, and 3 years as a Navy C-12 Pilot and Tactical Support Center Officer in Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico. In 2001, Vence transferred to the Reserves in Jacksonville, FL, and retired after 20 years of combined active/reserve duty in 2011. In 2001, Vence joined the US Customs Service in Jacksonville, FL, as a P-3 Pilot of both the Airborne

91/92 CLASS NEWS Early Warning and the Long Range Tracker aircraft. Following 9/11, US Customs was shifted from the Treasury Dept and reorganized under the newly-established Dept of Homeland Security as US Customs and Border Protection. Vence also flew the MQ-9 Unmanned Aerial Systems aircraft for several years. Vence spent most of his 20 years of federal service chasing drug runners throughout Latin America, the Caribbean, and the Eastern Pacific alongside ‘91 classmates Orie Doffin and Bill Freehafer. Vence plans to reap the rewards of retirement following 34 years of combined military and federal service by spending more time with his two adult daughters and nearly 4-year-old grandson and by traveling more, including taking full advantage of his new Epic Ski Pass this winter (Who wants to go?!?). Despite being fully retired, Vence is still keeping his eyes and ears open for unique business and investment opportunities. Feel free to reach out to Vence at vharbuck@1991.usna.com. Congratulations and BZ to Vence for his dedicated service to our country! He REPRESENTS!

hat! They converged at 0530 and secured a prime first row spot. To the producers who were interviewing guests, Sue emphasized that we were Navy veterans and Naval Academy classmates celebrating 30 years. Later, the producers teased the crowd saying that one group might get a chance to ask the hosts Savannah Guthrie, Al Roker, and Craig Melvin in Tokyo a question. The producers chose Kim’s submitted question “What is your favorite food you’ve eaten in Tokyo?” Since Jen had initiated the trip and acquired the tickets, our group decided she should ask the question. Jenna Bush Hager and Sheinelle Jones prepped by talking with the speakers ahead of time. Jen and Jenna learned they both were born in Midland, Texas. The result: All three were FEATURED with an interactive, speaking role at 0830. Funnier, even though Jenna had met Jen previously, she “got the twisties” (this episode featured a discussion on disorientation (“the twisties”) experienced by athletes such as Simone Biles) and went to the wrong person, then corrected herself, and called Jen ‘Sue.’ Many friends have commented that they just happened to see us on TV. Overall, it was an extremely fun morning, and the three had a blast reconnecting. What a way to get in the mood for our 30-year reunion!

The 91-proof whiskey. . . Go ’91!

It Takes Three to Tango on the Today Show! Jen Lednicky garnered a spot for three people to cheer on Olympics Team USA live in the Today Show Plaza at Rockefeller Plaza in New York City back in July. Jen recruited Sue Slaven Macaluso and Kim Church Parker to join. Being excellent logisticians and coordinators, they arranged travel, red-white-and-blue signs and clothes, including the USNA 1991

Kim Church Parker, Jen Lednicky and Sue Slaven Macaluso with Jenna Bush Hager in Rockefeller Plaza

Kim, Jen and Sue representing USNA 1991 on Today Show

Keep Us Updated! Share your news with our classmates and help get connected! To submit information to be included in Shipmate magazine, please send to Sue Macaluso at email sue@USNA91.info. USNA’91 Networking and Sharing Monthly Conference Call Please BOLO for our monthly networking calls hosted by Gib Armstrong. If you are transitioning, have kids about to join the workforce, want to help out classmates or just want to stay in touch and connect with other classmates, please join us for our regularly scheduled calls. For more information about upcoming events, please watch out Facebook page or reach out to gib@USNA91.info. The calls are open to classmates and they happen on the third Tuesday of the month at 9PM EST. USNA Class ’91 Support Foundation The leadership team has been able to put together a program to help classmates helping classmates in their time of need. We have set up an official foundation to collect funds to help classmates and their families. If you know of a classmate in need, please let us know by reaching out to ray@USNA91.info Company Reps and Regional Reps Monthly Call Everyone...Julie Shank has a Company Rep and Regional Rep call once a month on the First Monday of the month at 9PM EST. Please reach out to Julie at Julie@USNA91. info to engage and help keep good comms with companymates, local classmates, and the class. Class Objectives As a reminder, our key themes are: 1. Outreach – We are reaching out to connect to as many classmates as possible via any and all possible communication tools. 2. Giving Back – We are looking into ways and means to give back in a meaningful way to those whom we leave behind and the Academy. 3. Leadership – We are assuming increased responsibilities within the class and Alumni community and seek leaders from all groups.

4. Engagement – We are looking for classmate engagement and participation in events and service to represent ’91 and impact the community. Your participation, support and ideas are both needed and wanted. Please reach out to any member of the leadership team and share your thoughts. No idea is out of bounds (some just may need extra time to cure). “THE HELM” Thank you to all the reunion team to help make the event a great success. Many hands make lite work! On behalf of the class, BZ and thank you and well done! The sea stories keep getting better. As we continue to move to the center of Shipmate, it is great to see all the ways classmates are connecting and spending time together! From hiking to races from fly ins to business, the ’91 network continues to get stronger. The company and regional rep programming is helping keep the structure for people to get connected. If you are charged up after the reunion and feel so led to volunteer, we are looking for more classmates to join in class leadership. Please reach out to Sue and let us know how you would like to help. Go Navy…Beat Army!...Evan sends…

’92

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 18.46% Pres: Creighton Armstrong e: Creighton.Armstrong@am.jll.com Corr Sec’ys: David Ornstein and Jerry Deren e: USNA1992ClassUpdate@gmail.com Website: www.usna92.com

‘92, Happy Holidays! We trust this finds you all wrapping up another year of sharing ’92 excellence in all ways, great and small. We are keeping it short this month to allow you more time for holiday fellowship (and also because it seems some of your updates got lost in the mail, which is to say: “We need more input!”). We begin with shout-outs to three classmates who have recently

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 101

92/93 CLASS NEWS

’93

helped support shipmates (and presumably some Woops and Zoomies, too) by speaking at meet-ups for the Service Academy Business Professional network: BZ to Malcolm Palmore for speaking on cyber security and Palo Alto Networks, Dan Godwin on Navsea’s IT system replacement, and Dennis Dias for updating on Hopper Hall and the USNA Cyber Center and cyber curriculum. Bill Blozinsky shares perspective (and a great photo) from a trip to China: M If it’s one thing that COVID has taught us, it’s that life is short. Opportunities are fleeting and we must take advantage of them while we can. And now, approaching the fall of 2021, we are still in this thing and increased restrictions are being imposed on us, not just as a country, but around the world. A resurgence of cases resulting in more restrictive measures, some of them mandatory. Showing your papers just to go out to dinner, increased fines by airlines and travel restrictions by just about all nations, to name a few. And with the 20-year anniversary of the 9/11 attacks having just passed, we remember what things were like before that time and how that day changed the way we do things forever. This global pandemic will affect us more or less the same. Point being that we do not know what opportunities will be there today, tomorrow or a year from now. Ten years from now. This photo is of me hiking the Great Wall of China. This is one of the areas where it has been refurbished, but there are still sections of the Wall that have been left in its natural state of erosion. What a fantastic experience to hike along the Great Wall of China and see a handprint in the original mortar that was probably left 1000 years ago by someone who was building it. I went recently, because I wasn’t sure how long the window of opportunity to be able to do it would last. And we must seize those opportunities while we can, even though they sometimes come at great inconvenience and cost. Years from now, you will not remember the cost of things or the hassle it

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 12.34% Pres: Bob Kuberski e: bob@usna93.com Vice Pres: CAPT Colleen C. Salonga, SC, USN (Ret.) Corr Sec’y: Maj Shogo Cottrell, USMCR Treas: Jay Matzko e: jtdjm@yahoo.com SHIPMATE Correspondence: Maj Shogo Cottrell, USMCR 20902 W 117th St., Olathe, KS 66061 h: 913-782-8149; e: shogo@cottrell-family.com Website: http://www.usna93.com ’92: Bill Blozinsky picking the perfect spot to hang the “’92 says Beat Army!” flag.

was to get there. All you will remember is the sensation that you were experiencing something truly worthwhile. Something that makes this life truly beautiful and worth living. And in the end, isn’t that all that matters? Audaces Fortuna Juvat, ‘92! Though I didn’t really understand what this meant back then, I get it now. Fortune truly favors the bold. For those who aren’t on F acebook—and we can understand why you might make that decision—you should know that you’re missing out on keeping up with the latest and greatest from your classmates, who are quite active (some more than others!) on the USNA ’92 Facebook Group. Some of the posts are just fun, like the neverending photos of odometers, receipts, scoreboards, or road signs that include our favorite two numbers: 92 and 1992! It’s also fun to see photos of our great looking classmates, most recently at ’92 tailgaters, sending kids off to college, or at military retirement and promotion ceremonies. The beauty of FB is that you can open the posted photos to see them better (with or without your readers!), and if individuals have been tagged, you can tell “who’s who” if you’re having a senior moment. A perfect example is a great tailgate shot featuring Hal Perdew, Michael Greene, Chris Thompson, Robin Dreeke, and Laura Hatcher. Speaking of Laura: she serves as the owner/administrator of the 92 FB Group and does a great job of maintaining the page,

102 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

adding new members to the group, and regularly updating the class profile photo. Thank you, Laura, for your continued service to 1992! Through the FB Group, you may also benefit from links to articles or media coverage you may have otherwise missed. For example, a few classmates recently shared a link to an interview with former 32nd Company officer, retired LTGEN Larry Nicholson who was at USNA during our 2/3 and Firstie years. So, if you’re on FB, be sure to join the USNA 1992 Group…and if you’re not on FB, perhaps you should give it some consideration as we’d love to “see” you there.

Looking good, ’92! Hal Perdew, Michael Greene, Chris Thompson, Robin Dreeke, Laura Hatcher

‘92: We are “once again asking you for your support” in sharing some updates with your classmates at: usna1992classupdate@gmail.com Run through that year-end finish line ’92!

Back in July, I attended the first in-person local alumni chapter meeting since the pandemic started. Had a bit of a surprise – classmate Kirsten Krawczyk was also attending. Kristin is temporarily assigned to the Army Command and Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth on the faculty. Hopefully we’ll get together more often while she’s here in the area. I also had a chance to catch up with Efren Mojica at the Kansas City Airshow that featured both the Blue Angels and Thunderbirds during Independence Day weekend. I am happy to report that he and his family are doing well – it was great to see him as well and let him know that we were all thinking of him and his family. I keep seeing more retirement posts on social media. Jason Alleyne sent in an update and some pics of one he attended on the yard in August: M On 27 August, CDR Kevin Austin held his retirement ceremony in Mahan Hall to honor his transition after 28 years of service. Col John Barranco USMC was the master of ceremonies and RADM Tony Rossi ‘94 was the presiding officer and Mr. Harry Coker ’80 was the guest speaker. Several family and friends attended and, of course, ’93 was represented. Bill Nash, Jason Alleyne, Joel Moss and a 19th Co contingent including Jon MacDonald, Issac Gonzales, Erik Ostrom, Mark Carter, and Dave Shaffer were present to see their classmate and friend rung ashore for the final time. Kevin’s last duty

93/94 CLASS NEWS

’93: L to R: Jason Alleyne, Eric Ostrom, Issac Gonzales, Bill Nash, Mark Carter, Kevin Austin, Jon McDonald, John Barranco, and Joel Moss celebrating after Kevin’s retirement ceremony

’93: The Jakubowski family attended the “Honor Our Fallen Heroes” Event held on 9/11

’94

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 7.90% Pres: Jim Keck c: 904-477-2133; e: JKeck@usna94.com Suhaimi Sani receiving his induction into the Navy Rugby Hall of Fame

Vice Pres: Julie Spencer e: jspencer@1994.usna.com Treas: Brian Bruggeman e: btbruggeman@hotmail.com Sec’y and Corr Sec’y: Maria J. Pallotta p: 410-440-7552; e: mariapallotta@yahoo.com

Shipmate editor’s note: This ’94 column should have appeared in the October 2021 issue along-side all of the great photos that MJ submitted for publication. Regrettably, the email submission containing the column was caught in the “junk” folder and did not get included. We are very sorry for any inconvenience and confusion this may have caused.

’93: Post-ceremony photo op!

assignment was as Senior Advisor for the Sea/Land Team at Navy International Programs Office from 2017-2021 where he was responsible for Technology Security and Foreign Disclosure. Also in attendance were VADM Marty Chanik ’73, CAPT Dave Halladay ’82, Mrs. Matice Wright-Springer ’88, CAPT Timika (Burnett) Lindsay (’92), CAPT Laura Hatcher ‘92, Ms. Valerie Mansfield ’92, CDR Jack Downes ’94, CAPT John Skarin ’95, CDR Mickey Walker ’95, Mr. James Hasan ’95, LCDR John Hancock (2005), Mr. Eric Wallace (2007), and LT Jonathan Woolfolk (2011). Suhaimi Sani recently posted a really nice update on our Facebook group (there’s a lot of us there – consider joining if you’re on Facebook) and I thought it was worth of inclusion into Shipmate: M I would like to express my sincerest thank you for this kindest gesture

to help with my expenses for the travel. The trip back to Annapolis for the Rugby Hall of Fame has been incredible, and the ability to return to our Alma Mater for the first time in nearly 28 years has been the most memorable. Thank you Max Shuman for the initiative, thank you to those who have contributed to the GoFund.me, as well as thank you to the well wishers and for your prayers to help realise this dream trip. Forever indebted to all of you. I have now safely returned to Malaysia with precious memories I will remember for a lifetime. If anyone ever travel to Kuala Lumpur, please, please let me know. I can never repay the kindness I have received, but at least I would like to try reciprocate just a tiny bit by helping and hosting in any way I can during your stay in my country. Cheers, Suhaimi Sani

Suhaimi and his wife Lin (Azlin Aziz) following the induction ceremony

We have a few photos that were provided to us We have a few photos that were provided from the “Honor Our Fallen Heroes” Event at the NavyAir Force game on September 11, 2021. The Jakubowski family attended representing our fallen classmate Jason Jakubowski. Thanks for all the updates. Please keep them coming! Semper FI! Shogo

M Dear ’94, Happy autumn, and happy football season. Our class has lots of good news and unfortunately some sad news as well. Three of our Marine classmates took on some impressive new duties—JP McDonough is our new Commandant of Midshipmen as of May, and Ahmed “Will” Williamson and Sean Day pinned on their first general officer’s stars. Additionally, Will’s daughter Nilah, Class of ’25, finished plebe summer and is excited to be a midshipman (pictured with her proud papa). Frank Brandon’s son Erik, ’24, successfully climbed Herndon with his company mates in May, later joining some of us from 27th company at McGarvey’s

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 103

94/94 CLASS NEWS afterward. Several of our classmates also saw their midshipmen offspring graduate (Harry Fulton IV and Jake Kinnear, to name two), and when I asked Harry III to send me a quick write-up, he composed the following letter: “My family celebrated a legacy milestone when our oldest son, Harry IV, graduated with honors on Commissioning Day 2021. He returned his first salute to our second son, Gabe, after Gabe swapped out plebe for youngster boards at quantum speed. My father, Harry Jr., '65, beamed with pride throughout the week. Our boys’ sponsors, Josh Dittmar and his wife Christa graciously hosted our family and others for the occasion. I caught up with MJ Pallotta in T-Court for just a few laughs and also ran into Adam Kinnear, Clay Davis and Dave Pereia, who celebrated family graduations. Harry IV reports to Pensacola in August for pilot training.” I need to include a delinquent rewind here to May 2018, when a 1994 crew attended my retirement in Memorial Hall. The attached picture includes CAPT Gregg Sleppy, Garry Devinger, Eric Lednicky, Rich Jordan, CAPT Brent Gaut, me, CAPT Chris Pesile, CDR Josh Dittmar, Col Maria Pallotta, and CAPT Jake Jacobs. Adam Treanor, Greg Hryniewicz, and Dave Gwinn departed the pattern before the photo op. To close the ceremony, Harry IV strolled through center aisle, reciting “The Watch” from memory and then offered me my final salute affirming, “Dad, you stand relieved, I have the watch.” He stole the show handily from me and even from our beloved guest speaker, CAPT Brent “Hollywood” Gaut. I will cherish the powerful moment for the rest of my life, as will Nikki, whose tearful response is captured pricelessly in the picture. CAPT Andy Berner, 1996, presided as my CO (you know it is time to hang up the cleats when one of your summer detail plebes is your Skipper). Nikki and I remain eternally grateful for friends and family from other classes who made our day unforgettably special, especially for my brother Steve, 1997, and his family, who all drove down from Maine.

service was held on 29 July 2021 at Laughlin Service Funeral home in Huntsville, AL. 30th Companymates Derek Robertson and Jose Lloren, and Heavyweight Crew teammates Chip Patrick, Chet Riley, Dave Chlebnik, Sean Valentine, and Mark Schafer were present at the service in support of Luke’s sister, Jackie Sweetak, and Luke’s wife, Sara. Fair winds and following seas Luke, The Brotherhood

‘94 at Harry Fulton’s Retirement

‘94 at Hollywood’s Change of Command

‘94: BGen Williamson with wife Mattrice and ‘94

Greg Wise, Rich Jordan, Garry Devinger, Brent Gaut, and I recently enjoyed a GOLFEX and family BBQ in northern VA while Brent was at the Navy Yard for Naval Reactor PCO training (I can’t believe I actually typed that...) – and several weeks later, along with Chip Patrick and Brent Blackmer, I attended his Change of Command onboard the USS GEORGE WASHINGTON. Great day for Brent, his family, our class, the GW, and her crew! One last overdue note to our classmates for the resounding success of our 25th Class Reunion in 2019: “It was a CLASS ACT! Nikki and I look forward to the 2021 football season with the McGarvey’s crew and the Class 30th in the not-so-distant future!” On a sad note, we lost two of our classmates recently—Stacie Yopp and Luke James. Stacie’s obituary was published in the July-August Shipmate. Sean Valentine and some of his heavyweight crew Brotherhood teammates sent the following note on the sudden passing of Luke:

104 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

M Luke James passed away at his home on Friday, 23 July, 2021. He was 50 years old. Luke had an infectious lust for life. He was the greatest teammate, classmate, sibling, husband and father, and he will be missed dearly. Luke sometimes marched to the beat of a different drummer, but he could light up a room with his energy and was hopelessly romantic in his quest to touch our lives and make us all better humans. A memorial

Will with his new stars

Fulton Family at Harry IV’s graduation

’94: Frank Brandon’s son’s company mates after Herndon

94/95 CLASS NEWS

Jake Kinnear and Mom Andrea

‘94: JP takes over as Dant

Carlton Hoye recovers amphora from Greece on 1st mission in 2018

Knuckleheads on the golf course

Hang in there, ’94, and keep doing good things. Hopefully, I will see many of you this fall at our ’94McGarvey’s tailgates. Let’s hope for some cameo appearances by the Dant, keeping us all in line. ‘94, Sir! -MJ

‘94: Kinnear Family

’95

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 15.37% Pres: CDR Andre Coleman, CEC, USN (Ret.) c: 571-344-0336 e: andre_coleman@hotmail.com Vice Pres: CAPT Robert “Bobby” Coogan, USN e: flynavy95@gmail.com Tres: Maj James B. Burke, USMCR c: 808.228.3877; e: burkejbusmc@yahoo.com Comms Dir/Webmaster: Ed Galloway e: edward.galloway@1995.usna.com Sec’y: Kate Dooley c: 202-320-6776; e: ktdooley@hotmail.com

By the time this submission hits your mailboxes, our 25th (+1) reunion will be complete…stand by for pix in the next update! We have several exciting updates, including an Outstanding Eagle Award, diving projects with the Greeks, and two changes of command.

‘94: Luke James’ funeral

Three USNA Harrys and a Gabe

Harry IV salutes Dad

Carlton Hoye An update from Carlton R. Hoye… our very own international man of mystery! Here’s his awesome bio: Carlton is the Technology Risk Officer for Investment and Wealth Management at the Bank of New York Mellon (BNY Mellon), the 9th largest asset manager in the world. A native of Detroit, Michigan, he became an Eagle Scout in 1989 in Troop 194, one of the oldest troops in Michigan and received the NESA Outstanding Eagle Award from the Monmouth Council 17 January, 2021, given to individuals who have distinguished themselves in their careers on a local council level. He earned his Bachelor of Sciences (B.S.) degree in Economics from USNA and joined the fleet as a SWO. Carlton served first aboard the destroyer USS THORN (DD 988) in the Weapons Department and in Engineering followed by a tour aboard the guided missile cruiser USS ANZIO (CG 68) as the Missile Officer and then as Navigator. He made numerous deployments to the Caribbean Sea, to the North Atlantic and North Sea with NATO, and twice deployed to the Med and to the Arabian Gulf. His final tour was with Naval Air Systems Command as project manager for Advanced Tomahawk Missile Weapons System. He completed his M.B.A. from University of Maryland in College Park, MD in 2002 and transitioned from Naval service to begin his career at Goldman Sachs in Manhattan, NY. He started as a Technology

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 105

95/95 CLASS NEWS Project Manager spearheading projects to build out the strategic commodities, derivatives, and foreign exchange trading system architecture. He then moved to Finance as a Controller for synthetic equities trading before returning to Technology as Chief of Staff for the Global Prime Brokerage Technology unit, and later joined Wealth Management Technology to lead a multi-year strategic technology uplift for trading, customer services and accounting systems. Finally, he joined the newly formed Risk Division to lead the Technology Operational Risk team. While managing many critical projects at Goldman, he became certified as a Project Management Professional in 2013. Carlton continues his civic service as a USNA BGO and since 2015, he has been a member of the U.S. Navy League Central Jersey Council Board of Directors supporting active- duty service members and their families and received the Council’s leadership award in 2019. He is also on the Commissioning Committee for the Precommissioning Unit (PCU) NEW JERSEY (SSN 796), a Virginia-class attack submarine, which is replacing older Los Angeles- class submarines. He is in his seventh year as Scoutmaster for North Brunswick Township’s Boy Scout Troop 18, where he helped to double the size of the troop and guided a crew on an expedition to Philmontn in 2016. He is a passionate marathoner, having completed 12 full marathons in multiple cities. He is also a Technical SCUBA diver, selected for international underwater archeological team conducting expeditions in Greece in 2018, 2019 and 2021.

Carlton getting his SCUBA on.

What a fantastic list of accomplishments! The next update is from CAPT Josh “Flipper” Sager, who recently completed his CVW-8 change of command…in the air! CAPT Matt Kawas and CAPT Jason Rimmer represented ’95.

Flipper and Jess

Flipper being awarded his Legion of Merit

The change of command ceremony was at Naval Air Station Oceana, Sept. 30. He was relieved by CAPT Daryl E. Trent as Commander, Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 8, during a ceremony attended by family – including his wife Jess, son Will (9) and daughter Nora (7) — friends and staff. The actual change of command was in the air, with two FA-18 Super Hornets and an E-2D Hawkeye. Rear Adm. Gregory C. Huffman, Commander, Carrier Strike Group 12, presented Josh with the Legion of Merit.

106 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

’95: Flipper’s Fenway Flyover!

CVW-8 consists of six aircraft squadrons flying FA-18E/F Super Hornets, E-2D Advanced Hawkeyes Hawkeyes, and MH-60R/S Seahawks. More than 1,500 personnel are assigned to CVW-8, part of Carrier Strike Group 12. He’s currently at USNA to teach Leadership and Ethics to middies while recruiting for Naval Aviation. Josh will be joining nearly a dozen classmates in his next tour at USNA including CAPTs Michael Nolan Jefferson, Jim Bates, Rob Wolfe, Tracie (Andrusiak) Severson, Bo Johns and Brad Soper. Jason Rimmer will join the USNA team in December. As a bonus, we have a flyover photo from this summer with this comment from Josh: “This is the photo of the flyover at Fenway Park [June 29]. The significance of this story is that I did 14 months of cancer treatment in Boston while assigned to the Naval War College in Newport. My hospital, Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, was right down the street from Fenway Park, and was the official hospital of the Boston Red Sox. I did 28 sessions of radiation, 8 months of chemo, and 4 surgeries. To be able to return to Boston 11 years later and visit the medical team while there for the flyover was absolutely awesome!” Go Flipper, Beat Army (and cancer)!! But wait…there’s more! As announced in previous Shipmates, the long-awaited change-of-command for our first aircraft carrier skipper happened in August.

Gavin Duff

From a Commander, Naval Air Forces Atlantic press release (edited for space): The Nimitz-class aircraft carrier USS HARRY S. TRUMAN (CVN 75) held a change of command ceremony in the ship’s hangar bay at Naval Station Norfolk, 27 Aug. Family, friends and crew members were in attendance to see CAPT Gavin Duff take the helm from Capt. Kavon Hakimzadeh as Truman’s commanding officer in a ceremony with guest speaker Rear Adm. Ryan Scholl, former commander, Carrier Strike Group 8. Duff previously served as commanding officer of the “Tophatters” of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 14, executive officer of USS GEORGE H.W. BUSH (CVN 77), and commanding officer of the San Antonio-class amphibious transport dock ship USS Mesa Verde (LPD 19). A seasoned pilot, Duff has accumulated more than 3,500 flight hours and 900 arrested landings.

95/96 CLASS NEWS

’95: Gavin Duff and family

Upon assuming command, Duff expressed his excitement to build on Truman’s reputation. “This ship and her crew hold the standard for aircraft carriers in the fleet. I am deeply humbled to be able to join them and serve alongside them as we prepare to deploy,” said Duff. “Every member of this crew is invaluable to the missions at hand and together we will continue to demonstrate the warfighting effectiveness and strength that the Truman team is known for.” Truman is currently homeported at Naval Station Norfolk and is conducting the work-up cycle in preparation for future operations. Last, but not least, the Eastern North Carolina chapter’s Founders Day luncheon in September brought together Aaron Adams and Mike Yesunas with our old ‘Dant, Randy Bogle ’68. Looks like a good time was had by all!

Aaron Adams, Randy Bogle, and Mike Yesunas

That’s a wrap…next column will have pix from the reunion as well as the promotion of CAPT Shane Halloran! Hope to see you all soon! NSSP, Kate and Heidi

’96

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 14.97% Pres: Bill Pennington Vice Pres: Ghislaine (Williams) Stonaker Sec’y: Cara Albright e: caramalbright@1996.usna.com Treas: Nikki Battaglia

Greetings, ’96! Here is the September wrap for you… (appropriately) headlined by our absolutely, amazing 25th reunion (10-12 September 2021). I have not collected any stories or photos yet (feel free to send them my way) so I’ll share with you my own thoughts that I penned just after the event: It’s a bit surreal to be sitting at home after three straight days of an absolutely, amazing reunion. What a weekend! We laughed over old stories and cried over remembrances of lost shipmates. We heaped our plates with amazing food, only to find them full an hour later because the food just wasn’t as important as the people. We ran along the seawall (some of us in issued gear!) and even there the conversations never stopped. The curse of ‘96 was alive and well whenever we made it to the stands. We visited old haunts, we walked the streets, and we popped into houses. I barely have any pictures, but that’s okay. I never stopped smiling or hugging people, and there was never a moment I wasn’t talking (shouting) or toasting, while waving madly at about 16 other people in the

crowds. 25 years doesn’t hinder connections in the least, and it’s a wonderful thing to be a part of this family. ‘96, sir! Here’s to many more! I’m sure I echo the sentiments of many when I say the weekend just wasn’t long enough. Four years together by the Bay – family for life. For those of you who could not attend the reunion, or who may have missed the phenomenal memorial service orchestrated by our own Jaime Hernandez, I’m including here the remarks Rob Holmes shared about Mike “Gibby” Gibson: Michael Channing Gibson… some might think Gibby was uniquely qualified to succeed as a midshipman at the United States Naval Academy. He turned 22 on I-Day and was therefore the oldest member of our class, he had a year of college under his belt as an Oklahoma Sooner, he was prior enlisted quickly earning E-5, and to top it all off he attended finishing school at NAPs. This was someone to whom a wide-eyed 18-year old plebe should turn for guidance. Well… we quickly learned that you can’t always judge a book by its cover. When Gibby struggled mightily to memorize the Qualifications of a Naval Officer, we learned his “professional development” was lacking. When Gibby spent 30 days on restriction for drinking as a plebe, we learned his conduct was lacking. When Gibby was called to his first Ac board, we learned his academic performance was lacking. What wasn’t lacking… what was

never called into question… was the strength of his character. He was the model classmate and friend. For proof… look no further than his landslide victory for class president… the skids of which may have been greased by an open bar at ACME. The class of 1996 loved Gibby… he will be missed by many… and forgotten by no one. May God bless all of our fallen classmates. Thank you for sharing this with us all, Rob. We had several classmates attend Gibby’s memorial service in Oklahoma on 18 September, and his [abridged due to length restrictions] obituary appears in this issue (Last Call). A few miscellaneous items to pass along here as well… including a correction from a recent column, which printed in the September 2021 issue. I shared an I-Day story in the class column that month which incorrectly referenced CAPT John Baehr as the CO of NAPS. That should have read CAPT Jim Bahr, who truly is the CO of NAPS. Apologies to all for the error, but a good opportunity to share a note from Jim, who writes: M If anyone finds themselves up this way, feel free to stop in and check out the school, particularly former NAPsters. It’s not the same place you attended 30 years ago. A couple other ‘96ers are up this way as well... Mike York (CO of the Navy Supply Corps School) and James McIver (CO of NAVSTA Newport). Take care, and Beat Army!

’96: Left to right: Judd Conatser, Rob Holmes, Larry Roth ’96+1, Paul Kress, Joe Ruzicka, Rob Suh, Mike Elliott at the memorial service in Oklahoma NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 107

96/98 CLASS NEWS Thank you, Jim! Next, it will be early December when you read this… and you know what that means! TIME TO GEAR UP TO BEAT ARMY!!! Don’t forget to send in your ArmyNavy photos. This year’s game promises to be an unforgettable experience as we return to an old venue (with quite a facelift) to battle on the gridiron. I know quite a few of you are planning to travel to the game, and I’m sure others will have watch parties or gatherings, so please take group photos so we can feature them in this column! Finally, I close this column with a shout out to Patty (DeSpain) Stoll from an announcement sent to me this summer by Mr. Forrest DeSpain, who describes himself as “the proud father of a super daughter” (and which I received after the last column had been submitted). Patty earned a promotion in July to President, Space Systems & Engineered Solutions at ILC Dover, where she has worked since 2005. I have the full citation from the President and CEO of ILC Dover, who writes: M Many of you know Patty for her unwavering passion, inspiring leadership, and results-oriented mentality. She strongly believes in respect and care for all and enjoys engaging with people from various backgrounds and disciplines. She works to find strengths in all employees – her own and across the organization – and takes time to develop the leaders of tomorrow. If you know Patty, you won’t be surprised at all to read that description. Congratulations, Patty, we’re super proud of you! One of the things I love about serving the great class of ’96 is sharing stories about our experiences, our journeys, the places we’ve gone, and the great things we’ve accomplished since we tossed our covers and spread ourselves far and wide. Every story is unique, and don’t forget you can hear some of them during our monthly New 96 Hour! Until next time, ’96… BEAT ARMY!!! –Cara

’97

names of those who lost their lives. This ceremony starts promptly each year at 9:37 AM.

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 8.40%

second Commodore. In attendance were some other ’97 grads from left to right - Chris Irwin, Chris Benson, Sam Bryant, Cory Christensen, Brannon Bickel. Congrats Sammy!

Pres: Tom Wagner e: twagner1@san.rr.com Send news to: LtCol Aaron Shelley, USMCR (Ret.) 1148 Via Jose, San Jose, CA 95120 c: 619-980-8297; e: apshelley@hotmail.com

We are less than a year away from being at our 25-year mark as USNA alumni. Let that sink in. In some ways, it does not feel like that much time has passed, and in other ways, it absolutely does. I’m looking forward to next fall when we can reunite in person again. Stay tuned for more word in the coming weeks and months. As we recently commemorated the 20th anniversary of 9/11, it has been a time to reflect on that day and the years that followed, including remembering our classmates and other alumni who have lost their lives serving our nation. Among these was Jonas Panik who was killed in the Pentagon. John Evans, who was also in the Pentagon that day, recently shared that every year, there is a ceremony for family members of those lost on that day as well as building survivors. John writes: M I wanted to send in these pictures for remembrance. A day to think not only of Jonas, but all our other classmates who have passed as a result of the conflicts after 9/11. The first photo is Jonas’ bench at the Pentagon Memorial. It faces away from the Pentagon to honor those lost in the building (those lost on Flight 77 have their benches facing toward the Pentagon). The second photo is the large screen used during the reading of the

Many of you may be aware of this, but there is a USNA Virtual Memorial Hall site. https://usnamemorial hall.org. Per the website overview: M “The USNA Virtual Memorial Hall exists to perpetuate the memory of alumni of the United States Naval Academy who have died in service to their country. It demands input from friends, family, classmates, and shipmates of the fallen. No team of historians could possibly provide the nuanced understanding of who these men and women were. Stories and anecdotes, no matter how trivial, will help us learn. Please contribute your memories!” I encourage you all to check it out if you have not done so. Chris Irwin contacted me in late September with some great news to share: M I was able to make it down to San Diego to catch Sam Bryant’s Change of Command ceremony as the new Commodore of Fleet Logistics Multi-Mission Wing. Sam was the first Deputy of the Wing and now takes command as the

All the best to you and your families throughout the holiday season. Hoping everyone remains safe and healthy. Beat Army! -Aaron

’98

Life Membership: 100% Donor Participation: 7.20% Pres: David Forman c: 904-321-6459; e: DSForman@aol.com Corr Sec’y: Mark Symmes 529 W. 29th St., Baltimore, MD 21211 e: shipmate98@yahoo.com Temp Corr Sec’y: Alex Savage e: asavage98@gmail.com

Classmates, I’m very excited to share a couple updates with you this month! First, our very own Dave Forman has been selected to serve as Deputy Commandant at USNA and will begin later this year. Come to the class tailgater and congratulate him! Keith Roxo also shared the photo below of his promotion to CDR. Congrats Keith!

LtCol Andrew Rundle, Class of 2000 (AKA filthy plebe) promotes his former 13th company training officer, LCDR Keith Roxo, Class of 1998, to Commander a mere 8 years after his classmates. ’97 108 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

’99

Life Membership: 93% Donor Participation: 6.13% Pres: CDR Jason Birch e: jb1999@me.com Vice Pres: Dr. Joy Zelinski-Marquez e: drjoymarquez@gmail.com Sec’y & Shipmate Contact: Darlene Delk e: darlene.delk@yahoo.com Treas: Stacie M. Gibson e: staciegibson22@gmail.com Communications Director: CDR Jose Pehovaz-Diez e: jose.pehovazdiez@gmail.com

99/02 CLASS NEWS the Class along with a few others who are in the area. Attached is one of the tailgate pictures: Jason Moore was able to attend the first game against Marshall, traveling all the way from Abu Dhabi. Jason is a Blue and Gold Officer in the Middle East GCC countries. He sent me a pic of one of the candidates, now a 4/c Midshipmen, who he interviewed. Midshipmen Tyler Magee (16th Company) is shown below after a workout with Jason and VADM Bob Harward, SEAL (Ret).

Jeremy Graczyk was inducted along with other notable alumni. We have had a few notable pinnings and a promotion selection since our last issue. Mitch Schueler, Brad Hickey, and Kerry Hudson all put on CAPT. Jon Uyboco was selected for promotion to LCDR in the Chaplain’s Corps. (More than a little pride coming from me as Mitch, Brad and Jon were all in 18th Company with me!) Well deserved everyone!

’00

Website: www.usna99.org

Fall is here and you can feel it in the air. Long days of endless sunlight and for some, oppressive heat, are giving way to cooler mornings and evenings and shorter days. Football season is underway, although we have posted a less than impressive record so far, we are fortunate that the football games have opened up allowing us to tailgate and enjoy seeing each other again, which almost feels normal! Alex Holston once again has stepped up and helps coordinate the tailgates for

Our next issue will be the January 2022 issue, seriously, I don’t know why or how time is going by so quickly. Hope everyone has a safe and happy holiday season spent with friends and family. Continue to send me your SHIPMATE updates to darlene.delk@yahoo.com. Remember, you can always find the latest information on Class happenings at www.usna99.com! Go Navy! Beat Army! Navigamus HonoreDarlene

Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 8.19% Pres: J.V. “Murph” McCarthy Vice Pres: Art Terry Treas: Nick Lalota Sec’y: Tim O’Connor e: Shipmate00@yahoo.com L to R: Jason Moore, MIDN Tyler Magee (C/O 25), VADM Bob Harward, SEAL (Ret)

Mitch’s wife, Emily, placing his shoulder boards.

The weekend of the Air Force game was also the weekend where individuals were inducted into the Rugby Hall of Fame. Our very own

’01

Life Membership: 96% Donor Participation: 35.61% Pres: Jen (Bohr) Tyll p: 302-528-9306; e: jenbohrtyll@gmail.com Vice Pres: Amy (Baxter) Laczek p: 240-393-9120; e: laczekaxter@gmail.com Just in case you can’t tell, Brad is in the middle. Has to be one of the coolest pinning ceremony locations!

Treas: Adam Borcz e: adamhenryborcz@gmail.com Sec’y: Jen McCullough e: jennifer.mccollough@gmail.com

’02

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 9.54%

’99: L to R: Juan Svenningsen, Sofi Loomis, Alex Holtson, Dave Rewkowski, Ryan Jakubowksi, Mark Bjerke, and Dave Raymond

Pres: David Gravseth Vice Pres: Kate (Kranz) Jordan e: katherine.kranz@2002.usna.com Kerry’s son placing her shoulder boards

’99: L to R: Jason Moore, Dave Rewkowski, Dan Burr, Mitch Eisenberg, Sofi Loomis and Alex Holston

Finally, Classmates in the news. Hot off the press, the Navy just announced that its entire submarine and acquisition and sustainment enterprise has been restructured. Matt Sermon, currently serving as Executive Director at PEO Columbia Class Submarine, will now also serve as PEO SSBN. Congratulations, Matt. You are one of many who continues to make our Class proud!

Sec’y: Kristi (Tjoa) Laughlin e: shipmate2002@gmail.com Treas: Andy McCann At-Large Directors: LTCol Elizabeth (Kreft) Brienza, CDR Sean McClintock and Charlie Mello Send Submissions to: shipmate2002@gmail.com Website: www.usna2002.org

Classmates, I wanted to wish you all a wonderful holiday season. As you

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 109

02/02 CLASS NEWS all know it has been a rough couple of months for our class family. In these trying times, it has been wonderful to see our family come together to support one another and those we love. While time and distance may separate us all, the bonds of our class still hold strong. Thank you to James Lomax (’02) and 20th Company for this beautiful tribute to our fallen classmate CDR Charles Harris (’02).

CDR Charles A. Harris (’02), Commanding Officer USS HOWARD (DDG-83) and his family.

CDR Charles A. Harris (’02).

Our Classmate CDR Charles A. Harris passed away on 28 August 2021. While at the Academy, if Charles would have won an award, it would have been “least likely to succeed.” But, as all of us who know and love Charles, he was extremely stubborn. So, once he got to the fleet, he was on a mission to prove us all wrong. And that he did. Charles became an amazing leader, husband, and father. In hindsight, none of us should have been surprised. You would be hard pressed to find anyone who has anything bad to say about Charles. Charles had an amazing ability to make everyone feel at ease around him within minutes. And he had a smile that lit up every room he entered. You would also struggle to find many people in the U.S. Navy (and many Allied Navies) that haven’t

crossed paths with Charles. It seems the old saying actually is, “anytime two sailors may meet… they tell stories about that ‘one time with Charles.’” Upon hearing of his passing, people from all over the world felt compelled to pay tribute to him. This is a testament to the great impact he has had on so many people. Charles truly had a largerthan-life personality. Charles’ impact will always be with anyone who ever met Charles. I challenge you all to try to think of time spent with Charles without breaking into a smile. You’re smiling right? Charles is survived by his wife Beth and their two daughters. Please not only keep them in your prayers, but let’s also ensure we welcome them into our class of 2002 extended family. We have the watch Shipmate. -Your 20th Company Classmates.

members of 5th company have gotten a head start. Thanks to Josh Lauman (’02) for this update and awesome pics: 5th company is getting fired up for our 20-year reunion next year and decided to get the party started early with a long weekend in Nashville last month (August) James Diaz Barriga (’02), Scott Carr (’02), Ed Chin (’02), Terry Doyle (’02), Doyle Galvin (’02), Josh Lauman (’02), Mike Maier (’02), Andy McCann (’02), and Brian Olivier (’02) all got together for weekend filled with boating, bowling, and booming laughs. We

Even as tragedy may befall our class, we can still look to the future joyfully and brightly. It was great to hear from our classmate Gary Roznovsky (’02) with some exciting news: M The Roznovskys are now a family of four! Emmitt Joseph Roznovsky joined us in August and we couldn’t be happier. Emmitt is adored by his big brother, Hank, who’s also excited to get him to his first Navy football game this season. We’re all looking forward to my civilian transition next summer and then the 20 year reunion in the fall. Life is good here. Hope it is for you as well. Prosit!

’02: Members of 5th Company

The Roznovsky Family

Congratulations to our classmate Gary Roznovsky (’02) and his family on their brand new edition. Welcome Emmitt Roznovsky, Class of 2043! Lastly, it’s never too early to start the pre-reunion reunions! Looks like

110 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

’02: Members of 5th Company

can’t wait to see everyone at the reunion next year!

Members of 5th Company

2002 - Please continue to send in your Shipmate submissions. We want to hear from you! Wishing you all a wonderful and joyous holiday season and all the

02/03 CLASS NEWS best in the new year! Bring it on 2022! 20 years from when we left the Academy and we still have the fight and fun in us! See you all at our 20-year reunion!

’03

committees are meeting to screen candidates. Please reach out to your local reps to get involved - and they often are looking for volunteers to help with all academies, not just USNA. Lots of ways to make a positive impact. Beat Army! -‘03 Class Officers

Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 5.35%

Class news: An update from Becky Singh:

Pres: LtCol Lisa (Steinmetz) Cordonnier, USMC e: lisacords03@gmail.com

M Greetings! I am very proud to share Paolo’s selection as a Permanent Military Professor. He will study Mathematics, CS, or OR (TBD) then remain on at NPS to teach. Hope to see many ’03 faces at the family dinner table in Monterey! Also a huge congrats to all this year’s selectees! Cheers, Becky Singh

Vice Pres: CDR Fernando R. Reyes, USN e: delux1981@gmail.com Treas: CDR Megan Barnett, USN e: mmbarnett03@msn.com Sec'y: Heather M. (Garland) Selig e: heather.selig@2003.usna.com Class Website: http://2003.usnaclasses.net/ Webmaster: CDR Kevin Hagan, USN e: kevin.r.hagan@gmail.com

timeless Electric Slide, and the only way to finish out the night - everyone jumping in the pool!!! “But still when two or three shall meet…” (along with masks and multiple PCR tests) it will always be an adventure. I know there were others that had hoped to join and sent along their love and well wishes! It was truly an awesome time sharing Jada and Ümit’s special day! Shoutouts to Rick and his lovely family (does everyone know he married Mike Reel’s sister!?!?) and Amy who kept the party going along with the rest of Jada and Ümit’s families for the post-wedding-Turkish-beachweek-festivities!

Shipmate Submissions: Kenneth Michel e: kennethmichel03@gmail.com

‘03, Fall greetings! The Class Officers met in September to assess enduring class business. 1. Bylaws are set and will be posted and submitted to USNAAA shortly. 2. We are two years out from the reunion. Formalizing the reunion committee and a plan for submission to the Alumni Association are in the nascent stages. If interested in volunteering to support the reunion or in being company reps, please reach out to Fernando Reyes or Heather Selig. We are also looking for experience and ideas to raise funds to offset reunion costs. We are reaching out to other classes from our decade to learn best practices and cost feedback for a milestone reunion. Expectations for cost are at least $200 per adult not including lodging, football tickets (if desired), and transportation. We are awaiting feedback from this season’s increased event costs with COVID protocols. Our date is 7 October 2023 and likely in competition with the annual boat show for accommodations. We are open to all ideas to increase interest and participation. 3. Thank you again for the engagement with the BGO Roundtable. Right now, Congressional

An update from Alicia Washkevich: If some fortune teller had run into Jada Johnson, Alicia Washkevich, Amy Stokes, and Rick Weil in DTA back-in-the-day to share a vision of the future - images of the year 2021 and all of them celebrating together in Turkey for Jada’s wedding - I’m sure we all would have had a good laugh. And yet - we’re happy to report back on quite the occasion in Ankara, Turkey! Jada Johnson met Ümit Anıl Şimşek through friends while working as a FAO at the US Embassy. Şimşek means “lightning” in Turkish - which also served as one of the themes and hashtags (#lightningailesi) for the events. The festivities spanned multiple days, included both traditional Turkish elements, gifts of gold, henna parties, back-up dancers, a gorgeous red wedding dress, tons of delicious drinks and food, the

An update from Joelle Presby: Greetings ’03, I am proud to report that I convinced my Army veteran editor Jason Cordova to accept my short story “Barbie and Gator Ken vs. the Hurricane” into his heavy assault vehicle themed anthology, Chicks in Tank Tops, which is being published by Baen Books in 2022. In my story, I turn the tank into a submarine. It’s a bad submarine, but still, a submarine. Go Navy! Beat Army! -Joelle (Mann) Presby

An update from Nick Kesler: Congrats to Nick and his wife Codie for the birth of their baby boy, William Richmond Kesler (class on ’03 +40) on 30 Aug. Baby and mom are doing great and congrats to the Kesler family!

An update from Chris O’Connor: Hello from Mons, Belgium. The O’Connor family is now stationed at SHAPE and having a great time. After quarantine and house hunting kept our family of five in the Army Lodge for 44 days, we found a great place to live and I landed on my feet at an amazing billet. I am Strategic Plans officer, helping to write some pretty interesting stuff. The team I’m with is a top-notch group of professionals. I work for two British one stars, my office mates are a Canadian, Swede, and Lithuanian, and I am working with German, French, Danish, Latvian and Greek officers and civilians led by an Estonian Colonel. It is mind-expanding and professionally rewarding. For the kids, too. They have students from over 35 countries in class with them at the DoDEA school.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 111

03/08 CLASS NEWS While Belgium’s borders were closed, we went all over the country, which has a lot to see in its own right. Since we have been allowed out, we have travelled to Ireland, France, Croatia, Germany, and Slovenia, with plans to go much further afield. And a fellow 27th Company Gamecock, Ryan Miller ’03, has been able to come up and visit from Naples. And I also recently had the distinct honor of welcoming Kevin “Tank” Lind ’06 to the senior officer ranks. I’ve never promoted a fellow Boat School grad before! Hope everyone else is doing well out there. Stay Safe. Chris

’05

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 2.91% Pres: LtCol.Thomas A. Kulisz, USMC hometown: Oceanside, CA e: kulisz@2005.usna.com Vice Pres: CDR Matthew J. Bernhardt, USN hometown: Annapolis, MD p: 619-889-1968; e: mjbernhardt@gmail.com Treas: Allen J. Murphy hometown: Severna Park, MD p: 410-212-1082 e: allen.murphy.2005@gmail.com Sec’y: CDR Reed A. Kitchen, USN hometown: Arlington, VA p: 619-208-0770 e: 2005@oxblood.33mail.com Website: 2005.usnaclasses.net

’06

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 9.25% Pres: LCDR Andrew Lukich e: andrew.m.lukich@gmail.com Vice Pres: LCDR Joshua Campbell Treas: LCDR Jeffrey Foulds Chris O’Connor with Ryan Miller, who is being photobombed by Ella O’Connor.

Sec’y: LCDR Jamison Lupo e: jamisonlynn@gmail.com

Knight Campbell sends an update:

The O’Connor clan at Lake Bled, Slovenia.

SHERM???

’04

M Knight and Leonie Campbell (both ‘06) are in their fourth year of entrepreneurship with Cairn Leadership Strategies and are slowly expanding from SoCal back to the East Coast. This fall, they are taking a group of professionals up Old Rag and backpacking in the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Next year, there will be three more events in the East to augment about 25 weekend adventures up and down the West Coast.

Life Membership: 95% Donor Participation: 4.03% Pres: Lincoln Lukich e: Lincoln.Lukich@gmail.com

Leonie also went from USMC to Navy Doc (please heckle) and our second daughter is due in November. Hit us up when you’re in the San Diego area! Climb your mountains, Knight Campbell Guide, Coach & CEO Cairn Leadership Strategies

’07

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 5.97% Pres: Brady Beauchamp Vice Pres: Major Benjamin Tuck e: Benjamin.Tuck07@gmail.com Treas: LCDR Patrick Sullivan e: patrick.timothy.sullivan@gmail.com Sec’y: LCDR Dan Bellomo, USNR e: dbellomo@umich.edu Send Articles to: classofficersUSNA2007@gmail.com

Aught Seven…Holy Cow, it is (essentially 2022) which is the Year of our Fifteenth Reunion! Lots of information will be filling your respective inboxes/mailboxes/Twitter feeds/etc as the planning gets ramped up. As of the writing of this submission, 26 September, your Class Officers were already in negotiation to secure a home football game and date. We will pass all information ASAP. If you are local to the DC/Virginia/Annapolis area and want to get more involved with the planning and execution of this Reunion, please reach out! We continue to look forward to seeing what the future can bring. Go Navy, Beat Covid! Go Navy, Beat Army!

Shorter submission this month… but that doesn’t mean you should feel any hesitation to send your material. We’ll take anything and everything! Our first note comes from Evan Scott (11th Company). M “I still have my Academy car and the parking pass finally faded out a few years back. Attached is a picture of the two versions I came up with. If anyone is interested in one or two, feel free to send me an email (evan.a.scott07@gmail.com) with your address. No postage needed however the only request is that you give a couple bucks to your favorite charity. If any of you are in the DC area, hit me up at your leisure. Working at N98 in the Five Sided Funny Farm where I have run into Jason Burroughs, Austin Henne, Nick Munn, Cat Long, PJ Riester, etc, knocking out all different jobs throughout the building. Hope all is well out there in the world, ‘07!”

#1 = Car Sticker

Also, Aught Seven – bonus points if you were able to pick up on the fact that the photo provided by Evan used an infamous Blue Magnet as the backdrop! Academy pride runs deep. To our Classmates currently deployed and/or away from home – be safe and come back soon. We miss you! Your friends, Classmates, and loved ones wish you the best. For those of you stateside in Fall ’22, get ready for the Reunion, we are going to have a blast!

’08

Vice Pres: James Brobyn e: Brobs@2004.usna.com Treas: LT Joseph Zukowsky e: JMZukowsj@gmail.com

Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 26.80%

Sec’y: Andrew Froistad e: froistad@hotmail.com

Pres: Donald H. Horner III Vice Pres: LCDR Gerald Brooks, USN Treas: LCDR Daniel E. Foose, USN Sec’y: LCDR Dianna Dietrich, USN e: dianna.dietrich@gmail.com ’06

112 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

’09

’12

Pres: LCDR Andrew Poulin, USN e: andrew.poulin09@gmail.com

Pres: Capt Ian Cameron, USMC

Vice Pres: LCDR Art Griffin, USN

Treas: LT Nicolas Woods, USN

Treas: LCDR Cody Forsythe, USN

Sec’y: LT Jane M. Baird, USN

Sec’y: Micky Matus, USN e: michaelmatus09@gmail.com

Send Articles to: shipmate2012@gmail.com

Shipmate Submissions: e: Shipmate09@gmail.com

Mike Haydell ’12 and wife Martina Haydell are excited to announce the birth of their son Finn Haydell on 1 Sept., 2021 in Cologne, Germany. Both mother and baby are healthy!

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 27.44%

Greetings Class of 2009! This issue’s update comes from Michael Beautyman:

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 26.00% Vice Pres: LT Nicholas DeMasters, USN

M Hello! Popping in with a life update for Shipmate. On 10 April, 2021, I married Lauren Spink. COVID-19 necessitated a very small, secluded ceremony, but we were lucky to be joined by a dozen or so teammates, roommates, and other grads via Zoom! Cheers, Michael Beautyman Congrats Michael and Lauren!!

Michael Beautyman ’09 and Lauren Spink married in April 2021.

09/12 CLASS NEWS

Capt Greg Steinbock ‘12, Capt Brandon Recker, and Capt Marc Figueroa ‘12 (from left to right) in San Antonio, TX prior to conducting a Mk-25 dive at Canyon Lake. Steinbock and Figueroa were formerly in 24th Company together and now serving together again as CO and XO of Company B, 4th Reconnaissance Battalion.

Former Navy Women’s Swimming teammates Sylvia Musselman ’11 and Sarah Lindberg Meyers ’12 swam the Virginia Beach Lifeguard Association’s Ocean Swim on Aug 14, 2021. The now-teammates (and mothers!) on Virginia Beach’s Tide Masters Swim Team, the ladies WON the 1-mile open water race in 25:36.15! Who says goats can’t swim? More importantly, they held Navy’s winning over Army and defeated LTC Christian L. Kammerman ’84, USA Ret.. GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!

’10

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 26.04% Pres: LT Robert Battle, USN e: rhbattle@2010.usna.com Vice Pres: LT Garth Thomas, USN Sec’y: LT Margaret Boyle, USN e: mcboyle@2010.usna.com Send Articles to: Shipmate2010@gmail.com

’11

Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 17.23% Pres: Michael E. Orzetti, CIV Vice Pres: LT Ricky Dobbs, USN Treas: LT Matthew Pierson, USN Sec’y: LT Natalie Woodward, USN e: NNWoodward@2011.usna.com

Kay Murner ‘12 ran the New York City Marathon on 7 November, 2021 in support of the Navy SEAL Foundation. NSF provides critical services to NSW service members and families in need. Learn more at navysealfoundation.org Dum spiro spero. “While I breathe, I hope.” This Latin phrase has been a tagline throughout my life. It’s my home state’s (South

Carolina) motto and has been my personal motto during Plebe Summer, deployments, and other challenging times. It felt especially relevant in the final weeks of August and early weeks of September, as I reflected upon the last 20 years since 9/11, a crucible event for so many. Riding a roller coaster of emotions, I strived to stay grounded in hope. Reading, hearing and particularly seeing the many stories from fellow service members, veterans and classmates ignited my hope. One classmate, Brendan Aronson, is on a mission to immortalize and share the stories of every fallen service academy graduate from the past 20 years. Brendan is a co-founder of Paintru, a custom commissioned artwork company – they take their customers’ favorite photos and memories and have them hand-painted by a professional artist to create an incredibly special best gift. Last month, Brendan and his team announced their commitment to completing and delivering portraits of fallen service academy graduates to every Gold Star family. I had a chance to catch up with Brendan and learn more about Paintru’s mission. Enjoy reading below and may his story (and the stories of all those he wishes to share) bring you hope as well. Janie: Get me up to speed. What is Paintru and how did it come to be? Brendan: Paintru is a custom commissioned artwork company. We leverage our curated network of professional artists to create and deliver high-quality custom artwork in a collaborative and fun way (at a much more affordable price than working through a private gallery). Quite simply, our mission is to share stories through art. The saying goes “a picture is worth a thousand words.” I would argue that a painting tells the whole story.

STAY CONNECTED Find a Chapter. usna.com/FindAChapter

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 113

12/13 CLASS NEWS co-founder to help scale the business to its full potential.

Brendan celebrates first Platoon Sergeant’s graduation from Drill Instructor School in 2013

Deployment in Iraq (2015)

I transitioned out of the Marine Corps in 2018 (served as an infantry officer with two deployments – one to Asia and one to Iraq as an advisor) and started business school at Wharton. I never thought that I would be an entrepreneur or work at a start-up. I did two internships with Goldman Sachs and was on track to pivot into investment banking. But I realized that it did not fully align with my priorities and purpose. When my father passed three years ago, I realigned my priorities. I wanted to index on autonomy, ideally working for myself. I wanted to be actively engaged in a problemsolving role. I wanted to work with people grounded in the same values. And I wanted to be challenged. Investment banking delivered on some but not all of those priorities. It was then in February 2020 that my good friend JD Kameen (USNA ’15) reached out and asked me to join Paintru as a co-founder. JD and Eric Kettani (USNA ’09) had previously soft-launched the company and were looking for a

(From left to right) Andrew Mighty ’14, JD Kameen ’15 (Brendan’s Paintru co-founder), Tyler Alfriend ’12 and Brendan Aronson ’12 during Plebe Summer 2011

Janie: Has it satisfied your priorities? Brendan: Absolutely. I work for myself, I’m driving solutions daily, and I work with people I love who are committed to values of service and community. It’s also the hardest thing I’ve ever done; it’s savage. It’s like running into a brick wall all day, every day. We literally have initiatives that fail every week. It’s an incredible challenge, but there’s always that blip of hope flickering in front of you so that you can’t give up. It’s also hard to see the forest through the trees. We get caught up in each initiative, in the weeds. It’s easy to overlook the steady growth and progress that we’ve made over the last year and a half. It’s been important to (1) keep our eyes on that blip of hope and (2) pull up and see the big picture.

Brendan prepares pieces of custom commissioned artwork for final shipping and delivery from the Paintru headquarters in Mentor, Ohio.

Janie: What does the big picture look like? What are your goals at Paintru over the next few years?

114 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Brendan: In the short term, we want to continue growing the business. We want to have a sustainable model to support not only our families but also our evergrowing network of artists. For the thousands of artists we work with, this is a wonderful employment opportunity and a meaningful endeavor with boundless potential. There are millions of miles of empty walls waiting to be filled with high quality, meaningful art that brings joy. One key initiative that we’re focusing on right now is a collaboration with the Steel Hearts Foundation, a service academycentric nonprofit. We’ve committed to developing and delivering portraits of every fallen service academy graduate from the last 20 years. Steel Hearts Foundation has the logistical fire power to coordinate with these 300 Gold Star families, and we have the artists. It’s certainly the most meaningful and challenging initiative that we’ve undertaken. It’s incredibly hard balancing the challenges of running a business (day-to-day business as well as soliciting the enormous necessary donations for this project) with the emotional toll of developing and presenting these gifts. But it’s a beautiful way to celebrate and remember them not only among their families but among their communities. As a midshipman, I was always inspired reading fallen service academy graduate citations and biographies in the P-Ways, wardrooms, etc. We hope to add to that legacy. To share their stories and inspire future generations of midshipmen and leaders. And we don’t want to stop there. We want to do portraits for all 7,000 fallen service members. Janie: What lessons from your Naval Academy or Marine Corps days have been most relevant in your post-military journey? Brendan: Top-of-mind, entrepreneurship is for Naval Academy grads. It’s the epitome of Message to Garcia. Don’t discount your experiences or perceived lack of business acumen; just go for it!

Luck, timing, and serendipity certainly play an outsized role... but they also play outsized roles in every other industry. The hardest part of my transition into post-military life was finding a sense of purpose. Everything in the military is perfectly laid out and grounded in service, higher values, and purpose. However, pivoting out of the military, I was consumed with this need to find the perfect job. Ultimately, I found that I was much happier in simply charting a course in the direction of my values and priorities. Values and purpose will guide you to that fulfilling job.

Brendan’s own portrait a la Paintru

If you’re a transitioning classmate and/or interested in learning more about entrepreneurship, feel free to contact Brendan Aronson on social media or via email ( Brendan. aronson@paintru.com) Learn more about the Paintru-Steel Hearts Foundation initiative at https://blog.paintru.com/blog/ paintru-x-steel-hearts-partnership. Spread and share the hope. Dum spiro spero.

’13

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 41.11% Pres: LT John-Rex Spivey, USN e: johnrexspivey@gmail.com Vice Pres: LT Daniel Murphy, USN Treas: 1stLT Ted Baumgardner, USMC Sec’y: LT Hannah Yun, USN

14/22 CLASS NEWS

’14

’16

’18

Pres: 1stLt William R. Roberts, USMC

Pres: Capt Eric B. Kellogg, USMC

Pres: LTJG Dan Stitt, USN

Pres: 2ndLt Mike Smith, USMC

Vice Pres: 1stLt Conor J. Kearney, USMC

Vice Pres: Capt Matthew L. Chavez, USMC

Vice Pres: LTJG Michael Pahissa, USN

Vice Pres: 2ndLt John Finnegan, USMC

Treas: LTJG Emily L. Kreyenhagen, USN

Treas: LT Renata M. Kolinko, USN

Treas: LTJG Gio Hernandez, USN

Treas: ENS Grayson Gossett, USN

Sec’y: LTJG Elizabeth J. Powers, USN

Sec’y: Capt Zachary L. Coffman, USMC

Sec’y: LTJG Rachel LaBuda, USN

Sec’y: ENS Nolan Kreipe, USN

Send Articles to: shipmate2014@gmail.com

Send Articles to: Shipmate2016@gmail.com

Send Articles to: 2018usna@gmail.com

’15

’17

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 41.47%

Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 38.53% Pres: CAPT Ward “Bubba” Scott III, USMC p: 603-236-1011; e: wardscottiii@gmail.com Vice Pres: LT Dylan Cawdery, USN p: 801-638-0724; e: dcawdery@gmail.com Treas: LT Joshua David Elliott p: 772-643-4468 e: joshuaelliott2015@gmail.com Sec’y: CAPT Madeline Zell, USMC p: 410-370-3068; e: mad.zell.15@gmail.com

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 40.06%

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 28.86% Pres: 2ndLt Chosnel Raymond, USMC e: chosnel.ra@gmail.com Vice Pres: ENS Robert Winning, USN e: robertwinning34@gmail.com Treas: ENS Theodore Schopf, USN e: tedschopfii@gmail.com

’20

Life Membership: 100% Donor Participation: 34.53%

Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 2.49%

’21

’19

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 3.54%

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 6.37%

Pres: ENS Cameron R. Kinley, USN Vice Pres: N/A

Pres: 2ndLt Isaac Phillips III, USMC

Treas: ENS Lakayla D. Deshields, USN

Vice Pres: ENS Tate Schumacher, USN

Sec’y: Ann M. Jackson

Treas: ENS Leor Golan, USN

’22

Sec’y: ENS Gil Wright, USN

Sec’y: ENS Molly McGuckin, USN e: mollykmcguckin@gmail.com

Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 0.0%

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Pres: MIDN Andre C. Rascoey, USN

Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation.

Vice Pres: MIDN Jonathan D. Miranda, USN Treas: MIDN Hampton B. Boyd, USN Sec’y: MIDN Rory S. Cox, USN

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 115

CHAPTER NEWS Alabama BGO Area Coordinator: Brian Campbell ’94, USNR p: 251-776-4000 e: Brian.Campbell@1994.usna.com

USNA Alabama Alumni Chapter

Southern Arizona Chapter Pres: Thom Rossa ’63 e: TRossa@hayes-soloway.com Sec’y: Jim Hillenmayer ’73 e: jhillenmayer73@msn.com Website: http://southernarizona.usna chapters.com

Pres: Lt Greg Hess ’85 p: 205-307-9191 e: greghess8599@charter.net

Arkansas

Vice Pres, Central Alabama: Eric Riddle ’94 p: 469-363-4295 e: ericriddle94@gmail.com

Arkansas Chapter

Vice Pres, Northern Alabama: Michael McFarland p: 713-410-2155; e: mjmcfarland7@aol.com Treas: Dennis Read ’59 p: 205-879-6617; e: dsread2010@gmail.com Exec. Assist: Julie Holstad, son, Hunter ’20 e: usna.ala@gmail.com Facebook: www.facebook.com/search/ top/?q=usna%20alumni%20association% 20-%20alabama%20chapter

BGO Area Coordinator: Scott Pursley e: Scott.J.Pursley@gmail.com

Pres: Denny East ’08 e: denny.east5@gmail.com Vice Pres: Rebecca Aten ’98 e: beckya10@yahoo.com Sec’y-Treas: Eric Biggers ’97 e: biggersje97@gmail.com

California Los Angeles Chapter

Asia BGO Area Coordinator: Wes Trubeville e: bgoarea501coordinator@gmail.com

South Alabama Chapter Pres: Brian Campbell ’94, USNR p: 251-776-4000 e: Brian.Campbell@1994.usna.com

Los Angeles Chapter: Left to right: Beverlee Kelly (Jim ’66), Rich Benson ’68, Joe Koch ’57, Joe Lyvers ’71, Mitch Marich ’71, Glenn Shindler ’64, and Jim Kelly ’66.

Guam Chapter

Pres: Shane Skopak ’05 e: shane.skopak@yahoo.com Vice Pres: Adrian Montecinos ’14 p: 562-587-3690; e: admont19@gmail.com Sec’y: Russel Hill ’06 e: hill_russ2@live.com

Pres: CAPT Noel M. Enriquez ’84, USNR P.O. Box 26849, GMF, Barrigada, GU 96921-6849 h: 671-472-9629; f: 671-472-1966 c: 671-777-9629; e: NME@1984.usna.com

Treas: Michael Seaver e: michaelseaver@gmail.com

Arizona

Philippines Chapter

BGO Area Coordinator: Capt. Chris Palmenberg e: palmenberg@yahoo.com

Pres: COMMO Alberto B. Carlos ’89, AFP p: +63-2-525-1003; m: +63-917- 521-1637 e: carlosabet@yahoo.com

BGO Acting Area Coordinator (LA County) Jim Trotter p: 909-631-7669; e: Jimstrotter@yahoo.com

Arizona Chapter

Sec’y: Capt Carl Roy Catalan ’08, PMC (PN) p: +63-917-706-8042; e: Roitime23@gmail.com

Sec’y: Ruth Lichtenfeld p: 251-343-6264; e: ruth29@bellsouth.net

Pres: Capt David M. English ’86, USMCR e: David.English@1986.usna.com www.usna.com/Chapter/us/arizona

Website: www.groups.yahoo.com/community usnaphil

Sec’y: Steven W. Ranes ’02 e: StevenWRanes@gmail.com

Singapore Chapter

Website: http://arizona.usnachapters.com

Pres: Say Yong Tan ’05 e: say@2005.usna.com Vice Pres: Andy Harrell e: andyh125@gmail.com

CHAPTER SECRETARY COLUMN DEADLINES

Sec’y: LTJG Nicole Uchida ’12, USN e: Nicole.Uchida@fe.navy.mil Chapter Email: USNASG@gmail.com

Send to: chapternews@usna.com

2022 ISSUE: Mar-Apr ’22 May ’22 June ’22 July-Aug ’22 September ’22 October ’22 Nov-Dec ’22

DUE DATE: Jan 27, 2022 Feb 24, 2022 Mar 31, 2022 Jun 1, 2022 Jun 30, 2022 Jul 28, 2022 Sep 29, 2022

Republic of Korea Chapter Pres: CDR Chong (John) M. Yi ’85, USN e: John.M.Yi@raytheon.com

Tokyo Bay Chapter Pres: Mori Nixon ‘81 1-15-19-301 Minami-Aoyama Minato-ku, Tokyo 107-0062 Japan: 090-9402-1291 / US: 253-656-6992 e: mnixon@gns-inc.us

116 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

BGO Area Coordinator: (LA/Orange County) CDR Steve Shatynski ’83, USN (Ret) p: 714-255-6108 e: Stephan.shatynski@wellsfargoadvisors.com

BGO Area Coordinator (Riverside/San Bernardino) CDR Bill Lauper, USN (Ret) p: 619-840-2846; e: lauperwm@gmail.com

If you are a USNA alumni in the Los Angeles/Orange County area we would love to have you become apart of our alumni group. We have a great group of people already and are looking to be even better. We currently have a few events planned including an Army/Navy Watch Party on the fan tail of the Battleship USS IOWA on December 11. Join us for what will be a great event with great people! UPCOMING EVENTS: Navy vs Notre Dame Watch Party Date: November 6 Time: 12:30 pm PST Location: Patrick Mulloy’s Pub 50 Pier Ave Hermosa Beach, CA 90254

Army vs Navy Watch Party Date: December 11 Time: 11:00 pm PST Location: Battleship USS Iowa Museum 250 S Harbor Blvd Los Angeles, CA 90731 Our Northern Los Angeles alumni group has continued to meet monthly. They recently switched from Mimi’s Cafe to Stonefire Grill in Pasadena due to the ample outdoor dining. They plan to return to Mimi’s Cafe in Monrovia when pandemic conditions allow indoor dining more feasible.

Monterey Bay Chapter Pres: LT Vic Kanth ’15 e: usnaalumnimontereybay@gmail.com Corr Sec’y: Steve Tackett ’87 e: stackett99@yahoo.com Website: http://montereybay.usnachapters.net BGO Area Coordinator: Paul Kepner e: paulkepnerGONAVY@gmail.com

Sacramento Chapter Pres: Dennis P. Joyce ’61 p: 916-996-1333; e: djoyce1961@hotmail.com Vice Pres: Dr. Terry Brown ’67 p: 530-676-0327; e: twbrown@innercite.com Sec’y: Bob Bartron ’73 e: bobbartron@hotmail.com Treas: Jack Everett ’64 e: jeverett@quicknet.com Website: sacramento.usnachapters.net BGO Area Coordinator: Bob Proano p: 530-274-9205; e: rproano730@gmail.com

CHAPTER NEWS

San Francisco Chapter: 2021 North Bay Summer Picnic at Brewsters Beer Garden, Petaluma CA

San Diego alumni at the Aug Happy Hour

San Diego Chapter Pres: Steve Rasmussen ’88 e: President@usnaaasd.com Corr Sec’y: Charlie Carey ’70 p: 619-589-0945; e: cdcarey@1970.USNA.com Website: http://usnaaasd.com

Communications Command in Coronado. CDR Blakistone gave some great comments about her impressive career, organizational leadership, and the extraordinary power of diversity in a team.

BGO Area Coordinator: Mike Philbrook ’83 e: michael.philbrook@1983.usna.com

San Diego Alumni Chapter and the Women’s SIG hosted CAPT Amy Bauernschmidt ‘94 at a Happy Hour to hear comments and ask questions of the first woman to command a nuclear powered aircraft carrier - USS ABRAHAM LINCOLN (CVN-72). Capt Bauernschmidt gave us a terrific story of her career and how she ended up trail-blazing as the new CO of CVN-72. The Happy Hour was only one week into her command tour but her extensive experience as the XO of CVN-72 and her bright outlook for the upcoming deployment was enough to keep the questions coming until we ran out of time.

CDR Blythe Blakistone ‘02

San Francisco Bay Area Chapter Pres: Lauren (Baker) Cosgrave ’04 e: usnaaasf.president@gmail.com Vice Pres: Gordon McDonald ’06 e: usnaaasf.vp@gmail.com Sec’y: Cheriene Griffith ’02 e: usnaaasf.secretary@gmail.com Treas: Mark Lundstrom ’86 e: iblucky86@earthlink.net Website: http://sfbayarea.usnachapters.net Facebook Group: https://www.facebook. com/groups/usnaaasfbayarea Instagram: @usnaaa_sfbaychapter

Captain Amy Bauernschmidt ‘94 addressing SD alumni at Happy Hour

BGO Area Coordinator: LT Paul Kepner ’04, USN (Ret.) e: PaulkepnerGONAVY@gmail.com

The San Diego Women’s Shared Interest Group partnered with the San Diego chapter to host CDR Blythe Blakistone ‘02, Commanding Officer of the Navy Special Warfare

We are now winding down the 2021 year and are thrilled to have finally seen some of you at live (safe) events this year. Thank you all who came, and who attended our virtual

board meeting calls, Zoom calls, Football watching, Fleetweek Picnic and Summer picnic in Petaluma. It has been wonderful reconnecting with you! NOTABLE UPCOMING DATES: Saturday, November 6th, 12:30 pm Navy vs. Notre Dame football at Northstar Cafe in San Francisco Friday, November 12th, 7pm Hoops for Troops - Warriors Game (block of seats with USMA) Saturday, December 11th, 12L00 pm - Army vs. Navy football at Northstar Cafe in San Francisco If you’d like to participate in any (or all) of these events, please make sure that your dues are current with the chapter! Go to https://sfbayarea. usnachapters.net/ and follow the instructions on the main page to pay your dues. We will continue to hold monthly board meetings, which all members are welcome to join to listen or contribute to. Email usnaaasf. president@ gmail.com to request an invite to the call if you’re interested. Be well and GO NAVY BEAT ARMY! ~ Cheriene Griffith ‘02, Sec’y

Santa Barbara Chapter Pres: Stephen L.A. Callahan '81 Treas: CAPT Stephen H. Huber '80, USN (Ret.) BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Greg McGiffney e: Greg.McGiffney@bgo.usna.com Chapter email: usnaaasantabarbarachapter@ gmail.com

Colorado Colorado Chapter Pres: CAPT S. Guy Higgins ’69, USN (Ret.) e: guyhiggins1234@gmail.com Sec’y: CAPT Matthew McLaurin ’92 e: matthew.s.mclaurin@gmail.com Website: http://usnacolorado.com BGO Area Coordinator: (Denver) CAPT Dick Eason ’84, USN (Ret.) p: 720-747-4615; e: dick.eason@lycos.com

Holiday greetings fellow Colorado Alumni. As we transition to cool winter weather, how about a shout out for our Alumni golfers on their big win last August. Go Navy Golf!!! On August Friday the 13th, the Colorado Chapter Alumni golfers headed down to the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs to compete against the other service academy alumni for the Rindahl Trophy. A friendly competition at the Air Force Academy played on a golf course named after a West Point grad, for a trophy named after a Naval Academy grad. Navy captured the Rindahl Trophy to become repeat champs from 2019. The first-place team was comprised of Barry Hubbard ’81, Murray Cook ’8 and Will Gury ’01. Coming in 3rd place was a foursome led by Dan Kuratko ’05, Rocco Novellino ’05, Chris Pieczonka ’05 and Rob Behrand. Other attendees were Bob Halbrook ’66, Kim Johnson ’81, Tim Tacl ’09, Merril Matthews ’09, Chris Comstock ’00,

Web: http://santabarbara.usnachapters.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santabarbara. chapterusna.9 Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ usnaalumssantabarbara/

2020 Distinguished Chapter

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 117

CHAPTER NEWS

Colorado Chapter: 1st place team; Barry Hubbard ’81, Murray Cook ’88, Will Gury ’01

Colorado Chapter: 3rd place team; Dan Kuratko ’05, Rocco Novellino ’05, Chris Pieczonka ’05 and Rob Behrand

Dan Mellecker ’85, J.D. Cook ’87 and Rod Malloy ’07. Great job guys! Let’s 3 peat next year! Merry Christmas and Happy New Year, Go Navy!! Matt McLaurin ’92 Colorado Chapter Secretary

Colorado Springs Chapter Pres: LCDR John Sledgianowski ’87, USN (Ret.) p: 719-287-2187; e: sledgesix@msn.com BGO Area Coordinator: CDR James Keating e: James.keating@bgo.usna.com

Connecticut BGO Area Coordinator: Evan Barnet ’91 p: 203-249-0071 e: evan@barnetassociates.com

Connecticut Chapter Pres: Alan Weigel ’79 p: 860-376-5775; e: aweigel@blankrome.com Treas: Tom Hogsten ’85 Sec’y: Eric Irwin ’86 p: 860-857-8748; e: irwiner@comcast.net Comms Dir: David Candler ’67 p: 860-823-0862; e: davcandler@aol.com Meeting Chairman: Vacant Website: http://connecticut.usnachapters.net Naval Academy Parent Club of CT Website: http://ct.usnaparents.net

SEA STORIES A Navy tradition

Stories of action and inspiration Entertaining and educational https://www.usna.com/sea-stories

Aloha Shipmates, This is initiated in mid-August three hours after the eye of hurricane Henri passed within 15 km of my house, and 13 minutes after we lost power (briefly this time). But in other news: the Navy Offshore Sailing

118 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

NA-44’s visited Mystic, CT last weekend and we alumni had a great opportunity to meet, greet and picnic with them at the Admiral Fife Recreation Area. There were five boats, 40 Midshipmen and 10 coaches. This is a twice-annual event (Stamford, CT and then separate group to MysticCOVID year excepted. Whereas it is not uncommon for the boats to have to motor for a portion of the trip due to low wind, the trip to Mystic was sailed essentially the whole time. And they departed in time to be back to Annapolis for the return of the Brigade on 19 August. Readers may be of the mind that USNA, founded in 1845, had SAILING as the roots of the Academy’s creation. You know, “Wooden Ships and Iron Men (and Women)”. But that was not at all the case. WHAT, say you? Watt, say I. [James Watt (1736-1819) was the man instrumental in developing the steam engine.] And by 1845 engine-powered ships were rapidly displacing sailing vessels. But! Traditional methods of learning ships and how to operate them by being aboard since puberty no longer worked. The senior officers were not schooled in the engineering of steam enginesa dedicated school was needed and initiated. And thus it developed that sailing became secondary to engineering, and eventually a sport (… and things like determining the speed of light became side effects to the engineering emphasis). But to this day, at least, the tradition of being knowledgeable of sailing principles and techniques are considered an important part of a Midshipman’s basic training in Navy and the Sea. So here is some of the history of USNA sailing: For just about always there were dinghies, or similar, which received replacements and upgrades with little fanfare…. (Several of these were transported by Plebes in the middle of the night to T-court at different times. In 1964 when my class did that it was one of the most remarkable instructional tools of our USNA

experience for PLANNING! We appreciated, during the endeavor, how heavy those seemingly little boats really were (and buoyancy equals…). And how tall the masts were (especially in comparison to the electrical cables crossing the street). And what a bright spark can be made if messing with said wires with a mast…, etc…. Back in the day, there were several Tall ships as part of the sailing fleet. Three in 1965 era. And I believe they were donated to USNA by wealthy owners. But maintaining and replacing the sails for them became overly expensive, so they were sold (pertly to assist in the next paragraph). And Once Upon a Time there were the Luders yawls- wonderful boats. But they were becoming long in the tooth and in 1985 a project was initiated to replace them. The result was the current NA-44 fleet (fiberglass hull with skag-hung rudder, stability measured by a righting moment through 128 degrees of heel, and draft not exceeding 7 feet 6 inches. Capable of carrying crew of ten in safe, comfortable manner on Atlantic Ocean.) In lieu of additional history, enjoy the memories that the photos from the current NA-44 visit to Connecticut might rekindle. Many of these photos were taken whilst at sea by Assistant Coach Nicholas Beatty.

CHAPTER NEWS Pensacola Chapter

Florida

Co-Pres: Jose Perez ’10 Co-Pres: Joey Walker ’02 e: usnaaapensacola@gmail.com

Gainesville Chapter Pres: Vacant

Sec’y: John Klose ’78 e: jpklose78@gmail.com

BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR e: sswift@1987.usna.com

Website: Pensacola.usnachapters.com BGO Area Coordinator: Capt. Joan Platz e: joanplatz.bgo@gmail.com

Jacksonville Chapter Pres: CAPT Scott Neidhold ’77 USNR (Ret.) e: scottneidholdsr@gmail.com

Southwest Florida Chapter

Vice Pres: Glen Hamilton ’85 e: glenhamilton@cbvfl.com Treas and Chapter Trustee: Enochia Anderson ‘94

Pres: Doug Backes ’70 e: dougbackes@aol.com Mike Curreri and Rob Hastings cut the cake.

Sec’y: Britney Brown ‘12 Communication Director: CDR Nels Frostenson ’80 USN (Ret.) e: frostynels@aol.com

BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Dennis R. Neutze ’65, JAGC USN (Ret.) p: 305-705-4722 e: dennis.navy65@googlemail.com

50 Year+ Alumni Liaison: CDR Peter Garfield ’60 USN (Ret.) e: pjgarfield@comcast.net p: 904-314-9691

Website: southwestflorida.usnachapters.net

Website: jacksonville.usnachapters.net BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard O’Sullivan ’77, USN (Ret.) p: 407-687-6877; e: raaos@aol.com

In other news, the crab, albeit expensive, is still wonderful in Annapolis, and West Street is being repaired after the Hurricane Ida related tornado. Send info for this column to the Comms. Dir. email address above. Beat Army! David Candler ’67

Costa Rica BGO Area Coordinator: Wes Turbeville e: bgoarea501coordinator@gmail.com

Costa Rica Chapter Pres: Claudio A. Pacheco ’64 Apt. 4307-1000, San Jose, Costa Rica p: 506-2224-4325; w: 506-2225-4239 c: 506-8876-1394; e: cpacheco@1964.usna.com

Delaware BGO Area Coordinator: Maj Brad Boyd ’87 p: 302-377-4479 e: Brad.Boyd@bgo.usna.com

Delaware Chapter Pres: Chris Dierkes ’85 p: 302-256-8949 e: Christopher.F.Dierkes-1@usa.dupont.com

Our football watch parties have begun at two local locations and we are looking forward to hosting the Army-Navy watch party again this year at the Jacksonville Jaguars TIAA Bank Stadium. We have partnered with the Jacksonville Jaguars in a special promotion to offer tickets to the Jacksonville Jaguars vs the Tennessee Titans on October 10, 2021 at TIAA Bank Field. The Jaguars will dedicate a special seating section to our alumni and guests, and a portion of the ticket sales will be refunded to our local Alumni Association Chapter. Be sure to update your email address in your membership profile for our emails! We had the opportunity to attend an epic birthday party on Labor Day for Mike Curreri ‘73, 15th company. There were 5 grads (of 60 in attendance) in attendance who did a rendition of “The Goat Is Old And Gnarly”. The youngest grad in attendance, Rob Hastings ‘05, helped cut the birthday cake.

Sec’y: Herbert John Andrews ’68 e: herbiejohn383@gmail.com

From left to right, Rick Brown, ‘66, 3rd Co, the birthday boy, Mike Curreri, ‘73, 15th Co., Dan Schroeder, ‘61 3rd Co., Ken Mayeaux, ‘73, 15th Co. and Rob Hastings, ‘05.

Greater Miami Chapter Pres: Thor C. Gould ’09 e: thor.gould@gmail.com Website: www.usnamiami.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ USNAMiami BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Dennis R. Neutze ’65, JAGC USN (Ret.) p: 305-705-4722 e: dennis.navy65@googlemail.com

Orlando Chapter Pres: Turhan Hidalgo ’93 e: Orlando_Chapter_President@alumni.usna.com Sec’y: Jason Ketelsen ’98 e: jketelsen1@gmail.com Webmaster: Stan Clark ’79 e: shredder110@gmail.com Website: http://orlando.usnachapters.com BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard O’Sullivan ’77, USN (Ret.) p: 407-687-6877; e: raaos@aol.com

Palm Beach Chapter Pres: Ivan Rosa ’84 e: irosa@1984.USNA.com BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Dennis R. Neutze ’65, JAGC USN (Ret.) p: 305-705-4722 e: dennis.navy65@googlemail.com

PRESIDENT’S COMMENTS: Greetings from our sunny Southwest Florida chapter: The summer has been interesting to say the least with many of our members enjoying time with old friends and family back North. The COVID-19 pandemic has morphed to the Delta variant – more contagious (Florida seems to be particularly active) but Delta seems to be much less deadly. As I write this, the focus is back to school, back to work and back to normal. For your Chapter it is back to work putting together our season package starting with what we hope is a fun and exciting season kick-off opportunity on November 10th to connect across the many USNA classes and occupations and interest groups in the SWF area. We are setting up a Happy Hour USNA mixer near down-town Naples to get the Navy spirit back into gear. Keep attentive to emails coming out to local USNA alumni, the BGO, and Parents Club members for details. Quickly thereafter will be the ARMYNAVY game day tailgate at Wyndemere Golf Club (those who attended in 2019 had high praise for the club’s hospitality and the fun time cheering on our team). Let’s double up the spirit this year (after being denied the opportunity last year) to gather and support our team! 2022 will start off with a January luncheon and (we hope) winning the tri-service academy golf tournament – Navy

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 119

CHAPTER NEWS

Southwest Florida Chapter: Yes we do have color in Florida, Maple trees along Alligator Alley (I-75); thanks to the birds.

hosts this year at Imperial Golf Club – details on team roster and time and date will come out in November. So, let’s pray that our SWF Chapter future is bright and open for business again. And remember, alumni, their spouses and guests, USNA parents and midshipmen visitors are always welcome to join us at any of our events. Go Navy, Beat Army!! Doug Backes’70 PS. HELP WANTED! Chapter Upcoming Events: We have a lot of work to do to set up our schedule of luncheons/ events for next season and establish some orderly change-out of our slate of officers. If you would like to serve as an officer or know of someone who may want to serve, or if you have a link to an interesting speaker, again please email me at herbiejohn383@gmail.com. We will be doing our business by email, on the phone and on the web getting ready for 2021-2022 season. We are planning a November 10th mixer to discuss ways to go forward with our Association. Stay safe & well till we meet again. Herb Andrews ‘68

Space Coast Chapter Pres: CAPT Pete Peterson ’56, USN (Ret.) p: 321-952-2066; e: RETEP401@gmail.com Sec’y: LtCol Tom Schwartz ’56, USAF (Ret.) p: 321-255-5452 e: thomasschwartz@bellsouth.net BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard O’Sullivan ’77, USN (Ret.) p: 407-687-6877; e: raaos@aol.com

Suncoast Chapter Pres: Alois (Al) Burda ’68 e: alburda3@verizon.net Vice Pres: Craig Harvey ’76 e: harveyct@hotmail.com Second Vice Pres: George "Bo" Hamrick '79 e bhamrick@financialpreservation.com Treas: Dick D’Anna ’68 e: dannari68@comcast.net Sec’y: Vacant Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ usnaalumnifloridasuncoastchapter BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR e: sswift@1987.usna.com

Tampa Bay Chapter Pres: CAPT Chris Heath ’72, USN (Ret.) p: 813-210-2615 e: christopherheath.fl@gmail.com Communication Director CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR (Ret.) e: sswift@1987.usna.com Sec’y: CDR Leon R. Jablow IV, ‘91, USN (Ret.) e: leon.r.jablow@gmail.com Website: http://tampabay.usnachapters.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/ USNA-Alumni-TampaSt-Petersburg/ 120095454740213?sk=wall BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR (Ret.) e: sswift@1987.usna.com

RECENT EVENTS: Time, Tide, and Formation wait for no one. The summer has come to an end, and time seems is speeding up as we enter the fall. The tide is rolling in with football weekends, Founder’s Day, local events, and the anticipated Navy victory against Army in December. The Tampa Chapter has formed up to meet the tide of events.

120 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Tampa Bay Chapter: Doing our best to Beat Marshall: Carol, Ryan, and Paul Matthews ’85, Brian Tsai ’16, Duane Lafont ’78, Steve Swift ’87, and Margaret and Jay Crouse ’86.

After welcoming Thomas Hartline ’81 as a new member at our monthly meeting in August, the chapter planned our fall schedule. In attendance were Warren Hahn ’60, Tom Draude ’62, Miller Detrick ’63, Fr. Tim Corcoran ‘67, Gary Polansky ‘69, Chris Heath ‘72, Don Aiken ‘78, Thomas Hartline ’81, Jane Lochner ’84, Brock Stolley ’84, Leon Jablow ’91, Jonathan Sunderwirth ’10, and Brian Tsai ’16. Planning turned to execution at our September meeting. Despite soggy weather and fall thunderstorms in Tampa, the lighting capital of the U.S., the chapter met to accomplish the business of stuffing 160 envelopes to go to local high school principal, guidance counselors, and candidates, in preparation for our Founders Day Candidate dinner in October. We made a fine working party! We also finalized plans for our fall football watch parties on both sides of Tampa Bay. Our working party included: Warren Hahn ’60, Tom Draude ’62, Miller Detrick ’63, Tim Corcoran ’67, Gary Polansky ’69, Perry Dempsey ’72, Chris Heath ’72, Jane Lochner ’84, Jay Crouse ’86, Steve Swift ’87, James Castano ’91, Mike Puffer ’98, Todd Sawhill ’98,

SHIPMATE

Jonathan Shannon ’02, David Bennett ’07 and Brian Tsai ’16.

Tampa Chapter members prepare invitations for Founder’s Day Dinner. (L-R): Brian Tsai ’16, Tom Draude ’62, Gary Polansky ’69, and Jane Lochner ’84.

The Chapter also stepped up on short notice to help the family of a departed shipmate. Chapter members assisted Beth Harris (recent widow of Charles Harris ’02) in a cross-town move. Ship’s movement began in St. Petersburg with a U-Haul rental truck and numerous SUV’s that were loaded for an underway to Tampa. The vehicles were unloaded, and Beth and her family treated the crew to pizza and beverages. Perry Dempsey ‘72, Tom Mercer ‘87, Hank and Laura Tillinghast Hine ’97, and Jonathan Shannon ‘02 completed the evolution in under 6 hours. BZ! To the team for their success and support of a shipmate’s family in a time of need.

More than 80 years are available online to all Alumni Association members. Visit usna.com/shipmate.

CHAPTER NEWS

Hawaii

Pres: John Ross ’94 e: johnwmross@me.com

respectively. Below are pictures from the events.

Hawaii Chapter

Vice Pres/Sec’y: CDR John (Chris) Haizlip ’72, USN (Ret.) 15246 Longford Dr., Granger, IN 46530 p: 574-273-2939; e: CHaizlip@aol.com

National Chapter Trustee: Steve Colon ’81 Pres: Ted Peck ’88 p: 808-371-7514 e: ted.peck@gmail.com

Treas: John Strauss ’69 e: e:jstrauss3373@att.net

Vice Pres: Keno Knieriem ’06 e: keno@honokea.com Sec’y: Deni Baykan ’04 e: deniz.baykan@mac.com Treas: Tom Marzec ’87 e: tamarzec@gmail.com

The N-Haul Working Party (L-R) Perry Dempsey ‘72, Beth (recent widow of Charles) Harris ‘02, Jonathan Shannon ‘02, Tom Mercer ‘87.

Our chapter holds our regular monthly meetings at Tate’s Pizzeria on Westshore on the first Wednesday of each month at 1800. Look forward to seeing you there and your first drink is on us if you are a newbie! FUTURE EVENTS Monthly Meetings Football Game Gatherings Wine Tasting and Potluck Dinner ( November) Army-Navy Football Watch Party (11 December) CHECK US OUT Look for the Chapter on our Facebook Page (https://www. facebook.com/pages/USNAAlumni-TampaSt-Petersburg/ 120095454740213?sk=wall), our Website – http://tampabay.usna chapters.net/ and/or our LinkedIn Page - https://www.linkedin. com/groups/3912975/

Georgia Atlanta Chapter

Pres: DJ Marzetta ’94 p: 404-996-7019; e: djmarzetta@gmail.com Website: http://www.usnaaaa.com BGO Area Coordinatos:: Atlanta/North Georgia: Deborah Catrini e: deborah.catrini@gmail.com Southern Georgia: Ryan McDonel e: rmcdonel.usna@gmail.com

Parent’s Club Pres: Mason Savage (Jacob ’22, Jordan ’24)

L to R Chris Horak ’94, Andrea Hovey ’03, Jim Perkins ’68, Rick Schellhaas ’68, and Denny Hanrahan ‘68

BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Jason Afong ‘06 e: jason.afong.navy@gmail.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/USNAAA.Honolulu/; https://www.facebook.com/NavalAcademy Hawaii/

Idaho BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Todd Severance ’92, USN (Ret.) p: 208-620-9436; e: tjseverance1992@gmail.com

Inland Northwest Chapter Pres: Col Kenneth W. Moore ’66, USMC (Ret.) 31048 E. Hayden Lake Rd., PO Box 2020 Hayden, ID 83835-7059 p: 208-772-7494; e: eyehawk35@gmail.com

Southern Idaho Chapter Pres: Andrea Hovey ’03 e: andrea.hovey@gmail.com Vice Pres: Paul Campbell ’98 e: Paul.Campbell@1998.usna.com Sec’y: Joan Taylor (wife of CAPT Rufus Taylor ‘66, USN (Ret.)) e: foozhigger@gmail.com Treas: Dennis Hanrahan ’68 e: dennisdannyehanrahan@gmail.com Idaho Parents’ Club President: Michelle Widmier (Trey ’21) e: nwidmier@gmail.com

Congratulations to the following young men and women, with their schools listed below, who have received and accepted appointments to USNA for the Class of 2025: James Daniel Griffin: Sandpoint HS/U of Idaho Abigail C. Thomas: Capital High School Avery Koneci: Capital High School Sam Kerley: Borah High School The August and September activities were joint socials with USMA Association of Graduates (AOG) and/or USAFA AOG at Bear Island Brewing and Brixx Craft House,

Andrea Hovey ’03 welcomes Ken Vanderhorst ’79

The Southern Idaho Chapter (SIC) meets monthly. Alumni and their spouses living in or visiting the Boise area are invited to join us. For more information about SIC activities, please contact Rufus Taylor ’66 at e: medmoored@gmail.com.

Illinois

Chicago Chapter CDR Fredrick W. Weber ’75, USNR (Ret.) 2134 Evert Ct., Northbrook, IL 60062-6612 h: 847-559-9381; w: 312-845-3444 e: Fred.Weber@2comm.com Website: http://chicago.usnachapters.com BGO Area Coordinator: (Northern, IL incl Chicago) LCDR Drew Thomas ’04, USNR p: 317 682 8441; drew.thomas@bgo.usna.com BGO Area Coordinator: (Southern, IL) Gene Marquez e: gdsm_marquez@charter.net

Indiana BGO Area Coordinator: Kurt Greggs e: Greggsusnabgo@gmail.com

Greetings all. Our South Bend/ Michiana Chapter continues its “in-person” meetings. It’s been a nice change from the last 15 months of Zoom computer meetings. Our chapter now meets at the new Bar Louie location across from the Heritage Square shopping center. The address is 7320 Aspect Dr., Granger. The monthly meeting time is noon (12PM) on the 2nd Tuesday of the month. A good reason for this venue is the USNA connection. The Bar Louie CEO is Tom Fricke ‘81, (2nd CO) USNA. Sounds like a great reason to have our monthly meetings at his place! The big topic at this month’s meeting was the upcoming Navy/Notre Dame football game here in South Bend on Nov 6, 2021. Also, our local game watch social event for the Army/Navy game on December 11th. More details in future columns and emails. The Navy/Notre Dame tailgate is planned for the St. Mary’s College Angella Athletic Center. More information regarding times and tickets will be made available soon. Check USNA.com (>Events & programs, >Football Games & Tailgates, Notre Dame). Some fotos from our recent in-person and previous meetings. Attendees have included: John Ross ‘94, Chris Haizlip ‘72, Dale Szpisjak ‘87, Deb & Pat Sloan ‘75, John & Nancy Strauss ‘69, Paul Bradfield ‘53, Jim Baker ‘60, Dick Swanson ‘72, Fred Aalbue ‘79, Jason Torpy, Kirk & Wendy Daniels ‘75, Tom Teach ‘68, John Maciejczyk ‘76, John & Teresa Herman ‘80, Bob Gamso ‘86, Gene Denehert ‘63 & Ron Scudder ‘73.

Indianapolis Chapter CDR Lynn Thomas ’83 h: 317-329-1773; e: lynntw@aol.com

Michiana Chapter

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 121

CHAPTER NEWS

Michiana Chapter: Last years Army/Navy event

Iowa See Minnesotta Send Shipmate input to: Nathan CW Smith ’98 e: nathancwsmith@outlook.com BGOArea Coordinator: Ted Olt III ’85 p: 563-355-1709; e: tolt@l-wlaw.com

Kentucky The new meeting location.

Louisville/ Southern Indiana Chapter Pres: CAPT Gregory Reinhardt ’79, USNR (Ret.) 712 Talon Pl., Louisville, KY 40223 p: 502-244-7707; e: greinhardt@1979.usna.com BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Gregory Reinhardt ’79, USN (Ret.) p: 502-244-7707; e: greinhardt@1979.usna.com

A recent luncheon with Paul Bradfield’s cousin posing in the foto.

Maryland Annapolis Chapter

Pres: CDR Scott J. Shepard ’91, USN (Ret) p: 540-419-5564; e: scottjshepard@hotmail.com Vice Pres: Michael Rapp ’91 e: michaelrapp999@gmail.com Sec’y–Shipmate Contact: Liesel (Danjczek) Schopler ’99 e: lieseldanjczek@hotmail.com Treas: Chuck Dixon ’79 e: CBDixon@firstcommand.com Membership: James McNeal ’86 e: jamesm@ispards.com Website: http://annapolis.usnachapters.net Join the Chapter: https://www.signupnow. events/USNAAlumniChapter_Annapolis/

Louisiana Louisiana Chapter

Facebook Group: https://www.facebook. com/groups/1118214745191/ (or search for: Naval Academy Alumni Annapolis Chapter)

Pres: Garrett Miller ’95 p: 985- 590-2425, e: torrens.miller@gmail.com

BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR Charles Mello e: Charlesmello@gmail.com

Vice Pres: Bob Ferrante ’90 p: 985- 237-2091; e: mbrlj5@gmail.com

Baltimore Chapter

Sec’y: Wayne Morgan ’98 e: wayne.morgan@1998.usna.com

Pres: Jason Hardebeck ’87 p: 443-269-1599; e: jhardebeck@whoglue.com

Treas: Drew Dodenhoff ’70 e: drewdode@yahoo.com

BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR Charles Mello e: Charlesmello@gmail.com

Website: http://www.USNALouisiana.org BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR Jessica Thornhill ’01 e: jessica.mp.thornhill@gmail.com

Another recent luncheon foto.

Greater Southern Maryland Chapter: Current GSMC President Mike Thumm ’75 presents a customized plaque to Mike and Leslie DeManss in recognition of their many years of service to the Chapter

Maine

Maine Chapter Pres: Jen Bohr Tyll ’01 e: jenbohrtyll@gmail.com BGO Area Coordinator: LT Jen Bohr Tyll ’01, USNR p: 207-829-8159; e: jenbohrtyll@gmail.com

Another recent luncheon foto.

122 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Join the Chapter: https://www.signupnow.events/ USNAAlumni Chapter_ Annapolis/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/1118214 745191/ (or search for: Naval Academy Alumni Annapolis Chapter)

Greater Southern Maryland Chapter Pres: Micheal W. Thumm '75 e: thummer75@md.metrocast.net Corr Sec’y: Michael Dougherty ’73 p: 240-925-7518; e: doughertymj8@aol.com Website: http://www.navyalumni.org BGO Area Coordinator: Kevin Schaaff e: Kevin.Schaaff@bgo.usna.com

EVENTS 21 August: Crab Feast 21 Attendees included: Senior alumnus Stu Fittrell ‘62 (Lynn); Ted Herring ’67 (Bobbie); Garth Van Sickle ’67 (Jackie); Bill McCracken’67 (Barbara); Jim Sandberg’69 (Marja); Terry Dailey ’70 (Monica); Lew McIntyre ’70 (Karen); Mike DeManss ’73 (Leslie); Andy Mechling ‘73 (Jackie); Greg Olson ’73; Mike Thumm ’75 (Patricia); Rick Snyder ’75 (Faye); Jerry Mobley ’76; Art Nalls ’76 (Patricia HatfieldNalls); Pierre Thuot ’77 (Cheryl); Bill Dunkin ’78 (Pam); Scott Bruce ’79; Bob Buttrick ’79; Tom Phelan ’79 (Donna); Scott Sanders ’80 (Jane); Don Bouchard ’86 (Sharon); Brian Reardon ’96 (Michelle); Dan Kitts ’01 (Michelle); Hank Caruso Hon (Amy); and junior Grad Katie Ellefson ’13. ALUMNI IN THE NEWS July 23: PMA-263 (Small and Tactical UAVs) Change of Command: COL USMC Victor Argobright ’94 relieved COL USMC John Neville. 30 July: Navy Test Pilot School graduated Class 159, which included among the awardees MAJ USMC Alex Horne ’09 who was both the Distinguished Graduate for fixed wing aircraft and the recipient of

CHAPTER NEWS

Greater Southern Maryland Chapter: Senior and Junior Graduates in attendance share Cakecutting Duty, as Stu Fittrell ’72 and Katie Ellefson ’13 wield the sword, with Chapter President Mike Thumm ’75 observing.

the Syd Sherby Leadership Award in recognition of his exemplary leadership. Also completing the engineering test pilot course was MAJ USMC Tyler Davenport ’11. August 5: NAS PAX River Public Works Officer CDR USN Jonathan Higdon ’02 was featured in a Tester article regarding rehabilitation and release of a protected species of hawk. Sep 17: NAS Patuxent River Change of Command: CAPT USN Christopher Cox ’95 was relieved as Commanding Officer by CAPT USN John Brabazon. COMING EVENTS 1700, 2nd Tuesday of each month: Monthly Board of Directors’ Meeting. Virtual or Physical Location will vary. All other events are TBD, including the “Eggs ‘N Legs” Breakfast/Pep Rally Prior to Army-Navy. Please, check your email and the GSMC website www. navyalumni.org for all event updates throughout the remainder of 2021!

Massachusetts Boston Chapter

Pres: James Kras ’69 141 Dorchester Ave., Unit 406 South Boston, MA 02127-1836 p: 617-645-1032; e: jameskras@comcast.net Shipmate contact: CAPT Pete Seibert ’65 p: 781-235-5909; e: pkseibert@comcast.net Website: http://boston.usnachapters.com BGO Area Coordinator (Boston and SE Mass) Kimber Johnston e: Kimber.Johnson@bgo.usna.com BGO Area Coordinator (N Shore and Central Mass) - CDR David Grim e: david.grim@1982.usna.com BGO Area Coordinator (Western Mass): Mike Cousins e: Cuztri67@gmail.com

Michigan Detroit Chapter

Pres: Maj. Joe Zane ’07 USMCR P.O. Box 710, Birmingham, MI 48009 e: joseph.zane.2007@gmail.com Vice Pres: Shawn Hoch ’08 e: shawn.hoch@2008.usna.com Communications Sec’y: Chris Bernard ’88 e: gcb117@gmail.com

BGO Area Coordinator (West & Upper): Col. Benjamin Richmond ’93, USMCR e: brichmond97@earthlink.net

Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation.

On Saturday, September 11th, 2021, the Marine Red Coats held their 50th Annual Formal Mess Night at The Grosse Pointe Yacht Club. Originally scheduled for April 17th, 2020, the Mess Night’s golden anniversary was postponed three times amid separate waves of COVID-19 in

Detroit Veterans Beer Club, co-founded by myself and Graham Sloan ‘97, to offer monthly after-work veterans professional networking events for graduates. If you are not receiving invitations for those events, and would like to be, please send an e-mail to usna.aa.detroit.chapter@ gmail.com and ask to be added to the list. Next, we wanted to let everyone know about our plans for Army/Navy this year. We are working on having the big event at the Detroit Yacht Club on Bell Isle this year! Tentatively, doors will be at 1 PM on December 11th this year, with kickoff scheduled for 3. For the latest information, and to reserve your spot, go to http:// detroit.usnachapters.net/eventsnews/army-navy/. Finally, I wanted to echo an ongoing challenge from our regular contributor, Lousie Sloan ‘99. M “I wonder how we could make these alumni chapter updates more engaging. Not every meeting is going to have exciting updates. I suspect something tangible will entice readers from other states to come to our Michigan chapter’s column: candy. If you’re from outside of Michigan and you’ve made it this far, be the first to drop me a line at LMERB99@gmail.com and I’ll send you a bag of MichiGummies. They’re a sweet treat from my adopted state and travel far better than cheese curds from my home state. This also stands as a challenge to other alumni groups: how will you get us reading your column?” Until next time, Beat Army! -Joe Zane, ‘07

Website: http://detroit.usnachapters.net

BGO Area Coordinator (Eastern) CAPT Michael Johnson ’79, USNR mj007mj@hotmail.com

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Michigan before finally taking place 17 months later. The occasion was bittersweet, as the event’s founder, Marine Corp Brigadier General Robert Raish, passed away February 2021 and was thus unable to preside over the event as he had hoped. The Guest of Honor and President of the Mess was Lieutenant General Jack Bergman, USMCR (Ret.), Congressman, Michigan’s First District. Likely because of COVID and the delayed timing, General Bergman presided over a gathering that was smaller than usual, but which was fun, with a robust back and forth between members of the mess over fines for minor mess infractions. I was not immune. Having gotten ready in a hurry, I forgot to switch out my ribbons for medals and had to cough up five dollars for the “grave” infraction of being out of uniform. I happily paid, since the money went to Toys for Tots, a worthy charity. Congressman Bergman gave a great speech that evoked September 11th and the impact of Brigadier General Raish, but it was Raish’s daughters, Julie and Laura, that stole the show with their moving remembrances of their father. All in all, it was a celebration of tradition and legacy worthy of the 50 years it represented. Here’s to a return to normalcy in 2022!

From Mess Night 2021, from left from left; Art Bryant ‘66, Major Joe Zane ‘07, Lieutenant General Jack Bergman, USMCR (Ret.), Congressman, Michigan’s First District, and Graham Sloan ‘97. Missing is Garth Johnson ‘98, who was able to attend but had to leave before we could take the picture

By the time you have read this, but after the submission deadline, the Detroit Chapter will have held a meet-up at Yates Cider Mill on October 17th, so look for details from that event in the next issue. We are also partnering with the

Minnesota

Upper Midwest Chapter Pres: CAPT Ashley Fischer ’11, USMCR p: 240-778-8116; e: aefisch36@gmail.com Shipmate Contact: Nathan CW Smith ’98 e: nathancwsmith@outlook.com Website: www.USNAUpperMidwest.org Facebook: www.fb.com/USNAAAUpperMidwest BGO Area Coordinator: Susan Canham p:; 701-226-2204 e: scanham2@gmailcom

Happy Thanksgiving and Merry Christmas to all our fellow alumni and family. Your USNA Alumni

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 123

CHAPTER NEWS Regional Board of Directors is looking forward to sharing the activities we have planned for 2022. Enjoy the holidays and we will see you next year! Go Navy!

Mississippi BGO Area Coordinator: David Price ’78 e: dep-78@sbcglobal.net

South Mississippi Chapter Pres: CDR E. Spencer Garrett IV ’88, USNR P.O. Box 1792, Gautier, MS 39553 p: 228-497-5050; e: esgarrett44@aol.com

of which, paid the ultimate sacrifice. Hence ends a 20+ year tradition. Not to be deterred, Mike Dunham ’70, the original sponsor of this service, along with West Point sponsor, Rock Verrochi ’70 and Air Force sponsor Reed Schaeffer ’71 decided to pay a visit despite JB’s wishes. Interestingly enough the Boy Scouts were placing American Flags on all the graves. These 3 guys had them spell bound with the stories and sacrifices of those buried under their feet. This couldn’t have gone better. BZ gentleman.

Sec’y: CAPT Harry J. Rucker ’73, USN (Ret.) e: navynomad50@caldeone.net

Missouri

Greater Kansas City Metro Chapter Pres: Bob Culler ’74 p: 913-488-6319; e: bculler@sbcglobal.net Vice Pres: Victor Hurlbert ’10 p: 816-665-1647; e:vhurlbert@wradvisors.com Treas: Jack Rush ’73 e: jackrush7376@gmail.com Website: http://KansasCity.usnachapters.net BGO Area Coordinator: Lee Gilgour e: Gilgour42@gmail.com

St. Louis Chapter Pres: Dave Turnbaugh ’89 Website: https://stlusna.com Shipmate contact: Raese Simpson ’61 1138 Westmoor Pl., St. Louis, MO 63131-1320 c: 314-757-1221; e: raese1961@gmail.com BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Kent Higginbotham ’76, USN (Ret.) e: kenth@hbistl.com

CHAPTER NEWS: Time to catch up a bit. Jefferson Barracks (JB) Cemetery no longer wants to help the service academies celebrate those who have gone before us on Memorial Day. Many,

Rock Verrochi ’70-USMA; Mike Dunham ’70, USNA; Reed Schaeffer ’71-USAFA

On July 11th a great group gathered at Shaw Park for our annual picnic (covid delayed 2 years!). Other than enjoying beer, brats, dogs and burgers, a new trustee joined the St. Louis board. Congratulations Lowell Crow ’84! Welcome aboard! Other attendees were: Mike Carnes ’74, Lowell Crow ’84, Mike Dunham ’70, Craig Galloway ’75, Patrick Gegg ’01, Mark Hagenlocher ’88, Charles Hardy ’81, Kent Higginbotham ’76 (B&G Area Coordinator), Alexa Maranhao ’09, Timothy McDonald ’96, Robert Novotny ’99, Josh Rich ’97, Ray Rodriguez ’83, Gary Thompson ’57 (SOPA), Jay Thurman

St Louis Chapter: Larry Hrt ’68; Mike Dunham ’70; Dan Sullivan ’56; Larry Meyer ’67 with Nancy Biggs; Raese Simpson ’61; Dick Padberg ‘54

’09, David Turnbaugh ’89 (Chapter Pres.) and John Winkler ’85. Your scribe was out of town, so please ask your babes to forgive me for not including their names. On 9/11 we gathered with Air Force alumni @ Sybergs for a game watch. The food was good, the turnout was good, the noise was loud and the game was ^%*$#!! - you know the rest. Attending were: Mike Dunham ’70, Larry Hrt ’68, Alexa Maranhao ’09 and family, Larry Meyer ’67 with Nancy Biggs, Dick Padberg ’54 (SOPA), Josh Rich ’97, Raese Simpson ’6 and Dan Sullivan ’56.

Nebraska BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Jerry Hodge ’86, USN (Ret.) e: gerald.hodge@1986.usna.com

Omaha Chapter Pres: Ray Foran ’00 p: 402-312-4917; e: rwowseray@gmail.com Website: http://omaha.usnachapters.net/

Nevada Southern Nevada Chapter Pres: Corwin Karaffa ’77 e: cjkaraffa@gmail.com Sec’y: Glenn Truitt ‘97 e: glenn@idealbusinsspartners.com

Matt McCroary ’81; Josh Rich ’97

Raese V Simpson

124 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

BGO Area Coordinator: Andy Metroka e: METROKA@MT.NET

BGO Area Coordinator: Joe Holland ’03 e: joe.holland03@gmail.com

The Maranhao ’09 Clan with USNA classes 2039 and 2041

St Louis Chapter: A little warm, but great fellowship! - BEAT ARMY!

Montana

Website: http://southernnevada.usna chapters.net

Shipmates, The Chapter is under new leadership. The new leadership team spans five decades of alumni and they are committed to ensuring the chapter is able to provide value to alumni of all generations. We have started weekly football watch game parties at the HUDL brewery in downtown Las Vegas. See the picture from the recent Navy/Air Force football watch party at HUDL (jointly conducted with the local USAFA Alumni Association).

CHAPTER NEWS Alumni, Navy family and friends, USNA parents and others with an interest in the Naval Academy are welcome to join the Chapter at all Chapter functions. Call (315-6637490) or e-mail Bob Fegan to let us know if you plan to attend a function. Future Chapter activities will be addressed as they are planned. The Chapter’s website is a good source of current information. Southern Nevada Chapter: Navy v Air Force Watch party

Jeff and Christine Hoaglund at Navy-Marine Corps Memorial Stadium

There is a big weekend of events planned for Army-Navy. There will be an Army/Navy golf tournament on December 10th and then the big game watch party at HUDL on the 11th. Please keep your eyes on your inboxes and mailboxes for more info for the Army-Navy watch party and the golf tournament. Be sure to check our new chapter website and our Facebook group for the latest updates on upcoming events.

Our next scheduled Chapter meet-up is for the Navy-Notre Dame game on Saturday, November 6, also to be held at the Craft Republic in Albuquerque. For this and other Chapter news, please consult our web page at http://newmexico. usnachapters.com maintained by our webmaster Mike Blackledge ‘63. Joe McGuire ‘68 Chapter Secretary (505) 857-9679

New Jersey Pres: Patrick Hurley ’87 e: patrick.hurley@1987.usna.com BGO Area Coordinator: (North NJ) Marcy Abbate e: Abbate.Marcy.M@gmail.com BGO Area Coordinator: (South NJ) Martha Christinziano e: Christinziano.area114@gmail.com website: www.usnanj.org

New Mexico New Mexico Chapter Pres: John Scott Kraus ’73 2304 Madre Dr. NE, Albuquerque, NM 87112 h: 505-296-7409; c: 505-366-7457 e: skraus@aquilagroup.com; or jkraus2304@aol.com Sec’y: Joseph McGuire ’68 p: 505-857-9679; e sunnymack@msn.com Vice Pres: Dr. Doug Meints ’77 p: 505-888-6800 e: dmeintschiro@gmail.com NM Parents’ Club Pres: Ms. Karen Hanthorn-Rhodes e: KBHant@aol.com; p: 505-507-5543 Website: http://newmexico.usnachapters.com BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT David Swingle e: dswingle@newmexico.com

first date of a sanctioned Chapter social event in a commercial setting since the pandemic began in March, 2020. For the first time in 18 months, the Chapter could meet as it did with our USAFA counterparts at the Craft Republic in Albuquerque to view the annual football clash between our two great military academies. Although Navy came out on the short end of the stick, and pub patrons were reminded at the entrance to wear a mask unless seated at their table, just the ability to once again gather, watch, and cheer made the times feel near normal. Attending from the New Mexico Chapter were: Phyllis Rohr (‘55 Assoc) and daughter Cindy Rose, Hoppy Hopkins ‘59, Herb Richter ‘59, Janice & Casey Jones ‘60 and their guests daughter and son-in-law Celeste & Bill Cerutti, Olen D. Thompson ‘63, Joe McGuire ‘68, Ashby Albright (‘71 Assoc.) and husband William Sly, Tolly Toliver ‘71, Scott Kraus ‘73, Loren & Max Legg ‘74, and Doug Meints ‘77. Truth be told, the pressure of pent-up sea stories carried the day at the tables, overcoming the gloomy 23-3 Navy loss. Chapter Past President Christine Hoaglund ‘97 and her husband Jeff Hoaglund ‘94 attended the game in person in Annapolis. They were in town to honor Jeff’s 1994 rugby team which was inducted into the Naval Academy Athletics Hall of Fame on 10 September.

New York

New York Capital District Chapter Pres: Frank Hughes ’80 p: 518-432-9193; e: frankhughes2@yahoo.com Sec’y: Gordon Lattey 40 First St., Troy, NY 12180 p: 518-274-4989; e: ussslater@aol.com Website: http://capitaldistrictny.usna chapters.com BGO Area Coordinator: Jeff Hughes e: Jeffrey.M.Hughes1@gmail.com

Central New York Chapter Pres: Steve Erb ’68 e: steveerb@windstream.net Sec’y/Treas: Bob Fegan Jr. ’64 e: bobfegan64@gmail.com Website: CentralNY.usnachapters.com BGO Area Coordinator: Tom Ravener e: tom.ravener@gmail.com

Alumni, and Navy family and friends are encouraged to attend the weekly Wednesday lunch at 1200 at Clear Path for Veterans in Chittenango, NY. You can call (315-687-3300) to check if they are serving and to let them know if you will be attending a lunch.

Metro New York Chapter (NAANY) Pres: George O’Garro ’05 e: georgeogarro@gmail.com HotLine: 1-800-234-USNA (8732) Website: http://www.NAANY.org BGO Area Coordinator: Gardner Jackson e: ghjackson86@gmail.com

Western New York Chapter Pres: Dan Sullivan ’95 p: 585-410-1941; e: daniel.sullivan@savox.com Vice Pres: Pete Owen ’86 p: 949-702-2733; e: pfowen0302@gmail.com Website: http://westernny.usnachapters.net/ BGO Area Coordinator: Doug Peters ’73 e: douglastpeters@gmail.com

The Western New York Chapter is planning two Army-Navy game viewings for 11 December: one in the Rochester area and another in the Buffalo area. All USNA and USMA alumni will be welcome, and we’ll publish details here when they are set. The Western New York Chapter is delighted to welcome Dean Glick ’72 to the chapter! Dean just moved here from Pennsylvania. We welcome alumni to join at any time. Our next (virtual) chapter meeting will be 7 December. Please contact us as indicated below. Pres: Dan Sullivan ’95, 585- 410-1941; e: daniel.sullivan@ savox.com VP: Pete Owen ’86, 949-7012733; e: pfowen0302@gmail.com BGO Area Coordinator: Doug Peters ’73; e: douglas tpeters@gmail.com Beat Army! Pete

Saturday September 11, 2021 marked a new dawn. This was the NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 125

CHAPTER NEWS

North Carolina BGO Area Coordinator: Col. Kevin Hart ’75 (Ret.) p: 847-910-4502; e: kevinphart1@gmail.com

Cape Fear Chapter Pres: Ray Decker ’72 p: 703-939-0202; e: dax24@icloud.com Vice Pres: Paul Normand ’74 e: paulnormand@mac.com Sec’y/Treas: Steve Yandle ’75 e: sryusna75@gmail.com

Autumn has arrived in North Carolina in time for the kick-off of our Chapter activities – pandemic permitting. While some events may be outdoors, the Chapter leadership is assessing the feasibility of future meetings indoor or via ZOOM. Stay tuned. By the time members read this column, two significant events will have occurred. The 1st Annual Army-Navy Golf “Tea Fight” on 11 October will have been “won” by the Navy team after a hard-fought battle by the Black Knight and Zoomie foursomes. Gregg Hamelin ’72 and Hugh McWilliams ’72 have done a terrific job arranging this fun day but did they “ensure a “victory?” On 19 October, the Chapter held its annual Election of Officers. The results of both events will be posted in next Shipmate. FUTURE CHAPTER ACTIVITIES: 16 November: Lunch meeting at Cape Fear Country Club. Tentatively, RADM Ron Henderson, USN (Ret.) is slated to provide his Battle of Iwo Jima presentation. 11 December: Army – Navy Game Party. We will rally at 1430 with our WP friends at the Blue Surf Café – 414 Arborteum Drive, Wilmington, NC 28405. This nohost event should be fun. Please wear your Navy colors and nametags. Beat Army! March 2022: The 3rd Annual Dark Ages Dinner will be held at the Cape Fear Country Club to celebrate our common experience after the Christmas holidays. Another memorable evening of fine dining, good libations, and fun activities is planned to shake the wintry mood. The Chapter’s 2021 Calendar of Events is posted on our website: capefearnc.usnachapters.net.

COVID RESTRICTIONS PERMITTING: All local graduates, Blue & Gold Officers, and parents of midshipmen or graduates are invited to join the Chapter and participate in our a ctivities. Most lunch meetings are held on the second Tuesday of the month except when a quarterly BYCM (Bring Your Company Mug) social or other special event like our Army-Navy Game Party occurs. Chapter lunch meetings begin at 1145 and are held at the Cape Fear Country Club. All members planning to attend should contact Steve Yandle ’75 (sryusna75@gmail.com) at least 2 days before the meeting so we can coordinate meal count and service support with the Club staff. Cost is $20 cash at lunch. Go Navy!

Charlotte Chapter Pres: Christopher (Nix) M. Nickels ’91 e: CHRISNIX@AOL.COM Email: UsnaaaCharlotte@gmail.com Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/ usna-alumni-association-charlotte251965968210794/ Website: Charlotte.usnachapters.net LinkedIn Group: http://linkedin.com/groups/8344487

Eastern North Carolina Chapter Pres: Rob Skrotsky ’67 P.O. Box 847, New Bern, NC 28563 h: 252-514-0299 e: robert.skrotsky@1967.usna.com Vice Pres: Rick Kunkel ’67 p: 910-347-6251; e: rkunkel@ec.rr.com Sec’y: Tim Marvin ’59 P.O. Box 731, Kure Beach, NC 28449-0731 e: tmarvin738@charter.net Treas: Randy Bogle ’68 4308 Periwinkle Pl, New Bern, NC 28562 p: 252-631-3109; e: rbogle1968@gmail.com Website: http://easternnc.usnachapters.com

The members of the Eastern North Carolina Chapter of the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association held their annual Founders Day celebration on

126 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Eastern North Carolina Chapter:

26 September 2021, at the New Bern Golf and Country Club, New Bern, NC, starting at 1230. The event was in celebration the 176th anniversary of the founding of the Naval Academy and the 19th year of the chapter. Twenty-eight (28) members and guests were present. As Master of Ceremonies Rob Skrotsky ’67, the chapter president, called the meeting to order and welcomed the guests, including those associated with Jacksonville Public Safety. He noted that the senior class present was Tim Marvin ‘59; Anthony Mayes ‘16 represented the junior class. Attending were Anne Marvin, Pat and Andy Beck ‘66, Glenda and Tom Decker ’67, Patti and John Kieffer ’67, Ann and Rick Kunkel ’67, Chris Skrotsky, Joanie and Randy Bogle ’68, Sharon and Charlie Henke ’68, Debbie and Michael Metcalf ’68, Terry and Dave Hopkins ’83, Aaron Adams ’95, Mike Yesuna ’95 and Reiko Mayes. The chapter welcomed guests Anne and Joe Yannessa, Col, USMC (Ret), Fay and Chief Michael Yaniero. Rob proposed a round of toasts that were heartily passed around the room. Rick Kunkel ’67, our vice president, delivered a very moving invocation. When lunch was completed Rick introduced the guest speaker, Police Chief Michael Yaniero, who is also the Public Safety Director for the city of Jacksonville, NC. Chief Yaniero delivered a power point presentation and a very sobering discussion of policing issues, significant changes in processes and critical 911 and

police responses to mental health issues often associated with violent crime. By the end of the discussion it was obvious why he and his department have won national recognition for advancement in policing. The discussion was followed with many questions and extensive responses, particularly related to a community with a significant military presence, Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune. Rob presented a large yellow mum with blue and gold ribbons to the Marvin’s for Tim’s years of service as the chapter’s secretary. Everyone stood and joined in singing the Alma Mater, Navy Blue and Gold. The luncheon adjourned around 1500.

Chief Yaniero with Rick and Rob

North Carolina Triangle Chapter Pres: CAPT Steve Gillespie ’87, USN (Ret.) e: smgillespie44@gmail.com Sec’y: Chris Perrien ’74 e: ibmchris@mac.com National Chapter Trustee CDR George Lipscomb ’87, USN (Ret.) Website: www.usnatriangle.com

Greetings from the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina,

CHAPTER NEWS

Cincinnati Chapter

North Carolina Triangle Chapter

In late August 13 members of our Golf Squad led by Warren Schultz ’71 mustered at the Devil’s Ridge Golf Club in Apex, NC as graciously hosted by Jack Moody ’70. Chippers and Putters included: Chris Perrien‘’74, Warren Schultz ’71, Bill Lauglin ’81, Conrad Chin ’15, Marty Carpenter ’70, Jimmie Neale ’70, John Walls ’86, Eric Benson’71, Al Hails ’70, friends and family. The Squad’s next outing will be on 22 Oct at Pine Hollow Golf Club with a bramble format welcoming our friends from West Point and Colorado Springs. In early September, we were able to resume our Annual Family Picnic at the Durham Bulls Ball Park. 91 grads and family mustered in near-perfect weather with excellent seats where Bulls scored early and often, concluding with a fireworks show to make any Gunner’s Mate proud. Attendees included Dr. Alisha Malloy ’90, Matt Baker ’06, Grant Smith ’06, Dave ’80 & Jenifer Clement ’81, Bill Coleman ’95, Matt Cox ’08, Alex Dworjan ’10, Jason Mazonni ’10, Tarey Gettys ’97, Steve Gillespie ’87, George Lipscomb ’87, Mike Kapsch ’76, Andrew Faulkner ’10, Larry Kistler ’92, Gerard Lew ’60, Mike McGuire ’81, Matt Minor ’07, Chris Perrien ’74, Warren Schultz ’71, Sankey Blanton ’71, Bill Sena ’95, Mik Visgauss ’08, John Walls‘’86, Noah White‘’04, Pat ’09 & Lauren ’09 Wilson. Recognized for the 4th consecutive year as a Distinguished Chapter in the USNA AA network, our Triangle Chapter comprises 165+ active

members from eight decades of USNA classes, their families and a growing set of supporters (parents, friends, all-Navy veterans and families). To view the schedule of future events, please visit https://www. usnatriangle.com or follow us on Facebook: https://www.facebook. com/USNAAARTP/

Piedmont Triad Chapter

Cincinnati Chapter

Pres: Tom Cornejo ’00 e: thomas.cornejo@yahoo.com Sec’y: Josh Fogle ’03 e: foglejw@gmail.com

North Dakota Upper Midwest Chapter See Minnesota Send Shipmate input to: Nathan CW Smith ’98 e: nathancwsmith@outlook.com Blue & Gold Area Coordinator: Susan Canham p: (701) 226-2204 e: scanham2@gmail.com

Ohio

Cincinnati Chapter

the USNA Cincy Chapter finally reunited on 14 July 2021 for an evening of celebration and Salty Sea Stories.

Cincinnati/ Northern Kentucky Chapter Pres: Gaby Blocher ’98 p: 513-316-5903; e: Gabrielle.Bolton@gmail.com

Cleveland Chapter Pres: CAPT Fred W. Bergman ’75, USNR (Ret.) p: 440-570-3564; e: FWayBergman@aol.com

Vice Pres: Jennifer Yuchasz ‘98 e: jen.yuchasz@rhinestahl.com Chapter Sec’y and Shipmate Submissions: Jon-Michael Pollock ‘10 e: jonmichaelpollock@gmail.com

Sec’y: John Blackburn ’82 e: joblackburn@clevelandtrack.com BGO Area Coordinator: Doug Cabarle e: douglas.cabarle@bgo.usna.com

Bridge Watch

Website: http://www.usnacinci.org BGO Area Coordinator: Bryan Grubert e: bryan.grubert@gmail.com

Following nearly a full year of COVID-19 restrictions in Ohio,

served together during their 1972 WESTPAC deployment, both happened to attend that evening’s Happy Hour and reunite with a story and a drink after many years of service!!

Amongst the group, a rare reunion occurred between two shipmates who as fate would dictate had not seen each other in over 4 decades Rex Settlemoir and Fritz Blunt, who

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 127

CHAPTER NEWS Columbus Pres: CDR Tony Konecny ’79, USN (Ret.) e: adkonecny79@gmail.com Vice Pres: Ben Sandman '10 e: bensandman2@gmail.com Sec’y: Dave Goins ’84 e: dgoins84@gmail.com Treas: Jim Waddell ‘71 e: jbwaddell@columbus.rr.com Shipmate Contact: CDR Tony Konecny ’79, USN (Ret.) e: adkonecny79@gmail.com Chapter email: USNAAACbus@gmail.com Website: https://columbus_usnachapter.net/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/ groups/100549757152451/ Twitter: @USNAAACbus LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/ groups/12356597/ Instagram: USNAAACbus Parents’ Club President: Eric Forrest e: Ea4rest@gmail.com BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT D. Michael Crites ’70, USNR (Ret.) e: mcrites@dinsmore.com

Between the COVID surges, the Chapter gathered for Pub Night at Zaftig Brewing Company in Worthington on August 30. It was great to see old and new faces, sample fine craft beer, and enjoy cuisine from Stathis Greek Gyro & Grille food truck. Joining us were Doug Little ’68, Tom Gomia ’70, Wayne Hallenbeck ’71, Chuck Janes ’71, Dennis McElroy ’79, Tony Konecny ’79, Dave Goins ’84, Mark and Jan Andreas ’85, Todd Forney ’86,

Jim Welch ’86, and David and Laura Wells ’88. We were also honored to be joined by local active duty alumni RDML Kristen Fabry ’91, Commander, Defense Logistics Agency Land and Maritime and CDR John Mullen ’02, Executive Officer, Navy Talent Acquisition Group Ohio River Valley. Also in attendance were member of the Worthington American Legion Post 239 and Worthington VFW Post 2398. Dennis “Mac” McElroy ’79 has re-joined the Chapter. Dennis lives in Fredericktown and is President of Ver-Mac Industries. The Chapter officers and board members will continue to look for opportunities to gather to socialize and network in a safe environment. We will likely emphasize Pub Nights as they are easy to schedule and cancel (if necessary) depending on the curve of COVID cases. Here’s wishing you and yours a happy holiday season and COVIDminimized new year.

Oklahoma

Toledo Chapter

Treas: CDR Ted Scypinski ’90, USNR (Ret.) e: ted.scypinski@flir.com

Pres: CDR Meghan Michael ’97, USN (Ret.) e: meghanmichael@me.com BGO Area Coordinator: Mr. Arthur Wickerham e: artwickerham@gmail.com

Columbus Chapter: Caption for photo: Gathering for Pub Night are (L to R) Todd Forney ’86, Wayne Hallenbeck ’71, RDML Kristen Fabry ’91, Chuck Janes ’71, and Doug Little ’68, and Tony Konecny ’79.

128 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

BGO Area Coordinator: Jeff Stewart e:jeff.stewart@hpidc.com

Oklahoma City Chapter Pres: Jonathan Mason ’07 e: jrmason03@gmail.com

Tulsa Chapter Pres: Rocky Goins ’84 e: rockygoins@hotmail.com Vice Pres: Patrick Hamilton ’87 e: patrickhami@gmail.com Sec’y & Treas: Kasey (Cregge) Carradini ’84 e: kcarradini@hotmail.com Website: http://tulsa.usnachapters.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USNA-AlumniTulsa-Chapter-2202431113307009/

Oregon

Oregon and Southwest Washington Chapter Pres: CDR John Adams ’69, USNR (Ret.) e: john.adams@1969.usna.com

With Covid restrictions easing several informal groups are starting/ restarting several small group meetings. The Alumni living in Lake Oswego (33 alumni in this small 30k city) had their first in person happy hour in early August. Participants included Mike Carmichael ’69, Tim Myers ’64, Ed Huff ’67, Chris Carlson ’78, Todd Washburn ‘93 and Jim Kratchehvil ’71. Our annual picnic at Parker’s Landing Camas/Washougal Washington was cancelled due to COVID concerns. While we were disappointed to miss it we believe we made the correct decision. Lastly Mike Carmichael ’69, pictured below, represented the Academy, the Chapter and the great class of 1969 in participating in the Portland Century bike ride (103 miles 15.2mph) and the Salem Monster Cookie Metric Century (64 miles 16.4 mph).

Vice Pres: CDR Mike Carmichael ’69, USNR (Ret.) e: mikec@1969.usna.com

National Chapter Trustee LtCol. Doug Ballard ’74, USMCR (Ret.) e: Cassandra.alpha61@comcast.net BGO Area Coordinator: Capt. Jill Richards e: gillianac@comcast.net Website: oregon.usnachapters.net

The chapter held its second luncheon since March 2000 on September 8, at the Old Spaghetti Warehouse in Portland. It was great to get together even during the COVID surge. Present at the luncheon were: Mike Carmichael ‘69, John Adams ‘69, Doug Ballard ‘74, Tony Lash ’58 (VMI), Hod Wells ’59, George Schultz ’72, Jim Unger ’53, Dan Enloe ’79, Jake McMichael ’58, Mark Springer ’89, Bart DallaMura ’54 and his wife Janet, Frank Swientek ’66 and Tim Myers ’64. We also continued our weekly Zoom Happy Hours. Participants in July included Mike Carmichael ‘69, John Adams ‘69, Mark Cooskey ‘71, Doug Ballard ‘74, John Frerichs ‘50, David Lutes ‘63, Frank Swientek ‘66, Janette Sandberg ‘96, Tim Myers ’64, Jack Kohl ’65, Ted Scypinski ’90, Jill Richards ’94 and Matt Beasley ’04.

Pennsylvania Philadelphia Chapter Pres: Rob Bender ‘73 p: 267.625.3459 e: rbender@travismanion.com Sec’y: Nick Rygiel ’04 e: nick.ryg@gmail.com Website: http://philadelphia.usnachapters.net BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Tim Farrell ’76, USN (Ret.) e: tim.farrell@1976.usna.com

Pittsburgh Chapter Pres: Conor McKenzie ’06 e: cmckenzie@janney.com Website: Pittsburgh.usnachapters.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ usnaaapittsburgh/ BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT David Gates ’77, USN (Ret.) p: 724-632-6621; e: LJreese357@aol.com

Thanks to those of you who have been coming out to our happy hours

CHAPTER NEWS

Pittsburgh Chapter

and to the Air Force Watch Party. Please set a calendar reminder for the Army Navy Watch party on 12/11/2021 @ 1500. We’ve got space reserved at MAXX Restaurant in Warrendale. Please go to the Facebook page to RSVP. Hope to see you all there! Go Navy!

Susquehanna Valley Chapter

Recreational Vehicle

American Chapter Pres: Jack Parry ’67 e: eeusna67@aol.com

Sec’y: Pete Miller ‘76 e: pgmiller@bellsouth.net

Pres: Del Becker ’85 p: 717-537-5732; e: delbecker@gmail.com

Treas: Dale Gange ‘70 14518 Black Bear Rd Palm Beach Gardens, FL

Sec’y: Tim Farrell ‘76 e: Tim Farrell@1976.usna.com

Shipmate inputs to: ‘Nita Parry e: mauryplace@aol.com

Treas: Charlie Perkins ’71 e: CharlesPerkins71@gmail.com

Website: www.rv.usnachapters.net Facebook: USNA RV CHAPTER

Website: http://www.usnasvc.com BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Matt Chabal ’77 e: chabal@1977.usna.com

Guest columnist: Jack Parry ’67, RV chapter president.

At last! The RV Chapter is planning its return to NAS Key West Truman Annex Beach. At this writing, no Firsties have come forward for the ComeAround. Have no worries as the KW ComeAround will occur unless hurricanes or pestilence occurs to alter our access to Truman Annex Beach. The entire chapter board of directors is committed to keeping the Key West tradition of 20 years alive. 2022 will be the 21st occurrence of the Key West ComeAround. I will continue as the first point of contact for KW ComeAround reservations onto Truman Annex Beach during the ComeAround <eeusna67@aol.com>. 2022 ComeAround dates: Sunday February 6 – Monday, Feb 14, 2022. For dates either side the official ComeAround at other NAS Key West camping sites, direct contact with NAS KW MWR for those arrangements will be the responsibility of the member. Tom Wolfe ’70, chapter vice president, is maintaining an open channel of communications regarding security and access changes directed to all Navy installations for those members and guests who do not hold IDs authorized for access to NAS Key West facilities. He will continue to be the chapter point of contact between NAS Key West security and attendees to the ComeAround. Following confirmed reservations with me, all attendees not having access to MWR facilities will be connected with Tom for gaining access. To repeat, currently the ComeAround dates for Truman Annex Beach are Sunday, Feb 6 to Monday Feb 14, 2022. (The Super Bowl is scheduled for Sunday, Feb 13, 2022.) We are limited to 25 RVs on Truman Annex Beach. A wait list will be created if more than 25 members are interested. Members without RVs on Truman Annex are welcome to make lodging reservations and join in the chapter activities. It’s a great time to be in Key West. Again, please contact me directly for details and reservations at Truman Annex Beach, eeusna67@aol.com.

For the old timers to NAS Key West, there have been changes to reservations and space available at Sigsbee and Trumbo campgrounds Patti and Jay Williams ‘67 ventured down to Key West in August ‘21 to scope out MWR processes and facilities. Jay reports very strict adherence to MWR and NAS Key West directives. I suggest navymwrkeywest.com and read the Lodging/Campground information or downloading the app, NavyMWRKeyWest. Since this column is submitted to Shipmate in September, information may change by the time we begin our Winter wanderings towards Key West. Regardless, contact me with your interest in attending and we will communicate details individually to those on the list. See you in Margaritaville! And now, a warm welcome to more new members since the last column. Kevin and Eve-Lyn (Callahan) Krauss ’06 of Wilmington, NC; Tracy and Glenn Miller ’86 of Virginia Beach, VA; Katie and Mike Buckley ’04 of Chesapeake, VA; Marion and Ken Tevebaugh ’69 of Rock Hill, SC. Look forward to hearing from you very shortly if interested in Key West 2022. Jack

Rhode Island BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Stuart Craig ’86, USN (Ret.) e: sbcraig@1986.usna.com

Rhode Island Chapter Pres: Mike O’Sullivan ’73 p: 401-742-7091 e: michael.osullivan1973@gmail.com Sec’y: COL Paul Muller ’88, USMC (Ret.) p: 401-248-3405; e: usmctanker@cox.net

SHOP. CONNECT. ENJOY! Shop through our Amazon Partnership portal. usna.com/amazon

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 129

CHAPTER NEWS

South Carolina BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT A.J. Olsen e: Aljolsen_1920@yahoo.com

Central Savannah River Area (Aiken, SC; Augusta, GA; and surrounding areas) Pres: LtCol Dave Smith ’73, USMC (Ret.) e: dsmith708@atlanticbb.net Sec'y: Bob Van Buren ’63 e: bobjanvb@aol.com Website: http://csra.usnachapters.com

The CSRA Chapter held its 2021 -22 organizational meeting on 26 August at Bobby’s BBQ in Graniteville, SC. Members attending were: Wayne Rickman ’59; Bob Van Buren ’63; Jim Tisaranni ’64; Bill Bower ’65; Robert Scott ’68; Dave Smith ’73; Greg Hoffman ’75; and Brian Goldschmidt ’94. Members voted to retain the current Board of Directors for one year. Board members are: President: Dave Smith ’73 Vice President: Mike Martin ’67 Sec retary: Bob Van Buren ’63 Member at Large: Leroy Farr ’67 The members agreed on the following activities for the coming year: Navy-Air Force game watch party (11 September); Army-Navy game watch party with the local West Point alumni (11 December); End of the Dark Ages party (late February or early March); and a final meeting in May. Members also voted to sponsor a hole at the CSRA Wounded Warriors Tournament at Woodside Country Club on 20 September. Dave Smith briefed the members on current happenings in the Yard and at the Association. He had just returned from the Class of 2023 Commitment Night dinner. He was impressed with the comportment and spirit of the midshipmen he met. He also noted that construction of the new Alumni Center will begin soon, and that the center expected to be open to alumni during the fall of 2022. On 9/11, the following small but enthusiastic group met at Wild Wings Cafe in Aiken to view the Navy vs. Air Force game: Bob Van Buren ’63, Jim Tisaranni ’64 & his wife Cynthia & Dave Smith ’73.

Unfortunately, our enthusiasm wasn’t quite enough to help the Midshipmen squad to a win. Also, one of our most active members, the aforementioned Jim Tisaranni ’64, is teaching a course, “Submarines: Yesterday to Today” at U of SC Aiken on 4 consecutive Mondays, 9/13 - 10/4/2021. Chapter Secretary, Bob Van Buren ’63, is a participant in the class.

L to R: Jim Tisaranni ‘64; Bob Van Buren ‘63; Greg Hoffman ‘75; Dave Smith ‘73; Brian Goldschmidt ‘94; Bill Bill Bower ‘65; and Robert Scott ‘68.

Dave Smith ‘73 with 19th Company midshipmen at the Class of 2023 Commitment Night dinner

Dave Smith ’73 at Wounded Warrior Golf Tournament

Also attached is a photo of Chapter President Dave Smith ‘73 with the sign at the hole sponsored by the chapter for the annual Wounded Warrior golf tournament held on 20 September at the Woodside Golf Course in Aiken, SC. Dave was the only chapter member to participate in the tournament.

130 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Charleston Chapter

Low Country Chapter

Pres: CDR Rick Stein ’82, USNR (Ret.) 784 Preservation Pl., Mt. Pleasant, SC 29464 p: 843-856-6591; w: 843-557-7021 e: USNA_AA_Charleston@Comcast.net

Pres: Dave Igyarto '74 p: 770-419-0678 e: igyartodp@cloud.com

Website: www.RickSteinOnline.com

On Monday September 20, 2021, The Charleston Chapter held its Monthly Luncheon. Our Speaker was Charles Lent from the Charleston Ocean Racing Association, who spoke on the June 2021 Military Salute Regatta. In Attendance were: Max Hill ’51, Jim Flatley ’56, Jim Kenney ’58, Curt Holcomb ’61, John Nuernberger ’64, Jim Welsch ’67, Bernie Magdelain ’67, Chuck Meyer ’68, Mike Malone ’69, Al Olson ’72, Rik Dilgren ’72, Jim Beltz ’73, Michael Bosse ’74, Dave Shimp ’76, Denny Simon ’77, Dan Cloyd ’79, Chis Cechak ’82, Rick Stein ’82, Seamus Flatley ’83, Greg Shore ’84, Andrew McMarlin ’91, Matt Eck ’04 and Paul Mallory ’10. On Monday October 18, 2021, The Charleston Chapter held its Monthly Luncheon. Our Speaker was LCOL Andrew Johannes (USMA ’03), Charleston District and Commander, US Army Corp of Engineers. In attendance were: Max Hill ’51, Fuzzy Knight ’53, Jim Flatley ’56, Curt Holcomb ’61, Joe Gamboa ’62, John Nuernberger ’64, Ray Setser ’65, Bernie Magdelain ’67, Chuck Greer ’67, Jim Welsch ’67, Alan Burkhart ’67, Roger Pavadis ’67, Wayne Wilson ’67, Chuck Meyer ’68, Tom Gillespie ’69, Gary Maxwell ’69, Mike Malone ’69, Jim Beltz ’73, Michael Bosse ’74, Bill Konrad ’75, Joe Delpino ’75, Dave Shimp ’76, Denny Simon ’77, Rick Stein ’82, Seamus Flatley ’83, Jeff Gordon ’83, Greg Shore ’84, Andrew McMarlin ’91 and Paul Mallory ’10. The Charleston Chapter meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 12 Noon in Mount Pleasant. No reservation required.

Sec’y: Doug Ogden ’67 p: 843-838-0077; e: DouglassOgden@gmail.com Treas: John Scanlan '83 p: 843-342-2793 e: ping1@hargray.com

LOW COUNTRY CHAPTER QUARTERLY LUNCHEON FRANKIE BONES RESTAURANT BLUFFTON, SOUTH CAROLINA 13 OCTOBER 2021 On 13 October 2021, the South Carolina Low Country Chapter held our first Quarterly Luncheon open to Alumni in the area since the Pandemic began. The luncheon was held at Frankie Bone’s Restaurant in Bluffton, SC. The group was briefly called to order by President Dave Igyarto ‘74, who welcomed everyone and gave a few remarks as to how we are trying to grow as a Chapter, and this was followed by a wonderful lunch, introduction of those in attendance, and a general swapping of Sea Stories. The plan is to have these luncheons on a Quarterly basis and move them around the Chapter area so as to attract as many people as possible to at least one Chapter event. The following Alumni and guests were in attendance: George Stubbs ‘58, Tom and Carol Anderson ‘60, Stu Overton ‘64, Doug and Denise Ogden ‘67, Tom Cavanaugh ‘69, Jim Graham ‘74, Dave Igyarto ‘74, Barry Wilbur ‘77, Craig and Francis Wallington ‘80, Alan Mangan ‘83, and John Scanlan ‘83. Everyone enjoyed the gathering, and we look forward to the next one. We are continuing our series of ZOOM presentations by RADM, Ron Henderson, USN (Retired) concerning significant Naval events in World War II, and by the time this goes to press, the next one will have been held on 19 October regarding the Battle of Okinawa. Our next in-person event will be on 11 November 2021 when we continue our tradition of placing Naval Academy Flags on the grave sites of Alumni buried at the Beaufort National Cemetery, with lunch to follow at Bricks on Boundary, right

CHAPTER NEWS across the street. Finally, there will be a gathering to view the ArmyNavy game on 11 December at 1530 at the R Bar and Grill in Bluffton, SC. More information will be coming out about these events, and visitors can check the Low Country Chapter website for current information.

Knoxville-Oak Ridge Chapter Pres: Kristen Daniel ’02 e: kristenandwesley@gmail.com. Sec’y-Treas: CAPT Mark Kohring ’73, USNR (Ret.) e: mark_kohring@mac.com Website: http://k-or.usnachapters.net/ BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard Cataldi ’69, USN (Ret.) p: 865-966-4677; e: cdrcataldi@tds.net

Palmetto Chapter Pres: Jerry Pilewski ’97 e:palmettousna@usna.com

Memphis Chapter

Sec’y: Suzanne Hopper e: hoppermomx6@gmail.com

Pres: Henry W. Papa Jr. ’86 p: 907-244-7492; e: hankpapa@aol.com

Vice Pres: Mike Epprecht ’65 e: mike.epprecht65@gmail.com

BGO Area Coordinator: Drew Wyrick e: wyrick03@gmail.com

Treas: “Mac” Mclain ’69

South Carolina Midlands Chapter Pres: Craig Augenstein ’87 4847 Furman Ave., Columbia, SC 29206 p: 803-309-3060 e: Craigaugenstein@gmail.com Sec’y: Chuck Tebrich ’66 e: chuckteb@gmail.com Website: www.usnasc.org

South Dakota Send Shipmate input to: Nathan CW Smith ‘98 e: nathancwsmith@outlook.com BGO Area Coordinator: Sharon Holt ’00 p: 605-390-3430; e: holtsharonl@aol.com

Spain BGO Area Coordinator: Wes Trubeville e: bgoarea501coordinator@gmail.com

Nashville Chapter Pres: CDR John F. Ohlinger ’69, USN (Ret.) 880 Lakemont Dr., Nashville, TN 37220-2124 h: 615-370-1441; w: 615-594-7628 e: john.ohlinger@usna.1969.com

Texas

Alamo Chapter Pres: CAPT Ron A. Sandoval ’81, USN 18010 Keystone Blf., San Antonio, TX 78258-3436

Pres: Michael Carsley ’88 e: michael.carsley@eu.navy.mil

BGO Area Coordinator: Dave Driskell ’63 p: 210-275-4011; e: daved@frand.com

Sec’y: Dustin Cunningham

Tennessee Chattanooga Chapter

Pres: Richard “Scott” Jones ’00 9935 Penneywood La., Ooltewah, TN 37363 p: 804-363-3589; e: rsjones23@hotmail.com BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard Cataldi ’69, USN (Ret.) p: 865-966-4677; e: cdrcataldi@tds.net

Full Crew at Cong Carter Academy Day: BGO LT Hendrick (13), Marcia Etie Deputy AC area 317, BGO Guynn (’14), BGO Chris Swindull (’94), BGO Barry Stark (’73) from area 317) and Lt Leonard.

Please send Shipmate Submissions and all correspondences to: Sec’y: Dave Driskell ’63 P.O. Box 461564, San Antonio, TX 78246-1564 e: info@alamogoats.org Website: http://www.alamo.usnachapters.com Facebook: Alamo Chapter NAAA

Treas: Cassidy Masey ’06 e: cassidy.a.massey@gmail.com

LT Leonard addressing Round Rock MCJROTC

BGO Area Coordinator: Thomas Forsythe ’79 e: tom_forsythe@kyzen.com

Rota Chapter Vice Pres: Ryan Eilerman

Corky Guenter ’61, Anne and Jim Kiehle ’62 in a happier moment at AFA game.

SEPTEMBER 29, 2021 Sad to report the passing of one of our shipmates in the Alamo Chapter. Charles Culwell ’49 passed away August 19. Charles was a strong supporter of the Chapter since 2007 when he and his wife Virginia relocated to San Antonio. In accordance with Chapter policy, we will be making a donation in his name to the charity of his choice. Our football team continues to falter. We joined with the Zoomies for a game watching party and we enjoyed commiserating amongst ourselves while they sang their fight song. Our woes continued with the Houston game but at least we covered the spread.

BGO LTs Hendrick and Guynn addressing MCJROTC student.

On a brighter note from the Blue and Gold cohort, several of our BGOs attended a Congressional Academy Day in Round Rock. This is a fairly large affair sponsored by Congressman Carter but participated by both state Senators and several area Congressmen. We received the following note from MS Cheryl Hassmann, Cong Carter’s academy liaison:

M “Dear Academy Friends, Wow! We did it again. Thank you for another successful Central Texas Academy Forum. The technical staff at Cedar Ridge tells me they counted 400 attendees on Saturday, including presenters. Your efforts have made a difference in the consideration of many youngsters thinking about military service and/or the academy. I know you heard all of the complementary feedback that I did. Many, many thanks.” I am including several pictures of our team and a special BZ to BGO Chris Swindull ’94 from the Austin area who pulled it all together and organized the other participants. Assisting with the presentation were BGOs Barry Stark ’73 and Marcia Etie Deputy AC both from Arlington. (Cong Carter’s district includes the area from Arlington/FT Worth south to Round Rock). Also assisting were LT Brittiany Leonard (Texas Field Diversity Rep from Houston), BGO LTs Marissa Guynn ’14 and Blake Hendrick ‘13. Lt Guynn deserves a special BZ as well by participating in a panel of service academy admissions representatives fielding questions from the audience. By the time you read this we will have participated in the Tri-Service golf tournament. The only hard scheduled meeting so far is the Army-NAVY game in December. Respectfully Submitted Dave Driskell ‘63 Secretary, Alamo Chapter NAAA P: 210-275-4011

Austin Chapter Pres: Brad Holbrook ’06 p: 410-718-8839; e: bradley.holbrook@gmail.com Treas: Kevin Windbigler ’86 p: 512-923-5010; e: hans2886@austin.rr.com Shipmate Contact: CDR Don McAlister ’63, USNR (Ret.) p: 512-365-7068; e: don.mcalister@austin.rr.com Website: Austin.usnachapters.com BGO Area Coordinator: Dave Driskell ’63 p: 210-275-4011; e: daved@frand.com

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 131

CHAPTER NEWS Texas Gulf Coast Chapter Pres: Bill Pritchett ’01 Vice Pres: Jordan Mack ‘08 Sec’y: John Augusto ’02 e: m020234@2002.usna.com Treas: Rich Bulger ’69 e: rlbulger69@gmail.com Website: txgulfcoast.usnachapters.net Facebook: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USNAAATxGC/ Email: txgulfcoast.usnachapters@gmail.com

current midshipmen, and, hopefully, some future midshipmen. We appreciated how much time the National Chapter, Athletic Director Chet Gladchuk, Commandant of Midshipmen Colonel McDonough, the Navy Cheerleaders, and Bill the Goat spent with us.

BGO Area Coodinator: Rick Mawdsley e: ramawdsley@gmail.com

North Texas Chapter: Clif presenting, to Bryan Rigg a Blue Rim t-shirt

The score could have been better, but the Navy vs. University of Houston game was a fun time for our chapter. We had a great happy hour and dinner the night before and a tailgate the day of the game. We don’t have the space to thank everyone who helped personally, but we need to recognize that none of it would have been possible without the help of our Parent’s Club. We also owe a big thanks for the contributions made by El Tiempo Cantina, Eureka Heights, ALF Technical Services, USAA, and Robert Leyba. It was wonderful to enjoy some great food and drinks with Alumni of all generations and their families,

Chapter President Bill Pritchett ’01, Chris Cassidy ’93, Craig Washington ‘89

By the time this prints, we will still have a few more football game viewings, monthly luncheons, and

North Texas Chapter: Attendees watching Bryan Rigg’s presentation

North Texas Chapter Pres: Clif Colbert ‘09 e: pres@usnaaa-ntx.com Sec’y: Frankie Delgado ’95 e: secy@usnaaa-ntx.com Website: www.usnaaa-ntx.com BGO Area Coordinator: Tom Eschenbrenner p: 972 740 4060 e: eschenbrenner@gmail.com

Greetings from North Texas! We have lots of current and future activities we are excited to report. In August our Alumni lunch featured Marine and author Bryan Rigg. Bryan discussed his new book Flamethrower. The book and Bryan’s presentation focused on Iwo Jima Medal of Honor recipient Woody Williams’ controversial award, Japan’s Holocaust and the Pacific War. Bryan concluded his presentation by reading Battle of Iwo Jima Chaplain, Rabbi Gittelsohn’s timeless and emotional sermon. We had a full house on what was truly an educational and interesting lunch.

At the September breakfast, those in attendance were treated to Dave Miller ‘65 providing his highly anticipated Navy football prognostication for the 2021 season. Dave showed the highest ideals of a Naval Officer when he didn’t adjust his prediction to account for the bumpy start of the 2021 season. We are all confident Dave’s predictions for Navy victories will hold true! Just in time for the Marine Corps Birthday! In November we will be hosting the USNA Glee Club for a very special Veteran’s Day Dining Out. We hope you can join us on 11 Nov for what promises to be a tremendous evening of celebrating selfless service to our nation. In December we look to have another motivating Army-Navy Game watch party! We hope you will join us at the dining out, the watch party or one of our many events. See the NTX Alumni page for details and reservations. Semper Fidelis-LIVE IT!

Texas Gulf Coast Chapter: An island of blue in a sea of red

Texas Gulf Coast Chapter

132 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

CHAPTER NEWS other events before the end of the year. Make sure to sign up for our Intermountain Alumni Chapter newsletters and check out our website (http://txgulfcoast_usnachapters. Pres. Robert Allen ’67 e: ba@robertallen.org net/), Facebook, and LinkedIn pages Vice Pres. Ryam Merrell ’00 often to find out more about upcom- e: ryanmerrell@yahoo.com ing events. We hope to see you soon. Treas. Mike Hester ’69 Go Navy! Beat Everybody! e: mikehester46@gmail.com

Utah

Sec'y Tabeetha Moesinger ’91 e: tabeetha@gmail.com

United Kingdom BGO Area Coordinator: Wes Turbeville ’01 e: bgoarea501coordinator@gmail.com

United Kingdom Chapter Pres: Tim Fox ’97 e: timfox97@hotmail.com Vice Pres: Cody Nissen ’11 e: cnissen.mba2018@london.edu Sec’y: Lisa Aszklar Wife, Henry ’81 e: lisa.aszklar@gmail.com Board of Directors: Tony Cox ’89 e: tony.cox@gboutdoorfires.co.uk Chris Robinson ’98 email: naples98@gmail.com

Greetings from the UK Chapter of the USNA Alumni Association! At this writing, almost 45 million UK residents (in very round numbers, about 2/3 of the population) have received two doses of the vaccine, and life is probably closer to normal than it has been in more than a year. This is great news for us as we plan our 2021 Army-Navy Game Watch! The Game will be played this year on 11 December at MetLife Stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey, and the UK Chapter will meet, as it has in years past, at Passyunk Avenue (home of Navy sports on this side of the Atlantic), located on Cleveland Street in the Fitzrovia section of London. All alum, friends, and families are invited to attend. Please email UK Chapter president Tim Fox ’97 at timfox97@hotmail.com so we can get an accurate headcount ahead of Game Day. And as always, BEAT ARMY!

BGO Area Coordinator: Darrin Briggs ’03 e: Darrin.Briggs@gmail.com

Virginia Central Virginia Chapter Pre: Bill Murray ’83 e: whmurray34@gmail.com Vice Pres: Ty Schieber ’87 e: ty.schieber@gmail.com Sec’y: Ed Borger ’80 e: ed.borger@honeywell.com Treas: Steve Hill ’74 e: swhill74@cstone.net BGO Area Coordinator: Don Aldridge e: n774pk@gmail.com

On Wednesday October 13th, the Central Virginia Chapter celebrated the US Navy’s 246th Birthday at Glenmore Country Club, joined by the West Point Society of Monticello, Air Force Academy alumni, and other veterans and friends, for the annual Fall All-Services Golf Classic. Captain’s Choice Format ensured that the 31 participants pictured quickly overcame errant efforts. It was a foggy morning - Army apparently redeploying their field tactic from our 2020 football contest at Michie Stadium. Early on, amazing drives soared well past 150 yards before disappearing into the mist, resulting in lost balls. Alas, after three holes

the sun burned through to finish a glorious day on the links. NAVY’S team consisted of Tom Otterbein ’70, CB Morgan ’83, Bill Murray ’83, Mark Goodwin ’88, Patrick Hamilton ’10, Scott Montgomery ’00, and Steve Bernstein USMC; ROTC team CAPT Kevin Kennedy USN, CDR Pat Funk USN, Capt Michael Downing USMC; and friend of the Naval Services Jim Montgomery. It was a beautiful day with great weather and course conditions. The Navy/Marine Corps team captured two of the TOP 3 prizes, with 38s for (Otterbein/Funk), and (Murray/ Morgan). Army took first with a 44 by MCrombie and son. We used Stableford scoring for this tournament (4 points for eagle, 3 for birdie, 2 for par and 1 for bogey). Army took 3 of the 4 Closest To The Pin winners, but Navy Scott Montgomery ’00 stuck it within 4 feet on hole #11. GO NAVY! CB Morgan ’83

Shorebreak Pizza in Virginia Beach. It is fair to say how the Blue & Gold will fare for the rest of the year is very much up in the air, but that notwithstanding, Chapter Events Chair Al Ponessa ’68 and his planning team have been working toward a big end-of-season bash by gearing up for our annual ArmyNavy Party at Shorebreak on 11 December. This is an event not to be missed because except for 2020, we have literally packed the house on that game day! Information about live and virtual events for that always hard-fought and spirited contest have been promulgated on the Chapter website.

Hampton Roads Chapter Pres: Renee Reedy ‘81 e: reedy81@usnahamptonroads.com h: 757-312-8969; w: 757-328-0030 Website: www.usnahamptonroads.com Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ USNAHamptonRoads BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR David Lannetti ’81, USN (Ret.) p: 757-423-8602; e: dlannetti81@gmail.com

Although the first several games have been less than satisfying and often not fun to watch, football season is upon us, and the Hampton Roads Navy faithful have once again gathered to watch the games at

On 19 September Chapter President Renee Reedy ‘81 organized a first-ever event for us – a kayaking adventure! False Cape State Park volunteers guided 16 Chapter members and guests through lush maritime flora and fauna in wildlife-filled Back Bay in Virginia Beach. Surprisingly, no one turned over a kayak or even got wet, and the after-action report included unconfirmed sightings of bald eagles, egrets, great blue herons, cormorants, a variety of songbirds, and even a curious river otter or two. It would

Central Virginia Chapter: Central Virginia All Services Golfers

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 133

CHAPTER NEWS HAMPTON ROADS CHAPTER

Alumni Business Development Group Thriving in Hampton Roads Over 30 years ago the Hampton Roads Chapter’s popular and successful Networking Breakfast was started as a venue for local alumni transitioning from active duty to post-military life to seek advice and explore employment opportunities. However, in the mid-2000’s Dave Paddock ’77 and Veronica Rogers ’87 surfaced the idea of a complementary “offshoot” group focused on communication and interaction among alumni-owned businesses. From that idea the Hampton Roads Chapter Business Owners Networking Meeting was launched as an “alumni-only” group with an important secondary goal of recruiting new Chapter members. In 2009, Travis Jones ’02 and Tony Mazzeo ’88 joined the group’s planning and management efforts. Over time the group transitioned to its current moniker of Hampton Roads Chapter Business Development (BizDev) Group, conducting regularly scheduled monthly meetings that leveraged the inherent trust and commonalities of shared values and service academy backgrounds; developed awareness of alumni businesses; and promoted opportunities to mutually support each other through referrals, business-tobusiness arrangements, and strategic teaming opportunities. Today, the BizDev Group brings together USNA and other service academy alumni as well as Associate Chapter Members and guests to enable and encourage connections and networking that might help others grow their businesses. More recent initiatives include highlighting and promoting member-supported philanthropic and non-profit organizations. In April 2017, after transitioning from an office venue to a “breakfast meeting” format at local restaurants the group found pairing early morning coffee with hearty breakfast options increased participation. Pre-pandemic in-person gatherings have evolved into combined in-person and virtual meetings at which attendees have two to three minutes to describe the nature of their business and highlight connections that could be helpful to them and others. The group’s current leader and moderator is Rob Hanckel ’78, ably supported by scribe Frank Hunt ’78, Hampton Roads BizDev Group Happy Hour Attendees non-profit coordinator Vince Bowhers ’85, and several other volunteers. Attendee “asks” are uploaded to the Chapter website (usnahamptonroads.com/business-forum) for the review and reference of all members and other interested individuals. For those who are not early risers, and to provide relaxed networking opportunities, the BizDev Group also conducts periodic Happy Hours at various locations. These events have also provided a platform for some members involved in non-profits to educate the group about their activities. This growing group happily invites in-person or virtual participation by anyone interested in becoming involved in promoting member-supported businesses and non-proﬁts in Hampton Roads. Current and upcoming BizDev Group events can be found at usnahamptonroads.com/events. seem a good bet that we will be scheduling more kayak trips in the future! Our Networking Breakfasts kicked off again on 22 September when Dave Duffie ’75 spoke to us about the Armed Services YMCA (ASYMCA) and the terrific programs and support it provides for enlisted military personnel and their families.

Most of the attendees readily admitted they knew very little about the ASYMCA, so Dave’s presentation was truly enlightening. As this issue of Shipmate went to print, we had not yet lined up speakers for October and November, but on 15 December our scheduled breakfast speaker is Steve Cade ’85, the Executive Director at Military Sealift Command.

134 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

We plan to schedule some other post-football events throughout the Dark Ages and the winter, including our annual Dark Ages Happy Hour and a Norfolk Admirals hockey game – dates TBD. To get all the latest news, please check our website, LinkedIn, and our Facebook page for information on future Chapter initiatives and events, as well as USNA news and updates. Dick Enderly ‘71

Quantico Area Chapter Pres: John Keenan '81 theskinans@gmail.com Vice-President: Dan Morio '91 dan@gonavytravel.com Treas: Ron Diefenbach '00 QACUSNAAAtreasurer@yahoo.com Sec'y: Nancy Springer '87 nancy.a.springer.nancy@aol.com BGO Area Coordinator: Jim Ripley '74 james.m.ripley@gmail.com Website: http://quantico.usnachapters.net

In August, 16 Quantico Area Chapter (QAC) members gathered on Zoom for the latest iteration of our Breakfast Speaker Series featuring Martin Culbreth ’90, former Special Agent in Charge, Norfolk, VA FBI Field Office. After President John Keenan completed the normal meeting opening protocols, Mr. Culbreth shared a detailed autobiography, interspersed with relevant anecdotes from his 27-year FBI career. Over the years, he traveled extensively as a technical countermeasures officer, including multiple deployments to Iraq, Afghanistan, and Yemen. He also conveyed the major points of a few high visibility operations, including interviewing then-President Clinton and suspected (later convicted) spy Robert Hanssen. On 3 September, QAC returned to The Holiday Inn Express in

Quantico Area Chapter: Back Together Again! QAC Sep Breakfast Speaker Series Meeting

CHAPTER NEWS Point Richmond Alumni Association. Naturally, Navy bested Army in turnout and spirit for the game. On 9/11, the chapter kicked off the football season with the Air Force game at Park Lane Tavern hosted by our esteemed chapter VP Jeff Brown ‘84. The facility was a perfect setting for the chapter event and will be a great location for the remaining football games.

Shenandoah Valley Chapter Pres: David McLellan ’73 p: 540-722-2060; e: dcmclmd@earthlink.net Sec’y: LCDR Grayson Redford ’63, USN (Ret.) p: 540-662-6142 BGO Area Coordinator: James Ripley e: James.M.Ripley@gmail.com

Virginia Peninsula Chapter (formerly the Williamsburg Chapter) Pres: Ben Francisco ’73 p: 757-784-0786 e: roger.benton.francisco@gmail.com Vice Pres: Kathleen Jabs ’88 e: kjabs@aol.com BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR David Lannetti ’81, USN (Ret.) p: 757-423-8602; e: dlannetti81@gmail.com

Quantico Area Chapter August Breakfast Speaker Series Zoom Meeting

Dumfries, VA, after an 18-month absence, for a hybrid Chapter Breakfast Speaker Series event. Fifteen Chapter Members attended in person while other Chapter Members joined the event on Zoom. Since 18 September is the 74th birthday of the US Air Force, the Chapter appropriately invited an Air Force-commissioned alumnus as our guest. Col Rob Shepherd ’87, USAFR (Ret.) USNA is one of seven Class of ’87 graduates commissioned in the Air Force. Basing his comments on the theme “Lessons I didn’t know I needed to learn,” Col Shepherd spoke about his reasons for pursuing an Air Force commission, bridging the cultural gap between the Services, effectively leading in unfamiliar environments, and describing how his Air Force experiences inform his current career as a Southwest Airlines Captain. Col Shepherd served in the Air Force for 25 years primarily as a transport pilot, flying the C130, C17 and C5, before retiring and pursuing a civilian aviation career. He held three command positions over the years including a squadron that transitioned from the C-5 to the C-17 under his command and a C130 wing that included more than 1300 members. Upcoming events include the October and November breakfasts that will double as the Chapter’s Navy and Marine Corps Birthday celebrations, respectively. In December, we plan to host our 5th Annual Army-Navy Football Watch Party at The Basic School. Quantico Area Chapter Calendar has the latest information.

Richmond Chapter

Website: vapeninsula.usnachapters.net

Pres: Michael Metzger ’89 e: michael.metzger@1989.usna.com Sec’y: Matt Laser ’97 e: lasermatthew@gmail.com Website: http://richmond.usnachapters.net BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR David Lannetti ’81, USN (Ret.) p: 757-423-8602; e: dlannetti81@gmail.com

It is hard to believe that when this Shipmate issue comes out another Army-Navy game will be upon us. It feels like summer just began. With that, the Richmond chapter had an active summer. Rob Waltenbaugh ’74 made the long trek to Annapolis to observe the class of ’24 sea trials event. Rob is the lead for ‘74s Another Link in the Chain group for the class of ’24 and will keep in touch with the local Mids and their parents. Rob described his dip in the Severn as akin to the modern-day fountain of youth. In August, many chapter members and their families enjoyed a Richmond Flying Squirrels baseball game with members of the Army West

“n spite of the score chapter members enjoyed camaraderie while watching the Air Force game at Park Lane Tavern.

The chapter has an exciting Fall planned with additional football games, our traditional fall luncheon, and another joint USMA event for the Army-Navy game.

On August 5th Al Whitaker ’60 gave us a tour of our local AleWerks Brewing Company in Williamsburg, Virginia. He gave the history of the brewery which began in 2006. He explained that he initially became involved helping them with various tasks and then decided to invest in their business. Al took us on a tour and showed us the expansion that

Richmond Chapter: Rob Waltenbaugh ’74 celebrating completion of sea trials with members of the Class of ’24. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 135

CHAPTER NEWS they completed recently. Of course, following the tour most of us stayed and sampled beer and ate food from an excellent local food truck “FoodAtude.”

Al Whitaker ’60 at AleWerks Brewing Company

Congresswoman Elaine Luria ’97 (current USNA Board of Visitors) joined us at the County Grill and Smokehouse for her annual meeting with the Peninsula Alumni on September 9. U.S. Rep. Elaine Luria represents Virginia’s Second Congressional District which includes the Virginia Peninsula, Norfolk, Virginia Beach and the Virginia Eastern Shore. Prior to her election in 2018 Rep. Luria served 20 years in the Navy, retiring at the rank of Commander. She served at sea on six ships as a nuclear-trained Surface Warfare Officer, deploying to the Middle East and Western Pacific. She was one of the first women in the Navy’s nuclear power program and among the first women to serve the entirety of her career in combatant ships. She is a member of the House Armed Services Committee and the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs, leads the House Veterans’ Affairs Subcommittee on Disability Assistance and Memorial Affairs, and is Vice Chair of the House Armed Services Subcommittee on Seapower and Projection Forces. Rep. Luria’s discussion focused on the future of US Seapower, the budget process and status of new programs at the Naval Academy.

Puget Sound Chapter: PSC gallery of the September Speaker series with BGEN Ty Seidule USA (Ret.)

Congresswoman Elaine Luria ’97 at Virginia Peninsula Alumni luncheon

Washington

Puget Sound Chapter: BGEN Ty Seidule USA (Ret.)

BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Michelle Vrbas e: mjvrbas@gmail.com

Puget Sound Chapter

Hanford/Tri-Cities Chapter Pres: CAPT Edward Schwier ’69, USN (Ret.) 1196 Brentwood Ave., Richland, WA 99352-8540 h: 509-627-7288; w: 509-372-0176 e: Edward_G_Ed_Schwier@rl.gov; eschwier@charter.net; egschwier@aol.com Website: http://hanford.usnachapters.com

136 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Pres: Linda Postenrieder ’82 e: usnaaa.psc@gmail.com Corr Sec’y: Chris Bajuk ’04 e: chrisbajuk@gmail.com Website: http://pugetsound.usnachapters.net

We had several small gatherings for the Navy/AF game. Good to have other alumni to support us when the team is struggling. Hopefully, by the time this makes Shipmate, the football team has seen some success.

The PSC Speaker Series continues to be hit among our members. In September, Todd Nichols ’72 arranged for BGEN Ty Seidule USA (Ret.) to be our speaker and discuss his wellknown book, “Robert E. Lee and Me”. Ty served as the head of the West Point History Department and is an appointed member of the Defense Department’s National Commission on Base Renaming. His most important comment was that the

CHAPTER NEWS Commission leader, ADM Michelle Howard ’82, USN (Ret.), is the best leader he has ever worked for. No surprise to me, BZ classmate! We invited the West Point Association of Graduates of Washington state to join us. I was glad we out-numbered the WPs. This was fascinating to hear how his journey led him to write a book about the need for change in how we look at the Civil War (and those who fought in it), the progression of the integration of the US military and the need to rename bases. So many West Pointers left USMA to become part of the Confederate Army. One very interesting point was that the oath we all took at least once which includes “I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic” was put into place in 1864. The domestic enemies were, at the time, those fighting against the United States of America. I encourage all to seek out his book and consider his perspective. In October PSC was grateful for the invitation from NAMA to join their speaker event: Hispanic Heritage Month Speaker- Patricia “Patty” Stoll ’96. If you are interested in joining our Speaker Series, you can join PSC at https://pugetsound.usna chapters.net/join-or-renew/. Some Puget Sound Area alumni may not get our emails. Alumni interested in tickets to the following December events are asked to contact Linda Postenrieder ’82 if you do not already have tickets. 1. Army/Navy football watch party on December 11, 2021 at the Family Fun Center in Tukwilup. Tickets required. 2. All Academy Ball on December 27, 2021 at the Museum of Flight in Seattle. Tickets required. Beat Army!

Greater Washington DC Chapter:

Washington, DC Area Greater Washington Chapter: Pres: Luis Martinez ’01 e: president@usnagwc.org Vice Pres: Anthony Calandra '88 e: vicepresident@usnagwc.org Sec’y: Crysta Gonzalez '18 e: secretary@usnagwc.org Treas: Jennifer Shaar '92 e: treasurer@usnagwc.org Outreach & Engagement: Heidi Lenzini '95 e: outreach@usnagwc.org Diversity & Inclusion: Alberto Ramos '10 e: diversity@usnagwc.org Trustee: Fred Latrash '87 e: trustee@usnagwc.org Website: www.usnagwc.org BGO Area Coordinator: Pat Seals e: pseals@ymail.com

FIRST NETWORKING SOCIAL OF THE YEAR On September 22nd, we were honored to host US Congressman Jake Ellzey ’92 (TX-6), USNA, as our Special Guest for a reboot networking social. Congressman Ellzey’s message to us: Our country needs its veterans now more than ever. If you are even considering running for office, do it! We had an excellent attendance from several decades - from ’67 to ’17! There was no cost to attend, thanks to the generous sponsorship of Qlik. The chapter would like to thank Jared Payne ’98, with Qlik, for making the support possible. If you are interested in sponsoring an event, then reach out to us at contactus@usnagwc.org.

CAREER TRANSITION We are coordinating a significant Career Fair with WPSDC for December of this year. Visit our website to learn more - usnagwc.org. PROFESSIONAL EVENTS Policy Series. On September 21st, CAPT Jill Rough ’96 hosted our first policy series of the year. The attendees discussed the Global War on Terrorism (GWOT) impact on the US military and its personnel. We want to thank our panelists: RADM Mike Manzanir ’81 (Ret.), CDR Nathaniel Bailey ’98 and Maj Christy McCutchan ’01 (Ret.)

SOCIAL EVENTS Family Hockey Night! Do you love hockey? Never been to a hockey game but always wanted to? Well then! Join us to watch the Washington Capitals take on the Ottawa Senators in Capital Arena on Saturday, January 22nd, 2022, at 7 pm. Ticket prices are $70 for members and $80 for non-members. This event is the first of our sport series. It’s an excellent opportunity to bring your family to enjoy time with your USNA family. The chapter is working on similar events with the other DC professional sports teams (i.e., soccer, baseball, NBA, WNBA, etc.) Visit the event page on our website and register at – usnagwc.org. We have received a lot of interest in ordering the USNA AA GWC bike jersey. Kate Murray ‘00 did a great job designing the jersey, and it shows. Visit our site for details to order yours today! USNA SUPPORT We hosted our first candidate event and will have details in the next issue of Shipmate.

Wisconsin BGO Area Coordinator: James Coulson e: navyair@sbcglobal.net

Wisconsin Chapter Pres: Timothy Mahoney ’10 e: mahoney@2010.usna.com At Large: Chris Adams ’75 p: 414-553-0982 Website: http://wisconsin.usnachapters.net/ WISNAPA Co Presidents: Andy and Laura Kittleson e: kittleson5@yahoo.com Website: http://wisconsin.usnaparents.net/ BGO Coordinator: CAPT James Coulson ’77, USN (Ret.) e: Navyair@sbcglobal.net

The United States Naval Academy Alumni Association Wisconsin Chapter is pleased to announce that Ensign Ryan John Chapman ’21 of Holman, Wisconsin has earned the Class of 2021’s esteemed CDR William B. Cushing award! The award is presented to the Midshipman from Wisconsin who earned the highest class rank

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 137

CHAPTER NEWS following the Fall Semester of First Class year, through disciplined study and by volunteering for the absolute toughest leadership positions available, in the tradition of heroism and coolness under fire of Wisconsin native CDR Cushing. The award carries with it a Flag Letter of Commendation (LOC) signed and personally delivered by Wisconsin’s senior officer, VADM Dirk Debbink, as well as an appropriate symbol of Wisconsin’s Alumni respect: an engraved uniform sword.

Flag LOC highlights: As a Midshipman, Chapman maintained a 4.0 cumulative grade point average in Quantitative Economics, and ranked near the top

of his class of 1115 classmates. He was a four-year member of the Academy’s Special Operations Team, and served as vice president of the team during his First Class Year; directing the performance and volunteer activities of 65 team members. He earned Army Airborne and Air Assault qualifications. He served most recently as Brigade Commander where he led all 4483 Midshipmen during a transformational semester to emerge from the COVID pandemic operational and administrative restrictions. He was selected for the FitzGerald Scholarship to continue his education at the University of Oxford next year. Ryan’s stalwart character will serve him well during his chosen career as a Special Operations (SEAL) Officer. The award ceremony was conducted on the 22 June 2021 at the Nashotah, WI Headquarters of MSI General, near La Crosse, Wisconsin. Ensign Chapman’s parents, Sandra and John Chapman, were able to attend and participate in the ceremony. Congratulations to the entire Chapman family for this joint achievement and thank you to

Wisconsin Chapter: “Ma Blair’s Boys:” D.T. McMoore (American Samoa), Rob Grasse, Brandon Lee and Tim Rauh

VADM Debbink for his sponsorship of the Cushing Prize.

VADM Dirk Debbink, ENS Ryan Chapman, John and Sandy Chapman

Wisconsin’s alumni are proud to inform the faithful that the Naval

Academy family is intact and shall be resilient well into the future. CDR Rob Grasse ’88 recently visited the Naval Academy for his sponsor father, MU1 Dennis Blair’s memorial service at the USNA Chapel, and was thrilled to make contact with two Wisconsin plebes in the Class of ’25 from Brookfield, WI: Timothy Rauh and Brandon Lee. Rob is honored that these two men will be watched-over and mentored for their four years by the Bay by Rob’s sponsor Mom, Mrs. Martha Blair.

SHARED INTEREST GROUPS NAMA Pres: RADM Julius S. Caesar ’77, USN (Ret.) e: executive-director@usnama.com Vice Pres: LCDR Valerie Mansfield ’92, USN (Ret.) e: deputy-director@usnama.com Sec’y: CDR Calvin Bumphus ’97, USN e: chief-of-staff@usnama.com Treas: C.J. Willis ’75 e: treasurer@usnma.com BGO Area Coordinator: Nikki Betz ’05 e: bgo@usnama.com Shipmate Contact: LCDR Jessica Anderson ’08, USN e: communications@usnama.com

NAMA Shared Interest Group

Website: www.usnama.com

EVENTS

Upcoming Events: Save-the-Date for the 2022 Alumni Leadership Forum on Diversity and

Inclusion April 29-April 30, 2022! The overall focus for the Alumni Leadership Forum is “Leading in a Diverse and Inclusive Organization”.

138 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Ticket sales and donation links are on www.usnama.com! Please support this important event. Consider donating to NAMA’s efforts on Giving Tuesday, Nov. 30!

PAST EVENTS: Congratulations to NAMA members VADM D.C. Curtis ’76 (Ret.) and Janie L. Mines ’80 for being 2021 Distinguished Graduate Award recipients! On Oct. 7, NAMA hosted Patricia “Patty” Stoll ’97, President, Space & Engineering Solutions, ILC Dover, for an inspirational conversation during Hispanic Heritage Month. It was a privilege to have her speak to all of us! Also, NAMA hosted a presentation by Melody Hwang ’12, USNA Admissions, Director of Nominations and Appointments, Sept. 21. The informative discussion included a walk-through of the nomination process, details about the various types of appointments, information

SHARED INTEREST GROUPS on the process for alumni to participate on Congressional nomination interview panels, and concluded with NAMA members’ personal experiences on their regional Nomination panels. NAMA interacted with Midshipmen during the ECA Expo and coordinated with the Greater Washington D.C. Chapter on a no-host social and a networking event. NAMA partnered with the Naval Academy Foundation to establish the Naval Academy Minority Affairs Fund (NAMAF). Donations support outreach efforts like: Gospel Choir travel, on campus visits for candidates and Centers of Influence, scholarship funding for STEM and NASS, and social media and marketing campaign efforts. Follow these steps to contribute today: 1.Visit usna.com/give or follow direction on the NAMA website. 2.Select the dollar amount you would like to contribute. 3.In the “I would like my money to go to” box, select “Other”. 4.Type in Naval Academy Minority Affairs Fund. 5.Enter your donor information and click “Next” Direction are also on our website https://www.usnama.com/donationselection/

Run to Honor Pres: David G. Paddock ’77 p: 757-373-0977 e:president@runtohonor.org Website: www.runtohonor.com

Want to honor our fallen USNA alumni? There are several ways to do so, not just through RuN* to Honor (RTH) organized or promoted events. One simple way is to visit the www.usnamemorialhall.org (a RTH project), learn about an alumni that has made the ultimate sacrifice, and chose your favorite activity (not just running) to do in their honor. Get other alumni, military, family, or friends to join you and keep their memory alive together! When you do, we would love to hear about it and be able to share with the friends and family of the fallen. We want them to know that will not forget and they are not alone. RuN* to Honor is looking for volunteers to assist our committees in organizing and supporting events around the globe. These events not only preserve the memory of our fallen USNA alumni but support the Gold Star Families left behind. If you’d like to join a RTH committee, contact Shannon at secretary@runtohonor.com. Follow and share with us at www.facebook.com/runtohonor. Sign up for our email list at www.runtohonor.com/mailing-list/ To Honor! www.runtohonor.com www.facebook.com/runtohonor www.usnamemorialhall.org

USNA Women’s SIG STEM Fireside Chat Sept 9, 2021: Kirsten Skeehan ‘82, Linda Postenrieder ‘82, Lindsay Robinson ‘06, Kate Gregory ‘82, Katernie Inge ‘16, Zoe Dunning ‘85, Barbette Lowndes ‘80, Sandy Sadler ‘82, Jessica Matlock USCGA ‘97, Carrie Lam USCGA ‘03, and Holly Johnson ‘82.

USNA Women Pres: RDML Alma Grocki ’81, USN (Ret) p: 808-343-1523; e: alma.grocki@gmail.com Vice Pres: Col Maria Pallotta ‘94, USMC p: 410-440-7552; e: pallotta@usna.edu Sec’y: Dr. Rhonda Scott ‘97 p: 240-462-0707; e: rhondabscott@gmail.com Website: https://women.usnagroups.net

Carol Hoffman ‘80 invited alumnae from the Puget Sound area for a network/social dinner on Saturday, September 18th, 2021. Betsy Roche ‘03 and Linda Postenrieder ‘82 joined Carol for an evening of good food and interesting conversation. Becky is currently the JAG for Region NW and had some fascinating stories related to the Region’s challenges with WA state having the first US Covid case in 2020. Carol also scheduled a couple 2022 events in Kitsap County: Puget Sound Chapter West Holiday party on January 8, 2022 and a SIG hike on Saturday, Feb 5, 2022.

Kirsten Skeehan ‘82, Board of Director member for Colorado’s La Plata Electric Distribution Association (LPEA), moderated the September 2021 STEM Fireside Chat on Power. Her guests were Jessica Matlock USCGA ‘97, first female CEO in the LPEA’s 80-year history and Lindsay Robinson ‘06, manager focused on deployment, design, and reactor operations at Oklo, Inc. The discussion covered the need for more resilient micro grids leveraging renewable energy and modular nuclear reactor energy and how we manage given the infrastructure challenges posed by natural disasters. November 10th is our next Fireside Chat focused on the Medical community, a crossroads of STEM. If you are interested in watching the video of this or other Fireside Chats, please contact Linda Postenrieder ‘82 (post82@whidbey.com).

HAPPY HOLIDAYS

Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 139

LAST CALL Gerald Ellsworth Peddicord ’42 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 3 October 2021 Raymond Edward Peet ’43 VADM, USN (Ret.) 10 September 2021 Earl Preston Yates ’44 RADM, USN (Ret.) 13 September 2021 Henry Ashton Ramsay Peyton ’45 6 CDR, USN (Ret.) 15 August 2021 Francis Lloyd Sheahen ’45 16 August 2021 Arthur Thomas White ’46 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 20 August 2021 Philip Charles Smith Jr. ’47 LCDR, USN (Ret.) 27 August 2021 John Calvin Turnier ’47 25 August 2021 William Robert Brandt ’48 11 October 2021

“They shall grow not old, as we that are left grow old; age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn. At the going down of the sun and in the morning, we will remember them.” —Laurence Binyon, 1914

Thomas Willingham Tift Jr. ’49 1 October 2021

James Rudd Botten ’53 CDR, USNR (Ret.) 1 September 2021

Richard Milton Jones ’55 CDR, USN (Ret.) 8 October 2021

M. Staser Holcomb ’53 6 VADM, USN (Ret.) 8 September 2021

Elton Council Parker Jr. ’55 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 22 June 2021

Howard James Larson ’53 CDR, USNR (Ret.) 21 September 2021

Jerry Raymond Johnston ’56 Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) 9 October 2021

William Francis Diehl ’50 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 15 September 2021

Frederic Albert Mann ’53 3 September 2021

Frederick John Lind ’56 6 3 September 2021

Homer Ray Skelton ’50 6 2 September 2021

John Albert Schuerger ’53 23 October 2020

Michael Alexander McBride ’56 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 27 August 2021

LaVerne Gerhard Stange ’50 Col, USAF (Ret.) 15 August 2021

Clifford Charles Thomas Jr. ’53 22 September 2021

Roger Leonard Buck ’50 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 23 September 2021 Philip James Conley ’50 Maj Gen, USAF (Ret.) 7 October 2021

William Bristol Thompson Jr. ’50 CDR, USN (Ret.) 27 September 2021 John Henry Bres ’51 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 13 October 2021 Frank Stevenson Conlon ’51 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 4 September 2021

Bernard Frederick Storck ’54 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 20 September 2021

George Edward Hazlehurst ’51 6 20 September 2021

Edward Frost Stacy ’48 CDR, USN (Ret.) 12 October 2021

William Pendleton Thompson Hill Jr. ’51 3 October 2021

Norman Altman ’49 8 October 2021

Ralph Connor Morehead III ’51 8 September 2021

Bill Warren Bodager ’49 Col, USAF (Ret.) 20 September 2021

William Vincent Surman Jr. ’51 CDR, USN (Ret.) 1 September 2021

Charles Louis Culwell ’49 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 19 August 2021

Glenn Clark Driver Jr. ’52 9 October 2021

Curtis Ralph Norton Jr. ’49 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 16 October 2021

Jerome Joseph Olsen ’54 CDR, USN (Ret.) 9 September 2021 Wilson Grant Reid ’54 8 September 2021

Robert Praeger Smith ’48 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 19 August 2021

Paul Herbert Laric ’49 9 September 2021

Samuel Robert Connor ’54 31 July 2021

Donald Charles Borton ’55 23 August 2021 John Carlo Gonzalez ’55 Col, USMC (Ret.) 3 September 2021

Paul Joseph Reese ’56 4 January 2021 Con David Silard Jr. ’56 Col, USMC (Ret.) 5 August 2021 Richard Sheridan Walsh ’56 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 31 August 2021 Oscar Eugene Williams Jr. ’56 6 23 August 2021 Joseph Frank Ballou ’57 CDR, USN (Ret.) 27 September 2021 James Clifford Eddins ’57 LtCol, USMCR (Ret.) 15 October 2021 James Miller Gallagher ’57 3 September 2021 Joseph John Gawarkiewicz III ’57 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 21 August 2021 Jack Pendleton Monroe Jr. ’57 Col, USMC (Ret.) 12 May 2021

Thomas Michael Dykers ’52 CDR, USN (Ret.) 24 September 2021 William John Hipple ’52 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 22 August 2021

140 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

6 Obituary appears in this issue This list consists of alumni deaths we have learned of since our last issue. Full obituaries will appear in Last Call if/when families send them in.

LAST CALL

James Russell Simsarian ’57 27 March 2021 Pete Watcher ’57 Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) 31 August 2021 James Willard Zeberlein ’57 Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) 18 September 2021 John Daniel Haney Jr. ’58 6 Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) 14 September 2021 Ray Sterling Hardy Jr. ’58 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 1 April 2021 Davis Flood Matheny ’58 14 September 2021 Curtiss Hewitt McGaffin Jr. ’58 2 October 2021 Kenneth Francis Mitchell ’58 LCDR, USN (Ret.) 29 August 2021 John David Peters ’58 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 19 September 2021 Edwin Barden Smedberg ’58 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 7 August 2021 Carl John Triebes Jr. ’58 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 26 August 2021 Arnold Douglas Amoroso ’59 LTC, USA (Ret.) 18 September 2021 Vernon Charles Bloch ’59 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 8 October 2021 Lawrence Clifton Pizinger ’59 CDR, USN (Ret.) 9 October 2021 Roy Joe Rice ’59 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 1 October 2021

Robert James Touhey ’59 CAPT, USNR (Ret.) 28 August 2021

Eric Weston Krieger ’63 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 17 October 2021

Thomas Joseph Barry ’66 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 28 August 2021

Ronald Leslie Earle ’60 LCDR, USNR (Ret.) 5 September 2021

Wyatt Claude Whitworth Jr. ’63 Capt, USMC 17 August 2021

Robert Manning Nielsen ’66 27 September 2021

William Thomas Inderlied III ’60 CDR, USN (Ret.) 14 October 2021

Bruce Allen Abel ’64 6 CDR, USNR (Ret.) 29 August 2021

Roger William Lloyd ’60 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 8 October 2021

Elbert Stricker Allison Jr. ’64 10 August 2021

Michael Thomas Midas Jr. ’60 CDR, USN (Ret.) 12 September 2021 James Howard Patton Jr. ’60 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 27 September 2021

James Herbert Johnson Jr. ’67 CDR, USN (Ret.) 19 September 2021 Ronald Eugene Pruiett ’67 Maj, USMC 3 July 2021

John Gordon Buchanan ’64 LCDR, USNR (Ret.) 6 September 2021

Donald Ray Woodlan ’68 9 October 2021 Harold Robert Eustis ’69 CDR, USN (Ret.) 31 July 2021

Francis John Halpin ’64 24 August 2021 Burr Caldwell Hartman ’64 6 26 January 2021

Marvin Joseph Hamm Jr. ’70 CDR, USNR (Ret.) 15 September 2021

Evan Price Reese ’60 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 16 September 2021

David Brent Lester ’64 18 September 2021

Frank Adkins Thomas ’60 15 January 2021

James Edward McDonald Jr. ’64 26 August 2021

Harry Blaise Trulli ’60 28 August 2021

Lorie Albert Moore ’64 23 September 2021

Edward Francis Curran ’61 22 September 2021

Lynn Franklin Garst ’65 6 25 September 2021

Bruce Richard Linder ’71 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 8 September 2021

Gary Gilbert Herzberg ’61 6 14 September 2021

Roger William Huml ’65 20 August 2021

David Edward Polzien ’71 6 16 September 2021

Richard James Kievit ’61 28 August 2021

Charles Elihu Humphrey ’65 6 18 August 2021

Robert Joseph Dengler ’72 6 LCDR, USN (Ret.) 29 July 2021

Maurice Dudley Stanley Jr. ’61 6 CDR, USN (Ret.) 9 July 2021

William George Matton III ’65 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 10 September 2021

Richard Eugene Nichols Jr. ’62 16 October 2021

Paul Matthew Robinson ’65 6 RADM, USN (Ret.) 16 September 2021

Ward Lovell Winter ’62 3 May 2021 Arthur Clifton Black Jr. ’63 18 August 2021

Thomas Richard Young ’65 CDR, USN (Ret.) 16 September 2021

William Lee Hitchings ’70 LT, USN (Ret.) 28 September 2021 George Byron Hewes III ’71 16 September 2021

John Anthony Hinson ’72 18 September 2021 Paul Vincent Fitzgerald III ’73 10 September 2021 Lee Stuart Davis ’75 LCDR, USN (Ret.) 1 August 2021 James Raymond Gabor ’75 CDR, USN (Ret.) 10 October 2021

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 141

LAST CALL

Donald Wayne Van Osdol ’75 LCDR, USN (Ret.) 14 August 2021

Kevin Roy Olsen ’78 29 September 2021 John Anthony Pasko ’79 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 7 September 2021

Blaise Patrick Miller ’76 LtCol, USMC (Ret.) 4 October 2021 Lewis Dundon Thompson ’76 28 September 2021

Thomas William Savidge ’82 6 CAPT, USNR (Ret.) 28 July 2021

Leonard Augustus Wood III ’76 18 March 2021

Shirley Morrissey Smith ’83 3 October 2021

HENRY ASHTON RAMSAY PEYTON ’45 Commander Henry A.R. Peyton, USN (Ret.), passed away in New London, CT, on 15 August 2021. Born on 1 January 1924 in New London, the son of Commodore Thomas Green Peyton, USNA 1915, and Mary Morsell Craighill, Henry grew up in over ten U.S. and overseas locations. He attended Phillips Academy in Andover, MA, graduating at the top of his class in 1941, and entered the Naval Academy in an accelerated program, graduating on D-Day (6 June 1944). Henry earned a BE degree in electrical engineering from MIT in 1948, and an MBA degree from the University of Hartford in 1970. He met his future wife, Evelyn Cope Stryker, while in Virginia on vacation. Henry proposed at a Broadway performance of “Kiss Me Kate,” and the couple were married at the Williamsburg Baptist Church on 19 May 1951. In May of 2021, to their delight, Henry and Evelyn celebrated their 70th wedding anniversary surrounded by close family. While in the Navy, Henry served in New York, California, Washington State, Connecticut and Washington, DC. Henry’s naval career spanned World War II and the Vietnam War, including sea deployments, shipyard management and supervision of satellite and electronics programs. Upon his retirement in 1965, the Peytons returned to the New London area, where Henry worked as a project manager at General Dynamics Electric Boat. The family moved to Houston, TX, in 1977, and returned to East Lyme, CT, in 1987. Henry and Evelyn moved to Mystic, CT, in 2002. Henry was an inventive and accomplished engineer. He was deeply dedicated to his family, friends and co-workers. Henry had a dry and provocative sense of humor and an astonishing memory; he could recall stories, experiences, poems and lyrics from decades earlier. He was also a skilled ad-libber, cleverly substituting his own irreverent, but always funny word choices into classics like The Night Before Christmas. Henry is survived by his beloved wife, Evelyn; their children, Thomas Bigda-Peyton (wife, Frances), William Peyton and Ellen Glaessner (husband, Phil); and six grandchildren, Joe (wife, Lindsay), Hope, Sam, Daniel, Steven and Phil. Funeral arrangements are private. Donations in Henry’s memory may be made to the St. James Episcopal Church Endowment Fund, New London (www.stjamesnl.org) or to the Pawcatuck Neighborhood Center (www.pawcatuckneighborhoodcenter.org). excerpts from The Day H

142 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Thomas Paul Spriesterbach ’83 CDR, USN 14 September 2021

George Albert Mazzoli ’88 15 September 2021 Laura Ann Bell Lewan ’94 15 August 2021

John Arthur Hefti ’85 CAPT, USN (Ret.) 4 October 2021

Michael Channing Gibson ’96 24 August 2021

Joseph Scott Eversole ’87 6 CDR, USN (Ret.) 10 September 2021

Charles Alphanzo Harris II ’02 CDR, USN 28 August 2021

Carl John Kolek ’88 23 September 2021

FRANKLIN THEODORE KING ’46 Captain “Frank” King, USN (Ret.), died of a breakthrough COVID-19 infection on 8 August 2021. He was 98 years old. Until 11 days before his death, Frank had been mentally sharp and in excellent health with no underlying medical conditions. He had been fully vaccinated since January 2021, but booster shots were not available. At the time Frank contracted COVID-19, he was living independently in a retirement community in Covington, LA. With only about half the staff vaccinated, 11 residents and seven staff members became infected. We have learned from Frank’s death that all who work directly with the vulnerable must be vaccinated. Frank attended the University of New Hampshire for one year before entering USNA. Frank’s Class of 1946 graduated from the Naval Academy in June 1945, because of World War II. While attending Submarine School in Groton, CT, Frank married Mary Bolz in November 1946. During his 23-year naval career, Frank served on five submarines, including CO tours on PERCH (APSS-313) and DARTER (SS-576). In 1965, he was the commander of Submarine Squadron 11 in Pearl Harbor, HI. Frank was the submarine personnel manager when he retired in 1968. He earned an MA from Boston University. While teaching chemistry at the Naval Academy, Frank attended Catholic University. He also attended and taught at the U.S. Naval War College. After his naval career, Frank held senior positions in offshore construction and oil field support companies, including J. Ray McDermott and Newpark Resources. Frank served on the board of directors of several corporate and civic organizations. He was a Navy Marine Relief Society volunteer for six years and a member of Christwood Episcopal Church. Both Frank and Mary were avid golfers and travelled extensively. Frank also ran competitively until he was in his late eighties. Frank and Mary had been married for 73 years at the time of her death in 2019. Frank is survived by four children, Gary King ’70 (Susan), Nancy Ray (Charlie Underwood), Henry King (Cary) and Mary Michelle Cartwright (Mark); 11 grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. His youngest daughter, Gail King Stock, predeceased him in May 2021. H

LAST CALL

BERNARD PETERS (PIOTROWSKI) ’46 On 12 August 2021, Captain Bernard Peters, USN (Ret.), completed his earthly duties and reported to the Heavenly Father. He was 99 years old. “Bernie” was born on 23 March 1922 in Milwaukee, WI. In 1940, he enlisted in the U.S. Navy and became a “hard-hat” diver. In 1942, he was admitted to the Naval Academy and graduated in 1945, with the wartime-accelerated Class of 1946. As a commissioned officer, Bernie spent the majority of his career in the submarine service. As a lieutenant commander, he was commanding officer of SIRAGO (SS-485) and years later, was commodore of Submarine Squadron 6 and commanded RIGEL (AF-58). In 1974, Captain Peters retired from the Navy with more than 30 years of dedicated service. After his retirement from the Navy, Bernie earned a Master of Business Administration and taught accounting for many years at Tidewater Community College. Bernie was an avid football fan and ardent supporter and shareholder of the Green Bay Packers. His gameday cheer was, “Go Packers!” Bernie was married for more than 70 years to the love of his life, Mary Ann Steeholm Peters, who he affectionately called “Sweetie.” Bernie and Mary Ann were childhood sweethearts and were married on 27 June 1945. With loving hearts, together they raised a wonderful family of nine children. He was predeceased by his wife, Mary Ann, and their son, Joseph “Joey.” We know they are united and having a most joyous reunion. Left to cherish Bernie’s memory are his eight surviving children, Suzanne Gibson (Pete), Diana Peters Partin, James Peters (Sharon), Patricia Black (Bill), Cathleen Short (Steve), Jane Potter, Jean Graham (Kenny) and John Peters; 14 grandchildren; and 18 great-grandchildren. To our dear Dad, we will always admire and love you. You will be greatly missed and forever leave a void in our hearts. A celebration of life will be private. It was Dad’s wish to have his and Mom’s ashes taken out by a Navy ship to be eternally committed to the sea. Beloved father, grandfather and great-grandfather, may you have fair winds and following seas! The Peters Family H

ARTHUR THOMAS WHITE ’46 Captain Arthur T. White, USN (Ret.), son of Ernest and Mary White, was born on 7 July 1923 in Berlin, NH, and passed away peacefully on 20 August 2021 in Santa Clarita, CA. “Art” graduated first in his class from Rutland High School and entered the Naval Academy in 1942. He graduated on 6 June 1945 (Class of 1946), 38th in a class of 939 midshipmen. He first served on LOUISVILLE, just repaired from kamikaze attacks off Okinawa. At war’s end, LOUISVILLE was sent to China to escort surrendered warships to Korea, where Art commanded a Japanese destroyer with a Japanese crew. Later, Art escorted a barge of rice up the Yellow River to relieve a famine. In 1948, Art attended MIT, earning a BS in Electrical Engineering. On 18 December 1949, Art married Wanda Lene Bowman in Chula Vista, CA, and was soon after deployed to Korea. In September 1950, as gunnery officer aboard DE HAVEN, Art participated in the Inchon landings.

Art had assignments in California, Virginia, Connecticut and Massachusetts, and earned a master’s degree in Nuclear Power Engineering from MIT in 1958. Art was chosen for Admiral Rickover’s staff and oversaw construction, installation and testing of nuclear power systems in submarines. He managed the nuclear program at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard in Portsmouth, VA, until 31 August 1974, when he retired as a captain. Art then worked for ARCO as Quality Control Manager of the Hanford Nuclear facility, Richland, WA. Later with ARCO, he managed nuclear heart pacemaker production in Ireland and Pittsburgh. He finished his career with ARCO Solar in Canoga Park, CA. After retirement, Art did computer consulting work with small businesses in California. Art and Wanda were married for 50 years until her passing on 5 December 2000. They raised six children and had time for international travel and family ski trips. Their children, Susan Lynn Williams, Thomas Neal White (Julie White), Linda Ann White (Steve Delehoy), Brenda Jean White-Keller (Gordon Keller), Mary Beth White (Peter Brown) and Dean Edward White (Vita White), eight grandchildren and five great-grandchildren, all survive to celebrate Art’s long and accomplished life. Services were held on 9 September 2021 at Tahoma National Cemetery in Kent, WA. Donations in Art’s memory may be directed to the MIT Campaign for a Better World (giving.mit.edu). H

HOWARD GARFIELD HEININGER JR. ’47 Commander Howard G. Heininger, USN (Ret.), was born in Atlanta, GA, on 11 January 1926 and died in Sun City Center, FL, on 26 July 2021. In the 95 years between, “Bo” explored the world: as an officer in the United States Navy, as an avionics expert with International Business Machines (IBM) and as a globe-trotter, visiting family in places as distant as Alaska and Brazil. Bo received a senatorial appointment to the Naval Academy, and because of World War II, the Class of 1947 graduated in June 1946. Bo’s membership in the Class of ’47 – and the classmates, colleagues and people that he met – remained one of his most significant points of pride and reminiscence. Bo’s courtship of Elizabeth “Betty” Llewellyn led to their wedding on 28 June 1947 and the arrival of three delightful daughters, Barbara (b. 1949), Suzanne (b. 1951) and Joanne (b. 1955). Bo’s Navy sea duty included two years on WITEK (DD-848), four years in Patrol Squadron Seven and service in Japan as the only Atlantic VP squadron to fly in the Korean War. Bo flew MATS Super Constellations to Hawaii, Kwajalein, Guam, Wake, Midway, Japan, the Philippines, Vietnam, Thailand, India, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Alaska. He later served in the Seventh Fleet Staff in Japan, where he was responsible for all Navy peripheral reconnaissance flights in the Far East. Bo’s final Navy assignment was as Head of the Instrumentation Branch, Avionics Division at the Naval Air Systems Command in Washington. Bo retired from the Navy in 1967 and joined IBM’s Federal Systems Division, with postings at Owego, NY, Gaithersburg, MD, and Manassas, VA. In his careers, Bo developed and deployed the flight systems of increasingly sophisticated and complex aircraft, including the A-6, A-7 D/E, the SH-60, the F-14 and the Space Shuttle. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 143

LAST CALL

In 1984, Bo and Betty moved to Sun City Center, FL. Betty passed away in August 2010. Bo and Mae McPhail were married in September 2011 and she passed away in March 2017. Bo lost his daughter, Barbara Mitchell, in May 2019, and his son-in-law, Brad Janss, in June 2021. Bo is survived by his daughters, Suzanne Janss and Joanne Heininger; four grandchildren, Christopher Anderson, Peter Janss, Emily Payton and Lonnie Bali; and four great-grandchildren, Misha Bali, Joelle Payton, Ishan Bali and Holland Payton. Commander Heininger was interred at the Naval Academy Columbarium on 13 October 2021. H

HOMER RAY SKELTON ’50 Homer Ray Skelton died on 2 September 2021, at age 94. “Ray” was born on 15 October 1926 to Homer B. and Edith Mae (Hoadley) Skelton near Huston, ID. During his infancy, his family lived near Notus, ID. In 1932, they relocated to his paternal grandfather’s homestead near Caldwell, ID, where Homer spent his youth. He graduated from Caldwell High School in May 1944, then attended the College of Idaho for two years. Homer obtained a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy and was sworn-in on 12 July 1946, joining the Class of 1950, 26th Company. He especially enjoyed the USNA summer cruises to Europe. Graduating on 2 June 1950, he was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He reported aboard COLLETT (DD-730), off the eastern Korean coast. In 1952, he was assigned to Officers Electronics Material School at Treasure Island, CA. Upon completion, he reported aboard BREMERTON (CA-130) as electronics officer. He married Lois Jean Grigson in November 1952 in Los Angeles, CA. He resigned his regular commission and was released from active duty on 15 September 1954. Homer remained in the Naval Reserve until 1972, attaining the rank of lieutenant commander. During 1955 and 1956, he helped his father in farming. In 1957, he worked for Lockheed Aircraft and spent 28 years as an electrical design engineer and engineering supervisor of electrical design engineers on various aircraft projects. About the last half of his career was with Lockheed’s “Skunk Works.” He retired in 1985 and returned to Idaho. In 1988, he was bitten by the “genealogy bug.” As a result, he co-authored one book and authored two books, including his autobiography. He also enjoyed fishing in the local reservoirs. Managing his acreage, traveling and church activities occupied the remainder of his retirement. He and Lois were members of the Church of Christ. Homer felt blessed by the wonderful opportunities life afforded him since he was “just an Idaho farm kid.” He firmly believed that he had lived the American Dream. Ray was preceded in death by his parents; sisters, Margaret Evans and Mary Free; and great-grandson, Nile. He is survived by his brother, Carl; his faithful wife of 68 years, Lois; four wonderful children, Linda Meals (Randy), Timothy Skelton, Jeanise Arrington and Roy Skelton; eight grandchildren; and seven great-grandchildren. His ashes are to be buried in the Skelton family plot in Canyon Hill Cemetery at Caldwell, ID. H

144 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

RALPH CONNOR MOREHEAD III ’51 Ralph C. Morehead III, 92, of Catonsville, MD, died on 8 September 2021 following a stroke. Ralph was born on 27 January 1929 in Fort Smith, AR, to the late Reverend Doctor R. Connor Morehead and Bernice Shaver Morehead. He graduated from El Dorado High School in 1946 and attended Hendrix College for one year before receiving an appointment to the Naval Academy. At Annapolis, he ranked in the upper half of his class for three years and earned athletic awards in intramural football and cross-country. He received his Navy ensign’s commission in June 1951 and married Sarah Anne Dozier. For the next four years, he served on the destroyers STEINAKER (DD-863) and WILLIAM R. RUSH (DDR-714) and the carrier RANDOLPH (CVA-15). He enjoyed being on the open sea and visiting numerous ports during his time. His most exciting adventure at sea was sailing through Hurricane Carol in 1954, when RANDOLPH lost part of her flight deck. He left the Navy as a lieutenant in 1955 to start a family in Baltimore, MD. Ralph accepted an engineering position with Westinghouse Electric Corporation in 1955 in their Air Arm Division. In 1965, he earned a master’s degree in Engineering Administration from The George Washington University. He primarily worked on military defense projects and retired in 1988. Ralph had a lifelong interest in photography, enjoyed traveling around the world, camping, Boy and Girl Scouts, vegetable gardening, carving and tinkering on race cars with his son. He enjoyed following the Baltimore Colts, Ravens, Orioles and Navy football. His wife, Sarah, passed in 1993, and in 1995, he married Frances Lauterbach Slesinger. Following Frances’ death in 2009, Ralph moved to Charlestown Senior Community, which he said reminded him of a cruise ship with all of the wonderful activities, especially the fitness center and the pool. He also attended lectures and classes on a variety of subjects. While at Charlestown, he fell in love and married Dorothy Young Morehead. During his final years, Dorothy was an exceptionally caring and devoted partner. Ralph is survived by his wife, Dorothy; son, Ralph Connor Morehead IV (Hannah); daughter, Sarah Katherine Truslow (Scott); grandchildren, Crystal Truslow Schmidtlein (James), Jennifer Stallings McAtee (Creighton), Sarah Morehead Pope (Matthew), Benjamin Withers Morehead and Melinda Elizabeth Truslow (Dakota Beatty); eight great-grandchildren; brother, Lawrence Yarnell Morehead (Mary); and many nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his sister, Sara Josephine Gibbs. H

WILLIAM VINCENT SURMAN JR. ’51 Commander William V. Surman Jr., USN (Ret.), died in his mountain top home in Big Sur, CA, on 1 September 2021. He died peacefully at age 93, surrounded by his family and pets. “Will” was born on 31 October 1927 and graduated early from La Salle High School in Peru, IL, to join the Marines. World War II ended, and he was discharged. He then joined the Navy and was sent to Hawaii to the deep-sea diving school. An observant senior officer said, “Surman, you should go to the Naval Academy.” He did! After a year at Bainbridge, he moved to Bancroft Hall, played lacrosse for Navy and studied hard. He tossed his hat high at graduation.

LAST CALL

The Korean War was raging, and Will was assigned to the destroyer MACKENZIE and from there, to the submarines ATULE and SABLEFISH. At the Naval Postgraduate School, he earned a master’s degree. During this time, he pursued Carol Lovely and they were married. Soon thereafter, two precious daughters arrived. Ordered to Hawaii, he was exec on CUSK and weapons officer on HALIBUT. He commanded TIRU – always maintaining that submariners were the BEST. He was then off to DC and special projects, where he worked with the British Navy on the Poseidon missile. Will was assigned to the admiral’s Seventh Fleet in Coronado. He missed his close association with his shipmate. After 26 years, it was time to retire. In 1970, the family picked up a VW camper in Germany and toured Europe for six months. Everyone loved the gypsy life. Reality bought them back to Carmel, CA, where they had property and the girls returned to school. Will became an “ACE,” math teacher, sharing his love of chess and bicycling with his students. He loved football and over the years, perfected a 3-die board game, “Defensive Coach vs. Offensive Coach,” which was played by die-hards and great friends for over 40 years. Together, he and Carol built their home in Big Sur; bicycled from Canada to Mexico, the West Coast of Ireland, the French Alps and across the USA; and walked across the Grand Canyon, Milford Trek in New Zealand and climbed mountains, including Gunung Agung, Kinabalu and Fuji. Our lives were full of family, friends and adventure; we always had each other. Survivors include his wife of 62 years, Carol; daughters, Leslie Blasewitz and Mimi Donati (John); and two grandchildren, Alexandra and Jace. The Surman Family H

GLENN CLARK DRIVER JR. ’52 Glenn Driver passed away on 9 October 2021 in Palm Desert, CA, after complications from a fall. He was 91 years old. He received a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy in 1948 and graduated with the Class of 1952. He served as a gunnery officer during the Korean War and the Taiwan Strait Crisis after the war. His last assignment was aboard PERKINS (DDR-877). In 1956, he left the Navy and began a long successful career as a sales engineer for Carrier Air Conditioning in the Pacific Northwest. After retirement, he enjoyed working in the burgeoning wine industry in Washington State. He was actively involved with the creation of the USNA ’52ers Chapter. Glenn and his wife, Angela, also travelled extensively including China, Russia, Australia, barge trips in Europe and family reunions in Virginia. He was always very proud of his time spent at Annapolis and his military service. He was very devoted to his family and his wife, Angela. The former Angela Hackett met Glenn at Annapolis and they were married in 1953 at Hunters Point Shipyard Chapel. She passed away in July 2019 after a long and brave battle with Alzheimer’s disease. Glenn is survived by their three children, Clark, Jann and Jennifer; numerous grandchildren; and was overjoyed to live to see his great-grandson’s first years. He was a wonderful father and husband and will be sorely missed. The Driver Family H

MELVIN SAGE BASSETT ’53 On 16 August 2021, Commander Melvin Sage Bassett, USN (Ret.), passed away due to heart failure. His physical presence is deeply missed, but his family and friends have an abundance of memories to celebrate. He had a long life, well-lived. “Big Sage,” as he was lovingly called later in life, was born on 17 April 1931 in Newport, RI, to Rear Admiral Melvin Hughes Bassett ’20 and Eleanor Sage Bassett. He hails from a long line of USNA graduates in addition to his father: uncle 1909, cousin 1935, brother 1958 and two nephews in the classes of 1989 and 1995. His professional life was spent in aviation. He flew a variety of planes including seaplanes, taildraggers, jets and multi-engine transports. He retired from the Navy after a 30-year career and began work with Flight Safety International, where he spent the next 20 years serving as a flight/simulator/aircraft system and crew resource management instructor and working with various corporate and regional airline operators. Big Sage had the great fortune to have loved and been loved by two great women. He married his high school sweetheart, Maryalice Jessup, in 1953 and for the next 27 years shared the nomadic life of a military family, traveling the world and raising three amazing children. Along the way his marriage to Maryalice ended and his bachelor life led him to a bridge club on Long Island, where he met Lenore Elaine Trouillot. They were wed in 1986 and several years later, retired to Roanoke, VA. There, they found a thriving opera community, became active with the Lions Club, traveled near and far to every bridge tournament they could and enjoyed a loving full life until her passing in 2016. Big Sage is survived by his sons, Scott Bassett (wife, Vickie) and John Bassett; daughter, Carolyn Banks; granddaughter, Shannon O’Connell (husband, Denis); great-grandchildren, Edmond Sage O’Connell and Sophia Elizabeth O’Connell; his brother, Frank Bassett ’58 (wife, Bunny); and numerous nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his beloved sister, Patricia Pels. His memory was long and his recall strong. Big Sage will be remembered for his love of family, his kindness to all and his sense of humor. The love remains, the legacy continues. The Bassett Family H

M. STASER HOLCOMB ’53 Vice Admiral M. Staser Holcomb, USN (Ret.), passed away peacefully in Edmonds, WA, on 8 September 2021 at the age of 89. Born in Detroit, MI, Staser grew up in Seattle, WA, graduating from Roosevelt High School. He entered the Naval Academy in 1949 with the Class of 1953 as a member of the 13th Company. Upon graduation, Staser entered flight training in Pensacola, FL, receiving his Wings in 1954. He flew the carrier-based fixed-wing antisubmarine warfare aircraft S-2 Tracker in several squadrons at North Island Naval Air Station, culminating in command of VS-21. Other sea duty included serving as XO of SARATOGA (CV-60) and CO of GUAM (LPH-9). He earned a Master of Science degree in physics from the Naval Postgraduate School in 1960. In 1964, he began a series of Pentagon assignments involving systems analysis, both in the Office of the Secretary Defense and in the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 145

LAST CALL

Selected for flag rank in 1974 at the age of 42, he served as director of the Systems Analysis Division, (OP-96); military assistant to the Secretary of Defense (Donald Rumsfeld and Harold Brown); Commander, Carrier Group One; Director, Navy Program and Planning (OP-090); Commander Seventh Fleet; Deputy Commander-in Chief U.S. Naval Forces Europe and U.S. Commander Eastern Atlantic. He retired in 1985. As a civilian, he worked in several positions as an executive vice president for the United Services Automobile Association, including president of the Property and Casualty Division and president of the Federal Savings Bank, retiring in 1997. He actively supported the San Antonio Council of the Boy Scouts of America, which awarded him the Silver Beaver. He returned to the Pentagon in 2001 as an advisor to the Secretary of Defense, Donald Rumsfeld. A lifelong Christian Scientist, Staser was an active church member. He was the first naval aviator to serve as national president of the Order of Daedalians. He was also an avid tennis and squash player and was always up for a game of bridge or mah-jongg. Staser’s intelligence, integrity, humor and gentle, friendly demeanor inspired people throughout his life. He greatly enriched the lives of his colleagues, his shipmates, his friends and his family. He is survived by his wife of 66 years, the former Joanne Williams of Edmonds, WA; children, Richard, Helen, Donald ’83, Ross ’84 and Sally; ten grandchildren; and eight great-grandchildren. The Holcomb Family H

JOHN SCOTT OLSON SR. ’53 Commander John S. Olson Sr., USNR (Ret.), 91, died peacefully on 17 August 2021 in Tallahassee, FL. John was born in Escanaba, MI, on 12 December 1929 to Raymond O. Olson and Vera Starrin Olson. At Hancock Central High, he was senior class president, captain of the basketball team and earned seven letters in basketball, football and track. After graduating with the Naval Academy Class of 1953, he was assigned to NAS Pensacola. There, he met his future wife, Anne Dalton, at a naval officer dance. He received his Wings in 1954 and spent the next four years as a carrier pilot hunting Russian subs with VP-26. After 12 years in the Navy, John and Anne moved back to Tallahassee. John remained in the Naval Reserve as a commanding officer and carrier pilot. John started his successful 45-year insurance career as a broker with The Traveler’s. He was recognized as one of their top 15 agents for 30 straight years and received the Agent of the Year award twice. A man of deep faith, he was involved with worship services, as a fundraiser and chairman of the board of trustees of Trinity United Methodist Church (twice); the first emeritus board member of the Southern Scholarship Foundation; and was an active contributor to the Fellowship of Christian Athletes (FCA). He was a founding member and trustee of St. Teresa Beach Community Church. He loved his Florida State Seminoles and received an honorary alumni degree. He was a founding member of their booster organization and was a 35+ year board member, booster president (1982), chairman of the board for two years and a Golden Chief. He never missed a game. He served as president of the Florida Economics Club, member of the Tallahassee Exchange Club, chairman of the Tallahassee Area Chamber of Commerce, member of the Tiger Bay Club, the President’s Club of FSU and was active with the Boy Scouts.

146 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

John was predeceased by his wife of 42 years, Anne Dalton Olson; his second wife, Mary Leslie Keen Olson; stepdaughter, Mary Weedon Drake Patterson; sister, Mary Olson Bay; and brother, Frederick Rocky Olson. John is survived by his sons, John Scott Olson Jr., Charles Dalton Olson (Lib) and Raymond Allen Olson (Suzy); stepdaughter, Leslie Keen Drake Schutt (Peter); and grandchildren, Kelley, Bradford, Jeff, Anna, Elizabeth, Maria, Olivia and Luke. A memorial service was held at Trinity United Methodist Church on 21 August 2021. H

JAMES GORDON KOHOUTEK ’54 James G. Kohoutek, age 90, passed away peacefully at home surrounded by his family on 17 August 2021. Born on 22 January 1931, in Yankton, SD, to Frank “Chody” and Hazel Kohoutek, “Jim” was a true gentleman. In his early years, he attended Mount Marty College Model School, Sacred Heart Grade School and Yankton High School, where he played football and ran track. He attended Iowa State College for two years and was a member of Sigma Phi Epsilon Fraternity. In June 1950, he entered the Naval Academy, having been appointed by South Dakota Senator, Chan Gurney (R). Jim graduated with the Class of 1954 (24th Company) and on 10 June 1954, married MaryAnn Binder. Jim enjoyed a successful 10-year military career. From July 1954 to May 1955, he served on the aircraft carrier HANSON (DDR-832). In May 1955, Jim entered naval flight training at Pensacola, FL, and in July 1956, was designated as a naval aviator and began flying the F3H Demon at Naval Air Station Miramar in San Diego, CA. He completed one WestPac cruise on TICONDEROGA. From August 1958 to 1963, Jim instructed Navy pilots in flying carrier fighter jets. Jim resigned his Navy commission in June 1964 and moved his family to St. Louis, MO, where he worked in military marketing at McDonnell Aircraft for 22 years. He retired in August 1986 at the age of 55 to “relax the rest of my life enjoying the company of my beautiful wife, MaryAnn, and our five children and six grandchildren.” Jim continued his passion for cars and motorcycles, which he could talk about for hours, in addition to airplanes, flying, boats, sailing and Bruce Drive. He was the beloved husband of MaryAnn; dearest father of Cindy Gauthier (Jim), Jay Kohoutek, Patrick Kohoutek, Mollie Metzger (Glenn) and Susan Ludwick (Tom); dear grandfather of Jennifer, Matt (Megan), Brandon (Kay), Kyle, Sara and David; great-grandfather of Jack and William; brother of Jerry Kohoutek (Annette) and the late Joe Kohoutek (Charlene); brother-in-law of Sr. Cynthia Binder, OSB, Renee Aalfs (Bailey), Larry Binder (Jane) and the late Bob Binder (survived by Claudette); our dear uncle, great-uncle, cousin and friend of many. Services were held on 10 September 2021 at St. Clare of Assisi Catholic Church in Ellisville, MO, followed by interment at Jefferson Barracks National Cemetery. In lieu of flowers, contributions may be made to The ProMedica Hospice Memorial Fund (www.promedica.org/waystogive/hospice-memorial-fund) or the Alzheimer’s Association (alz.org). H

LAST CALL

WILLIAM HORNING FORD ’55 William H. Ford of Bear, DE, and South Bethany, DE, passed away peacefully in the comfort of his home on 19 March 2021 with his loving wife by his side. He was 88 years old. “Bill” was born in Corvallis, OR, and moved to Wilmington, DE, as an infant. He grew up in Carrcroft, Brandywine Hundred, and graduated from P.S. DuPont High School. He attended the Naval Academy and received a degree in mechanical engineering from the University of Delaware, where he was a life-long member of Sigma Nu Fraternity. He was an Eagle Scout in the Sea Scout ship, RUBEN JAMES, in Bellefonte and was later an outstanding Scoutmaster. Bill retired from the DuPont Company in 1993 after more than 36 years of service. He was a consultant at Edison Plastics for three years following his career at DuPont. Bill enjoyed camping, hiking, skiing, cooking on his grill, home remodeling, gardening, boating, swimming, traveling (especially to Arizona, Florida and St. Thomas, USVI), reading and relaxing at his beach house and poolside. He had a quick and funny wit about him, which those who loved and knew him well understood and enjoyed. He was a stalwart, solid, hard-working and reliable presence in our lives, and he had an endearing smile and a wink that could melt your heart. He was predeceased by his parents, Stanley G. Ford and Louise H. Ford; and his sister, Diane Ford Rumbley. Bill is survived by his wife of over 31 years, Carol Gilbert Ford; brother-in-law, Roger Raymond Gilbert of Sugar Land, TX; daughter, Candace J. Ford (Mike Welch) of Hermosa Beach, CA; son, Captain Richard Donald King III (Jen) of Lewes, DE; granddaughter, Sherry Ann Marie VanHekle (Kevin) of Townsend, DE; grandsons, Matthew Ford Welch and Andrew Ford Welch of Hermosa Beach, CA; and great-grandsons, Kevin Jacob VanHekle Jr. and Lee Axton VanHekle of Townsend, DE; his nieces and nephews, cousins, numerous friends, and other children and grandchildren. In lieu of flowers, please consider Bill’s wish for contributions to his two great-grandsons’ education funds to: Edward Jones, attn. Steven Lucas, 1601 Milltown Road, Suite 5, Wilmington, DE 19808. excerpts from the Cape Gazette H

HARRY FRANCIS BARNES ’56 Colonel Harry F. Barnes, USMCR (Ret.), died on 27 February 2019 at the Ouachita County Medical Center in Camden, AR. He was 86 years old. Harry was born on 14 May 1932 in Memphis, TN, to Jack and Roberta Crutcher Barnes. He grew up in Joiner, AR, and was a graduate of Castle Heights Military Academy. He attended Vanderbilt University for two years prior to entering the Naval Academy, where he was a member of the 20th Company. Upon graduation in 1956, Harry went to The Basic School at Quantico, VA, and from there, joined the 1st Marines in California as an infantryman. At the 1st Division, he later became a member of the 1st Force Recon Company, where he was schooled as a diver and jumper. Following two and a half years of recon work, he was transferred to PRINCETON (LPH-5) and in 1961, he accepted a reserve commission and entered law school in Arkansas. Upon graduation, he moved to Camden, AR.

Harry served as an artilleryman in the Reserves, and commanded 105 Howitzer battalions in Texarkana, TX, and Dallas, TX. He later commanded the 2nd Battalion of the 14th Marine Regiment and thereafter served as executive officer of the Regiment. He later served as commanding officer of a mobilization training unit in Little Rock, spending approximately four to five weeks each year on active duty. He served for 30 years in the Marine Corps, retiring in 1986. Harry graduated from the University of Arkansas School of Law in 1964. He was in the private practice of law in Camden for 20 years, initially as a law partner of former representative, senator and governor David Pryor. From 1975 until 1993, he served as a municipal and then circuit judge. In 1993, he was nominated by President Bill Clinton to a seat on the United States District Court for the Western District of Arkansas. After his confirmation by the U.S. Senate, Harry served as federal judge for the next 25 years. Harry married Mary Mann of Marion, AR, in 1959; she survives, along with their sons, Danny Barnes of Little Rock, AR, Michael Barnes (wife, Suzi) of Little Rock, AR, and Patrick Barnes (wife, Lisa) of Rogers, AR; daughter, Betsy Ridout (husband, Ross) of Searcy, AR; grandchildren, Sydney Barnes, Abbey Barnes, Zeke Barnes Ridout (wife, Bitsy), Rivers Ridout, Rees Ridout, Rooke Ridout and Jack Barnes; and two great-granddaughters, Sloane Ridout and Rowan Ridout. H

FREDERICK JOHN LIND ’56 Frederick J. Lind passed away peacefully from natural causes on 3 September 2021 in Jacksonville, FL, at age 87. Fred was born in Manhattan, NY, to Sebastian and Patricia Lind and attended Iona Preparatory Upper School in New Rochelle, NY. Entering the Naval Academy in 1952 as a member of the Third Company, he excelled as a student, an athlete and an occasional poker player. Eight days after graduation, he married his sweetheart, Mary Boger. He then entered Navy flight training and realized his boyhood dream of becoming a naval aviator. After four years of military service flying the Grumman S2F ASW airplane, he left the service and entered a civilian aviation maintenance training program with American Airlines. This set the stage for the next 30 years as he rose in prominence and became a vice president for several different major airlines (including American, Eastern, Continental and Pacific Southwest). Upon his retirement from the airline industry, Fred returned to school to earn a secondary school teaching certificate. For the next 13 years, he taught high school physics and honors physics at the Episcopal School of Jacksonville. He influenced the young lives of his many students through his ability to connect his aviation background to the study of physics. Fred’s wife, Mary, passed away in 2013 and is interred at the Naval Academy Columbarium, where Fred will join her later. They had four children, Kristine Hershberger (John), Kathleen Collins, Frederick Lind III (now deceased) and Michael Lind. Their ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren will miss them greatly. Fred’s older brother, Thomas, and his younger sister, Patricia, preceded him in death. Fred will be remembered as a fun loving, talented, smart individual who loved the U.S. Navy and whose life was dedicated to serving God. H

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 147

LAST CALL

MICHAEL ALEXANDER McBRIDE ’56 Captain Michael A. McBride, USN (Ret.), died on 27 August 2021 from complications associated with Parkinson’s disease, which he had endured for 15 years, at his home in McLean, VA, surrounded by family. He was 86 years old. Upon graduation from Benedictine High School in Cleveland, OH, “Mike” immediately entered the United States Naval Academy in the summer of 1952. He graduated with the Class of 1956 and was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy, and wed Joan Elizabeth Smith, to whom he remained married for 51 years. Captain McBride had a distinguished 29-year career as a U.S. Navy nuclear submariner. His significant assignments included commanding officer, SARGO (SSN-583); Commodore Submarine Group 7; Chief of Staff for Operations for Commander, Submarine Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet; and Director of Intelligence Evaluation (OP-009) in the Office of Naval Intelligence. He went on to serve in the civilian sector for Lockheed Corporation in various leadership capacities from 1985, until his retirement in 2003. During this time, he served on the board of directors for the San Diego Chapter of the Leukemia and Lymphoma Society, raising awareness and participating in many “Team in Training” marathons, both as a participant and a mentor. He also served faithfully as a member of Ascension Catholic Parish in San Diego prior to relocating permanently in 2016 to Vinson Hall Retirement Community in McLean, VA. Mike enjoyed tailgating with fellow members of the Class of ’56 and fellow submariners, whether it was cheering for the Washington Football Team, San Diego Chargers, Padres, or his very favorite, Navy football. Mike will be remembered most by his family as the caring, loving, compassionate caretaker for his wife, Joan, during her three-year battle with ovarian cancer until her death in 2007. Mike is survived by his four children, Patrick ’81 (Leigh), Kathleen, Timothy (Michele) and Robert (Jenny); six grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren; along with his wife of 11 years, Janis Rich. Mike’s cremated remains will be placed at the Naval Academy Columbarium, alongside his wife, Joan, at a date to be determined. H

RICHARD SHERIDAN WALSH ’56 Devoted husband and father, Captain Richard S. Walsh, USN (Ret.), entered peacefully into the Lord’s arms on 31 August 2021. Joan, his wife and the love of his life, was by his side. He was 88 years old. Richard (also known as “Dick” or “Waldo”) was born in Glendale, CA, on 9 June 1933. He was the son of Rear Admiral Harvey T. Walsh (USNA 1922) and Dorothy Walsh of Annapolis. Dick attended Bullis and Severn prep schools and joined the Naval Reserve in 1950. He entered the Naval Academy in 1951, following his brother, Tim Walsh ’54. While at USNA, he was on the swim team and played lacrosse, ultimately in 1954 winning the National Lacrosse Championship. Life at Annapolis provided ample opportunities to express his good-natured personality with a myriad of pranks (ie. dead fish on upperclassman’s lamps); when questioned about the brains behind the antics, Richard would respond, “I’m not sayin.” He graduated and entered the Supply Corps in June of 1956, marrying Joan Shaddinger of Perkasie, PA, later that month.

148 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

In 1967, he graduated from the University of Kansas with a master’s degree in Petroleum Management in preparation for his tour in Subic Bay, supplying fuel for all naval forces in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He received a Navy Commendation Medal from the Commander of the Seventh Fleet following his service. Richard was very proud of his tour aboard AMERICA (CV-66). After retiring from the Navy as a captain, he worked for the defense contractor TRW as a project manager for 12 years. His 28-year naval career engendered a love of travel that continued after retirement in a 40+ foot motorhome with Joan and their Boston terrier sidekick. He likewise enjoyed fishing, sailing, golfing and visiting wildlife refuges. Richard also supported all Navy sports and was an avid sports-watching enthusiast. The legacy he leaves includes one of noble service to his country, faith in God and devotion to family. He was an honorable, humble man. Dick is survived by his wife of 65 years, Joan; daughters, Susan Thomson (Jeffrey) and Jane Beck (Kevin); grandchildren, Randi Lepre (Patrick), Phillip Beck (Taylor), Jessica Brown (Daniel), Luke Thomson, Jacob Beck, Emma Thomson and Joseph Beck; and six great-grandchildren. A celebration of his life took place at his final resting place at the Naval Academy Columbarium in November 2021. H

OSCAR EUGENE WILLIAMS JR. ’56 Major Oscar E. Williams Jr., USAF (Ret.), peacefully passed away at his home in Ocean Springs, MS, with loved ones on 23 August 2021. He was 86 years old. “Gene” was born on 29 September 1934 in Montgomery, AL. He graduated from Hayneville High School (class of 1952) as both class valedictorian and football letterman. Following high school, Gene accepted an appointment to the Naval Academy, graduating with the Class of 1956. After Annapolis, Gene accepted a commission as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Air Force, being trained and assigned as a navigator on the Air Force’s new B-52 Stratofortress. Gene’s Air Force career would take him from Seymour Johnson AFB to Wright-Patterson AFB in Dayton, OH, where he earned his master’s degree in electrical engineering from the Air Force Institute of Technology. Gene was then stationed in Bremerhaven, Germany, and flew missions with the Air Force’s Strategic Air Command during Operation Chrome Dome. From there, he would be assigned to Reese AFB in Lubbock, TX, where he would earn his PhD in electrical engineering from Texas Tech University. A stop at Kirtland AFB in Albuquerque, NM, would be next, followed by his last Air Force destination at Keesler AFB in Biloxi, MS, where he was assigned as an instructor, finally retiring as a major in 1976. Gene then went on to work at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, MS, in their Research and Development division, working on numerous highly technical projects. Most notable was the Aegis Spy One Radar System, in which Gene was the lead engineer. He retired from Ingalls in 2005 at the age of 70. Gene was predeceased by his parents, Oscar E. Williams and Lily Claire Meadows Williams of Lowndesboro, AL; and his son, Joseph Robert Williams of Ocean Springs, MS. He is survived by his beloved wife of 61 years, Charlotte J. Williams (née Wilbur); brothers, Ransom C. Williams (Patsy) and Richard M. Williams (Linda) both of Lowndesboro, AL; 11 children, Patricia A. Kendrick, Linda C. Kasch, David E. Williams, Jonathan C. Williams, James H. Williams, Sarah

LAST CALL

K. Skupien, Laura E. Webb, Christina M. Valentine, Timothy A. Williams ’99, Rebekah S. Whittenberger and Richard F. Williams; as well as 24 grandchildren. Services were held on 1 September 2021 at St. Alphonsus Catholic Church in Ocean Springs, followed by a graveside service with full military honors at Crestlawn Cemetery in Ocean Springs. H

WARNER PAUL BASSE ’57 Captain “Paul” Basse, USN (Ret.), passed away from natural causes on 18 July 2021 in Buckeye, AZ. He was 86. Born on 9 August 1934, in Port Alexander, AK, Paul’s early years were spent in Seattle, WA. He graduated from Ballard High School in 1952. During that time, he joined the Navy Submarine Reserve and after graduation, enrolled at the University of Washington as a contract ROTC student. While there, his football coach, Johnny Cherberg, announced that his friend, Senator Pelly, had a sponsorship open for the Naval Academy for which Paul applied. He was accepted and joined the USNA Class of 1957. His new life began the day he graduated, was commissioned as an ensign and was married, all in the same day. Paul’s 31-year Navy career began at Supply Corps School in Athens, GA, followed by sea duty aboard JOHN R. CRAIG (DD-885) during the Eniwetok/ Bikini nuclear tests. Next, was the Bremerton (WA) Naval Shipyard as head of the commissioning detail and as a plankowner of COLUMBUS (CG-12). His next assignment was as the automation officer for the Long Beach Supply Center. As a reward for his success at Long Beach, Paul was sent to the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, CA, for a MS degree in Computer Science. Following that, CinCPacFlt created a new division where Paul was the officer responsible for automation of all subordinate commands. He returned to the Supply Corps School as director of academics and executive officer. At the Defense Logistic Agency Defense Electronics Center, he was the warehouse officer, computer director and planning officer; and lastly, at the Naval Supply Command, he was the project officer for the total resystemization and hardware replacement of the Navy’s inventory control. At that point, Paul retired from the Navy and joined American Management Systems for the next 16 years. Paul loved his family, the Navy and his country and was proud to have served all three. He played and coached sports throughout his life, was a skilled bridge player and loved traveling the country and occasionally the world. Paul was predeceased by his first wife, Beverly (Gregg) and is survived by his wife of 20 years, Sharon; his children, Alison Basse, Gregg Basse, Doug Basse (Kim) and Pat Basse (Laura); and grandchildren, Tyler, Joey, Abby, Hayden, Jack, Maggie and Colin. Paul will be laid to rest at Arlington National Cemetery with services and burial at a date to be determined. H

DID YOU KNOW? Your DD-214 is required for military honors at your funeral. Help your family, find or request yours today!

www.dd214.us

FERDINAND CHATARD DUGAN III ’57 Captain Ferdinand C. Dugan III, USN (Ret.), of Hague, VA, was called home to the Dear Lord on 15 August 2021 with his loving wife, Bobbie, by his side. “Doc” was born on 13 July 1933, in Catonsville, MD, to Ferdinand C. Dugan II and Mary McDonald Macgill. Following his graduation from the Naval Academy in 1957, Doc earned his Wings as a naval aviator in Kingsville, TX, in 1959. In 1961, he shifted from flying to the “sea going” Navy and served in destroyers while at sea, and as a communications sub-specialist while ashore. A Vietnam War veteran, he served as chief staff officer for the Naval Gunfire Support Commander during the Tet Offensive (1967-1968). Doc later commanded the destroyer JOHNSTON (DD-821) out of Philadelphia, and in 1976-1979, commanded the U.S. Naval Communications Station in Ponce, Puerto Rico. Upon his retirement in 1984, after 26.5 years of service, Doc joined System Planning Corporation (SPC) in Arlington, VA, where he provided contract support to the National Command Authorities, Department of Defense and the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA). In 1996, Doc retired from SPC and purchased the Left Bank Gallery in Hague, where he spent time doing custom framing, selling art and pursuing his passion for painting. Doc was a huge part of the Northern Neck community as president of The Military Officers Association of America (MOAA); president of the Northern Neck Christian’s Men’s Group; on the board of directors of Westmoreland Social Services Department; chair for the Westmoreland County 350 Anniversary Celebration Commission; chair of the Westmoreland County’s Republican Committee; as well as an active member of Westmoreland County’s Lions Club, Medical Advisory Council and Chamber of Commerce. Doc was predeceased by his parents; his first love and wife of 31 years, Jane Stevens Dugan; and his sister, Mary Macgill Dugan Shipley of Maryland. Doc is survived by his second love and wife of 31 years, Bobbie Childers Dugan of Virginia; sister, Annie Campbell of Maryland; and his six children, Ferdinand C. Dugan IV of California, Jane T. Dugan of Maryland, Mary Macgill Dugan Antor (Sandy) of North Carolina, Jennifer S. Land (husband, Joseph) of North Carolina, Patrick C. Dugan (Annie) of Maryland and Philip S. Dugan (Kara) of Maryland; 30 grandchildren; nine great-grandchildren; and his faithful dog, Ringo. Services were held in Virginia on 28 August 2021. Memorial donations may be made to the building committee at St. Paul’s Catholic Church (www.saintpaulhague.com). H

JOSEPH JOHN GAWARKIEWICZ III ’57 Captain Joseph J Gawarkiewicz, CEC, USN (Ret.), died on 21 August 2021 after a long illness at Willow Valley Communities in Lancaster, PA. Born on Staten Island, NY, in 1934 to Helen Kochman Gawarkiewicz and Joseph J. Gawarkiewicz, “Joe” attended high school at the Augustinian Academy in Staten Island. He attended Villanova College for a year and then received a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy. He graduated with the Class of 1957. After an initial tour on TACONIC (AGC-17), he transferred to the Civil Engineer Corps, earning a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 149

LAST CALL

Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. His first CEC tour was at the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River, MD. Joe earned a Master of Science in Engineering at Princeton University. He served as Officer in Charge of Construction, Thailand, where he worked as project officer for construction of the U-Tapao B-52 Air Base and the Satahip Logistics Facility. He then became Seabee Commander of NMCB 128 in Quang Tri and after decommissioning NMCB 128, assumed command of NMCB 133 in Gia Le. Following his Southeast Asia tours, Joe served on CinCUSNavEur staff in London, England. Joe attended the Naval War College in Newport, RI, and served as the CEC detailer. He completed his career as public works officer at USNA, where among other things, he was responsible for the demolition of Melville and Isherwood halls, opening up the area for Alumni Hall. Joe’s awards include the Legion of Merit, Bronze Star with Combat V, Navy Commendation Medal and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. In 1982, Joe joined Princeton University as General Manager of Plant & Services. In 1993, he retired from Princeton and with his wife, Dolores, moved to Island Heights, a small community on the Jersey Shore. While there, he was elected to serve on the borough council for two terms. Joe and Dolores moved to Philadelphia for several years before moving to Willow Valley Communities in Lancaster, PA. Joe was a role model to many and a great thinker with a dry sense of humor. He was much loved by his family and friends. His reassuring presence will be sorely missed and hopefully emulated by his grace, dignity and humility. Predeceased by his wife, Dolores Gleba Gawarkiewicz in 2018, Joe is survived by his son, Glen (Connie); daughter, Marlene Jane (Marty); five grandchildren, Ellen, Thomas, Gwen, Delia and Teddy; and his brother, Charles (Patricia). H

JOHN DANIEL HANEY JR. ’58 Lieutenant Colonel John Daniel Haney Jr., USAF (Ret.), of Middleburg, VA, died peacefully on 14 September 2021 at 84 years old. “Dan” was born in Haddonfield, NJ, to John D. Haney and Mary Augusta (Bell) Haney. He spent his early childhood in Lake Charles, LA, and graduated high school in West Orange, NJ, prior to receiving a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy from New Jersey. Dan was an outdoorsman, loved hunting, and thus became an outstanding member of the varsity pistol team. He graduated with the 16th Company of the Class of 1958. Pursuing his dreams of flight, Dan chose to enter the U.S. Air Force, where he served several ground tours in the U.S. and South Korea prior to finally gaining entrance to flight school. He flew tours in the F-101 and F-102 and transitioned to the A1E to serve in Vietnam. He was awarded two Silver Stars and two DFCs for actions there. Following his combat tour, Dan returned to the States and flew the F-101 and F-106. He subsequently earned a MSc (Engineering) from George Washington University. He retired from the Air Force as a lieutenant colonel in 1978. After retirement, he worked for the National Rifle Association as an executive vice-president for local engineering firms and later as a schoolteacher. His retirement years were marked by his service to his community and his church, including vestry service, choir and missions to Africa and Haiti. He was very active with 7 Loaves in his community.

150 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Wherever he was stationed or lived, Dan spent as much time as he could hunting and fishing. He was always at home in the fields and forests. He took tremendous delight in the accomplishments of his family, and he loved his many dogs. Dan was predeceased by his daughter, Friday Elizabeth; and her brothers, Robert R. Haney and Richard A. Haney. He leaves his wife of 54 years, Annabelle Stovall Haney, son, Daniel Lloyd Haney, and his beloved grandson, Colton Metcalfe Haney, all from Middleburg, VA; and his brother, Pete, in Canada. Dan lived a life of honor, loyalty and service to his country, his family and his church. Dan’s funeral service was held on 24 September 2021 at Trinity Episcopal Church in Upperville, VA, with interment at Arlington National Cemetery sometime in 2022. Please send correspondence and stories of Dan for his family to (jdhsandy@gmail.com). H

RAY STERLING HARDY JR. ’58 Captain Ray S. Hardy Jr., USN (Ret.), died peacefully at the age of 85 in San Diego, CA, on 1 April 2021. His wife, Mary, followed him and died peacefully on 8 May 2021. “Mike” (as he was known at USNA) was born on 15 November 1935 in Oakland, CA, to Raymond and Agnes Hardy. The family moved to Minneapolis, MN, shortly thereafter and he graduated from high school. He spent one year in the Naval Reserves prior to receiving his appointment to the Naval Academy. At Annapolis, Mike was a member of the 13th Company. He was a competitive sailor all four years and his First Class Year, was captain of the offshore racer HIGHLAND LIGHT. He participated in several Newport-Annapolis and Newport-Bermuda races. Upon graduation, he reported to MCDERMUT (DD-677), where he became the engineering officer. After attending the Naval Postgraduate School, he returned to sea as XO of VANCE (DE-387), operating off the coast of Vietnam. His final tour of sea duty was as CO of MCKEAN (DD-734). He considers it his proudest moment when his crew earned five “E” awards, which was a record at that time. His shore duty assignments were Chief, Navy Operational Test and Evaluation, DesDevGrp Two; COS, ComDesGru Three; Chief Administrator, NELC San Diego; and N30 Fleet Ops, Seventh Fleet. Mike retired and went to work as a VP at SYSCORP, specializing in military logistic support. He retired from there in 2000 to spend the rest of life traveling with his wife, whom he married on 7 March 1960, enjoying life with his sons and their families, and managing family properties. Mike was a lifelong Mason and a lay minister in the Episcopalian Church. He is survived by his sons, Paul, Martin (Linda), Fred (Fiona) and James (Robin); grandchildren, Alana, Casey, Rindy, Maraya, Robyn, Sophia and Isabel; and great-grandchildren, Brinle, Maelyn, Raylee, Mason and Levi. A celebration of his life was held on 17 September 2021 in San Diego, CA. H

MEMORIAL AFFAIRS RESOURCES https://www.usna.com/memorial-affairs

LAST CALL

EDWIN BARDEN SMEDBERG ’58 Captain Edwin B. Smedberg, USN (Ret.), died peacefully with his wife and children at his side at Walter Reed National Medical Center on 7 August 2021. “Ted” was born in Annapolis, MD, on 13 July 1934 to Vice Admiral William R. Smedberg III ’26 and Claudia Barden. He graduated from the Naval Academy on 4 June 1958, with the 19th Company. On 7 June 1958, Ted married Beverly Hogle, daughter of Vice Admiral Reynold D. Hogle ’29 and Mary Ellen Adams. He entered flight training and received his Wings of Gold as a naval aviator on 25 January 1960 at Corpus Christi, TX. Ted flew the S-2F and the S-3A in various West Coast carrier-based air anti-submarine squadrons. Those tours were interspersed with shore duty at the Naval Academy, OpNav, BuPers and as a student at the National War College in Washington, DC. The first of his four commands was the Navy Recruiting District, Dallas, TX, followed by command of VS-29, the first Pacific Fleet Squadron to deploy the S-3A Viking. Following a tour as Deputy Commander of the Navy Recruiting Command, Ted was selected for major shore command serving as Commander, Navy Recruiting Area Seven, in Dallas, TX. He then was assigned as CO of Naval Air Facility Atsugi, Japan. His final tour was with the Office of Naval Research in Washington, DC. Ted logged 4,300 hours in naval aircraft and amassed 420 carrier landings, including 260 night operational landings. His personal awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (5) and a strike flight Air Medal. Upon retiring from active duty in 1987, he committed his second career to 30+ years of service at St. John Academy in McLean, VA, where he was a middle school aide, substitute teacher, math and science tutor, playground supervisor, carpool line designer and operator, safety patrol organizer, disciplinarian and annual geography bee coordinator. He was a strong supporter of youth sports, particularly baseball. He was a Little League, high school and men’s league umpire for over 30 years, and a high school volleyball referee. An avid golfer, he was instrumental in organizing annual ’58 outings to Hilton Head for many years. He is survived by his wife of 63 years, Beverly; five children; 14 grandchildren; and eight (soon 10) great-grandchildren. A Funeral Mass was held at Saint John the Beloved, McLean, VA, on 13 August 2021. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery on 20 December 2021. H

CARL JOHN TRIEBES JR. ’58 Captain Carl J. Triebes Jr., USN (Ret.), 86, passed away peacefully at his home in The Woodlands, TX, on 26 August 2021 of metastatic bone cancer, surrounded by his loving family. Carl was born in Pueblo, CO, in 1935 to Carl J. Triebes and Lucille Jones Triebes. He graduated from Centennial High School and attended Pueblo Junior College for one year prior to entering the Naval Academy under the congressional appointment of Senator Eugene Millikin. While at USNA, he was a member of the Eighth Company and the Glee Club, was on the Lucky Bag staff, Class Ring and Crest committee and was manager of the cross country team.

Upon graduation with the Class of 1958, Carl was commissioned as an ensign and reported to GEORGE CLYMER (APA-27) for one year prior to attending Submarine School. He qualified in submarines on ROCK (AGSS-274) and subsequently served on RONQUIL (SS-396) before attending MIT, where he earned an MS in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and a Naval Engineering degree. After being designated Engineering Duty, Carl was assigned to Mare Island Naval Shipyard, Vallejo, CA, as a ship superintendent and type desk officer for SSN-637 class submarine construction. Subsequent assignments included submarine overhaul project manager at SupShip, Pascagoula, MS, and repair officer on SIMON LAKE (AS-33), homeported in Rota, Spain. He served on the staff of ComSubLant, Norfolk, VA, as maintenance officer and completed his Navy career as the Deputy Supervisor of Shipbuilding at Newport News, VA. Retiring from the Navy in 1982, Carl took a position with Transworld Drilling Company in Lafayette, LA, where he was the general manager for Gulf Coast offshore drilling operations. In 1993, he accepted a position with American Bureau of Shipping (Quality Evaluations) in Houston, TX, where he was Director of Audit until retiring in 1998. Carl was a life member of the Naval Institute, the Naval Submarine League and the American Society of Naval Engineers (chairman of the Tidewater Chapter, 1981). In 1992, he taught engineering graphics as an adjunct professor at the University of Southwest Louisiana. For many years, he and his wife delivered Meals on Wheels in The Woodlands. Carl is survived by his wife of 59 years, Donna Davenport Triebes; son, Philip (Margaret); daughter, Paula Triebes (Paul Templet); and grandchildren, William, Katherine, Joseph, Benjamin and Claire. His parents and sister, Martha, predeceased him. Services and inurnment will take place at the Naval Academy Columbarium (date TBD). H

HARRY JOSEPH BROCK JR. ’59 Harry J. Brock Jr. of St. Marys, PA, passed away peacefully in the presence of family on 15 July 2021, following a brief illness. Harry was born on 11 October 1933, in St. Marys, the second of eight children of Harry and Edna Brock. He graduated from St. Marys Catholic High School in 1951 and enlisted in the U.S. Navy in 1953. In 1955, he entered the Naval Academy by special appointment from the Secretary of the Navy. He graduated and was commissioned as an officer in 1959 – his proudest accomplishment. On 26 December 1959, he married Patricia Straub at Queen of the World Church in St. Marys. He served as supply officer on PUTNAM and disbursement officer at the U.S. Navy Propellant Plant in Indian Head, MD. He left active duty in 1963. Harry returned to St. Marys in 1965 and worked for Airco Speer, staying with the company as it changed owners and names. He worked in data management, sales engineering and sales management before retiring in 1995. Harry was a devout Catholic and active member of Sacred Heart Parish, where served as a lector and headed the committee that oversaw major renovations of the church in 1999. He was a member of the Knights of Columbus and participated in the Christian Family Movement, Cursillo and Boy Scouts. Harry was an avid fisherman, hunter and golfer, an enthusiastic sports fan and a staunch Republican. In retirement, Harry and Patty enjoyed traveling to different destinations in the U.S. and abroad, and for many years wintered in Florida. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 151

LAST CALL

Harry’s biography in the 1959 Naval Academy Lucky Bag yearbook captured his personality in a way that still rings true to all who know and love him: Harry’s friendliness and his mature outlook on life caused people to respect his views on many subjects. His quick sense of humor, combined with an uncanny knack for saying the right thing at the proper time, gained for him the respect of his colleagues. His conscientious effort to do his best is indicative of his positive outlook on life. Harry is survived by his wife, Patty; their sons, Fr. Herald “Harry” Joseph Brock, CFR, stationed in Paterson, NJ, and William Brock (and his wife, Kate) of St. Marys, PA; and two grandchildren, Hannah Brock of St. Marys, PA, and William Brock of Washington, DC; and all seven of his siblings, Joan, Ann, John, Stan, Jim, Terry and Jude. H

BRUCE DAVID NORDWALL ’59 Captain Bruce D. Nordwall, USN (Ret.), passed away at his home in Englewood, CO, on 30 June 2021. The son of Lois and David Nordwall, Bruce graduated from the Naval Academy and married his high school sweetheart, Joceile Milligan, in 1959. After attending flight training and receiving his Wings in 1960, for his first tour Bruce flew S-2s off of KEARSARGE with VS-29, homeported at North Island. He attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, for two years in Weapons Systems Engineering. At the Naval Weapons Evaluation Facility in Albuquerque, NM, he flew multiple types of aircrafts, including F-9 jets. Bruce spent a year in Vietnam as the aviator in a five-officer R&D unit. He led the operations tests and flew the “Quiet Airplane” in the Vietnam Delta. Bruce returned to the San Diegobased S-2 squadron, followed by a tour with the Anti-Submarine Warfare Test Squadron (VX-1) in Key West and Pax River. He was project officer and pilot for the early operational tests of the S-3 Vikings weapons systems in Burbank and Pax River. Bruce returned to San Diego as commanding officer of VS-37, transitioning the squadron from S-2s to S-3s on their last deployment aboard KITTY HAWK. He then was assigned to the Naval Air Systems Command in Washington, DC, responsible for engineering support for the S-3 and was promoted to captain. Bruce took over as program manager of the TACAMO program. After retiring from the Navy in 1986, Bruce worked at Aviation Week and Space Technology magazine as the avionics editor for 18 years. Assignments took him all over the world, but the highlight was a 10-day assignment to Antarctica to write about the final year Navy aircraft would support the National Science Foundation research. Bruce and Joceile retired to Englewood, CO, in 2006, where he enjoyed skiing, tennis and volunteering at the local Lions Club and Spirit of Hope Methodist Church. After Joceile’s courageous battle with brain cancer, she passed away in 2016. Bruce, in declining health, moved to California to be close to family in early 2020. Bruce was predeceased by his wife, Joceile; and their sons, Paul (1981), Eric (2009) and Grant (2020). He is survived by his brother, Paul of Colorado; sister-in-law, Jonnie Dilsaver of Colorado; daughters-in-law, Smita of Virginia and Camille of California; and seven grandchildren, Jubilee, Josiah, Naomi, Chloe, Micah, Nathan and Charlie. H

152 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

EVAN PRICE REESE ’60 Captain Evan P. Reese, USN (Ret.), passed away on 16 September 2021 in Oak Harbor, WA, from complications from a massive stroke suffered in April 2020. He passed his final months in his Whidbey Island waterfront home under the care of his life partner, Rosemary Ihrig, and home care specialists, who ministered to his needs until his passing. Born in Ohio in 1937, Evan completed one year at Ohio State University and was then appointed to the Naval Academy, graduating in 1960. Following flight training, he received his Wings of Gold in 1961. His first fleet assignment was with VA-176, flying the A-1 Skyraider embarked in SHANGRI-LA. Follow-on shore duty was as a basic jet flight instructor at NAS Meridian, MS. In 1969, Evan transitioned to the A-6 Intruder and joined VA-196 at NAS Whidbey Island, WA, making two Vietnam combat cruises. On the first of these, while flying off RANGER, he and his bombardier/navigator were shot down over the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos. Their rescue the following morning resulted in Evan’s return to RANGER and to his squadron. Subsequent shore duty assignments were with the Bureau of Naval Personnel and on the JCS Staff. Returning to Whidbey in 1976, then-Commander Reese transitioned to the EA-6B Prowler, following which he served as executive officer and then commanding officer of VAQ-136. During Evan’s active flying career, he amassed 124 combat sorties, 6,124 flight hours and 897 carrier landings. To round out his 30-year career, Evan served as operations officer on ENTERPRISE and ashore as Inspector General for U.S. Naval Forces, Europe. Subsequently, he served on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations and as a member of the Navy Council of Personnel Boards. Following his Navy retirement, Evan served as consultant to the U.S. House Appropriations Committee-Surveys and Investigations Staff, in the field of airport facilities and their security. Evan and Rosemary returned to his Whidbey Island home in 1999. In retirement, he was an avid crabber, a superb bird carver and an aspiring watercolor artist. He was active in the local Association of Naval Aviation squadron, the Oak Harbor First United Methodist Church and the Oak Harbor Area Council of the Navy League. Per Evan’s wishes, his ashes will be scattered at sea in his favorite crabbing grounds offshore from this West Beach home. This service is planned for June 2022. H

GARY GILBERT HERZBERG ’61 Gary G. Herzberg of Bozeman, MT, died in hospice on 14 September 2021. He was 81 years old. Raised in Minneapolis, MN, Gary was appointed to the Naval Academy in 1957. He excelled in all endeavors, led the Brigade of Midshipmen march on for Navy’s football victory over Army in 1960 and ultimately graduated second in the Class of 1961. After commissioning, he attended the Naval Destroyer School and reported as engineering officer aboard DAVIS (DD-937). He served honorably through 1965. He then began a career in business, which led him back to Minnesota to work for General Mills, Piper Jaffery and other enterprises. He later moved to Louisville, KY, where he was CEO of Active Ankle Systems and National Records Management. It was in Louisville that he met his wife,

LAST CALL

Nancy Bailey, and they retired to Bozeman in 1999 to enjoy the cowboy life and the scenic splendor of the American West, as well as the opportunity to travel worldwide. A skilled car mechanic, he spent much of his time tinkering with all makes of cars. In later life, he focused on Jaguars. A big joy was driving in the Going to the Sun rallies several years, always with a son in the other seat. Always a gentleman, a brilliant mind, a sharp wit and a huge heart, he is missed. Gary is survived by his wife, Nancy Bailey; sons, Christopher of Minneapolis, MN, Andrew (Sherri Sharpe) of Pensacola, FL, and Gray (Ali Conlin) of Portland, OR; brother, David (Barbara) of Columbia, SC; grandchildren, Luke, Willa, Evelyn, Casey, Anna, Carter and Bailey; stepchildren, Michele Bailey (Matt Anderson) of Denver, CO, and Chris Bailey (Deanna) of Bali, Indonesia; and last, but not least, his walking buddy, Pepe, a golden doodle. Andrew is a 2001 graduate of West Point and it made Gary immensely proud that he was always the victor, regardless of which team won the annual Army-Navy game. Gary and Nancy have remained actively involved in the local community and request donations to Heroes & Horses (heroesandhorses.org) or Heart of the Valley Animal Shelter (heartofthevalleyshelter.org), in lieu of flowers. Condolences and memories may be shared with the family at (www.dahlcares.com). H

MAURICE DUDLEY STANLEY JR. ’61 Commander “Stan” Stanley, USN (Ret.), passed away unexpectedly on 9 July 2021, surrounded by his loving family. He was 81 years old. Born and raised in Georgia, Stan graduated from Marietta High School and entered USNA, graduating with the Class of 1961. The week after graduation, he married his college sweetheart, Paige Bennington, and began his first career as a Navy carrier pilot. He deployed numerous times to the Western Pacific, flying the A-4 Skyhawk in combat in Vietnam. He earned his Master of Science degree in management at the Naval Postgraduate School and finished his Navy career as officer-in-charge of the Human Resources Management Detachment at NAS Whidbey Island. Following his Navy retirement in 1981, Stan and Paige settled in Oak Harbor, WA, and he began his second career as a business owner and consultant. Over the years, Stan served as executive director of the Island County Economic Development Council and as president of the Greater Oak Harbor Chamber of Commerce. He founded a base realignment and closure (BRAC) consulting firm and was instrumental in “saving” his base when NAS Whidbey Island was erroneously placed on the 1991 BRAC list. Additionally, Stan taught college level business classes at three universities. A lifelong sailing enthusiast, Stan was an active member of the northwest boating community and served as commodore of the Oak Harbor Yacht Club. Additionally, he was founder and principal of Northwest Marine Productions and of Whidbey Island Race Week, which was selected as one of the top ten regattas in the United States and in the top 20 in the world. This popular and successful event was an annual favorite for more than 30 years and did much to put Oak Harbor on the map. Stan was a tireless community volunteer in many areas and events, including Oak Harbor Rotary, the Boy Scouts of America (in which he was an Eagle Scout), Navy League of the United States and the Military Officers Association of America. Always the life of the party and ready to lend a helping hand, Stan will be greatly missed by many, especially his wife, Paige; children, Betsy, John and Mike and their spouses; and his seven grandchildren.

A celebration of Stan’s life was held at the Oak Harbor Yacht Club on 2 October 2021. The family would be grateful for memorial donations to the Oak Harbor Rotary Foundation (www.ohrotary.org/sitepage/foundation-donations). H

DAVID PAUL WEST ’61 “Dave” West completed his final flight on 22 July 2021, after a short illness. He was born in Ironwood, MI, and was a graduate of the World’s Greatest Naval Academy Class (WGNAC), the Class of 1961. Aspiring from a young age to become an aviator, Dave chose naval aviation as his duty assignment. He was assigned to NAS Pensacola, where he received his Navy Wings on 7 December 1962, joining the fabled Tophatters of VF-14. He flew F-4s in Vietnam off FRANKLIN ROOSEVELT, later serving as a Navy flight instructor. His awards include the Air Medal w/4 Gold Stars, the Navy Commendation Medal w/Combat V, Vietnam Service Medal w/Bronze Star, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal w/Device, the National Defense Service Medal and the Expert Rifle Medal. Dave left active duty in 1968 to pursue a career in civilian aviation. He attended the Air Force Test Pilot School at Edwards AFB, graduating in December 1971. Dave served as a test pilot for Northrop Aviation, where he led the certification of the F-5E Tiger II. After Northrop, Dave became a test pilot for the FAA. In 1982, he was appointed Chief of Flight Test for the Atlanta Aircraft Certification Office (ACO), a position he held until his retirement in January 1997. During his tenure in Atlanta, he was responsible for numerous certification projects, including the Embraer 120 and the Gulfstream G-IV. He was also a member of the FAA team that developed TCAS II, a ground-proximity warning system used in commercial aircraft. Following his service with the FAA, Dave continued his career in aviation by becoming a Designated Engineering Representative (DER), performing certification projects on behalf of the FAA. He formed his own consulting company, TopHatter Aviation, Inc., in 1997. His final project was as a certification test pilot on the HondaJet. At the time of his retirement in 2008, Dave held the following pilot certificates: Airline Transport Pilot, Multiengine Land: B-727, B-757, B-767, BE-300, CE-500, CV-A340, CV-A440, DC-9, EMB-120, G-1159, G-IV and N-265. His commercial privileges included Airplane Single Engine Land, Glider Aero Tow and L-T33. Left to cherish his memory are his beloved wife, Rebecca; daughters, Shannon and Erin; sons, David II ’87, Travis and Harvey; nine grandchildren; and several nieces and nephews. Memorial donations may be directed to the Navy Seal Foundation (www.navysealfoundation.org). “He was a man, take him for all in all, I shall not look upon his like again.” —William Shakespeare, Hamlet H

COLUMBARIUM For more information, visit usna.edu/cemetery/

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 153

LAST CALL

THOMAS CLINTON WINANT ’61 Lieutenant Commander Thomas C. Winant, USN (Ret.), died at his home in Los Altos, CA, on 17 September 2020 after a valiant fight with mesothelioma. He was 81 years old. “Tom” was born on 2 April 1939 in Washington, DC, the first of three sons, to the late Captain Frank I. Winant Jr. ’30, USN (Ret.), and Eleanor T. Winant. Following the bombing of Pearl Harbor, Tom and his mother flew from Honolulu to Los Angeles by troop carrier, stayed with relatives until his father returned from World War II, and their many cross-country moves began. Tom received a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy from Coronado High School and graduated with the Class of 1961 (23rd Company). His service included SOUTHERLAND (DDR-743), JOHN R. PIERCE (DD-753), staffs of ComCruDesFlot Seven and ComCruDesFlot Eleven and XO of PEORIA (LST-1183). While earning his MS in Operations Research at the Naval Postgraduate School, he met and married his wife, Diane. In 1981, after assignments at the Center for Naval Analysis in Virginia and FCDSSA, Point Loma, CA, Tom retired from the Navy and began his civilian engineering career at Convair, San Diego, working principally on the Tomahawk missile. In 1985, he joined FMC, San Jose (later BAE Systems) to work on the Bradley Fighting Vehicle and stayed for 25 years through many other projects, mentoring young engineers, and retired in 2010 as Engineering Manager. Tom, the first to lend a hand, became an avid volunteer at Moffett Field Museum in Mountain View, CA; president of the Santa Clara Valley Chapter of the Navy League and president of its Pacific Central Region. He worked to support Coast Guard families and the restoration of Mare Island Cemetery in Vallejo, CA. As Scoutmaster of Boy Scout Troop 30, Los Altos, he delighted in helping Scouts earn their Eagle, the highest rank in scouting. He embodied the values of hard work and integrity, and with a smile, song, joke or story, made friends wherever he went. As a loving husband and father, he put up with a long succession of family pets. He leaves Diane, his wife of 49 years; three children, Nathan, Anne Katherine and Kristin; grandchildren, Dean, June and Bentley; brothers, Gerry and Dick; and five nieces and nephews. He was interred in the military section of Gate of Heaven Cemetery in Los Altos, CA, at a private family service with military honors. The Winant Family H

EMIL CHARLES DI MOTTA JR. ’62 Emil C. Di Motta Jr. made his final flight to his heavenly home on Wednesday, 18 August 2021. Born to Emil C. Di Motta and Noreen O’Shaughnessy Di Motta on 22 November 1938, in The Bronx, NY, he was the oldest of three children. Emil was raised and educated in the Catholic school system of New York. In his college years, he briefly attended CCNY before being accepted to the United States Naval Academy Class of 1962, 12th Company. He often shared his fond memories of his time at USNA. Upon graduation, he attended Flight School and became a P3 pilot. Emil proudly served his country during the Vietnam War. He flew on many reconnaissance flights during this time as a lieutenant (junior grade) and lieutenant with the VP-28 Hawaiian Warriors. Upon his return from Vietnam, Emil became a project test pilot at the Naval Air Warfare Center, Warminster, 154 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

and in that capacity, he flew seven different types of propeller driven aircraft. He also volunteered as a Blue & Gold officer. In 1963, Emil married the love of his life, Grace Gilbert, in Newtown Square, PA. Together, they raised a loving family of seven children and celebrated 58 years of marriage. Emil was a dedicated husband and father who took great pride in his family. Emil was a member of Rotary Club of Fleming Island, Smoke N Guns Tampa, FL, and Sacred Heart Catholic Church in Fleming Island. Emil also enjoyed smoking cigars, drinking red wine and playing poker at Island Girl Cigar Bar Fleming Island. Emil is preceded in death by his father, Emil C. Di Motta; mother, Noreen O’Shaughnessy Di Motta; and sister, Barbara Di Motta Pesci. He is survived by his wife, Grace; their seven children, Dawn (John), Sean (Heather), Edward (Whitney), Emil (Staci), Grace (Dan), Mari-Elean (Michael) and Dana (Joe); 14 grandchildren; six great-grandchildren; and his sister, Maria Elena Di Motta Alvaro (Robert). He was loved by many nieces, nephews and extended family. A Funeral Mass was held at the Naval Academy Chapel on 18 November 2021, followed by committal at the USNA Columbarium. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the USNA Alumni Association and Foundation, “In memory of Emil C. Di Motta Jr., Class of 1962” (www.usna.com/give). Condolences may be left for the family at (www.broadusraines.com/obituary/emil-di-motta-jr). The Di Motta Family H

BRUCE ALLEN ABEL ’64 Commander Bruce A. Abel, USNR (Ret.), of Acworth, GA, passed away on 29 August 2021 at Emory St. Joseph’s Hospital in Atlanta. He was 79 years old. Bruce was born on 30 June 1942 in Pittsburgh, a son of the late Edward G. Abel and Gladys K. Walliser Abel. He was a 1960 graduate of North Hills High School in Pittsburgh, where he played varsity football, basketball and baseball. He was inducted into the North Hills High School Hall of Fame in 1997. He was a Class of 1964 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, where he also played football, including the national championship game at the 1964 Cotton Bowl. In the Navy, Bruce served as an active duty P-3 Orion pilot, then transitioned in 1970 to a long career in the Naval Reserve. He worked for the Westinghouse Nuclear Fuel Division, followed by a career with Thrift Drug, both in Pittsburgh, PA. After retiring in 2006, he moved to the Atlanta area. He will be remembered for his passion for Pittsburgh sports teams, Navy football and golf, but mostly for his faithful love of family, friends and country! Bruce was predeceased by his wife of 43 years, Helene Ruth Kight Abel; brother, Edward R. Abel; and infant brother, Lonnie Abel. He is survived by his loving wife, Carole Bale, with whom he shared 12 wonderful years. He is also survived by his son, Scott G. Abel ’89 (and his wife, Laurie) of Marshall Township, PA; daughter, Tiffany S. Smedley (and her husband, Eric) of Powder Springs, GA; brothers, Glenn K. Abel (and his wife, Susan) of Chester Springs, PA, and Lee G. Abel (and his wife, Connie) of Chalfont, PA; sister-in-law, Anna C. Abel of Holly Springs, NC; seven grandchildren; one great-granddaughter; and many lifelong friends and companions. Funeral services were held on 3 September 2021 in Marietta, GA, followed by a reception at Brookstone Golf Club. A Celebration of Life was held in Gibsonia, PA, on 6 November 2021. H

LAST CALL

BURR CALDWELL HARTMAN ’64 Dr. Burr C. Hartman, 78, died peacefully at his beloved River House in Springville, CA, on 26 January 2021. Burr was born on 20 October 1942, in Milwaukee, WI, to Howard Conrad Hartman and Frances Lydia Caldwell. Following his 1964 graduation from the Naval Academy, Burr served on BROWNSON and as missile officer on PROVIDENCE in Vietnam. After his discharge from the Navy, he earned a PhD in chemistry from UCSB and worked as a clinical chemist at BioScience Laboratory in Los Angeles. He went back to school and earned a DO degree from the College of Osteopathic Medicine (Des Moines, IA). He did his pathology fellowship at Los Angeles County, USC Medical Center and served as laboratory director at Los Angeles County High Desert Hospital in Lancaster, CA. Dr. Hartman was board certified in Clinical Chemistry, Anatomic and Clinical Pathology and Forensic Pathology. He worked as a pathologist at Sierra View Medical Center in Porterville, CA, and Microcorre Diagnostic Lab, supporting the Tulare District Hospital. During his tenure, he performed hundreds of coroner’s cases for the Tulare, Kings and San Luis Obispo Counties’ sheriff’s offices. Needless to say, dinnertime at the Hartman house was always interesting! In 2014, Burr was diagnosed with bladder cancer. Thanks to Dr. Karim Chamie, MD, and his team at UCLA Ronald Reagan, he survived seven years. He would still be practicing pathology were it not for the many complications from his treatment and surgeries. He loved his career and always said he would practice until he was 90, “if anybody would pay me.” A published professional, Burr was passionate about continuing education and regularly attended meetings and seminars to keep his knowledge current. He was a long-time member of the California Association of Toxicologists, the College of American Pathology, National Association of Medical Examiners, American Association for Clinical Chemists and American Medical Association. He had an amazing intellect and an infinite recall of historical facts and figures. His wit and humor, together with his gentle, caring nature make his shoes impossible to fill. Burr is survived by his wife of 16 years, Susan; brother, Christopher; sister, Jane; son, Mark (Ashley); daughter, Erika (Pablo); stepson, Kevin (Sandra) stepdaughter, Kimberly (Larry); and grandchildren, Avery, Jacob, Fontana, Laurens and Cameron. He loved them all deeply. Burr was a staunch and loyal supporter of our military and an advocate for women’s rights. Memorial donations may be made to the Naval Academy Foundation (www.usna.com/give). H

LYNN FRANKLIN GARST ’65 Lynn Garst died peacefully on 25 September 2021 with his wife, Georgiann, at his side. Son of Ben and Dortha (Stansell) Garst and stepson of Ruth (Jacobson) Garst, Lynn was born in Little Rock, AR, on 24 February 1941 and graduated from Central High School in 1958. He enlisted in the Navy at 17 and later attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School in Bainbridge, MD. During his First Class Year at the Naval Academy, Lynn was in the Eighth Company. After graduation, he became a naval aviator and flew the OP-2E aircraft in Vietnam with The Ghost Squadron (VO-67), which earned the Navy Commendation Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation among its other

honors. Following Vietnam, Lynn was assigned to NAS Jacksonville, where he flew the P-3 Orion. Lynn was then assigned to the NROTC unit at the University of Missouri in Columbia, MO. During and after this tour, he also taught math, coached athletics and went into middle-school administration. He went on to earn a master’s in Physical Education and an Educational Specialist degree, both from the University of Missouri. After 15 years in Columbia, Lynn and his family moved to Rogers, AR, where they found a “home” at Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas. Lynn served as elder and shepherding elder at Fellowship, as well as assisting in the elementary and community ministries. He especially loved the Razorbacks, Navy and the St. Louis Cardinals. A favorite family memory was attending the historic Game Six of the 2011 World Series. Lynn is survived by his wife of 56 years, Georgiann; sister, Barbara Kindron of Santa Barbara, CA; sons, Mark Garst (Karen) of Lebanon, IL, and David Garst of Memphis, TN; daughter, Karen Olsen (Tom) of Rogers, AR; and ten grandchildren, Miranda O’Bryant (Brad), Kaila Gillespie (Nathan), Crist Olsen (Whitney), Alec Garst (Liz), Destin Garst, Dane Olsen (Claire), Steth Garst, Ty Olsen, Elliot Garst and Addy Olsen. Lynn was also blessed with five great-grandchildren and many wonderful nieces and nephews. Lynn will always be remembered for fighting the good fight along with his faith and loyalty, his huge smile, his zest for life, and being the biggest fan of his children’s and grandchildren’s activities. A memorial service honoring his life was held on Veteran’s Day 2021 at Fellowship Bible Church in Rogers, AR. Memorial donations may be sent to Fellowship Bible Church of Northwest Arkansas (www.fellowshipnwa.org/give). Mrs. Georgiann Garst & Bill Zuna ’65 H

RONALD ROY HENDERSON ’65 Ron Henderson of Toledo, OH, passed away at Hospice of Northwest Ohio in Perrysburg, OH, on 28 July 2021, with his wife of 55 years at his bedside. He was 78 years old. Born on 1 June 1943, in Waukesha, WI, Ron graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1965, and married Phyllis Schuma of Cleveland, OH, that same year. Ron was in the 17th Company during First Class Year. Ron served in the Supply Corps, with tours of duty in San Juan, Puerto Rico, and on NIAGARA FALLS (AFS-3), based in Sasebo, Japan. After his naval career, Ron graduated from The Ohio State University College of Law in 1973. Following graduation, Ron began practicing law at the Toledo Legal Aid Society, pursuing his passion for justice and advancement for all. Ron spent the majority of his legal career as a general practitioner in Toledo, OH, and was an active member of the Toledo Bar Association and serving on many TBA committees over the years. He retired in 2017. Ron was an active member of the USNA Alumni Association’s Toledo Chapter. He and Phyllis loved to visit Annapolis for class reunions over the years, building deep friendships with classmates and their families. Even though Ron loved traveling the world with his wife, he still thought home was the best place to be, watching sports in his La-Z-Boy chair with a German beer and a good cigar. He was a big fan of Navy, OSU and Wisconsin professional sports teams. Despite his recent health issues, Ron was fortunate enough to see the Milwaukee Bucks win the NBA Championship this past summer. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 155

LAST CALL

Ron’s number one passion was his family. He guided his sons, David and Oliver, through their education. His four grandsons, Elliot, Chase, Brandon and Grant, will always remember “Pa-Pa” as the big-joke teller. Pa-Pa taught his grandsons to say “Go Navy, Beat Army” and wear Dixie cups. Ron also loved his daughter-in-law, Stefanie Leong, who he affectionately called “DIL 1.” Memorial contributions in Ron’s name may be made to Hospice of Northwest Ohio (www.hospicenwo.org) or to the charity or school of the donor’s choice. A Celebration of Life event will be held at a future date. Shipmates wishing to express their condolences may leave their messages at (CoyleFuneralHome.com). Oliver Henderson USMA ’96 & Bill Zuna ’65 H

CHARLES ELIHU HUMPHREY ’65 “Chuck” Humphrey of Pittsfield, NH, surrounded by his loving family, died peacefully on 18 August 2021 at the Jack Byrne Center in Lebanon, NH, after his short battle with lung cancer. Born in 1941 to Gerald and Harriet (Russell) Humphrey of Gray, ME, he cherished playing baseball, strumming his guitar and hunting with his brothers. After graduating from Pennell Institute in Gray, Chuck entered the Naval Academy. Chuck was in the Eighth Company during First Class Year and while at the Academy, he and Bonnie Richard started dating and became engaged at the Ring Dance. After graduation, Chuck served in BIGELOW (DD-942) and was honorably discharged in 1969. Chuck loved the Naval Academy and the Navy and continued his involvement through the USNA Alumni Association for many years. Chuck began his civilian career at Prudential and eventually became a principal at KPMG. In 1998, he founded his investment advisory firm, C.E. Humphrey Associates, which helped clients achieve their financial goals. Chuck was a consummate professional dedicated to the service of others, always keeping his cool, and moving forward to “get ’er done,” as he would regularly say. Chuck and Bonnie eventually settled in Stow, MA, and after becoming empty nesters, they built a home in Pittsfield, NH, where they enjoyed beautiful sunsets, wildlife and the vistas. With his booming voice, hearty laugh and large stature, you knew when Chuck entered a room. He was jovial, kind and generous, giving those in need the shirt off his back. Giving back was of great importance to him, and he regularly contributed to the Naval Academy, groups that help others get back on their feet and children’s programs. Though he was nearly always working, Chuck most of all truly enjoyed moments with his family and friends. Chuck leaves behind his beloved wife of 56 years, Bonita “Bonnie” Humphrey; son, Todd Humphrey (wife, Armine) of Winchester, MA; daughter, Hilaire Quinn (husband, Robert) of Hopkinton, NH; and two grandsons, Kyle Denio (wife, Morgan and their children) of Lawrenceburg, KY, and Dennis Humphrey of Athol, MA. Chuck is also survived by his older sister, Eleanor Whiston of Mystic, CT; and younger brother, Tim Humphrey (Dorene) of Houlton, ME. In addition to his parents, he was predeceased by his brothers, Gerald and Phil Humphrey. A celebration of Chuck’s life was held in Pittsfield, NH, on 16 October 2021. Mrs. Bonnie Humphrey & Bill Zuna ’65 H

156 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

WILLIAM GEORGE MATTON III ’65 Captain William G. Matton III, USN (Ret.), of Davidsonville, MD, died suddenly at his home on 10 September 2021. Born in Pensacola, FL, on 16 December 1943 to a family with long-time Annapolis roots, he was the son of the late Captain William G. Matton Jr. ’41, USN (Ret.), and Nevett Steele Matton. During First Class year, Bill was in the 24th Company. Following graduation in 1965, Bill became a naval aviator and flew maritime surveillance and anti-submarine warfare missions. He attended the Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, where he earned a master’s degree in Management Science. He then taught accounting and financial management at the Naval Academy. After several tours flying and serving at the Pentagon, he commanded VR-24, a transport squadron in Sigonella, Sicily. Bill completed his naval service in Norfolk, VA, as Comptroller for the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. At Annapolis, Bill lettered in golf and competed in the 1964 NCAA championship. He won the Naval Academy club championship in 1972 and 2005 and the senior club championship in 1999. He served as president of the men’s association at the Naval Academy Golf Club for nearly 30 years. Bill also served on the board of the Maryland State Golf Association, the Rules Committee of the Middle Atlantic Golf Association and the Handicap Procedure Committee of the United States Golf Association. Bill also had a passion for history and genealogy and researched and wrote a comprehensive history of the Matton and Lambert families, which is treasured by both families. Bill loved his time with family and friends, Class of ’65 luncheons, golf outings, trips to Switzerland and the Rhone River, bridge games, the Masters, his grandchildren’s sporting events, the annual Camp Matton family reunion, Outer Banks beach trips and meals together. Bill is survived by his beloved wife of 52 years, Mary Lambert Matton; sons, William Christopher Matton (Melissa) and Jeffrey Andrew Matton (Michele); five grandchildren, Ross, Scott, Andrew, Anna and Ella; and two brothers, Captain Michael Matton, USN (Tori) and Stephen Matton (fiancée, Mandy). Funeral services were held at the Naval Academy Chapel on 17 November 2021. Burial at Arlington National Cemetery will occur at a later date. Memorial donations in Bill’s name may be made to payable to “NAAA” and mailed to NAAA Men’s Golf Sustainment Fund, 566 Brownson Road, Annapolis, MD 21402. Mrs. Mary Matton & Bill Zuna ’65 H

When all the dust is settled and all the crowds are gone, the things that matter are faith, family and friends. —Barbara Bush

LAST CALL

NICHOLAS ALBERT PALDINO ’65 Colonel Nicholas A. Paldino, USAF (Ret.), of Fort Myers, FL, passed away on 10 July 2021. He was 81 years old. “Nick” was a native of Farrell, PA, where he graduated from Farrell High School in 1958. After serving three years in the Air Force as an enlisted medic, he received a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy. Nick spent his Plebe year in the 16th Company and was on the Plebe fencing team. He spent his Firstie year in the Third Company and was editor of the Splinter magazine. At graduation in 1965, Nick was presented the Henry Van Dyke Award, which is presented annually to that Midshipman of the graduating class who submits the best term paper/thesis. Nick’s paper was entitled “A History of the Lafayette Escadrille.” After graduation, Nick took a commission in the Air Force and immediately reported to pilot training at Craig AFB, AL. Upon winning his Wings, he was assigned to Plattsburgh AFB, NY, flying the B-52 bomber. During his five years at Plattsburgh, Nick achieved the position of aircraft commander and flew two ARC LIGHT tours in Vietnam flying B-52s, flying a total of 88 combat missions. In 1972, Nick volunteered for a third Southeast Asia tour and was assigned to Ubon Royal Thai Air Base in Thailand, flying the two-seat B-57G night intruder aircraft. Following his third tour, where Nick had flown a total of 34 combat missions, he was assigned to the University of Central Florida, where he earned a master’s degree in Business Administration in 1974. Nick served a total of 27 years and had assignments that included: working on development of USAF night attack weapons and tactics; exchange tour with the British Royal Air Force in London; and closed his career with a diplomatic assignment as the director of the staff of the U.S. Ambassador to NATO in Brussels, Belgium. Upon his retirement from the Air Force in 1989, Nick joined Marconi Electronic Systems as a vice president in their Washington, DC, office. When Marconi was bought by BAE Systems in March 2000, Nick took an early retirement and moved to Florida. Nick continued to actively support the Academy after moving to Florida, serving as an officer and on the board of the Naples/Fort Myers Chapter of the Naval Academy Alumni Association. Funeral services were held in September 2021, with interment at the Naval Academy Columbarium. NAP ’65 H

PAUL MATTHEW ROBINSON ’65 Rear Admiral Paul M. Robinson, USN (Ret.), passed away from complications of Parkinson’s disease on 16 September 2021. He was 77 years old. Paul was born in Sewanee, TN, in 1943 to Paul B. Robinson and Vera (Judd) Robinson. He graduated from Marion Military Institute and was a 1965 graduate of the United States Naval Academy. During First Class Year, he was in the Seventh Company. While at Annapolis, he excelled as a varsity gymnast and was a member of the Academy Glee Club. Paul’s naval career reflected an enduring and consistent dedication to the Navy for more than 33 years. Whether in shore assignments or in the fleet, Paul devoted himself to his faith, his work and his love of people. His sea duty included serving in SEMMES (DDG-18), JOHN PAUL JONES (DDG-32) and a second tour in SEMMES (DDG-18). In 1976, Paul was selected as an Engineering Duty Officer. He held command positions at Sturgeon Bay, WI, and Bath, ME. Other assignments included tours on the staff of the Chief of Naval Operations and as executive assistant to Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command. He was a graduate of the Naval Postgraduate School and the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. Paul’s flag officer assignments were Deputy Chief of Naval Operations and Deputy Commander for Surface Ships, Naval Sea Systems Command. In 1996, he became the Vice Commander, Naval Sea Systems Command, culminating many years of leadership and distinguished, decorated service. Following his retirement from the Navy in 1998, Paul assumed executive positions at Ingalls Shipbuilding in Pascagoula, MS, and later served as a consultant to BAE Ship Systems, Mobile, AL. Paul served as a trustee on the Marion Military Institute Board of Advisors, was a past president of the Mobile Council of the U.S. Navy League, and was an active member of Auburn United Methodist Church, Auburn, AL. He always loved being involved in his church and throughout the years, never missed an opportunity to sing or direct a choir. Paul is survived by his wife, Jeanne; children, Matthew (Leslie), David (Heather) and Sarah (Cullen); six grandchildren, Sadie, Ella, Warren, Mary, Jack and Emily; and his brother, Joe (Dot). A Celebration of Life service was held at Auburn United Methodist Church on 3 October 2021. Interment will follow at a later date at the Naval Academy Cemetery. Mrs. Jeanne Robinson H

JOHN LLOYD STRINGER ’65

In truth, a family is what you make it. It is made strong, not by number of heads counted at the dinner table, but by the rituals you help family members create, by the memories you share, by the commitment of time, caring and love... —Marge Kennedy

John Stringer died on 4 March 2018. Born on 28 March 1940 to James L. and Ethel P. Stringer, in 1958, John enlisted in the U.S. Navy. He entered the submarine service to become an engineman third class before he was selected to attend the Naval Academy Preparatory School. At Annapolis, John was quite a sailor. During Plebe Year, he sailed on HIGHLAND LIGHT and then transferred to the dinghies. He then went on the crew of the sloop NORDERNEY and eventually captained COLUMBIA. During First Class Year, John was in the Second Company. After graduation with the Class of 1965, John became a naval aviator and flew 83 combat missions over Vietnam. He left the Navy in 1973 with the rank of lieutenant and started work for Ford Motor Company as a design engineer. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 157

LAST CALL

He was a devout Catholic and a longstanding member of St. Rose of Lima Catholic Church in Carlisle, AR. He was preceded in death by his parents; his daughter, Kelly Gererd Stringer; brother, Judd Leslie Stringer; and sister, Catherine Stringer. He is survived by his loving wife of 49 years, Clare L. Stringer; his son, John L. Stringer (Donna); daughters, Elodie Jones (Spencer) and Patricia Cano (Frank); and brothers, Joseph Lee Stringer and James Taylor Stringer. He is also survived by four stepchildren; 23 grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. John is interred at Calvary Cemetery in Little Rock, AR. Mrs. Clare Stringer & Bill Zuna ’65 H

HERBERT BATEMAN WILLIAMS ’65 On 27 July 2021, Captain Herbert B. Williams, USNR (Ret.), 77, lost his fight to COPD. “Herb” was born in Fayetteville, NC, graduated from Fayetteville High School, and graduated from the Naval Academy with the Class of 1965. During First Class Year, he was a member of the 14th Company. After graduation, he became a naval aviator, was assigned to VP-56 in Norfolk, VA, flying the SP-2H Neptunes, and later transitioned to the P-3C Orion aircraft. His next tour was as a flight instructor flying the TS-2A Tracker aircraft in Corpus Christi, TX. Herb then went to Keflavik, Iceland, to AIMD for a year and then on to the Aviation Supply Office in Philadelphia, PA. In 1975, he was released from active duty and moved to Washington, DC, where he worked at Naval Air Systems Command and continued flying P-3s with the Reserves. Herb married Betty Gearhart on 24 December 1976 in Fayetteville, NC. In 1980, they moved to Pensacola, FL, where he worked in the Weapons Systems Management Office at the Naval Air Rework Facility. When the Facility moved to Jacksonville, he stayed in Pensacola and moved to the Office of the Chief of Naval Education and Training in the NROTC section, retiring in January 1999. He also retired from the Reserves as a captain after being CO of ABFC, Pensacola. During both his civilian and military careers, Herb received numerous awards. Herb was involved in several social and civic groups, including being a lifetime member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association, Naval Reserve Association, Navy League of the United States and the Association of the United States Navy. He also was a member of Warrington Church of Christ. His retirement years were spent golfing (3 holes-in-one), genealogy, bird watching and sea turtle monitoring. He was predeceased by his parents, Junius Sneed and Margaret Bateman Williams; and brothers, Junius Sneed Williams Jr. and Walter Smith Williams. He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Betty; children, Herbert Bateman Williams Jr. (Brenna) and Dawn Michelle Maxwell (fiancé, Mike Menke); grandsons, Dylan Spence Maxwell and Daulton Shane Maxwell; three nieces; and two nephews. Donations may be made in his memory to Escambia Christian School, P.O. Box 17449, Pensacola, FL 32522. Funeral services were held at Warrington Church of Christ on 3 August 2021, followed by interment at Barrancas National Cemetery, NAS Pensacola. Mrs. Betty Williams & Bill Zuna ’65 H

158 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

MICHAEL JOSEPH MAGALETTI JR. ’70 Mike Magaletti was called Home by his Heavenly Father after a sudden and brief illness on 7 August 2021. He was 73 years old. Inspired early in life by Walt Disney’s “20,000 Leagues Under the Sea,” Mike developed avid interest in submarines. He excelled in high school, scored well on his representative’s test and was awarded an appointment to USNA. He did not apply elsewhere; he knew what he wanted – Navy submarines. Mike survived the challenges of Plebe Year and vowed that when he rose to leadership, he would lead by example, by inspiration and show compassion when needed. He carried these values the rest of his life. The Nuclear Power program requires an outstanding academic performance at USNA, followed by the renowned interview with Admiral Rickover. His interview ended as he sang the Navy Hymn for the secretaries present, as requested by the Admiral. Mike completed the academic portion of Nuclear Power School, but while at the prototype facility in Idaho Falls, he had a grand mal seizure which led to a diagnosis of epilepsy and medical retirement. His dream of commanding a submarine was gone, despite his hard work and desire. Returning to Sacramento, he completed a Master of Civil Engineering degree at Sacramento State College in 1974. He met his future wife that summer and secured a state job that fall. Mike and Mary Menz were married in January of 1976. Mary retained her name with Mike supporting that desire by saying, “I don’t want to change my name, so why should you?” They restored an old house in Sacramento, built in 1885, raising three sons there. Mike retired in 2011 and after Mary retired in 2012, they moved to their “spread” in Nevada, five acres with a mule, a barn and home south of Gardnerville. Mike collected art, Mary sewed, and they collected wine together. Mike will always be remembered for the Hawaiian shirts he wore almost every day, most of them made by Mary. Mike is survived by his wife of 46 years, Mary Menz; sons, Michael III (Allyn), Dominic and Paul (Erin) and their wives, strong women all. He will also be mourned by his beloved grandchildren, Charlotte, Zachary, Addyson and Riley. Mike will be missed by his large and loving extended family and the many friends made in their new home of Gardnerville/Minden, NV. H

DAVID EDWARD POLZIEN ’71 David E. Polzien of Wake Forest, NC, passed away from cancer on 16 September 2021 at the William M. Dunlap Hospice Home in Raleigh, NC. He was 72 years old. David was born on 19 August 1949 in Houghton Lake Heights, MI, to Edwin Polzien and Marian Polzien (née North). He was the oldest of five brothers. David graduated with distinction from the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1971 and received his master’s from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in 1972. He served in the U.S. Navy from 1972-1978, where he achieved the rank of lieutenant. He served as a line officer on BASILONE, and later worked as an instructor at the Department of Defense Computer Institute. He lived with his family in Winston-Salem, NC, from 1978 until 2017, when he relocated to Wake Forest. He was an elder at Fries Memorial Moravian

LAST CALL

Church for many years. He retired from GMAC Insurance in 2014 after a long career as an IT director and manager. David is survived by his wife of 45 years, Jay; children, Leslie Polzien (Peter Hansma) and Alex; grandsons, Asher and Julian; brothers, Dan (Paulette), Dennis (Joan), Daryle (Gladys) and Doug (Joanne); and many nieces and nephews. David is remembered as a kind, humble father and friend, who was always quick with a joke. He will be greatly missed by all who knew him. There is no memorial service planned at this time. In lieu of flowers, donations may be made to Transitions LifeCare (www.transitionslifecare.org) or Homes for our Troops (www.hfotusa.org). H

ROBERT JOSEPH DENGLER ’72 Lieutenant Commander Robert J. Dengler, USN (Ret.), passed away unexpectedly from complications resulting from routine surgery on his 71st birthday, 29 July 2021. “Bob,” known as “Dengs” to his classmates and “Easy” to his fellow aviators, grew up everywhere and nowhere, an Air Force brat whose domicile was wherever the Air Force stationed his family. He was a member of the graduating Ramey Air Force Base Bombers from Puerto Rico, many of whom he was on first name basis over the years. In 1968, he joined the Class of 1972 at the Naval Academy, where he frequently made the Dean’s List and became an avid sailor. Bob earned a BA in Oceanography, but after a brief sojourn aboard PLYMOUTH, realized that aviation coursed through his bloodstream. He began flight training in February 1973 and earned his Wings in July 1974. His career included three accompanied tours in the Naval Air Training Command as an advanced jet instructor, culminating as the training wing’s operations officer. He also served in VC-5 Cubi Point, Philippines, VC-8, Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico (twice), and VF-126, where he was an adversary pilot graduating from TopGun’s Adversary Instructor Course. Additional schools included Aviation Safety Officer School, Monterey, CA, and the USAF Advanced Instrument School, Tinker AFB, OK. During his uninterrupted aviation career, Bob accumulated an excess of 5,200 flight hours, of which 4,900 were in various models of the A-4 Skyhawk. In retirement, Bob renewed his love of sailing. He and his family cruised the Caribbean in their Morgan Out Island 41 sailboat. After three years, he returned to the mainland and briefly taught high school physics. In 1994, he found his calling in Naval Aviation Strike Training as a simulator and ground school instructor at NAS Meridian, MS. He was a linchpin of the Meridian instructor cadre and qualified to instruct in all stages of the T-45C simulator flight syllabus and every lecture in the aircraft’s ground training phase. Bob was universally recognized for his consummate professionalism on the job, and his kindness and wry sense of humor, which he could apply in any situation. He was much beloved by his fellow instructors, admired by his students and will leave behind a legacy of excellence in the Training Command. Bob is survived by his wife of 45 years, Denise, and his son, Kevin. He was predeceased by his mother, Helen T. Dengler-Frawley; father, Raymond J. Dengler; and stepson, Jeffrey Jones. H

RAYMOND BURL HERRING ’73 Raymond B. Herring died of complications from a preexisting heart condition on 23 March 2021. He was 69 years old. A Navy brat, “Ray” spent most of his youth in Louisiana with brief stops in Oklahoma and Texas along the way. He graduated from Bolton High School in Alexandria, LA, in 1969 and then studied applied sciences at the United States Naval Academy. He earned his commission as a Navy ensign and graduated with the Class of 1973 as a member of the First Company. Ray met his beloved wife, Barbara Wagner Herring, on 27 March 1971 and they were married on 9 June 1973. After Commissioning, he first served as a Blue & Gold officer. Ray then served as the combat information center officer of VESOLE, followed by a tour as part of the commissioning crew of ARTHUR W. RADFORD. After five years of service, he resigned his commission to stay home with his growing family. In 1980, Ray earned a master’s degree in computer science from Old Dominion University in Norfolk, VA. He then experienced a storied civilian career learning and mastering various computer specialties, from defense contracting to information technology and ultimately SQL database administration. Throughout his life and the different places he lived, he remained active in various Baptist congregations, growing his faith in Christ and sharing that faith with others through service, teaching and musical performance. Ray loved music and spent much of his time in high school, Naval Academy, church and community bands playing a variety of musical instruments, especially the tuba. He was a Renaissance man whose interests ranged from hunting and fishing and other outdoor pursuits, to woodworking, baking, crosswords, puzzles, science projects and hours and hours of reading books on a vast array of topics. Ray leaves behind his wife, Barbara; son, Matthew Raymond Herring (and his wife, Andrea, and their three daughters, Ashley, Anna and Audrey) of Daphne, AL; his “number one” daughter, Lauren Wagner Herring of Washington, DC; his three younger sisters, Jeanine Herring, Christine Lester (and her husband, Wayne) and Maureen Herring; and his younger brother, Richard Herring. Ray was preceded in death by his parents, Byrl and Claudis Herring of Alexandria, LA. A private memorial service was held at the Naval Academy on 23 June 2021. In lieu of flowers, the family requests that donations be made to the Elizabeth Ridgway Education Fund at the Library of Congress (www.loc.gov/philanthropy/online-donation/fund). H

ROSS ALAN SPRINGER ’73 Ross A. Springer passed away on 5 August 2021 after a short battle with pancreatic cancer. He was 70 years old. Ross was born on 26 October 1950 to Clarence “Ted” Springer and Helen Weeks Springer in Houston, TX. He was blessed with many opportunities to live around the world, beginning at the age of 10, when his family lived across the street from the U.S. Embassy in Buenos Aires, Argentina. The embassy was guarded by a U.S. Marine detachment, which he later credited as what influenced his desire to join the military. After graduating in June 1973, he received a commission as an ensign in the Navy. In late July, he reported to COLUMBUS, which departed Norfolk, VA, NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 159

LAST CALL

for exercises off Puerto Rico. When he returned to Norfolk, he reported to the munitions department. Just prior to the outbreak of hostilities in the Middle East (October War), Ross was sent on a Mediterranean deployment. For the most part, COLUMBUS operated independently for the duration of the conflict and never became involved in actual hostilities. While on COLUMBUS, Ross served as first division officer, responsible for the deck crew (forecastle), mooring details, maintenance and underway replenishment operations. Ross suffered a compound fracture while on deployment and eventually received a medical discharge. Ross spent a long career in the oil industry, working around the world in Libya, Yemen, Colombia, Venezuela, Peru, Argentina, Bahrain, Qatar, Abu Dhabi and Saudi Arabia. His love of travel was shared by his wife of 34 years, Cheryl, and their daughter, Hillary “Paige.” The family was fortunate to live in Venezuela and Bahrain and traveled to many wonderful places throughout the years. Ross was known for his love of gardening and the outdoors and became a Master Gardener following his retirement. He particularly loved orchids and frangipanis and any flower that would attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Ross was warm, generous and deeply loved. He will be forever in our hearts. The Springer Family H

RAYMOND LEE WENDERLICH ’73 “Ray” Wenderlich died on 20 November 2020, surrounded by his family, after a long struggle with Frontotemporal Degeneration. Born in Corning, NY, he was the son of Robert John Wenderlich and Richardean Ann Wenderlich. Raised in Painted Post, NY, Ray was a 1969 graduate of Corning West High School and a 1973 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy (First Company). Following Nuclear Power training, he served as electrical officer and reactor controls officer on MISSISSIPPI and as nuclear training officer on NIMITZ. After six years of naval service, he joined Constellation Energy, where he held several leadership positions, including two vice president positions in Constellation Generation and multiple leadership positions in energy sales and services, and customer care at the Calvert Cliffs Nuclear Power Plant and at the Nine Mile Point Nuclear Station. Ray had a passion for leadership throughout his career. He received a master’s degree in engineering administration at The George Washington University and completed the executive management program at the University of Pittsburgh’s Katz Graduate School of Business Administration. He is the author of The ABCs of Successful Leadership, a book on valuesbased leadership. Ray also served as a chairman of the American Red Cross Chesapeake Life Board and was a member of the James Madison University Honors Program Advisory Board, the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Baltimore Service Academies Business Professionals, the American Nuclear Society and the American Society for Training and Development. Ray lived his life in accordance with his personal mission statement: to make his life a masterpiece for our Lord, Jesus Christ. He cherished his wife, Vicki, and lived as a shining example to his children, Ray and Amy. He loved jogging, dogs, country dancing and rooting for the Dallas Cowboys.

160 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

Ray is survived by his wife, Victoria Lynn Wenderlich; their children, Raymond James Wenderlich (wife, Victoria Marie Wenderlich) and Amy Marie Wenderlich; grandchildren, Cameron James Schneider and Evan Turner Schneider; his mother, Richardean Ann Wenderlich; brothers, Bob, Dave, Steve, Jim, Tom and John; and his sisters, Ruth and Mary. A Mass of Christian burial was held at Jesus the Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Owings, MD, on 3 December 2020. Memorial contributions may be made to the Association for Frontotemporal Degeneration (www.theaftd.org) or Maryland Right to Life (www.mdrtl.org). H

JOHN ANTHONY PASKO ’79 Captain John A. Pasko, USN (Ret.), died on 7 September 2021. He was 64 years old. “JP” was born in Baltimore, MD, on 17 January 1957. He graduated from Mount Saint Joseph High School in Baltimore, MD (1975), where he was goalkeeper of the championship lacrosse team. At the Naval Academy, he was a member of First Company, played lacrosse and majored in Electrical Engineering. In “Fun One,” John was known as a smart, caring classmate and teammate. John served at sea on TULLIBEE, RICHARD B. RUSSELL and KENTUCKY (Gold); and ashore as a company officer at USNA, special projects officer at ComSubPac and as OIC of the moored training ship, MTS-635, in Charleston, SC. In 1997, John assumed command of WYOMING (SSBN-742) (Blue), homeported in Kings Bay, GA. In 1999, WYOMING was awarded the ComSubLant Battle Efficiency “E” Award and USStratCom’s Omaha Trophy as the premier SSBN in the Navy. John reported to USNA as Sixth Battalion officer in February of 2000. In 2001, after experiencing shortness of breath, John was diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis (IPF). Four months later, John was placed on a ventilator. He received a life-saving double lobar, living-donor lung transplant on 9 July 2001. Two fellow submariners each underwent lobectomies providing John with new lungs and life. For the next 20 years, John fought through numerous health challenges. Through incredible determination, he was reinstated to active duty in 2002 and continued serving at USNA as executive assistant to the Superintendent (2002-2005) and Director of Officer Development, until his Navy retirement in October 2008. John began his second career at the Defense Nuclear Facilities Safety Board as lead for oversight of Los Alamos National Laboratory. John’s exceptional leadership resulted in his selection to the Senior Executive Service. He was conferred the Chairman’s Medal upon his retirement from DNFSB in 2019. John and his wife, Shelley (daughter of Captain Glenn Arthur ’55, USN (Ret.), and Dorothy “Dot” Arthur), then returned to Kings Bay, GA. The family thanks the shipmates, friends, loved ones and healthcare professionals who helped John far exceed the 5-to-7 year life expectancy of a lung transplant recipient. In addition to Shelley, John is survived by their children, Joey Pasko ’05 (wife, Heather), Dr. Danny Pasko (wife, Dr. Johanna) and Kaitlyn Keefe (husband, Jake ’05); and his brother, Bill Pasko (wife, KT). They relished spending time and making memories with their six wonderful grandchildren, Isla, Finley, Anson, Lane, Thayer and Owen. H

LAST CALL

JOSEPH SCOTT EVERSOLE ’87

THOMAS WILLIAM SAVIDGE ’82 Captain Thomas W. Savidge, USNR (Ret.), passed away peacefully on 28 July 2021, at his home in Roeland Park, KS. He was 64 years old. “Tom” grew up in Detroit, MI. After graduating from University of Detroit Jesuit High School in 1975, he enlisted as a submariner, serving aboard DRUM. Encouraged by his superiors, he applied for and was admitted to the Naval Academy. Tom was the model midshipman, sharing his fleet experience, discipline and handy room inspection shortcuts. An engineering major, he finished in the top 20% of the class. Tom was a three-year letterman on the varsity crew. He was in the varsity heavyweight eight that won the IRA Championships in June 1980. The following October, Tom’s boat won the Head of the Charles Regatta against a field that included two Olympic teams. The next day’s Boston Globe headline read, “Navy Stuns Olympians.” As a Firstie, Tom was the heavyweight team captain. At graduation, he received the Coaches’ Calvert Award, given to the varsity letterman of the graduating class who was selected by Navy’s varsity coaches as outstanding in leadership, loyalty and consistent effort in every field. He was inducted into the USNA Athletic Hall of Fame. After graduation, Tom made the U.S. National Team, racing in the World Championships in Lucerne, Switzerland. In 1984, Tom earned his Wings of Gold. He flew the A-6E Intruder with VA-115, which was forward deployed in Japan on MIDWAY and made his first WestPac deployment in 1987. He transferred to VA-145, making a second WestPac deployment aboard RANGER. Tom left active duty in 1990 and began his career as an American Airlines pilot and check airman. Based in Chicago, he flew domestic routes in the MD-80 and Boeing 737. It was at American that Tom met the love of his life, Laura. Tom served in multiple reserve units, including VR-24, flying the C-12, and VA-205, again flying the A-6. In 1999, he assumed command of CV Southeast 0267. In September 2001, Tom assumed command of a law enforcement and physical security unit. Shortly after 9/11, Tom deployed his security unit to Rota, Spain. In 2007, he was mobilized and ultimately made four deployments to Afghanistan. He retired in June 2012, receiving the Defense Superior Service Medal and the Defense Meritorious Service Medal for his leadership in Afghanistan. He is survived by his loving wife, Laura; sisters, Susan and Sally; and brother, Ron. H

Commander Joseph Scott Eversole, USN (Ret.), passed away on 10 September 2021 in Hollywood, MD, with his loving family by his side. He had been battling pancreatic cancer since his diagnosis in 2019. He was 56 years old. “Scott,” as he was known to his family, was born on 10 July 1965 in Clarksville, TN, to Joseph Eversole and the late Elizabeth Irene Booth Eversole. He grew up on Army bases around the world before his family settled in Woodville, AL. “Joe” was a 1987 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, where he earned a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and received his commission as a naval officer. Joe earned his Wings of Gold and became an accomplished naval aviator in the Maritime Patrol and Reconnaissance community. He proudly served his country earning three Meritorious Service Medals and four Navy Commendation Medals, in addition to numerous campaign and service medals. He received his Master of Science in Global Leadership from the University of San Diego in May 2003. Commander Eversole retired after 23 years of honorable service in October 2010. While stationed in Pensacola, he met his wife, Treva Olivia Noles. They were married on 24 June 1989 at Pensacola Naval Air Station. They were lucky to spend over 32 wonderful years together; their biggest blessing being their beautiful daughter, Rachel. Together, they enjoyed golf outings, rooting for Duke basketball and watching Alabama football around the country. Joe is survived by his father, Joseph; his “best girl,” Treva; daughter, Rachel Dishman (Ryan); grandson, Heath; his two brothers, Donald Ray Eversole and Steven Douglas Eversole (Lindsey); two nephews, Jack and Hank; niece, Harlan; mother-in-law, Olivia Noles; two sisters-in-law, Pamela Montgomery (Wayne) and Melissa Johnson (John); and his extended family and friends. He was preceded in death by his mother, Elizabeth Irene Booth Eversole, and father-in-law, George Jennings Noles. A memorial service was held on 25 September 2021 in Leonardtown, MD. Interment will take place at a later date at Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, VA. H

OBITUARY GUIDELINES • Obituaries for Shipmate must be submitted by, or approved by, the family of the deceased and require final approval of our draft prior to publication. • If possible, email format is preferred. Be sure to include a phone number so we can contact you if there are any questions. • Please note that we have a firm 400-word limit. • A photo is encouraged, but we ask that irreplaceable photos not be sent through the mail in case of loss or damage in transit. • Emailed photos must be at least 300 dpi in resolution.

• We have Lucky Bag photos here (for graduates only) and they may be scanned in-house, but must be specifically requested. • Our “how to” document, “A Fitting Tribute: How to Write an Obituary” is available online (search www.usna.com), or via USPS upon request. • Although we encourage people to write their own obituary in advance, we DO NOT keep them here at Alumni House. We suggest that you keep a copy with your important papers for your family to update and send in when the time comes. You may also wish to contact your class secretary to see if he/she is keeping files. • Direct submissions or inquiries to: Shipmate obituaries, 247 King George Street, Annapolis, MD 21402-5068; obits@usna.com; 410-295-4064.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 161

CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE • SOUTH WEST

REAL ESTATE • SOUTH EAST

CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA

RICK STEIN USNA ’82 (843) 557-7021 Rick.Stein@CBCarolinas.com

REAL ESTATE • WEST

REAL ESTATE • SOUTH EAST

ALUMNI STORE Your source for class, club and chapter logo apparel and gifts. usna.com/shop

162 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE •WEST

REAL ESTATE • EAST

Moving to COLORADO?

CAROL (BERRY) VASINA ‘87 Broker/Owner

(720) 840-5499 CoPremierRealty@gmail.com

CoPremierRealty.com “18 years of exceptional Denver and Colorado Springs area real estate expertise, specializing in active duty and veteran transactions”

The San Diego Union-Tribune Selects Eric Kalisky as the Best Realtor for San Diego For Honest and Expert Real Estate Representation Call Eric. CDR Eric Kalisky ’78 (Ret.) 858-232-4671 E-Mail: EKALISKY@AOL.COM VISIT: www.erickalisky.com

Berkshire Hathaway Home Services San Diego’s Number One Real Estate Company

HAPPY HOLIDAYS Best Wishes for the New Year from your Alumni Association and Foundation. NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 163

CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE • EAST

REAL ESTATE • EAST

DESTINATION DC? Karen Martins (Wife of John ’87 and Mom of John ’17)

John Mcenearney ’49, Founder

Here to help you navigate through the complex Metro Market!

(703) 568-6268 Serving VA, MD & DC WWW.KARENSPROPERTIES.COM kmartins@mcenearney.com

Annapolis Waterfront Specialist

PENTAGON, DC, NORTHERN VIRGINIA

********** Military Relocation Specialist Cutting Edge Marketing Listing, Sales, Rental Wife of Scott ’94 Associate Broker

Northern Virginia Office 8045 Burke Centre Parkway Burke, VA 22015

joyce.wadle@longandfoster.com Reputation for Excellence Making your move my priority!

REAL ESTATE • MIDWEST

Angela Abernethy MRP,ASP Certified Licensed in Virginia

703-300-1693 (Cell) 703-357-9200 (Office) Wife of Thomas Abernethy ’78 Sister-In Law of Syd Abernethy ’81 and Mom of Alana Abernethy ’10

AngelSinger6401@gmail.com

Duncan Ingraham ’66 dningraham1@gmail.com Cell: 401-640-5928

Jeannie Ingraham jsingraham@aol.com Cell: 401-640-5929

www.kw.com/AngelaAbernethy 4310 Prince William Pkwy #200 Woodbridge, VA 22192

164 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

CENTURY 21 Top Sail

CLASSIFIEDS REAL ESTATE • ANNAPOLIS

REAL ESTATE • ANNAPOLIS

CHARLOTTE CHURCH (Wife of Dave ’67 and Mom of Kimberly ’91)

“Navy Wife Serving Annapolis and Anne Arundel County For More Than 35 Years”

charlotte.church@penfedrealty.com www.CharlotteChurch.PENFEDREALTY.com

410-279-7512

* 410-266-0600

1997 Annapolis Exchange Parkway Suite 101, Annapolis, MD 21401

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 165

CLASSIFIEDS FINANCIAL SERVICES

FINANCIAL SERVICES

MISCELLANY

THE ADVENTURES OF CHARLIE CHIPMUNK A young, immature chipmunk is torn away from his Family during a violent storm and must find a way to survive on his own. He learns that making good Friends and good choices in life he can survive. It Contains 24 chapters, 36,000+ words and 110 Beautiful illustrations. A children’s book classic! Available in Hardback only. booksbyrubel.com and use discount code mike63 for a 25% discount. The book is in script form and hopefully will become an animated feature film soon. Mike Rubel class of 1963, 949‐278‐9341

SERVICES

166 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

CLASSIFIEDS MISCELLANY

MISCELLANY

www.diamondsbyjpc.com jcolli74@msn.com

IMAGINE YOUR AD HERE.

GET THE DETAILS TO START YOUR AD.

Contact Maria O’Shea to get started.

maria.oshea@usna.com

You will reach more than 52,000 Alumni, Friends and Family eight times per year! Read the Insertion Order for rates and options. SHIPMATE classified ads are offered as a service to USNA Alumni and their Spouses only.

Visit: usna.com/shipmate /advertising-opportunities and read the Insertion Order with all the details. SHIPMATE classified ads are offered as a service to USNA Alumni and their Spouses only.

NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021 • SHIPMATE 167

EXECUTIVE OFFICE VOLUME 84 • NO. 8 Publisher Byron F. Marchant ’78 byron.marchant@usna.com Editor-in-Chief Craig Washington ’89 craig.washington@usna.com Editorial Managing Editor Jimmy DeButts jimmy.debutts@usna.com Associate Editor Samantha Casamassima samantha.casamassima@usna.com Assistant Editors Anne Sharpe anne.sharpe@usna.com Bridie Bryant bridie.bryant@usna.com Design and Production Art Director/Production Manager Jackie Furton jackie.furton@usna.com Assistant Production Manager/Classes Editor Maria O’Shea maria.oshea@usna.com Chapter and Classes Editor Sandra Stansbury-Spadaro sandy.spadaro@usna.com Obituaries Editor Timothy Elizabeth Woodbury timothy.woodbury@usna.com Graphic Designer Heather Payne heather.payne@usna.com Copyeditors Captain Andrew Wilson ’77, USNR (Ret.) Kat Braz Contributing Editor Captain David Poyer ’71, USNR (Ret.) Contributing Photographers Captain Laura Hatcher ’92, USN (Ret.) Debbie Latta Contact Shipmate 410-295-4000 Main 410-295-4003 Fax 410-295-4074 Classified Advertising 410-295-4020 Display Advertising 410-295-4000 Address Updates/Corrections Submissions Editorial shipmate@usna.com Address/Delivery alumni@usna.com Bravo Zulu comms@usna.com Chapter ColumnsS chapternews@usna.com Class ColumnsS classnews@usna.com Obituaries obits@usna.com Register of Alumni registerofalumni@usna.com S

For Secretary use only, please

Address emails to individual staff as follows: first name . last name @ usna.com Opinions expressed in Shipmate are those of the authors. They do not necessarily reflect the opinions, policy or attitude of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association, its officers or editorial staff. All pictures are official Department of Defense photographs unless otherwise credited. Member, Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE). Shipmate (ISSN 0488-6720) is published monthly except for combined issues (January-February, MarchApril, May, June, July-August, September, October and November-December). Copyrighted 2021 by the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association, Inc., 247 King George Street, Annapolis, MD 21402-1306. Membership dues (including Shipmate) are $70 per year. Subscription rate is $70; Canadian and foreign subscriptions are $75. Single copies are $7 each. Periodicals Postage Paid at Annapolis, MD, and at additional mailing offices. All editorial matter should be addressed to Jimmy DeButts, p: 410-295-4085, jimmy.debutts@usna.com. Inquiries concerning membership or subscriptions and notification of change of address of members and subscribers should be addressed to U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association, 247 King George St., Annapolis, MD 21402-1306; p: 410-295-4062; alumni@usna.com.

Byron F. Marchant ’78 President Gwenn Dennis Executive Administrator for the President ENGAGEMENT AND COMMUNICATIONS Craig Washington ’89 410-295-4089 Executive Vice President, Engagement and Communications Elizabeth Beedenbender 410-295-4166 Executive Administrator Dr. Sofi Loomis ’99 410-295-4035 Senior Director, Alumni Regional Engagement and Outreach Joe Fagan ’89 410-295-4013 Director, Career Programs Wendy Owen 410-295-4017 Director, Class Programs Lori Coogan 410-295-4038 Director, Parent Programs Carrie Carroll 410-295-4062 Membership/Records Assistant Cynthia Belt 410-295-4000 Member Services Coordinator Ashley Parker 410-295-4000 Member Services Coordinator Amy Garwood 410-295-4000 Member Services Coordinator Programs and Services Tonya McGinnis 410-295-4022 Assistant Director, Career Programs Melissa Nelson 410-295-4021 Coordinator, Joint Service Academy Career Programs Communications Wes Huey ’87 410-295-4023 Executive Director, Strategic Communications Noreen Frenaye 410-295-4016 Director, Marketing and Alumni Special Programs Jackie Furton 410-295-4073 Associate Director, Publications Jimmy DeButts 410-295-4085 Managing Editor Anne Sharpe 410-295-4078 Assistant Director, Communications Maria O’Shea 410-295-4074 Assistant Production Manager Sandra Stansbury-Spadaro 410-295-4076 Communications Specialist Samantha Casamassima 410-295-4027 Communications Specialist Timothy Elizabeth Woodbury 410-295-4064 Memorial Affairs Heather Payne 410-295-4033 Graphic Designer Bridie Bryant 410-295-4081 Communications Coordinator EVENTS AND MARKETING Nadine Smith 410-295-4020 Senior Director, Enterprise Events and Marketing Alexandra Dooley 410-295-4012 Director, Enterprise Events and Marketing Gail Hutchinson 410-295-4019 Event Planner Laura Cylc 410-295-4014 Event Coordinator Judy Buddensick 443-994-2511 Partnership Marketing Liason TREASURY AND OPERATIONS Robert (Bob) Gast, Jr. 410-295-4040 Executive Vice President and CFO Lisa Strobel 410-295-4051 Senior Director, Finance and Treasury Operations Kevin Mitchell 410-295-4039 Director, Treasury, Analytics & Investment Reporting Tim Smith 410-295-4059 Director, Financial Reporting Angela Berteaux 410-295-4053 Accounting Manager

168 SHIPMATE • NOVEMBER-DECEMBER 2021

410-295-4090 410-295-4091

STAFF AND ASSISTANCE

TREASURY AND OPERATIONS CONTINUED Janet Douglas 410-295-4057 Staff Accountant Julie Kopp 410-295-4054 Staff Accountant Linda Reyes 410-295-4056 Staff Accountant Julie Boberg 410-295-4047 Staff Accountant/Payroll Analyst Jim Scally 410-295-4058 Staff Accountant Patricia (Patty) Ratigan 410-295-4028 Staff Accountant Information Technology Garrett Keating 410-295-4087 Director, Information Technology Jordan Bailey 410-295-4060 Computer and Information Systems Manager Denise Clark 410-295-4079 Database Engineer Derrick Planz 410-295-4067 Senior Software Developer Rick Clark 410-295-4088 Systems Administrator Ashley Norfolk 410-295-4084 SQL Application Developer

DEVELOPMENT CONTINUED Gabbie Kulcsar 410-295-4147 Director, Annual Giving Megan Farmer 410-295-4188 Director, President’s Circle Clay Evans 410-295-4034 Coordinator, Class Legacy Gift Programs Hannah Geib 410-295-4127 Annual Giving Programs Coordinator

Facilities Scott Gaiser ’05 410-295-4068 Director, Real Estate, Facilities and IT Operations John Cooper 410-295-4031 Facilities Manager John Taylor 410-295-4029 Facilities Assistant

410-295-4120

HUMAN RESOURCES Heather Scott 410-295-4048 Senior Director, Human Resources Tom Cloutier 410-295-4050 Human Resources Generalist DEVELOPMENT Bill O’Connor 410-295-4101 Executive Vice President Abby Repko 410-295-4103 Exec. Administrator/Principal Gift Administrator Development John Rudder ’78 410-295-4189 Vice President of Development Erin Pelletier 410-295-4106 Principal Gift Strategist Caroline Rossiello 410-295-4190 Assistant Director, Corp. and Foundation Relations Major Gifts Michael Hoffman 410-295-4184 Executive Director, Regional Development Ashley “AJ” Bauer 410-295-4160 Senior Director of Dev. (TX and W Coast FL) John Maconi 410-295-4185 Regional Director of Dev. (Annapolis, DC Metro, Chicago and Pacific NW)

Dean Castaldo 410-295-4052 Regional Director of Dev. (E Coast FL, NC and GA) Ted Ahrens 410-295-4183 Regional Director of Development Kate Peterson 410-295-4178 Senior Development Coordinator Planned Giving Patti Bender 410-295-4187 Senior Director, Planned Giving Anna Portela 410-295-4105 Planned Giving Coordinator Annual Programs Rusty Yeiser ’74 410-295-4174 Senior Director, Annual Programs Dan Quattrini ’81 410-295-4167 Director, Class Legacy Gift Programs

Development Services Adriana Bitoun 410-295-4150 Director, Advancement Services Dawn Beach 410-295-4115 Director, Foundation Data and Reporting Natalie Brianas 410-295-4102 Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship Jill Cook 410-295-4121 Associate Director, Research Kellyn Caldwell 410-295-4111 Assistant Director, Donor Relations and Stewardship Gift Administration Team Liz Root Director, Gift Administration Elvira Reyes Gift Administrator Anna Galloway Gift Administrator Shirley Crawford Gift Administrator Laura Brashears Gift Administrator

410-295-4126 410-295-4116

410-295-4071 410-295-4049

FOUNDATION ATHLETIC AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS Don Hughes ’88 410-295-4096 Vice President Chris Knott 410-295-4097 Office Manager and Administrative Assistant Tracey Cook 410-295-4164 Director Mariola Baker 410-295-4098 Assistant Director QUICK REFERENCE Death Notifications

obits@usna.com 410-295-4064 Class Ring Information classrings@usna.com Register of Alumni registerofalumni@usna.com Address/Delivery alumni@usna.com 410-295-4000 Donate 410-295-4115 Membership Updates 410-295-4000 U.S. Naval Academy Main Phone 410-293-1000 U.S. Naval Academy Athletics 410-293-2700 CONTACT US United States Naval Academy Alumni Association 247 King George St., Annapolis, MD 21402-1306 Main Phone 410-295-4000 Ogle Hall Fax 410-295-4001 49 House Fax 410-295-4005 Human Resources Fax 443-458-0972 Cottage Fax 410-295-4003 Foundation Development 274 Wood Rd., Annapolis, MD 21402 Main Phone 410-295-4100 Fax 410-295-4107 Foundation Athletic and Scholarship Programs 25 Maryland Ave., Annapolis, MD 21401 Main Phone 410-295-4095

SUPPORT YOUR NEW U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY ALUMNI ASSOCIATION AND FOUNDATION CENTER.

The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation Center will be a lasting legacy for alumni, parents and friends— and will allow for significant opportunities for individual and class recognition throughout the property to acknowledge our

BE PART OF HISTORY.

history and ongoing support needed to sustain our level of commitment to the Brigade and greater Naval Academy community.

BECOME A PLANKOWNER.

A Plankowner is any individual who commits to a contribution of $12,500 or more through an outright gift or multi-year pledge to the new Alumni Association and Foundation

For more information, visit www.usna.com/give/plankowner

Center by 31 December 2022.