1,000 WORDS
CDR Alex P. Armatas ’02, USN, commanding officer and flight leader of the U.S. Navy Flight Demonstration Squadron, the Blue Angels, renders a salute prior to a training flight on 17 January 2023. The Blue Angels were conducting winter training at Naval Air Facility El Centro, CA, in preparation for the 2023 air show season.
Greetings from Annapolis, where we emerge from the Dark Ages into a spring of great promise, propelled by the legacy of one of our very special alumni.
On 17 February, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro was in Annapolis to commemorate the renaming of Maury Hall in honor of President James Earl Carter Jr., Naval Academy Class of 1947 and 2002 Distinguished Graduate Award recipient. It is a rare event to have a building naming opportunity on the Yard, in this case mandated by a Congressional commission. Thanks to Superintendent Vice Admiral Sean Buck ’83, USN, for describing the renaming process in more detail on page 28 of this issue.
President Carter becomes the second Distinguished Graduate Award recipient to have a building named for him on the Yard and the first to have the honor bestowed while living. The late Admiral Charles R. Larson ’58, USN (Ret.), a 2006 Distinguished Graduate Award recipient, was honored with the renaming of the Administration Building to Larson Hall in 2015, one year after his passing.
At the renaming ceremony, President Carter’s grandson, Josh Carter, had this to say: “It would be impossible to overstate what this Academy and the Navy has meant to my grandfather, and by extension to my family … It is my hope that every student that comes through this great hall will learn the same foundational values that my grandfather learned here and through his career in the Navy.”
The Carter family recently announced that President Carter has entered hospice for end-of-life care. Our thoughts are with First Lady Rosalynn Carter, their four children and the entire Carter family as they care for him.
On the topic of naming buildings, I am pleased that we can announce the name of our new alumni home—the Fluegel Alumni Center. Several years ago, Rick Fluegel ’61 and his wife, Donna, generously made the lead gift that enabled us to fully commit to the construction of the building. Thanks to their leadership, other individuals and groups followed, enabling us to fund the project fully without taking on a dollar of debt.
Our transition to the 65,000-square-foot Fluegel Alumni Center from our dispersed offices at the Ogle Hall complex, Maryland Avenue and Hospital Point will take place this summer. We are planning a September dedication event, and will begin hosting events in conjunction with reunions this fall.
The entire project is a testament to the loyalty and commitment of our alumni body with more than 3,500 total donors, including more than 1,200 who contributed at the “plankowner” level. Read more about the Fluegel Alumni Center on page 16 of this issue.
I am pleased to welcome the newest member of our senior leadership team, Captain Thomas J. “TJ” Grady ’96, USN (Ret.), who has joined us as executive vice president of engagement and communications.
TJ served for 26 years in Naval Aviation as a P-3 and P-8 pilot. As a recent Deputy Commandant, current Blue & Gold Officer and soon-to-be plebe parent, TJ is well acquainted with the Naval Academy. As an Athletic & Scholarship Programs Trustee, he was already a volunteer leader in our enterprise and is quickly gaining altitude now that he is in the seat.
He joins us at a strategic inflection point for the enterprise. We are in the latter stages of our Alumni Association Strategic Plan 2030 process. With the help of a committed group of volunteers led by Jim Schwab ’88, chair of the Alumni Association Board of Trustees Plan 2030 Committee, we are zeroing in on a core set of initiatives that will help us focus on building and improving the programs and services most important to our alumni, wherever they are in their life journeys.
One likely area of growth for us is with our Shared Interest Group (SIG) network. The program began a decade ago with three SIGs initially. We added two last fall and have interest from multiple alumni groups in establishing others. The interest in new SIGs is generally oriented around career interests. In our strategic planning research, we are seeing a trend nationally towards SIGs as focal points for engaging alumni. We expect to build stronger connections and include more of our alumni through these important networks.
Finally, I’d like to thank our great editorial staff at Shipmate, led by our Editor Jimmy DeButts, for the tremendous response we have received from across the community to the POW feature in the January-February issue of Shipmate. So many of you have rightly observed how important those stories are to our community, and how well they were told. Bravo Zulu to everyone involved. a
VOLUME 86 • NO. 2
Legacy gift helped ensure alumni community has world-class home in Annapolis. 16
Part II of alumni sharing their summer tour experiences in Vietnam. 18
Alumnae create support system for sexual assault survivors. 26
10
Superintendent Buck ’83 expects renamed engineering building to inspire generations of midshipmen. 28
Midshipmen might hold the key for crafting strategies to win future wars. 34
Midshipmen trace history of 1,000-year old sword. 36
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 upper left image on page 8 of the January-February 2023 issue of Shipmate
4 Letter from the President Jeff Webb ’95
6 All Hands
6 Advertisers Index
33 5 Minutes With…
40 An Ocean Away Commander Kevin Ringelstein ’07, USN
41 Bravo Zulu
42 Alumni Products/Services
44 Class News
107 Chapter News
131 Shared Interest Groups
133 Last Call
152 How To Write a Last Call Obituary
154 Classified Ads
160 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 MIDN Adrain Johnson ’23 and MIDN Aidan McNally ’23 facing forward, are roommates and best friends. They each entered the 2023 Brigade Boxing Championship as three-time champions. They met in the 147-pound championship round with McNally prevailing. It was the first meeting of threetime champions in the 82-year history of the event.
It’s no accident that Naval Academy alumni are always at the cutting edge of technology.
From the depths of the sea to the skies above America’s borders, Naval Academy alumni can be found at the forefront of the artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning arena. This issue of Shipmate spotlights the extraordinary talent of Naval Academy alumni, largely from the millennial generation, who are developing new capabilities for AI technology (see page 10). Whether they were classmates or served in the same community post commissioning, the shared knowledge base forged at the Academy pulls these tech-savvy alumni together.
The Naval Academy’s Center for High Performance Computing Education and Research is preparing midshipmen for the known dangers and giving them the skills to adapt to the threats of ever-evolving technology. Alumni are using those skills to develop industry-changing autonomous vehicles and potentially life-saving software to serve the environmental, public safety, national defense and national security sectors using AI.
This story features alumni who exemplify the ability to not only successfully pivot to the civilian sector but lead in their chosen fields. Vice Admiral Bob Harward ’79, USN (Ret.), succinctly summarized the value of the foundation set at the Academy for the 15 alumni working at Shield AI. Shield AI’s V-Bat vertical takeoff and landing unmanned aircraft is designed to help secure borders and identify other security threats.
“We all entered the Academy because we wanted to serve our country,” he said. “This is an extension of that mission-first mindset.”
This edition of Shipmate also features five minutes with artist Kristin Cronic ’11 (see page 33). She shares her journey to the Academy, how it shaped her and the inspiration she found on the Yard for her artwork. Her paintings—showing familiar scenes and experiences of midshipmen life—line the walls on the second deck of the Naval Academy Museum. It is an exceptional exhibit that captures life at the Academy.
BZ to the Class of 2023 and best of luck leading in the fleet and Marine Corps.
Go Navy! Beat Army!
Jimmy DeButts, Editor, Shipmate ®
The introduction to the “Courageously Defiant” article in the January-February 2023 issue of Shipmate incorrectly stated each of the alumni featured was deceased. Captain Allen C. Brady ’51, USN (Ret.); Captain John D. Burns ’57, USN (Ret.); Captain Leo G. Hyatt ’57, USN (Ret.); Captain Wilson D. Key ’63, USN (Ret.); Commander Aubrey A. Nichols ’64, USN (Ret.); and Vice Admiral Joseph S. Mobley ’66, USN (Ret.), are not deceased. ®
Midshipman Kara Kniezewski ’23 presented her research of solar flare rain at the 241st meeting of the American Astronomical Society in Seattle on 10 January.
With assistance from Dr. Emily Mason, a solar physicist, Kniezewski, an astrophysics major, carried out statistical analysis of rain that forms as the byproduct of a solar flare. Their research was conducted at NASA Goddard Space Flight Center to determine the frequency and duration of post-flare rain and how the energy of a flare impacts the rain observed. Their work was recently published in The Astrophysical Journal “Solar flares and rain on the sun have long been studied, but the statistical analysis on these events has never been carried out,” Kniezewski said. “This study provided the statistics surrounding flare-driven rain, but also contained many unexpected findings which significantly add to our understanding of solar flares and how we can utilize rain events following the flare to estimate the strength of solar activity in the future.”
Understanding the future of solar activity is critical to examine how flares and coronal mass ejections can impact our satellites, astronauts, and even technology on the ground. In an age of growing technological reliance on the ground and in space, estimating and predicting such solar activity is crucial.
Kniezewski is also a 2022 Goldwater Scholar, which provides scholarships to college sophomores and juniors who intend to pursue research careers in the natural sciences, mathematics and engineering. ®
Super Bowl LVII featured a historic moment celebrating the 50th Anniversary of women in naval aviation when an all-female crew performed a flyover prior to kickoff at State Farm Stadium in Phoenix, AZ. Naval Academy alumni who participated in the flyover were Lieutenant Saree C. Moreno ’14, USN, Lieutenant Caitlin E. Perkowski ’15, USN, and Lieutenant Naomi R. Ngalle ’16, USN, in F/A-18F Super Hornets. Lieutenant Suzelle M. Thomas ’18, USN, flew an F-35 Lightning II.
“It’s just exciting representing and reaching out to the next generation of little girls who may be considering aviation because of what we do, whether it be on the maintenance side or the flying side, just being able to potentially inspire them … there’s no greater honor,” Ngalle said. “I was ecstatic. I and so many others have put in so much work to get to where we are today and truly, I have the Navy and my time at the Naval Academy to thank for that. All of the discipline, that hard work, that work ethic that was required to lead me to this position … I truly could not be more grateful.”
Moreno said it was rewarding to be on such a big stage as part of the Super Bowl flyover team.
“It’s just an absolute honor to be a part of this team that we have here, a part of this community, and a part of something so much bigger than us,” Moreno said.
The all-women flyover team was a homage to the first eight women who began Navy flight school in Pensacola, FL, in 1973. ®
Midshipman Anders Gulbrandson ’23 was selected as a Churchill Scholar in January. Gulbrandson is a chemistry major, a 2022 Goldwater Scholarship winner and a Trident Scholar. Under the guidance of Naval Academy faculty Commander Dave Durkin ’98, USN, and Professor Paul Trulove, Gulbrandson conducted research involving nano-modified biopolymer composite materials, nanoparticle synthesis and applications and ionic liquids. He has co-authored three articles about his research in the Journal of Ionic Liquids, Macromolecular Materials and Engineering and the Journal of Materials Science
Gulbrandson has also conducted electrochemical sensor research at Vanderbilt University under the direction of Professor David Cliffel. Most recently, he conducted research at MIT Lincoln Laboratory under the direction of Dr. Gary Smith. Gulbrandson is a member of Navy’s hockey team.
At the University of Cambridge, he intends to pursue a master’s degree in chemistry, and is interested in exploring the ability to create carbon-absorbent textiles from naturally occurring and renewable sources, such as carbon. Following his time in the Churchill Scholar program, he will begin training to be a Navy submariner. The Churchill Scholarship provides funding to American students for a year of master’s study at Cambridge. The program was created by Sir Winston Churchill in order to fulfill his vision of U.S.–U.K. scientific exchange with the goal of advancing science and technology on both sides of the Atlantic, helping to ensure our future prosperity and security. ®
Captain Georgia Clark Sadler, USN (Ret.), taught political science and international relations from 1972 to 1975 at the Naval Academy. She was the first woman faculty member at the Naval Academy. She died on 30 November 2022 of complications from Alzheimer’s disease in Alexandria, VA. She was 81.
Sadler graduated first in her class at Women Officers School in Newport, RI, and was commissioned as an ensign in the Navy in 1963. Among her many firsts, in 1975, she became the first female intelligence briefer for the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. In 1979, she graduated from the off-campus seminar program offered by the Naval War College.
In the fall of 1980, she became the head of the women’s programs section for the office of the Chief of Naval Operations. She was responsible for monitoring the progress of all programs specifically dealing with women serving in the Navy, including women serving on ships, which began two years earlier.
In July 1982, Sadler became the first woman to serve as the duty director for intelligence for the Pentagon’s National Military Intelligence Center, according to a Naval History and Heritage Command biography. ®
The Naval Academy Athletic Association in conjunction with the Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation accepted a leadership gift from an anonymous donor earmarked for constructing a new $22 million, 33,000-square-foot lacrosse facility on the Yard.
The project will need endorsement by the Secretary of the Navy. The anticipated facility would be constructed adjacent to the Glenn Warner Soccer Facility on the Academy grounds. The two-story Navy Lacrosse Center would celebrate the history and traditions of Navy lacrosse, while serving as a testament to the Naval Academy’s commitment to the physical mission. Once constructed, the men and women who play for Navy Lacrosse will be playing in one of college lacrosse’s preeminent facilities.
Coaches’ offices, locker rooms and wardrooms for the men’s and women’s programs will provide cutting-edge technology and amenities to include athletic training and rehabilitation spaces, a strength and conditioning facility, a nutrition center and theater. Additionally, a rooftop terrace that features a 360-degree view of the Naval Academy and the Severn River is planned and would provide an inviting gathering space for recruits and their families, as well as a space to host alumni functions.®
Captain Thomas J. “TJ” Grady ’96, USN (Ret.), joined the Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation as executive vice president, engagement and communications in February.
Grady spent more than 26 years in naval aviation and the past two years helping build a company focused on eliminating single-use plastic drinking bottles for a more sustainable environment. He previously served the alumni community as a volunteer leader, donor and Athletic & Scholarship Programs Trustee since 2014.
During his time as a naval aviator, Grady amassed more than 3,000 hours in the P-3C Orion and P-8A Poseidon. He served as the commanding officer of the VP-45 “Pelicans” and the VP-30 “Pro’s Nest.” His shore assignments included duty as the deputy commandant of midshipmen (2017 to 2019).
Grady earned a B.S. in economics from the Naval Academy and was the captain of the soccer team. He later earned graduate degrees from both American Military University and The Naval War College. He is married to Christine and together they have two children, Lindsey and Gavin. Gavin will join the Class of 2027 this summer.
Grady can be reached at thomas.grady@usna.com. ®
Navy Boxing, the Annapolis Police Foundation, Annapolis Mayor Gavin Buckley and Annapolis Police Department Chief Edward Jackson are collaborating on a new boxing program.
The Cut Different Boxing program was launched in January and will be managed by Annapolis native and pro boxer, Sean “Rocky” Cormier. Navy Boxing Coach Jim McNally and boxing instructor Adan Salguero along with Annapolis police officers and midshipmen from the Navy Boxing Team are donating their time and talents to teach boxing skills to the boys and girls in the program.
One of the goals is to develop mentor-student bonds. The program has three main elements: education (students must complete all their studies before entering the ring. Tutors will be available for students), physical conditioning and boxing.
Annapolis Police Foundation Board member Peter Grimm ’00 reached out to the Naval Academy in early 2022 when McDonough Hall was closing for renovations. Navy Boxing had moved to Dahlgren Hall and Grimm was able to secure the Academy’s boxing ring that was originally headed for salvage.
The Annapolis Police Department and Annapolis Parks and Recreation worked to secure accreditation for a local program with the South Atlantic Boxing Association, a division of USA Boxing, and the Police Athletic League (PAL) ®
The next generation of leaders will be fluent in the language of artificial intelligence (AI). Today, U.S. Naval Academy graduates are using AI to support ocean exploration, prevent mass shootings and improve defense capabilities.
As officers in the fleet and in the Marine Corps, Naval Academy graduates are charged with making decisions that matter. Part of their training at the Academy is aimed at using evidence and data to make smarter decisions—a process that is now made even better with the help of artificial intelligence and machine learning.
“AI and machine learning can include a very large amount of data from many sources and summarize that information into a recommendation,” said Gavin Taylor, professor of computer science at the Naval Academy. Taylor is also the co-director of the Academy’s Center for High Performance Computing Education and Research, which was founded after the Department of Defense provided advanced technology with the hope midshipmen would graduate with more experience in the high-performance systems.
The center aims to complement academic programs—like the new data science major and the computer science certificate in artificial intelligence—with funding for internships, research, conferences and other experiential opportunities. It also provides seed grants for faculty members to integrate performance computing and machine learning in their own research.
“We have all these people who are going to graduate and be at the sharp end of these DoD-specific problems,” Taylor said. “The idea was to get the Academy involved early so that when the students graduated and went out in the fleet, they would have accounts on these big computers already and could start trying to solve these problems.”
However, he says, the Academy is more than a training center focused on specific systems. Graduates need a deeper
background that equips them to learn about and use new technologies as they’re developed.
That foundation is evident in several alumni businesses that integrate AI and machine learning—even though the technology has evolved rapidly since they were midshipmen. Here, they share why AI is integral to their businesses in the private sector, and how they’re contributing to the future of security and defense.
‘WE’RE
The story of ZeroEyes begins in Parkland, FL, following the 2018 mass shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School. ZeroEye’s founders, all former Navy SEALS and military veterans, had lived through active shooter situations and wanted to find a proactive way to keep people safe.
As they brainstormed, they kept coming back to one common element of most mass shootings: the perpetrator could often be found holding a rifle in view of an active security camera.
“The vast majority of active shooters start in a staging area—like parking
garages, loading docks or stairwells— that are covered with existing cameras,” said Kieran Carroll ’07, the company’s chief strategy officer. “The problem is no one has the ability to watch hundreds or thousands of cameras.
“But we’re problem-solvers. We started looking at a technology solution that could mitigate, or hopefully prevent, the next shooting from happening.”
They developed a software solution that integrates with the existing cameras and uses AI to detect a visible firearm. An alarm sounds and the staff at ZeroEyes’ operation center make a rapid assessment of the situation and can contact the authorities and first responders when warranted.
The software-to-human hand-off is critical to ZeroEyes’ success, said Carter Stapleton ’07, vice president of operations. While humans don’t have the capacity to carefully monitor hundreds of cameras for hours on end, AI can’t always accurately detect a weapon and false positives can cause a major disturbance. ZeroEyes also intentionally stacks the operation center with military
veterans who are trained to identify a weapon and conduct a threat assessment in three seconds or less.
“Our goal is always to de-escalate,” Carroll said. “That’s why we hired the military analysts who have the right constitution to make these critical decisions quickly, and with an absence of wider information. One analyst can manage thousands of cameras simultaneously without getting overly saturated.”
While education settings are the core of the business, ZeroEyes is further expanding into commercial and government settings. Julia Fries ’19, a sales project manager who is exploring DoD innovation efforts around AI and machine learning, said the ZeroEyes system can provide base security and support for combat environments.
“We have ways to mitigate cognitive overload for operators, and use AI for greater situational awareness involving surveillance and intelligence,” she said. “It’s different from the schools, but still part of our focus on providing force protection.”
At Terradepth, CEO Joe Wolfel ’04 is using unmanned robots to explore and map an area humans know little about: the vast floor of the ocean.
Using acoustic data, sonar, laser line scanners, optical cameras and more, Terradepth’s robotic fleet is creating a high-resolution geophysical data map of the seabed. The data can then be used to determine where to place an offshore wind farm or submarine telecommunications cable, or studied over time to evaluate the effects of climate change. Only 5 percent of the ocean floor has been precisely mapped—meaning the potential data to be collected is immense. To make the process scalable, Wolfel and his team are turning to AI. They’re focused on two avenues in particular: data processing and initial analysis by the robots, and delivering energy to sensors without human intervention.
“How do we make robots smarter, and how do we make them stay out longer?” Wolfel said. “Because humans are the limiting factor, from an exposure risk and a cost standpoint.
“But the question isn’t how do robots fully replace you, but how do they minimize human cognitive load or involvement? What you don’t want is to set a robot loose for two weeks, come back, and realize the algorithm failed.”
Building a scalable fleet of smart robots is an initial priority, but Wolfel said AI and machine learning will also be critical as they develop systems to automatically detect changes in the seabed and, eventually, create augmented reality fly-through
environments that allow users to experience the ocean floor.
Wolfel, who also served as a Navy SEAL, says he realized the value of AI from the outset, but he had little experience with the technology before launching Terradepth. However, he said, his broad-based education at the Academy gave him the necessary exposure to complex, cutting-edge technology that allowed him to hire the right experts and lead with awareness.
After a career that took him from supporting Naval Special Warfare on the West Coast to working for the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Senate and the White House, Andrew Keene ’12 shifted to the private sector in early 2020 when he joined the defense technology startup Anduril Industries.
The 5-year-old company specializes in cutting-edge autonomous defense capabilities, such as surveillance systems to detect drone threats and protect military bases and enforce borders. It also produces advanced command-and-control software as well as autonomous air and undersea vehicles used for a variety of missions. Everything leverages a proprietary AI-powered software, Lattice OS, which is the core of Anduril’s work.
Keene said he joined Anduril after being recruited by a fellow veteran who he served with on the SEAL team, and quickly noticed how many people moved to the defense tech space after successful careers in the government and military. He was promoted to chief of staff at Anduril in June 2022.
“It’s a wonderful opportunity to continue to contribute to the greater defense mission with a company that is taking a completely different approach to defense technology,” he said. “Having the experiences from both the Academy and military service prepared me to understand the needs of the warfighter and what capabilities they need, and how the technology can translate into an advantage.”
He also notes a growing shift toward investment in Silicon Valley as a destination for defense tech. The move is a necessary
one, he said, as startups bring a nimbleness and innovation that is critical to staying at the forefront in the cyberwarfare space.
“China is outpacing the U.S. in the AI and autonomous systems,” Keene said. “But high-caliber engineers that normally would be going to top-tier companies like Google, Tesla, Uber and Microsoft are coming to defense companies like Anduril and applying their talents to solve some of the most complex defense problems.”
It’s not just the engineers who are making moves. In 2020, Anduril became the youngest company to win a program of record with the U.S. government since the Korean War. The contract called for Anduril’s autonomous surveillance towers to be deployed. Late last year, Anduril announced it received nearly $1.5 billion in Series E funding—the third largest venture capital raise by a U.S. company in 2022—which will dramatically increase their research and development efforts and further expand their portfolio of capabilities.
“Our software-first approach allows us to move quickly when developing our capabilities,” Keene said. “Then we can go to the government and say, here’s this novel thing we’ve developed that we believe addresses the needs that you have. Let’s continue to work together and refine it, and ultimately deliver it to the warfighter in large enough quantities on a timeline that makes a decisive difference.
“The military and large defense companies are historically good at building exquisite hardware systems like planes, ships and tanks. But the wars of the future are not going to be won with large hardware that takes a ton of time, money and human capital to build. Large quantities of lower-cost unmanned systems and the software that enables them is going to be critical and there simply needs to be more focus on true mission autonomy.” a
By Lily Hinz ’11
Afterserving as a surface warfare officer and Navy SEAL for seven years, Brandon Tseng ’08 had an idea of what he wanted to do in his civilian career.
His experiences serving in uniform shaped a clear vision for what the future of warfare would look like. While earning his MBA from Harvard Business School, he asked himself “what does the military of 2030 look like and what role does autonomy play?”
The answer he kept coming back to was artificial intelligence (AI) pilots powering every military asset and from there, Shield AI was born. With a mission to protect service members and civilians with the best AI and autonomy technology, he and his co-founders began to assemble a worldclass team that has grown to more than 500 people since its founding in 2015. Shield AI boasts 15 Naval Academy alumni on its staff.
The company’s explosive growth and appealing value proposition inevitably yielded a steady onslaught of Naval Academy alumni joining the Shield AI ranks. In 2022, Shield AI doubled the company’s equity value to $2.3 billion and grew the team to more than 500 people from 320.
For Brian Hamilton ’08, it started as a thought exchange with Tseng.
“When I started doing banking work related to defense companies, I realized that although I knew the operational Navy well, I knew very little about the business side of the DoD. I knew Brandon from school and so I would occasionally ask him some questions,” Hamilton said.
In parallel, Tseng wasn’t as familiar with mergers and acquisitions (M&A), so Hamilton helped him start to think through how the right M&A strategy could help catapult his business.
“After a couple exchanges, we realized that it made sense for me to devote my full bandwidth to Shield AI and work full time, and I have no regrets about that decision,” Hamilton said.
Shield AI made two back-to-back acquisitions in the summer of 2021: Heron Systems, the company known for decisively defeating seasoned fighter pilots during DARPA’s AlphaDogfight trials; and Martin UAV, the company known for its logistically simple, medium-size, class-leading vertical takeoff and landing (VTOL) unmanned aircraft, V-BAT. These two strategic acquisitions allow Shield AI to continue to climb and conquer the DoD “Aviation Food Chain” through the integration of
the company’s AI and autonomy software, Hivemind, on all military aircraft.
It’s not that working in investment banking wasn’t intellectually rigorous or rewarding. Hamilton had the opportunity to help advise some of the world’s leading companies on their strategic decisions and capital formation. But he jumped at the opportunity to help build what he and the other Naval Academy graduates working at Shield AI believe is quickly differentiating the company as this generation’s leader in defense technology.
“The Naval Academy’s motto of Ex Scientia Tridens endures in the company’s work to continue developing and deploying the world’s best AI pilot—an inevitable, key enabling technology to maintaining deterrence and our ability to deter global conflict,” Hamilton said.
Vice Admiral Bob Harward ’79, USN (Ret.), stood up Shield AI’s International Business Development team in early 2022, which is an experience he likened to going into Afghanistan.
“I was on the board at Shield AI for a long time prior to taking on my current role,” Harward said. “When I retired from Lockheed Martin, I was the right guy in the right place at the right time—just like when I was tapped to be the commander of a special multinational task force that went into Afghanistan in the immediate aftermath of the September 11 terrorist attacks.”
Harward’s only negative feedback about Shield AI is that his fellow Academy grads are “not upholding the physical fitness standards they were
taught to maintain on the Yard.” He spends a significant amount of time with Tseng and Chris Brinkley ’11, who are both fellow SEALs, and claims to be “outrunning all of them” at 66-years old.
Shifting to a serious tone, Harward explained why so many Academy alumni with such diverse backgrounds and experiences have decided to join a defense industry disruptor.
“I think all the grads here have realized the impact this technology can have on not just the Navy, but for warfighting capabilities,” Harward said. “We all entered the Academy because we wanted to serve our country. This is an extension of that mission-first mindset.”
Brinkley had the “privilege” of receiving firstie-to-plebe mentorship from Tseng as they were both 14th Company Cobras.
“Brandon was a tyrant of a cadre during Plebe Summer, like a Marine indoctrination instructor,” he said laughing. “Then, he was less intense during the academic year because he wanted us to focus on school, which is when I realized he was just doing his job during Plebe Summer. Everything came full circle since Brandon’s roommate, Bram Arnold ’08, was my platoon commander in the SEAL teams. He played a big part in my landing at Shield AI.”
Tseng can remember the exact conversation he had with Arnold when Brinkley applied to Shield AI.
“I hadn’t worked with Chris in the SEAL teams. We had very similar backgrounds—Naval Academy, 14th
Company, mechanical engineering majors, SEAL team members and Harvard Business School grads; but I hadn’t really kept in close touch with him since the Academy,” Tseng said. “When he applied to Shield AI, I called Bram and asked how Chris was professionally. He said ‘Chris is the most professional, hardest working person I know. You have to hire him.’
“The amazing thing about the Naval Academy alumni network is how small and tightknit it is. This is just one example of the power of the network.”
Shield AI’s 15 USNA grads are employed on teams ranging from business development and marketing to product/ program management and engineering. Alex Burtness ’10, Chris Swigart ’07 and Tim Jarratt ’07 are leaders on the product management team, while Mike Mathis ’05 and Chris Turl ’00 lead program management efforts in Shield AI’s office in downtown San Diego, CA.
Paul Schauppner ’11 reached out to Lily (Powers) Hinz ’11 after seeing her LinkedIn posts about the company’s work. Soon after, he joined the engineering team as a technical communicator, where he works on developing the software tools to align company processes and streamline cross-functional communication.
Naval Academy alumni work alongside two West Pointers, an Air Force Academy alum and one Merchant Marine Academy alum, which keeps the spirit of friendly service academy rivalries alive.
Dan Imbat ’91, who has spent his career building a strong reputation in the Navy and defense industry as a thought leader and innovator in the unmanned aircraft space, joined the company in early 2022. He was elated when he discovered he could engage in friendly competition for contract awards with his service academy counterparts.
“What I love about Shield AI is that we drive our business knowing that our work is both highly beneficial and consequential for the United States,” Imbat said. “This is one race where the United States can’t settle for second place, and I am proud to be working alongside so many service academy grads in pursuit of this noble mission,” he said.
Shield AI’s youngest Naval Academy alum, John Keck ’16, completed a Hiring Our Heroes fellowship on the company’s business development team during his final months in the Marine Corps.
“At the beginning of the fellowship process, I did a lot of interviews at companies across several industries,” Keck said. “Going into it, I didn’t think I would land somewhere affiliated with the government or DoD because I thought I needed a change. When I learned about Shield AI, however, something just clicked for me. The intersection of the company’s mission, culture and my general skillset fit made it an easy choice.”
JD Parker ’09 and Weston Bartkoski ’12 are Shield AI’s newest Academy alumni hires. They work on the business development and customer success teams, respectively. Parker attended his first defense industry trade show (the Association of the U.S. Army’s Annual Meeting and Expo) in October 2022, where he met fellow alums who descended upon the nation’s capital for this widely attended event.
“I owe so much of who I am as a person to Annapolis, where I forged strong bonds with classmates and developed leadership traits that served me well in the Marine Corps,” Parker said. “When I was active duty, I treated my Marines like family. I see this same approach taken at Shield AI so being a part of this team feels like coming home.” a
Lily Hinz ’11 served as a surface warfare officer and public affairs officer, on active and Reserve duty, for 10 years. She lives in San Diego, CA, with her husband Brendan Hinz ’11, an MH-60R pilot on his department head tour at HSM-35, and two children.
When Naval Academy alumni, family and friends gather for reunions or receptions at the new 65,000-square-foot facility alongside College Creek this fall, they will be able to call the Fluegel Alumni Center “home.” A dedication event is planned for September.
Construction of the modern alumni center was made possible in large part by the generosity of the Fluegel family. An anchor gift from Donna and Rick Fluegel ’61, helped ensure the success of this legacy for the Naval Academy alumni community and a world-class home in Annapolis. The Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation will begin moving into the Fluegel Alumni Center later this year.
“Thanks to the generosity of all our lead donors, the United States Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation will be better equipped to uphold our mission of supporting the Naval Academy, the Brigade of Midshipmen and the entire alumni community,” said U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation President and CEO Jeff Webb ’95. “The Fluegel Alumni Center is a first-class facility, and we are eager to welcome alumni to their new home this fall.”
The center is designed to provide a premium venue for a wide range of alumni events, streamline and enhance Alumni Association & Foundation operations and provide an ideal space to celebrate alumni achievements—all of which help support the Naval Academy mission and strengthen the global alumni network. This facility will allow the Alumni Association & Foundation to better serve alumni and provide a centralized home when they return to Annapolis for reunions, governing board and volunteer leader events, activities on the Yard and sporting events.
Construction on the Fluegel Alumni Center is expected to be completed by June. In addition to reunions, it will host alumni gatherings and special events. Reservations for fall events will open later this year. The finished facility will include 4,000 square feet of exterior deck space, 2,000 square feet of lower-level bar/event space, two banquet facilities and on-site parking.
Thanks to the generosity of the alumni community, most of the project’s construction costs were contributed prior to the razing of the site in November 2021. More than 3,500 alumni contributed to the new facility, including more than 1,200 plankowners and 37 classes also supported the alumni center to raise more than $36 million in contributions to build, equip and operate the facility. Construction of the center was fully funded by philanthropic gifts.
The concept for the project dates back more than a decade. The initiative was codified in the Naval Academy Strategic Plan 2020 and the Alumni Association & Foundation’s strategic plan.
“The naming of this center is an exciting next step in the realization of more than a decade of effort,” said Admiral Robert J. Natter ’67, USN (Ret.), who directed the project. “This is a shining example of our alumni community’s shared vision to invest in itself and in our alma mater, that influenced us so greatly in what it means to serve and to lead.”
The Naval Academy Alumni Association, the Naval Academy Foundation and the Athletic and Scholarship Programs will consolidate from five buildings—on and off the Yard—into one location. The facility is designed to allow for multiple events concurrently, capable of supporting the
distinct missions and functions of the three organizations that comprise the Enterprise.
“Thanks to the generosity of Rick and Donna, the Alumni Association & Foundation will be able to host and support our alumni in a center worthy of their service to the nation,” said Admiral Mark Ferguson III ’78, USN (Ret.), chairman of the Board of Trustees for the Naval Academy Alumni Association. “We are very grateful our alumni community will have a home they can be proud of when they return to Annapolis.”
The Fluegel Alumni Center will allow staff to serve a larger number of alumni and other Association members as well as host a greater number of events throughout the year. A single, dedicated space for serving alumni will also produce clearer lines of communication between the Yard and alumni groups supporting midshipmen.
The Associations of Graduates at West Point and Air Force have found that an investment in facilities enhanced their programs and service to alumni with the James K. Herbert Alumni Center in June 1995 and Doolittle Hall in 1992, respectively. “The Fluegel Alumni Center will provide the Alumni Association & Foundation with modern amenities to support a growing alumni base inside an unparalleled venue,” said J. Ronald Terwilliger ’63, chairman of the Board of Directors for the Naval Academy Foundation.
Academy leaders, volunteer leaders and alumni groups will be able to access all Alumni Association & Foundation resources and staff at the Fluegel Alumni Center instead of coordinating meetings, agendas and staff among multiple locations. With a new facility, the Alumni Association & Foundation expects to double the capacity for visitors to the building and provide improved engagement and opportunities as an event venue.
For more updates on the Fluegel Alumni Center, visit www.usna.com where there are links to the project’s details and to a webcam that captures photos every 30 minutes to document construction progress. a
Editor’s Note: This is the second part of the story of midshipmen experiences during the Vietnam War. Part I was published in the January-February 2023 issue of Shipmate.
The Vietnam War continued at a deadly pace in 1969. However, the gradual U.S. effort to expand, equip and train South Vietnam’s armed forces for an increased combat role began in January that year. Described as “Vietnamization” (a term that slighted South Vietnam’s many years of high combat losses), one of its goals was to allow U.S. forces to be withdrawn progressively so that the conduct of the war could eventually transition to South Vietnam. In June, President Nixon announced the withdrawal of 25,000 U.S. troops to begin the U.S. drawdown. Following a similar summer schedule as the prior two years, 100 first-class midshipmen in the Class of 1970 were assigned to Seventh Fleet ships. The Naval Academy’s Annual Register for 1970 notes they were assigned to junior officer billets and given “… opportunities to assume their responsibilities in as many departments as practical during summer training.”
Commander Lawrence “Skid” Heyworth III ’70, USN (Ret.), served on the guided-missile destroyer BUCHANAN. “Part of my cruise was spent conducting harassment-and-interdiction missions—mostly at night— in Da Nang Harbor and further south off the Mekong Delta,” he said. “One of my duties was to check the gun-target line visually to ensure that it was clear—primarily from U.S. helicopters that wandered into our ‘hot’ area. I was on the sound-powered phone circuit with gun control and had the authority to call a ‘check fire’ if the gun target line was fouled.” Following commissioning, Heyworth deployed to Vietnam in 1971 and 1972 on the frigate DAVIDSON
Curtis O. Hingson ’70 served on the aircraft carrier BONHOMME RICHARD during its operations at Yankee Station.
“Nothing in my life, outside of my father’s tales about his service on the submarine BATFISH during World War II, impacted me as deeply as observing the return of A-4s to Bonnie Dick following sorties onshore—daily it seems. We lost at least two in 30 days of flight operations as I recall. Most of my midshipmen assignments were in engineering and navigation, but my heart was in the ready rooms with the squadrons.”
The potential hazards of operations at sea were brought home to Lieutenant Junior Grade Gary D. Knight ’70, USN (Ret.), and other midshipmen who made a port visit to Subic Bay during the summer of 1969. They saw the stern section of the destroyer FRANK E EVANS in a floating dry dock. During night flight operations in June, the Australian aircraft carrier HMAS MELBOURNE collided with the destroyer and cut it in half. Only the destroyer’s stern section remained afloat. Ensign Dwight S. Pattee ’68 and 73 of his shipmates perished. Knight’s photo of the destroyer’s stern section was published in the Class of 1970’s Lucky Bag
The Class of 1970’s experiences during this cruise were not solely at sea. Several first classmen also put boots on the ground in South Vietnam. Commander Brock A. McMunn ’70, USN (Ret.), Major Louis “Sam” Hollier IV ’70, USMC (Ret.), and Commander George G. Karch ’70, USN (Ret.), were assigned to the amphibious assault ship IWO JIMA when its amphibious ready group conducted Operations Bold Pursuit and Mighty Play near Da Nang in June and July 1969.
During these operations, they made several helicopter flights and observed the activities of IWO JIMA’s Battalion Landing Team. They also spent two days on the ground with Marines of the 1st Battalion, 26th Marine Regiment. They were exposed briefly to enemy fire.
“We visited B Company performing a sweep of an area near Da Nang,” Hollier recalled. “We thought hornets were flying by. Then we took cover, and the Marines got the woman sniper that shot at us.”
Colonel William Clay Grubb Jr. ’70, USMC (Ret.), and two classmates were embarked on the amphibious assault ship VALLEY FORGE with Marines of its assigned Battalion Landing Team aboard.
“We operated from Chu Lai to Yankee Station off North Vietnam,” he said. In addition to standing normal watches, Grubb served as assistant flight deck officer. The midshipmen occasionally flew aboard the ship’s UH-34 Seahorse helicopter during mail-and-resupply runs to Da Nang and Chu Lai. “As ‘future admirals’ we were also able to fly as copilot on some flights.”
He spent a night ashore on one flight following an in-flight emergency. “The ship’s Marine helicopter squadron HMM-164 also took us out on their CH-46 over coastal areas,” Grubb recalled.
Grubb and his classmates were transferred to the guided-missile cruiser BOSTON in early August for their return to Subic Bay and flight home. En route, they witnessed the cruiser’s naval-gunfire support missions along the coast of South Vietnam. The ship fired hundreds of 8-inch rounds from its two forward gun turrets.
Further south in the Mekong Delta, Captain Carl Weiscopf ’70, USN (Ret.), made a brief visit ashore while assigned to the destroyer RUPERTUS during a total of nearly six weeks on the gunline.
“One of my most memorable experiences was going ashore at one of the Navy’s riverine bases in the Rung Sat Special Zone south of Saigon,” he said. “While ashore, I met Lieutenant Richard “Rick” Farrell ’66, USN (Ret.), who was with the riverine force. He is the brother of my classmate Captain Jerry Farrell ’70, USN (Ret).”
At least three members of the Class of 1970 served with the Brown Water Navy on the Mekong Delta’s waterways in the IV-Corps tactical zone. Navy operations there had expanded significantly in that southernmost region of Vietnam in late 1968 when Vice Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt Jr. ’43, Commander Naval Forces Vietnam, launched Operation Sealords (Southeast Asia Lake, Ocean, River and Delta Strategy) jointly with South Vietnamese forces to extend the Navy’s reach into more rivers and waterways. The late Lieutenant Colonel Edward J. Robeson IV ’70,
USMC (Ret.), for example, conducted patrols on Navy riverine patrol boats (PBRs) while assigned to the tank landing ship HUNTERDON COUNTY when it served as a “mother ship” for Brown Water Navy units.
Colonel Bruce E. Brunn ’70, USMC (Ret.), had one of the most unusual experiences in the history of midshipmen’s wartime operations with the Brown Water Navy. He served alongside U.S. Army soldiers—ashore, afloat and in the air.
Brunn was assigned to the landing ship tank WHITFIELD COUNTY and the self-propelled barracks ship BENEWAH during their operations on the My Tho River 35 miles southwest of Saigon in the Mekong Delta. They were two of several Navy ships serving as an afloat mobile base for the U.S. Navy–U.S. Army Mobile Riverine Force—Task Force 117. Soldiers of the U.S. Army’s 2nd Brigade of the 9th Infantry Division were embarked as the task force’s ground component. The Navy’s River Assault Divisions 151 and 152, with their large array of combat craft and boats, were also assigned. They made for a potent joint force.
“I was issued standard jungle fatigues that everyone wore in the Delta,” Brunn said. “I sewed a USNA patch over my left breast pocket so no one would mistake me for being in the Army.”
The 2nd Brigade’s commanding officer was a West Point alumnus.
“He was the only one who thought it was a good idea that I had made it ‘in-country,’ Brunn said. “He went out of his way to show and educate me in ways he thought important.”
Armed with an M-16 rifle and .38-caliber revolver, Brunn joined Army soldiers conducting foot-patrol missions ashore. He was embarked on armored assault craft during riverine missions and observed other TF 117 operations while flying in the brigade commander’s command-andcontrol helicopter.
“I was involved in several engagements where I returned fire like everyone else,” he said.
Brunn was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon for his participation in these engagements with the Viet Cong.
“This proved to be the best experience of my entire time at the Academy,” Brunn said. “It helped me re-focus on my purpose there.”
Commissioned as a Marine, he went on to graduate at the top of his class at The Basic School at Quantico.
According to Superintendent Rear Admiral James F. Calvert’s ’43 special order for summer training in 1970, 135 first classmen in the Class of 1971 trained aboard Seventh Fleet ships during two sequential cruises, with 100 assigned to the first cruise and 35 to the second. Additionally, the Naval Academy Training Squadron Pacific (NATRONPAC) made an unprecedented port visit to Da Nang on 9-10 July with hundreds of midshipmen embarked on its two assigned ships.
Calvert introduced the use of two NATRONs for at-sea training in 1969 as part of his efforts to restore a better balance between the Academy’s professional training-and-education programs, a process initiated by his predecessor, Rear Admiral Draper L. Kauffman ’33, in 1967. Each East and West Coast squadron was assigned two amphibious warfare ships with no other operational commitments. Approximately 200 first classmen and the entire class of third classmen were equally divided between the two squadrons. First classmen served as division officers and assisted in training third classmen. Naval Academy officers were assigned to each ship to supervise training.
The amphibious transport dock ships CLEVELAND and VANCOUVER were assigned to NATRONPAC in the summer of 1970. Approximately 100 first classmen in the Class of 1971 and 600 third classmen in the Class of 1973 were assigned in roughly equal numbers to each ship. A few second classmen from the Class of 1972 were also assigned to repeat their third-class cruise. The Landing Platform Decks embarked midshipmen in San Diego in early June and departed for the Western Pacific. Following a port visit to Hong Kong, they made a two-day port visit to Da Nang
In addition to shipboard duties during the summer of 1969, midshipmen in the Class of 1970 embarked on the amphibious assault ships VALLEY FORGE, shown here, and IWO JIMA put boots on the ground in South Vietnam and made operational flights in Navy and Marine Corps helicopters.
on 9-10 July. Moored pier-side, both ships took on a contingent of Marines, their personal gear and other cargo for return to the United States.
Brief, supervised liberty ashore was authorized.
“Midshipmen not in the duty section were notified that there would be liberty,” said James E. Toomey ’71. “Buses took us to China Beach. I remember passing numerous fully armed soldiers and Marines.”
The port visit left lasting memories.
“As we were traveling through the streets of Da Nang,” Donald K. Hakanson ’71 said, “we observed many bullet holes in the sides of buildings. Also, that night we saw flashes and heard gunfire in the hills around the city.”
Other members of the Class of 1973, including Commander William E. Short Jr. ’73, USN (Ret.), assigned to CLEVELAND, vividly recall their assignments in nonstop, pier-side working parties loading cargo. Their mission completed, both ships departed Da Nang on 10 July. Following a port visit in Pearl Harbor, they arrived in San Diego on 1 August and disembarked the midshipmen.
Midshipmen in the Class of 1971 saw plenty of action during the summer of 1970. Captain William R. Nevitt Jr. ’71, USNR (Ret.), and an NROTC midshipmen were assigned to the destroyer LYMAN K SWENSON
“We were well-received by the ship’s wardroom,” Nevitt said.
During their weeks on board, they experienced naval gunfire support missions, escorted guided-missile surface combatants to protect them from North Vietnamese torpedo boats during air-control and early warning missions in the Positive Identification Radar Advisory Zone (PIRAZ) off North Vietnam and served as the trail “plane-guard” ship during carrier flight operations at Yankee Station.
“It did not escape me that my father, a U.S. Air Force pilot, flew his last, pre-retirement combat mission in Southeast Asia in 1968, and here I was—two years later—participating in the war,” Nevitt said. “Some of the surreal images of my time aboard SWENSON are burned into my mind as permanently as a brand on a steer’s hide.”
Assigned to the guided-missile destroyer JOHN PAUL JONES as part of the BONHOMME RICHARD carrier battle group, James G. Gonzales ’71, M.D., served as the assistant combat information center officer and a junior officer of the deck. During flight operations, his destroyer was normally assigned plane-guard duty. Gonzales remembers several flight deck accidents on the carrier by combat-damaged aircraft during landings as well as ditchings.
“One night, we searched for a pilot in the water with no success,” he said. His destroyer also conducted naval gunfire support missions close ashore. “On one mission, incoming rounds landed about 150 yards off our bow.”
Captain Kenneth A. Marks ’71, USN (Ret.), assigned to the destroyer ROGERS with two NROTC midshipmen, also saw action on the gun line off South Vietnam.
“Everything was going fine until late one night a tugboat crossed our path and took a chunk out of ROGERS’ bow. There were no injuries, and flooding was minor, but the damage was done.”
The destroyer proceeded to Vung Tau Harbor for temporary repairs to allow the destroyer to return to the gun line as soon as possible. Once alongside the repair ship HECTOR, Marks was authorized liberty to accompany a few officers going ashore at Vung Tau.
“I hoped to get a glimpse into a sailor’s life in a slice of Vietnam beyond the gun line,” he said, “and packed a small overnight bag with essentials.”
His initiative was rewarded. A visit to the U.S. Army air base resulted in a 1.5-hour flight as an observer on a CH-47 Chinook helicopter. Subsequently, seeking to observe Navy patrol-boat operations, he went to the South Vietnamese Navy–U.S. Navy–U.S. Coast Guard naval base at Cat Lo, six miles northeast of Vung Tau.
A chance encounter there with Navy lieutenants from the Academy Classes of 1966 and 1967 led to an invitation to bunk with them and assist the next day boarding Vietnamese civilian junks to search for contraband.
“An armed sailor would stand watch on the bow of the patrol boat while others searched,” Marks said. “I was glad to take multiple turns in the barrel and, after my search, sign and date the junk owner’s papers. I did this for two days and then took a postmaintenance check ride on a PBR before returning to ROGERS.”
The ship’s officers were deeply involved in repair work; few knew or cared he was gone. “The other two midshipmen surely did,” Marks said, “and they were jealous!”
The Class of 1971 also experienced Brown Water Navy operations in the Mekong Delta. Mark E. Mauriello ’71 reported to the tank landing ship WASHOE COUNTY during its support of Operation Sea Float/Solid Anchor on the southernmost tip of the Ca Mau Peninsula, 150 miles southwest of Saigon. Established in 1969, Sea Float was a Mobile Advanced Tactical Support Base located in the middle of the Cua Lon River. It consisted of large, self-propelled pontoon barges. Navy patrol boats and assault craft, helicopters and teams of SEALs and other units operated from the barges. South Vietnamese naval units were also assigned to these joint operations.
“WASHOE COUNTY was stationed about five miles offshore and provided logistical support for the gun boats, Navy helicopters and their crews,” Mauriello said, “including fuel, ammunition, maintenance, berthing and medical care.”
Two Navy UH-1B “Huey” helicopter gunships assigned to Helicopter Attack (Light) Squadron Three—the Seawolves— staged off WASHOE COUNTY by day and on the barges at night.
“One of the pilots, Lieutenant Junior Grade John E. Ludwig III ’68, was a firstie in my company plebe year,” Mauriello said. “I was authorized to fly with him on one mission when the ship calibrated its guns. I spotted its gunfire. However, the Huey was soon diverted to support ground forces. Time was critical, so I was dropped off at Sea Float.”
Mauriello was retrieved and returned to his ship later that day. Lieutenant Commander Ludwig was later killed in an aircraft accident in 1980.
Michael J.L. Greene Jr. ’71 took a direct, if irregular, approach to see the Navy in action in Vietnam during his summer cruise. He sent a letter to Vice Admiral Zumwalt, Commander Naval Forces Vietnam, requesting the assignment.
“I was pulled out of class in April and told that the Commandant of Midshipmen, Captain Robert P. Coogan ’44, wanted to see me,” Greene said. After ascertaining his reason for writing Zumwalt directly, Coogan delivered a “loud and forceful” lecture on the chain of command and then handed Greene a letter—signed by Zumwalt
(who was nominated in April to be chief of naval operations and assumed those duties in July).
“Addressed ‘To Whom It May Concern,’ the letter said I was to be shown the U.S. Navy in action in Vietnam—wherever I wanted to go,” Greene said. “With that, my adventure began.”
Greene sought the Vietnam cruise assignment for professional and personal reasons. He lived in South Vietnam as a teenager and attended high school in Saigon. A cousin was killed there in 1968 during Greene’s plebe year. Four other members of his family also served in the war, including his father who was serving in Cambodia with the Army’s 25th Infantry Division.
“First-class cruise was like a homecoming,” Greene said.
In June, Greene and seven classmates reported to the aircraft carrier SHANGRI-LA
“We soon found ourselves off North Vietnam operating from Yankee Station with three other carriers,” Greene said. “Flight operations were 24 hours a day. We were watching in real time the aviators we had heard so much about and knew some of their numbers were already POWs—and those we were watching might become so.”
After two weeks on SHANGRI-LA, Greene presented his letter from Admiral Zumwalt to the officer overseeing midshipmen’s training and asked to be assigned to a Navy unit in South Vietnam. He was soon on his way to the Mekong Delta and the self-propelled barracks ship BENEWAH anchored near the border between South Vietnam and Cambodia. Much like Colonel Bruce E. Brunn ’70, USMC (Ret.), during his midshipman cruise a year earlier, Greene also experienced operations with the U.S. Navy–U.S. Army Mobile Riverine Force for two weeks.
“The U.S.–South Vietnamese incursion into Cambodia was still going on,” he said, “and I went on PBR patrols going upriver into that country. We took some intermittent incoming fire, but the Vietnamese side of the border was pretty quiet at the time.”
When his destroyer underwent repairs at Vung Tau, South Vietnam, in the summer of 1970, then-MIDN Kenneth A. Marks ’71 used his liberty time to good advantage. Here, during a two-day stint on a Navy coastal patrol boat, he inspects a South Vietnamese civilian’s junk for contraband in the waters off Vung Tau.
Greene soon returned to SHANGRI-LA and rejoined his classmates. “Now three weeks behind in completing my cruise book,” he said, “I stood back-to-back duties on the bridge.”
He also assisted the carrier’s navigator when the carrier sailed into Tokyo Bay en route to Yokosuka, Japan, for ship repairs in dry dock.
“All of these experiences completely fulfilled my wish to see the Navy in action,” Greene said. His cruise book and journal describing his cruise received an “A.”
During Greene’s absence, his classmates on the carrier experienced the battle group’s intense around-the-clock flight operations.
“Our entire at-sea periods during cruise were spent on Yankee Station launching raids,” said Commander Brian J. Horais ’71, USN (Ret.).
Pilots were lost during combat missions. Accidents were not uncommon. Several midshipmen were topside when an A-4E Skyhawk pilot ejected safely following a brake failure after landing.
“We heard the blast of the ejection seat and saw an A-4 hanging over the edge of the flight deck just after the pilot ejected,” said Captain Brent C. Greene ’71, USN (Ret.). “Amazingly, the chute popped open in just enough time for the pilot to land safely on the deck.”
Horais and Lieutenant Commander Arlington R. Miller Jr. ’71, USN (Ret.), both recall SHANGRI-LA’s short port visit to Da Nang Harbor so a helicopter could deliver a new cable for one of the carrier’s elevators. While observing the transfer from “vulture’s row,” they noticed several splashes in the water off the carrier’s landward side.
“The small geysers seemed to continue until two U.S. aircraft appeared overhead,” Miller said, “swept down over the nearby hills on the other side of the harbor and turned them into flaming clouds of fire and smoke—a napalm strike. There were no more splashes.”
Miller returned to Vietnamese waters twice following commissioning, the final time as a helicopter pilot assigned to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier ENTERPRISE during a nine-month deployment that concluded with the evacuation of the U.S Embassy in Saigon during Operation Frequent Wind in April 1975.
Luis Alvarez ’71, a midshipman from Peru attending the Academy through the foreign-exchange program, was assigned to the attack carrier ORISKANY
“I wanted to see the war firsthand on a carrier, and the Peruvian Navy had no carriers,” he said.
He was assigned several duties and watches in the ship’s combatinformation center and as an assistant to the catapult officer.
“We lost two aircraft while I was onboard,” he said.
After more than 50 years, he vividly remembers the roar of aircraft taking off from the carrier with the flight deck shaking. He echoes the sentiments of many midshipmen who first experienced combat operations during the Vietnam War.
“I consider myself privileged for serving onboard ORISKANY during a time of war, serving side by side with a fine crew who did their duty 24/7,” he said.
The summer of 1970 at-sea training program was the final time midshipmen were assigned to Seventh Fleet ships deployed for combat operations during the war. The Academy’s Command History for 1971–1972 notes that NATRONPAC made visits to Pearl Harbor and several Western Pacific ports in 1971, but none in South Vietnam. The USNA Command History for 1972–1973 documents no WESTPAC wartime training cruises were conducted in 1972. A unique era in the history of Naval Academy at-sea training had ended.
By all accounts, midshipmen acquitted themselves well during their unprecedented wartime assignments. They returned to the Academy as Vietnam veterans with a better understanding of combat and combat-support operations—and a renewed respect for those who served—based on firsthand experience. They had a richer appreciation for the important “end in
mind” of the Academy’s professional training program in preparing them to lead sailors and Marines as commissioned officers.
For some, their experiences influenced or reinforced their subsequent service-selection decisions. For others, wartime service as a midshipman was an affirmation of the Academy’s warfighting culture.
Following commissioning, many returned to serve again in the war until the cessation of hostilities and departure of the last U.S. combat forces in South Vietnam in March of 1973 following the signing of the U.S.–North Vietnam cease-fire agreement in January. Seventh Fleet deployments to South Vietnam continued, however, until the evacuation and fall of Saigon in April 1975. a
CAPT Gordon I. Peterson ’68, USN (Ret.), the Class of 1968’s corresponding secretary, served in the Vietnam War on the destroyer JENKINS during his first-class midshipman’s summer cruise in 1967. He served again in Vietnam as a helo gunship pilot with the Seawolves of HA(L)-3 in 1970–1971, flying 515 combat missions.
The author expresses his deep appreciation to all those who assisted him in researching and writing this article, including Ms. Jennifer Bryan, head of Special Collections and Archives/ Archivist at the Nimitz Library; Mrs. Barbara Breeden, former librarian at the Nimitz Library; Editor Jimmy DeButts and Ms. Maria O’Shea at Shipmate; Naval History and Heritage Command; and tmembers of the Naval Academy Classes of 1965, 1968, 1969, 1970, 1971, 1972 and 1973.
More than 58,000 U.S. service members died during the Vietnam War. More than 1,500 remain missing in action. The names of the 174 Naval Academy graduates lost in wartime operations are listed with honor on the Naval Academy’s Vietnam War Memorial.
Tragically, the war continues to take a heavy toll on veterans resulting from the U.S. military’s widespread application of toxic herbicides, especially the highly deadly Agent Orange. The chemicals were used to defoliate forested areas providing cover for the enemy, mangrove jungles along major shipping channels and inland waterways, enemy food crops, and tall grasses and bushes around the perimeters of major U.S. bases and airfields. From 1962 until 1971, the U.S. Air Force sprayed nearly 19 million gallons of herbicides—more than half of which was Agent Orange—in South Vietnam. “Free spraying” of herbicides was also conducted by units on the ground and by boat on inland waterways. Many thousands of veterans have contracted diseases as the result of their exposure to these herbicides during the war and at numerous other specified locations and periods during their military service. The Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) currently recognizes 19 diseases associated with exposure, including eight types of cancer and other illnesses. Veterans may be eligible for VA disability benefits if they have been diagnosed with a health condition that is caused by exposure to Agent Orange or other herbicides (a “presumptive condition”) and if they served in a location where they were exposed (a “presumptive exposure”).
For South Vietnam, for example, the VA will assume exposure for service between 9 January 1962 and 7 May 1975, on the ground, aboard a U.S. military vessel that operated in the country’s inland waterways and on a vessel operating not more than 12 nautical miles seaward from the demarcation line of the waters of Vietnam and Cambodia. Port visits in South Vietnam are consistent with these requirements. The VA maintains a list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships used for military service in Vietnam associated with exposure to Agent Orange. Information on eligibility requirements and the process for applying for benefits is provided on the VA’s website (www.va.gov).
Owing to the number of their classmates who have contracted diseases resulting from Agent Orange exposure, several Naval Academy classes have responded to assist them in many important ways. The Classes of 1965, 1968 and 1973, for example, have formed support groups. The Classes of 1965 and 1968 each focus on Parkinson’s Disease. Volunteers work to facilitate the flow of information, help members stay abreast of current medical research and treatment protocols, provide information on filing for veteran’s benefits, and assist in helping them live successfully with the disease. To learn more, visit www.usna.com/programs-parkinsons-toolkit.
The Class of 1973 has been extremely proactive assisting its members who are afflicted with Agent Orange-related diseases through its Task Force ’73 Agent Orange. Many members of the class who have successfully completed the VA disability process serve as volunteer advisors in the group’s multifaceted work. “We began by focusing upon our Class’s unique exposure in 1970 to the Agent Orange challenge,” said Commander William E. Short Jr. ’73, USN (Ret.). “Then our mission expanded to help any veteran in need, not just USNA alumni. That necessitated our forming a nonprofit organization, Task Force 73 for Veterans Inc.”
Short encourages any Vietnam veteran who suspects they have an Agent Orange-related illness to access “Agent Orange Information” posted on the Class of 1973’s website (www.1973.usnaclasses.net) to learn the most expeditious path to VA assistance. Contact information is provided for Task Force volunteers for pro bono assistance. “Our mission has been to help anyone and all in need,” Short said, “and we have been highly successful. Our country will never be able to do enough for veterans who have served so selflessly. It is not just by chance that our Class motto in Latin is Non Sibi—not for self.”
TheU.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation’s Women’s Shared Interest Group (SIG) has spent the past two years building a community of concerned alumnae focused on providing advocacy and healing resources to alumnae who survived sexual assault. The main ingredient is connection. Studies show that the key to healing and building resilience is connection with others who can validate, empathize with and understand shared feelings and experiences. A committee of the Women’s SIG, the Survivor Advocacy Network (SAN), is proof of this concept.
I had the opportunity to meet with the SAN’s chair, Stefanie Goebel ’80. The following is a conversation with Goebel that discusses the past and ongoing group initiatives with midshipmen and alumni, and the positive impact these initiatives have had on survivors within the Naval Academy family.
WALSH: When did you first think to start the Survivor Advocacy Network?
GOEBEL: The motivation for this initiative was the Department of Defense Report on Sexual Harassment and Violence at the Military Service Academies (2018–2019). It struck me that despite all the time and resources devoted to the issue and the many improvements made, sexual assault continued to rise at all service academies during the previous academic year. As chair of the Women’s SIG Policy and Issues committee, I broached the topic with my fellow alumnae. The group consensus was that we loved and respected our alma mater too much to stand idle, and this was an opportunity for us to help.
WALSH: And that is when you approached Naval Academy Sexual Assault Prevention and Response (SAPR) office about a partnership?
GOEBEL: Yes, I approached them and said we would like to support their work. We had a wonderful conversation where they filled us in on some of their programming and services, and we proposed a few ideas.
The idea they liked the most was an alumnae survivor panel that was designed to show midshipmen that even after sexual assault, individuals can thrive in the Navy and Marine Corps after such a trauma. Often when midshipmen are assaulted and start to experience PTSD symptoms, they begin to wonder if they can finish the semester, let alone commission. But the alumnae survivor panel showed them it is possible to live happy, successful, full lives.
We held our first Survivor Panel for midshipmen virtually in November 2021, and that was so successful we held another panel in-person at the Academy in April 2022. Overall, we had about 75 midshipmen attend these two events.
WALSH: I was a panelist on the April panel last year, and after the panel, a second class midshipman approached me and shared that hearing my story was the first time she felt her experience validated. We had a really beautiful conversation. I realized in reflection that knowing I helped someone else by sharing my experience was equally healing for me.
GOEBEL: That is precisely the point of our efforts. There is lots of science that says connection builds healing. We are working with the Naval Academy to create another panel event in April 2023, but the majority of our efforts in the next year are focused on alumnae. Through our work with USNA SAPR, I came to have a great appreciation for their efforts and initiatives. As long as sexual assault still exists, we still have work to do, but the resources available to midshipmen survivors today are top-class. We realized there is a significant need for resources dedicated to survivor alum, who likely do not have the resources and community inherent to the academy.
WALSH: This past October, you hosted the first-ever Naval Academy Survivor Retreat, designed for alumnae who have had a negative sexual experience. Can you tell me more about that retreat?
GOEBEL: Even before our Policy & Issues team approached the Naval Academy SAPR office, I’d had the idea for a retreat to help alumnae survivors heal from assault. It’s been 40-plus years since my assault at the Naval Academy, and I am still struggling with healing. Based on the numbers in the DoD reports, I knew there must be hundreds of others like me. So, I put out a call to other women alumae asking for volunteers interested in helping to plan this retreat.
Survivors stepped forward, as did alumnae who were not survivors but who had relevant specialized skills and were interested in helping—for example, naturopathic doctors, acupuncturists, psychotherapists and women with doctorates in holistic healing. The response was wonderful, and working together on this project was a very encouraging experience for all of us.
WALSH: It’s almost as if the work that went into planning the retreat was as helpful as the retreat itself.
GOEBEL: Something that none of us fully anticipated was how healing it was to make something positive come out of a painful experience, that your experience might help another woman have an easier time. Talking openly on this topic, which is so often shrouded in shame, was a breath of fresh air for the survivors on the planning committee.
WALSH: Talking now about connection, it strikes me that a midshipman graduating this year will have nearly half a century of women ahead of her who could help guide her through this experience. When you were a midshipman or even an officer in my position, these types of events would have not only been improbable but impossible. That you were able to reach out to a network of women and find not only those needing help—but those with the skills, experience and drive to help others—is pretty incredible and a marker in itself of positive change.
GOEBEL: It is not a club anyone wants to be a part of, but the ability to connect and grow together is powerful. The planning team was very diverse, with women from the Class of 1980 through 2014, and, as I mentioned, not all identified as survivors of sexual assault. The retreat attendees included even younger grads who graduated in the last couple of years. Working with younger survivors taught me so much about how things have changed at the Academy or in the fleet, particularly the resources available through DoD. We have a lot to offer one another.
WALSH: Besides connection, what were some of the committee’s other goals for the retreat?
GOEBEL: Our first goal was to create an event that allowed women to connect with other survivors so that they would finally, after decades for some, realize that they’re not alone. The other goal was to educate attendees on how trauma, particularly military sexual trauma, can manifest in both the mind and body. What kind of symptomatology can they expect? Many people have symptoms of PTSD but don’t recognize it for what it is, and then they don’t get help because they don’t understand what is happening. On the topic of getting help, the last goal was to provide education on healing modalities that we know make a huge difference for survivors—acupuncture, biofeedback, talk therapy, nutrition and more.
We recruited experts in these fields to lead these discussions. Most of the practitioners were Naval Academy alumnae, and we even had a couple of West Point alumnae join us. Since the retreat was virtual, we set up small breakout groups to facilitate connection outside of the larger educational sessions. Women could come into these breakout rooms and hear one another, see one another and share how the material resonated with them.
WALSH: You mentioned earlier that sexual assault is a topic that can be shrouded in unnecessary shame; shame or not, it is inherently private. What kind of steps did you take to ensure the participant’s privacy?
GOEBEL: Privacy and confidentiality were at the forefront of our planning efforts. We spent a lot of time preparing to ensure that people felt safe and comfortable talking about their experiences with one another without any fear that their words would leave the event. We designed a set of community agreements that went beyond standard confidentiality practices. We agreed we would share nothing we’d heard from others without permission, even without attribution. It was a totally contained space.
WALSH: What other things did you do to make women feel comfortable?
GOEBEL: We had therapists standing by all day to meet with anyone who needed individual or specialized support. The purpose of the event was not to retraumatize anyone, but the thing about trauma is it does not always take much to bring about strong emotions. We had a simple process so that any woman who wished to could move quickly to a separate breakout room with a therapist for more individualized care.
WALSH: Besides anecdotal evidence, how did you measure success? What was the outcome of the retreat?
GOEBEL: We were grateful to have one of our volunteer alumnae use her expertise in social science research to survey the attendees. We wanted to know what worked and what didn’t with an eye on improving each event as we go forward. Most significantly, around 80 percent of respondents said that this event helped them and that they would be interested in future events.
WALSH: If you’re comfortable sharing, what did you take away from the retreat personally?
GOEBEL: I took several things away from the retreat. I was especially moved by the resilience of the women there. Some women in the retreat had suffered alone in the aftermath of their assaults for decades, and yet, for the first time in their lives, they were prepared to say, I’m here; I’m ready to heal now. It was just extraordinary.
I was equally impressed by the young women who had experienced a more recent assault. They didn’t wait 40 years the way some of us did. They recognized that they had been traumatized and were working hard to take their lives back. The retreat pushed me to take more active steps toward my own recovery. Along with the other women in the retreat who were in my age group, I realized that it’s never too late to heal, and we deserve to experience the benefits of healing, even if it is 43 years later.
WALSH: What’s next for the committee?
GOEBEL: In addition to the survivor panel planned for April at the Naval Academy, we started planning for the next retreat almost as soon as the last one finished. It is scheduled for Saturday, 21 October. While this event will also be virtual, we hope to offer an in-person retreat in 2024.
We will also open the October retreat to alumnae from the other academies. We know there is a great need for this, both from the post-event survey and the number of women who inquired about but couldn’t make it to the first one. We’re also running a webinar series this year to offer the educational content from our first retreat in a way that is more accessible for those who can’t easily carve out a whole day to go to a six-hour retreat. The first will happen on Tuesday, 28 February at 7 p.m. EST.
WALSH: Where can people find more information on upcoming events or how to become a member of the SAN?
GOEBEL: We are advertising upcoming events on the Women’s SIG website, social media and through the Women’s SIG email distro list. One thing we haven’t touched on today—we realize that sexual assault is not a women’s issue alone and that there are men out there who would like to help or could benefit from these resources. We would love to partner with or support a men’s group in putting together something similar for male survivors.
In the meantime, remember to check with those who might continue to struggle—especially during months where there is a heightened awareness of the topic in the media. Anyone looking to get involved can contact me directly at stefanie.goebel@gmail.com. a
To learn more about the resources discussed in this article, or to register for upcoming events, visit https://women.usnagroups.net/.
By U.S. Naval Academy Superintendent Vice Admiral Sean S. Buck ’83, USN
As Naval Academy alumni, we have all taken an oath; first, as plebes on our Induction Day, next as new Navy and Marine Corps officers upon commissioning and then on numerous promotion occasions throughout our careers. Each of us swore to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign or domestic.”
As we uttered each word we affirmed our allegiance to our nation, and in doing so we joined the ranks of countless others who have gone before us. Some served for five years, others for long careers and others have given their lives adhering to this oath and the idea that the United States and all that she stands for are worth fighting for. No matter the length of our service, each of us answered the call to serve.
Part of our mission here in Annapolis is to graduate leaders with the potential to someday “assume the highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government.” While no one's service to our nation is
insignificant, we have a long-standing tradition of honoring those whose contributions to our nation are exceptional and those who have borne the highest responsibilities outlined in our mission.
On the Yard, honoring those individuals who, throughout our nation’s history, have so wholly embodied both the sentiments of the Oath of Office and the aim of our Academy mission recognizes their historical significance, but it also serves as inspiration for the future generations of midshipmen who walk by these buildings and roads and see the names of our naval heroes whose examples they hope to emulate.
In the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for Fiscal Year 2021, Congress established the Naming Commission that was charged with developing and recommending procedures for the renaming of assets on military bases that commemorated personnel who voluntarily served
the Confederate States of America during the Civil War. In August of 2021, the Commission, led by Admiral Michelle Howard ’82, USN (Ret.), met with groups on the Yard that included midshipmen, faculty, staff, alumni and members of the local community to gain better insight into the Naval Academy and our culture and history.
During their review, the Commission identified three sites on the Yard named after men who served in the Confederate Navy: Buchanan House and Buchanan Road, both named after the Naval Academy’s first Superintendent, Franklin Buchanan; and Maury Hall, named after Matthew Fontaine Maury, the preeminent oceanographer of his time. At the onset of the Civil War, both Captain Buchanan and Commander Maury resigned their commissions in the United States Navy and chose to fight instead for the Confederacy, against the United States of America. The Commission unanimously agreed that Buchanan House, Buchanan Road and Maury Hall should all be renamed.
Having identified these sites and recognizing that the Naval Academy has a long-standing memorialization process, the Commission recommended Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin authorize Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro ’83 to commence the Naval Academy’s naming process. Secretary Austin concurred with all the Commission’s recommendations.
Here at the Academy, we assembled a committee of individuals from across the Yard who thoughtfully contemplated numerous possible recommendations. This committee took into account Navy guidance on facility naming, long-standing Academy traditions for naming buildings and streets and considered individuals who most strongly represent our values, whose legacies of service are most exemplary and those who inspire our current and future midshipmen to fully embrace the mission of the Naval Academy and the oath we have all sworn to uphold. I reviewed and endorsed the recommendations made by the committee.
Secretary Del Toro reviewed and considered all the recommendations submitted, and this February we celebrated
the first renaming when Maury Hall became Carter Hall, in honor of President James Earl Carter Jr. ’47.
“The highest responsibilities of command, citizenship and government”—of the many thousands of Naval Academy graduates our institution has produced since 1845, only one has assumed the very highest office in our land, that of the President of the United States. President Carter graduated in 1946 and served as a submariner until 1953.
He eventually pursued a career in politics, serving in the Georgia State Senate and as the Governor of Georgia. In 1977, he was sworn in as the 39th President of the United States, serving until 1981. His service did not end there.
Throughout his post-presidential life, he worked tirelessly supporting diplomatic and humanitarian efforts around the world, as notably recognized by his 2002 Nobel Peace Prize, awarded for “decades of untiring effort to find peaceful solutions to international conflicts, to advance democracy and human rights and to promote economic and social development.”
President Carter’s lifelong commitment to service will inspire generations of midshipmen who walk through the doors of Carter Hall, and while the names for Buchanan House and Buchanan Road have not yet been released, I have no doubt that they will honor leaders who exemplify the traits we aim to instill in every midshipman at the Naval Academy.
With Carter Hall and the two new names to be announced soon, I think the process worked well for renaming these three sites on the Yard, as directed by Congress and the Secretary of Defense. I’m proud of the work our committee did in recommending names, and I am glad that when future generations of midshipmen walk by Carter Hall and by all our buildings on the Yard, that they will be walking in the shadows of great leaders that have gone before them; leaders who embodied our oath of office and our mission.
Lastly, I have one more naming related matter I’d like to discuss. In this instance we’ve corrected our long-standing practice of calling one of our most prominent monuments by the wrong
name. T-Court—I’m certain we all recall the “T” stood for Tecumseh. However, as we’ve learned, that statue isn’t Tecumseh. It’s Tamanend, a notable and popular Chief of Chiefs in the Delaware Valley during the late 1600s. When the wooden figurehead of DELAWARE was brought to the Naval Academy following the Civil War, there was no indication who the statue portrayed, and the midshipmen eventually settled on the nickname “Tecumseh.”
Over the years, the weather had taken its toll on the statue and decayed it into a state of disrepair, so the Class of 1891 took it upon themselves to cast the statue in bronze and presented it to the Brigade and Naval Academy. At the time, the Class of 1891 recognized that the statue, the former figurehead of DELAWARE, portrayed Tamanend, not Tecumseh. They noted in their dedication speech that, “Midshipmen of the present and the future, we ask you to bind to your hearts the Traditions of the Service and to emulate the courage and fortitude and patience of this great Indian
Chief Tamanend, of the Delawares, whose admirable traits of character are so well defined in this statue.”
It is fitting that we return the name Tamanend to the statue that was so lovingly and carefully preserved by the Class of 1891 so that midshipmen for many generations to come will be inspired by the worthy ideals and patriotism of Chief Tamanend of the Delawares.
The next time you visit the Yard some of the names you remember from your time as a midshipman may be different. I’m grateful that we can honor those whose lives of service have so wholly embodied the sentiments of the Oath of Office and our Naval Academy mission, and to inspire midshipmen for generations to come. a
Since assuming leadership of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association & Foundation last year I’ve enjoyed my conversations with hundreds of alumni I have met either in Annapolis or on the road.
Alumni I meet sometimes say something along the lines of “I’ll bet you have to put up with a lot of disgruntled alumni” or “I’m sure you meet a lot of people who think they know the best way to run the Naval Academy.”
The ideas and feedback I receive are overwhelmingly constructive. To me, our ability as alumni to quickly connect, relate to one another and trade ideas and stories is what makes our culture so interesting and refreshing. We say what we think with respect, goodwill and often humor.
Occasionally, I do hear from alumni who are concerned that the Naval Academy is not sufficiently focused on developing leaders and warfighters. In my nine months at the helm, I have seen exactly the opposite—a laser-focus on developing men and women who are ready to lead sailors and Marines upon commissioning.
A tremendous benefit of spending significant time on the Yard is the opportunity to get a closer look at the world-class training and resources available to today’s midshipmen. Midshipmen benefit from developmental opportunities that most of us alumni could only have dreamed of during our time in Annapolis. Below is a sampling of some of the programs and initiatives that we support through the generosity of our donors.
• The Class of 1963 Center for Academic Excellence delivers study skills instruction, time management techniques, and tutoring services vital to the success of the Brigade of Midshipmen. Thanks in part to the Center of Academic Excellence, over the past decade, the Academy’s academic attrition rate fell to 1.2% from 3% while overall graduation rates rose to 89% from 85%.
• Midshipmen have access to a variety of first-in-class Experiential Leadership Development (ELD) programs. Launched in 2017, ELDs include National Outdoor Leadership School (NOLS) which allow midshipmen to experience real-world decision making in unpredictable wilderness environments. The Class of 1977 Gettysburg Leadership Encounter
sends varsity team captains and Brigade leadership together to learn about the responsibilities and challenges of command through lessons from the Civil War battlefield.
• The International Programs Office provides opportunities for midshipmen to gain knowledge about strategically important geographic regions and proficiency in foreign languages as defined by Navy Leadership.
• The Academy’s Center for Cyber Security Studies was one of the first four institutions to receive ABET accreditation. The Cyber Operations major was designated a National Security Agency Center of Academic Excellence in Cyber Operations in 2020. Midshipmen have won six NSA Cyber Defense Exercise Championships. Hopper Hall delivers training and instruction unavailable at most of the Academy’s peer institutions.
• Navy athletics exemplify the commitment our alumni community has to the physical mission. Midshipmen benefit from elite facilities, coaches and support services. Navy has claimed eight straight Patriot League Presidents Cups and now fields 36 varsity sports, tied with Ohio State and Stanford for the most in the nation.
These programs are effective not just because of the financial support that they receive, but equally importantly, because of the quality of the uniformed and civilian leaders who oversee them. The dedication and commitment of the Naval Academy faculty and staff is inspiring and energizing. The Superintendent, Commandant and the other senior leaders on the Yard are mission-focused on developing leaders and warriors of the highest character for the Fleet and Marine Corps.
I’d like to thank each and every member who has taken the time to offer an opinion or insight. Please keep the feedback coming as we strive to improve how we connect and support our alumni community and the U.S. Naval Academy. a
THANK YOU TO OUR PLANKOWNERS FOR SUPPORTING THE ALUMNI CENTER PROJECT. YOU ARE MAKING HISTORY.
This is an exciting time to be part of the USNA Alumni Association & Foundation community. This year is the culmination of more than a decade of work to establish one enterprise in one location. Because of your generous contributions, the Alumni Center project is on track and on budget to be completed by Summer 2023 … this is your center and we thank our Plankowners for joining in the legacy.
This feature spotlights the extraordinary things being done by alumni in the Navy and Marine Corps and their unique, impactful achievements in the private sector and in their communities. Please send suggestions to jimmy.debutts@usna.com
Kristin (Otterson) Cronic ’11 majored in naval architecture. She pursued an informal art education in her free time for the joy of it. She has dedicated recent years to documenting the midshipman’s journey through painting under the alias “Easel on Stribling,” painting more than 150 pieces about the Naval Academy, with work included in the Naval Academy Museum’s permanent collection as well as at the Pentagon.
Her book, A Midshipman’s Journey: Plebe to Officer at the United States Naval Academy Through a Graduate's Eyes and Painter’s Brush explores the Academy experience through paintings and prose. The majority of the paintings were made between 2018 and 2022. The book is scheduled for release this spring.
She and her husband, Caleb, met on I-Day, when their parents fortuitously sat next to one another at the swearing-in ceremony. As Plebe Summer squadmates, they quickly became friends, and eventually, many “inner” runs later, more than friends.
They both served as surface warfare officers before transitioning to civilian life in 2017. They now have three kids and hope they get to be Naval Academy parents one day. She has a master’s of fine art degree in visual art from Jacksonville University and is currently teaching drawing at JU as an adjunct professor.
To learn more about Cronic, visit www.easelonstribling.com.
Shipmate: What inspired you to become an artist?
Cronic: I have turned to art as an outlet ever since I could remember, with too many artists of influence to count. In high school, I was deeply impacted by Pete Souza’s photographs of Plebe Summer. I knew one day I would go back and capture the story from my perspective but needed to grow in my skill first. For ten years, I practiced and learned everything I could in the edges of midshipmen and active-duty commitments.
It was not until I was transitioning out of the Navy that I realized I could not see myself doing anything else. The week I left active duty, dealing with the normal challenges of transition on top of becoming a new mother, we lived through catastrophic damage to our home during Hurricane Irma. It was in that vulnerable space of change and loss that I received all the clarity I needed to dive in and just begin.
Shipmate: Why did you choose to attend the Naval Academy?
Cronic: It was a bit of restless and idealistic patriotism, a sense of longing to be part of something so big, a dash of rebellion from the status quo, and maybe even a little love at first sight to a place that just felt … special.
Shipmate: How did you use your artistic talents while at the Academy? Was it hard to make time for those endeavors with all your other responsibilities as a midshipman?
Cronic: Aside from getting pegged to make a ton of boards as a plebe, most of my creative curiosity came out in small commissions for friends (many for dating couples, who all seemed to break up after, so I’m not sure what to make of that!). I drew and painted in small moments
amidst those long days, simply because it made me happy.
During my second class year, I discovered an abandoned studio in the tower of Dahlgren (yes, really!) and started a small art club. The flight surgeon’s wife was working on her master’s of fine arts degree at the time and agreed to teach us a few classes here and there. Even a few hours a month was enough to help me grow as an artist and keep the dream alive.
Shipmate: How did the Academy prepare you for your life post commissioning?
Cronic: USNA was a place I was able to refine my leadership style, juggle many things at once, acclimate to the military lifestyle and even break the rules from time to time. That’s an underappreciated life skill.
Shipmate: What has the response been from the Naval Academy community regarding your art, which features familiar Academy scenes?
Cronic: The response has exceeded my wildest dreams. Above all, I seek human connection and empathy through my paintings. My work is a success if it is surrounded by people sharing with one another their versions of these stories. I hope the book enables this to happen in a new way! ®
Carl von Clausewitz, the famous philosopher of war, said: “The first, the supreme, the most far-reaching act of judgment that a commander has to make is to decide the kind of war he is embarking upon, neither mistaking it for, nor trying to turn it into, something that is alien to its nature.”
Many commentators have accused the U.S. military of not understanding this sage advice, but rather, of “preparing for the last war.” There is likely some—and perhaps a great deal of—truth to this criticism. Fortunately, there is a movement afoot to better prepare for the wars of tomorrow, not yesterday’s wars.
Throughout the 20th century, planning for tomorrow’s conflicts occurred almost exclusively within the walls of the Pentagon. With a known adversary—first the Soviet Union and then the threat of worldwide terrorism—this was an acceptable (and largely successful) strategy. However, today, with the United States facing more-nuanced threats to its security and prosperity, this is no longer the case.
For years, many writers have envisioned future warfare and have expressed those ideas in novels and shorter works. However,
by and large, U.S. national security officials either disregarded these stories or criticized them as unhelpful in crafting a coherent national and military strategy.
This has changed in the 21st century with a new genre of military-themed works of fiction. Labeled FICINT—generally understood to be imagining future warfare scenarios based on the realities of high-end combat and real-world intelligence, not fantasy—the U.S. national security community has now embraced this new genre as a useful instrument to leverage to intuit how tomorrow’s wars will be fought.
As one indication of how FICINT is having an impact, a number of U.S. military commands and think tanks focused on military matters, such as the U.S Army Training and Doctrine Command, the Marine Corps Warfighting Laboratory, the Joint Artificial Intelligence Center, the U.S. Naval War College, the U.S. Army War College, the Atlantic Council, the Center for International Maritime Security, the U.S. Naval Institute and others, now sponsor fiction writing contests to tease out good ideas from FICINT writers.
This represents a sea change in the way that the U.S. national security community, and especially the U.S. military, is embracing the changing landscape regarding how to begin to try to understand what the wars of the future might entail. And to be fair, this effort is not limited to the United States, witness the June 2021 article in The Guardian regarding Germany’s efforts in this area with the headline: “At first I thought, this is crazy. The real-life plan to use novels to predict the next war.”
Naval Academy graduates have been at the forefront of the FICINT effort, most notably Admiral Jim Stavridis ’76, USN (Ret.), whose book 2034: A Novel of the Next War (co-authored with former Marine Corps officer Elliot Ackerman) offers a view of what a war with China might look like in years hence. A review in the Wall Street Journal captured their novel this way: “A work of fiction, co-authored by a retired Navy admiral, that envisions a catastrophic showdown in the South China Sea.”
As a FICINT writer, my novel Fire and Ice, written in 2019–2020, was prescient regarding today’s war in Ukraine in so many ways: from Russia invading an Eastern European country, to Vladimir Putin using throttling oil and gas supplies as a weapon, to cyberattacks on energy facilities, to atrocities committed against civilians, and more.
Other Naval Academy alumni, such as Captain P.T. Deutermann ’63, USN (Ret.), Captain Dick Couch ’67, USNR (Ret.), and Captain David Poyer ’71, USNR (Ret.), have also written military thrillers that envision what warfare will look like in the future. It is likely true that for all of these alumni writers, their stories germinated not just from a desire to spin a good yarn, but from things that worried them regarding how the United States would deal with—and prevail against—a peer adversary years in the future.
Which brings me to the Class of 2023 and beyond. I suspect that it is not lost on you that our alumni writing in the FICINT genre are not getting any younger! Admiral Stavridis is, by far, the youngest of the group. Who will pick up the FICINT mantle? No one is more qualified to help the Pentagon prepare for tomorrow’s war than the men and women living in Bancroft Hall.
Midshipmen might not think it is for them because they don’t have the experience that serving naval officers possess. At the risk of getting too philosophical about it, midshipmen have an advantage because they are not burdened by the preconceived notions that those with decades of experience carry around with them. They have the gift of possessing a “beginners mind.”
Beginner’s mind is a concept from Zen Buddhism that refers to having the almost-childlike mindset of a beginner. The larger idea is that by being able to look at the world anew, without
preconception, one might be able to gain wisdom that would otherwise be unavailable. From the perspective of writing FICINT, this translates to being wide-open to new ideas, and to channel The Guardian article, to be open to ideas that others might dismiss, “At first I thought, this is crazy.”
Not quite ready to take on an 80,000 word novel? I get it. How do you get started? Enter one of the aforementioned writing contests is a good next step. You will get important feedback from editors that will help shape your writing for when you are ready to take on a full-on FICINT novel.
Here is the “inside baseball” from someone who has been in this business for decades. Publishers are always looking for fresh new voices, especially those with “beginner’s mind,” who are willing to push the edge of the envelope with their writing. Writing about future warfare scenarios based on possible events, not fantasy, is a high concept that is compelling to any publisher.
One of the things that President Joe Biden has displayed in the Oval Office is a framed copy of a Hagar the Horrible cartoon. In it, Hagar yells to the sky: “Why me?” to which God replies: “Why not?” For those of you in the Class of 2023 and beyond, my challenge to you is this: “Why not write the next FICINT thriller?” a CAPT 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 best-selling novels. His latest thrillers, published by Braveship Books, are: The Coronado Conspiracy, For Duty and Honor, and Fire and Ice.
By Jill Fitzgerald,
Sometime around the year 850-950 CE a 91cm single-edged sword was forged in Norway. That sword was likely wielded by a Viking warrior.
In that person’s possession its edge sustained dents and divots, clear evidence of use. Eventually, that sword was placed in the earth, likely buried alongside the person who used it. Over many centuries, the rich peat the sword was buried in caused rust, pitting and corrosion along its surface. Roughly 900 years later, that battle-scarred sword was presented to Admiral Charles Larson ’58, USN (Ret.), (then brigade commander) by President Eisenhower at the inaugural “lightweight” football game on 4 October 1957.
The sword has since remained on the Yard as the oldest weapon in the Academy’s possession, its past a mystery, until now. During the spring 2022 semester, a group of enterprising midshipmen, with the help of their English professor, uncovered its remarkable beginnings—and perhaps its even more remarkable original owner.
The Viking sword arrived in Annapolis through an unlikely and circuitous route. In December 1956, it traveled across the Atlantic from Oslo to New York aboard the Christian Radich, a full-rigged Norwegian ship. The vessel’s captain along with four cadets then accompanied the sword to Washington, DC, to present the artifact to Eisenhower on behalf of Crown Prince Olav of Norway.
We might reasonably conjecture that Crown Prince Olav’s reasons for proffering the sword to President Eisenhower stem back to U.S.–Norwegian relations during World War II. In 1940, Norway fell to a swift and devastating Nazi invasion. In the aftermath, the royal family was divided with Crown Princess Märtha and her children fleeing Norway and eventually residing in an estate atop Pooks Hill in Bethesda, MD,
while Crown Prince Olav and his father, King Haakon VII, remained in London to help mobilize Allied efforts against the Nazis.
Perhaps the sword was intended as a gesture to recall the connection fostered by the two countries during this period. A ceremony took place on 3 October at the White House with President Eisenhower, several dignitaries including Norway’s Ambassador to the United States Wilhelm de Morgenstierne and Midshipman David B. McGuigan, editor of The Lucky Bag.
The following day, President Eisenhower arrived at Thompson Stadium by helicopter during the halftime of the first Army-Navy sprint football (known at the time as lightweight football) game. On the field, he gave the sword to Brigade Commander Midshipman Charles Larson ’58 to add to the Academy’s collection of war artifacts.
Details of the sword’s surprising history remained almost entirely unknown until last spring. In April 2022, students in my popular Literature of the Vikings course undertook a project to uncover its origins.
Midshipmen Investigation
To begin their investigation, the class held several sessions in Preble Hall with the sword (encased in protective glass), under the guidance of myself, Museum Director Claude Berube and Educational Specialist Sondra Duplantis.
One of our main objectives was to establish a typology for this sword.
Typological classification involves studying the hilt, pommel and dimensions of a sword to reveal a production date more accurate than carbon-dating; how common or distinctive a particular sword might be; and the place of production. This last piece of information is crucial because Viking swords, like the warriors who carried them, traveled extensively. Viking Age swords have been discovered in a variety of regions outside of Scandinavia including Ireland, France, Poland, the Czech Republic and England.
Based on the distinctive “I”-shaped hilt and measurements, my class and I concluded that this sword was what’s classified as an M type. While some sword hilts were made from bone or antler and
could be decorated with precious stones, M types are typically unadorned and their hilts made from plain iron. Swords of this type are one of the most commonly discovered because its design proved to be one of the most pragmatic (today, there are roughly 450 known M type swords).
Midshipman Johnny Berardi ’23 learned that approximately 85 percent of the M type swords that have been discovered are double-edged variants, which makes this single-edged find noteworthy. During the medieval period, swords were often deposited with the bodies of their deceased owners in a burial mound. These weapons were prestigious, associated with those of the highest social status. It is likely that this sword was buried with its owner between 850-950 CE. And there it lay, undisturbed for many centuries.
It was time for the class to get an even closer look. Thus, the sword sallied forth to a biology laboratory at Michelson Hall. There, Professor Joseph Lomax and instructor Leah Duke assisted the class in using a high-powered microscope to reveal details of the sword’s original surface as well as the chemical combination of iron and steel in the blade. Pure iron breaks but steel bends and all were able to see some of the microscopic bends within the many divots. In other words, this sword was familiar with battle.
Another discovery was made while examining minute features of the blade’s surface when Duke noticed what appeared to be a repair (made in modern times)—indicating the sword likely came out of the ground in two separate pieces. Following up on this new detail, I contacted Dr. Hanne Lovise Aannestad at the Museum of Cultural History at the University of Oslo, a leading
expert on Viking swords, especially swords that were intentionally bent or broken prior to burial.
This part of the puzzle is still under investigation, but with the help of Dr. Aannestad, I learned about the sword’s nineteenth century whereabouts. Records of the sword first surfaced sometime around 1880 in the Oslo Museum’s register, when it was donated by Lars and Maurits Sundt, who had inherited it from their father, Eilert Sundt, a famous Norwegian sociologist who lived outside of Oslo. According to Aannestad, nothing further is known about this specimen’s excavation; it was likely pulled out of the ground before archaeological reports were customary.
Newfound Twist
Class members also found an account of the presentation in the archives of the student magazine The Log. It noted that brigade commander Larson—who would later rise to the rank of admiral and be buried alongside Senator John McCain ’58 in the Naval Academy Cemetery—had some Scandinavian ancestry, but the author misspelled the word as “Scandanavian.” (It was a midshipman publication after all.)
Some of my students, now-Ensign Jonathan Miranda ’22, USN, and now-Ensign Jack Scypinski ’22, USN, uncovered more history at the Naval Academy’s Special Collections with the help of Dr. Jennifer Bryan. In 1959, a Seattle news station requested
the sword be loaned to the Navy’s Bremerton Museum. This request was denied by a public information officer with the response: “The Naval Academy is a wonderful place to visit so why don’t you tell your Scandinavians to head east next summer and see the Viking sword.”
My students also learned that the sword was intended to be displayed in Memorial Hall, but it mostly remained in Bancroft Hall over the years.
Still, there was one last—and most surprising—discovery yet to come. While the sword was out from its protective glass for the first time in six decades, now-Ensign Joey Gibbs ’22, USN and now-Ensign Josh Carson ’22, USN, took detailed measurements, including the hilt, pommel and grip. Most M type swords have grips that exceed 10cm and some are as long as 12cm.
Gibbs and Carson discovered this sword’s grip was only 9cm. When I was asked about the unusually short grip length I said it wasn’t uncommon for women to be buried with swords and shields. It is useful to know that a very similar M type sword was discovered in the grave of a Viking Age woman from Nordre Kjølen in 1900.
I don’t think it would be out of the question, imagine that the venerated warrior who carried this sword may very well have been a woman.
Researching the mysterious Viking sword afforded all a memorable experience that brought a class together as well as professors from History, English, chemistry, and archeologists from Norway to find answers about an artifact about which very little is known.
“This project is an example of how we work better when we work together,” Berube said. “The English class used multiple skillsets to study the sword; Chemistry showcased what they can contribute; and the museum learns more about the Academy’s artifacts.” a
Years ago, I realized just how close the United States Naval Academy bond is when I had the opportunity to drive across the country from Norfolk, VA, to San Diego, CA. During this trip, I ran into grads at every intersection of the journey west. Some meetups were intentional, but most were random including running into alumni on a hiking trail and in a hotel elevator. With each interaction there was an instant connection and mutual understanding taking place, even if we had never previously met. Conversations about the explorer Ernest Shackleton, geopolitics and climbing Mount Everest are just a few of the enthralling topics that have come up after the introductory questions of “what company were you in?” and “what sport did you play?” I have never felt so connected to our alumni community than when I was invited to an alumni event in Boulder, CO, during my cross-country drive. A Class of ’85 member, upon our introduction shouted to the group, “Listen all! We have ourselves an active-duty member here! Please ensure he pays for nothing tonight!” As stated in a prior Shipmate article, it felt as if I had stumbled upon a family reunion. Lately, I find myself having the same feelings of kinship and deep appreciation for our alumni community that I experienced
driving across the U.S., except this time in Europe—demonstrating how the Naval Academy alumni bond is not only strong and lasting, but far-reaching.
On our most recent road trip we ran into alumni from France to the Czech Republic. During one stop on this adventure, we found ourselves sharing a meal with two other Navy families in Germany and discovered that all six
adults, each husband-and-wife, were USNA grads. Upon this realization, we turned to our collective group of kids in the room and watched with delight as they all shouted spontaneously a loud “Beat Army!” They would have made any Academy detailer proud. Later in the journey, we ran into a classmate on the same weekend as our class’s 15-year reunion. With the immediate connection and happenstance timing, it felt as if we were a part of the actual reunion gathering in Annapolis though we were literally an ocean away.
The enduring bonds between Naval Academy alumni exist for a reason, for the shared experiences on the Yard are unique and serve as a foundation for any interaction, anywhere in the world. The third verse of “Navy Blue and Gold” captures this sentiment well, “We’re scattered far and wide; But still when two or three shall meet, and old tales be retold, from low to highest in the Fleet, we’ll pledge the Blue and Gold.”
The Naval Academy alumni bond is strong and lasting, and each time alumni run into each other, no matter where they are in the world, it is as if they stumble upon a family reunion. a
CDR Kevin Ringelstein ’07, USN, is currently serving as an Olmsted Scholar in Parma, Italy, with his wife, Kate Huppmann Ringelstein ’07, USN.
’66: CDR Frank Day, USN (Ret.), was inducted as part of the 12th USA Triathlon Hall of Fame class. Day was nominated in the fall of 2020 with 60 other candidates. He is one of only 58 members of the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame.
’70: George E. Sauer III, USN (Ret.), retired from Chartway Credit Union’s board on 31 December 2022, following more than 30 years of service and has moved to emeritus status. Sauer began his volunteer service in 1987 as Chartway’s military liaison officer and became a member of the board in 2008.
’87: CAPT Brett Pierson, USN (Ret.), was appointed president and CEO of Textron’s Aviation Defense Division; Edward Magee was named vice president for strategic operations of Belmont University in January. He will be responsible for connecting the work of major university initiatives including the Belmont Data Collaborative, Belmont Innovation Labs, Story Studio and the Office of Educational Innovation.
’89: CDR Carol June (Womack) Holland, CEC, USN (Ret.), had an athletic award named after her in the fall of 2022 and has been inducted as a Trustee for the Naval Academy Foundation Athletic & Scholarship Programs. The Carol Womack Award will be presented to a Naval Academy female varsity or club athlete (not necessarily of the graduating class) who has shown the grit and determination throughout the team season to earn the title of Most Improved.
Major Heather Ichord ’05, USMCR, Lieutenant Lisa McKinnon Munde ’07, USN, and Lieutenant Commander Dan Imbat ’91, USN (Ret.), are part of the 2022-23 Hoover Veteran Fellowship Program (VFP) cohort on the campus of Stanford University. They are working on projects related to maritime security, port logistics and artificial intelligence to encourage American innovation and leadership on today’s most challenging security challenges. The Hoover Institution Veteran Fellowship Program is a nonresidential, yearlong program for ten military veterans that was launched in the fall of 2021, according to its website. The program seeks participants who desire to address critical challenges in the public sector with actionable solutions. The program is building a network of successful veteran practitioners who confront real-world challenges alongside Hoover fellows with support networks at the Hoover Institution and Stanford University.
The Naval Academy alumni Veteran Fellows are joined by two other fellows at the Hoover Institution. Admiral James O. Ellis ’69, USN (Ret.), is the Annenberg Distinguished Visiting Fellow, and Admiral Gary Roughead ’73, USN (Ret.), a former Chief of Naval Operations, is the Robert and Marion Oster Distinguished Military Fellow at the Hoover Institution. ®
’90: Marc Scheipe USN (Ret.), was named CEO of Allvue Systems, a leading provider of technology for investment managers in the private capital and credit markets industry. Bob Pragada has been named chief executive officer of professional services firm Jacobs.
’92: CAPT Shelby Mounts, USN (Ret.), is now the executive director of NextOp, a veteran service organization. NextOp veterans bridge the divide between middle enlisted (E-3 to E-7) military members and companies looking to hire military talent.
’95: Sonja Knight Lamott, a former varsity member and captain of the USNA track and field team, was inducted as a Trustee for the Naval Academy Foundation Athletics & Scholarship Programs. She is currently the chief technology
officer for the Program Executive Office, Defense Healthcare Management Systems.
’99: Charles Westerhaus is part of law firm Faegre Drinker’s 2022 firstyear associate class. Westerhaus' practice area is government and regulatory affairs. The associate class participated in an immersive development program as they started their careers with Faegre Drinker.
’01: Maj Dave Cote, USMCR (Ret.), is in Harvard’s Kennedy School Mid Career MPA program and scheduled to graduate from the program in May. His Naval Academy roommate CDR Kevin Barnard, USN, graduated from the program in 2017. Both received full scholarships for the program.
’06: Chris Deluzio is now serving as U.S. Representative to Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District.
’10: LT Alberto Ramos, USN, was hired as the Veterans Administration’s chief speechwriter in January. He served 12 years as a submarine officer and post-active duty, he completed a nonpartisan White House Fellowship at the U.S. International Development Finance Corporation.
’12: Benjamin Currin was named to Wilmington, NC’s 40 Under 40 List for his leadership as CEO of Vantaca, a Wilmington-based cloud software company.
Do you know someone who deserves a Bravo Zulu?
Send to comms@usna.com
to all Naval Academy al umni, AMP is about alumni helpin g alumni achieve more in their careers and lives. Register with AMP today to be a mentor, protégé or both. Visit
Many Naval Academy alumni go on to launch and/or own businesses in a wide variety of vital industries. The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation launched a business directory in 2020 to spotlight alumni entrepreneurs. Alumni can search the business directory by class, location or industry. To sign up or to locate an alumni owned business, visit www.usna.com/ alumni-businesses.
Questions, please email USNAAlumniBusiness@usna.com Inclusion in the directory does not imply endorsement.
’38Life 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
’38 Dark Ages Update
Wyn Varney wrote:
M It’s been a relatively uneventful winter . . . now, we’re told to expect minus 4 degrees Fahrenheit - or lower for the next few days! We’ve been advised that power outages may result! Happily, I have a woodstove and lots of cut and fitted wood. For the next several days, people - and especially seniors - have been advised to stay indoors! My 23-year old car has been in the shop, awaiting replacement parts for her engine: apparently, this particular engine is unusual . . .COVID has affected hospitals to quite a degree; only the most necessary surgeries are being performed and many operations are being done as ‘same day’ procedures. I’m about to have my right knee replaced: it’s more urgent than my left shoulder. All the ‘hardware’ sets off alarms when I enter buildings, especially airports!
who made significant and enduring contributions to Naval Nuclear Power. In 1955, the first nuclear-powered submarine, NAUTILUS went to sea. In 1960, Ned Beach was the Commanding Officer of the first two-reactor nuclear submarine, TRITON- the first submarine to circumnavigate the world submerged. Ned also authored a number of Naval books—both non-fiction and novels, including Run Silent Run Deep (made into a movie with the same title in 1958- starring Clark Gable and Burt Lancaster). Ned Beach’s books were on the best seller list four times, receiving numerous awards, and are still on sale at the Naval Institute Press (www.usni.org) as well as available on e-books.
Ingrid still resides in their very lovely Georgetown home in Washington, D.C. Of Swedish descent, Ingrid has been very active at the Swedish Embassy over the years, often hosting Swedish students in her home. Ingrid had a career with the School of Languages in the Foreign Service Institute—heading the Swedish section for 15 years.
’39Life 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
Three of our grand ’39 widows have recently celebrated their 2023 birthdays. Ingrid Beach on 9 February; Madeline Hough on 27 February; and Mitzi Peterson on 1 March. As this column “goes to press” on 23 January, we do not have first-hand reports on the celebrations yet but will hope to report on them next month. In this ’39 column, we will pay tribute to the first of the birthday celebrants—Ingrid Beach.
Ingrid is the widow of Edward L. “Ned” Beach who was from Palo Alto, California. Ned was a Submariner who had ten WWII war patrols in TRIGGER, TIRANTE, and PIPER- with the Navy Cross awarded for his service on TIRANTE. He was one of seven ’39 Classmates
This past October, Ingrid hosted a tea party in her lovely home for four ’39 Navy Juniors: Louise Dunford Brodnitz and her sister Margaret Dunford Maxymuk (Jim Dunford); Elise Gillette (“Bing” Gillette); and yours truly, Barbara Fidel Adams (Jack Fidel)
Ingrid’s three children—Ned, Hugh and Ingrid (also known as “Ingie”) as well as her grandchildren take turns visiting her from time to time during the year. Her younger son, Hugh, and his wife, Annie have two girls. Ingrid’s daughter, Ingie, and her husband, Bruce have two daughters as well.
Visiting Ingrid this past fall from Maine was her son, Ned Beach, Jr. who was in Washington doing a Hebrew study, and stayed through November to celebrate Thanksgiving with Ingrid.
Her daughter, Ingie, will have traveled the farthest to visit Ingrid, as she flew from her home in New Zealand for a long visit and to celebrate Ingrid’s birthday with her on February 9th!
“But still when two or three shall meet, and old tales be retold...”
Ingrid radiates cheerfulness and a joie d’ vie to all who know and love her. And it has certainly been a joy for us four Navy Juniors to be with her through the years—for ’39 celebrations and tea parties! We know, that despite the distances traveled, those visits from Ingrid’s children and grandchildren have done much to warm her heart. We hope that this ’39 column (with accompanying photos of some of those visits) will bring her happy memories of her friends, her family, and her 97th Birthday!
“What about ’39” and What about Ingrid Beach!
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
p: 949-824-6948; fax: 949 824 2174; e: vtrimble@uci.edu
Only ’40 is 4.0!
’41
Life Membership: 25%
Donor Participation: 0%
Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com
’42
Life Membership: 33%
Donor Participation: 0%
Pres: CAPT Dale C. Reed USN (Ret.)
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
’43
Life Membership: 0%
Donor Participation: 0%
Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com
’44
Life Membership: 54%
Donor Participation: 33%
Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com
’45
Life Membership: 64%
Donor Participation: 125.00%
Acting Pres: CAPT Edward L. “Ted” Cochrane Jr., USN (Ret.)
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
Website: www.usna.com/classes/1945
Not much cheery news to report this month. Your class scribe was informed sadly of three deaths. Classmate Joseph Shepard Bryan, Jr. died in his home at Atlantic Beach, Florida, on 22 November 2022. He was 100 years old.
Also, the wife of LCDR Charles G. Sobel, Edith Mirchin Sobel, died peacefully at her home in Ft. Lee, NJ on 28 December 2022. She was Charlie’s devoted wife for 72 years. Finally, Nancy Templer reported that her mother, Kay Wilson, wife of Dick G. Wilson, passed away on New Year’s Eve at her home. Kay will be laid to rest with Dick in the USNA Columbarium in Annapolis. The service will take place on 6 April. Our deepest condolences to these families for their losses.
Carol Mayer Marshall emailed the tentative date and time for Bob Williams’ funeral: 13 April at 2:00 in the afternoon. The church service will be held in the USNA Chapel followed by a short ceremony at the Columbarium. After the inurnment, there will be a reception and Carol writes that everyone is welcome should they like to attend.
Your ’45 classmates and their widows are still meeting weekly on Wednesdays at noon EST via Zoom. We’d love to have you join us. Please email your class scribe for details on how to connect or should you have any questions.
As always…
’47
Life Membership: 76%
Donor Participation: 88.89%
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
310 King St., Alexandria VA 22314 e: eileenUSNA47@gmail.com
Tres: Priscilla Myerson
Wife of Ed Myerson
Hello Forty-Seven!! Happy Spring! I hope you are enjoying the weather wherever you are!
Fun photo of PG Miller celebrating his 100th with his large, good-looking family. Paul, looks like a great party! Love the crown. OXOX
Look Alive with ’45!
Life Membership: 38%
Donor Participation: 44.00%
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 Navy tradition
Stories of action and inspiration. Entertaining and educational.
https://www.usna.com/sea-stories
Great photo of Stan Gary enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday and 4th of July with his adorable Great Grandkids! Hi Stan! Another with his daughter in their “FUN HOUSE” in Severna Park house enjoying “a cold one”. Stan, I’ll join you and Barb next time “cheers”!
I also found this random photo above from the 25th! See if you know anyone in the shot?!
I always love it when your great Class Prezzy, CAPT Jack leads with a cheer from Texas:
M Dear 47USNA Classmates: As our Class Secretary Eileen Marousek noted, there are apparently only 18 of us left. I sincerely hope you have enjoyed all the years since graduation as much as Frances and I have. We live on a 1000-plus acre ranch near Kerrville, Texas, which is where we were both were born and grew up. Our married son, Jack, Jr., lives less than a mile away and really helps us a lot. We have about 20 black angus cows and an angus bull and sell the calves when they reach around
6 to 8 months in age. Our goal is to be able to pay the taxes and insurance. Come see us.
CAPT Jack M. Stevens, USN (Ret), President, USNA Class of ’47.
I have the sad duty of notifying you of the passing of your Classmate Bill Kelleher. May he 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
Life Membership: 38%
Donor Participation: 25.00%
Sec’y/Webmaster: John Tsiknas
16061 Avenida Venusto, Apt. E218; San Diego, CA 92128-4414 p: 858-829-7193; e: johntsiknas@att.net
Website: http://1948.usnaclasses.com
Paul Riley sent the following:
M I “Welcome to the 2022 Texas Riley Christmas Greeting Paragraph (rather than a whole letter). Granddaughter Anne Riley married Kevin Smith in Miami on New Year’s Day. Grandson Jackson Riley graduated from TX State U. with a BA in Communication Studies and an Army commission as a 2nd LT. Send cards to him at 6080 Telemark Trail, Fairbanks, AK 99712. He’s in the cavalry (riding reindeer perhaps). Having just written a piece for my 1948 class column in the January issue of our USNA alumni magazine, I’m “wrote out”. So surprise, it’s going to fill the space below. There’s no connection to the holiday season except for a few laughs. Merry Christmas and Love, Paul and Evelyn”
(Scribe’s note: Thanks for the letter, Paul. I omitted the portion that will appeared in the January-February ’23 column)
Since the last issue of Shipmate, we have learned of the loss of the following:
Classmates:
J.D. Costello, 24th Co. 12/21/2022
C.C. Heid, Jr. 17th Co. 12/20/2022
Wives:
Emma Park 11/13/2022
Rosemary Lee Hogg 07/07/2022
Victoria Costello 01/29/2018
Life Membership: 59%
Donor Participation: 27.40%
Pres: CAPT Richard A. “Rick” Claytor, USN (Ret.) 701 King Farm Blvd.,#203, Rockville, MD 20950 e. retxnavy@aol.com
Exec Vice Pres and Treas: CAPT Richard A. “Al” Frost, USN (Ret.) 6516 Bellamine Ct., McLean, VA 22101-1481
Paul Laric, Honorary Secretary of the Class of 1949
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
Letter from the President
About three quarters of my active duty in the Navy was serving on the staff of Admiral Hyman Rickover, known as (edged on his Arlington Cemetery gravestone) the Father of the Nuclear Navy. Many years after retiring from active duty, I was prompted to write a memoir of my experiences with the renowned Admiral. Following is an excerpt from this memoir about the initial sea trails of USS SEAWOLF (SSN 575) following its conversion from a sodium powered to a pressurized water nuclear propulsion plant.
We went to sea that Sunday morning in 1958 to test the performance of SEAWOLF’s new propulsion plant. As the Naval Reactors project officer for SEAWOLF I was responsible directly to Rickover for the performance of the trials that were actually conducted by the ship’s crew. After a very long day of routine tests and other evolutions, I retired to my berth about midnight to get a few hours of needed sleep. However, I made the mistake of getting into my bunk while Rickover was still roaming about the ship although no further tests were planned until the next morning. While fitfully dozing, I heard the harsh voice of the Admiral: “Claytor, goddamnit, what the hell are you doing? I thought you were supposed to be in charge of these trials. Grigg (this was Jack Grigg, Rickover’s chief electrical engineer on his headquarters staff, who was sleeping in a bunk above me), take charge of the trials!” I was now relegated to the post of observer during the rest of the trials and thenceforth tried to help Jack Grigg as best I could.
It was the practice on all the initial sea trials to conduct a fourhour full power run while submerged, this being the ultimate initial test that the propulsion plant was fully operational and would support the newly commissioned submarine in carrying out its mission. Just prior to the commencement of this test, a small steam leak was noticed emanating from a small drain pan beneath the starboard main
steam turbine. Both of the main turbines operating at full throttle were required to carry out the four-hour full power run. The General Electric representative who was riding the ship on the sea trials was immediately consulted, GE having designed and manufactured the main turbines. He advised that we should not conduct the full power run but that we should abort the sea trials and return to EB to repair the steam leak. The GE representative said he feared that the leak might propagate and cause a real catastrophe, filling the engine space with live steam with the ship submerged. Rickover, frail but at 58 years of age still quite spry and active, decided he would need to see for himself. He crawled down underneath the turbine with a flashlight and had a good look. He concluded that the small crack in the drain pan, causing the leak, was of insufficient size to cause concern if the turbine were operated at full throttle. He then ordered that the engine room be cleared of all personnel including the normal roving watch-standers and that the ship proceed with the full power run. To demonstrate his confidence, he alone remained in the engine room, placing a chair between the two main turbines, whereupon he sat, reading a book, for the four hours it took to conduct the full power run. Naturally, given Rickover’s uncanny knack of having things go his way, all went well; the full power run, as well as the sea trials themselves, were successful. It all added to the Rickover mystique and his reputation of having an “engineering sixth sense”.
— Rick Claytor
But the following in a box:
We wish to invite the Class’ attention to our website which includes obituaries of recent deaths of classmates and widows. The website is also available for classmates who wish to make a submission under the various topics on the site by making this submission directly to the class president or secretary. The website can be reached by a search of usna.com or more directly by entering http://www. usna-class49.org
In Memoriam
Classmates and widows listed below show dates of their passing.
Donald Fisher, Jr., July 20, 2022 in Las Vegas, NV.
Marilyn “Molly” Barrow, widow of John Curtis Barrow USN (Ret.) October 4, 2022 in Somerset, VA.
Harry Morgan, November 16, 2022.
Byron Martin Shepard, November 30, 2022 in Troy, OH.
Barbara Grafton Shepard, widow of Byron Martin Shepard, December 4, 2022 in Troy, NY.
George A. Gomperts (non-grad), December 19, 2022 in Birmingham, AL.
CAPT John Michael Donlon USN (Ret), December 26, 2022 in Groton, CT.
H. Brock Barkley, Jr., January 11, 2023 in Lynchburg, VA.
’50
Life Membership: 67%
Donor Participation: 16.44%
Pres: TBD
Statistical Manager: Maj Gen Daryle E. Tripp , USAF (Ret.) p: 703-360-6988; e: darylet@aol.com
Treas: Col William K. Rockey, USMC (Ret.) p: 703-842-3153; e:wkrockey@cox.net
Email System Mgr: TBD
Website: http://usna50.mysite.com
Send News directly to Shipmate at: classnews@usna.com
West Coast Report:
We met at Peohe’s for a change of venue as the Coronado Golf Course Board Room now wants a minimum of $250.00 in food purchases. We had Dick Martin, sons Jon and Rick with wife Patti and part of my family with daughter Betsy, her husband Jon, and daughter Alison. Better atmosphere and good food. Cold weather for southern California. The company was good.
Bill Martin
USS LEYTE (CV-32) by Byron Lee
After graduation from the Naval Academy, six new Ensigns reported aboard the USS LEYTE (CV-32) in Athens, Greece. Two new Ensigns, one from Princeton and one from Yale also reported. The one from Yale was Jose de Victoria, the 13th. The one from Princeton played the piano and sang something we all enjoyed on our long deployments. The Naval Academy Ensigns were Monty Frazier, Chuck Greenwood, Ron Kelly, Byron Lee, Bob Shultz and one other I can’t remember. After one stop in Izmir, Turkey, the ship was ordered back to Norfolk for duty in Korea.
I was assigned to the Gunnery Dept. for training to be an underway OOD. At first, I handled the radio communications to our escorts. During the Korean deployment I was one of the four underway OOD’s. This was exciting with failed catapult launches, aircraft crashes on the deck. I don’t believe I chopped anyone up with our props. I know Bob Shultz was in Communications and Chuck Greenwood was in the Aviation Dept. The ship received Naw Uni Commendation Medal for the Korean War service. One of our pilots was awarded the Medal of Honor for his attempt to rescue his wingman. Jesse Brown. A movie has been made. “Notorius.” It is currently showing in theaters. After Korea, we had a short period in Norfolk and then went back to the Mediterranean for another tour. The ship’s homeport was in Rhode Island. It never went there. During this second tour, we all were trained in the various Departments. I qualified as Communications Watch Officer and Engineering Watch Officer. Probably, the others also qualified. This training turned out to be very valuable for me. In a later job with Adm Rickover I was responsible for the systems design, operating and test procedures for the Engineering plant on the USS ENTERPRISE (CV-61).
In my article about the USS LEYTE (CV-32), I mentioned that Bob Shultz was one of our classmates aboard. After my tour on LEYTE, I was sent to Gunnery School in Washington DC. Roger Buck was there at the same time. Bob went to BUPERS. I was unaware of it, but Bob was informed that the Gunnery Officer on the HANNA had been relieved for incompetence. Bob thought this was a good place to send Byron. The ship was in San Diego. I settled my little family in a nice place in Coronado, reported aboard and deployed almost immediately. The Gunnery systems aboard Hanna were designed for anti-aircraft protection. They consisted of two 5”/38 guns and a director at the highest point on the ship -just above the Bridge. When we arrived at Pearl Harbor, the very first day we had gunnery practice shooting at a sleeve towed by an aircraft. We shot down the sleeve —purely accidental. The CO was thrilled, and said, That’s what I wanted!!. Anyway, that was a good start for me. In addition, to my Gunnery Officer duties, I stood 1 in 3 OOD watches during the entire time I was on the ship. Our first duty when we arrived off the East Coast of Korea was interdiction fire at the railroad used by the North Koreans to transport material. Our aircraft would bomb it at night and during the day we would lob over shells to prevent their repairs. We must have done a pretty good job, because, about the second week, a new north Korean shore battery started shooting at us. We were hit in one of our firerooms, a sailor was killed. Topside there was shrapnel everywhere. Many were injured. The flag above where I stood at the director was shredded. We fired about 350 shells back, but were not aware of their effect. The CO requested aircraft support, but it was refused. We couldn’t make water. One of our sister ships, came to supply us water and we returned to Japan for repairs.
After we were fixed up, we returned to the West Coast of Korea for the Inchon Landing. We were the plane guard for a British aircraft carrier. All of the signals were by flag, a challenge for us. The US Navy used radio. We had about a 6-month deployment before returning to San Diego. I had one more deployment on HANNA. The CO wrote a book about it. That will be a later article.
’51
Life Membership: 63% Donor Participation: 29.07%
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: Mr. David Ghysels
Communications: VADM Robert F. Dunn, USN (Ret) 819 Marshall Ln., Alexandria, VA p: 703-370-9589; e: robtdunn@aol.com
For a variety of reasons news in our Shipmate column is not always timely, even though, it is hoped, relevant. On the other hand, for both timeliness and relevance, readers are urged to follow the class in our biweekly Newsletters. If you’re not getting them posted to your email in-box, please let your Correspondent know.
Stories in recent Newsletters covered a sea story from Joe Grace about chasing a blimp, the story from Eric Nelson as to how a model of the sail ship AMERICA came to rest at the Naval Academy Library and our President’s two deployments to WESTPAC as Supply Officer in the USS NIAGARA FALLS including supporting aircraft carriers on Yankee Station and port calls in the Philippines, Taiwan,
Vietnam and Hong Kong. At the other end of the scale, Dick Neff has described and posted photographs of winter walks in Upstate New York.
A bit of news which may be of interest to us is that the Navy has made arrangements to move the Navy Museum out of the Navy Yard to a location where it will be more accessible to the public. The Cold War Gallery that the Class of ’51 helped fund will go with it. At the same time, the Naval Historical Foundation which raised money for the Gallery has been disestablished. Its roles and missions have been taken over by the Naval Institute. More to follow as more becomes known. With regard to fundraising and as previously reported, the Class has fulfilled its obligations to the several campaigns and projects we have committed to over the years and will no longer actively campaign for funds. This most certainly does not preclude individual donations, however. What it does preclude is class-wide commitment to new efforts. That subject is introduced because as of late several USNAoriented enterprises have approached the class soliciting our representation. In each case we have (politely) turned them down. If this policy does not suit you, by all means contact one of the class leadership. Meanwhile, for those of you who have been regular contributors to the Alumni or Athletic Associations, keep up the good work.
Now, harking back to our younger days, and with apologies to Joe Galloway, most of us can remember when once we were midshipmen …and young. In that time we experienced a lot that stayed with us over the years; probably a lot more that did not; but one of the more memorable events was when, as Youngsters, Douglas Southall Freeman lectured us on Leadership.
Freeman, the author of Lee’s Lieutenants and other works, has tended to go out of style in recent years due to his practice of putting Confederate leaders on pedestals. He also wrote at a time before women were allowed to take positions of leadership so, to some today, his language may sound sexist. Nevertheless, the lessons he drew for us that evening in Mahan Hall have stood the test of time. Your correspondent was recently sent a copy of Freeman’s remarks on that night in 1949 and he shares with you, below, some of those remarks along with some limited commentary.
In his lecture to us Freeman said, “Leadership is fundamentally common sense and consists of three things and three only.”
*“First, know your stuff.”
*“Be a man.”
*“Look after your men.”
The use of the words, “Man” and “Men” today seem to be like a piece of chalk screaming across a blackboard, but in the vernacular of the time it made perfect sense. Anyhow, today we might interpret his remarks to be:
*“First, know your stuff.”
*“Be a strong human being.”
*“Look after your people.”
Know your stuff.
Know your specialty. Know the background of military history. If he/she comes to you and asks, “What do I do in these circumstances, with this weapon, with this gun?” You should tell him/her; and if you don’t know then say honestly, “I don’t know.” (“I’ll find out,” works too). A person very seldom loses respect of his/her people if he/she says he/she doesn’t know something; but look out for one who tries to bluff about knowledge.
Be a Strong Human Being.
That means a person of character, a person of industry, a person of fair play. “The type of courage that keeps a person from turning his/her back and running away is one thing, but the type of courage that a leader who will take his/her part of the load in all circumstances is much rarer.
Look after your people.
Look after their mail, food and clothes. Look after your people and they will look after you. That’s what Douglas Southall Freeman had to say to us on that April evening in Mahan Hall. The lessons are still good; still on target. We pray that today’s midshipmen get those same lessons. On the other hand, the target audience for this Class Column has a lot of leadership experience. Your comments in light of that
experience on what Freeman had to say would be of interest to us all.
Final thought: Keep those cards, letters and emails coming in! This column is nothing without you.
Life Membership: 69%
Donor Participation: 24.37%
Pres (Interim): Jack Young 9440 Newbridge Dr., #318, Potomac, MD, 20854 p: 240-477-2512; e: jcy52@verizon.net
Vice Pres: 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
Sec’y: Kip Young, daughter of Jack Young 8616 White Post Ct., Potomac, MD 20854 p: 240-205-2162; e: toughshoes52shipmate@gmail.com
Treas: Col George W. Lester Jr., USAF (Ret.) 5400 30th St., N., Arlington, VA 22207-1502 p: 703-241-1989; e: geova@verizon.net
Website: www.toughshoes52.org
2022 – 2023
We lost and remember four Presidents in 2022: 1. Dick Denfeld, our pulling guard with Midwestern values and a sparkle in his eye. 2. Bill Ryan, a mentor to many of us and our best Navy Football Blogger. 3. Bob Schulze, who created our excellent Class of ‘52 Zoom that ran for 26 months under his direction and remains in business today. And, 4. Jim Sagerholm, our Class leader since Plebe Summer, who led the first implementation of the Honor Concept, after working with Bill Lawrence ‘51 and Ross Perot ‘53. Class of ‘52 did the first year, and the Honor Concept has served the Brigade for more than 70 years!
So going into 2023, we have a few initiatives:
1. We have the listing and contact information on Class of ‘52 living classmates and widows, that is distributed by All52Nav. Please review and update for missing people and contact info. Give any update info to Jack Young, jcy52@verizon.net. This listing is already helping folks make old contacts. We will make periodic updates.
2. We have a goodly amount in our accounts. Believe we should contribute to a worthy cause at USNA. Propose we support the Midshipmen Action Group. This organization provides service to the local community and is pretty unique among the service academies. Do believe it enhances the character of the Brigade. Jan Rapkin has worked alongside the community service activities of USNA through her association with the Navy League Annapolis Council, including liaison with the Fleet and Family Support Center. Jan has agreed to figure out how we can best provide funding to the Midshipmen Action Group, and to coordinate funding with the Group. They have an active Facebook page that shares pictures of their great work.
3. Lots happening in Navy Football. New coach Brian Newberry has elevated P. J. Volker to Defensive Coordinator. Volker will continue to coach the linebackers. Should be an interesting year. Will the players stay with the program? Who will be the Offensive Coordinator and what will that mean, etc. Fortunately for us, David Jackson, ‘79 (Mary-lin, Dempster, Bill Ryan) has agreed to continue the Navy Football Blog run so successfully by Bill Ryan. Look for his reporting in All52Nav, Shipmate and the monthly Zooms.
Best and for the Class in ‘23, Jack Young Note from Kip: Please send me news and photos to include in upcoming issues!
We continue to receive word of the passing of Classmates, wives, and widows. Received recently:
VADM Bill Rowden died on October 15, 2022 in Willow Street, PA.
LCDR Charles E, Moore died on November 3, 2022 in San Marcos, CA.
Kathryn “Muffie” Nunneley, wife of RADM Jim Nunneley, died on November 23, 2022 in Willow Street, PA.
Mary Eshman, widow of Captain John Eshman, died on November 25, 2022 in Annapolis, MD.
Jane Hinkle Stockdale, wife of LCOL Wendell Stockdale, USAF (Ret.), died December 11, 2022 in Lancaster, PA.
Colonel Arthur Lusby died on December 14, 2022 in Ukiah, CA.
Captain Bob Denbeigh died on December 21, 2022 in Arlington, VA.
Guy Byron Townsend, M. D. died on January 7, 2023 in Prince George’s County, MD. Still Tough Shoes to Fill!
Life Membership: 64%
Donor Participation: 30.17%
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
Cor Sec’y: Mike Gilmore 5324 Lucas Farm Ln., Chapel Hill, NC 57516 p: 984-364-0629 e: mdgilmorevt79@gmail.com
Webmaster: CAPT Paul Dudley, USN (Ret.) e: pdudley@1953.usna.com Website: www.usna53.com
We are celebrating our 70th reunion 26-29 April 2023. A reunion sign-up letter will go out in January. If you are interested in attending please send your home address and phone number to Chris Zirps. We’d love to have you.
On 6 December 12 USNA Class of 1953 members met with 16 Army Class of 1953 members at The Fairfax at Fort Belvoir. Captain John O’Neill from the Naval Academy Athletic Association was our guest speaker.
Frank Shakespeare’s son, John, donating platelets to the American Red Cross on 2 Dec. Because of a short PCS to Annapolis just three years after graduating John was born at Hospital Point and christened at the Naval Academy Chapel.
We recently learned of the passing of Delores “Dee” Kraynak, widow of John Kraynak, on December 6, 2022. Dee will join John at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. We also learned of the passing of Robert Reid on December 30, 2022 in Cincinnati, OH. After graduation John served in the US Air Force. His wife, Arlene, passed away in 2005.
Life Membership: 56%
Donor Participation: 27.07%
Pres: CAPT George V. Zeberlein, USN (Ret.) p: 410-570-3233; e: gvzeberlein@gmail.com
Exec Vice Pres: 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
Class Reunion information-
As previously announced the 70th Reunion for the Great Class of 1954 will be held on April 24, 25, 26, and 27, 2024. We have contracted with the “Graduate Annapolis” hotel at 126 West Street to be our Reunion Headquarters. This is the same hotel that we used for our 65th Reunion.
However, the room rate has gone up to $199 per night, not including taxes. We are planning to have most of our festivities at the hotel and transportation will be provided to all other events, so that no one will need to drive their own vehicle anywhere once you check in to the hotel.
While nothing is cast in concrete yet, there are a few events of interest that are tentatively on our schedule: welcome aboard speech by the Sup or Commandant; Memorial Service in the USNA Chapel; Midshipmen Dress parade; Welcome Aboard Reception and Reunion Banquet at the Graduate Annapolis.
So, everyone, including widows, children, other family members, and friends should mark your calendars for this Class of 1954 Reunion.
’55
Life Membership: 64%
Donor Participation: 18.00%
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/
Frederick (Fred) Henry Koester Jr. (15) passed away in Fairfax, Virginia on November 28, 2022.
Robert (Bob) Raymond Rule (2) passed away on November 3, 2022.
John Burton Haynes (9) passed away on November 6, 2022.
John Clark Weaver (4) passed away on January 5, 2023.
“The Washington area representatives of the Class held their traditional December Ladies’ Luncheon at Portofino’s Restaurant in Arlington on 14 December, 2022. A total of 14 Classmates and guests attended, including Bob and Betsey Fountain, Tom and Marge Stallman, Bob and Nancy Hinton, Angelo and Christine Cicolani, Lucy Mustin, Genie Walter and her daughter Margaret and Susan Parker and her son Elton ’91 with his wife Jessie. Several other regulars were missing due to medical appointments, Christmas travel and the like. Our Secretary, Tom Stallman, brought a picture taken of the same event, in the same room 10 years before, at which there were 48 in attendance, stark evidence of the erosion of time!” Bob Fountain
Fred McLaren (13) shared the following news with us:
M I have just been awarded the Royal Canadian Geographical Society’s (RCGS) “Joseph-Elzear Bernier Medal” (see attached Citation). I was also recently inducted into the RCGS’s College of Fellows.
Captain Joseph-Elzear Bernier was a Canadian mariner from Quebec who led expeditions into the Arctic in the early 20th century.
Bob Fountain and the legacy of Lu Gregg
M “In mid-January I attended the inurnment ceremony for our Classmate and my 6th Company mate and friend Lu Gregg at the Naval Academy Columbarium and reflected upon the great changes that have taken place
at the Academy and in the Service in the years since our time there. Lu was the 4th Black midshipman to graduate from the Naval Academy, and the first to graduate with academic honors. Since then there have been many Black graduates and the Brigade today contains many Black midshipmen, male and female. Lu was a tall, skinny young Marine, straight out of high school and boot camp, but he was not ill-prepared, even among the many of us who had already had some college experience. He had been a high school National Merit Scholar and as a Marine “knew the drill.” We did not know what to make of him at first but Plebe year is an equalizing experience. To their credit I don’t recall our upperclassmen “running” him harder than some others, but his Montgomery, Alabama roommate’s family disinherited him for choosing to live with a Black. The more we came to know him the more popular Lu became, and he graduated as a Spring set striper. Lu went on to fly ten years for the Air Force as a Command Pilot before leaving the Service for rosier opportunities in philanthropy and industry, ending up as a Lockheed Vice.President with a big yacht at a Marina Del Rey basin. Throughout all, Lu remained a loyal, devoted and popular alum, returning to many Reunions with his Classmates. May his ashes rest in peace.” Bob Fountain
Around the World in 30 Days - The amazing trip of Neil Harvey and Paul Hoff. (Continued from Jan/Feb ’23 issue)
M We got there, but he’s got these gate keepers and one of them asked, “Why do you want to see the Captain?” Anyway, between Paul and I, somehow we talked our way in to see the Captain and explained our problem. We said, “This is what we’re trying to do.” I said, “We’ve got this far, but it’s only a 30-day leave.” And I said when the day was that our time was up. Since we had made good time to get to Japan we still had two full weeks left but... So anyway, we captured his imagination enough to think that someone would be stupid enough, I mean adventurous enough, to be doing a thing like that. We talked it over, he and the chief of staff and us. The Chief of Staff asked “What can we do to help these young men?” And the captain said, “Are you fellows interested in the submarine service?” “Oh, yes sir, we are.” I told him my father builds submarines at the Portsmouth Naval shipyard. “Oh really?” he asked. I said, “I saw them pull the Squalis in after she had sunk with loss of 26 men.” You know, I had some stuff to throw in there. He said, “Well, if that’s the case, we have a training unit in Hawaii and they go out regularly every week for three or four days for training missions out of Pearl Harbor.” And the chief says, “Yeah, there’s one going out in two days.” So the captain says, “We might be able to arrange this.” He says, “I’ve got some top secret material I need to get back to my boss in Hawaii, but it requires a guarded escort.” He said it would need to have one person carrying
the top secret material and another person with a gun. “Do you know how to fire a pistol?” “Oh yes sir.” So Paul took the classified, and I took the gun, and we had a Priority 3 all the way back to Hawaii. He said, “When you get back there, you deliver this material that’s top secret to the commander of the Pacific Fleet submarine force.” He said, “We’ll have a vehicle there to meet the plane to take you directly to headquarters.” And he said, “I’d like to write a letter to my wife, and you can deliver that for me if you will. She’s living in Hawaii.” He said, “She might be able to arrange something else for you to deal with while you’re there.” So we showed up at the airplane, on time, with that security belt and that gun, and we got aboard and flew to Midway Island. And we landed, and we got to see the gooney birds. That’s what Midway is famous for. We had a great time there. We only stopped for refueling, but we got out of the airplane and walked around. Here’s these gooney birds nesting right beside the runway. It was something to see. We took off again. We were getting a little brazen at this point. We got within radio contact of Hawaii, so we asked to see the captain, the guy flying the airplane. Went forward, explained what we were doing, “Could you radio ahead and confirm that we have a driver there waiting to take us to the submarine headquarters?” That’s what they did. Before we got there, there was a driver and he took us to the submarine headquarters for the Pacific Fleet. We get to come in and see the Admiral. He was curious to see who these guys were. So that was a pleasant experience. He wanted to know what we were doing while we were on the island. He said, “I see you’re signed up to go on the submarine for four days.” I said, “Captain So-And-So asked us to deliver a letter to his wife. We don’t know where she lives or how to get there. We need somebody to take us over there.” And he said, “Okay. Well, I hope this turns out all right.” So then we went to the submarine and went out for practice for four days. Came back into port and got off the sub. There was a car parked on the end of the pier, and there was a very, very pretty young lady standing outside the door. So we were walking on by. She said, “Are you So-And-So and So-And-So?” And we said, “Yes, ma’am.” She said, “Well, I understand you have a letter for my mother.” “Yes, ma’am.” “We’re here to take you,” she said. So we went to their home and handed the letter to the mother, and the mother got the chance to inspect us and see we were not rapists or anything. When we got there, there was another pretty young girl, the daughter of the chief of the Pacific submarine group. They said, “Have you ever been to Hawaii before?” “No.” “Well, we’d like to take you around and show you the island of Oahu.” We said, “Well, that would be nice.” We ended up going dancing. It was only a couple of days but we had a real good time.
Fred Underwood (22) remembers our red suspenders.
M When we graduated, a man, Russ Baum, from Philadelphia, who had an affinity with the class of 1955, gave all 742 graduates a pair of red suspenders. I decided that I would wear mine to work one day, under the khaki singlebreasted blouse. The Captain called us all into his office for a conference. Since it was a hot day, he invited us to take off our blouses. When we did the two or three of us, who had worn the suspenders that day listened to some chastising words for wearing non-uniform apparel. I think that was the last time I wore those suspenders.
Ed. Note: I recall that the red suspenders were inscribed with “The Stork Club.”
’56
Life Membership: 74 %
Donor Participation: 34.83%
Class Co-Chairman: Col George Mushalko, USAF (Ret.) (15) p: 703-768-4543; e: gmushalko56@gmail.com
Class Co-Chairman: CAPT Jim Van Metre, USN (Ret.) (4) p: 410-224-3860; e: jimvanm@aol.com
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”
“Happy real spring, everybody”. A report from Chip Honsinger (4):
M The results are in for our ’56 Project to raise money for the new USNA Alumni and Foundation Center. The Foundation reported that we ’56, were the oldest class that took on a “project” and that we raised about $302,000, which more than qualified us for the larger of the two class recognition levels, a large ’56 Class Crest mounted on a monument stone in the yard of the Center. Thank you to all participating ’56 Classmates and family members. The total raised by all classes was about $17 M. See construction progress during daylight hours at www.usna.com/news/ alumni-center-camera.
This is part of a recent note from Joanie Webster, widow of John (9) to Chip:
M “How exciting that the USNA Classmates of 1956 ‘pulled together’ to take such a significant interest in the building of the new Alumni Center and to make generous donations to the USNA Foundation and its plank owner campaign! Those of us in the John A. Webster, Jr. family loved John so much. He had treasured memories of his years at the Academy, prompting me to sign on as a plank owner, in his name, honoring his love and dedication to his years at the U. S. Naval Academy, and to his career in the U. S. Navy submarine service. I shall always remember John saying: ‘My goal in
the Navy was to have command at sea, and I had one of the best!’ I believe he is smiling from above and always proud to have been a member of the Class of 1956 Project. Well done, and my best to all!
This also in from Chip:
M Chip and Mary Honsinger were in Egypt over the Christmas Holidays for a grand and comprehensive tour of the antiquities –pyramids, Sphinxes, ancient temples, hieroglyphics, King Tut’s tomb and mummy, Cairo, desert, Aswan Dam, etc., and cruised 130 miles down the Nile River in a luxury dehabeya yacht. Egyptians are 85% Muslim of which we were reminded at least five times daily by the everywhere loudspeaker calls to prayer. Some Christmas trees and decorations were in evidence in places frequented by tourists, but otherwise Christmas passed as a non-event; we missed it!
Bob Perry (13) (see below under Classmates recently passed) saved my marriage’, this from Dick Levendoski (13):
M I was to get married in July 1956 on my way to Pensacola. Bob was an usher. The church was about 20 minutes from an Army base: Fort Lee, Virginia. I spent the night before the wedding in the BOQ so I could easily get to the church the next morning. The plan was to wear shorts and a T shirt and change into my dress white uniform at the church so my heavily starched white trousers wouldn’t wrinkle. I “rigged” my uniform (gold buttons, shoulder boards, etc.). Ready to go.
Fifteen minutes before the ceremony it was time to dress up. I opened the coat to get the trousers but there were no trousers! They had fallen off the hanger; but where? Now what? Go back to the BOQ? Have a military wedding in civilian clothes? Delay/postpone everything for a few hours? Cancel? As I pondered this dilemma and how to explain it to my future wife, Bob Perry came on the scene.
Like a good marine, Bob had an extra dress white uniform in his car. So, I got married on time in Bob Perry’s Marine Corps trousers. Bob reminded me of this for 67 years.
More Bob Perry
Back at the Academy during 3C or 2C Year, our skinny section one time had to await the prof’s arrival for a skinny lab. We waited for no more than two or three minutes. During that time Bob stood leaning against a wall and fell asleep The prof arrived, apologized, unlocked the door, and we all went in. A minute or so later Bob came to and entered the room, apologizing to the prof but loudly indignant that we had purposely left him behind.
We received a nice note from Dave Roberts, USNA 1978, who forwarded a piece of trivia. This is from Ron Beagle’s bio at the College Football Hall of Fame:
M “There was another remarkable chapter in his life. Two men, nine years apart, came from the same high school (Purcell in Cincinnati), played college football at the same school (Navy), won the Maxwell Trophy, made All-America, and eventually were inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame. It happened only once, and the two men were Ron Beagle and Roger Staubach.”
The Legend for this issue is George Welsh (1) and the following is quoted from the presentation in the Terwilliger Building: George T. Welsh, Class of 1956 All-American Quarterback and Hall of Fame Coach at Navy and University of Virginia
the pass-throwing champion of major college football. His ball handling and ability to run the split-T option plays earned him a reputation as one of the nation’s very best. His coach Eddie Erdilatz called him ‘the finest quarterback I have ever seen.’
“In two seasons as the starting quarterback, he passed for 2,411 yards and 20 touchdowns while directing teams that compiled an overall record of 18 wins, 7 losses and 3 ties. In the 1954 Sugar Bowl he gained acclaim quarterbacking the ‘Team Named Desire’, engineering a Navy upset of heavily favored Mississippi, 21-0. In 1955, with Welsh as quarterback, Navy was rated as high as 4th in the national standings and finished among the top 20 teams in the nation for a second consecutive year. In the post-season he was voted the outstanding player in the North-South All Star game. Then, after leading the nation in passing and total offense George was selected All-American quarterback and placed third in voting for the Heisman Trophy.
“After graduation and commissioning in June 1956 he served seven years on active duty aboard the cruiser Des Moines (CA-134), then as a company officer at USNA, then aboard destroyer Fletcher (DD-445), fulfilling his military obligation prior to leaving the Navy in 1963 to begin his coaching career as an assistant at Penn State.
“In 1973 George was selected to be head football coach at the Naval Academy. His teams compiled a record of 55-46-1 from 1973 to 1981. In competition against Army and Air Force his teams won the Commander-in Chief trophy in eight of those years, including a 7-1-1 record over Army. During his final four years at Navy his record was 33-15-1 with three postseason bowl games. At the time, his 55 victories were the most in Navy football history.
“In 1982 he was lured away from his alma mater by in the opportunity to coach in the Atlantic Coast Conference for the University of Virginia. Prior to his arrival Virginia had only two winning seasons in the program’s previous 29 years. In contrast, during his 19 years (19822000) as head coach he became the all-time winningest coach in Virginia and Atlantic Coast Conference history, compiling a record of 134 wins-86 losses-3 ties.
“George Welsh graduated as a member of the Naval Academy Class of 1956. A native of Coaldale, PA, George received an appointment to the Naval Academy in 1952. As a midshipman he is remembered for his success as a record setting Navy football quarterback and
“Starting in 1987, his teams began a streak of 13 straight seasons with seven or more wins. That stretch included shared ACC titles in 1989 and 1995 and 11 bowl appearances. His teams compiled four 9-win seasons, including a school-record 10 wins in 1989. His 1990 tam was ranked No. 1 in college football that October. He was selected as the ACC Coach of the Year four times, and in 1991 he received the
“He retired in 2000 after 28 years at Navy and Virginia with 189 wins, 132 losses, 4 ties, which ranked him 24th for wins in Division 1-A history at the time. Then, in 2004 he was honored and inducted into the College Football Hall of Fame.
“George Welsh died January 2, 2019, in Charlottesville, Virginia. He was 85. He was survived by his daughter Kate, and sons George, Matthew and Adam.
“At the time of his passing Current Navy Coach Ken Niumatalolo commented, ‘George Welsh is a legend in the coaching profession for what he was able to accomplish at two of the top academic institutions in the country. To become the all-time winningest coach at two different schools is simply amazing and should be remembered as one of the great achievements in the history of college football.’”
The following announcements are made of 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
Robert Surma (8) (nongrad) died Feb 2022. Herbert Miller (nongrad) died 29 Dec 2022.
Life Membership: 70% Donor Participation: 28.44%
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
Corr Sec’y: CAPT Peter S Boyne, USN (Ret.) e: theboynes57@cox.net
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/ Condolences are due: Our webmeister Charlie Hall (7) reports that our Class, which graduated 848, has lost about 638 members.
William B. Cox (12) died December 17, 2022 Bill was born on 24 January 1934, in Provo, Utah.
Julianne Jones Edmondson, of Camden, Maine, died Sunday, 9 October 2022, at Sussman House in Rockport, Maine. She was born in Chicago 12 February 1944. Her husband, Nicholas P. Edmondson, (12) died in 2006.
On 15 November 2022, Kerrie S. McHugh died after complications from an illness in Alexandria, VA. She was born on 22 August 1936, in Washington, DC. Her husband, William M. McHugh (2) died 2015.
director, Aimee Lake, that she was inspired to create a 2022 version of that event at dinner. Needless to say, this was a cruise highlight!
Shown enjoying the superb cuisine of Seabourn’s dining room are “Bill the younger” and “Bill the elder” Mickle, Clare and David Isquith, Bill and Betty Peerenboom.
No cruise would be complete without a tour of the bridge, and our intrepid group had a look at a more modern bridge that those of their youth. Finally here they are enjoying liberty in Prince Edward Island.
In the July/August 2022 Shipmate I reported incorrectly that Paul Cusick, who died in 2021 was a non-graduate. Paul, who was in the 20th Company, passed away on 7 Dec 2021. We hope to have his last Call in this or a future issue of Shipmate
Others in our Class who have left us:
Arthur Hovater (7) died 15 Sep 2022.
Dan Sacarob (24) died 15 Sep 2022.
He was 88.
Clarence Robert Perry (13) died 7 Jan 2023. He was 91.
Mark O’Hara (14) died 14 Dec 2022.
He was 87.
John Kirkpatrick (2) died 14 Dec 2022.
He was 91.
John Walter Russell (8, non-grad), of Havana, FL, died on Friday, 23 December 2022, at his home. Jack was born 19 February 1932, in Fort Dodge, Iowa.
Donald F. Swenor (9) died 10 January 2023.
On the brighter side, VP Bill Peerenboom (3) reports:
And more LFC (Love from Coronado, i.e. George Lanman (6)):
M The annual feast for the Army Navy contest was held at the lovely Coronado Cays home of Carol and Jim Beatty (4). Jim and Carol provided great bloody marys, beer and mimosas. The prize for hors d’oeuvres belonged to Anne Kachigian. Two styles of lasagna, caesar salad, cake, fudge, cookies and ice cream rounded out the menu. The game’s outcome did not suppress the appetites. Jim’s blind score matrix for each quarter and final score provided John Holt with $30 winnings, Dave Mitchell with $10 and Ann Kachigian’s daughter with $10.
Julian L. Coolidge II (15) died 24 Nov 2022.
He was 89.
vs Univ. of Notre Dame (Dublin, Ireland)
vs Wagner College
@ Univ. of Memphis (Memphis, TN)
vs Univ. of South Florida
vs Univ. of North Texas
@ Charlotte (Charlotte, NC)
vs Air Force
@ Temple University (Philadelphia, PA)
vs UAB
vs East Carolina Univ.
@ Southern Methodist Univ. (Dallas, TX) vs Army (Foxborough, MA)
1-800-US4-NAVY
M Clare Isquith arranged a perfect cruise for classmates from New York to Montreal via New England, Nova Scotia, and Quebec Province. Our class group consisted of David Isquith (10) and his bride Clare, Bill Mickle (3) and his eldest son, “Bill the younger” Mickle,” and Betty and Bill Peerenboom. We enjoyed near perfect weather the entire two weeks, and had occasion to revisit Halifax, NS, to recall (but not duplicate) our visit there in 1955 during second class summer.
You may recall that in June 57, Bill Mickle was Color Company Commander - and was featured giving the “Color Girl” a kiss at the June Week Color P-Rade. So impressive was his retelling of this experience to our cruise
The attendees from right to left in the front row are Dick Madouse (18), Harry Gimber (4), Bud Edney (5). Back row R to L are host Jim Beatty, John Holt (14), Dave Mitchell (4), George Kachigian (23), and George Lanman (6).
And that about wraps up this issue of Class
Life Membership: 63%
Donor Participation: 23.71%
Pres: Lt Col Gordon M. Gerson, USAF (Ret.)
e: gordon.gerson@1958.usna.com
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
Mike Giglio sent a report of a 10th Company gathering that took place in Alexandria VA in September 2022. The report and photo of that gathering came to me in late December and now in January I am including it in the column for the March-April issue of Shipmate, but the real message in these Class columns is who is doing what not when. Those in the picture, from the left, are Bill Hillsman, Bill Garvey, JJ Seeberger, Sally and Dave Sutherland, Eileen Giglio, Walker Venable (Bobs son), Bob Venable, Jake and Dianne McMichael, Bonnie Venable, Micky Hillsman, Mike Giglio and Pat Seeberger.
As I write this column in January the plans are set for our 65th reunion from 13 to 16 April 2023. Everyone should have received emails and letters with the details about the schedule, registration, etc. Reservations hopefully have been made at the Annapolis Westin along with on-line registration for the scheduled events and bags are being packed for the big trip. The reunion starts on Thursday the 13th when the out of towners will be arriving. This is a good day for some sightseeing in Annapolis and making contact with roommates, Companymates and shipmates. Friday will be the busiest day of the reunion. That morning, buses will take us to the Academy for a memorial service at the Chapel followed by a group picture. Then lunch at the Officers and Faculty Club, a presentation by the Superintendent and comments by the President of the Alumni Association followed by a Brigade Parade on Worden Field. Then buses back to the Westin to get ready for Company dinners/parties that evening. Saturday starts with another bus ride to the Academy for a tour of Terwilliger Hall, one of the newest buildings on the grounds, then free time to tour the grounds, watch the noon meal formation, visit the Mid store and catch some lunch. In the afternoon there will be a Lacrosse game at the stadium and that evening our Class dinner at the Westin. Sunday there will be chapel services for those inclined and brunch in King Hall. Then it will be time to say goodbye to old friends, and to the Academy where the Severn meets the Bay.
December 2022 was a very social time for ’58ers in the Washington-Annapolis area. Forget sheltering for COVID, the theme was let’s party! Jack Adams reported on the annual Army-Navy ‘58 Joint luncheon on 1 December at the Army-Navy Country Club. Harry Hurst and Bob Orlosky (64) briefed the attendees about Navy’s football team and Brad Johnson did the same thing for Army. USNA ’58ers present in addition to Harry were Buff Walter, Jackie and Fred Victor, Beverly Smedberg, Julie and Pete Russell, Barb and Eric Mansfield, Taylor Keith, Eileen and Mike Giglio, Jane and Gordon Gerson, Linda Gamboa, Lois and Whitey Edwards, Carolyn and Paul Brown, Ann and Jack Adams and Dan Bellay who provided the musical accompaniment for the singing of Navy Blue and Gold and God Bless America.
On December 15th our Washington/Annapolis classmates were back at the Army-Navy Country Club for their annual Christmas party and Jack Adams sent in the report and photos. Polly Mitchell and Dan Bellay provided the music before lunch and for the singing of Christmas carols after lunch. Whitey and Lois Edwards provided the center pieces for each table. Those attending were Mike and Eileen Giglio, Gordon and Jane Gerson, Marty and Nancy Hill, Linda Gamboa, Taylor and Lynn Keith, Whitey and Lois Edwards, Bob and Sheila Lance, Bill and Pat Dougherty, Polly Mitchell, Dan Bellay, George and Ann Ojalehto, Jack and Ann Adams, Kay Powell, Pete and Julie Russell, Bev Smedberg and Barbara Polski.
Rupe Maclean wrote to remind us that Classmates in the Annapolis area gather for dinner on the first Tuesday of the month at the Galway Bay restaurant which we used to know as the Little Campus Inn. Shown in the picture are those attending the December dinner. From the left they are Joan and Rupe MacLean, Polly Mitchel, Gordon Gerson, Kay Powell, Jim Corder’s daughter, Janet Bouvier, and Julia Corder.
William Byman, 2nd Company passed on 12/13/22
Clyde Morris, 6th Company, died on 1/14/23
Henry Miller, 6th Company, died on 12/9/22
William Omberg, 6th Company died on 1/18/23
Shane Daniels, 8th Company passed on 11/24/22
John “JJ” Seeberger, 10th Company, died on 12/23/22
Vince Panala, 13th Company, died on 12/31/22
Jim Higgins, 17th Company died on 11/4/22
Barbara Ann Fuller, widow of Gran Fuller, 22nd Company died on 12/2/22.
Life Membership: 65%
Donor Participation: 25.33%
Chairman Exec. Committee: Gerald G. Garbacz
Shipmate Editor: Ed Hill
p: 301-943-4185; e: hilled@aol.com
Webmasters: Pete and Elaine Stout
Website: www.USNA1959.com
Trip to Alaska, by Larry Weaver, 24th Company.
As some of you know, Sharon and I have an RV (Recreational Vehicle, Tiffin Phaeton which is a 40’ Class A diesel pusher). We just got back from our third – and likely last - trip to Alaska in the RV - three months and 10,500+miles round trip. About 2/3 the way through the trip, Ed suggested that I write it up for the Shipmate column. We bought the coach nearly 11 years ago and have put 125,000 miles on it - which is a lot of miles for an RV - visiting every state in the U S except one, waiting for Hawaii to finish their bridge, of course, as well as all but two of the Canadian provinces.
We had taken a cruise to Alaska in 2004 and did a pre-arranged Land Cruise from Fairbanks to Whittier (Southwest of Anchorage), where we boarded the cruise ship. Before our first RV trip to AK, Sharon said that we had been to AK and didn’t need to drive the RV there. After less than a week in AK, however, she retracted that assertion agreeing that we hadn’t really seen Alaska until we did it in the RV. In traveling between various spots in AK, however, there is usually only one road to take. Considering the roads in AK, they are nowhere near as bad as their reputation, but they are NOT the equivalent to Interstates either, except around Anchorage. Also, as in the northern states of the “Lower 48”, there are two seasons” - “Winter” and “Road Construction”.
Our tour, this year, started in Ferndale, WA, just south of the border with Canada. Most of the first week was spent driving through British Columbia to the start of the nearly 1,600-mile historic Alaskan Highway in Dawson Creek, BC. (This highway was built in 9 months of 1942/1943 primarily by 11,000 members of the U S Army Corps of Engineers.) At the end of our first week, we arrived in Whitehorse, the capital of Yukon Territory and a nice, modern city with a population of about 24,000 (3/4 of the population of YT).
After spending a couple of days touring Whitehorse and environs, we left the Alaskan Hwy for a one-day trip back south to Skagway, at the northern end of the Inside Passage. This was our first point in AK, and the jumping off point for prospectors during 1898 Klondike gold rush, and the base of the White Pass & Yukon Railway completed in 1900 to carry
prospectors to the gold fields. From there, for us, it was back to the Alaskan Hwy in Destruction Bay on Kluane Lake, YT. This beautiful blue lake was created by melt from the Kaskawulsh glacier and is the largest lake completely in YT. This was our last step to Tok, the first point in mainland Alaska. The road to Tok is, and has been, the worst stretch of road in AK every trip - pure washboard!.
Continuing 100 miles north from Tok, we reached Delta Junction, the northern end of the Alaskan Hwy. From there, enroute to Fairbanks, we drove through a portion of the Alaska Range and were treated to our first chance of sightings of moose, bear, and even bison along the road. We actually had bison in our RV Park at Liard Hot Springs, BC before getting to Whitehorse. Fairbanks is the second largest city in AK (a little over 95,000) and is on the Tanana River, a major contributor to the Yukon River and has paddle-wheel riverboats that provide trips down the Tanana and Chena Rivers where a re-created Native village provides a glimpse into Alaskan history.
The home of Susan Butcher, multi-time winner of the Iditarod Trail Sled Dog race which
is also on the river and is kept as a training and display of Alaskan sled dogs.
Besides the riverboat tour, there are other attractions, including Gold Dredge #8 - from the gold rush days which is nearby and has been preserved and you can actually pan for gold - but don’t plan on getting rich! Two above-ground sections of the Alyeska Pipeline, one with a museum, are just outside Fairbanks. There is also a GREAT Univ of Alaska “Museum of the North” covering Alaska from dinosaurs, wildlife, native cultures and 2,000 years of Alaskan art. (I am not a big fan of museums, but I have spent hours in this museum every trip to Alaska.) I’m also not a big fan of cities. After three days of Fairbanks, we’re ready to head south for what we think is the best part of the Alaskan trip, starting with Denali National Park.
Denali, formerly called Mt. McKinley by the non-natives, is the tallest mountain in North America, but the odds are against being actually able to see it. It is so big that it creates its own weather and is shrouded in clouds over 70% of the time. We have been lucky and have seen it, but not on this trip.
In the interest of keeping the park as natural as possible, private vehicles are not permitted in the park, except for a 15 mile stretch of road. Buses, driven by Park Staff (who generally provide a very good commentary) are provided to tour 50+ miles into the park. Some wild animals, including caribou (reindeer), bears, moose, mountain goats, wolves and others can be seen from the bus.
Anchorage, our next destination, is at the northern end of the 100-mile-long Cook Inlet connection to the Gulf of Alaska. The Cook Inlet forms one side of the Kenai Peninsula, which is the vacation spot of Alaskans and our favorite Alaskan locale - especially, Homer. The Homer Spit is a 4.5 mile long about 100 yards wide piece of land jutting out into the mouth of Ketchemak Bay where the bay joins Cook Inlet, Homer, AK & most of the Kenai is sparsely populated and is a paradise for fishermen and tourists. Into one side of it is a man-made lagoon that is home waters for Silver (coho) and King (chinook) salmon that the city ensures is stocked. The fish naturally attract fishermen as well as eagles and even whales and seals, although these are mainly offshore from the spit. Homer is also the jumping off point for charter flights to Katmai National Park and Preserve on the other side of the Cook Inlet. Katmai is home to Brooks Falls on the Brooks River and the Bear Cam broadcasting the bears battle to catch the migrating salmon, which are mostly gone by early October.
Haines is down the coast from Valdez, but due to the AK roads, we had to go back north to Tok and Destruction Bay before heading down to the Chilkoot Inlet and Haines, site of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve where hundreds of eagles congregate for a late salmon run in the ice free waters. Again, glaciers are in the coastal mountains and are best seen by boat.
In addition to the eagle preserve, Haines has a weir installed across the Chilkoot River that channels salmon heading up-river to spawn to a narrow opening to allow counting the fish. This concentrated flow of fish attracts bears like this mother bear to get fish to feed her cubs. These three bears then decided to cross the bridge on which we were “safely” standing watching them”
Winding down our Alaska trip, it is back up the road to Whitehorse and Watson Lake, best known for its Signpost City where we and many others have left a sign on posts provided by the city attesting to their visit and where from and when. This “city” covers several acres with hundreds of signs including three from us.
Haines is down the coast from Valdez, but due to the AK roads, we had to go back north to Tok and Destruction Bay before heading down to the Chilkoot Inlet and Haines, site of the Chilkat Bald Eagle Preserve where hundreds of eagles congregate for a late salmon run in the ice free waters. Again, glaciers are in the coastal mountains and are best seen by boat.
In addition to the eagle preserve, Haines has a weir installed across the Chilkoot River
that channels salmon heading up-river to spawn to a narrow opening to allow counting the fish. This concentrated flow of fish attracts bears like this mother bear to get fish to feed her cubs. These three bears then decided to cross the bridge on which we were “safely” standing watching them”
Winding down our Alaska trip, it is back up the road to Whitehorse and Watson Lake, best known for its Signpost City where we and many others have left a sign on posts provided by the city attesting to their visit and where from and when. This “city” covers several acres with hundreds of signs including three from us.
As you may have gathered, I LOVE Alaska and have really enjoyed our trips there. Yes, it is a long trip from Tennessee and, previously, Florida, but even Sharon concurs that it is a great trip and a beautiful place to visit! We have actually toyed with moving there for a year….no, not permanently for we do really love our little home on the Cumberland Plateau in Tennessee!
As I said at the beginning, this has likely been our last RV trip to Alaska, but we’re very glad we made it! ’60
Life Membership: 70% Donor Participation: 29.71%
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
Webmaster: Richard Harper p: 805-583-1640; e: Richard.Harper@1960.USNA.com
Website: http://www.1960.usnaclasses.net
A little commentary from Jim “Tug” Knorr (20):
M“Did either of you, Ken Batchellor (12) or Jack Lynch (11), tell me that you got into Naval Academy under Public Law 586 or number similar? I did, and recently I read in a document from USNA saying that my home of record is Rapid City, South Dakota because those NAAA hoods that got me an appointment from Congressman E.C. Berry of S.D. must have told record keepers that David James Knorr came from Rapid City, SD not Scranton, PA. On 17 June 2022 I am giving a career speech to one of my 5th Grade Grandson’s Class in Annapolis and am “thinking” of a way to challenge class, or their parents, to somehow deal with someone at USNA Record Keeping to get my Home of Record correct!
I just hope they don’t go way back and find that I lived in Mountains in Moscow, PA but was born in Scranton, PA! “Tug””
We’ve had several notes in our column over the last few years regarding Charles “Butch” Khoury (14) and his marathon accomplishments. As some of you may know, we lost Butch this past fall. His input and comments will be missed. John Sammon (15) has informed us of Butch’s passing in November. Remembering him at his wedding - Butch and his wife, Eberly.
From Rob Kunkle (10):
M Bill, I noticed your “plea for mail” in this latest issue and wondered if I told you the story of my arrival in Yokosuka back in 1960? Memories fade and issues get lost so I can’t find this issue and tell if I told you this story? If this story was included in the large, nice article you published on me a month ago - please disregard!
The USS Hubbard DD748 took advantage of a new ensign coming aboard and sent me to a lot of “professional” courses, including firefighting, in San Diego prior to flying to the ship. Of course, they were “checking off boxes” on their latest admin inspection!
When I did, finally, arrive in Yokosuka and checked in, the Hubbard was at sea. Of course, they could not tell me when she would return so I was told to walk to the BOQ and waitthey would call me!! Walking along I ran into a 3/C Midshipman, in uniform, who was also walking in my direction. Turned out to be Griffith, a swimmer at the training table next to our track table. He suggested that I just come stay with them rather than the BOQ. “Them” turned out to be V.Adm. Griffith and family, living in the “big house on the hill”!
Just my luck, the Admiral also had two daughters, ages 21 and 23 who were home for the Summer. The four of us toured Yokosuka and Tokyo and had a great 2-3 days. One evening at dinner, sitting next to the Admiral, he said: “Oh, Rob, I ran into Bob O’Reilly (my skipper) down at the pier today and he said that anytime you want to come on down to the ship it would be okay with him!”
Obviously, I went right away and received a lot of ribbing from my new shipmates in after
officer’s quarters! Their main thrust was “Rob, promotion to Ltjg is automatic in 18 months, you don’t have to date the Admiral’s daughters!”
From Cal Sutliff (20):
M “Bill, just back from competing in the US Rowing National Championships in Sarasota, FL in August. I won four Golds in four events in my age class, including the Open Class and the Light Weight Single, plus the Open and Light Weight Doubles. I’m retiring from training and competitions the end of this year so I can give my unbelievably supportive wife, Linda, a break. I’ve been active in competitive rowing in this wonderful sport and community for 22years. Cal”
I was unable to attend due to “the bug”. Thanks to Bob Ianucci (16) for “herding the cats” and getting an accurate headcount (11) and to Al Whitaker (16) for the writeup.
From AL Whitaker (16): Attending were Bert Johnson (10), Ed Clexton (10), Jim Eilertsen (21), Bob Brenton (12), Bob Ianucci (16), Henry Von Kolnitz (22), Jack Suddath (6), Bob Osmon (17), Wick Parcells (12), Al Bissell (8) and yours truly.
Bob Ianucci (16) gave the Binnacle list reporting on the serious condition of Bill Kee (9). I gave an update on the Class Christmas Dinner which will be held soon at our favorite Williamsburg restaurant, Le Yaca. As of the end of lunch a total 31 diners said they will attend. The total consists of classmates, spouses, widows, daughters and dates. Jack Greenhalgh (9) is getting tickets for the Williamsburg Annual Christmas Concert (Sunday, 2:30 PM) immediately followed by dinner at Sal’s by Victor, set up by Bob Antonio (14), also in Williamsburg. The Williamsburg Christmas Parade is also that evening (Sunday, 5PM). It will provide another opportunity for a Christmas celebration. Al
Unfortunately, our photographer was absent and the Deputy Cat Herder forgot to take a photo, but I’m certain you can imagine the joyous event. Rod
From Doug Johnston (5):
the gridiron these days, mention was also made of lacrosse, with specific reference to Navy’s National Championship in 1960. That success led to a “decade of dominance” in which Navy walked away with all the marbles for eight years in a row. Two members of our lunch group who played starring roles on that first championship team were Dick Pariseau (1), who captained the team (and along with Karl Rippelmeyer (11) shared All- American honors), and Hank Chiles (21), who in partnership with Karl, led Navy’s scoring from their Attack positions. Since both Dick and Hank were absent from the lunch, they were spared the embarrassment of listening to all the accolades.
Joining in the fun were Kathy and Gary Cogdell (7), Martha and George Dowell (19), Dennis Hickey (22), Jeanne and Tom Solak (2), Charlotte and Bob Stevenson (2), Amalia and Duane Tollaksen (3), Bob Traister (2), Dareen and yours truly.
From John Schmidt (20):
M “SoCal 60 recently met for lunch in beautiful downtown Coronado. Present were John Pethick (9), Glee & John Schmidt (20), Jan Shaw, Pam & Mike Fenn (4), Sue & Sam Ward (8), Avery Hallowell (3), Charlotte & Bob Stevenson (2), and Denis Crawford (2).
From Rod Friedmann (5):
M “Bill, our Hampton Rhodes/Williamsburg groups converged at a trendy restaurant in Virginia Beach, called the New River Taphouse, last fall, Voting Day in Virginia: The place was packed with hungry post and potential voters.
M “We began our November DC luncheon with a series of toasts: (1) to Gene Tucker (9) and Dolly, who have moved out of the immediate vicinity and won’t be able to attend future luncheons. Gene did a great job of hosting our lunches before passing the baton about 7 years ago; (2) to George Dowell (19) who lets us lean on his Army/Navy Club membership to provide the venue for the lunches; (3) to Dareen for handling the logistics for our gatherings; and (4) to Bud Pezet (13), who sent best wishes from his hospital bed, while recovering from back surgery the day before (successful as it turned out, probably because of our toast).
The lunch itself was dedicated to socializing and telling sea stories. In addition to our customary discussion of how Navy is faring on
A week or so later, I was on the phone with Randy McHenry (7), who owns the hotel in New Smyrna Beach, FL, which served as the headquarters for our first mini-reunion this past February. His hotel, which is on the beach, took quite a hit from one of the several hurricanes to hit Florida this year and is currently shut down for about six months of repairs. As those who attended will recall, he and his wife Sheri were incredibly gracious hosts throughout the reunion and gave all of us a significant break on the room costs. Despite the setback, Randy was in great spirits and even offered to host another reunion next year. Yet one more example of the “super” in Super Sixty. Doug
Life Membership: 72%
Donor Participation: 33.18%
Pres: RADM Jerome F. Smith Jr., USN (Ret.)
Corr Sec’y: CAPT Bob Sherer, USN (Ret.)
2301 River Crescent Dr., Annapolis MD 21401 p: 410-266-1334 voice and text
e: enavant1305@icloud.com; sherer@1961.usna.com
Webmaster: Howard Winfree
e: winfree@1961.usna.com
Website: www.USNA61.org
Dear Classmates, With winter behind us can Graduation be far away?
Bill Straight (16) continues the saga of his Vietnam River Patrol days in 1968.
M “We patrolled the Long Tau and Soi Rap rivers with three other River Sections based there. The area was called the Rung Sat, translated as Jungle of the Killers (The Pirates who raided ships). The Long Tau is the main river from the South China Sea that takes cargo into the port of Saigon. Convoys of several supply ships transiting from anchorage at Vung Tau to Saigon would be guarded by PBRs through the five patrol stations on the river. Some 80% of
supplies to US and VN troops operating in I and II Corps entered the country by the Long Tau. Curfew on the rivers and canals at night meant that any movement observed was considered hostile and would result in firefights Day patrols stopped all river traffic and checked ID cards, cargo, and questioned the passengers for intel about Vietcong and NVA movement. Some river sections were housed on YRBMs and LSTs. Sea Wolf helo detachments operated with the PBRs as did Black Pony OV-10 Broncos later during the war. Mine Detachment boats cleared the main channel on the Long Tau every day. We inserted and extracted SEALS, Army Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols, VN Regional and Popular Forces (RUFFPUFF), and VN Marines as well as medevac troops and local villagers. Once or twice per month we held a Medical Civic Action Program (MEDCAP) visit to a local village where we would take a doctor, corpsman, dentist, and intel personnel and deliver packages of clothing, toys, and toiletries donated by our River Section families back home. Our Section later was upgraded to River Division 593, (I was now a CO), and was moved to Ben Luc where we were berthed in USS Harnett County (LST 821) and patrolled the lower section of the Vam Co Dong River for Operation Giant Slingshot, whose purpose was to eliminate enemy riverine infiltration from Cambodia. Chuck Metzler (7) was another PBR CO (previously omitted from the classmates in ‘Nam mention). This area was where the NVA had crossed from Cambodia to get to Saigon during the Tet offensive February-September 1968 and where we found many of their weapons and ammunition caches. Often some of our off-duty troops would go out in a motor whale boat on a special night operation where they were towed to a location and drifted quietly into the bank, pull nipa palm over for cover and wait for crossing VC.” (to be concluded next issue)
Kraus, Claire Boudov and Kathryn Willetts; standing - Tom Bailey (16), Ben Allen (10), Don Coullahan (6), Jack Allen (13), Gary Carlson (10), Dick Rothwell (7), Jim Cavanaugh (11), Bruce Maxon (15), Mary Beth Fenick (Bob 20), Bill Kraus (12), Milt Boudov (13), Leo Willetts (5), Alan & Lynne Armstrong (USMA 1961) and Jim Richardson (16)
P.S. to Jim’s report, your correspondent managed to overcome a storm-induced delay by Southwest Airline and meet with Jim and his co-conspirator, Bill Kraus, for an up-close and personal review of the Southwest region of our class over a light lunch at the Brigantine Restaurant in Del Mar, California. In the photo (left to right) Sherer, Kraus, Richardson.
Annapolis
Classmates witnessed the annual Pipes and Drums December show featuring a Christmas then and now theme and including some re-enactments from history.
Social Scene
From Jim Richardson (16): M “Twenty-Seven San Diego area Classmates and Guests gathered at the San Diego Yacht Club for the Army-Navy Game. We had hoped BGen Jason Morris (Son of John Morris, (7)) could join us, but his duties as Commanding General of the Marine Corps Recruit Depot kept him from making it. Joining us again were Alan & Lynne Armstrong (USMA 1961)”.
In the photo: Seated - Betty Bailey, Barbara Allen, Corky Carlson, Ann Rothwell, Patsy
The Annapolis usual suspects gathered at McGarvey’s in good numbers for a pre-holiday luncheon. The day was rainy, but we were cheered by the free parking for the Christmas shopping season. Joining the group was Captain Jacob Rimmer ’95, LEAD Division Director (and boss of our Leadership Professor Doug Rau ’74). Virginia residents Jim Connell and Bob Fitch came over for the occasion. Second Company won the attendance prize. In the conversation there was discussion about several touching thank you notes received from widows of classmates who died recently. We may be the only class offering memory anchor pins to widows, a gesture that is deeply appreciated. In the photo clockwise starting at left Jerry Smith (8), Dana French (17), Bill Hartman (2), Jim Connell (2), Bob Fitch (6), Bob Giuffreda (2), Doug Rau ’74, Jacob Rimmer ’95, Bill Ciesla (18), Bob Sherer (4), Tim Dugan (12), Jay Bower (14), Ike Cole (5).
With this issue we complete our year-long tribute to our eight sports legends, Joe Baldwin, Joe Bellino, Chuck Davis, Ron (Mugs) McKeown, Tom Mitchell, Curt Norfleet, John Prichard, and Jack Prudhomme. (The series ran from May 2022-March/April 2023. Reminder: you can read and download excerpts from any back issue at the Alumni Association website. The athletes are also listed at the class website myUSNA.com)
John D. “Jack” Prudhomme
Jack Prudhomme was a gifted athlete and a leader within the Brigade. His home town was Tipp City, Ohio. His athletic accomplishments are the more remarkable considering that he
was unable to participate in high school sports due the distance between home and school. At the Academy he participated in wrestling, boxing and field-ball, as well as soccer and lacrosse. He was on the varsity lacrosse and soccer teams for three years. During 1/c year, Jack was co-captain with Dick Stengel of a highly successful soccer team that beat Army and Air Force. He was an All-American midfielder in lacrosse. He was greatly respected within the Brigade because of his athletic, academic and leadership qualities.
Jack chose Naval Aviation and was flying an A-4 Skyhawk from Enterprise, when he was shot down and presumed killed during a strike near Haiphong, North Vietnam.
Jack was unpretentious and a true gentleman.
Life Membership: 76%
Donor Participation: 30.26%
Pres: RADM William C. Miller, USN (Ret.)
Sec’y: Robert Giles
1749 Baldwin Dr., Millersville, MD 21108 p: 301-395-4379; e: robert.giles@gmail.com
Morning Shipmates. This issue is a real emotional stretcher for me. My oldest granddaughter just introduced us to our first great grandson. Seven weeks old and he already has control of his head movements. My prayer for him is that in December of 2043, he will, as Brigade Commander be leading the Brigade of Midshipmen onto the field in Philadelphia, PA to Beat Army. He’s got plenty of time since he was born Dec 7th of 2022. So, Briggs (our legacy child) arrives, and we lose two Classmates and hear from another who is starting all over again.
wedding to Colleen in March of 1963, and we have kept current during the last 63 years. Del knew his Lord and was always available to help others, especially shipmates via his activities as our 9th Company Representative in support of our Class Officers.
The second was Ed Rector a short lean fellow with the chiseled facial features of a superhero who could jump higher than any other Midshipman of our time. I remember he kept me from running for Class Secretary in 1959, then first class year he helped me become the Company CPO under the late Jim Kendrigan, our Company Commander. I guess he didn’t want the job. I guess I was glad to get to do something. Batting 500 isn’t bad. Thanks Ed, Rest in Peace. Ed, as a pole vaulter, helped Navy to Beat Army more effectively than anyone else in the 9th Company in his time at USNA.
Life Membership: 62%
Donor Participation: 28.98%
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
The inexorable passage of time is wearing more heavily on us. We have received the somber news of the recent deaths of eight of our classmates. They are noted briefly below. Please be sure to read their obituaries and other information about their lives and careers in the Last Call section of our web site.
Charles F. Helsper passed away on 17 December 2022. We do not have contact information for his next of kin.
George R. Leever died on 22 December 2022. George’s widow, Barbara, can be contacted at 2714 Tannenbaum Road, Drasco, TN 72530.
Donald E. Grant passed away on 22 December 2022. Don’s sister, Cathy Weir, can be contacted through his stepson, Tyler Nokes, at 1622 SW 25th Street, Redmond, OR 97756.
Bruce D. Alitt died on 23 December 2022. His widow, Barbara, can be contacted at 10504 Sea Palms Avenue, Las Vegas,NV 89134.
James K. Williamson died on 28 December 2022. Jim’s widow, Audrey, can be contacted at 6419 S Miller Way, Littleton, CO 80127.
The funeral service was right out of the Church Official Clergy Manual, but it was a perfect fit for Del, and was well received by all. Brooks Mancini and Alan Fulton flew in from California and Florida respectively.
I am including this photo so you can see that Walt and Pam have survived his physical struggles and looks good to go. We are pleased for you Walt, and thankful you have a marvelous caregiver in PAM.
James P. Newberry died on 4 January. Jim’s daughter, Julie Newberry, can be contacted at 6965 Hillwood Circle Dallas, TX 75248.
Richard F. Kleinfeldt passed away on 8 January. Rick’s widow, Lynne, can be contacted at 195 Montgomery Lane, Springboro, OH 45066.
Richard W. Buelow passed away on 18 January. We do not have contact information for his next of kin.
The first to go was one of my Bancroft Hall Wives Del Hunt. I know, I do not revise history. That was the Midshipman jargon for roommates of our day. Del Hunt was from the beautiful Prescott, State of Arizona, and he always had a handy photo calendar of the State to prove it. He was also my close friend. He traveled from Arizona to the Chapel to be in my
Adding to our sorrow were the deaths of two Class of ’63 wives.
Elnora “Babe” Price, widow of our classmate Robert Price, passed away on Monday, 21 November 2022. We do not have contact information for her next of kin.
Linda Zimmerman, wife of our classmate Sherwood Zimmerman, died on 30 November 2022. Zimm can be contacted at 705 Nevins Place, Cary, NC 27519.
Pete Soverel shared this remembrance of Don Grant:
M On 13 January, I attended the memorial service for our class-, company-, and roommate Don Grant. Don died, suddenly and unexpectedly, in December. As many of us already know, Don was a Renaissance man – intellectual, nuclear submariner, Army jump qualified, private pilot, commercial pilot, instructor pilot, engineer, fly fisher, and so on.
Whatever Don did, he was all in. I remember as a firstie, I was confined to Bethesda Naval Hospital with some serious medical issues. My roomies, Don, Ray Kutch and George Emery, would collect my lesson plans, give them to Marion Joy (later Soverel for 60 years) who would deliver them to me at Bethesda Naval Hospital where I was confined for about two months (March-April) First Class year. I worried about the Steam exam since I would have almost no class time between return from Bethesda and the exam. For the first time in my life, I actually studied like mad on the materials that Marion brought me. Back at the Brigade a few weeks or so before exam week and graduation, I took the Steam final – incredibly I finished before the buzzer. Don went down to the Rotunda to get our exam results. Don said, “Steam – go check for yourself.” I did. Don, in his usual low-key manner, noted, “Pete, you sold yourself short for four years here. Don’t do it again.” I’d like to think I haven’t, due in large part to Don’s firm admonition.
More recently, Don has been an enthusiastic supporter of salmon and steelhead conservation and the adventure fly fishing trips we took together. Fifteen years ago, I invited Don to join me on a fly-fishing trip for Alaskan Chinook. Don: “I can’t fly cast.” Me: “I can teach you.” Don: “OK.” For the next 12 years, Don came annually to fly fish Chinook; became an enthusiastic member of the Clark-Skamania Fly Fishing Club; was a strong supporter of the Kamchatka Steelhead Project; and joined KSP expeditions several times. Imagine the Russian FSB’s wondering what we were up to: Don Grant nuclear submariner and me, advisor to two Presidents, conducting steelhead research in the “Evil Empire.” Don loved it.
Don Grant – “On Patrol.” Run silent, run deep, roomie.
Many Southern California members of the Class of 1963 continued their long-standing tradition of watching the Army-Navy game together. Phillip Marsden provided this report.
M Twenty-three of our classmates and friends gathered on 10 December to cheer on a valiant Navy team. Although the underdogs, the Navy team acquitted itself well and almost pulled out a victory in an exciting game. Attendees included Dottie and Bill Hughes, Pattie and Dave Meyers, Dave’s daughter Monica Meyers, Kay and Ted Krohne, Sally and Win Orgera, Gail and Vern Von Sydow, Helane and Jay Roberts, Teresa and Joe Morra, Ron Wills with his son Eddie ’93 and grandson Trevor (‘22 NROTC UW), Donna Kaup, Mike Rubel, Grant Telfer, and Lee Tillotson. The group enjoyed the chance to get together; we look forward to other opportunities to assemble in 2023.
Thanks to both Bob Harper and Jim Ring for sending news about the interment service for Peter Browne at Arlington National Cemetery on 13 December.
M Peter’s ashes were placed with his son Joshua. It was a very fine ceremony to include a horse drawn caisson, a Navy honor guard, a band, a bugler, and a rifle salute. Several of our 1963 classmates were present. The picture nearby, taken at the Army/Navy Country Club after the ceremony, shows Dick Arvedlund, Chuck Maclin, Jim Ring, Bob Harper, and Dick Andrews. John Aucella, Dirck Praeger, and John Kelly also attended but missed the photo op.
MS-stricken classmate Terry Abell) included Mike Cronin, Joel Gardner, Brev Moore, Dave Robinson, Jay Gowens, John Aucella, and Bob. They set the record each year for the oldest average team age and set their final record of 70 years before retiring the team in 2011.
I looked in my Shipmate files and found this photo of Terry’s Team from May of 2006. Pictured are Brev Moore, John and Carroll Aucella, Peter Browne, and Bob Harper.
After the service for Peter Browne
Bob Noted that Peter was a member of Terry’s Team that represented ’63 in several of the challenging Multiple Sclerosis annual bikeathons in Northern Virginia. The team (honoring our
It was good to hear from Bill Sheehan, who sent this illustrated news in early December. M It has been some time since I did an update for Shipmate. My son surprised me last night with an “early Christmas present” and insisted that I open it. So, I did and wore it today. While the picture of the front is not very flattering, it certainly matches how I felt after today’s overtime loss to Army.
Right now, I am sort of an across town bachelor. My wife, Joyce, is in a nursing home due to dementia after she reached a condition that I could not handle at home. I have reduced my outside activities to just my position on the Town of Waterford’s Board of Finance (entering my 20th year on the board), the State of CT’s Nuclear Energy Advisory Council (It only meets quarterly now and by Zoom since COVID started), and being a Lector for my Catholic Church as well as the Chair of the parish Finance Committee (Not a heavy lift since the Pastor and the local bishop make the decisions). Joyce and I will celebrate our fiftieth wedding anniversary in May of 2023, assuming both of us live that long. She still recognizes me but sometimes I am not her husband. Her one connection to reality is her dog, CHAOS (for what he caused when he was a puppy), a ten-year-old Shi Tzu. We visit her every day and anything I do is planned around that visit Our 60th Reunion Committee is already working to prepare a grand weekend for us in Annapolis the weekend of 19-22 October. Put that on your calendar now. We’ll enjoy seeing you among us then!
’64Life Membership: 65%
Donor Participation: 28.03%
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
Website: www.usna64.org
It was bound to happen sooner or later; in spite of what he believed to be adequate protection, your humble correspondent’s emails were hacked in mid-January, resulting in loss of all Email records from 2016 on, including the “Future Column Fodder File”.
Accordingly, anyone who might have previously submitted column material and photographs, which have not been published, are entreated to re-submit – please! Any such re-submittals are guaranteed to receive top publication priority.
For future consideration, be advised Carbonite File Protection, in spite of all the hoopla, does not include the Microsoft Outlook App (Now they tell us!).
In December, a number of classmates participated in yet another Carney (DDG-64)
event. Former Class President Bill Natter and honorary classmate Gini Natter, who we all know has very close sentimental ties to Carney, have continued to maintain close contact with our class namesake ship’s crew, particularly since she has recently returned from her multi-year Spanish deployment.
During these discussions, Ginni and Bill focused on the next opportunity to present our annual award to the ship’s junior officer selected by the ship’s command crew. These discussions resulted in the class receiving a special invitation to the ship’s Christmas party, during which our awards would be given.
Accordingly, on the night of 12 December 2022, Bill and Gini joined the Carney crew accompanied by Betty and Bob Bell, Penny and John Klein, Pat and John Palombi, Debbie and Bob Springer, June and Bruce Taylor and your humble correspondent’s amazingly accommodating spouse, Florence, at an elegant Jacksonville hotel ballroom for a wonderful banquet featuring prizes, dancing and good company.
They were also joined by LTJG Maddie Maguire, ‘20 (his Honor Bernie’s granddaughter) and her escort LTJG Hunter Woods, ‘20, both of whom recently earned their Naval Aviator “Wings of Gold”. They are currently stationed at NAS Jax expecting eminent deployments to a Whidbey Island, WA P-8 squadron.
The highlight of the evening occurred when the Natters presented our Class of 1964 Junior Officer awards to LT Jarrett Patterson and LTJG Clyde Parker.
In presenting the awards, Past Class President Natter talked at length about ’64’s wonderful decades-long relationship with the ship and the ceremonies associated with our annual Junior Officer Awards. Bill recognized the Palombi’s excellent multi-year hosting efforts prior to her Rota deployment as well as those of Lizzie and Jim Ounsworth who annually traveled from their home in France to host the award ceremonies in Rota where Carney was home-ported.
We received a nice note and accompanying photo from John Dalton where he and Margaret recently joined their son Chris in Dallas for an SMU game and took advantage to travel to Ft. Worth and visit with Walt Kessler John reports Walt’s doing well and currently undertakes volunteer ministry activities at St. James Trinity Episcopal Cathedral.
Jim Craven sent in a nice photo of Ted Triebel at the mid-January wedding of his granddaughter Hannah - the daughter of Ted’s late son Tobin. The festivities took place at Playa del Carmen, Mexico. (We’re guessing Capt Ted was too shy to send it in himself!)
According to Jim, Ted told him the 2,000-mile flight to Playa del Carmen was well worth it as the resort and hotel were very classy and totally accommodating. Of course, Hannah’s dad Tobin was sorely missed. Hannah’s mom, Sue, walked her daughter down the aisle and read a poem Tobin had written to her when they were first married. Lots of tears, followed by a truly joyful ceremony.
We close this month with a self-explaining group picture Andy Thompson sent of the DC Metro Gang.
Andy did include a list of attendees which, unfortunately, was lost in the aforementioned hacking. Your humble correspondent considered bothering Andy for the list, but what the hell, you all know each other by now!
Fair winds and a quartering sea, classmates ’65
Life Membership: 64%
Donor Participation: 53.10%
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
Gone to their Great Reward since the last column. Art Wittg, Jim Carroll, and Joe Favaro.
From Jim Minderlein, 12 Dec
Charlie Morrison. Art graduated from the 22nd Company. He was a frequent attendee at many of our class lunches at McGarvey’s. An S-2/S-3 pilot during the Vietnam conflict, I got to know Art or “Tex” very well when we were both NJROTC Instructors - he at Calvert High School and I was at Northern High School. He did a great job with his unit - they were always well-prepared and he introduced his Cadets to many aspects of the Navy and the Marine Corps. A sad day and Art will be sorely missed. Please keep his surviving wife, Joyce, in your prayers. Jim
Phil Ferrara provided a photo from Art’s 17 Dec funeral in Prince Frederick, MD. Attending were: Bob Sullivan, Rich Harden, Charlie Morrison, Skip Shealy, Phil and Linda Ferrara, and Ed and Sharry Linz. Jim can send you, if you wish, a lovely tribute to Art, written by Joyce, and you’ll find more details on Art in the “Last Call” section.
career auditor following his Naval service. A service for Jim was held in Flowery Branch, GA on 20 Jan with a private interment following. Please keep his wife of 55 years, Jean, their two daughters and their grandchildren in your prayers during this difficult time. And check this or a future Last Call for more details on Jim’s life and career.
From Jim Minderlein, 12 Jan
M It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of our classmate, Joseph Dominic Favaro. I received an obituary from the USNA Alumni Association this morning. Joe graduated from the 2nd Company and is the sixth of twenty members of that Company to pass away. Joe served as an A-6 pilot, including three Vietnam war tours. He retired after 24 years of service in 1985 after which he built several successful businesses, including Nogalitos Gear and Southwest Automatic Parts. Joe’s service has already been held. Please keep his surviving wife, Norma, and Joe’s family in your prayers at the start of this New Year. And check this or a future Last Call for more details on Joe’s life and career.
Ted Nanz reported on 20 Dec on Jack “Skip” Moore’s funeral held on 19 Dec at USNA. It was an impressive inurnment ceremony in the Columbarium with Marines in full dress uniforms standing alongside the columbarium, folding the flag and presenting it to his family. In Saint Andrew’s Chapel Jack’s son, Ryan, gave a heartfelt unvarnished eulogy. Attendance was about half classmates and half relatives. And Phil Ferrara, of course, was there and took some photos.
‘65ers in attendance included: Ed Linz, Jim Stark, Sam Dutrow, Frank Peterson, Ted Nanz, Bob Andretta, Charlie Morrison, Phil and Linda Ferrara, Sonny Harrison, Larry and Pat Eggert, Jeff and Deirdre Gaugush, Clyde Bingham, Melanie Gness, John Bishop, Doug and Sharon Katz, and Doug Norton.
From Jim Minderlein, 06 Jan
M
It is my sad duty to inform you of the death of our classmate, Arthur Walter Wittig. I just received the notification below from
M I regret to inform you of the death of our classmate, James Michael Carroll. I was just informed of this by our Alumni Association. Jim graduated from the Third Company and was the Company Sub-Commander for the Fall Set. He is the 8th of 22 graduates to pass away from that Company. Jim went Supply Corps for five years after graduation and became a
From George Stewart, 21 Dec
M I just got a call from Herb Barnett. He informed me that his wife, Fran, died suddenly on Sunday, 18 December, after a short illness. I was Herb’s best man at their wedding 57 years ago, shortly after our graduation. Herb asked that I notify the other groomsmen who were in
his wedding; Fred Berthrong, John Bloomer, Fred Vogel, C.M. Wood and Joe Faltisco. I’m aware that not all of our classmates subscribe to the groups, so I’m asking that any 65ers who may have contact with any of the above-named guys, please pass the word to them. You can also contact Herb at herbert_barnett@bellsouth.net.
Anson Burlingame, via emails to Ted Nanz and me, indicated that his wife, Janet, suffered a stroke and died within 24 hours, peacefully, on 05 Jan. Janet had suffered long-term from many physical and mental issues beginning 12 years ago with slow but increasing disability until her death. She married Anson in late 1999 in Joplin, MO. Together they were blessed with 23 years before her passing. She lived her life to the fullest and shared her love and passions with her family and friends all her life. She will be sorely missed by all who loved her.
Now on to some happier news. However, I hate to have to do this, but due to an inundation of classmate reports and photos, I’ve had to prioritize what follows. I’ve given priority to classmate inputs that were not postings on our Wardroom eForum. If you’re reading this and not part of that great source of classmate stories and thinking, I highly recommend your contacting Lee Mager at lee.mager@gmail.com who will get you subscribed. I’ll hopefully get to some of the eForum reports later when I’m not trying to reduce 8400 words and 14 photos down to 1600 words and 4 photos!
Pete Seibert checked in on 12 Nov with a report of his and his wife Midge’s hosting a Class of 1965 Northeastern mini-reunion in the guise of a barbecue at their home in Wellesley, Mass. in September. Attending were five classmates, including Pete, Steve Chubb and his wife, Patricia; Brian Doherty and his wife, Lydia; Bart Jealous and his wife, Deborah; and Tom Colyer and his wife Andrea. Pete did a fine job in his report, updating us all on the status and activities of these attendees. Alas, too much to squeeze in here. As for Pete, he has only just retired a year and a half ago after nearly forty years in the financial advisory industry following, several years in the consulting business, an MBA degree and five years on active duty in nuclear submarines followed by 23 years in the Reserves. For updates on all these guys, please contact Pete at pkseibert@comcast.net or contact me.
The USNAAA, on 07 Dec, emailed out Issue Nr. 1 of “From the Bridge”, featuring none other than Jim Minderlein and Jeff Beard, USNA’72 on their successes in fundraising. If you’d like more info on this, please check out this link - https://www.usna.com/support /from-the-bridge-a-tale-of-two-classes-minderlein-beard?erid=935dbc33-0a6a-4ed6a226-98d81a937e3b&trid=935dbc33-0a6a-4 ed6-a226-98d81a937e3b Or if that link’s too long, contact me and I’ll forward you the email.
My ol’ Roomie, Rick Rickard, reported on 10 Dec on the Bay Area ’65 Army-Navy party held
at the home of Ron and Sue Wecht. Despite the outcome, they had a fun gathering! In the photo, L to R, are: Mike Malone, Ron Wecht, Doyle Borchers, Wayne Goodroe, Chip Allen, and Rick Rickard. All in appropriate B-robes!
On 05 Jan Ted Nanz alerted us that our ’65 Lucky Bags is online! He got this notice from USNAAA. All the ones up to the Class of 1970 are available. Enter this link into your Browser: https://usna.primo.exlibrisgroup.com/discovery/collectionDiscovery?vid=01USNA_INST:01 USNA&inst=01USNA_INST&collectionId=8110 1730500006751. Or contact me and I’ll email the link to you
Matt D’Amico on14 Jan posted a bunch of great gouge on VA health care and caregiving support. Contact Matt at mjdamico1965 @gmail.com for this info, or contact me and either of us will forward it to you.
M On 10 December several ’65ers gathered to cheer for a Navy victory at the home of Sted and Robin Garber. Alas, a Navy win didn’t happen, and we discussed a thousand recommendations for how to do it better. Lots of angst and head shaking, but it was what it was as someone said. A good time was had by all, and we’ll look forward to next season, albeit with many changes. Beat Army!
From GG Marshall, 27 Jan M Paul is continuing to recover and recuperate at home. We are doing physical therapy routines and working to get stronger. Praying for warmer weather to encourage outdoor activities. Paul is continuing to have issues with his right eye. Doctors still encouraging patience. We are very grateful for the prayers and communication from all. GG
Conrad Best, on 18 Jan, posted an email with a filtered version of the fantastic ’65 Class Directory (Excel version). It’s been filtered by youngest classmate down to oldest classmate. If you’d like a copy, contact Conrad at ccbest@verizon.net or me. I can also give you the original Excel (alphabetical version) put together by Wayne “Bull” Durham ages ago and last updated in 2017.
Finally, Jim Minderlein reported on 21 Jan about USNA’s Plankowner Campaign and all of our classmates who ponied up to be these generous plankowners. The great class of ’65 raised $491,000 dollars from 97 classmates. If you didn’t get this info, please contact Jim at jimm65@verizon.net.
I carried over lots of stuff to the May 23 Shipmate. Hopefully, if you didn’t see your input here, you’ll find it there.
Thazzit, Guys! Aloha, Dave
Life Membership: 66%
Much, much more from Mitch Henderson in the last two months on this super on-line health support group he’s founded and managing. You’ve read about that in previous columns, but Mitch has done a lot of enhancements and finding collaborators among other classes and with USNAAA. For more info, contact Mitch at dace222607@gmail.com or contact me.
Jim Minderlein reported on 28 Dec about the latest Class Presidents meeting in Annapolis. He has a link to a YouTube video of it if you’re interested - https://youtu.be/ yWcwANcIoWQ At the end of the meeting, Jim presented to Mitch Henderson a faux bronze Class Crest for his superb work on his Health Care Initiatives to assist our classmates with their health care needs for various diseases
Donor Participation: 29.03%
Pres: VADM John “Scott” Redd, USN (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
Spring will arrive soon, and I hope everyone is experiencing some warmth. Colorado has been cold and snowy, and as I write this article in mid-January the 13 inches of snow from two weeks ago is still around and 8-10 more are slated for the next two days. I love Colorado. Whoopee!!!. There is much news to relate so I’ll get to it.
The GONZALEZ (DDG-66) Leadership Award ceremony was held aboard GONZALEZ on 2 November 2022. Presiding for the Class was Class President, Scott Redd. His remarks are provided on the Class web site, usna66.org. The awardees were BM1 (SW) John E. Monroe, USN and LT Eryn N. Stockdale (’17). The award letters are also posted on the web site with several pictures. Classmates attending are pictured L/R: Charlie Votava, Chuck Grutzius, Bob Titcomb, Charlie Pfeifer, Scott Redd, Pat Muldoon, and Rob Ploeger. Thanks to Donna Redd for taking the picture.
We have lost six Classmates since my last writing. Most passings have been announced via Class-wide email. Jerry Kerr (33rd Co.) died on 26 October 2022. He will be buried in the New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery, possibly this summer. Nile Vail (6th Co.) died on 21 November 2022. Nile’s ashes will be combined with his late wife Dee’s with half to be scattered in the Pacific and the other half in the Atlantic, in memory of their shared sailing trip around the world. Jack Jewell (10th Co.)
died on Christmas Day 2022. Scott Redd reports that a warm celebration of life service him was held on 7 January 2023, in McLean, VA. Despite the cold weather there was a good ’66 turnout with some coming from far away. ’66 attendees included Mary Ann and Carl Fulford, Peggy and Mike Kelly, Jan and Carl McCullough, Kathy and Robert Percival, Tina and Bob Branco, Pete Bernier, Bill Gaffney, Don Jackson, Sam Marrone, Jim Williford and Donna and Scott Redd. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery on a future date. Paul Copenbarger (12) died 6 January 2023. Matt Herbison (17) died 30 December 2022. Jerry Knott (34) died 14 January 2023 while starting a vacation in Mexico. Emails were sent with details for all. Please keep all their families in your prayers.
Jack Drake sent the following write up of the Class of 1966 participation in the 2022 USNA Homecoming Golf Tournament, held in October 2022 at the USNA golf course.
M “We were referred to as the “senior statesman” of the tournament as the oldest Class fielding a team. Our goal, as always, was
to shoot 66 or less in the scramble format. We were competitive but slightly less-so than last year when we finished with a 64. In 2022, our team, consisting of Don Eshleman, Pete Hesser, Pete Wright, and Jack Drake, shot a combined 67 on the par-71 course. We hope to be better next year; we certainly will be older.”
Thanks, Jack. You guys look good.
Charlie Jones sent the next photo to document the Thursday, 1 December 2022 Class Breakfast gathering at Eggcellence Brunchery in Annapolis, MD. Nine Classmates; Charlie Jones, Robert Percival, Rodger Carter, Scott Gordon, John Posoli, Don Jackson, Jack Drake, Steve Niss, and Jim Long participated.
Tom Eubanks provided the following thoughts regarding the decommissioning of HUE CITY (CG-66).
M “I had not previously attended a decommissioning ceremony. It was a unique and moving experience, especially to “bookend” HUE CITY (CG-66), having commissioned her, and then to serve as the guest speaker at her end of active service 31 years later. Many Classmates, plank-owner shipmates, and Marine veterans of the Hue City battle were in attendance, making it a mini-reunion for each group, most of whom were also at the 1991 commissioning ceremony in Pascagoula. She was a special ship, the only US Navy ship named for a Vietnam battle, and leaving only GONZALEZ (DDG-66) - named for a Vietnam Medal Of Honor recipient from the Hue City battle - to carry forward the battle’s legacy and our Class numerals.
I’m not sure who shows the most wear in the accompanying photo, the vessel, or her first CO. Coincidentally, Pat Muldoon did the same just weeks earlier, when he participated similarly in the decommissioning of WHIDBEY ISLAND (LSD-41), nearly 38 years after he served as her first CO.”
Thanks, Tom.
Clay Spikes visited Joan and Allen Sears in San Mateo, CA on 15 December 2022. Al and Clay played nine holes of golf, and later enjoyed lunch together reminiscing about days at the Academy. Pictured are Clay and Al and Joan, Clay, and Al.
multiple rounds of voting, and resulted in you being part of the 12th USA Triathlon Hall of Fame class and one of 58 in our history to have been so aptly named. It clearly signifies the impact you have made on this near 50-year-old sport.”
Frank was stationed in Hawaii as medical officer for DESRON 33 at the time. He had learned to do long distance running in medical school and, even though he only heard of the race about two weeks before it occurred, thought he could probably do it if he slowed down enough. No one could have predicted that this “silly” race could ever become what it has. Frank is currently creating an app to help others to improve their heart fitness. Induction will be in Milwaukee, as part of Nationals, the first week in August 2023.
Congratulations Frank! Well done. That does it for March-April. If you are in the DC Area in May, the Class luncheon will be held in Annapolis. Check the Class website for details and location. Local Classmates will receive an email. In the meantime, everyone stay healthy and safe. Until May...All the best...Mike!!! ’67
Life Membership: 76% Donor Participation: 43.11%
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
Jack Parry received news from Jim Buchli that Bob Holihan had passed away on 4 December 2022. We have received no other information except that his interment was to be at the Beaufort National Cemetery, Beaufort, SC with family in attendance. The condolences of ’67 go out to Jean and the family.
Jack also heard from Ed Meintzer that Kay, Ed’s wife of 55 ½ years passed away at home surrounded by her family on 17 January 2023. Arrangements are not yet known. Kay and Ed were special to him, Jack said. He had been Best Man in their wedding in Chicago in June 1967.
Waring, Eleni (Chip) Allen, Jennifer Gartner Maurin, sons Nicholas (Nancy) Samaras, Richard (Lorrain) Gartner, a brother, and seven grandchildren. Burial services with Military Honors will be at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorial contributions be made to St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church, 2504 N St. Mary’s St., San Antonio, TX 78212 (www.stsophiagoc.org)
Michael Cathey’s heartfelt tribute to George:
M I wanted to pass on something to you, our Marine Classmates, about our little giant of a Marine. George was a dynamo, always full of enthusiasm. He was a member of 5th Platoon of our TBS class under the guidance of his Staff Platoon Commander, Fred Fagan ’64. He chose artillery and went off to Fort Sill along with Dave Vetter, Pat Howard, Mike Shields and maybe some others I’ve missed. George and I along with four other young Marines were drafted to attend Aerial Observer (AO) training at MCAS New River near MCG Camp Lejeune. We flew in Huey’s and the relatively new OV-10 Broncos to learn calling supporting arms, tactical photography, navigation, fire support coordination and other stuff I don’t remember. George and I and some others caught a commercial flight to Okinawa in early July 1968 - George went to Third MarDiv and I went to First MarDiv. George spent ten years on active duty and ten years in the Reserve. He was one of a kind, we won’t see his like again.
Rick Poole sent us a small world story:
Frank Day emailed to tell me that he was informed he had been selected for induction into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame. The citation read as follows.
M “Congratulations on your induction into the USA Triathlon Hall of Fame! You are being inducted into the Hall of Fame along with your fellow original 12 Ironmen. All of you were the genesis of a movement that became a sport, an Olympic event, and an engine of fitness and technical innovation. As you probably know, this is one of the most coveted awards given in our sport. The selection process started with your nomination in the fall of 2020 with 60 other qualified candidates, continued through
Michael Cathey passed the word that George Samaras died on 6 January 2023 as a result of glioblastoma. George was a bona fide Annapolitan, having been raised here and graduating from Annapolis High School. After a year at The Citadel, he joined us at Navy and became a Marine after graduation. George was an artillery officer in Vietnam, and also rode the back seat of OV-10s calling in supporting fires. His family called him a “Texan by Choice” after he relocated to San Antonio for executive roles at Church’s, Popeyes and Hartz Krispy Chicken before leading the acquisition of Wingstop and serving as CEO. George is survived by his wife of 41 years Jeanne of Fair Oaks Ranch, TX, daughters Elizabeth (Rich)
M We were in Sarasota, FL (74 degrees, blue sky). I was checking in for an aquabike (swim/bike) race and started talking to a gentleman who looked to be about my age wearing a NAVY jacket. He formerly was Commander of the Navy Recruiting Command in New York. As we talked, he gave me a challenge coin that had an image of John F. Kennedy with the following words circling the perimeter: “Any man who may be asked in this century what he did to make his life worthwhile can respond with a good deal of pride and satisfaction, ’I served in the United States Navy!’” He said he gave one to each recruit. I thanked him and asked if he knew where and when JFK spoke those words. He did not. As you know, they were part of the address to the Naval Academy Plebe Class of 1967 in Tecumseh Court in August 1963, three months before JFK was assassinated. I told him a picture of JFK speaking and the text of the speech are included in the 1967 Lucky Bag. It was a great moment for both of us.
And the West Coast Legends gathered at Pete Phelps’s vast estate in Alpine, CA for an Army-Navy watch party. Here’s the visual evidence courtesy of Bob Lang (as always).
Front row: Lew Madden, Bruce Wright, Steve Fisk, Gordon Pettus, Mia (Pete’s dog), Pete Phelps. Back row: Bob Lang, Budd Goodwin, Poopie Schear, Warren Millard, Rich McNeal,
Now the story that goes with that photo is that Pete decided that even though he had numerous TVs inside and outside his house, none were deemed to be big enough for his guests to watch THE GAME properly. After trying to rent a big one and being snatched violently back to the 21st century where nobody rents commodities like TV sets any more, he happened upon the answer at COSTCO. There was a Samsung 65 inch, 4K UHD TV with everything!, new for $450! So he bought it. It was not established whether it was a lack of wall space for another TV or flash of parsimoniousness that led to this next, but in an attempt to recover his cost, he sold $20 raffle tickets to all and sundry with the TV as the prize. Pete’s exact words (caps in the original): M AND NOW, EACH OF YOU WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO OWN THE VERY SAME 65 INCH TV WHERE YOU SAW NAVY BEAT ARMY AT MY HOUSE ON 10 DECEMBER 2022 AMONGST ALL OF YOUR FRIENDS!
The winner’s grandkids will love visiting grandpa again; grandma will love watching talk shows in almost full size and in HD; and, once again, you will be able to read the numbers on the players jerseys. Or, as a last resort, you could re-gift this magnificent token of “American” technological superiority to someone else for Christmas – and be a REAL Santa! I guess everybody bought a ticket, and Pete probably broke even so he wouldn’t have to declare the income on his tax return. Even Dave Church got into it somehow, but he didn’t win. Turns out the winner was Gordy Pettus. I can only assume he’s been thoroughly enjoying his new acquisition since to the best of my knowledge, nobody has heard a squeak from him since.
Now see what happens when you don’t send me stuff and leave me on my own to embellish without adult supervision? (Pat’s downstairs ignoring me!) So we’ll close it out
for this time. Send stuff. You shouldn’t oughta leave me on my own!
Life Membership: 62% Donor Participation: 28.90%
Pres: CAPT Gary A. Storm, USN (Ret.) 2725 Cabernet Ln., 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
Website: www.usna68.com
Two years ago, I related Jack Rose’s work as a member of a congressionally mandated commission that developed legislative proposals to prevent the steady growth in veterans’ suicides and improve their mental health care. Jack has long been an advocate for improving mentalhealth care programs. Coupled with his Navy career, his expertise added an important dimension to the commission’s work. Several of the commission’s recommendations were signed into law in 2020.
The story did not end then. Jack confirmed recently that additional provisions in the commission’s final report were incorporated in the FY 2023 “Omnibus” Consolidated Appropriations Bill signed into law in December. They cover a wide range of veterans’ health-care issues. The beat goes on.
Jack continues to serve as an alderperson for the 15th district in Kenosha, WI, and in other public-service organizations. Although he has backed off his long-distance running, he walked a Turkey Trot in November and pedaled his bike for an astonishing 2,765 miles in 2022—further confirmation of Newton’s first law that an object in motion tends to stay in motion. Rubber side down, Jack!
In other news, Jim Webb’s untiring, fivedecade advocacy to realign the U.S. military’s operational posture in the Asia-Pacific region is bearing fruit. Momentum has grown in recent years in response to China’s increasing military
power. Of the $816.7 billion allotted to DoD in the FY23 defense budget, approximately $11.5 billion will fund investments to improve U.S. force posture in the Indo-Pacific region. Guam and the islands of Micronesia figure significantly in this regard.
Jim’s strategic assessment of the region began in 1974 when he was a defense planner for Guam’s governor. He visited Guam, Tinian, Saipan, and Okinawa to study the U.S. defense posture and authored a 65-page analysis of future U.S. military land requirements. “I came to believe that America’s future presence in Asia should include … a strategy of the interior position,” he later wrote, “where we could shorten our logistical lines, concentrate our force, and still be able to maneuver at will to respond to any crisis or attack in the region.” The strategy was focused along a Guam-Tinian axis to bolster U.S. regional interests.
As a U.S. senator from 2007 to 2013 Jim revitalized efforts to realign U.S. Marine basing on Okinawa. He visited Okinawa and Guam several times, conferring with senior military and civilian officials there and with Japanese officials in Tokyo. I was privileged to accompany him on these visits as his military legislative assistant. Jim proposed sound recommendations to realign Marine units on Okinawa in a way to preserve a strong U.S. forward presence. His proposals were supported by SASC Chairman Senator Carl Levin and ranking member Senator John McCain ’58 and incorporated in the FY12 National Defense Authorization Act. Jim continues to engage on these and related issues as the Distinguished Fellow at Notre Dame University’s International Security Center. BZ, Jim. Keep slugging!
Congratulations to Janan and Jim Kiffer! In early January, their son, CDR Jim Kiffer Jr, USNR, assumed command of Helicopter Training Squadron Eighteen (HT-18) Squadron Augment Unit at NAS Whiting Field, FL. “I have to say it was wonderful to see all the great flight-instructor pilots and their young, squared-away, eager students,” Jim reported. “You hear all the problems in the world, and then you step into this wonderful, positive, and gung-ho environment. It can’t help but lift you up. We are in good hands!” Jim’s son is still flying for United Airlines when he’s not flying with HT-18. Unfortunately, CDR Kiffer’s wife, Jessica, was stranded at an airport for two days
during the airline’s scheduling debacle and was unable to attend the event.
centennial was in 2018, the centennial of Armistice Park was 2022, so November 11, 2022, was a big deal. We visited the following day and, to our delight, met some WW I reenactors who remained after the previous day’s ceremony. One character was so into the subject that he carried battlefield maps of all of France. Coincidentally, I had been trying to gather information on those areas. My grandfather served as a physician in France in the Army Medical Corps during the war. He left a diary of his time in France, but it was lacking in many details. Contact with this gentleman will, perhaps, help me fill in some of those holes.
John Cartwright reported he and Thelma enjoyed a memorable Thanksgiving week reunion with all their children and grandchildren —25 family members in all. “The week started with an overnight visit in Annapolis and a tour of the Naval Academy on Tuesday,” he wrote. Football teammate Dave Church ’67 served as a tour guide. “When we were at the Chapel, our family sang “How Great Thou Art,” which was so beautiful,” John said. Their time in Memorial Hall also brought back memories of our classmates who lost their lives during the war in Vietnam and in the operational line of duty during their commissioned service. In September, Pastor John and his congregation celebrated their church’s 45th anniversary. He hopes to commence construction of a new church this year. Best of luck, John!
Dave Spooner and Marie enjoyed an extended tour of France and Italy in November and December:
M “Our first stop was close to Compiègne north of Paris, the site of the signing of the World War I Armistice. Although the Armistice’s
“We moved on to a French language school near Avignon where we spent two weeks in an intensive immersion (submersion?) course, trying to slow the degradation of all those formerly functioning synapses. Course completed, we drove to Provence, visiting the Roman arenas at Arles and Nimes, the great aqueduct of Pont du Gard, and several of the picturesque hilltop towns in the Luberon mountains.
“We had anticipated continuing into Italy but were waylaid by Covid, putting us back by 10 days. Finally testing negative, we headed for northeastern Italy and celebrated Christmas in Ferrara. With Ferrara as a base, we took in the mosaics of Ravenna, the Medieval walled town of Montagnana, and the magnificent Basilica of St Anthony, and the Giotto frescoes of the Scrovegni chapel in Padua. Details for those who might want to delve deeper are on my blog: https://dopolavoroblog.wordpress.com/
Dave has been working on his Italian professor’s tour group website for more than a year. “They focus on tours of Veneto, Italy, the region north and west of Venice famed for its fine wines,” he said. “The tour leader is first rate, and her knowledge of the Veneto region is unsurpassed. If anyone is looking for a memorable tour of northeastern Italy,” Dave said, “feel free to contact me at dave.spooner@1968.usna.com.”
As reported in my last column, we lost the 25th Company’s Dave Tyler from our ranks 22 December shortly after routine back surgery. He was 76 years old. Please see his entry in Last Call. After graduation and flight school, Dave served as a flight instructor in VT-7 at NAS Meridian, followed by an operational tour in VA-12 flying A-7Es aboard USS INDEPENDENCE
His final tour was with the Recruiting Command in Cleveland, OH.
Leaving active duty in 1978, Dave had a very successful civilian career in computer programming, developing customer relationship management software in his spare time that his company used operationally for more than a decade. He went on as an entrepreneur, establishing and leading several companies developing, selling, and integrating his own software systems. An avid golfer, he regularly joined the annual ’68 golf outing in Florida.
Dave is survived by his wife of nearly 33 years, Teresa; three married children, Alison, Clayton, and Marshall from a previous marriage; two stepdaughters, Alison and Sarah Love, and six grandchildren. Services and inurnment will be at the Naval Academy at a later date.
Class President Gary Storm related how Dave’s loss has left a big hole in our class. “For many years Dave provided support to the class for not only reunions but also for giving all ’68ers a way to communicate with classmates anywhere in the world,” Gary said. “I relied on Dave when we as a class needed to spread the word. His work in support of ‘68 was heartfelt and done gladly. I will miss him as I am sure all of the class will. Rest in peace Dave.”
West Coast Vice President Dick Evert and our 55th Reunion Committee relied heavily on Dave’s support in important ways. “Dave Tyler volunteered immediately to host the reunion website and arrange reunion details through links from the USNA68 website to our unique registration website,” he said. “He provided valuable expertise in designing the reunion format and site records to ensure each registrant retained an accurate record of their individual events and activities.
“The automatic email receipt to each registrant provided a clear record and allowed the registration committee an accurate count to deliver to our reunion vendors. Dave designed a QR code for use in maintaining on
site schedules which we will endeavor to complete. He also published a monthly reunion update for all the class to view our progress. In every way he was instrumental in recording and promoting 55th Reunion activities.”
Yard (good luck finding a place to park!), and if you don’t have an ID card then you can walk onto the Yard and over to historic Worden Field Marines are in charge, so first foot of Brigade Commander on Worden Field will be prompt!!
Take care, Gordo
Life Membership: 59%
Donor Participation: 29.63%
Pres: MAJ Steve Comiskey, USMCR (Ret.)
e: swcomiskey@gmail.com
Exec Vice Pres: Jim “Sandy” Sandberg
Corr Sec’y: Pat Stroop
p: 410-279-4575 ;e: pstroop@hotmail.com
Sec’y: Dr. Steve Hudock
p: 571-419-0290; e: shudock@1969.USNA.com
Treas: Ron Gumbert
4300 Summertime Ln., Helena, MT 59602
e: rongumbert@icloud.com
Website: www.usna69.org
Good morning, ’69 as Heinz Lentz would say. Push-ups, ready…begin!! Vun…two…vun…two!!
As you may have heard, I have taken over as corresponding secretary for the grand and glorious Class of 1969 starting now. First and foremost, thanks so much to Steve “Doc” Hudock for his many, many years of putting out this column…we are so grateful to him for his years of service to this Class. Doc will still be Class Secretary and the Guy in Charge of the Reunions, so you can rest easy he will have plenty to do on your behalf. Also, thanks to Jim “Sandy” Sandberg for relieving me as Executive Vice President…looking forward to his upcoming years of service to our Class.
’69 continues to sponsor 9th company as we have since the mid-1990s when Joe Chopek’s son was the company officer. As EVP, Sandy will maintain contact with the company officer and we will help them out as we can. 9th Company has continued to support the Classes of 1969 and 1984 by manning the grill at each football game.
The Spring formal p-rade schedule has been announced and here it is: Friday 14 April 1600, Friday 21 April 1600, Friday 28 April 1600, and Thursday 25 May 1100 which is the Color P-rade. P-rades are open to the public… if you have an ID card, you can drive onto the
Todd Creekman writes about a visit to the USNA Museum by a couple of classmates and their friend who built and donated to the Museum a model of the brig Niagara: Classmates Bruce Adams and Steve Linder, members of the same model-making guild in Las Vegas, NV, count as one of their friends a fellow guild member, former USAF officer and now commercial airline pilot Jim Twohig. In the period 2015-2018, Jim had constructed a model of the brig Niagara, which Commodore Oliver Hazard Perry sailed to fame during the War of 1812 Battle of Lake Erie. That model won several awards when it was exhibited at the Nautical Research Guild’s 2018 annual convention in La Vegas. Encouraged by Bruce and Steve, Jim offered his Niagara model to the USNA Museum, where it was gratefully accepted to replace a much inferior model in the Battle of Lake Erie exhibit. Because the model arrived and was installed at the museum in the midst of the pandemic, it wasn’t until the summer of 2022 that Jim, accompanied by Bruce and Steve and family members got the opportunity to visit the museum and see the model on display. They were greeted by museum curator Grant Walker and classmate Norm Brown who still works at USNA. Grant, who as a proud USMA grad made this a true joint services event, toured the group around the museum for several hours, pointing out in particular the spectacular model collection of which Jim’s Niagara is just the latest addition. Much credit to Bruce and Steve for helping this project succeed!
Speaking of donations, here is some news about our Class Gift to the new Alumni Center. As of 9 January 2023, 106 classmates have donated over $750,000. For that donation, the Class will have naming rights to the social patio on the East end of the building and a large, separate stone along the main walkway with our Class crest on it. Donations towards the gift will be accepted until our 55th Reunion which will be held Labor Day Weekend 2024; however, the opportunity to be listed as a Plankowner has closed.
Last June Marty Costello achieved entry into the Dressage Foundation’s “Century Club”. This recognition is awarded to North American dressage riders whose age plus the horse’s age equals 100 years, and who successfully complete a dressage competition before a licensed judge at a sanctioned horse show. Century Club status was a long-time goal of Marty’s wife, Wendy. Regrettably, Wendy passed away shortly before she would have been eligible. That inspired Marty to achieve Century Club status in Wendy’s honor. Marty, with no dressage experience, began taking dressage lessons twice weekly though the winter and spring of 2021 and 2022. By June he was ready to compete. Aboard a horse that Wendy had bought for him long ago, “All Zippbarred Up” aka “Junior”, they competed at the “Ride for Life”‘ show in Upper Marlboro, Maryland. This show was an annual benefit for Johns Hopkins Cancer Research - significantly, Johns Hopkins is where Wendy received such excellent cancer care for her final 18 months. Marty and Junior not only competed, but they won their division at the horse show. More than two dozen friends were there to cheer Marty and Junior on, including two of Marty’s sponsor daughters from ’17 and ’18, and Marja Sandberg, wife of Jim Sandberg of 2nd Company fame. Well done, Marty!
Pat and Mary Stroop, Dan and Cindy Johnson, Stan and Judi Bryant, Dennis Yatras and his guest Debbie, plus Dennis’ sister Joni, her husband Ted, and Dennis’ brother Bruce all celebrated New Years on the Outer Banks at an oceanfront cottage rented by the Bryants. It was many days of sea stories, jokes, food, golf, tv football, adult beverages, and of course sitting in the unusually warm sun on the beach. Attached is a picture of the usual suspects.
Again, as you may already know, John Tolmie of 35th company passed away in December. A memorial service is planned for 17 March in Honolulu.
That’s all for this issue. Unless you just want to hear about my life, please send me items for future Shipmate columns by email as listed in the Class masthead above.
Non sibi ’70
Life Membership: 63%
Donor Participation: 24.02%
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, Lots of news this month so let’s get to it.
First of all we have our 7th recipient of the Distinguished Graduate Award!! MajGen Leo V. Williams III, USMCR (Ret.) Now ’70 can boast about our Magnificent Seven!! Please pass your congratulations on to Leo!!
Sound the Last Post
Captain Gary A. Gradisnik USN passed in January. He is survived by his wife Camille. Gary was a native of Milwaukee, WI. His first assignment was to USS Thomas A. Edison (SSSBN610) through three Polaris deterrent patrols and a refueling overhaul. He subsequently completed tours of duty at the Naval Sub Base, Pearl Harbor, USS Greenling (SSN614), and USS Patrick Henry (SSN599), before assuming command of USS Plunger
(SSN595) where he completed two deployments to WestPac and earned the Battle Efficiency “E”, a MUC, and the Pacific Fleet Marjorie Sterrett Battleship Fund Award. He then completed a joint tour as the Navy Operations Branch Head for CinCPac followed by the National War College. He reported to Groton, CT to command the USS Maine (SSBN741). Upon commissioning, Captain Gradisnik assumed Command of the Blue Crew where he set records during the post-commissioning testing. His crew received the highest grades ever recorded for a newly commissioned submarine in the Operational Reactor Safeguards Examination (ORSE), Tactical Readiness Evaluation (TRE), Logistics Readiness Evaluation (LRE) and Mk 48/ADCAP Acceptance Inspection. He was buried at Holy Cross Cemetery.
In December, we lost Frederick “Fred” Roger Clements of Hudson, WI. Fred grew up in New Lexington, Ohio. Fred graduated the Academy with a mathematics degree and then earned his master’s degree in Civil Engineering from Purdue University. Fred earned the rank of Captain in the United States Navy and proudly served for 28 years. His commands included USS Basilone, OICC Guam, and OICC Trident. After retiring from the Navy, Fred finished his distinguished career as Managing Director of Facilities at Northwest Airlines where he met his devoted wife and traveling partner, Faye. Before Parkinson’s disease changed life for Fred, they enjoyed nearly 20 years together traveling, biking, dining and simply having a wonderful time just being together. In his real life, he served as father and coach for his kids, coaching youth soccer and basketball.
Also in December Ernest Stephen Breithaupt, (26th Co) passed away at Accent Care Hospice Services in Cumming, Georgia. Steve was born in Lorman, MS. He began his collegiate studies at USNA before transferring to Mississippi State University, where he graduated with a degree in Computer Science and Statistics. He moved to Houston, where he began a long and distinguished career in Information Technology. While there, Steve married Minnie Evelyn Bible and had two children. After moving to Atlanta, GA in 1987, Steve served as the CIO of several Atlanta-based companies, the Senior Vice President of Technology Solutions Company, and the President and Founder of IT Governance Partners. Steve was an accomplished outdoorsman who spent much of his time maintaining the family farm in Lorman, and worked diligently for Habitat for Humanity, rising to president of Nassau County Habitat for Humanity in his retirement. Steve was active in his Church.
We’ve also been notified of the passing of Ronald Alvi Dockery, of Elizabethtown, KY in November 2020.
Ron was a member of Lincoln Memorial Baptist Church in Hodgenville. Ron’s career as a skilled electrical and mechanical engineer spanned nearly five decades and included work for both the private sector and the U.S.
government for the U.S. Army, Navy and Air Force Corps of Engineers. His work took him and Mary across the globe to Germany for four years, the Azores for three years and Japan for two.
A loving, dedicated father who taught his daughters to love God first and foremost and, secondly, to demonstrate love and loyalty to family, Ron was the notorious King of “Gotchas.” Nothing made him happier than surprising members of the family in special birthday years with costumes, fake photo shoots, mystery destinations and cowbells.
Paul Hurd sends:
M “As you may know, in addition to being a 747 Captain for Northwest, I also was a Travel Writer and Photographer. So, while my crew members were in the hotel watching soap operas in Japanese, I’d be out exploring and photographing the sites. Though I have been retired for almost 15 years, I still have that travel bug. We live on Lake Washington in Bellevue, WA, but my wife, Susan, and I spend 7 months per year on the road. This year we have been on 5 cruises.”
Brock McMunn let us know that ‘70 can be found in Lisbon! Vintage ‘70 Port (250-300 Euros/bottle .... too rich for my humble tastes), and King Hall type
Gleanings: Brenda and Gary Knight send greetings from Southern Maryland. Due to issues with Brenda’s health, about the only social thing they do is meet a classmate and his wife at a local winery on occasional Friday nights to play a board game. Gary continues his activity on veterans’ issues as the Vice Chair of the Maryland Veterans Home Commission. For the seventh straight year he presented the governor’s Veterans Day proclamation to the mayor of Leonardtown, MD. He serves as the secretary of a large local homeless shelter that, in part, serves veterans. He has published his fourth book: Virginia’s Finest containing mini-bios of ten of the best Virginia senators, and his previous three books, Forgotten Brothers, How to Treat a Woman, and Twenty-six Years of Shoe Leather are still selling on Amazon.com.
Bob Viney writes:
the mature audience. And she has provided contacts for us as we have sought a new location for the USS Cincinnati Cold War Memorial. Shelly and I began some careful travelling this year. In March we spent a week at our Hilton Vacation Club resort on Myrtle Beach. In June, we renewed our attendance at the annual USGLC conference in Washington, DC, and then in September, we drove to Pensacola for a reunion of 24th Company. They are a special group and most are still serving their communities in various roles in retirement.”
Another 24th Company classmate, H. Roger Daisley writes:
M “We’ve been living in St. Petersburg, FL for 1.5 years now. We do love it, even in the late summer/early fall, hot “monsoon season.” And yes, it can get a little dicey when there’s a hurricane predicted to make landfall right where you live. But we love the most fair weather, the fact that we are a block from the shore of Boca Ciega Bay and can watch the sunset over the Gulf every night, as the fish literally jump to eat bugs, and birds dive to eat the fish, sandpipers peck along the shore, and graceful, snowy, slow-moving egrets wade in the water – and sometimes dolphins swim in close to shore. We find the flora and fauna here endlessly fascinating.
Debbie and Rob Meyer spent the night in Amarillo en route to Colorado in November. Gwen and Dave Butler met them for dinner and talked so much, they closed the restaurant. The staff gave them special treatment as they wanted to be sure to get on Santa’s nice list.
M “Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays, everyone! I hope the past year has been a wonderful one, and that life has begun to return to some semblance of normal for you and your family in this past year. The biggest piece of personal news happened very early in the year. Shelly and I were married in a 15 minute ceremony at the County Courthouse. I’ve been working to expand the awareness of my book, “American Turning Point: Repairing and Restoring Our Constitutional Republic”. Shelly is in her 7th year as the host of a local cable TV show, “Feelin’ Good”, which targets informational and activity events for
However, it was nice to be able to travel “up north” to Indiana during the peak of the fall season in October. For the most part, we stuck close to home in 2022. Although, I attended the 24th company reunion in Pensacola this past September and it was great to see some folks I hadn’t seen in over 50 years. We saw the Blue Angels and had lunches and dinner together and it was a wonderful visit with folks that shared our late teens with so many years ago.”
Betsy and Frank Grubb are still holding the tennis courts in the Charleston SC area hostage; his 65+ team went to States and were 2nd in their division. And they worked in an eventful trip to Alaska and to the Hudson River Valley where he flaunted his N* shirt at West Point.
Marijo and Skid Heyworth send that they too have started travelling again with a trip to Paris. But he missed getting to his son Lawrie’s Change of Command taking over USS FORREST SHERMAN in Taranto Italy.
Bits & Pieces:
We’ve been contacted by Nicholas Hanson ’11 asking for our help and sharing information with you about “Steel-Hearts.org” a 501(c)(3) nonprofit dedicated to honoring the legacies of the fallen cadets, midshipmen, and graduates of America’s service academies. They offer commemorative bracelets and have raised over $400,000 for Gold Star families. The proceeds from these bracelet sales are donated to a charity of the family’s choosing.
Ring-A-Ding-Ding!
’71Life Membership: 61%
Donor Participation: 28.47%
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/
Spring is here! The “dark ages” are behind the mids. The Yard has very green grass and colorful flowers all along Stribling Walk. There’s a buzz in the air as the Firsties are eagerly anticipating their escape to the fleet where they will assume leadership billets and see the world! The Segundos are eager to be Firsties and lead the Brigade. Those were the halcyon days for us and I expect are so for our current midshipmen!
Army-Navy football game did not work out the way I predicted! I do think our Midshipmen played a good game; however, the Army Knights had two key defensive plays that ruled the game. So, we are on to next year in Boston! I am sure most all know there is new leadership at the football helm. I am looking forward to witnessing the “new” team and watching Navy BEAT ARMY!
Speaking of the Army-Navy game, Lisa and I missed the game for the first time in eight years, not counting the 2020 C19 game at Michie Stadium. We were in Salzburg, Austria helping Lisa’s sister, so a quick trip to Philadelphia was out of the question. Our usual cheering section of Jean and Perry Martini, Peggy and John Morris, and Teri and Dave Vandover were there! I note that Joyce and Dave Laws were also absent from our usual cheering section! Below is a photo of Lisa and me at the fortress overlooking Salzburg, a photo of Joyce and Dave at home, and a photo of our cheering section teammates at the game!
Here’s a note from Phil Williams, our webmaster: M “Duke, Today (17 December 2022) at the Gainesville, GA ‘Wreaths Across America’ celebration, I was honored to represent the Marines. I mounted the Wreath for the Marine Corps.
“I always must plan when I am going to wear my Dress Blues (bought these Blues at TBS in 1971) and get my weight down to 165. Semper Fi / Duces Virum, Phil.”
That’s an excellent photo of a svelte Marine! Most excellent Marine representation!
Lisa and my trip to Salzburg with Lisa’s sister, Valerie, reinforced my closing paragraph below. Now is the time to ensure your loved ones and those close to you know you love them. Now is the time to mend fences, clear accounts, heal old wounds, and generally not have lingering questions or doubts!
Too soon, it is time to close. Please keep our classmates and their families in your prayers for good health, healing when needed, safety in travels, and strength to meet every challenge. Today is a gift - life is precious and too short! 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!
Duke Longworth
Life Membership: 58%
Donor Participation: 29.68%
Pres: CAPT Rick Rubel, USN (Ret.) e: rrubel19@gmail.com
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
Happy Spring to everyone (although it’s only January as I write this). Several members of our Class have been busy on some new and interesting endeavors that would support the needs of many of us as we get a little “longer on the tooth” with the passage of time. More on that as it matures. Meanwhile…
And-One-to-Beat-Army Dept. OK, you studs, try this. From Curt Kemp:
M “It’s been too long since my last input so it’s probably only fitting that I share a bit of old, but fun news for Ann and me. After many years of ocean cruising courtesy of the US Navy, a few months before the COVID pandemic commenced, Ann and I went on a river cruise in Europe together with her brother, sister and spouses. We cruised the Danube, starting in Budapest, Hungary, with stops in Slovakia, Austria, Germany and the Czech Republic. It was most enjoyable and I highly recommend it for anyone who has not done it. The scenery each day was fantastic and the various towns we passed seemed no more than a stone’s throw away. The included photo of the “Man in the Manhole” was taken in Bratislava, Slovakia. (See photo on next page.)
Request permission to come aboard, Sir!
“Ann and I have lived in Leesburg, Virginia since 2007. My most recent vocation was as the regional director for C12 operations in Northern VA, a national organization that works with Christian business owners to help them build thriving businesses based on biblical principles. On 7 June 2022, after serving with C12 for over 10 years, I stepped out of “active duty” in the workplace, 50 years from the start of it all at graduation from USNA. Ann has been a group fitness instructor for many years, and in concert with my change of seasons, she taught her last regular class at the end of May. She had a loyal following who gave her a nice send off. So, now that Ann and I are in the “reserves,” we are doing some visits with family while we discern “what’s next” activities.”
Thanks for the note, Curt. (Folks, your Scribe is accepting photos from anyone else willing to drop for ten.)
Best-Dressed Dept. The ever-dapper
Bill Sheppard passed along the following:
M “Here is a picture from Ebru’s and my Aug 2019 wedding in Ankara. Someone said we needed a picture of “the Captains”. The Rogue’s Gallery includes: George Siragusa ‘75 (apartment mate in Mayport during our Charles F. Adams days), my brother, Bob ‘77, yours truly and Süleyman Bayramoglu, Turkish Naval Academy ‘84 (their class called themselves “Deniz Aslan Sınıfı” - Class of Sea Lions).”
M “We had our 50th reunion last October, and it was great! Since then, I’ve been sorting out some of the highlights and thought I’d jot them down for the record. My memory is as sharp as ever…
“At the reunion, the greatest sensation is walking the halls of the hotel or around the yard, or at the stadium, knowing you’ll soon run into some memorable figure from your past. If only you can remember his name! I saw company mates, friends who played music in the NA-10, classmates from nuclear power school, first ship (USS LONG BEACH), and others who heard about over the length of a career and here they are now, while waiting for the bus, telling you about commanding a replenishment squadron in the Persian Gulf.
“The schedule allowed for lots of free time, mostly spent walking the grounds. The place is well maintained and I saw no evidence of spray painting the grass. I’m amazed at the new buildings, and at the disappearance of Isherwood Hall. Where did it go? My favorite is Mahan Hall where I like to admire the flags from the War of 1812, and walk up and see if they have yet figured out what to do with the old library reading room. Looks like it’s available for rental. Outside, there’s a proliferation of benches, plaques, and clocks bearing the names of people and companies. I do have a sense of pride that, at USNA, buildings are named after heroes and not financial donors (however useful that might be).
“I made a pilgrimage to Memorial Hall to look up at the list of those from my father’s Class of 1935 who died in combat, including my namesake LCDR Thomas Sharp, who never returned from sub patrol.
“The Supe, VADM Sean Buck, gave a presentation to get everyone up-to-speed, a highlight for sure. I had served with him on the TR, CVN-71, in the early ’90’s. I was interested in his comment about the change in philosophy on discipline. In the past the motto was “run them out.” And now reason prevails as they do all they can to help mids succeed.
“A parade on Worden Field, but sadly no 32nd Company since they now stop at 30. And a football game! I had a few memories of Danny Pike up the middle, but we won it in the end. I nearly lost my hearing from the mega speakers at the north end of the field, but it was worth it. Check out that fine plaque that salutes the Cold War Warriors of the Class of 1972. The parties were well organized, the food was great, the big tent was fun. And, in the parking lot, Al Olsen nearly scared me to death, revving up his brand-new candy apple red Corvette.
to make things happen. Thanks to all of our classmates who made the 50th happen; looking forward to the 55th!”
Jeff Beard passes along some good news regarding the results of the Alumni Center Plankowner campaign:
M “The Plankowner campaign, as part of the new Alumni Association & Foundation Center project, wrapped up at the end of 2022 having raised $17 million. It was a big success.
“As I reported at our October Class Reunion meeting, our Class raised about $800,000 from 61 classmates. We have approximately 22 plankowners, and we qualified for Class recognition at a higher level, which can be viewed at: https://www.usna.com/support/ plankowner
“We also earned naming recognition for one of the conference rooms….
“The project finished with over 1100 plankowners, with the Class of ’67 having 115, followed by the Class of ’75 with 80.
“I’m including a list of all of the 23 plankowners from our class, with a request that you review this, and advise me if you think we’ve missed anyone that should, in fact, be included. The criteria is any individual who donated $12,500 or more to the project qualifies as an individual plankowner. 23 of our 61 donors met this criteria, according to our records.
“My thanks to all of you that came through and made this latest campaign a success for the class!”
John M. & Yelena Dillon
John K. & Michele M. Welch
Gary G. & Roberta Groefsma
Nelson M. M. Jones
William L. & Ebru Sheppard
Jeffrey L. & Cecily Beard
Richard T. & Emily Boeshaar
Ray A. & Anne Ritchey
Gerald R. Bodson & Brenda L. Joyner
Thomas D. & Deanna L. Jones
George L. Voelker
Kenneth A. & Holly G. Paul
Webster L. & Linda L. Benham
John J. & Gayle C. Keenan
Rodney K. Womer & Barbara Karplus
Joseph V. & Cynthia K. Bridgeford
Gary M. & Betty J. Hall
Glenn E. & Beth Reitinger
Todd C. & Christine Nichols
Jerome P. & Joan Boyle
Richard M. & Anne P. Gutekunst
Lawrence H. & Carmen E. Kubo
Robert D. & Janet Loeffler
Some thoughts on the Reunion. Thanks to each and every one of you who took the time to send notes of appreciation to the 50th Reunion Committee. This one came from Tom Keithly:
“There was a lot of time together with company mates; great to see everyone and think of those no longer with us, or who were unable to attend. There was a sense that this would be the last great reunion for ’72, something about time catching up with us. But…. I’m making other plans, perhaps just like the approach to retirement itself, that it’s up to us
I would be remiss if I didn’t include the following note from our Class President, Rick Rubel: M “Classmates, the note from Jeff Beard recognizes the generous contributions you made to the USNAAA fund-raising campaign. Not only did we lead all classes in our donations and participation, but we will have a conference room named after our class in the new Alumni Center.
“Thanks to giving back to our Naval Academy.
“I would also like to recognize Jeff Beard, our Vice President for Alumni Affairs. He has exceeded everyone’s expectations in his fundraising leadership efforts and has raised more than any other class. Amazing job, Jeff!”
Closing ranks.
Dick Englund (21st Co.) passed away at home in Chadds Ford, PA on 30 November 2022. He had most recently been employed in the pulp and paper industry. Dick is survived by his daughters, Carolyn Cush and Jenna Tobin; his son, Mark; and his sister, Vicki McNeil. Additional information and a place to leave condolences can be found at: https://msbfh.com/tribute/details/2168/ Richard-Englund/obituary.html#content-start.
Ben Tenaglia (26th Co.) passed away on 9 January 2023. Ben left the Academy prior to graduation, subsequently graduated from Villanova University and had a successful career with numerous financial and investment institutions. Ben kept close ties with his company-mates through the years. I’d like to share the following that I recently received from Steve Tomaszeski:
M “I know you would appreciate this note sent back to me from Ben Tenaglia’s Rotary Club. The takeaway is that Ben maintained strong bonds to our company and class even after being released youngster year by the academic board.
“His loyalty extended to remembering our three 26th Company classmates who have passed (Dan Davis, Art Underwood, and Steve Fisher, see below). We all had maintained contact with Ben over the years. …(He attended our 45th reunion, my retirement, and several GREYHOUND gatherings in the Washington D.C. area. Just an extraordinary bond that was forged in our Plēbe/Youngster years. This put a smile on every Greyhounds’ face…”)
“Dear Steven, and all of Ben’s classmates in the US Naval Academy Class of 1972,
“Please accept our deep condolences on the passing of Ben Tenaglia. It was hard to see his health struggles in recent years, but good to know that family and friends were there to support him.
“He was a special and valued member of Morning Star Rotary for decades, and we will miss him. Ben especially helped by coordinating the club’s 4 Way Test Speech Contest, where high school students relate Rotary’s 4 Way Test (of things we say and do) to situations in their personal lives or social causes:
1. Is it the truth?
2. Is it fair to all concerned?
3. Will it build goodwill and better friendships?
4. Will it be beneficial to all concerned?)
“Morning Star Rotary’s Salute the Troops Concerts raise funds to support Victory House of Lehigh Valley, which helps homeless men get their lives back on track. Over half of their
residents are veterans. Before the annual concert was interrupted by COVID, Ben always recognized 3 Naval Academy classmates in the “In Honor Of” section of the program book (not mentioning his own name). When he did not contact us in fall 2022 to repeat the recognition, we figured that his health would be the only reason. So we included the Naval Academy classmates recognition once again…”. Thanks to Steve for passing that along. Ben’s obituary can be found at https://www. solimine.com/obituaries/Benjamin—MTenaglia-III?obId=26989456#/obituaryInfo. The Class extends its deepest sympathy to the families of all of our deceased Classmates. That’s about it for this month. Keep your nose warm and your toes dry. More to come…
D. O.Tried and True with ’72
Life Membership: 66% Donor Participation: 48.74%
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
Hello Classmates, I hope you survived the Dark Ages and everybody is healthy. Please send on any pictures or stories of your Dark Ages parties. Ninth Company is planning on continuing their long tradition of Dark Ages parties in Hampton Roads. I expect to have pictures etc. in the next edition of Shipmate. In the meantime, I have some news and info to pass on so let’s get to it!
The first item is from Dirk; M “Classmates, Shipmates, Roomies, Brothers, Teammates…we are nearing our 50th Reunion, about six months hence. While some of the activities, festivities, and events are de rigueur, and enjoyable for exactly what they are, I hope you will prepare to seize this special moment and precious few days to appreciate the unique nature of those young men (i.e., you and all of our Classmates) who, contrary to the prevailing political winds of the time, came to the Yard at the height of the Viet Nam War to serve a cause, our Country, and something much larger than self. If we came for a “free” education, we got it a nickel at a time with no Vaseline. We ended up with a college degree in a specific discipline, we left Annapolis with a world class education in what discipline and sacrifice for the greater good surely means, and whatever else happened between 30 June 1969 until hats were tossed on 6 June 1973, we were shaped and molded into the US Naval Academy Class of 1973. Many of us went on to careers in the Navy and Marine Corps…27 Flag officers…Two Distinguished Graduate Awardees…CNO…Head of Navy Air…Desert
Storm leadership…COs of ships, companies, battalions, and more. Some went on to become doctors, lawyers, teachers, preachers, and leaders in industry and commerce. Many have given of time, resources, and talents to family, faith, community, and USNA. All of us answered the nation’s call in 1969. Look around you at all of our fine Classmates in October, 2023. Stop. Breathe. Each individual Classmate, so often made even better by his spouse, is part of who you (and we) are. By 6 June 1973, we became one… a Class of diverse, talented, giving individuals living and acting under the motto “non sibi”. Take it all in. Relish it one more time. We are brothers forever! Non sibi, Dirk ‘73!
Thanks Dirk, Well said.
My next item is from Bill Twaddell and shows you can run into a Classmate anywhere. Bill sent;
M “Hello Jim, this past summer I went on a Rick Steves tour to Paris and the Heart of France. One stop was a place I had wanted to see since I was 14 years old - Bayeux, and the Bayeux Tapestry (which, I learned is not actually a tapestry at all - it’s an embroidery.) That was on Tuesday September 6. The group stayed at a very nice hotel, the Hotel D’Argouges. Later that day, another group arrived at the hotel. Not sure of the sponsor organization’s name, something like the National World War II Monument. I saw a tall fellow wearing a “Navy Lacrosse” cap. Walked up to him and remarked, “I like your cap.” We started talking. He turned out to be Kevin Foskett, 8th Company, Class of 1973. We had a nice chat, a minicatching up of the last 50 years or so of our lives. He went Naval Air, I went Marine Air, which turned into Aviation Supply due to a right eustachian tube dysfunction. (How’s that for a name?) Over the years I have become pretty good at French. Four years at high school and validated two years of university French at USNA. I thought the validation test was quite easy. Took a third year and was picked to participate in an exchange cruise with the French Navy in the summer of 1972. Excellent time. During the pandemic lockdown here in Japan, I reviewed and studied much more. Finished about two years’ worth of study, plus a “French for Travelers” course and now am taking a “Business French” course. All the best to you. Semper Fidelis, Bill
I received some great photos and input from Leif Hendrickson, fellow 9th Company mate and Joe Stewart about the Class of 2023 Service Community Assignment Night. It is a little different than when we did service selection. As I understand it service selection is in the afternoon, then there is a dinner and following the dinner a reception in Dahlgren Hall. About 19 members of ‘73 were at the dinner and Leif was the keynote speaker. There are more pictures on the ALITC section of the class website.
I received more info from John Yackus about his efforts this summer helping Ukrainian refugees. John wrote;
M “Classmate, as promised as this is now time dated out of viability. The war in the Ukraine has hit me rather hard. I am Slavic, 100% Slavic. I volunteered to serve the cause, Non Sibi, and went to the Polish Ukraine border to work at a refugee feeding station in the Polish border town of Medyka. I was about 200 meters from the border and for the next ten days, my recruited retired military and United Air Lines pilot team served over 20,000 meals as part of World Central Kitchen, to crossing refugees. As to not misunderstand the number, twenty thousand meals were served by seven volunteers. I was the soup guy from Seinfeld. 120 gallons of Ukrainian Borscht, every day. Six months later??? I sweat
Borscht. Ukrainian Borscht and not some substitute from the Rusks to this day. After seeing the masses that crossed the border, I have been deeply moved to serve further…Non Sibi…
I was on the border on 30JUN22, some 53 years after our swearing in, in T Court. That day I met members of the organization, NY4Ukraine. Two former Marines from Long Island that were delivering 12 sea bags filled with body armor and helmets donated by NY police authorities throughout the great State… 120 pounds per bag. They carried two at a time and I dragged one at a time. We delivered them to our agents on the other side and while I continued to slop Borscht, they delivered their cargo to Mykolayiv, just in time to thwart the Rusks invasion. The time on the border was emotional… every day I saw my own grandmother, grandfather. I served with a WO5 from a New England National Guard unit and a long time C-141 command pilot, and we were all shaken and reduced to tears a few times per day.
I have sad news to pass on. Judith Ann Slaughter Kelly, “Jude”, wife of Tom Kelly passed away peacefully on 1 December 2022 with Tom, her husband of nearly 50 years and her two daughters, Virginia Reed Kelly and Elizabeth Kelly Milligan by her side. Jude was born on 12 October 1950 and grew up in Reedville, Virginia. She lived life to the fullest everyday with grace, poise and an exuberance. Jude and Tom married in 1973 after Tom graduated from the Naval Academy and Jude from Stratford College. One of Jude’s great passions was gardening and flower arranging and was a member for three decades in the Virginia Beach Garden Club. Please keep Tom and their family in your thoughts and prayers.
A couple of admin notes. I recently switched internet providers. My chap769@yahoo.com address, the one I have used for years is still good, so essentially its business as usual. I say this because apparently
over the years I created several email addresses but if you use the chap769 @yahoo.com I will get it. Another reminder to make sure your contact info is up to date with the Alumni Association so you get the latest gouge on the 50th. Thanks
That’s all the news. The mail buoy is riding high in the water. I am still looking for stories and pictures of our time at the Academy, particularly First Class year and Graduation. Thanks and as always, Non Sibi. General
Life Membership: 59%
Donor Participation: 37.82%
Pres: John Yaeger
Corr Sec’y: Roger McEvoy p: 559-905-7362; e: usna745677@hotmail.com
Those friends thou hast, and their adoption tried, Grapple them unto thy soul with hoops of steel It’s January as I sit here putting fingers to keys, writing my first column since the enthusiastic build-up to THE GAME back in November. I’ve almost recovered. Recovered from the loss, and still trying to cope with the real disappointment of the terrible way Coach Ken’s career as Navy’s winningest coach ended. Sic transit gloria mundi.
I think it is natural to both look forward with anticipation when the New Year comes around, and, at the same time, look back upon the last 12 months, and even the last x-number of years. Neil Rondorf (30th Co.) sent in a great note that bridged the gap between the present and days of Youngster cruise in 1971. Having been on the WestPac cruise with him, it was great re-living the New Zealand and Aussie experience as I read his comments. Perhaps you’ll have a similar reaction:
M Shipmates - Cheryl and I spent a few months “down under” exploring/visiting old friends/ and teaching on addictive behavior and biblical character change in the sister churches down there. I will not take up space with all my photos but wanted to share a few moments that will bring some of you back to Summer Cruise in 1971. We spent 5 weeks in Christchurch (I know - wrong island) but we took a road trip around the island and in the little village of Haast on the west coast I relived a moment from Auckland back in 1971. When the Aucklanders found out we were in the Navy we could not buy a beer in a pub. They insisted on paying for our drinks out of gratitude for WWII. Well, I met a “mature” possum trapper in a small shop in Haast. I asked him if I could ask him some questions about his possum pelts. He got very defensive and hurried from his office with a brusque “What is wrong with my pelts? These are some of the finest pelts in New Zealand”. I retreated quickly and reiterated that I was from the US and was just curious about the
New Zealand possum. He calmed down and I told him I had been in the US Navy and had visited Auckland back in 1971 as my first port stop as a “sailor”. Suddenly he completely changed, and his attitude became reminiscent of the attitude in Auckland 51 years ago. He said, “If it wasn’t for the US Navy and Marines we would have been goose stepping in New Zealand today!” I remember almost those identical words in pubs in Auckland those few years ago.
When we were in Sidney, Australia my son Sean (Army E-7 in South Korea) met us with his family. We explored the city and had a grand adventure. They asked me if there was anything I really wanted to do. Cheryl and I had visited Sidney over the years a number of times so I did not have much on my agenda except one item: when we were in Sydney in 1971 the same pub phenomenon existed and I was “running on empty” (a nod to Jackson Browne). So, I had this idea to get on the train and just go west in Australia to see what happens. I was joined in this reckless behavior by one brave stalwart classmate mind in 3/c Bob Payne. Now if my memory has been faulty for 51 years, I must blame it on excess Foster’s Lager forced on me by grateful Aussies. We rode west until we thought we had time enough for lunch before the return trip to Sydney. We got off the train in a little village, got some lunch and were told we were near the Blue Mountains. Now, years later, I loaded the family onto the train and we headed west. The Blue Mountains have become a tourist and adventurer’s Mecca, fully developed with adventure for all. Here is a picture of my son Sean and his family along with Cheryl in the Blue Mountains with the “3 Sisters” in the background. A moment re-lived from Summer Cruise in 1971.
Thanx Neil, for this submission, and your continuing consideration of your classmates as you travel the globe!
As reminiscing goes, there are certain events that seem to stick out. Events, that in retrospect, make you question your sanity and ponder how you ever got yourself into such a situation. I have a certificate on my wall that recalls one such event. It was 30 years ago this month, and yet, it continues to bond my 8th company mate Doug Foster and me together to this day. The start of 1992 marked a new beginning for Doug. After living in NYC for 13 years as a member of J. Walter Thompson Advertising, Doug was ready to step out of the city, and onto the next step up the ladder in Advertising management. He accepted a job in Dallas, which among other things, meant he needed a car again. When he called me in early December to tell me he had accepted the Dallas job, I knew that was not the reason for the call. I said, “OK, what are you going to get?” He laughed and said, “I’m thinking of going all out.” I asked, “An NSX?” Yep.
Well, the exotic car market was beginning to tumble, so I sent him some ads from the back of one of my car magazines, and he ended up buying an Acura NSX from a dealer in Phoenix. He needed a co-driver to drive the car from Arizona to Big D, and he didn’t have to ask twice. I met him in Tucson, and early the next morning, we pulled onto I-10 and headed east. Now, many of you may not remember the NSX. It was Honda Corps’ first attempt at an exotic sports car. Car & Driver tested it and reported a top speed of 168 mph. Road & Track tested it at 163. Now, Doug and I both being academic jocks, with natural scientific curiosity and the desire to find the truth, decided that driving across the western half of Texas should definitely provide the laboratory required to find that truth.
The certificate on my wall, (and an identical certificate presumably still hanging on a wall in Doug’s home) documents the achievement of that day. I won’t say who was driving the car, and who was playing the scientific observer, but the certificates read:
LET IT BE KNOWN, TO ALL IN HIS PRESENCE, THAT:
DOUGLAS K. FOSTER/ROGER H. MCEVOY HAVING MET ALL REQUIREMENTS, AND DEMONSTRATING HIS WORTHINESS, TO WIT:
On the fourth day of January, in the year of our lord 1992, in Hudspeth County Texas, while navigating Interstate Highway No. 10, as a willing participant and without breaking the bonds of earth or demonstrating his mortality Douglas K. Foster/Roger H. McEvoy exercised extraordinary courage, skill, perception and questionable judgement, which directly resulted in achieving a synergy between man and machine rarely experienced by mortal men. Accordingly, by virtue of this accomplishment, (and those feats having been witnessed and
verified by one Douglas K. Foster/Roger H. McEvoy, who is certified to be of sound mind, body, and equally questionable judgement), is hereby awarded, with all privileges and liabilities implied therein, the full, permanent and exclusive title of:
MEMBER 171 CLUB
The events clearly described, and cryptically implied, in this citation, occurred without assistance, interference, or involvement of any kind by the constabulary of the realm. Accordingly, the Oak Leaf Cluster is not authorized for Valor.
Signed and witnessed accordingly. Classmates. There but for the grace of God…
And speaking of my 8th Company buds, Jeff Kranz sent in the following photo of him and fellow classmates from the Kansas City area, Eric Carlson (11th Co.) and Kyle Martin (26th Co.) as they gathered for their pre-game meal before officially launching their game-watching party in December.
At the same time that photo was being taken, halfway across the country in Cincinnati, our class Treasurer, Earle Babcock (also of 26th Co.) who is the current President of the Cincinnati Chapter of the USNA Alumni Assoc., was toasting a potential Navy victory with former Chapter Presidents Gerry Motl ’68, Tom Schram ’69 and Bob Miller ’70
Would you like to mentor interested students about the opportunities at USNA?
Become a Blue & Gold Officer and contact USNA Admissions at 410-293-1813.
To close out this column, I received a note from Marty Jarosz (25th Co.). It was the first time Marty had contributed to Shipmate, and I was particularly touched by his message, partly in reaction to his comments to the class, but even more so by his note to me in his e-mail. He wrote: “As time passes, I have come to realize how important it is to remember, but so much more important to continue to live and make new memories together.” I couldn’t have picked better words, Marty! His note to us all:
M My life since graduation has been anything but boring. I chose the last “Seat of the pants” flying in the Navy and became a VERTREP pilot in the HC community. I met, married, lived with, and loved an amazing young lady from my hometown, who happened to be visiting someone else at the Academy when we met. Ann and I raised three children who, despite our best efforts, turned out ok. With no handbooks available, we played it by ear and got lucky. Traveling from one coast to the other, then overseas, we lived the Navy life until retirement in 1993.
After retirement and having dealt with the products of America’s public education systems, I joined the ranks of high school teachers. Wanting to utilize my Navy experience, I became a Navy Junior ROTC Instructor and for the next 23 years, taught the fundamentals of Honor, Courage, and Commitment to over a thousand young Americans who understood they needed direction. Serving in the New York City system, our program at Curtis High School rose from obscurity to ranking #2 in the nation for quality of program in 1999.
In 2006, we left New York City for a warmer climate. My beautiful Ann had undergone two massive vascular surgeries with the potential of more, so we needed a place warm and flat and found it in Port St. Joe, FL. For the next 10 years I instructed cadets a little less gruff than New York City kids, but with all the same problems. I also served as a volunteer assistant principal during a 6-year budget crunch. It was a frustrating time, but it saved the NJROTC program which today is flourishing.
Having worn a Navy uniform for 47 years, I fully retired in 2016. We sold everything and took to the road in an old motor home. We had a 10 Year Plan that lasted 15 months. My beautiful Ann passed away in Houston in October of 2017 after complications from her
5th vascular surgery. We had attended the Navy/Tulsa game three days before she died, and Navy won so I know she died happy.
I have since relocated to Annapolis. Ann was laid to rest in April of 2018 at the Columbarium, and I was humbled by all the Classmates who attended to remember this amazing woman and to support me during that special time. About every 10 days, I bring roses to Ann. Buying a dozen, only 3 can fit in the little vase so classmates, on a regular rotation, get a rose. We have 14 classmates in the Columbarium, and I just wanted to let the families know that they are all remembered.
My home is open to anyone visiting. I have two guest rooms to accommodate classmates in need of refuge. Please don’t be strangers. Saturday is the Army/Navy Game, so let’s remember what is important right now.
“GO NAVY! BEAT ARMY!” Thanx Marty.
Next year! Beat Army!
’75Life Membership: 61% Donor Participation: 32.79%
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,
In December, the Alumni Association Distinguished Graduate Award Selection Panel chaired by Admiral Harry Harris ’78 announced the 2023 class of DGs. Congratulations Ron Nicol! Yet another Flower Child who distinguished himself in his career and his dedication to the Naval Academy. Well done Ron. You deserve the recognition by the Naval Academy, the Alumni Association, the Foundation and your classmates.
Here’s a nice photo from Jim Bellard. Jim’s wife Pat and Howard Gutzman’s wife Mary are sisters. The photo was taken during the Gutzman’s annual Christmas visit to Brooklyn from their home in Endwell, NY. The Bellards and Gutzmans are all healthy and thriving. Mary and Howard are retired, but Pat and Jim both continue to work at St. Bernard Catholic Academy. Pat is the Coordinator of Social Studies and Jim is the Security Officer.
In more news from the month of December, Gary Miller accomplished a personal goal that has been a decade in the making. He won his tenth consecutive gold medal at 800m in the Florida Senior Games. As far as Gary knows, no one else has done this, certainly not in the last 25 years. As a bonus, his time qualified him as a 2022 Masters All American. Gary maintains that this achievement was not the result of exceptional talent. Rather it was a combination of perseverance, hard work and more than a little luck. He credits USNA and the Marine Corps for building that the mindset. Gary’s lovely spouse won the 5000m in her age group the day before his gold. It was definitely Miller Time at the Florida Senior Games!
[Thanks to JJ Cuff for the report.]
Dave Duffie joined several other grads at the Hampton Roads Five-Star Luncheon. It is an annual event put on by the local chapter of the Armed Services YMCA (a non-profit whose mission is to support enlisted families). Mike Groothousen got Dave involved with the ASYMCA on the Board of Directors about six years ago. Dave is now the Treasurer for the Hampton Roads Chapter. As a group, USNA 75 is one of the sponsors of the event. Mark Klett and Mike Zeiders individually sponsor each year. For the event, the chapter solicited one enlisted individual from five services (Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) to be recognized for their outstanding achievements in community volunteering. In addition to the recognition for themselves and their families at the luncheon, the awardees received a slew of gifts from various sponsors. It is a great organization to be a part of and a heartwarming event where you get to see the volunteering efforts of these super-star enlisted personnel. In the photo, you can find Dave Penman, George Mayer, Frank Murphy (’74), Jim Thoms, Dave, and Mike Zeiders
Diane and Chris Cikanovich made it to Key West with a few stops along the way. First they enjoyed a great lunch with Julie and Mike Langley. Then they had a superb dinner and overnight stop with Tig Krekel. As always, the best part of travel is catching up with wonderful lifelong friends. The USNA RV group was also on the way down for their annual Key West Come-around. Hopefully we’ll get some photographic evidence for the next Shipmate
Tig and Chick
Living close to that Federal School on the Hudson gives Zach Wilhoit the chance to attend Army-Navy sporting events on “enemy” territory. As the first Army basketball doubleheader of 2023 was on Zach’s birthday, he was treated to court-side seats. After a tough loss for the very young Navy women’s team, he was an eye-witness to an outstanding game from the Navy men’s team! The guys erased a 12-point deficit (down by eight at half time) to take a very hard-fought and physical 77-71 victory. Zach can say he was there when Navy’s Daniel Deaver ’23 earned the #2 spot on ESPN’s Play of the Day with an emphatic block of an attempted Army dunk.
’76
Life Membership: 59% Donor Participation: 30.80%
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/
As we look forward in anticipation to the end of the “Dark Ages” of winter, at least we don’t have to worry about semester finals and being confined to Bancroft Hall. Although, I still have dreams that I am back at the Academy and I am walking towards Michelson and Chauvenet to take a final exam, but I haven’t even opened the book yet. To make the dream even worse, I am not fully clothed...what’s with that?
Here’s a bit of news from a newcomer to our class column, Charles Cvrk (30th Co.):
M The picture is of Doug Fremont ’79 and me in the Garden Tomb area of Jerusalem. I met Doug and his wife Becky on a tour of the Holy Land led by Pastor Lon Solomon (formerly pastor of McLean Bible Church) on his 57th tour of the Holy Land. Doug is a retired nuke submariner living in the DC area. I am retired (last from the Department of the Army HQDA G8) and living in South Dakota with my grease girl, Janet, who did not accompany me. We signed up separately for the tour at lonsolomonministries. com and had never met before. The entire trip was first class from start to finish and we saw and heard about many important sites mentioned in the Bible not to mention present day and everything in between. We gained a strong insight and affirmation of the life and resurrection of Jesus during the tour. It was great to meet someone who attended USNA on the tour.
first opportunity to meet 1-year-old granddaughter Addison and their first time with her 3-year-old brother, Austin, in over a year. The 2-1/2 weeks spent with them included Peking duck dinners from four different restaurants and couldn’t have gone any better.
On a more somber note, in early December they made a whirlwind 2-day trip to Glenville, NY, to attend classmate, company-mate, and former roommate Craig Weber’s funeral mass and subsequent military honors at Saratoga National Cemetery. Craig’s 26th Company classmates honored his memory with a seemingly non-stop exchange of email tributes to one of the smartest and modest guys that they’d ever spent time with. RIP, Craig.
Later in the month, Mark had the opportunity to host USNA Chinese history prof (and former China advisor to SECSTA Mike Pompeo) Dr. Miles Yu at a dinner sponsored by the Charlottesville Committee on Foreign Relations. As a board member of the 250-person organization, during dinner he and Prof Yu discussed changes in the Chinese studies program that had taken place since Mark was a Far Eastern Studies major a mere half-century earlier. And, unsurprisingly, Prof Yu gave a very well-received presentation on the PRC’s recent 20th National Party Congress.
Sing Second!
Type to you in March — but since you’ll read it in May — enjoy Spring!
75 Sir! Larry
From Mark Metcalf (26th Co.):
M The week after Taiwan rescinded its in-hotel Covid quarantine requirements, Mark & Terry Metcalf were on their way to visit their son & daughter-in-law, Ben & Claire, and their kids in Taichung. Most importantly, it was their
Greg Vaughn (36th Co.) wrote of his travels: M Susan and I wish you and all our classmates a very happy and healthy New Year! We hope that your 2023 is even better than 2022 and that you can thrive and avoid the disasters that seem to have plagued so many in 2022. We are blessed to have had a wonderfully ‘normal’ year in 2022 and have had no tragedies strike us, our community, or our extended family. We hope you are similarly blessed and look forward to seeing some of you, especially 36th Company shipmates, when we can.
There was a little more travel for us this year which included our first ever European river cruise, from Normandy to Paris – and it was marvelous! (The first photo on the next page was taken near the end of our event following the evening cruise on the ship through Paris on the Seine – shown with classmates Steve Chapman and Bill Ostendorff and their wives Sandy and Chris, who were also on
the trip). Travel this year also included a traditional visit with Judy and Chris Earl in Scottsdale, Arizona, for Thanksgiving – a tradition started when Chris and Judy lived a few miles from us in Northern VA. Chris is the consummate turkey cook and Chris and Judy the consummate Thanksgiving Feast team! Next year we hope to do some more U.S. traveling and visit some of our other far-flung company-mates.
I’m still doing some consulting work at DARPA, but it’s slowly tapering off. It will likely be behind me by the time the next Great American Eclipse (April 2024) arrives. I will likely travel to Texas to photograph that eclipse (although Susan is still undecided as to whether these eclipse event will interest her as much as they do me). In the meantime, I’ve been setting up a telescope on my back deck and doing some astrophotography whenever the skies are clear.
Always nice to hear from Peter Varsanyi (31st Co.):
M Decided to drive down to Tampa Bay area (Wesley Chapel) for New Year’s Week and visit my oldest daughter Veronica, son-in-law Neil and grandkids. Classmate, fellow NAPSTER, dear friend and our favorite simian, Tom “TK” Kennedy lives about 3 miles from them. I had a great opportunity to visit a few times for afternoon cocktails with TK and his wife Barb at their splendid hideaway (gated golf community) called Saddlebrook Golf Resort and Spa.
Go say hello and/or call TK and Barb if down there. They are well and enjoying the retired life. Forget golf or his pool, he has an incredibly well-stocked bar and beverage area; and he only serves the good stuff (top shelf)! Shameful advertisement, but if anyone is travelling with a Camper/RV down that way you should also give my son-in-law a call at his RV repair business called “Happy Camper Mobile RV Repair LLC” – in Wesley Chapel, FL. Neil is a Certified/Master RV Repairman and not only a talented technician, but very honest. Tell ’em I sent you’se guys and get the Class of ’76 deep discount.
Mike “Boz” Bosworth (18th Co.), reports that he has semi-retired (for the second time) to half-time consulting, performing and volunteer management as well as EMT work. His wife, Barbara (m.1977), also semi-retired from teaching the same day at the end of June. Both are happily employed; Barb to a different school system nearby and Mike to an eclectic mix of engineering (AOC Inc), STEM education (LETS GO), maritime folk music performing & management (Chanteymen, est. 1996 at 1st retirement) and several not-for-profit boards. Four grandkids (ages 1-10) in three states (nearby in VA; NC & CA). Son, Major Josh Bosworth ’07 USMC, has just shifted from a UH-1Y flying reserve billet to a Marine Innovation Unit. Retirement (even “semi-”) is good, with more time and flexibility for extended family and travel... March medical mission to Guatemala (Mike’s 3rd), California for spring break, and Greece this coming summer.
Gary Greenfield (36th Co.) has moved:
M You have frequently heard me mention visiting our home in Colorado in Snowmass Village outside of Aspen. As of the end of December, it became my official residence. We have had that home going on 29 years now and while I have moved all over the U.S., there has always been a constant. I will still maintain a presence in Boston, as it is a special place and where Brittany lives, but Colorado is now my adopted state. Whether it be summer or winter, there is plenty to keep one active!
Dave Winters (36th Co.) published his annual “Winter’s Tale” that included a family update: M We still live in Clarksville, Tennessee, (made famous by that old Monkees hit song). David can still walk. Debbie can still run. The kids are all grown. The oldest, Charity is reputed to be down in Key West. Middle one, Patience, is employed in San Diego. Ian, youngest, is living married in Houston. They’ve all become city folks. (Who saw that coming?) Rescued beagle, Captain Fitzroy (so named because the captain of the Beagle was named Fitzroy) continues with us still as stand-offish as a teenager.
Debbie got jabs. Dave didn’t. Both got three-day bouts of COVID (“China Originated Viral Infection Disease”). Dave has broken NO BONES this year…so far. He came close to a rib fracture while working on his beach-bound boat and gantry but was definitively diagnosed as merely cracked. (The rib, that is.)
God is good. Life is good. Politics are annoying. “Same old, same old.”
Ending as always, with that quote from our pal Paul of Tarsus, “Whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is beautiful, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think on these things.” These things remind us of you, and that makes us smile - David and Debbie Winters
Tim Farrell provided news about the class lunch that took place at Mattie & Eddie’s Irish Bar in Arlington, VA, on January 26th. Tim reported that the food and service were excellent and that they loved their server, who took the picture below. She’s authentic in that she is from Limerick, Ireland, and her Irish brogue was so thick you could cut it with a knife. The plan is to have future class lunches at this fine eatery.
some the funniest man in baseball.
Shipmates, in a departure from our usual format, what follows is a letter from Michael Scott, brother of our departed classmate Steve Scott (36th Co.), who gave his last full measure of devotion for his country at far too young an age. Michael wrote upon the occasion of Steve being inducted into the Junipero Serra High School Sports Hall of Fame, a ceremony at which ’77 was wellrepresented.
M To Naval Academy Class of 1977
November 16, 2022
On behalf of my siblings and the entire Scott family, I want to “thank everyone” who participated in some way to the induction of our beloved brother, Stephen D. Scott, into the Junipero Serra High School Sports Hall of Fame. The induction took place on September 29, 2002 in the Serra gymnasium and was attended by 250 people. Being placed into the Serra Sports Hall of Fame is a very special award. Tom Brady, Barry Bonds, Lynn Swan, Dan Frisella, Jim Fregosi, and Tom Scott (our brother) are just some of the other well-known athletes that are in this hall of fame.
providing names, phone numbers and email addresses: Craig “Turls” Turley (36th Co.), one of my brother’s roommates and who came out to San Bruno in 1980 to be there for my brother’s funeral and came again to this induction, and who has maintained contact with our family over the years; Albert “Al” Seither (16th Co.), who shared his family with my brother being from New Jersey back in the Academy days and who told me endless stories of my brother; Jeff “Hoobs” Hoobler – I spent hours talking with Hoobs about Navy football and personal stories of Steve; Scott “Harps” Harper (3rd Co.) who attended flight training with my brother; Jim Eberle (24th Co.) who played plebe football with Steve. Thank you all!
Four testimonial videos were submitted to Serra High School and they were put on the big screen the night of the event. They were powerful, heart wrenching, and just a great tribute to Stephen. Again, “special thanks” to Kevin “Sully” Sullivan (14th Co.), Navy Football, Co-Captain 1976 team: Jeff “Hoobs” Hoobler, Navy Football; Albert “Al” Seither, Navy Football; Peter Caulk (31st Co.), Navy Football. (The event has been downloaded to YouTube, search: Stephen D. Scott – Serra Hall of Fame)
Sadly, I received news that we have lost another classmate. Craig Snee (2nd Co.) passed away on 13 January at his home in Ohio from an aggressive form of cancer. Our thoughts and prayers go out to his wife, Nancy, and their daughters, Jamie and Andi.
’77Life Membership: 75%
Donor Participation: 23.64%
Pres: David G. Paddock
3833 Prince Andrew Lane, Virginia Beach, VA 23452-3912 p: 757-373-0977; e: dgpaddock77@gmail.com
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
– John Lowenstein, key player in the Orioles’ ’83 World Series victory and considered by
Words cannot adequately express the tremendous emotion felt by us Scotts as we learned and listened to the words of Stephen’s fellow classmates and Navy Football team members. The videos and testimonials provided were wonderful and gave not just us but anyone listening to them, a sense of who Stephen was as a classmate, team member, and friend and as a person. As all of you well know, during your years at the Academy, a lot of family time was lost while you studied during those 4 years, playing sports, and eventually graduating. Birthdays were missed, notably your 21st, holidays, weddings, family vacations and other family events. In leading up to this event, I was able to talk with a number of you who knew my brother, either at the Prep School, Navy Football, at the Academy, or while he waited to get into flight school. Many stories were told to me which I passed on to my siblings. It was just wonderful hearing all of those, the good and the bad! One thing that I realized was that my brother belonged to a very special brotherhood. He was loved by many and knowing our Stevie, he loved many of you. Even though he left us too early, it was heartwarming knowing that he was far from forgotten.
I want to recognize several classmates that made this event special. I want to thank: Mike “Ducky” Laviano (20th Co.) for helping me put out the word. I met him several years ago through a mutual friend. He was a huge help
And I also want to “thank” all those who attended the event, knowing that several others due to prior commitments, injuries (Hoobs) would have been there. The following came from near and far: NA Class of 1977, Mike Laviano, Craig Turley, Peter Grieve (6th Co.), Jim Eberle with his lovely wife Elsa; Scott Harper, Jeff Heely (6th Co.) with friend Elaine Katano, Mark Gee (11th Co.), Steve Merchant (29th Co.), and NA Class of 2001 Scott Swantner, Navy Football. With my family present, all of the just mentioned attendees were able to share so many stories that night. And a special toast by this group was raised in honor of our brother. As witnessed by all, the Naval Academy Brotherhood lives on.
Again, thanks to all! That evening will be forever etched in our hearts as is the memory of our beloved brother. Semper fi Stephen!
Forever grateful, Michael Scott.
Michael, we know we speak for the entire Class of ’77 when we say it was an honor and privilege to have known Steve as a classmate and friend.
Magoo
“I’ve always considered myself an intangible asset to a team. Perhaps because the tangible assets of my career are not so impressive.”Steve Scott
Life Membership: 81%
Donor Participation: 46.88%
Pres: Glen Woods
Sec’y: Vince Balderrama
1320 Homewood Ln., Annapolis, MD 21401 e: canoeu78@aol.com
Website: usna1978.org
At the end of 2022, Bill Bonwit (29th Co) retired as the Executive Director at Naval Information Warfare, Pacific, out in San Diego, CA. Jeff Fowler (12th Co) is now the Executive Vice President of Technica Corporation, a cyber and IT software developer in Sterling, VA.
Jeff provided a “family update.” In February, Katie’s “Grammie Nanny” duties transitioned from granddaughter, Ella, who started kindergarten, to McKenzie Leigh, their newest granddaughter. Katie will be “deploying” this time, as she’ll commute to Chevy Chase, MD during the weekdays to help. Her “duty” ends in June. She continues to be co-chair of the Society of Sponsors Scholarship Committee and stays involved with her boat, USS NORTH DAKOTA (SSN 784). Their daughter, Britt, got engaged to Ken! They live in Leesburg, VA with Ken’s girls Lily (14) and Kayleigh (12) with Ella (5) plus dogs Minnie and Milo. Ken was promoted to Division Controller at K. Hovnanian and Britt was promoted as a Lead Scientist in Pharmaceutical Drug Development at Labcorp (formerly Covance) in Chantilly, VA. Their other daughter, Lynsee, and her husband, Gavin, welcomed their daughter, McKenzie Leigh Gibbons, on 16 September at 6lbs 9oz and 19.5 inches long. Big sister, Molly, is totally smitten and has already given McKenzie a few dozen nicknames. Molly is a freshman at Bethesda Chevy-Chase High School and excelling in choir. Gavin is Vice President of Communications at the National Fisheries Institute. Lynsee returned to work in February; she is also in Strategic Communications. Son, Connor received a promotion to Principal Associate Software Engineer at Capital One, moving from Commercial Tech to Card Tech Rewards. He still enjoys playing drums with Richmond’s punk rock band, Almost Gone. Connor and his girlfriend, Erin, spent a week hiking and exploring Iceland in September. Erin continues to work as a Surgical Physician Associate with HCA in Richmond.
Catching up on Jan and Jim Fiorelli’s (2nd Co) Christmas newsletter, we hope Jan is on the full mend. Besides dealing with some debilitating migraines, she had rotator cuff surgery last March, but it was aggravated by a
fall in October that led to a small break in the same shoulder. Jan was accepted into a post-COVID treatment program and was able to get treatment at the Mayo Clinic in August for those migraines and with some positive results. They enjoy homeschooling granddaughter Emmy (5). She and her brother Beau (2) attend class at “Grandma’s House” four mornings a week. They also are joined by their fraternal twin siblings, Rosie and James (1). This summer the family spent several days at the Jersey shore together, courtesy of Jim’s USNA 2nd Company roommate and wife –Barb and Vin Bellezza, who offered their beautiful home in Surf City, NJ. Their son, Mike (’04), joined them from Virginia Beach for a few days, and Jan’s Mom – Mary Lou – came all the way from Kansas. Other travel highlights last year had Jan and Jim visiting their two Marines, son John (’19) and daughter-in-law, Liza (nee Harris ’18). Woop son, Matt (West Point ’14) and his wife Andrea, hosted the family Thanksgiving. Matt completed his masters at Princeton in ’22 and has probably reported by now to West Point as an instructor, I think. Courtesy of daughter-in-law, Andrea, Jan also got to see her first Broadway musical. She and Jim saw The Music Man with Hugh Jackman. (Elizabeth saw it too with our West Point friends and their kids- our goddaughter and her brother.) One thing is certain for 2023- you’ll be seeing Jan and Jim all around the country!
Just a quick update from out in Ukraine on our brave humanitarian classmate, Dennis Otoshi (33rd Co). He wrote in January to his Companymate Greg Baur about what he has been doing. By the way, Dennis was awarded a medal by the Ukrainians for his service (“For Humanity”). Here’s what he wrote Greg:
M “Quick update on the cold and the mud in Ukraine. I have needed to wear my facial mask and hood because of the sub-zero temperatures. This has given me a certain ninja look, so I try to avoid wearing dark colors. When I first came to Ukraine in March 2022, the grandmothers on the train asked me if I was Jackie Chan, the martial arts actor. During the summer, a taxi driver told me that I looked like him. Yesterday, the clerk at the supermarket asked me if I was Jackie Chan. My Ukrainian colleagues have been asking me to adopt a “callsign”. They have been calling me Dennis, but now they call
In closing, our 45th Reunion will be here before you know it. It is the weekend of the Air Force game (Thursday-Sunday, October 19-22). Here are some of the key events: Thursday, we’ll begin check-in, have a golf tournament and evening “Welcome Reception”. Friday morning we’ll have our Memorial Service. There is a P-rade that afternoon. We are leaving Friday night (Oct 20th) open for companies and groups to have a little, private gatherings of their own. Feedback from our last reunion indicated that a lot of you did that anyway and many stated a preference to have time to quietly gather in smaller groups. Saturday is loaded with our prayer breakfast, class meeting, tailgate and game. Sunday, we bid each other farewell with a brunch. Between now and then, you’ll continue to get more info and details via emails from Glen, me, your company reps, and in our social media.
With our reunion, 2023 will also be time for class elections. Soon you’ll receive more news about it from Glen it and the process and timeline. Every slot is available for someone to run- like this job as Class Scribe. If you are interested in running for any of the four class officer or five Member at Large positions, please toss your hat in the arena. You can read more about the process in our Class By-Laws located on our class website.
I ask you again to update your contact info in your profile on our class website (usna1978.org) and the Alumni Association website (usna.com). Those are our sources for knowing how to reach out to you and keep you informed. Lastly, we need your help in finding and connecting with “lost classmates” –
not only does that mean those who have died but those who have become detached from us for whatever reason. In the case of the former, we want to be sure we capture all deceased classmates to honor in our memorial service and in our website’s Memorial page. In the latter case, we want to “welcome them back in the fold” and let them know we are all still brothers and always here for them. Well, that’s it for now. Launchin’ Spot Four
Life Membership: 91% Donor Participation: 20.59%
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 Website: www.usna79.com
Greetings ’79ers!
Right before the holidays I received a note from one of our regularly contributing couples, B-J and Bill Jones. Bill is now enjoying the leisure life, having officially retired as a Captain from Delta Air Lines on 30 September. Not surprisingly – as a lot of us are finding out – the biggest challenge was jumping through the hoops to sign up for Medicare! B-J retired in May 2021, so now the Joneses are at the beck and call of their 4 grandchildren, including twin grandsons born last May. They don’t see leaving Pascagoula, MS anytime soon, except to travel to see said grandkids. That, and to complete B-J’s bucket list of visiting all 50 state capitals (only 5 left!). This explains why they haven’t figured out what to do with their “spare” time: since they haven’t found any yet! Thanks, B-J, for the update. It’s always great to hear from you. And thanks for the Christmas card!
Kimberly Elmer emailed to let me know that Wayne Elmer was selected as St. Luke’s Foundation 2022 Physician of the Year. The foundation provides innovative support to advance compassionate patient care, research,
and community health. The Circle of Light recognition dinner raised $150,000 in donations for St. Luke’s Rehabilitation Services. During his remarks that night, Wayne said, “At the end of the day, you close an exam room door or walk up to the side of a bed and you give it everything you have to help another human being, and that is an amazing privilege in life.” Congratulations, Wayne!
Mac Silvester checked in to say that after a year’s hiatus, he will be riding in his eighth Face of America bicycle ride in April. This two-day cycling event brings together retired and active military, first responders, and adaptive military veterans to benefit the nonprofit World TEAM Sports.
Mac reports that semi-retired life is good, although he is just as busy as when he was working full time. He and Diane plan to stay put in northern Virginia for the foreseeable future. He’s working part time (20 hours/ week) for REI in Fairfax in the action sports/ backpacking/camping section. He says, “keeps me off the streets and out of trouble.” They also now have 4 grandkids close by: 2 oneyear-old twins, a 3-year-old and a 6-year-old. Amid all that he still occasionally gets a ride in. Thanks, Mac, for the invitation to visit – I hope to take advantage of your employee discount at REI!
Bill Toti is another of our regular contributors to this column. You may remember he and company-mate Parks Stephenson were working together on a project chronicling some of the lost ships of WWII. Bill emailed me over the holidays with an update about some other challenges he’s been dealing with:
M In January 2019 while in the UK for work, I suffered a respiratory illness that seemed like COVID, except in theory COVID did not yet
exist. Four years later I’m still not fully recovered. That disease caused me to walk away from a great job and move to Florida, where the warmer climate does seem to help some.
I ended up taking a position as CEO of a PE-owned company, which I was able to do because the job required no travel. When the pandemic struck I had to restrict my movements even further so as to not add COVID to my ailments. But in January 2022 I decided to leave even that job and instead focus on using my 15-year industry experience to work to improve veterans transition training.
I wrote a book titled, “FROM CO TO CEO: A PRACTICAL GUIDE FOR TRANSITIONING FROM MILITARY TO INDUSTRY LEADERSHIP,” and have done a great deal of related outreach. It’s been a struggle to get attention from government and veteran organizations to get them to help fix the very real problems with the poor quality of today’s veteran transition training. All of those folks think they know what they are doing, but many of them are actually part of the problem.
I’ve learned that a more effective approach is to reach out to the companies that hire veterans directly— they are both more responsive and they want their investments into veteran employees to pay off, which means they are more motivated than government and service organizations to fix the problem. Over the past eight months I’ve been a guest on over 50 podcast and livestream events from my home office, speaking to both transitioning veterans and the companies that hire them.
More recently I’ve picked up a second campaign: it turns out that DOD personnel who were in or responded to the Pentagon on 9/11 are prohibited by law from benefitting from any 9/11-related programs. So, for example, first responders from the Arlington fire department can participate in the World Trade Center Health Program, but DOD responders, including all military and, for example, firefighters who responded from Fort Myer, cannot. We’ve been told that the Congressional omission of coverage for DOD personnel was inadvertent, so I’ve been working with organizations as a kind of spokesperson for DOD personnel who were affected by events in the Pentagon. These two matters keep me so busy I’m not sure when I ever had time to work.
Bill emailed a couple of weeks later saying that there was a bill in Congress that does include a provision to extend coverage to DOD personnel, including then-active-duty personnel who were affected by 9/11. I haven’t heard conclusively if it passed as written – as soon as I know, I’ll pass it on.
John Jolliffe is spending his retirement (if you can call it that) out and about. Over the holidays he took a few moments out of his travels to let us know what he and Sylvia have been up to:
M Seven years ago (2015) when I retired from the Navy, I asked our classmates to send me some great travel locations as Sylvia and I
embarked on our goal of visiting 100 countries in five years. I was overwhelmed with the response from ‘79 in giving us an amazing list of places to visit. Despite a two-year travel pause due to Covid, I’m pleased to report we have visited 131 countries in seven years…and we are not done yet!
In fact, we just finished an epic adventure, going around the world in 30 days. Our new goal is to visit 200 countries by 2026. Anyone in ‘79 that is looking for some great places to visit, please email me at jjolliffe@casasintl.com to get the conversation started. Looking forward to Dublin in 2023. Go Navy!!!
John – my wife Karen will probably be one of those contacting you. Karen is forever looking for places to photograph, and her travel bug is biting again. Thanks for emailing!
Finally, classmates, I must report that Glenn Sheridan of Chester, NJ, passed away on Saturday 14 January. Glenn left Navy after three years and ultimately graduated from Lycoming College with his bachelor’s degree in accounting. He was versatile, working as an accountant, owning a deli, and raising his two children, Michael and Andrew, which included attending all their sporting events. Glenn was an avid outdoorsman, cherishing his annual hunting trip to The Hudson Valley second only to his family and friends.
Well, classmates, that’s all for now. Thanks to everyone who wrote in, and thanks to all of you who are currently penning your notes and emails for our next column. Safe travels and great adventures. See you next month!
Wiz…
’80
Life Membership: 96% Donor Participation: 23.39%
Pres: LtCol Tony Verducci USMC (Ret.) e: Ajverducci80@gmail.com
Sec’y: CAPT Joseph A. Grace Jr., USN (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,
The two teams for the Super Bowl are set, Mardi Gras is in full swing and hopefully spring is right around the corner. The main way I can tell the Dark Ages are upon us is that the boat is really cold in DC – and right now - it’s still cold in them thar hills – the Dark Ages are in full swing and with the loss to Army in December they are holding true to tradition.
This last month I had the good fortune to meet with Pete Shaner, pashaner@aol.com, who is busy working on his PhD. He is in the process of putting together a documentary about the Class of 1980, our experience of being the first class with Women, and our growth as a Class over the years. This series of interviews is really well done! In this case, it
was a really great experience working with him and seeing the professionalism that he has developed over his years in the film industry. He is quite accomplished, a very fair observer, and we had a great time together. He is also interviewing other Classmates across the country for his endeavor, and you never know – he may be calling you. If he does, take the time to meet with him and watch a very talented Classmate do his craft! You won’t be disappointed. Here is a note from Pete:
M As some of our Classmates know, I’m working on a PhD in Leadership Studies from the University of San Diego, and part of my dissertation is a documentary about our time at USNA. It’s currently called The Bow Wave of Change: The First Gender-Integrated Class at the United States Naval Academy, and it’s the story of how we all, men and women alike, coped with the challenges of integration. For anyone who’s interested, here’s a link to a pilot-study video I made in 2019. For the pilot study, I focused solely on the experiences of our female Classmates, but in the larger documentary I’m incorporating stories from both male and female Classmates: https://vimeo.com/410346170
Joe was gracious enough to sit down with me for an interview over the holidays, and as part of the interview, I recorded him singing his plebe-talent-show-winning song It’s Hard to be a Follower when you’re going to a Leadership School. The song brought back quite a few memories. Here’s a link for anyone who wants to revisit plebe summer: https://vimeo.com/794713164
This week I was up in DC working with the VA and DHA and was having lunch at the Army Navy Club. While there I saw our own Sam Cox, who was hosting a group working on the new location of the Navy Museum. Sam is making a lot of great things happen and we were able to talk about some of his work in finding sunken Navy Ships as one of our key historians. You will often see him on the bridge as a key advisor on shows that come on TV. Well done. Here is a photo from that encounter:
As you know, the Class Council was expanded and the team has been extremely busy working to find all missing Classmates, engage the Company Reps, work on Committee creation and start planning for the next reunion. One of these projects has been the support of the new Alumni Center. A program was created that was designed to provide financial support using “Plankowners” as doners. We put this out to the Class, and we have had a very large response. Close to 50 Classmates stepped up, each donating at least $12,500 over five years to the project. Thank you Class of 80! This put us in the top billing of Classes across the Alumni. 19th Company went in together to honor our only Classmate Killed in Action, Don Woollett, as a Plankowner.
Another great thing that happened through this process was the ability to connect with a few different Classmates that normally don’t write into Shipmate! That too was an added benefit.
As mentioned, I received a brief update from Sarah and Jim Haynes, jrhaynes107@ gmail.com. He served in the marines and as a senior partner at Bechtel, moving over 20+ times and now still raising relatively young boys. He shared these comments. “I recently retired and am anxious to lend a hand if I can help in any way with the development of our Class and the Academy. Part of that effort, of course, is becoming a Plankowner for the new Alumni Center. I visited the site last year with John Maconi and had lunch in King Hall for the first time in 42 years. An amazing experience that rekindled my love for the Academy and incredible memories of the adventures we shared…” I think that this says it all. Thanks Jim, and the other 48+ donors. Special thanks to Tony Verducci and Rich “Quisty” Carlquist for helping push this across the Class.
As one of our key initiatives as a Council, The Company Reps, along with Tom O’Keefe, Beth Leadbetter Gordon and Bill Personius have been searching diligently for all of our “missing” Classmates. Those who raised their
hand on 6 July 1976 to take the Oath of Office are officially members of the Great Class of 1980 – independent of Graduation status or the amount of time that they remained in the arms of Mother Bancroft. There are those who left that evening and those who left sometime between that day and May 28th, 1980. There are also many of our Classmates who graduated and have just fallen off the map. This team is aggressively working to update our records and ensure that no one is left behind. In this process we are renewing many friendships, discovering fallen Classmates and learning that there are also many who do not wish to be contacted and brought back into the Class. We are very respectful of their wishes as well and put them on a “do not contact” or some variation of that depending on their desires. Special thanks to all who have assisted in this process.
Tom O’Keefe has been a driving force and extremely diligent in his coordination of these efforts. Earlier today he reported that 9th Company has 100% of the email addresses for the Company. Well Done! This is the first for any Company and a model to follow. This is due to the work of Randy Farley and the Council “Find Team” – and Beth Leadbetter Gordon. He also provided an additional update as to their progress in this initative:
Here is an update of where we stand with finding Classmates, assigning all to a particular Company – (we have some people that no one seems to be able to recall them and where they were assigned) and a few that we just haven’t found. We are putting these Classmates in “37th” Company.
1. We now have active representation for our 36 Companies. All 36 Company Reps are active in communications and providing updates as they get them.
2. We currently have 36 Classmates in the 37th Company.
3. 1302 individuals raised their hands on I-Day to become members of the Great Class of 1980.
We have email addresses for all but 218 Classmates. We will continue to pursue all avenues to find these Classmates until all paths end with no information.
This is a very tedious and time-consuming process, and we can’t send enough thanks to all of our Classmates who are working to find our Shipmates. Thank you! If you are interested in helping just let me know or reach out to Tom at thomasookeefe@verizon.net.
It was also great to get a note from Dave Kern dave_kern2001@yahoo.com.
M Joe.
All is great here in PA. Last child (Michael) finishing HS this year. He’s applied to USNA and has one nomination. Hoping for the best, but don’t know how that will play out. His backup plan is to attend Penn State - York campus and play baseball while earning his best grades in hope of going into Medicine afterwards. He’s excited.
I’m working one more year (US Nuclear Reg Comm) and look forward to a change of pace. Work is great, but there is a lot more to enjoy and we’re ready.
I still remember our days in Charleston studying for the Nuc Eng Exam. Hilarious…
Dave
On a more somber – yet celebratory life note, this month we lost our Classmate Mark Vaughan to his terminal brain cancer. As most remember, Mark was a speaker at our Memorial Service during our last reunion. His words of encouragement, faith, his journey, his appreciation for the ’80 Family, his thankfulness for his great Classmate friendships, and his courage in the face of his illness were a powerful message. That combined with the words shared by Roger Ishii were remembered by all. 15th Company rallied around Mark’s family and were there till the end. They are still on the ground helping at every turn. Again, a model of how to support our Classmates families in these times of need. I thought that I would share the final photo of Mark and his Shipmates before his death. A bond till the very end! Thank you to all who stepped up for Mark. Fair winds and following seas to our Shipmate…
Our Class Council, under the guidance of Stef Goebel and support of Rex Alexander are working to capture all the moving parts of that support for the future. More to follow.
In closing, I hope that this finds each of you healthy, happy and wiser today than yesterday. Please take a few minutes to renew a friendship, call / teams / zoom / text / visit a Classmate and take care of each other. You never know what a difference you can make. Marks death and the support of his Classmates says it all – it’s a privilege to be a part of this Great Class of 1980.
As always, BEAT ARMY Joe ’81
Life Membership: 95%
Donor Participation: 28.92%
Pres: Kevin Haney
e: kjhaney2@me.com
Vice Pres: George Basil
e: gbasil99@yahoo.com
Treas: Gene Juba
e: genejuba@yahoo.com
Co-Sec’ys: Frank Moreman and Bubba Turman
e: Classof81Secretary@gmail.com
Webmaster: Patty Crandlemire Whitney
Website: www.usna1981.org
Classwide messages: usna1981@yahoogroups.com
We learned the sad news from the facebook group of the passing of Jeffrey Hayden Salyer (08), who left at the end of plebe summer.
We had a second passing with the death of Thomas Christopher Hickman (34) from pancreatic cancer (PDAC).
Thomas also did not graduate but will always be part of the ’81 family.
With a rare empty mailbox, I decided to give the spotlight to the 10th company. It turns out that we have not mentioned anyone from the 10th company in a long time, so let’s rectify that this month. Any pictures included were really good ones I received but didn’t make it into the reunion book.
Joe Adan (10) lives just east of San Diego in El Cajon but is retired and traveling the country in a mobile home visiting presidential libraries. Check him out at www.joereneequest.com.
Craig Baker (10) lives in Alabama and is twice retired, first after 30 years in the Marine Corps and then from Raytheon. He is trying to learn to play the guitar and his son is teaching him fly fishing. How is it going Craig?
Bill Bensinger (10) lives in Oswego, IL and works from home as a professional engineer. He stays young at heart by having a daughter still in high school.
Kathy Fechko (Samuel) (10) left USNA to study at the University of Maryland and then went into Nursing in Baltimore. She’s still there after raising five children with her husband Paul.
doctor. He now lives in Huson, MT where he is an emergency room doc as his day job, but also runs a non-profit animal shelter with his wife Tracy.
Gary Georgeson (10) left USNA and went to UC Santa Barbara, eventually getting a PhD in Mechanical Engineering specializing in Material Science. He lives in Seattle where he is the Senior Pastor of a church he founded while continuing to do consulting work in the aerospace industry.
Charlie Odom (10) lives in the Dallas, TX area and has had a career in high tech sales. His three children and five grandchildren all live nearby, so weekends are “wonderfully crazy”.
Chris Pierson (10) lives in Pawcatuck, CT near the Rhode Island border. After retiring from subs in 2003, he eventually landed an exciting second career as a Foreign Service Officer and has served tours at embassies all over the world.
Joe Suggs (10) lives in St. Petersburg, FL and is pursuing his third career after retiring from the Marine Corps and then retiring from a successful corporate career. In 2019 he co-founded Suggs Hometeam Real Estate with his daughter, Lauren.
Mike Thomas (10) lives in Merritt, NC and is easing into retirement by reducing his hours as a medical physicist and terrorizing other boaters with his new sailboat. His retirement goal is to spoil the grandkids, travel the world, and catch blue crabs (in that order).
John Giles (10) splits his time between homes in California and Arizona and enjoys visiting his seven kids and eight grandkids. He still works at what he thought would be a “temporary” job, which turned into 29 years and is now Director of National Accounts at Envoy.
Bruce Mikesell (10), who was my (Frank) roommate and running buddy at SWOS in San Diego, left the surface Navy to become a
Bill Victor (10) lives in Nebraska City, NE and has had a career in nuclear power and currently works for the Tennessee Valley Authority. He is “living the dream” on a 6-acre property with hobbies of vegetable gardening, home improvement and community theater.
Ken Waidelich (10) lives on a “20-acre paradise” in Carlisle, PA with “horses, dogs, cats, and chickens”. He has had a long successful career with Delta Airlines and is currently a Lead Flight Standards Captain. He has three grown children and three grandchildren.
Bill Wendel (10) lives in Lynnwood, WA and has had a successful career as a Naval Architect and in software development. His hobbies include woodworking, playing the guitar, reading about history and learning about new technologies.
Following up on the short article about Kevin Tolbert (22) in the last edition of Shipmate, here is a picture we received after publication. It is a snapshot of Kronz and Superman when they got together for lunch.
Corky Vazquez (36), Jaime Navarro (03), Bill McGuinnes (28), Mike Farrington, (28), Holly Hankins (Paul’s wife (30)), Linda Rodrock (Jim’s wife (35)).
software engineer in Pittsburgh after getting her degree from Carnegie Mellon University studying math and computer science. Before graduation she finished in the top 10% of an international competition, Battlecode, at MIT involving artificial intelligence, strategy and warfare. My younger daughter graduated from SUNY Environmental Science and Forestry College in Syracuse studying natural resources management and working for the USDA Natural Resources Conservation Service. My younger son has been working as a naval officer in supply while my older son has been working in software and is married. After two years of caring for my mother, I am using vacation before I lose it. Visited Sean Steeves, a 6 Co. roommate, and his wife Mary, in Colorado Springs, and national and state parks on the East Coast from Canada to Georgia.”
Mark Tarango (17) sent some great pics from the reunion:
The Class of ’81 had a small contingent at the 2022 Alumni Homecoming Golf Scramble held back in October. There may have been others, but I know for sure that these guys were thereDave Woods (25), Dave “Fuzzy” Harrison (25), Bubba Turman (30), Tom Yavorski (25), and Brian Jackson (34). I didn’t realize I was surrounded by 25th Company classmates. No wonder I felt small, just look at the size of my club head. Oh yeah, Greg Daugherty (25) was also there but arrived later. He had jury duty so Fuzzy took his place. Doc walked the last five holes with us in crocs or sandals or some kind of weird shoes.
One last note. Mike Manazir’s (15) book Learn How to Lead to Win: 33 Powerful Stories and Leadership Lessons has been published. Good luck with the book Mike! ’82
Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 30.16%
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
Website: http://1982.usnaclasses.net
Facebook: www.facebook.com/groups/USNA82
Greetings to the great class of ‘82!
On 9 December, Wreaths Across America was held at the USNA Cemetery and it was once again an emotionally moving event. Since day one, the Class of ’81 has been there in body, spirit, and charitable dollars. The Coordinator, Carol Turman ((30) by marriage), did an outstanding job. It is almost a full-time job coordinating with the cemetery, the Superintendent’s Special Events Staff, the Alumni Association, local vendors, all of the volunteers, and the WAA headquarters in Columbia Falls, ME. Our classmates who were there early and through the morning to set up the wreaths and distribute them to the gravesites were; Ed Turner (36),
You should be reading this column at some point in late March or early April, although I am here working on it during the heart of the “dark ages” in early January. We are now in the year 2023, and I am still trying to move past Navy football’s disappointing loss to Army (talk about “a game of inches”!) and coach Ken no longer at the helm of the program. I am also still working my way through the many emails and pics that I have received following our recent 40th reunion. On that note:
Received a life update from Frank Koye (6): M “I had a great time at the 40th. Not retired yet - doing cybersecurity and IT for Hepburn and Sons LLC as CIO in Manassas and with our Chairman (CAPT Rick Hepburn, USN (Ret) - USNA ‘76) in maritime expert witness. Assisted Tick Hepburn writing “History of American Navy Ships of the Line” contributing on Navy weapons in the age of sail on Navy ships of the line and as editor. My older daughter is a
Jim Garman (4) sent me a lot of pics from our recent 40th reunion. Due to the space constraints of this column (each pic counting as 100/200 words), I am including only a small sampling here. F.Y.I-The motherload of reunion pics is available for viewing at: https:// photos.app.goo.gl/meetczzbSrgBNsmN9
During the Class of ‘82 reunion 4th Company classmates got together Friday night at Blackwall Hitch in Annapolis. Here is a photo to prove it. Front row from left to right: Don Clements, Pat Thurman, Pat Gill, Pam Pitkin, Mark Olechowski, and Jim Garman. Back row from left to right: Marcus Yonehiro, John Vargo, Chuck Borowski, Bill Flynn, and Jim Buglewicz. A good time was had by all!
NOTE: I will try to include more of the great pics from Jim in future columns.
I also heard from my company-mate Scott Negus (24): M ”Hi Mark, Hope all is well with you, Renie, and your family. Sharon and I are doing well. I retired from AIG on June 1. We live in the Atlanta area. Our son, daughter, son-in-law, and granddaughter live nearby. The family keeps me busy. How are you and your family doing? Let me know if you have any tips on retirement! Scott.”
Welcome to the retired club, Scott! As for tips, I’m still trying to figure it all out myself!
Jeff Voigt (30) sent in a nice “shout out” for company-mate and author Bob Zimmermann (30): M ”Our classmate, Bob Zimmermann, just published his first book, “Time To Launch”. I’ve read it twice. It’s an excellent narrative. He uses his past flight experience as an A-7 pilot as a metaphor to tackle life’s challenges. Incidentally, Bob was one of the handpicked 747 pilots flying the shuttle around the nation on her grand farewell tour a few years ago.”
Here is a short book synopsis from the author himself: “Time to Launch uses flying as a metaphor to guide you toward living your life with purposeful intention, focusing your energy on your inner voice of love and light — believing that you are powerful, uniquely blessed, and capable of all things. Time to Launch provides insights to help you navigate the turbulence and storms you will inevitably face while airborne. Some of these storms create feelings of fear, anxiety, and hopelessness. This book will arm you with the skills you need to stay the course and keep flying while combating life’s inevitable battles—both large and small. You are the Captain of your jet. Every day you have an opportunity to launch into the rising sun and live the life you envision and dream of. Time To Launch encourages you to take command of the controls of your mind and launch into what’s truly possible for yourself, while leaving a legacy for others to follow.I hope you enjoy it!”
The cover of Bob’s new book
P.S.- Jeff regularly posts samples of his amazing aerial photography with stunning Annapolis scenes on our class Facebook page!
Finally, last but not least, it was great to spend some time with a number of my 24th company classmates at the recent reunion. Chuck Collins (24) hosted a large group of us on Friday evening at the marina where he and Carol dock their beautiful sailboat. I am including a photo of a smaller group who grabbed a bite to eat together after the football game:
Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 34.59%
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
Sec’y and Shipmate Contact: CAPT Chris Pietras, USN (Ret.) 9404 Jackson St., Burke, VA 22015
c: 202-308-7950; e: 83shipmate@gmail.com
Facebook: USNA 1983
LinkedIn: http://bit.ly/83
Website: http://1983.usnaclasses.net
You have 6 months until noon meal formation at our 40th reunion, you have 6 months ma’am/sir! Well more or less depending on when this issue hits your mailbox.
Our Reunion will be 5 – 8 October 2023
This is homecoming weekend, Annapolis Boat show Weekend, and Indigenous Peoples Day/Columbus Day weekend all in one. So, it will be a packed house (town, state). While the dates provide an excellent opportunity to have reunion events start on Thursday (Sporting events) and run through Sunday (Company events), with Monday holiday return travel, it also makes reservations for lodging a must do ASAP (OBSTCR). We will soon post the schedule for the reunion on the Facebook page (it will probably be posted long before you read this as I am writing the column in January for an April delivery).
Additionally, look for an announcement for nominations for Class Officer positions and then elections. A reminder that neither the lowly Class Secretary (me) nor the esteemed Treasurer (Frank Vernet) are running for re-election. We will be mustered out tos join the ranks of retired class officers at our 40th. If only retirement retirement were that close.
Well — for one couple, at least — “Me/us”!
The lovely Susan Kaiulani Kyser said “yes” to me on New Year’s Eve 1981, and my fiancée was my Ring Dance date on 22 May 1982. Mrs. Frank was also my Marine Corps Birthday Ball date on 17 November 2022 (we were married 20 August 1983, at the Naval Academy Chapel... before it was air conditioned...but that’s a story for another day).
The Birthday Ball was the Marine Forces Europe and Africa Birthday Ball, this year held in the Kurhaus and Casino of Baden-Baden, Germany. I retired from the Marine Corps in 2013 after a blended active/reserve career of 30 years and am currently a DoD civilian working for United States European Command, Stuttgart, Germany.
Susan and I have had many adventures together —so far! Many more lie ahead!
Semper Fi and BEAT ARMY!
– Harry A. Frank
Sorry to have to report the recent loss of our classmate Dave Baudhuin (26). Dave unexpectedly passed away on Sunday, November 20, 2022. Look for a full obituary in “Last Call”.
Well, as has been the case recently, I am again pushing the envelope with regard to this column’s word limit. It is certainly better to have too much material than too little, so keep sending those emails and pics my way. In the meantime, I hope that 2023 is off to a good start for all, and that you are starting to enjoy some nice Spring weather!
As always, looking good ‘82!
Mark
Speaking of Elections, Dwight Manley has been elected as an honorary classmate in an overwhelmingly positive vote (97% of the respondees voted Yes!). Dwight donated the Herndon Bell, that the Class installed near the Herndon Monument. Dwight will be formally recognized at our 40th reunion. Welcome aboard Classmate!
Speaking of our 40th: We are still fundraising for our Class Gift. Please contribute on the Association/Foundation website under Class Project: www.usna.com/give/1983
Da Newz!
Someone reads the column closely!
M Dear Shipmate/Chris,
In the June ’22 issue, you wrote, “Who from ’83 has gone the distance with their Ring Dance date from 22 May 1982 to 22 May 2022?”
7th December 1941, a Day that will live in infamy. 7 December 2022, a day when we all thought Navy would prevail over Army. Rich Hans hosted the annual DLA Piper Army —Navy event in Washington DC. A crowd of around 100 Army, Navy, and DLA Piper brethren gathered for food, drink, and short
leadership lessons form 3 guest speakers, a retired Vice Admiral and Major General, and then the best speaker of them all – our own Mike Silva, who spoke about leadership on 9/11. A wonderful event that I personally look forward to each year. Thanks Rich!
replaced, I did an extensive search of potential surgeons. Every time I found someone who had Dan as his/her surgeon, I heard nothing but high praise. I chose him and have not been disappointed. He is very professional and at the same time quite congenial and warm in his approach to surgery. We even get into Navy football and the like. After six weeks, I am doing just fine, and my surgery scar can hardly be seen.
So, I simply wanted to give him kudos to the rest of your class so they all know where to come when they too need knee replacement. (Hopefully not for at least 20 more years) God bless and smooth sailing.
Bob Osmon ’60, Captain, USN (Ret.)
’83 was out in force at SNA and many posed with our SECNAV Carlos Del Toro after his speech (well done on the ship naming during your remarks Carlos !!). There are 6 retired Flag Officers in the picture. And in a where’s Waldo kind of moment it makes you wonder who they are hiding from – the ’Dant, IRS, their …. ?? M Greetings from Norfolk. Out visiting my daughter Kristin Acton ’07 as we’re expecting grandchild #2 next week (boy).
I had the opportunity to administer the oath of office for her promotion to Commander (picture attached) (yes, we both look pregnant...). This was at the J7 joint staff in Suffolk.
December 10th – wherever 2 or 3 shall meet, we take a picture for Shipmate!! Old guys with young wives, plus we are all smiles before the game.
Joe Spruill (who recently dropped his civil service retirement papers) checked in at the end of 2022 with a snap of a couple of “well— heeled” Class Act bubbas at the NAVSEA holiday celebration (Bill Galinis is COMNAVSEA).
Finally get caught up with my holiday greetings. I hope
So far, I’ve been fortunate to administer her oath of office on I-day, USNA Commissioning, LCDR (on board USS GERALD R. FORD), and now O-5.
Patricia and I thoroughly enjoy retirement in Oak Harbor, Whidbey Island, with summer fishing and crabbing and mostly year—round golf. Looking forward to attending our 40th. Cheers, David Acton Fun One
I don’t know who the kid is, but this was my favorite photo taken during the pre—game.
Bob Osmon ’60 gives spot on kudos!
M Dear Captain Pietras, Recently I had the good fortune of having my left knee replaced by one of your classmates, Dr. Captain Daniel Valaik Dan was an excellent water polo player at the Academy and entered the Navy SEAL program after graduation. After six years as a SEAL, he applied for Med School, was accepted and graduated, and served for 30 years as a Navy surgeon. After he retired, he came to the Hampton Roads area and went to work for the Riverside Hospital group.
In the short time he has been here, he has made quite a good reputation for himself. When I learned I needed to have my knee
2022 has been successful for you and your family. I am getting by out here (California) with the wonders of supply chain and trying to hire new employees from this latest generation. Building aircraft windows has never been worse. Christian Snell
I saw Mike Salvato among many others at the Surface Navy Association Symposium in January. The big newz on Mike is he is retretired! He retired after 11 years with Lockheed Martin and now joins his lovely bride and our Classmate Cathy Gaul Salvato in their new digs in Saint Louis! Congrats Mike and Cathy!
The last bit of newz has a little bit of wistfulness. Our Active Duty time as a Class comes to end this summer as both Bill Galinis and Sean Buck retire. While many in the class still serve our nation in leadership positions in then public and private sector these retirements are the bookend of our time in uniform. Be on the lookout for finalized dates and invitations and celebrate the lengthy legacy!
With our reunion fast approaching I ask that each company find their missing Companymates, those we graduated with and those that left before graduation – if they were there on 6 of July we will always be Classmates. So find your roommates from Plebe Summer and re-connect them to the Class: have them update the usna.com alumni contact info (https://www.usna.com/login?bm=1517605031) so they receive Shipmate and receive all
classmail emails; connect with Steve Fischer (slf83usna@gmail.com) and get on his monthly e-mail list; activate their https://myusna.com/ profile; and join the class Facebook group page: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 191501360861460
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 do so tomorrow
Got Newz? send to: 83shipmate@gmail.com
Once a classmate, always a classmate.
1983 — A Class Act!
Life Membership: 100%
Donor Participation: 49.41%
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
First off, I have the sad duty to announce Tom Kymn passed away on 3 December 2022. Tom came to The Academy from McLean Virginia and majored in Mechanical Engineering. From 15th Company, he served as a Surface Warfare Officer on The West Coast and continued a civilian career with various engineering firms in the Los Angeles area. He is survived by his wife, Wonjae, and children.
Mike Collins sent some pictures from his travel portfolio. Don’t know if he’s on Travel Channel or Golf TV.
Mike Collins and John Hartman at Cougar Point, Kiawah Island, SC
Other than frantically rifling through boxes in my garage and attic for documents that may have made their way back to California when The Marine Corps mustered me out, things have been calm here at ’84 Shipmate Column. I skated on Christmas duty by switching ‘Squadrons’ and reported aboard in Dallas after the New Year, only a few days after I wore out my welcome in the house I saved for 20 years to buy. I took one last swing through the Lower 48 in December and won a free steak off Oakster at the Biggest Little Steakhouse in The Biggest Little City in The World.
Brian said he sent everyone a Monkey or something but all I got was a Survey in an email. If you got the Survey, please take your time and give the Big Man some feedback. If you actually did get a Monkey, send pictures. Monkeys are awesome.
Spring Lacrosse Party at The Stadium versus Army is set up for April 22. Faceoff at 1900 and we have the Minter Pavilion reserved and stocked from 6p-10p. If you haven’t been, this has been a great event and gets better every succeeding year and would be Over The Top Plus Ultra if you show up for the first time.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day, ’84. Kick it off with Dan O’Connell ’57 hoisting Our Wee William for a better view of South Boston’s St. Patrick’s Day Parade.
Kathleen Murray’s son Michael Zanti ’22 completed Search and Rescue Swimmer School in Jacksonville. (SAR Swimmer training has an attrition rate second only to BUDS.) He will be one of two rescue swimmers on USS Gettysburg. Ensign Zanti also finished SWOS in January and moved on to Officer of The Deck school.
Life Membership: 95%
Donor Participation: 21.72%
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
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 19.22%
Pres: Michael Cadwell
p: 505-400-3406; e: michael.cadwell@accenture.com
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
p: 410-688-9060; e: mike.althouse@gmail.com ’87
Life Membership: 100%
Donor Participation: 22.54%
Pres: Scott Herbener
e: president@usna87.net; p: 410-703-3519
Vice Pres: Tim Wolf
e: vpt@usna87.net
CFO: Chris Dunphy
e: finance@usna87.net
CFO: Steve Rowe
e: comms@usna87.net
CTO: Jason Hardebeck
e: tech@usna87.net
Shipmate columnist: Robert Pinataro
9953 Watermark Ln. W., Jacksonville, FL 32256
e: rpinataro87@gmail.com; p: 770-722-6373
Website: www.usna87.org
Hello Classmates,
It is hard to believe we are already a quarter into 2023. I hope as I write this column in late January that we will find by the time this Shipmate issue arrives in March or April that Ukraine has driven Russia out of most or all of Ukraine. It seems surreal that we are once again helping Europe fight the early stages of a situation that has far too many similarities to the few years just before WWI and WWII. It wasn’t that long ago that I was in a phone booth on a pier in Naples, Italy, talking with my wife while the Berlin Wall was being torn down. And now Russia, having spurned the opportunity to become a decent world citizen, has sunk to levels of depravity not seen since the Holocaust. May victory for Ukraine come soon and may we find a new way forward with Russia which leads to an enduring peace, however impossible that may seem now.
Ken Clark is our first contributor to this issue. Check out his news blast.
M “It was great to see so many folks on the 30th. As always, I was inspired by the collective accomplishments of our classmates. So many CEO’s/Presidents and massive business leaders. I’m humbled to be associated with such a fine group of contributing/productive citizens – despite our sometimes-sharp differences of opinion. It’s helpful to remember
that truly passionate, honorable folks just think differently about how to best accomplish shared goals.
I had a discussion with Steve Gillespie about legacy. He invited me to a group he is leading in the Raleigh, NC area (100 Men Who Give a Damn). It’s a great idea and I was excited to join him in his efforts. Work finally took me up to Manchester, NH. Jim Dick treated me to a tour of his picturesque chateau in the frozen tundra, a tasty spaghetti dinner highlighted by Mary Kelly’s wine selection!
My youngest (and only daughter) got married in May 2022. It was far more emotional than I anticipated. Those who preceded me in this “rite of passage” really should have given me better gouge! She married a great guy who is attending UNC dental school (Class of ‘25) on a full Air Force scholarship.
All three kids are out of the house. We’ve been spared an empty nest. We are the stereotypical “sandwich” family. In-laws moved in with us in 2018. My father-in-law passed away in January of ’21. Mother-in-law is going strong, so we are getting a good window into our future of aging. My brother-in-law passed away from a heart attack in June. PLEASE get your annual physicals folks. My sister needed help with her 13-yr.old autistic son, so they are also living with us. I definitely thought we were finished with the teenage years. It’s a rough adjustment, but we are blessed to be able to help. Professionally, things are going well. I’m excited to be starting a new business venture in the disaster restoration space. Though sometimes, I think I would have been better off learning how to be a general contractor. We are building a vacation beach rental in Emerald Isle, NC. Would love to have been able to do it myself. It will be fantastic when it’s complete. 10BR/10BA, ocean front. Those who might be interested can follow updates on Facebook. Trying to keep the decorating tasteful and incorporate some USNA swag for personal interest. Once it’s finished, we’ll have to get some classmates together to “commission” it for full fleet duty. In the meantime, anyone travelling through the Raleigh-Durham area – please let me know if I can host you for a beverage of choice – or even a meal. I’ll try to provide my next update before another 35 years pass.
Warm Regards, Ken Clark”
Ed Magee landed an exciting new role. While we don’t always get news of classmates moving into new roles for Shipmate, this one crossed my desk and I thought you’d all enjoy hearing a bit about Ed’s journey since leaving the Navy. Belmont today named Edward “Ed” Magee as Vice President for Strategic Operations, a new role that will be responsible for connecting the work of major University initiatives including the Belmont Data Collaborative, Belmont Innovation Labs, Story Studio and the Office of Educational Innovation This work will enable creative synergies among these important initiatives and will support
effective implementation and execution. Magee will begin his new role at Belmont on February 13.
Belmont President Dr. Greg Jones said, “We are excited to welcome Ed Magee to Belmont in a role that will support our growing and ongoing efforts to impact the world in meaningful ways. His demonstrated commitment to creative, collaborative and entrepreneurial thinking— and his impressive experience focused on operational excellence—provide an incredible foundation for all that Belmont is working toward as we seek to impact human and community flourishing.”
“Belmont exemplifies everything that great communities are built upon—values, stewardship and a sense of belonging to something much greater than self,” Ed Magee said. “I could not be more thrilled to join this incredible and growing team.”
In addition to his role as VP, Magee will serve as Executive-in-Residence for the Massey College of Business where he will provide teaching and leadership across a variety of college areas including degree programs. He will work alongside the College’s leadership team to consider how Belmont can continue to play a strong role in developing innovative approaches for the business community and beyond.
“Ed’s many years of experience, his incredible career and his commitment to pursuing success that is steeped in ethical leadership make him an exemplary model for our students and our entire community,” said Dr. Sarah Gardial, Dean of Belmont’s Massey College of Business. “I am grateful for the insight and wisdom he will bring to our team as we seek to educate and train the next generation of business leaders who are equipped to make the world a better place.”
Most recently, Magee served as the Executive Vice President of Operations at Fender, a privately held musical instruments company with more than $1 billion in annual revenue. In this role he directed every aspect of manufacturing, sustainability, new product innovation, supply chain, logistics, distribution and more. Prior to his time at Fender, Magee was a senior executive at Harley-Davidson where he oversaw production facilities and led transformational efforts throughout the organization’s workforce.
In addition to his extensive career in management, Magee has served on a variety of non-profit boards including the Board of Visitors at Duke University’s Fuqua School of Business, the Fender Play Foundation (Co-President), the Boys & Girls Club of Metro LA (Secretary) and in an advisory role for the National Association of Manufacturers “Heroes MAKE America” Veterans Transition Program. He is a Diversity MBA Magazine Top 100 Under 50 Diverse Education Leaders and a Savoy Magazine Top 100 Most Influential Blacks in Corporate America honoree. Ed also serves as an Independent Director on the
Board of WD-40 (NASDAQ: WDFC) and serves on the Audit and Finance committees.
Magee is a combat veteran who holds a Master of Business Administration from the Fuqua School of Business at Duke University, a Master of Public Administration from George Mason University and a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the U.S. Naval Academy.
Michael Bell shared the unfortunate news of the passing of Don Griffin along with the comforting news that several classmates were able to attend the Memorial Service. Please keep Don’s family in your thoughts and prayers.
“Don Griffin’s Memorial service was held December 12th at the Naval Academy Chapel followed by his interment at the Naval Academy columbarium on Hospital Point. Classmate Rob Horel and a former midshipman Don sponsored, Maj. Patrick Moecher, USMC (USNA 2010), gave eulogies. Several classmates were in attendance including Don’s plebe year 34th company roommates Rob Horel and Tony Hollinger, 10th company classmates Charlie Sullivan, Joe Campbell, Ziggy Wulff, and Mike Bell, and several other classmates including Nancy Springer and Bill Hallahan.
Rob Horel memorized his eulogy and spoke of Don’s southern roots, childhood, many friends, affinity of alternative music, passion for playing rugby, love for the Naval Academy and service, but most importantly of his family. It was incredible and alluded to many of Don’s characteristics: wit, intelligence, sincerity, patriotism, sense of humor and love of family.
Don’s love for USNA was expressed by his desire to be interred on the banks of the Severn River at the Naval Academy’s columbarium on Hospital Point overlooking his beloved alma mater. Knowing Don’s sense of humor and that he was a Systems Engineering major, I must believe he chose that location so he could see Rickover Hall and say, “ I told you I’d earn my Gold Dolphins.”
Don is survived by his wife of 35 years, Karine; sons Zachary, Samuel, and Jared (USNA 2014, USMC east coast Osprey pilot); mother, Doris; brother Todd; and many in-laws, nephews and nieces. He was predeceased by his father Donald.”
Thanks to all our contributors for this issue. Please send your news and writings to rpinataro87@gmail.com with “SHIPMATE” in the subject line.
Life Membership: 100% Donor Participation: 17.61%
Pres: Jim Schwab
c: 714-787-6920; 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”
’88 “Strength in Freedom”, USS RUSSELL (DDG-59) r/ Sara USNA Alumni Association and Foundation is migrating to the new myUSNA platform over the next year with the goal of providing better, more coordinated, and timely communications on the right platforms. This means our future connection to all things USNA - including our upcoming class events, reunion news, special interest groups, live events, tailgaters, alumni directory, local chapters, sporting events, world-wide alumni events, and more - are now on or will be on this platform. It’s easy. Just head over to myusna.com and register with your email. If your email matches the one used on usna.com, you’re in automatically. If it’s an updated email, a staff member will verify your identity as a member of the class, and then you’ll be in! Please let us know if you have any questions.
With the new myusna platform, we now have a ‘88 class website, under construction but live. If you have a small business, we can highlight your logo and link it back to your website. Send your 300 by 300 logo (not to exceed 50 MB) and the url to Laura Lee at lauraleeusna88@gmail.com, via DM on our private ‘88 Facebook group, or connect directly using the new myusna.com platform.
Darryl Smith is a new member of USA Boxing Board of Directors. Announcement of New USA Board Members:
M “Darryl Smith was selected as an Independent Director. Having boxed at the US Naval Academy, Smith learned a great deal about resiliency and dealing with uncertainty, which helped him in his military service and business career. His career in business and non-profit experience including serving on the Salvation Army Board in Dallas will be valuable to the Board.”
35th Reunion. 35 YEARS! This fall ’88 will be celebrating our 35th reunion in Annapolis. We will have another great program with a mixture of events highlighted by our Friday Evening Class Event and our Saturday Tailgater. There are also two new venues we will be utilizing –
the Jack Taylor Center at the Naval Institute on Hospital Point and the new Alumni Association and Foundation Headquarters on King George Street across from the Baseball Stadium. The date has not been set but will be announced by the end of February once the football schedule for this fall is finalized. As soon as we lock this in – a “Save the Date” communication will go out via all of our channels including email, Facebook and Shipmate so you can put it on your calendar. Thank you to all who have volunteered to be on the Reunion Planning Team. If you would like to be a part of the team – please send an email to me at (jschwab@ crimstonepartners.com).
Would you like to mentor interested students about the opportunities at USNA?
Become a Blue & Gold Officer and contact USNA Admissions at 410-293-1813.
Life Membership: 100% Donor Participation: 31.22%
Pres: Denise (Shorey) Willert
Haendelstrasse 8, 46459 Rees, Germany
German p: 49 (0)170 960 4551
US p: 1 757 386 7804
e: denise.willert@1989.usna.com
Corr Sec’y: Scott McFadden
e: jsmcfadd1@nycap.rr.com; scottmcfadden1989@gmail.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
Happy Spring, Classmates! I hope the change in season finds you all in fine spirits!
My wife and I successfully completed the Dopey Challenge in Disney World in January. The Dopey Challenge consists of four races, a 5K, a 10K, a half-marathon and a marathon, run over four consecutive days. It was our second year doing it and we had a blast. We did come back with covid, which lasted a couple of weeks before we got back to normal. Also participating was Mike Breslauer and his wife, Karen. Mike ran the 10K and Karen ran the Dopey.
From Catherine Gillies –
M Hey, ’89! I’m finally catching up on closing out a bunch of my ’22 stuff. Back in July, I took my Scouts BSA Troop 2018 from Annapolis to the iconic Philmont Scout Ranch. On the way to Philmont, we picked up Kristin Reynolds Goodrich, who showed us all over Colorado Springs and helped us acclimate to the altitude. Thanks to her expert guidance, we survived our 50-mile trek and gained a new love for roughing it in the outdoors. I was then thrilled to run into Stephanie Schollaert Uz the day we checked back in to Philmont base camp. She was checking in to head out on her troop’s trek the next day. If you ever get the chance to go to Philmont, TAKE IT!
Kristin Goodrich, Catherine Gillies and Scouts
And from our Class President, Denise (Shorey) Willert -
M Hello everyone! I’m sorry to begin with sad news, but always want to make you aware when our dear classmates pass. In December and January, we unfortunately lost three — Mike Sheehy, Steve Namaniego (with us plebe year), and Troy Holland. These gentlemen are gone much too soon and will be greatly missed. My understanding is that there will be a celebration of Steve’s life sometime this spring, and I will certainly get that information to you as soon as I can.
With lighter news, please allow me to say THANK YOU to everyone who donated to our Alumni Center fundraising project last year. With some incredibly generous matching donations in December, we not only met our 250K goal as a class, but greatly surpassed it! Reaching this 250K benchmark ensures that our class will be recognized in perpetuity with a large 1989 Class Crest displayed along the donor walkway in front of the building.
Most importantly, during this campaign, we were able to raise enough funds to have all eight of our fallen classmates — six in operations, two as midshipmen — recognized as Alumni Center plankowners.
Your generosity and kindness in contributing to this cause were overwhelming. I’d like to specifically mention Brian Caldwell, who really helped with this push over the finish line. Thank you to all!
As you may already know, your newly elected class board met for the first time in January. Again, a huge welcome to Ingar Grev, Mike McGettigan and (re-elected) Heidi Fleming These teammates join Tony Newpower, Heather Purvis, Joe Fagan and me for their six-year “tour of duty” on the board.
To that end, my deepest appreciation is again extended to Clint Carroll and Edwin Henderson, our board teammates over the past three years. Thank you for your volunteerism and friendship!
Significant accomplishments of your outgoing board (2020 to 2023) include:
— Managed communication of and participation in the memorial services of the passing of seven Shipmates
— Approved three new Honorary Classmates
— Participated in three All Academy
Challenges, with top ten results
— Nominated eight Athlete Legend classmates for digital display in Terwilliger Center
— Prepared Class of 89 customized products for Chapel Dome memorabilia
— Submitted two DGA nominations
— Raised more than 250K for new Alumni Center, with large crest class recognition and recognition of eight Fallen classmates as plank owners
— Held elections for new board (start 2023)
— Participated in virtual and in-person Council of Class Presidents meetings (twice yearly)
— Regular SACC updates/Shipmate contributions
Under the leadership of Reunion Chair Karen (Somsel) Quilty, one of our key upcoming projects will be to plan for our phenomenal 35th Reunion next year, where we hope to see as many of you as possible. Have a wonderful spring, everyone.
Now’s the Time, 89!
Fondly, Denise
That’s all for this issue. As always, stay safe and… BEAT ARMY!
’90
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 13.96%
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
Where better to begin this month’s column than with a key flag officer announcement (as shared by Kwan Lee in our Facebook group): on 27 January, “Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin, III announced that the president had made the following nomination: Navy Rear Adm. Frederick W. Kacher for appointment to the grade of vice admiral, with assignment as commander, Seventh Fleet, Yokosuka, Japan. Kacher is currently serving as vice director for Operations, J-3, Joint Staff, Washington, D.C.”
As so eloquently stated by VADM John Mustin, “No surprises here. A superb leader heading to a consequential command. The world is right.” Indeed! Here’s a photo of Fred and his wife Pam with Bill Guarini at a Surface Navy Association event a few days before. According to Fred, Bill “helped keep me in the Navy as a lieutenant and to whom I owe a lot. We never make this journey alone.” Just think, Bill: the Seventh Fleet has you to thank for it!
Switching from the Seventh Fleet to CIVLANT, Joe Gugluizza alerted us to the appointment of Marc Scheipe as CEO at Allvue Systems, a leading alternative investment technology solutions provider. From the company’s online announcement, Marc “most recently served as CEO of Vector Solutions, where he recruited an expert executive leadership team, oversaw strategic acquisitions and accelerated product and revenue growth throughout his tenure. Scheipe has also served as CFO and President for the Americas at Sage Software, CEO & President of FrontStream, CFO of Global Business Functions at Ally Financial and began his career as a Lieutenant Commander in the United States Navy.” BZ, Marc! Moving west to Dallas, ’90 continues to rise to the top. John Lunger celebrated the announcement that Bob Pragada has assumed the role of CEO at the technical professional services firm Jacobs Solutions. Bob’s career path has taken him from the Civil Engineer Corps, to Stanford, and the boards and advisory councils for such institutions as Eaton, Brightstar Capital, the Dallas Mavericks Foundation, the Dallas Regional Chamber, and the Naval Academy Foundation. Congratulations, Bob, and thanks for leading from the front!
Mitch Rios found Carter Honesty wandering the streets of Melbourne, FL. Many a sea story was told!
On a more casual, lighter note, Steve Williams posted this great tailgater photo with Rob Garretson and Daron Fullwood. Some seriously motivated gear on display, gentlemen!
Carter Honesty and Mitch RiosWrapping up our Facebook-sourced posts, Pete Clarke shared some great pics from an event at the Pentagon. “Donna Pensabene Young is todays MVP! It took me two hours to get to the Pentagon this morning for a ceremony for our Nation’s finest. A ceremony attended by John Mustin and a ton of flag officers/general officers. The Commandant, AF COS, etc. Donna saw me in the lobby, a lost sheep, and hooked me up with an escort. Thank you, Donna. My buddy Chef Robert Irvine is doing great things for Veterans. Please look at his foundation if you or your company are looking to help veterans in need and get a win-win.”
Donna Young and Gronkowski; Crusty and Gronk; and Pete Clarke, John Mustin, Robert Irvine…Thank you all for the updates and photos on Facebook. Classmates, remember to send your updates for this column via the shipmate1990@gmail mailbox to let us know what’s going on in your life and career!
Life Membership: 98%
Donor Participation: 16.07%
Pres: Gibson Armstrong
p: 717-371-0124; e: gib@USNA91.info
Admin VP: Ana Kreiensieck p: 703-298-9099; e: ana@USNA91.info
Exec Vice Pres: Mike Rapp p: 757-620-0070; e: miker@USNA91.info
Sec’y and Shipmate Contact: Sue (Slaven) Macaluso p: 631-365-2070; e: sue@usna91.info
Treas: Jen Coleman p: 989-600-9671; e: jen@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
It is hard to believe that Spring is upon us! With the rains falling, blooming flowers and budding trees, it reminds me of new beginnings, a fresh start… Our class is also getting a fresh start, with our new Class President at the helm, Gib Armstrong. “Gib” is a household name in the circles of our beloved class… Most notably, or notoriously (haha), through his leadership and organization of our monthly class networking calls. It was his brainchild… And thanks to his idea and his passion to contribute to our class, he formed the monthly call which helps to
connect us as classmates, keeps us informed about current events and issues, and provides an avenue for connecting people where there is an interest, need or request – a network… Although Gib was from the “End of the Line,” 36th Company, it certainly didn’t work out that way in our December election. Gib threw his hat in the ring and came out on top!
Congratulations Gib and welcome to our USNA Class of 1991 Executive Board! And speaking of our Class Executive Board, our Treasurer Jen Coleman has some great news to share!
The Great Class of ’91!
We all know that the great Class of ’91 is, well… great. But do you know HOW great? The Alumni Association is building a new alumni facility across the street from the baseball stadium, as I hope you all know by now. They offered the opportunity for each class to be recognized at the new facility with their class crest. This opportunity would come with a fee of course! There were 2 giving levels: either a “small” crest for $100,000 or a “large” crest for $250,000. Do you have any doubt which way we went?!? Our BOLD class decided on BOLD recognition (a.k.a. LARGE crest)… We CRUSHED the $250,000 requirement for the large crest by raising a whopping $655,000! But wait, there is more! Individually, there was also the opportunity to become a Plankowner for a pledge of $12,500 over 5 years. We CRUSHED that too!! There will be 43 planks in Plankowner Hall with names of members of our great Class of ’91. Of all the classes, we were 5th in the number of Plankowners. But wait, there is still more! Eleven of those planks are for classmates near and dear to all our hearts. There will be in-memorium planks for:
MARCUS B. PLETCHER, LTJG, USN
RONALD J. MOBAYED, LT, USN
BRIAN F. HUSSEY, JR., CAPT USMC
BRIAN M. SMITH, CAPT, USMC
JONATHAN B. NOLAN, LT, USN
CHRISTOPHER C. TRAGNA, LCDR, USN
ROBERT E. CLUKEY, III, LCDR, USN
ANTHONY R. DOMINO, LCDR, USNR
SCOTT A. ZELLEM, LCDR, USN
MARIO D. CARAZO, LTCOL, USMC
ALTON J. GRIZZARD, LTJG, USN
I am sincerely humbled and honored to be a member of this truly, great Class of ’91 and I look forward to visiting the new alumni center where we can reunite and remember.
Cheers, Jen
Remembering Our Fallen Classmates… In this March/April Shipmate we lift our classmates Christopher Charles Tragna (4/2/2002), Donald Allan Turner (4/3/2013), Anthony Richard Domino (4/11/2003), Carl David Flores (4/20/2015), Carl Aaron Bresko (4/26/2019) and Jeffrey Allen Trail (4/29/1997). Please take a moment to remember them, their lives, their friendships, and their families. The ties of the Naval Academy bind us together with them, and their families, as one. Take a moment to reach out to families and friends alike and raise a glass in remembrance. Share stories, memories, laughter, and tears. For more information on our fallen classmates, you can visit our class website at ww.usna91.info/InMemoriam.aspx.
The Annual Class Call was held on Tuesday, December 6, 2022. Meeting started at 9:00 PM EST.
* Moment of Silence – a moment of silence was held for our 43 fallen classmates.
* Honor Our Fallen Heroes – October 8, 2022. The event was held in Memorial Hall and was attended by the Tragna and Mobayed families. They were chaperoned by several classmates.
* Agenda – the agenda for the call was reviewed.
* Class Objectives – outreach, transition, leadership and engagement.
* Executive Leadership Team – monthly meetings.
* Mini-Reunion San Diego 2022 – 28 classmates showed up, about 50 people at Robb Chadwick’s house. The 4-day gathering comprised many activities.
* Navy vs. Air Force Tailgate and Football Game – we had a good turnout of classmates, families, and friends.
* 30th Reunion – marquis of all reunions. The memorial service for fallen classmates kicks off the weekend, and all other events are planned around it.
* Fly-Ins – fly-in activities have been planned and executed at various locations, including Indianapolis, IN.
* President’s Remarks – Evan Barnet
Thanks to everybody.
As we get older, more important to make time to get together.
Takes 10% of the class to run it, about 120 people. Goal is to not have the same people running everything.
Data centralization – know where people are, get connected. Evan was able to connect with classmates during disasters (Houston flood situation, hurricanes in Florida, etc.) to make sure they were okay.
Promotion of our Class – in the past year we submitted two Distinguished Graduate packages for consideration and will continue to do so.
Continue Getting Together – mini reunions, tailgates, networking, call a classmate, help bring your circle of friends to class events, and try volunteering, it’s a great way to connect!
* President Election – Gib Armstrong was elected as our new Class President. Congrats Gib!
* Administrative Vice President Report –Ana Kreiensieck
Class Stats – started 1315 midshipmen on I-Day. Graduated 955. Still serving: 15 active, 2 reservists, 3 NJROTC instructors, and 3 Senior Executive Service.
Company Reps – list provided.
Regional Reps – who and where located. Regional reps to help plan and organize events/gatherings.
* Secretary Report – Sue Macaluso
Sue reviewed her responsibilities as Class Secretary.
Keep sending your blurbs and photos for inclusion in Shipmate magazine! Your classmates want to hear from you!
* Treasurer Report – Jen Coleman
Class Crest Project – Jen provided our giving stats in support of the new USNA Alumni Association and Foundation Center. Our class exceeded the $250K requirement to be recognized with a large class crest in the new facility. You could also be recognized as a Plankowner by donating $12,500. The deadline to participate is 12/31/2022. At the time of the annual class call, 30 classmates had donated money to the cause and 18 were plankowners.
Operating Budget – $53K in our account. Need to carry a balance in support of our 35th reunion.
* 1991 Support Foundation – Ray Barata
Mission – provide a short-term source of support for members of Class of 1991 and their immediate families, with a compelling need.
501(c)(3) charity, donations welcome.
Board Members – Ray Barata, Mike Smith, Evan Barnet, Juan Orozco
Let us know of any classmates that have a short-term need. It is completely confidential.
* Monthly Networking – Gib Armstrong Networking calls are the 3rd Tuesday each month.
Gib thanked everybody and he is looking forward to standing the watch as our president for the next 5 years.
* 35th Reunion – Scott Shepard
Already scheduled for Homecoming Weekend 2026!
Dan Morio and Scott Shepard will be plan. Mike Rapp and Sue Macaluso will be helping out.
* 2022 Football Tailgates – Mike Rapp
Would love for more people to attend them!
Reggie Hammond repaired a large hole in our tent using his industrial sewing machine. He saved us thousands of dollars the tent manufacturer would have charged for doing the same repair.
Mike currently keeps the tailgate equipment at his house. We are discussing the idea of purchasing a trailer so anybody could pick it up and use it.
We plan to create a SOP for setting up and running the tailgate, so anybody could follow it. There are times when people are traveling and unable to be there for setup, etc.
* Navy vs. Notre Dame – Ireland, 8/26/2023.
Dan Morio not able to attend tonight, but he is organizing the travel through GoNavyTravel
* Class Engagement – Ian Hadden.
Launched cycling and triathlon kit and exercise jersey.
Working on stickers with class crest, single color, multi-color and modernized version of crest.
Let Ian know if you would like to see the class crest on something, he may be able to help arrange it.
* Election – Craig Benson.
Glad everything went well with the election. Wished Gib a good term.
Class Swag – Evan Barnet
Evan provided updates on our class swag and available items.
* Meeting Closure
Evan thanked everybody for their support and bid his farewell.
Attendees provided their thanks and praise for Evan’s leadership of our class.
* Meeting adjourned at 10:10 PM EST.
Army-Navy Watch Party in the East(man’s)… Although we didn’t sing second, the ArmyNavy football game was a nail biter through two overtimes, ending in a loss 20-17. It was the first time in the history of the rivalry that the game went into extended play. As sure as the game is played each year, so it is that the Eastman’s host a watch party in their home… One party goer was kind enough to send photo evidence of the gathering. A big thanks to Hai Eastman and her husband for their continued support of our class!
experience, but also surprisingly lighthearted. They were kept in 8’ x 8’ cells and was a sobering experience during the lecture when midshipmen taped the floor to depict the area of their confinement. Several of our classmates were able to attend this important lecture.
It’s a Christmas Rapp
A big shout out to Mike and Lisa Rapp for hosting a USNA 1991 Christmas party in their home in Annapolis, also known as the “treehouse.” Many classmates gathered for the festivities and had a great time. Many stories were shared and new memories made!
Sue
classmates! It’s an honor to serve as our president. More importantly, it’s an honor to be part of an engaged leadership team of class officers and company and regional reps. Thanks to everyone who voted, and to Mike Rapp, Jen Coleman and Dan Drake for running. While we’re already looking forward to our next reunion, we as a leadership team want to facilitate connections large and small in the meantime. Every time we leave a 91 gathering of any size we think, “That was great! When can we do it again!” But the cares of life can quickly overwhelm. When USNA 1991 gathers, good things happen, and we’re all the better for it. This year let’s intend to spend a little more time with our 91 brothers and sisters than we did last year. What’s the best class? 91 Sir/Ma’am! Gib Armstrong
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 33.95%
Pres: Donnie Kennedy
Forrestal Lecture –
The Brigade of Midshipmen, USNA alumni, and Naval Academy Leadership Conference attendees had the honor of hearing firsthand accounts from CDR Everett Alvarez, Jr., USN (Ret.); CAPT Joseph C. Plumb ’64, USNR (Ret.); and RADM Robert H. Shumaker ’56, USN (Ret.), regarding their captivity in North Vietnam as POWs. The lecture was a moving
Vice Pres: Glenn Viado
Treasurer: Joe Zurzolo
Corr Sec’ys: David Ornstein and Jerry Deren
e: USNA1992ClassUpdate@gmail.com
Website: www.usna92.com
‘92,
Fire those salute cannon!
We begin this month by extending a hearty thank you to outgoing class president
Creighton Armstrong for his extended tour, overseeing many achievements including multiple successful reunions, hitting our class fundraising goals, and the creation of our class recognition awards. Creighton’s watch also saw ’92 continuing our support of MAG, the Class of 1942, and Naval Academy athletic excellence under his leadership. Many thanks and a huge BZ to Creighton – please buy him a drink if you see him.
Blow the bo’sun pipes!
Now coming aboard, our newly elected class leadership. Thanks to all hands who participated in our election; feedback from the Alumni Association was that we massively outperformed other classes (of course) in our turnout. Thanks also for the overwhelming support of our referendum question; that approval will enable us to modernize the way we manage the class, to the benefit of all concerned, far into the future.
Please welcome and support:
Class President: Donnie Kennedy
Class Vice-President: Glenn Viado
Class Treasurer: Joe Zurzolo
At-Large Members:
Brett Odom
David Lillefloren
Shelby Mounts
Ed Lucio
{Ed. Note: Jerry Deren and David Ornstein continue to serve as your class co-secretaries and continue to appreciate all contributions to this space, which can be sent to usna1992 classupdate@gmail.com}
In other great news, Tracey Hayes shared this terrific update about the journey she and Kim Walz took together from kindergarten to USNA and about Kim’s entry to the flag ranks: M Two kids from Crownsville, Maryland. One wanted to be a dachshund; one wanted to be a squirrel. They both ended up becoming career naval officers, graduates of the U.S. Naval Academy, class of 1992.
On October 15, 2022, the dachshund was promoted to the rank of Rear Admiral.
On June 19, 1975, Millersville Elementary kindergarteners Kimberly Walz and Tracey Nicole Hayes, ages six and five respectively, were interviewed by a local newspaper in a section called Kandid Kids. The question: If you could be any animal, what would you be?
Kimberly wanted to be a dachshund “because my little dog is one and I like her ‘cause she is long.” Shy about “Squirrel” being my uncle’s nickname for me, I shared I wanted to be a squirrel “because I like to eat nuts.” Wide eyes and big baby-tooth grins reflected back from the page as our proud parents, neighbors, and friends grabbed copies of the newspapers for souvenirs.
Our bond didn’t end there. At Old Mill Middle School South, we played cello and violin together in the orchestra. At Old Mill Senior High, Kim excelled in sports and was involved in student government while I enjoyed the
benefits of working at the National Security Agency through Future Business Leaders of America.
Both of us had family ties to the military— Kim’s father was a retired Master Chief in the Navy; my father was an Army Sergeant who died on active-duty months prior to my birth. We were both drawn to service to our country and applied for competitive positions at the U.S. Naval Academy.
Continuing our journey together, we both found ourselves at the U.S. Naval Academy Preparatory School in Newport, Rhode Island where we successfully completed a rigorous 10-month academic program in preparation for entry into the U.S. Naval Academy the following year.
As fate would have it, the two of us ended up on the Navy Powerlifting team, with both of us winning championship titles in our individual weight classes.
Upon graduation, Kim commissioned as a Surface Warfare Officer while I commissioned as a General Unrestricted Line Officer.
Although differing military assignments separated our duo—as often happens— Academy reunions and other engagements allowed us to reunite from time to time.
In July 2011, I retired as a Human Resources Officer with over 20 years of active-duty service. I made my home outside of Greensboro, North Carolina and began a second career as a freelance ghostwriter and editor.
With over 30 years of combined active and reserve service, Kim is currently the Navy Reserve Commanding Officer of U.S. Naval Forces Europe and Africa/Sixth Fleet, Detachment 802 in Naples, Italy.
And now there’s an Admiral in our ranks. When I received a personal invitation to Kim’s
promotion ceremony, there was no way I would not be there to support my friend on this momentous occasion. Two kids from Crownsville, Maryland: one dachshund, one squirrel. Neither knowing at the time how our lives would connect over a lifetime of service to our nation. I am infinitely proud of Kim and wish her continued success on her grand journey!
Congratulations to Shelby Mounts, who has taken a new role as Executive Director of NextOp, a veteran service organization. In this role Shelby ensures the NextOp team has the resources and leadership required to deliver the Mission as efficiently as possible with maximum impact Shelby |shares that:
M NextOp Veterans bridges the divide between middle Enlisted (E-3 to E-7) military members and companies looking to hire military talent.
Their team of Employment Coordinators work one-on-one with transitioning Veterans to identify civilian professions that are right for them, translate their resume, prepare for interviews, and ultimately start a new career. The Employment Coordinators are Veterans themselves and have gone through the hurdles and struggles that come with transitioning from the military.
NextOp partners with employers across many industries, many of whom have a strong desire to recruit and retain Veterans. They actively work with recruiters and corporate leadership to ensure that the translation of military skills to civilian experience is not a barrier for Veterans. https://nextopvets.org/
More classmate togetherness:
Shelby Mounts checked in from New Orleans, where NextOp Veterans has one of its offices, with a pic of himself and Dave Weller.
Thanks to Brett for this fine public service and for allowing us to share it here:
M Reporter’s Q:
“Hi Brett, my name is Claire, and I’m a reporter with the San Francisco Chronicle. I’m writing a short story on the Blue Angels ahead of their show in SF this weekend, how much they cost and how much pollution they produce — questions that have actually been really difficult for me to get straight answers to. I saw that you’ve written about FA-18’s, and I was wondering if you’d be available for a quick phone call to discuss how much fuel they burn per hour, the true cost of operating them, etc. I’m at 248-XXX-XXXX — feel free to call anytime. Thank you so much!”
Fox-3:
“Hi Claire. Yes, in addition to nearly 2,000 flight hours in the F/A-18 Hornet I also have a BS in Aeronautical Engineering, have developed financial models assessing the operating costs of military aircraft, and have published on the topic. Hornets burn JP-5, which is essentially a highly refined form of kerosene. The General Electric F414 engines that power it are marvels of modern engineering, with ceramic turbine coatings that allow operating temperatures over 900 degrees Celsius. This ensures complete combustion and exceptional efficiency. Any dolt who passed through a high school chemistry class might recall that the principal byproducts of any combustion process are H2O and CO2
However, it seems safe to guess from the premise of your question that you are far less interested in the relative efficiency and cost of the F/A-18 than in making a case that perhaps the Blues should not be performing for your fair city this weekend on grounds of pollution and expense. Here’s the thing: the nation depends on young men and women willing to put on the rough cloth of service. The Constitution requires Congress to maintain an army and a navy and to provide for the common defense. Carrier aviation is a critical element of that effort—particularly in a theater as vast and watery as the Pacific, important parts of which China is attempting to claim as its own exclusive zone. A quick glance at the fate of the Uighurs or the formerly free people of Hong Kong ought to disabuse any fool of what sort of barbarity that enterprise will bring. One might also ask the free, democratic people of Taiwan why they invest so much national blood and treasure resisting the loving embrace of the PRC. Moreover, if pollution is a primary concern, it is an established fact that open market systems operated by free and democratic societies pollute far less than centrally controlled, totalitarian systems by any measure going— per capita, per unit of output, there is simply no comparison. The US Navy is essential to protecting the sea lanes and free trade that make these systems possible.
The men and women who are part of the Blue Angels have volunteered to serve the
nation, sacrificing a great deal of personal comfort, safety, and what passes for normal family life in order to do so. I can assure you that every single naval aviator operating those aircraft knows friends who have paid the ultimate sacrifice. I attended more memorial services during my 8 years of operational flying than most people will attend in a lifetime. The coffins (when there was one) were never open. Maintaining the skills necessary to manage the risks of flying high performance fighter aircraft —particularly carrier-based aircraft— requires constant, constant, constant training. There is not a marginal cost/benefit question at hand, as if the alternative is to park the aircraft, allow the crews to stay home, and save the expense and carbon footprint. Those aviators and ground crews will be returning to sea duty in a year, or two, to deploy at sea. They must remain prepared, which means the airplanes must fly. The Blues serve an essential mission—not only to demonstrate the skill and prowess of naval aviators for entertainment, but more importantly to inspire young men and women to consider a life of service. Without those volunteers choosing the hard path we would all be in very sorry state.
The San Francisco show has regularly inspired one after another lifeless killjoy to complain year after year, on whatever grounds are most currently trendy. But the show goes on just as the Navy right now operates night and day in far off places under demanding conditions, without ceasing. When you hear the shriek of those F414 engines overhead this weekend, turning kerosene into speed and heat, lean back, enjoy a cocktail, and know that what you are hearing is the sound of freedom.
Warm regards, Brett”
Take a strain! Sit down now and type out an update to usna1992classupdate@gmail.com
That is all for this month, ’92!
’93Life Membership: 98%
Donor Participation: 20.16%
Pres: Bob Kuberski
e: bob@usna93.com
Vice Pres: CAPT Colleen C. Salonga, SC, USN (Ret.)
Corr Sec’y: Shogo Cottrell
30765 W. 127th St, Olathe, KS 66061
e: shogo@usna93.com; p: 913-220-1193
Treas: CAPT Jay Matzko, USN(Ret.)
e: jtdjm@yahoo.com
Shipmate Correspondence: Maj Shogo Cottrell, USMCR
30765 W. 127th St, Olathe, KS 66061
p: 913-220-1193; e: shogo@usna93.com
Website: http://www.usna93.com
’94
Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 14.67%
Pres: Jim Keck
c: 904-477-2133; e: JKeck@usna94.com
Vice Pres: Julie Spencer
e: jspencer@1994.usna.com
Treas: Brian Bruggeman
e: btbruggeman@hotmail.com
Sec’y: Maria J. Pallotta
p: 410-440-7552; e: mariapallotta@yahoo.com
Corr Sec’y: Margaret (Dotolo) Aden
e: margaret.aden@gmail.com
Howdy Classmates!! I’ve started crafting this submission right after the Jan/Feb deadline. For the first time, we had more submissions (including photos) than our class allotment. Woah ’94!! I love your spirit. Keep those submissions rolling in—I remember seeing more retirements and life events on Facebook. Don’t. Make. Me. Stalk. You.
Our unofficial FB Morale Officer (how do we make that official??), Adam Kinnear, was kind enough to wait for the next this column. He’s name-dropping (in the captions—pay attention ’94!) bunches of Classmates who showed up to support RAdm Brad Andros at his Change of Command at Navy Expeditionary Combat Command on September 30, 2022, on Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek Fort Story in Norfolk, VA.
The second picture is the reception that was held at the Bunker Brewpub in Virginia Beach.
Adam closes with a rare sighting report, telling us that for the record, seeing Scott Hurt and Chris Demay in public together is like getting a picture of both Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster. That hasn’t happened since May 25, 1994.
Next up is an update from our beloved Enochia Anderson. Her humble work on behalf of the Jacksonville USNA AA has given her the opportunity to be a candidate for the USNAAA BoT Eastern Region Trustee. Let’s all show her our support and get out the ’94 Vote! She writes:
M I got the chance to attend the USNA Alumni Association Board of Trustees Fall meeting in December where also in attendance was 94’s own Mid-Atlantic Region Trustee Juliana Rosati Vida
I also attended my first Army Navy Game since graduation where I had the pleasure of taking my Sponsor Mom, Cynthia Abner Carter. She is the first Black Alderwoman in Annapolis and the game was her first ever!
Enochia Anderson and Elissa Smith.
Sadly, I’m sorry to let you know we have two Classmates that have passed away. Timothy John Kidd and Neil L. Rapawy.
Classmate Timothy John Kidd passed away Jan 5th, 2023, in Branson, Missouri. He graduated from Hillsboro High School in 1987 before enlisting in the United States Navy and eventually attending the United States Naval Academy. Throughout his life, he worked for several computing firms. A lover of music and a man of wide enthusiasms and skills. He enjoyed running, riding his motorcycle and camping. He is survived by his parents, Mickie and Michael Huskey and Ron and Terry Kidd, and his sisters, Tiffany, Lindsay and Lacey.
Enochia and Alderman Cynthia Abner Carter. Several classmates were at the game, including Kendra Chappel, Allie Thompson, and Elissa Smith and I caught up with company mate and brother, Brigadier General Ahmed Williamson Doesn’t that star look great??
Classmate Neil Lawrence Rapawy, died Sunday, January 29, 2023, after a long battle with cancer. He was 50 years old and the beloved husband of Amy Ballantyne Rapawy. Born and raised in Westchester, CT, he attended Fordham Preparatory School and was an Eagle Scout. After his 1994 graduation from the United States Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD, his tours of duty included service on the guided missile frigate USS Estocin (FFG15) and in Kosovo in the late 1990s.Upon returning to civilian life, he worked in the pharmaceutical industry in finance and accounting, most recently as Vice President of Finance at Certified Site Safety in White Plains, NY. In addition to his devoted wife of 18 years, Amy, Neil will be lovingly remembered by his two children, Cooper and Harper, of Weston.
Fair winds and following seas, brothers. Our world is less without you, and we will hold your light in our hearts forever.
Quick personal update on my own travels. Mike and I popped over to Oahu in October ’22 and had the great privilege to spend an evening on “Colonel Row” Marine Corp Base Hawaii, Kaneohe Bay with the beautiful Leah Seay ’95 and Colonel Matt Seay. Their children Ellie (17), Molly (15), Callen (12) were also home with their oldest, Aiden (20) in college in AZ. Apparently, Matt is quite the chef, a skill he picked up while Leah was deployed. Who knew??? We had a lovely meal and visit; I’m honored to know them and proud of the focused and dedicated service they’re still providing our great country. Wheresoever two or more gather, we are stronger.
Finally, I’d like to thank all of you who reached out to let me know about a certain ring being auctioned off on eBay. In the Fall of 1993, my original class ring was stolen out of my locker during a noon meal formation. My room was on 4-3 right next to the Rotunda. I forgot to lock my locker as I rushed out to T-Court and when I came back from lunch. Poof. The ring was gone. USAA and Jostens replaced the ring, and I went about my merry way, but the second ring was never quite the same, lacking the stone I picked out and the energy of wearing it during our final year in Annapolis.
Fast forward to December ’22 when a West Point grad saw the Ladies ’94 ring on eBay. He then posted in a USNA Athletics FB group, where Brandy Hoot and Todd Stroud transferred it to our own ’94 FB Group. I contacted the person selling it off (my name is engraved on the inside of the ring!!) and sent him a picture of my diploma hanging in my foyer. He was kind enough to reach an accommodation with me and for the spot price of gold—Voila! She returned to me just after New Year’s Day 2023. My ORIGINAL class ring, 30 years later, is now on my hand. You may not be able to tell them apart, but I sure can. I’m so grateful to all of you that saw something and said something. You ALL continue to support me in ways I didn’t even know I needed.
Email them at 94USNA@gmail.com to be put on distribution for invites. I’m totally in. And I’ll be taking notes. Insert wink face emoji here. There you go, ’94 another jam-packed class column. Once I add in the photos, we’ve hit the upper limit. Bravo Zulu!! Do you have an update? I need fresh material right now! Comments?
Concerns? You can text (nine eight five three seven seven two zero three five), email (Margaret. Aden@gmail.com), message me on FB, Instagram, Signal or WhatsApp (same digits as above). Quick, short updates are better than none.
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 24.16%
Pres: CDR Andre Coleman, CEC, USN (Ret.) p: 571-344-0336; e: andre_coleman@hotmail.com
Vice Pres: Robert “Butch” Klemeyer p: 941-266-3557; e: bklemeyer@gmail.com
Tres: James “Jimmy” Loreto p: 240-505-6466; e: Jloretojr@gmail.com
Comms Dir: LCDR Heidi (Huerter) Lenzini, USN (Ret.) p: 619-347-0716; e: Heidi.lenzini@gmail.com
Sec’y: CDR Brian Schultz, SC, USN (Ret.) c: 904-219-7523; e: brian.schultz@msimga.com
Classmates,
Hope all is going well in 2023! Check your mailboxes for important message from our president Andre Coleman and how you can continue to support our class goals…everyone’s contribution matters. In new job news, Chris Bailey is now working in his “dream job” as Salute Leader for the Washington Commanders (formerly Redskins), which was recently featured in Military times (by Dave Lubach, 19 Jan.). Here’s some excerpts:
M It would be pretty tough to top the first-week work experience Chris Bailey had with the Washington Commanders. A fan of the NFL team since he was young, Bailey was new to his job…[and] sitting in on his first meeting when in walked someone he had no trouble recognizing. “They bring me into a team meeting and I realized that Doug Williams is in this meeting with me,” Bailey said. “I watched him win the Super Bowl, as the first Black quarterback to win a Super Bowl, and now he’s on the staff here with the team. “I was like, ‘Am I here? Is this really happening? I’m in a meeting with Doug Williams.’ I walked out that day, called my dad and said, ‘You’re not going to believe this ...’” An NFL football team and a 25-year Navy vet were starting rebrands at nearly the same time. The Commanders were in the infant stages of a transition to a new name, and Bailey was seeking a new career path.
Touchdown, Chris Bailey. He was hired in May of last year to serve as the team’s chief community outreach contact for the many veterans living in Washington D.C., Maryland and Virginia, known as the DMV. All NFL teams have veterans programs as part of the league’s Salute to Service. But to his knowledge, none of them have a leader of the program who can boast 25 years of military experience.
“This happened almost simultaneously with the new brand of the Commanders,” Bailey said. “It’s an easy tie to the DMV, kind of the home of our nation’s military, and what that all means and all the responsibilities, privileges and honors that come with command.”
When he left the Navy as a Captain, Bailey was hoping to land a position in a college athletic department or professional sports administration but wasn’t necessarily looking for that position to have a military tie. When the Commanders’ position became available, Bailey jumped at the opportunity.
“I get around at our different events and I meet different guys in uniform who are considering making a transition and they say, ‘He’s working for the NFL. How can I do what you’re doing?’” he said.
Bailey and the Commanders host a pregame event for veterans before every home game that draws about 500 service members and guests. He also helps direct the team’s extensive Veterans Day festivities in November, which includes recruiting more than 90 service members to help hold the flag on the field during the pregame ceremony. He also organizes flyovers throughout the season.
During the offseason, Bailey organizes opportunities for veterans to stay connected to the team through the NFL Draft, mini- and training-camp events, and OTAs. Those events have led to more “pinch-me” moments, including interactions with Commanders’ head coach Ron Rivera.
What a story! And speaking of stories, check out the epic sailing journey of Megan (Humbert) Schwartz and her family over the past several years, which has taken them all over the world! They were recently awarded The Barton Cup from the Ocean Cruising Club (OCC). The Club’s premier award, named after OCC Founder Humphrey Barton and donated by his adult children, twins Peter Barton and Pat Pocock, the Barton Cup was first presented in 1981. It recognizes an exceptional or challenging voyage or series of voyages made by an OCC member(s). From the press release:
M For 2022, the OCC has awarded the OCC Barton Cup to Jon and Megan Schwartz and their young sons Ronan and Daxton, an American family, who with their two cats Poseiden and Athena, left France on their new Boreal 47 Zephyros at the end of 2018 bound for the Caribbean. In mid-2019, they headed to Panama, from where they transited to the Galapagos, on to Ecuador, and down to Easter Island, before continuing east to Chile, arriving before COVID hit the world. They enjoyed their exploration of Patagonia for more than a year. The boys grew up quickly, becoming capable crew and sailors as they explored and raced dinghies with the local Chilean kids.
Call 410-295-4178 to find out how you can match your recent contribution.
“Coach Rivera is a staunch supporter of our military,” Bailey said. “If I’m on the sideline pregame and he’s got his team out there warming up getting ready for a game, he will see a service member in uniform standing there by the tunnel and he goes out of his way to come over and say ‘thank you’ and say ‘hi’ and recognize what these men and women do for us on a day-to-day basis. That I can do this with a team that has a coach like that, makes it easy for a guy like me to do this job.”
At the end of 2020, Zephyros headed across the Drake Channel for their FIRST trip to Antarctica. They had a great time exploring before returning for another year in Chile (all done legally, with full permits and no bending of Covid restrictions). At the end of 2021, they returned to Antarctica, then sailed back up to Cape Horn and Chile, and on to the south Atlantic, with long passages to the Falklands, St. Helena, and Ascension Islands, before heading back to the Caribbean, completing their multi-year circumnavigation of South America.
Commodore Simon Currin remarked, “We thoroughly admire the Schwartz family for their seamanship, as well as for their low-key approach to their adventures, much done in today’s difficult times. They’re great ambassadors of the OCC and the cruising community in general and very deserving of this, our most coveted, award.”
Jon, Megan, Ronan (15) and Daxton (13) Schwartz have been cruising full-time aboard their Boreal 47 since September 2017. They have sailed 35,000 NM in this time exploring Europe, the Caribbean, South America and
Antarctica. Their latest project included a largely offshore circumnavigation of South America during which they transited the Panama Canal, sailed to the Galapagos and Easter Island, extensively explored Patagonia and Tierra del Fuego, made two extended sails to the Antarctic peninsula, visited the Falkland Islands, St. Helena and Ascension, then returned to the Caribbean. Driven by a desire to explore the world and experience its disappearing wilds, they have often pursued places less traveled. Currently meandering through the Caribbean, they are planning for an eventual push to the northern high latitudes. Follow along at svzephyros.com.
We definitely want to hear from ALL of you — retirements, book authors (we will have one in the next Shipmate!), your mids/cadets, whatever your current mission, “inquiring minds want to know.” Thanks to all those who support our mids and alumni! If you haven’t joined your local alumni chapter yet, please connect! We have a number of classmates whose mids are graduating soon, so we’ll get those pix for our summer issue. Check out our Facebook page (USNA Class of 1995) for more on what’s happening with our classmates, we are up to 770 members (including spouses)!
Non Sibi!
Heidi ’96
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 14.89%
Pres: Bill Pennington
Vice Pres: Ghislaine (Williams) Stonaker
Sec’y: Cara Albright
e: caramalbright@1996.usna.com
Treas: Nikki Battaglia ’97
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 11.40%
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
Life Membership: 100%
Donor Participation: 11.47%
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
’99
Life Membership: 93% Donor Participation: 10.96%
Pres: CDR Jason Birch
e: jb1999@me.com
Vice Pres: Dr. Joy Zelinski-Marquez e: drjoymarquez@gmail.com
Sec’y and Shipmate Contact: Darlene Delk e: darlene.delk@yahoo.com
Treas: Stacie M. Gibson e: staciegibson22@gmail.com
Communications Director: CDR Jose Pehovaz-Diez, USN (Ret.) e: jose.pehovazdiez@gmail.com
Website: www.usna99.com
’00
Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 10.92%
Pres: J.V. “Murph” McCarthy
Vice Pres: Art Terry
Treas: Nick Lalota
Sec’y: Tim O’Connor e: Shipmate00@yahoo.com
’01
Life Membership: 96% Donor Participation: 20.00%
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
Treas: Adam Borcz e: adamhenryborcz@gmail.com
Sec’y: Jen McCullough e: jennifer.mccollough@gmail.com ’02
Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 9.66%
Pres: Kate (Kranz) Jordan e: katherine.kranz@2002.usna.com
Vice Pres: Elizabeth (Kreft) Brienza
Sec’y: Mike Johnson e: johnson.michael@gmail.com
Treas: Danielle Thomasson
At-Large Directors: Rob Ballard, Lauren Coia Friedman and David Gravseth
Send Submissions to: johnson.michael@gmail.com
Website: www.usna2002.org
’02! Kate, Elizabeth, Danielle, Rob, Lauren, David, and I are excited to build our class’s momentum over the next five years. To start us off, we’ve got a Supe’s call from none other than VADM John R. Ryan ’67, followed by shout-outs for our own classmates, as well as shout-outs for some great members of other classes.
Appreciate the opportunity your new class secretary Michael Johnson gave me to say hello to the class of 2002! It was my privilege to watch you all grow from I-Day in the hot Annapolis summer of 1998 to your graduation and commissioning to serve the nation on Friday, 24 May 2002. After the tragedy of Tuesday, September 11, 2001, in the next 8 months the Academy leadership witnessed how you collectively elevated your leadership of the entire brigade. At your graduation, Vice President Cheney concluded his remarks by saying to 965 graduates “I leave here today knowing you will bring great credit to your uniform, to your Academy, and to your Country.” The ensuing years took the lives of some classmates and left others with visible and invisible wounds. Each of you have contributed as the Vice President predicted.
A sad event in September 2004 reinforced my view of the strong bonds of your class. Ron Winchester, 1st Lieutenant, USMC [Class of 2001] had lost his life on September 3, 2004, during his 2nd tour in Iraq. Just a few months earlier, at his request, we had enjoyed lunch together. He spent the whole lunch talking about how grateful he was to have the privilege and challenge of leading Marines. Ron’s memorial service was held near his home in Long Island, and I attended his viewing. I was told not to expect a large crowd, but when I walked in, the room was filled with 2002 classmates! It was good to see many of you that day and learn about your various roles serving America. Today I carry a picture in my wallet of Ron from that service that his mother gave me, and I often reflect on both Ron and all of you who served or are still serving our nation honorably. Thanks also for making me an honorary member of the class of 2002 on your graduation day.
With gratitude for your service and warm regards, Your Supe
My Plebe Year squad-mate, Dan Hancock, recently left command of USS Frank E. Petersen Jr. (DDG 121) as the Commissioning Commanding Officer, and after some well-earned leave at home with his lovely family, he is – nope, not headed to shore duty! – headed back to a ship, this time as Executive Officer of USS ZUMWALT (DDG 1000). You’re The Man, Dan!
Rich McCandless recently completed a tour as Commanding Officer of USS ALBANY (SSN 753), including leading his boat to win the COMSUBLANT 2022 Battle “E” for SUBRON 6. Awesome, Rich! Now Rich is at USNA as the 5th Battalion Officer and Nuclear Accessions Officer. He lives on Worden Field, with a view of College Creek and Hubbard Hall out his back porch. Did I hear Toga Party? I know that Nicholas Cassadine is with me on this one! (So long as there are no CATS at Rich’s house! And I guess CATS the Musical is probably out too, right Nicholas? Don’t even think about CAT IN THE HAT either!)
Come February, it is my understanding that another classmate of mine and Dan’s – Rob Aho – will be headed to USNA to join the staff. I hope more details about Rob will be coming soon! If my memory serves me correctly, Rob swam across the Severn once – he was a Physics major, so – really an unfair advantage with anything having to do with motion! No wonder Rob was on the Offshore Sailing Team! (Rob, please correct me here!) Rob also lived on a sailboat for a while, right? Rob, or Laura Zarcaro, Kasey Short, Lucas Adin, Russell Thomas, or anyone else who knows Rob well – sea stories welcome!
Also at USNA, Tracey Maese (Robinson) is the Chief of Staff for the USNA Marine Corps Detachment. Tracey, I think we had an English class together – with LCDR Chip Crane. I remember that class had a really thick literature book – and one day LCDR Crane spilled his coffee thermos all over his book. Remember that? Cool story, right?
My fellow Target shopper – Jared Smith – recently turned over command of USS New Jersey (SSN 796), following a command tour of USS NEW MEXICO (SSN 779). I had the good fortune of running in Jared at a Target in Alexandria, Virginia, a couple years ago. Now (as of late January when I’m writing this) Jared is transitioning out of unformed service, and into the great beyond – I know that Jared will land something awesome!
’02 PODCASTS, BOOKS, AND ALL-AROUND GREATNESS
Check out this great stuff!
A podcast from Natasha Sistrunk Robinson: “A Sojourner’s Truth Podcast” on iTunes and Spotify
A podcast with Natasha: Where Ya From? Episode 32 – “I’m Not Going to Quit.” On whereyafrom.org
And books written by Natasha! Voices of Lament; Journey to Freedom; A Sojourner’s Truth; Hope for Us; Mentor for Life; and MORE on natasharobinson.com
From David Gutierrez and Stuart Grazier: Filling the Storehouse. Episode 195 is “Knowing When to Pivot with Brian Whitten”. On Apple Podcasts.
LET’S NOT FORGET BEN ZUBER! Check him out on Google, for example on a YouTube channel called “Sailing Parlay Revival”
(episode 27) from around 2019, when he lived in Costa Rica: “U.S. NAVY SEAL describes his TRAINING and life after the teams.”
Several months ago, I noticed a write-up in another class’s classnotes column (yes, I read other classes classnotes!) – LCDR Christina Danai, ’12, SWO and recipient of the 2022 Joy Bright Hancock Leadership Award – and thanks to the ’12 class Secretary, Janie Baird (also a former SWO!) for the connection, Christina was gracious enough to join me in the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) Interagency Professional Development Speaker Series. Christina was an incredible speaker! She spoke on the topic of leadership and framework of Expectations, Observations, and Frustrations, and 150 participants joined from across CBP, the Navy, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), academia, and state government partners.
Then, in an abundance of riches, I was so fortunate that another USNA graduate joined my team at CBP – Matt Andrews, ’96, a retired Explosive Ordnance Disposal (EOD) Commander. On Matt’s first week with my team, he also joined CBP’s Speaker Series as an incredible speaker, and he spoke on the topic of: Leading Remote Teams: Building a Virtuous Cycle with Human-Centered Design. 150 participants joined from across CBP, NASA, the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) Headquarters, General Services Administration (GSA), and the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA), among other partners. It was awesome!
Until next time, Shipmates! Please feel |free to share any kind of updates via email (johnson.michael.a@gmail.com), or through ‘02’s Facebook or LinkedIn pages. And if you live near or plan to pass through Arlington, Virginia, let’s meet up!
’03
Life Membership: 97%
Donor Participation: 8.98%
Pres: LtCol Lisa (Steinmetz) Cordonnier, USMC e: lisacords03@gmail.com
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
Shipmate Submissions: Kenneth Michel e: kennethmichel03@gmail.com
’04
Life Membership: 95%
Donor Participation: 5.61%
Pres: Jeff McClean
e: jeffreyjmclean@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Shannon Webb
Treas: Jarrett Berke
Sec’y: Deni Baykan
Comms Officer: Leigh Ross
Philanthropic and Inclusion Officer: Kristen Murdock
Operations Officer: Alexa Hunter
Send Submissions to: classof2004usna@gmail.com
It’s a great privilege to have our newly elected class officers submit our first update! Most importantly, we want to thank Lincoln Lukich for his dedicated leadership of our class over the past 18+ years. Lincoln is a great friend to all of us and has led with incredible commitment to our class and to the Academy. Thanks also to our Election Sub-Committee members: Wade Barnes, Bill Howey, Kip McCaddon, Michael Moore, and Ryan Peters for your time and commitment to overseeing a great election process.
Your new class officers listed below are excited to focus on planning an epic 20-year reunion in Fall 2024 and are already hard at work coordinating our 20-year class gift as well.
President: Jeff McLean
Vice President: Shannon Webb
Treasurer: Jarett Berke
Secretary: Deni Baykan
Communications Officer: Leigh Ross
Philanthropic & Inclusion Officer: Kristen Murdock
Operations Officer: Alexa Hunter
At-Large (1 of 3): Billy Hurley
At-Large (2 of 3): Lindsey Bellomy
At-Large (3 of 3): Stephanie Barnes
We are honored to serve the class and would love to hear from you with updates or with ideas for how we can best plan for the 20-year events ahead. Our goal is to have fun and substantive updates in Shipmate each month, so send us a note and some photos!
In fact, catching up on 2022 news, we had an update from Jimmy Morris:
M Last July, Jimmy and Jennifer Morris decided to officially join forces at the Chapel. Family and friends were in attendance for their wedding vows. USNA alumni Kris Hawbaker ‘07, Tom Van Dam ‘05, Ryan Osgood, Terrence Fenningham, and Jeff McLean, from the great class of ‘04 were all present and accounted for. Jimmy and Jen currently live in Dallas with 8 of their 10 children! Outside of flying with Southwest Airlines, Jimmy continues to serve with the Windjammers of VR-51. Jen also works at Southwest and currently serves as the Manager of Flight Training. So, if any Gold Wingers find themselves at SWA, please say hello!
Finally, 2023 started on a very sad note with the passing of our classmate CDR Seth Rosenberry. Seth served as a Submarine officer aboard the USS Pasadena, Submarine Tactics Instructor at the Trident Training Facility in Kings Bay, GA, and most recently as an Engineering Duty Officer in Norfolk. A full obituary can be found here: https://www.forever missed.com/sethjrosenberry/about.
We all owe a debt of gratitude to Liz (Yatko) Dubil, Jesse Shaul, and Jon Nelson and our 22nd Company classmates for taking such good care of Seth’s family. His uncle has been our primary point of contact and has expressed how grateful his family has been for the remembrances and support from the class. Rosey was a patriot who devoted his life to service and will not be forgotten.
It’s a privilege to serve you all, and we look forward to many great days ahead.
Beat Army! Jeff ’05
Life Membership: 98%
Donor Participation: 5.36%
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: reedkitchen@gmail.com
Website: 2005.usnaclasses.net
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 6.30%
Pres: LCDR Adrienne A. Maeser, USN
Vice Pres: CDR Joshua M. Angichiodo, USN
Treas: CDR Joshua J. Larson, USNR
Sec’y: Ms. Ashley E. Pelzek e: usnaclassof2006@gmail.com
On Saturday September 24th, 2022 our very own Thomas Ham married Ms. Catherine Craig of Chesapeake, Virginia. The ceremony was held at Christ & Saint Luke’s Episcopal Church in the North Ghent Historic District of Norfolk, Virginia. Kathy planned a wonderful reception at the nearby Commune for friends and family to enjoy dinner and celebrate the new marriage. Accompanying Tom as groomsmen were CJ Slater (‘06), Mike Farley (‘06), Nathan Richard (‘06), and Manny Ortiz. Never one to stay somewhere for consecutive orders, Tom is now working at the Defense Security Cooperation Agency while Kathy is enjoying exploring their new hometown of Alexandria and Washington, DC as she starts back to school pursuing a new career in psychology. Congratulations Tom and Kathy!
’07
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 6.52%
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
For those of you that were able to make it to our 15th Reunion – we hope you had a fabulous time. It was an AWESOME time watching Navy beat Temple!! If you haven’t yet, please also send your photos to Dan Bellomo so we can show them in future editions of Shipmate!
A super shoutout goes to the planning committee and especially to Aubrey Tuck who was a huge asset to helping her Dad and the rest of the Class Officers in planning and setting up the many events of the reunion.
THANKS SOOO MUCH AUBREY! For those of you that might be interested in helping with our 20th Reunion, please let us know! We have already begun the planning.
Our first note and update comes from Kyle Hanford. He writes, “It was a great time out there in Nap Town. Can’t wait for the next and thanks for all your hard work with the festivities. Attached are a couple pics from 9th Co and friends.” (See next page)
We also would like to take a moment to acknowledge the loss of Tyler Tidwell. Tyler passed away after a long battle with ALS. Tyler was a Marine, a Shipmate, a Classmate, a Friend, but most importantly a husband and a father and will be greatly missed. Please visit https://www.facebook.com/donate/55942801 2185420/ for more information and a way to help.
Taking the “and government” part of the United States Naval Academy’s Mission seriously, Chris Deluzio (13th Company) is now serving as U.S. Representative to Pennsylvania’s 17th Congressional District. Please feel free to reach out to his office in DC or his local office in Southwestern Pennsylvania if you want to voice your opinion about getting Buffalo Chicken Sandwiches served more often in King Hall.
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.
’08
Life Membership: 97%
Donor Participation: 26.74%
Pres: Donald H. Horner III
Vice Pres: LCDR Gerald Brooks, USN
Treas: LCDR Daniel E. Foose, USN
Sec’y: LCDR Dianna Dietrich Bunt, USN e: dianna.dietrich@gmail.com
Are you ready for our 15-Year Reunion??!! We are! Mark your calendars for Thursday October 19th through Saturday October 21st The Class Officers have been diligently planning the festivities and are pleased to share with you the following proposed itinerary which is subject to change (hopefully not much!):
Thursday, October 19th: A no-cost evening gathering at a TBD location in downtown Annapolis.
Friday, October 20th: Memorial Service to honor the memory of our classmates that are no longer with us will occur in the morning in either Memorial Hall or the Chapel. The service will be followed by a class meeting held on The Yard led by the Class Officers. An evening reception for the Class will be held in Akerson Tower at Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium.
Saturday October 21st: Tailgate will be held at the Water Tower before, during, and after the (Beat) Air Force game.
Swag: We have partnered with Forever Firstie (our classmate, Brian Dunn’s company) to ensure we have the best swag. More details to come.
Registration site will be live by April 1, 2023. It is important to register for this event in advance of the reunion weekend. The link and further information will be posted on our class Facebook page and emailed to the class distro.
’09
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 26.12%
Pres: LCDR Andrew Poulin, USN
e: andrew.poulin09@gmail.com
Vice Pres: LCDR Art Griffin, USN
Treas: LCDR Cody Forsythe, USN
Sec’y: Micky Matus, USN
e: michaelmatus09@gmail.com
Shipmate Submissions: e: Shipmate09@gmail.com
’10
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 22.92%
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: 16.65%
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
’12
Life Membership: 98%
Donor Participation: 26.45%
Check In: Annapolis Events will provide an organized check-in process at various events on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday.
Hotel Block: A small block of rooms has been reserved for our Class at the Hilton Garden Inn in downtown Annapolis. Call 410-266-9006 for reservations. We recommend Air BnB and VRBO as other options.
Class Gift: We will support the new Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation Center which is currently under construction for our 15-year gift to the Academy. Gifts are 100% voluntary for each member of the class, and everyone will have an opportunity to contribute when registering for the Reunion. If you have further questions about giving, please reach out to me or one of the Class Officers.
As always, please continue to monitor the class Facebook page for updates and more information to come in the upcoming months! Also, ensure your information is up to date at usna.com.
See you in October!
Pres: Capt Ian Cameron, USMC
Vice Pres: LT Nicholas DeMasters, USN
Treas: LT Nicolas Woods, USN
Sec’y: LT Jane M. Baird, USN
Send Articles to: shipmate2012@gmail.com
This month, we’re catching up with classmate Ben Currin (7th Company) who was recently named to Wilmington, NC’s 40 Under 40 List for his leadership as CEO of Vantaca, a Wilmington- based cloud software company.
“Vantaca is a software as a service (SaaS) for community association management companies – property management companies that specialize in HOA, condominium and Co-op management. We develop and provide software that handles a variety of functions for
those companies, their board members and homeowners as their accounting system of record as well as providing a communications platform, payment processing, and banking integration. Vantaca is an end-to-end solution.”
Ben was promoted to CEO in 2018 after two year-long tenures as EVP and COO, respectively. During those two years, he pushed Vantaca’s annual growth rate by 300%. Since taking over as CEO, he has continued to grow the company nationwide. Vantaca was awarded the Inc. 5000 Fastest Growing Companies in America Award (2021 and 2022) as well as the Inc. 5000 Vet100 Award (2022 and 2023). Last September, Vantaca received a strategic growth investment from JMI Equity to fuel rapid innovation and support key leadership appointments.
Currently, Vantaca is serving more than 240 community management companies and 3.3+ million homes nationwide.
JB: You’re an award-winning CEO for a high growth tech company (regarded as an emerging industry leader) in your hometown of Wilimington, NC. How did you end up here?
“Having selected submarines, after graduation I went to nuclear power school. I spent my sea tour aboard USS Helena (SSN 725) out of Norfolk, VA. I returned to Charleston, SC for my shore tour 2016-2018 at Nuclear Power Training Unit (NPTU). There, I was the Reactor Electrical Officer overseeing the training, testing, and maintenance of the two nuclear reactors.
company. My wife Suiter and I both knew that we wanted to ultimately move back to our hometown of Wilmington, NC but we never dreamed that it would happen so quickly. After a few months of meetings, research, and discussions we realized the team and opportunity were a perfect fit. I joined Vantaca in 2018 as EVP focused on building out operational teams, and I took over as COO a year later. I assumed the role of CEO the following year.”
JB: It’s certainly an unconventional and inspiring path! What challenges did you encounter through the transition and how did you overcome them?
“The stress of transitioning out of the military is massive. I knew there was a lot of risk in pivoting into the startup world, but I found my network to be incredibly helpful and supportive. I had to be vulnerable first though. Voicing those concerns and asking the hard questions served as a pressure relief valve for me. Hearing their stories of failure highlighted the reality that failure is okay, there are always alternative options or follow-on opportunities, and I would always have a community of support. I wouldn’t be alone. I realized that my experiences from the Naval Academy and in submarines had equipped me well and that I would be fine. I don’t know if I would have made the leap and enthusiastically taken such risks without having talked through it with so many resources. Of course, there was also a degree of serendipity in our transition process as well.”
JB: What are you most proud of with regard to Vantaca?
“I’m really proud of our team. We’ve set very ambitious goals, taken on big challenges, and grown together. More than that though, we really enjoy working together, producing results together. We’re passionate about our work and the difference we can make for our customers.”
JB: What are your goals for Vantaca?
Looking back, I loved my time with the nuclear Navy - solving complex problems with smart people. But it was time for a change. I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, particularly in tech. I’m an inherent risk-taker, and I was hungry for a higher risk, higher reward opportunity. But, I also wanted to draw on my experiences from Naval service, solving complex problems for a niche industry. My wife Suiter and I discussed at length options like search funds or more direct startups and decided that now was the time for us to take the leap.
About a year before my active-duty contract expired, I started networking within the tech startup world. Serendipitously, I connected with a couple of founders out of my hometown Wilmington, NC. They had been writing code and beta testing Vantaca for a couple of years and were looking for a partner to help transform their software vision into a software
“We’re the fastest growing company in the community management software market and quickly emerging as the market leader. I want to cement our market and industry leadership over the next several years. Simply put, I want us to be the best. There are a lot of challenges within the community management industry, and that translates into opportunity for Vantaca. Vantaca is positioned as an enabler for the industry, and I want Vantaca to enable our clients to continue creating value, increasing their performance, and elevating the customer experience.
Equally importantly and even more immediately, I want to continue creating opportunities for my team to grow. One of Vantaca’s core values is “always growing”, and our environment needs to support our values. As the team has grown, I’ve spent as much or more time cultivating the company’s culture than on pure strategy. Our culture is vital to our growth.”
JB: What have been some of your biggest challenges as CEO? How did you overcome these challenges?
“Early on I think I encountered imposter syndrome, especially when it came to taking risks and making big decisions with imperfect information. In the military, we rely heavily on rigorous training and qualification programs to the point that we feel like we have the answers as well as the confidence and assuredness in our decision making. In business and especially in the startup world, that just isn’t realistic. And candidly, it can be scary. It took me a couple of years to figure out that all of these brilliant people I’m working with also don’t always have the answers. That we’re figuring it out as we go… Message to Garcia! It’s okay to feel lost, and even to occasionally feel like you have no idea what you’re doing. It’s been a huge mindset shift, but I think that committing to vulnerability and continuous learning are the keys to resilience here.
Don’t work in a vacuum. Ask questions. Reach out to people and be open with them about your challenges. Oftentimes, we all feel an incredible anxiety around asking for help but it’s the key to learning and growing. I’ve been amazed by how acquaintances and even strangers are so willing to share their time. I’ve leaned heavily into the Naval Academy network as well. There’s something truly unique about our Academy experience; it bonds alums regardless of class or age. For example, one of my close mentors is a Class of 1987 graduate who’s also a PE-backed CEO. We talk and collaborate almost weekly. Fostering relationships where you can have that humility and vulnerability will pay huge dividends in combating and overcoming imposter syndrome.
Another big challenge I’ve encountered is talent management. Identifying a team member who’s not a good fit and making the decision to part ways with them is a totally new skill set. We don’t necessarily get that opportunity as a Division Officer in the Navy. We can’t fire our Sailors. We can’t remove toxic members from our team. Instead, we have to quickly learn how to optimize talent on our team. At Vantaca, I’ve had the opportunity to learn how to identify and manage talent. I had some difficult situations early on where I had to let team members go. Once again, humility and vulnerability were hugely helpful. I learned by asking for feedback and advice (and failing a lot upfront). I was especially concerned with my team’s response to these encounters but found that they invariably supported talent management decisions when based on optimizing the team’s culture and performance.”
JB: What are some lessons that you took from USNA and still apply today as CEO at Vantaca? What about lessons from your submarine career?
“It’s funny that my greatest lessons are the foundational learnings from Plebe Summer.
That experience is unlike any other, and I think we often too-steeply discount those learnings. For example, the practice of always having an ‘I’ll find out pad’ instills the value of continuous learning. Rather than accept not knowing, we pursue knowledge and answers.
Plebe Summer also fosters an incredible amount of grit that aids in our toughest days in the service and beyond. The long days that left us confused, tired and sore set us up well for work-ups, deployments, transition and leadership beyond service. We’re good at juggling a lot of priorities on a tight timeline and under stressful circumstances. And we’re really good at keeping a level head and perspective through it all. As CEO that translates into understanding that a hard day’s work in the corporate world isn’t the same as a hard day’s work in the Navy. I love my job. I’m passionate about delivering results for my clients and I want my team to be the best. But I know that it’s not a life-or-death scenario for me or my team. And that keeps me grounded.
A critical practice that further bolsters this perspective and level-headedness is building diverse teams. Both USNA and my submarine career highlighted the importance of diversity. We’re truly a melting pot, and that’s our strength. In the same way, I strive to bring more diversity to Vantaca’s team. I’ve seen firsthand in our strategy meetings the importance of having these diverse experiences and perspectives. Diversity broadens a team’s perspective, dissuades groupthink, and enables continuous growth and innovation.”
’13
Life Membership: 99% Donor Participation: 35.37%
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
Life Membership: 98% Donor Participation: 38.06%
Pres: 1stLt William R. Roberts, USMC
Vice Pres: 1stLt Conor J. Kearney, USMC
Treas: LTJG Emily L. Kreyenhagen, USN
Sec’y: LTJG Elizabeth J. Powers, USN
Send Articles to: shipmate2014@gmail.com
’15
Life Membership: 97% Donor Participation: 36.55%
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
’16
Life Membership: 98%
Donor Participation: 35.89%
Pres: Capt Eric B. Kellogg, USMC
Vice Pres: Capt Matthew L. Chavez, USMC
Treas: LT Renata M. Kolinko, USN
Sec’y: Capt Zachary L. Coffman, USMC
Send Articles to: Shipmate2016@gmail.com
’17
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 28.46%
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
Sec’y: ENS Molly McGuckin, USN e: mollykmcguckin@gmail.com
’18
Life Membership: 100%
Donor Participation: 34.73%
Pres: LTJG Dan Stitt, USN
Vice Pres: LTJG Michael Pahissa, USN
Treas: LTJG Gio Hernandez, USN
Sec’y: LTJG Rachel LaBuda, USN
Send Articles to: 2018usna@gmail.com
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 4.69%
Pres: 2ndLt Isaac Phillips III, USMC
Vice Pres: ENS Tate Schumacher, USN
Treas: ENS Leor Golan, USN
Sec’y: ENS Gil Wright, USN
Life Membership: 98%
Donor Participation: 2.99%
Pres: 2ndLt Mike Smith, USMC
Vice Pres: 2ndLt John Finnegan, USMC
Treas: ENS Grayson Gossett, USN
Sec’y: ENS Nolan Kreipe, USN
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 2.29%
Pres: ENS Cameron R. Kinley, USN
Vice Pres: N/A
Treas: ENS Lakayla D. Deshields, USN
Sec’y: Ann M. Jackson
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 31.76%
Pres: ENS Andre C. Rascoey, USN
Vice Pres: ENS Jonathan D. Miranda, USN
Treas: ENS Hampton B. Boyd, USN
Sec’y: ENS Rory S. Cox, USN
Life Membership: 99%
Donor Participation: 0.0%
Pres: MIDN Grant A. Booker, USN
Vice Pres: MIDN Julius W. Aebly III, USN
Treas: MIDN Zion A. Armstrong, USN
Sec’y: MIDN Jason Santiago, USN
BGO Area Coordinator: Brian Campbell ’94, USNR p: 251-776-4000; e: Brian.Campbell@1994.usna.com
USNA Alabama Alumni Chapter
Pres: Greg Hess ’85
p: 205-307-9191; e: greghess8599@charter.net
Vice Pres, Central Alabama: Eric Riddle ’94 p: 469-363-4295; e: ericriddle94@gmail.com
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: Carolyn Freeman, son, Reid ‘24 e: usna.ala@gmail.com
South Alabama Chapter
Pres: Brian Campbell ’94, USNR p: 251-776-4000; e: Brian.Campbell@1994.usna.com
Sec’y: Ruth Lichtenfeld p: 251-343-6264; e: ruth29@bellsouth.net
BGO Area Coordinator: Capt. Chris Palmenberg e: palmenberg@yahoo.com
Arizona Chapter
Pres: Capt David M. English ’86, USMCR e: David.English@1986.usna.com www.usna.com/Chapter/us/arizona
Sec’y: Steven W. Ranes ’02 e: StevenWRanes@gmail.com
Website: http://arizona.usnachapters.com
Southern Arizona Chapter
Pres: Thom Rossa ’63 e: TRossa@hayes-soloway.com
Sec’y: Jim Hillenmayer ’73 e: jhillenmayer73@msn.com
Website: http://southernarizona.usnachapters.com
BGO Area Coordinator: David Chucoski e: david.chucoski@gmail.com
Arkansas Chapter
Pres: Denny East ’08 e: denny.east5@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Doug Waller '02 e: waller_doug@yahoo.com
Sec'y Treas: Jason Coyle '09 e; jason.coyle@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Wes Trubeville e: bgoarea501coordinator@gmail.com
Guam Chapter
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
Philippines Chapter
Pres: COMMO Alberto B. Carlos ’89, AFP p: +63-2-525-1003; m: +63-917- 521-1637 e: carlosabet@yahoo.com
Sec’y: Capt Carl Roy Catalan ’08, PMC (PN) p: +63-917-706-8042; e: Roitime23@gmail.com
Website: www.groups.yahoo.com/communityusnaphil
Singapore Chapter
Pres: Say Yong Tan ’05 e: say@2005.usna.com
Vice Pres: Andy Harrell e: andyh125@gmail.com
Sec’y: LTJG Nicole Uchida ’12, USN e: Nicole.Uchida@fe.navy.mil
Chapter Email: USNASG@gmail.com
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
Los Angeles 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
Treas: Michael Seaver
e: michaelseaver@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator (LA County/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
The LA/OC Alumni Chapter has had several fun outings and get togethers since the last Shipmate issue. We were finally able to get back to our Annual Tiki Boat Cruise in Newport Harbor. We also joined the Naval Academy Parent’s
Club of Southern California for their Navy vs Air Force Watch Party which included the Air Force Parent’s Club. Lastly, we had our big Annual Army/Navy Watch Party onboard USS IOWA (BB-61) in San Pedro. The result of the game wasn’t what we had hoped for, but the event and game was still a blast. We had 175 attendees and several organizations which included the West Point Association of Graduates, West Point Parent’s Club, Naval Academy Parent’s Club of Southern California, and Air Force Alumni Association. We hope to continue holding joint events with the other academies and parent’s clubs.
Upcoming Events:
March 8: Monthly Zoom Board Meeting
April 12: Monthly Zoom Board Meeting
May 10: Monthly Zoom Board Meeting
*We are beginning to hold board member elections. Please join the Zoom meetings so you can cast your vote.
Events Unscheduled but Upcoming: Army vs Navy Gunshoot
Cirque du Soleil: Corteo (Microsoft Theater Los Angeles)
*Attention*
We are in the process of switching over to the new MyUSNA.com website from Alumni Magnet. We will be completely switched over by the end of this quarter (End of March). Please go to MyUSNA.com, create an account, log-in, and join the Los Angeles and Orange County Chapter. We do not want to lose anyone in the transition. We will continue to send email reminders to members throughout the transition process.
Thank you to everyone who participated in our chapter in 2022. We look forward to a great 2023!!
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: Bob Garcia e: bob@coeususa.com
Despite the outcome, Monterey Chapter had a good time at The Trident Room watching Army v. Navy. It was a packed house of grads spanning generations. Next year we will try for a whole group photo. In the meantime, here are “two or three” meeting:
Sacramento Chapter
Pres: Terri (Riggs) Maginnis ’82 p: 916-203-5115; e: tmaginnis@yahoo.com
Vice Pres: Brian Grubbs ’92 p: 916-712-1747; e: bgrubbs1992@gmail.com
Sec’y: Paul Deveaux ‘96 e: paul@pauldeveaux.com
Treas: Alan Abbs ’91 e: alanabbs@gmail.com
Treas: Jack Everett ’64 e: jeverett@quicknet.com
Past President: Dennis P. Joyce ’61 p: 916-996-1333; e: djoyce1961@hotmail.com
It was a rainy, windy Saturday afternoon for the Army-Navy viewing party, but we still had over 50 Navy supporters show up at Rock and Brews near Cal Expo. We definitely outnumbered the Army attendees, but not enough to get the win! We had a group of loyal Navy fans at most of the games this year and tried out a few of the local establishments. We’ll definitely keep rooting next season and hope for the N-Star result.
The San Gabriel Valley contingent of Los Angeles Chapter met for lunch on 26 January 2023 at Mimi’s Café in Monrovia. Our group meets at Mimi’s the 4th Thursday each month. For more info, contact gshindler64@earthlink.net.
We have some regular events each month now and seem to be settled on the day and location for each:
1st Friday: Every 1st Friday at 7:30 AM, we’ve been meeting at Black Bear Diner for our monthly breakfast meeting. This is very informal, but always fun to get together, share a few stories, do some planning for the chapter, and then on our way. We welcome anyone from the area or just passing through to stop in and join us. Black Bear Diner, 7935 Madison Avenue, Citrus Heights, 7:30-9 am.
2nd Wednesday: Starting in January 2023, we added a monthly lunch event on the 2nd Wednesday of each month at 11:30 AM at Brookfield’s, 4343 Madison Avenue, Sacramento.
3rd Thursday: A monthly Happy Hour was added last Fall on the 3rd Thursday; we tried different venues and agreed on Clubhouse 56, 723 56th Street, Sacramento, 5:00-7:00 PM.
In an effort to increase our networking opportunities, we now include our friends from the Air Force Academy and West Point local chapters to join us at each of these events. They are also inviting us to their special events throughout the year.
Look for some more information on our ‘first possibly quarterly’ business networking evening event. We’re coordinating with the other academies and with some of our alumni involved in career placement to include some of our younger members and create a closer network of academy alumni.
Our VP, Brian Grubbs, is sending monthly emails for reminders and updates to our calendar. If you don’t get those emails and would like to be included, let one of us know. We continue to work on transitioning to myusna.com for all of our communications and networking. If you’re in the area and would like to join us, just show up.
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
BGO Area Coordinator: Mike Philbrook ’83 e: michael.philbrook@1983.usna.com
The San Diego USNAAA Chapter has been quiet over the holidays as we do not meet during December. Most everyone is caught up in the holidays and busy. So not quite as much to report for the new year.
We did have our first luncheon of the year 18 Jan and our guest speaker was Capt. Bill Driscoll, USNR (Ret.). If this name sounds familiar to you it’s because he is one of only two Vietnam War Aces having shot down five enemy jet fighters in aerial combat. Bill was awarded the Navy Cross in addition to two Silver Stars, the Purple Heart and 10 Air Medals.
Bill gave a great presentation and recounted in detail the engagements during the Vietnam War. He has taken his experience in war and business and put them into a very succinct discussion of leadership skills and work habits that are essential to success in the military and in business. He emphasized all of the attributes that we aspired to at USNA in being mentally and physically prepared for known and unknown challenges. His engaging interaction with the audience on how the dog fights transpired using models and his hands (aviator thing) was enlightening. We were fortunate to have Bill there to give us such a great presentation.
We have many events upcoming that should still be in play when you read this including the USNA Track Team here in March, the USNA Glee Club Concert also in March. Our USNA at the Padres Ball Game is on for June should you be in the area. We always have a Happy Hour
going each month and other activities listed on our website should you be visiting. Look us up and join us.
San Francisco Bay Area Chapter
Pres: Bobby Nefzger ’14
e: bobbynefzger@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Gordon McDonald ’06
e: usnaaasf.vp@gmail.com
Sec’y: Ray Fazzio ’57
e: rayfaz57@pacbell.net
Treas: Brian Frack ’89
e: frackbrian@gmail.com
Website: http://sfbayarea.usnachapters.net
BGO Area Coordinator: LT Paul Kepner '04, USN (Ret.)
e: paulmkepner@gmail.com
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ usnaaasfbayarea
Instagram: @usnaaa_sfbaychapter
BGO Area Coordinator: Bob Garcia
e: bob@coeususa.com
ARMY NAVY VIEWING PARTIES
The San Francisco Party was facilitated by Bobby Nefzger ’14. Alumni in attendance were: Steve Hall ’75, Chad Dorr ’88, Jim Schroder ’89, Stephen Verner ’89, Doyle Galvin ’02, Eric Gonzales ’03, Gus Hernandez ’11, Chester Heer ’12 and James Van Kirk ’13
The Petaluma Party was facilitated by Cheriene Griffith ’02. Alumni in attendance were: Alan Chesterman ’67, Tom Berns ’68, John Seil ’71, James Gafford ’78, Scott Ricker ’78, Brian Frack ’89, Shawn Cullen ’90, Jeremy Newton ’01 and Michael Mieres ’02
The Walnut Creek Viewing Party was facilitated by John Mooney ’72. Alumni in attendance were: Fred Wachowitz ’68, Art Odom ’82, Klaus Barboza ’88, Devin Cross ’93 and D J Harrington ’67
The San Mateo Party was facilitated by Ray Fazzio ’57. Alumni in attendance were: Marty Mason ’75, Michael Hausell ’76, Joe Martiaka ’76, Lee Delony ’78, Michael Fazzio ’85, John Brady ’90, Tim Henderson ’90, John Devine ’91, Anthony Perez ’06 and Lexa Gass ’10.
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
Web: http://santabarbara.usnachapters.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/santabarbara. chapterusna.9
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/usnaalums santabarbara/
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
Hope all our winter sports lovers have had a great time hitting the slopes this year. With the seasons shifting there are probably still a couple months of good spring runs left.
The Chapter is looking forward to our annual Arleigh Burke Dinner, scheduled for 28 April 2023 at The University Club of Denver. Admiral Harry Harris ’78, USN (Ret.) will serve as the keynote speaker and we are anticipating a strong turnout to our annual formal gathering. We are particularly excited to have such a distinguished speaker for the event. Admiral Harris’ impressive 40-year career included several major fleet commands (Indo-Pacific Command, U.S. Pacific Fleet, U.S. 6th Fleet) and culminated with his service as Ambassador to South Korea. Information for the Arleigh Burke Dinner may be found on our website at www.usnacolorado. com and tickets will be available after 1 March. Stay safe and look forward to seeing many of you at the Arleigh Burke dinner on 28 April. Go Navy!
Matt McLaurin ’92Pres: LCDR John Sledgianowski ’87, USN (Ret.) p: 719-287-2187; e: sledgesix@msn.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Andrew Graziano e: ajgraziano512@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Evan Barnet ’91 p: 203-249-0071; e: evan@barnetassociates.com
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
Ahoy Shipmates!
Here in Southeastern CT, on a late January day, it is snowing outside and chilly and not alluring! So I thought I would write this to put some joy in your magazine for the end of March edition as you will receive!
January has not been resplendent with USNA Activities, as you would expect. The Connecticut Chapter held its annual Blue & Gold Admissions Dinner on Thursday, 8 December at the Officer’s Club of Connecticut in Hartford. Great to have had this great opportunity to encourage them, and for us to see each other after the COVID peak had passed. We look forward to events in the coming year that will allow refreshments and camaraderie as we get back together.
Speaking of refreshments… A bit of history?
Some of you will remember past renovations of King Hall, aka Mess Hall! Perhaps the most recent was in 2006. Built in 1909 the mess hall would accommodate 1800 Midshipmen — and that was a LOT of people all at once. In the 1950’s it was expanded to its current size. In 1981 the dining facility was named in honor of Fleet Admiral Ernest King, a 1901 Academy graduate and former Chief of Naval Operations.
And a logistical ordeal that was to do the renovation. $21.4 million was awarded to do the King Hall renovation, and $1.7 million to convert the Dahlgren Hall ice rink into a temporary dining facility. During the summer of 2006, the Plebes ate in the 5th wing portion of King Hall- renovations began in the rest. After the Brigade returned the first and second battalions ate in the 5th wing portion while the remainder of the Brigade ate in Dahlgren Hall. Dahlgren Hall had a seating capacity of 3,200. Two box trucks made two trips between the King Hall galley and the Kelly Court staging area for each day’s three meals. By August 2007, the entire Brigade returned to dine in the finished King Hall.
Oh, and for the old-timers: in addition to the seating, King Hall was updated with upscale A/V equipment so that the entire Brigade could hear a presentation (like Alumni Hall). In addition, upgrades to mechanical and electrical systems, raised roof, replacement of some of the entryways, and skylights!! (Submariners shun skylights).
Related items: the “Navy Dairy Farm” in Gambrills, MD — the source of the seemingly endless supply of milk and Ice cream— was sold a number of years ago. And the main entrance and farmhouse (and maybe whole property) was bought by a Russian couple (my info from about 12 years ago when I was doing background research…). That was also the farm where “Bill” the Navy Goat and brother was maintained. Without knowing the USNA connection, (which had no sign on the property) that was a destination for daughter and grandson (who happened to live down the road) to “pet the nice goats”. Small world sometimes!
And despite all the modernization at King Hall, an item no longer served is: Cannonballs! Not the fault of the mess hall, but of young,
enthusiastic (aka reckless) Midshipmen who had no need for additional challenges/temptations…. I, your AI for Shipmate, do have the recipe for Cannonballs should you be in need of a dozen or two. Send request, with interesting items you would like to share in the column, at the email atop this article!
Dave Candler ‘67
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
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
Gainesville Chapter
Pres: Vacant
BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR e: sswift@1987.usna.com
Jacksonville Chapter
Pres: CAPT Scott Neidhold ’77 USNR (Ret.) e: scottneidholdsr@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Glen Hamilton ’85 e: glenhamilton@cbvfl.com
“The USNA Alumni Chapter in the Cradle of Naval Aviation is strong and vibrant with new members from the classes of 2021, & 2022!” cheering for USNAAA’s Joe Walker ’02 during the 2nd annual Army Navy Football Game march-on event. For this year’s Army-Navy football game watch event, more than 150 Naval Academy Alumni gathered to share in lighthearted memories of the yard while preparing for another decade of defeat for the Army West Point mules. To cap off the event, a goat from a local USNA family’s farm greeted guests with a buck as they played lawn games and mingled waiting for kickoff. Although lacking the steady beat of the Drum & Bugle Corps, a bullhorn kept the march-on organized by blasting the soundtrack of Top Gun.
Treas and Chapter Trustee: Enochia Anderson ‘94
Sec’y: Britney Brown ’12
Communication Director: CDR Nels Frostenson ’80 USN (Ret.) e: frostynels@aol.com
50 Year+ Alumni Liaison: CDR Peter Garfield ’60 USN (Ret.) e: pjgarfield@comcast.net; p: 904-314-9691
Website: jacksonville.usnachapters.net
BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard O’Sullivan ’77, USN (Ret.) p: 407-687-6877; e: raaos@aol.com
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
This year’s gathering concluded a busy 2022 for the Pensacola Chapter, a year full of community service, civic leadership, and participation in local sporting events. “This year we’ve felt a resurgence of participation from the youngest graduates, the classes of 2021 & 2022 have shown a strong desire to remain active with their USNA peers while in flight training. That is really the core of a vibrant alumni chapter in Pensacola, the new grads, the flight students,” shares Hannah Geison ’13.
The alumni chapter looks to continue the strong participation into 2023 by planning Blue Angel watch events, sporting events, smaller chapter meetings, and community service as the spring turns to summer in the Panhandle. As the class of 2023 wraps up their time in Annapolis come May, the USNA Alumni Association looks forward to welcoing them to a robust local community.
Pres: Christopher Clark ’01
e: Orlando_Chapter_President@alumni.usna.com
Sec’y: Greg Hemphill ‘72
e: E. usnaaamembershiporlando@gmail.com
Webmaster: Joe Cooney ‘83
e: josephc993@gmail.com
Website: https://myusna.com/topics/9546
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 1415188042037372
BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard O’Sullivan ’77, USN (Ret.)
e: RAAOS@aol.com
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
Pensacola
Co-Pres: Jose Perez ’10
Co-Pres: Joey Walker ’02
e: usnaaapensacola@gmail.com
Sec’y: JD Kameen
(480) 494-8973 office
(443) 904-6160 cell (833) 727-0813 fax
e: jkameen@loandepot.com
Website: Pensacola.usnachapters.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Capt. Joan Platz
e: joanplatz.bgo@gmail.com
Southwest Florida Chapter
Pres: Hank White ’68
e: hfwhitejr@aol.com
Sec’y: Lukas Rebertus ’12
e: lwrebertus@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator:
CAPT Dennis R. Neutze ’65, JAGC USN (Ret.)
p: 305-705-4722 ; e: dennis.navy65@googlemail.com
Website: southwestflorida.usnachapters.net
Greetings from the sunny Southwest Florida Alumni Chapter! Happy New Years! We look forward to what 2023 brings us. Our members have demonstrated outstanding resilience with the southwest Florida area looking like the aftereffects of a B-52 strike post-Hurricane Ian. Up next on our schedule are a few fun events with guest speakers and good food. Closest to the boat, on Monday, 20 March 2023, there will be a luncheon at Wyndemere Country Club with guest speaker RADM Marc Pelaez ’68, USN (Ret), former director of the Navy Research Lab and a USNAAA SWF member.
On Monday, 10 April 2023, there will be a luncheon at the Audubon Country club with a guest speaker (TBD). Also in April, our chapter will participate in the Tri-Academies Golf Outing hosted by USAFA at The Plantation in Fort Myers. More details to come on this event. Please contact our chapter if you would like more details on the upcoming events!
Respectfully,
Luke RebertusSpace 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: George Thompson ‘77 e: thompsongw77@gmaill.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/usnaalumniflorida suncoastchapter
BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR e: sswift@1987.usna.com
Tough Football season. Sorry to see Coach N leave but we wish Brian Newberry all the best.
He has tall shoes to fill! And it was a tough loss to Army, after almost having a win in our clutches. Both teams played their hearts out right through two overtimes. But congratulations to Army for a well-played game. We’ll get ‘em next year! Here’s a photo of alums and spouses and friends who cheered for Navy at the Florida Suncoast Chapter of the USNA Alumni Association’s tailgate at Gecko’s Signature Room.
We’re enjoying the delightful Spring weather on the Suncoast and a few mixers. Watch for announcements.
Tampa Bay Chapter
Pres: Jane Lochner '84 p: 301-832-6420; e: jane.lochner@gmail.com
Sec’y: CAPT Chris Heath ’72, USN (Ret.) e: christopherheath.fl@gmail.com
Communication Director: CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR (Ret.) e: sswift@1987.usna.com
Website: http://tampabay.usnachapters.net/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/USNAAlumni-TampaSt-Petersburg/120095454740213?sk=wall BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Steve Swift ’87, USNR (Ret.) e: sswift@1987.usna.com
Recent Events:
Army-Navy football 2022 was a tough loss, but the Tampa Bay Chapter brought the spirit out on both sides of the bay. Putting on their game faces at the December chapter meeting were Jack Plunkett ’70, Jody and Paul Borer ’70 (from Atlanta), Jim Kramer ’74, Jane Lochner ’84, Brian Tsai’16, Gary Polansky ’69, Jose Sanchez ’07, Jonathan Shannon ’02, Austin Gullett’ 03, Paul Matthews ’85, John Miles ’93, Matt Packard ’06,
Peter Damisch ’75, Eric Kennington ’88, Maria and Paul Rock ’88, Miller Detrick ’63, Bill Graham ’72, Warren Hahn ’60, Perry Dempsey ’72 and Chris Heath ’72
TAMPA BAY RECOGNIZED FOR
The chapter is very proud that we have been recognized by the Alumni Association as a Distinguished Chapter for the third year in a row. The award is recognition of the talent, willingness to serve, and leadership that continues to fulfill our mission of service to the Naval Academy, candidates, and our great members. We celebrated the occasion at our February chapter meeting – held outside, of course, in the “deep Florida winter”!
Chapter Board Planning
Led by President Jane Lochner ’84, the Chapter Board met in January to plan 2023 events. We had a very enjoyable and productive evening, fueled by homemade pizzas from Jane’s husband-of-the-year candidate Mike Zabel!
Matt Packard ’06, Miller Detrick ’63, Bill Graham ’72, Warren Hahn ’60, Perry Dempsey ’72, Chris Heath ’72, Tom Draude ’62, Fr. Tim Corcoran ’67, Tom Hartline ’81, Steve Swift ’87, Don Aiken ’78 and new member Robert “V” Villanueva ’03, who is assigned locally at SOCOM. Welcome aboard, V!
Janel Brown ’97 Speaks to STEM Students
BGO LCDR Janel Brown ’97, USN (Ret.) spoke at Stewart Magnet Middle School John Glenn Top Gun Academy (Tampa) to all three middle school grades. She spoke about careers in STEM and Space, representing Naval Academy Admissions, and of course mentioned USNA STEM programs! BZ, Janel!
Future Events
- Monthly Meetings on first Wednesday of each month
- All-Academy Tampa Bay Rays baseball game (May TBD)
- Army-Navy golf match (TBD)
Our social media links are above. Don’t forget to enroll on MyUSNA.com, our new all-service platform, and join the Tampa Bay Chapter.
Pres: DJ Marzetta ’94 p: 404-996-7019; e: djmarzetta@gmail.com
Sec’y: John “Wiz” Withers ’79 e: jdwithers@1979.usna.com Website: http://www.usnaaaa.com
It’s tough to call this winter, but someone has to do it. We had an exciting new “Saturday Social” in February – a guided tour of the highly regarded James Museum of Western and Wildlife Art followed by dinner in St. Petersburg, and our annual spring Candidate Information Picnic in March – the largest USNA recruiting event in Florida, with 150-200 candidates and families attending. Watch for details and photos in the next issue of SHIPMATE
We started the year off well with our January chapter meeting, including installation of the new officers and Board. Participating were Jane Lochner ’84, Brian Tsai ’16, Jonathan Shannon ’02, Austin Gullett’ 03, Paul Matthews ’85,
BGO Area Coordinator (Atlanta/North Georgia): Deborah Catrini e: deborah.catrini@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator (Southern Georgia): Ryan McDonel e: rmcdonel.usna@gmail.com
Greetings from Atlanta!
Last December we held our annual Atlanta Army-Navy get-together, with 77 signed up to support the Blue and Gold. This year’s event was hosted by West Point at the appropriatelynamed Hudson Grille. It turned was a great location for the festivities, and we can say it was a “qualified” success. The party was terrific – the game, not so much.
Our next event is our “Dark Ages” party, held on 11 February at the 57th Fighter Squadron
Restaurant at the DeKalb-Peachtree airport in Atlanta. Past events at this location have been well-attended and a lot of fun. We are sticking with the casual (spirit) motif, which has been more popular than our formal dress of past decades.
One final item of business: the Board is very pleased to announce two new officers, Vice-President Mike Leigh ’79, and Secretary, John “Wiz” Withers ’79. We thank Mike and Wiz for their willingness to serve in their respective offices.
The Atlanta chapter is open to all alumni in the Atlanta area. More events are in the works, and the best place to see what’s happening is the chapter website. We welcome input from all Atlanta-area alumni – if you have an idea, please let us know!
Hawaii Chapter
Pres: Ted Peck ’88
p: 808-371-7514; e: ted.peck@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Keno Knieriem ’06
e: keno@honokea.com
Sec'y: Eric Kimura ’76
e: kimurayoshihiro9@gmail.com
Comms: Brian C. Smith ’05
e: brian.conley.smith@gmail.com
Treas: Tom Marzec ’87
e: tamarzec@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator:
CDR Jason Afong ’06, USN
e: Jason.afong@bgo.usna.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ USNAAA.Honolulu; https://www.facebook.com/ NavalAcademyHawaii/
BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Todd Severance ’92, USN (Ret.) p: 208-620-9436; e: tjseverance1992@gmail.com
Northwest Chapter
Pres: Raymond Kutch ’63
e: rjkutch@comcast.net
Southern Idaho Chapter
Pres: Andrea Hovey ’03
e: andrea.hovey@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Paul Campbell ’98
e: Paul.Campbell@1998.usna.com
Treas: Dennis Hanrahan ’68
e: dennisdannyehanrahan@gmail.com
Idaho Parents’ Club President: Nicola McIntosh (Luke ’24)
e: themacs97@hotmail.com.
Spring is starting to take hold as we emerge from the “dark ages”. Two events filled out our December 2022 calendar: the Army-Navy game watch party and the All Service Academy Dinner and Ball.
SIC members joined with the USMA AOG for our annual Army-Navy game watch party. The venue was again graciously hosted by the Warhawk Aviation Museum in Nampa, Idaho.
Many thanks to our hosts John and Sue Paul. Food and beverage was provideded again by Wings and Bear Island Brewery. Thanks to all! A good turnout by both alumni groups contributed to a festive gathering. A large contingent of USMA AOG members were present accompanied with lots of cheering and pushups. Alas, in the end Navy had to sing first. The following SIC members along with Spouses/SO’s, family members, and parents were in attendance. SIC attendees included: Bill Previty ’65, Steve Berg ’66, Rufus Taylor ’66, Del Giffen ’67, Jim Perkins ’68, Rick Schellhhaas ’68, Dennis Hanrahan ’68, Wes Stanfield ’69, Mike Kehoe ’71, Tom Simmonds ’73, Markus Gudmundsson ’91, Van States ’91, Chris Horak ’94, Chris Benson ’97, Paul Campbell ’98, Andrea Hovey ’03, Matt Bishop ’03 and Cody Rome ’12.
The Southern Idaho Chapter (SIC) meets monthly. Alumni and their spouses/SOs living in or visiting the Boise area are invited to join us. If you would like information about SIC activities, contact Rufus Taylor ‘66 at <tincansailor980@gmail.com>.
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 (Southern, IL): Gene Marquez e: gdsm_marquez@charter.net
Louisiana Chapter
Pres: Garrett Miller ’95
p: 985-590-2425, e: torrens.miller@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Bob Ferrante ’90
p: 985- 237-2091; e: mbrlj5@gmail.com
Sec’y: Wayne Morgan ’98 e: wayne.morgan@1998.usna.com
Treas: Drew Dodenhoff ’70
e: drewdode@yahoo.com
Website: http://www.USNALouisiana.org
BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR Jessica Thornhill ’01 e: jessica.mp.thornhill@gmail.com
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
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
All hands stand and salute as the National Anthem is played and sung by the combined academies Glee club. After a two-year hiatus the 23rd Annual All Service Academy Ball took place on 30 December at the Riverside Hotel in Garden City, Idaho. The event was hosted by the combined Idaho parents’ clubs of the five service academies. BZ to Nicola McIntosh, the USNA Parents’ Club president, for her work in helping to organize the event. Cadets and midshipmen from the various academies were present along with about 200 parents, guests, and academy alumni. There was an excellent pre-dinner program, a silent auction, and recognition of those who have gone before us along with the appropriate solemnity. Thanks to Paul Campbell ’98 who was the emcee for the event. Chapter members present with their Spouses/SO’s included Mike Coyle ’65, Rufus Taylor’66, John Kuechle ’66, Dennis Hanrahan ’68, Tom Simmonds, ’73, Ken VanderHorst ’79, Van States ’91, Todd Severance ’96, Paul Campbell ’98 and Cody Rome ’12
BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR Drew Thomas ’04, USNR p: 317 682 8441; drew.thomas@bgo.usna.com
Indianapolis Chapter
CDR Lynn Thomas ’83 h: 317-329-1773; e: lynntw@aol.com
Michiana Chapter
Pres: John Ross ’94
e: johnwmross@me.com
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
Treas: John Strauss ’69 e: e:jstrauss3373@att.net
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
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
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/USNA AlumniChapter_Annapolis/ Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 1118214745191/ (or search for: Naval Academy Alumni Annapolis Chapter)
BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR Charles Mello e: Charlesmello@gmail.com
Baltimore Chapter
Pres: Jason Hardebeck ’87 p: 443-269-1599; e: jhardebeck@whoglue.com
BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR Charles Mello e: Charlesmello@gmail.com
Join the Chapter: https://www.signupnow.events/USNA Alumni Chapter_ Annapolis/
Facebook Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 1118214745191/ (or search for: Naval Academy Alumni Annapolis Chapter)
Greater Southern Maryland Chapter
Pres: Micheal W. Thumm '75
e: thummer75@md.metrocast.net
Sec’y: Katie Ellefson ‘13 p: 661-992-9190; e: katieelllefson13@gmail.com
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
December 9 and 10: Eggs and Legs at the Flashback in Lexington Park and the Army-Navy
ALUMNI IN THE NEWS: Brian Sandberg ’97 is President of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots.
COMING EVENTS:
16 March Happy Hour at the Flight Deck
April 12 Spring Social at Brudergarten following Chapter meeting. Please, check your email and the GSMC website www.navyalumni.org for updates on these events.
1700, 2nd Wednesday of each month: Chapter Meeting. The Brudergarten, Leonardtown. Please, check your email and the GSMC website www.navyalumni.org for all event updates throughout 2023!
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): John Rinkacs e: rinkacs@comcast.net
BGO Area Coordinator (N Shore and Central Mass): CDR David Grim e: david.grim@1982.usna.com
BGO Area Coordinator (Western Mass): Ken Walton e: ken.walton@bgo.usna.com
Michigan Chapter
Pres: Maj. Joe Zane ’07 USMCR e: joseph.zane.2007@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Shawn Hoch ’08 e: shawn.hoch@2008.usna.com
Website: http://detroit.usnachapters.net
Communications Sec’y: Chris Bernard ’88 e: gcb117@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator (Eastern): CAPT Michael Johnson ’79, USNR e: mj007mj@hotmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator (West & Upper): Col. Benjamin Richmond ’93, USMCR e: brichmond97@earthlink.net
Since our last article, two events of note took place. First, we had a great time at the Army Navy viewing party jointly hosted by the Michgian Chapter and the West Point Society of Michigan! While the final score didn’t turn out as we would have liked, the game was hard-fought and we had a great time. Second, we had a luncheon on 26 January. We had planned to have it a day earlier, but we were thwarted by a winter storm. While the shift depressed turnout somewhat, we still had a good time catching up.
By the time you read this, we should have met up for a 100th Night celebration on 14 February. There should be a March luncheon on 14 March. Keep your eye out on your e-mail for details. If you are reading this and want to join but haven’t seen that e-mail, feel free to reach out to me personally at joseph.zane.2007@ gmail.com. As always, keep your eye out on MyUSNA and your e-mail for the latest on events and updates.
Thank you for reading, and until next time: Beat Army!
Joe Zane ’07 Chapter PresidentUpper 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: CAPT Mark J. Salmen, USN (Ret.)
NAIP Area Coordinator-Minnesota
15230 Afton Hills Drive South; Afton, MN 55001-9670
p: 651-436-5842; c: 651-271-669
e: mark.salmen@1973.usna.com; e: mjsalmen@aol.com
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
Sec’y: CAPT Harry J. Rucker ’73, USN (Ret.) e: navynomad50@caldeone.net
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: victorh@yahoo.com
Treas: Eric Carlson '74
p: 913 481-5436; e: j.eric.carlson@gmail.com
Website: http://KansasCity.usnachapters.net
BGO Area Coordinator: Lee Gilgour ’01 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
BGO Area Coordinator: Andy Metroka e: METROKA@MT.NET
BGO Area Coordinator: Eric Taylor e: etaylor@1994.usna.com
Omaha Chapter
Pres: Jeremiah Binkley ’00
e: jeremiah.binkley@yahoo.com
Website: http://omaha.usnachapters.net/
BGO Area Coordinator: Joe Holland ’03 e: joe.holland03@gmail.com
Las Vegas Chapter
Pres: Corwin Karaffa ’77 e: cjkaraffa@gmail.com
Sec’y: Glenn Truitt ‘97 e: glenn@idealbusinsspartners.com
Website: http://southernnevada.usnachapters.com/
The Las Vegas Chapter hosted the Army-Navy Game Party at the MacKenzie River Pizza, Grill & Pub at City National Arena in Henderson on 10 December and despite the suboptimal outcome of the game, we again broke out own attendance record, with plenty of rowdy Army fans and an amazing buffet from our hosts.
On Friday, 28 April 2022, the Las Vegas Aviators, the pride of Minor League Baseball, will be again hosting the Chapter, and tickets to sit with the group can be purchased here (http://tinyurl.com/5xvkr363) $53 per adult and $43 for children 12 and under (includes game tickets, food and a non-alcoholic beverage). Last year’s event was one of everyone’s favorites, including a walk-off win! We are still planning to open the tickets to USMA and USAFA alumni chapters at a later date and we would love to have more NAVY folks than anyone else! You’re already at the back of this issue – so GO BUY TICKETS!
We are looking forward to more local events, so please stay tuned to your favorite source of Chapter news! As always, the Chapter puts out all of its news and events on our Facebook page – so if you’re not a member yet, come find us at: https://www.facebook.com/groups/ 851758039084714. The latest pictures, event invitations, and all the good gouge can be found! See you all soon!
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 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
Our largest social event of the year took place on 10 December 2022 at the Craft Republic sports bar in Albuquerque as alums and their guests hopeful for a victory gathered to enjoy the annual Army/Navy football contest televised from Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, PA. By previous arrangement,
our lively crowd was provided their own room with several TVs to enjoy the game from any seat. Those present included Brink Trammell ’57; Hoppy (G.J.) Hopkins ’59, Herb Richter ’59; Norm Falk ’60; Bonnie and Mike Blackledge ’63; Olen Thompson ’63; Angela and George Goryanec ’66; Joe McGuire ’68; Judy and Paul Wilson ’68; Ashby Albright ’71 Assoc.; Rebecca and Tom Gutierrez ’70 with guests including John and Janice Arnold Jones; Lynden (Tolly) Toliver ’71; Ed Johnson ’73; Scott Kraus ’73; Loren and Max Legg ’74 with guest Charlie Ecklund; Jay Carrizales ’75; Bill Hartman ’77; Doug Meints ’77; Ken Fladager ’78 with guest Kathy; Deborah and Mark Schaefer ’83; William and Anne Hammond ’86; Christine Hoaglund ’97; Seth Powell ’05 and wife Carrie Powell ’06 with children Owen and Cora; Selina Benavides ’13 with her mother Alma and sister Sophia; Alex and Michael Spinello ’13 with their children Oliver and Penny and parents Jim and Rosalie Spinello; and Matt and Roberta Fotter, parents of Thomas Fotter ’26. During the game’s halftime break, Chapter President Scott Kraus ’73 conducted our annual corporate meeting to inform members of Chapter events and personnel changes. Unfortunately, even with all the camaraderie generated in Craft Republic’s room, Navy could not surmount the field goal that boosted Army a notch above Navy to their 20-17 edge when the double OT clock ran out. Next Year!
Of special note during the big game was the family of Courtney Lapahie ’17. Although Courtney was stationed aboard her ship in the Indian Ocean, half a world away, four of her family members drove the 280 miles round trip from Gallup, NM to Albuquerque to make sure she was represented at this Chapter event. The family members representing Courtney were her mother Elsie Begay, her aunt Janice Begay, a niece Danielle Begay and a brother J.C. Carl.
The Triannual Chapter Count for the NM Chapter was completed on 26 December. This count identifies USNAAA Chapters who may have qualified members sit on the USNAAA Board of Directors based on their numbers of Life members who are also Chapter dues-payers. Of New Mexico Chapter’s 285 registered alumni, 25 are Chapter dues-payers and 23 of those are also Life members of the USNAAA.
Hail and Farewell! After volunteering to serve as Chapter webmaster since 1995, Mike Blackledge ’63 was able to turn over the responsibility for maintaining the Chapter’s future online bulletin board to Michael Spinello ’13. In doing so, the website transitioned from http://newmexico.usnachapters.com to http:// newmexico.usnachapters.net in accordance with USNA web design guidance. Many thanks to Mr. Blackledge for his 28 years of service and to Mr. Spinello for accepting this new responsibility. Similarly, since Ken Fladager ’78
is changing his home address from Rio Rancho, NM to the Texas gulf coast, Mark Schaefer ’83 has assumed the role of Chapter Treasurer. Mr. Fladager’s service to the Chapter as Treasurer is acknowledged with gratitude.
The next scheduled Chapter event is the annual Family Picnic, scheduled to be held on Sunday, 4 June 2023, at the Kiwanis shelter on the Elena Gallegos Open Space facility, 7100 Tramway Blvd NE, Albuquerque, NM 87122. Check the Chapter’s new online bulletin board listed above for additional details as the date draws near.
We were recently informed that Jon Michael Barr ’61 RADM, USN (Ret.), former COMSUBPAC was buried at the Santa Fe National Cemetery with full military honors on 13 January 2023. RADM Barr succumbed at his Santa Fe, NM home at the age of 84 on 22 October 2022.
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.usnachapters.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Jessica Barr e: jessiebarr.usna99bgo@yahoo.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
A very few alumni, and Navy family and friends were able to get-together at the Brae Loch Inn in Cazenovia for the Army-Navy game. Attending were Steve Erb ’68, Doug Marshall ’73, Rob Sawyer ’84, Bob Fegan ’64 and his wife Marilyn, Howard Gutzman ’75 and his wife Mary, and Mike Piazza ’07 with his girlfriend Jackie and his friend Eric Austin (also Bob Fegan’s neighbor). The result of the game was enjoyed by a few Army fans in attendance.
Alumni, 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 let them know if you will be attending a lunch but calling is not necessary…just show up.
Alumni, family, friends, USNA parents, and others with an interest in the Naval Academy are welcome to join the Chapter at all Chapter functions. Call (315-663-7490) or e-mail Bob Fegan to let us know if you plan to attend a function.
Future Chapter activities will be addressed by email as they are planned.
The Chapter has instituted the payment of a Life Membership Fee as an option to Annual Dues. As the information was provided through the USNA Alumni Association, there are quite a few Alumni in the CNY area who may not have received the information so it is again being provided herewith. With the new year, annual dues of $20 are now being accepted.
The Central New York Chapter leadership discussed offering Life Membership and with inputs from a few Alumni, the following table shows what was decided:
If 40% of the Alumni in the Central New York area opt for Life Membership and with over $2,000 currently in the Chapter’s non-profit checking account with M&T, the Chapter would have over $10,000 which is more than enough to support the Chapter’s financial commitments through 2030.
Alumni who have paid dues for the Chapter year 1 January 2023 to 31 December 2023 and for subsequent years may apply those dues to their Life Membership Fee. Also those Alumni who have made Donations to the Chapter may apply all or part of the Donation to their Life Membership Fee. Each Alumni to whom the above applies should contact Bob Fegan (bobfegan64@gmail.com) (315-663-7490) and let him know what to do or to check what your dues status may be.
For those Alumni who choose not to pay the Life Membership Fee, the annual Chapter membership fee of $20 will be continued.
Payment of dues (Life Membership or Annual) can be made in cash or check at a Chapter function or by mailing a check payable to “CNY Chapter of USNA Alumni” to Bob Fegan, 1570 US Route 20, Cazenovia, NY 13035-9202. Please provide a note to indicate your USNA AA status (Life Member, Annual or Not a member) and your email address to ensure that the Chapter’s database is complete and up-to-date.
Cape Fear Chapter
Pres: William B Biles ’08
e: benbiles08@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
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
With the new year underway, the Cape Fear Chapter stepped off smartly with its first monthly meeting on 10 Jan. The guest speaker
was VADM Joe Leidig ’78, USN (Ret.), who shared a remarkable firsthand account of the tragic 2012 Benghazi incident. During that period, Joe served as the Deputy Commander of the US Africa Command. Impressively, about half of the Chapter’s paid members were in attendance to hear Joe’s fact-based presentation. Present for muster: John Hicks ’56, Peter Friedman ’58, Tim Marvin ’59, Mary Ellen and Robin Boswell ’64, Bill Caiazza ’66, John and Bernie McGuire ’64, Alan Smith ’64, Dave Scheu ’67, Tom McQueen ’69, Paul Smith ’71, Ray Decker ’72, Rick Haley ’72, Hugh McWilliams ’72, John Pilli ’73, Paul Normand ’74, Bart Whitman ’74, Steve Yandle ’75, Martin Brittingham ’76, Gary Beaver ’77, Pete Varvaris ’77, John Casey ’78, Joe Leidig ’78, Gallen Negaard ’88, Jim Slaight ’93, Anne Leanos ’98 and Major Jimmy Housley ’10 USMC. Well done, shipmates.
On 07 Feb, the Chapter held its annual “business” meeting with a full agenda: President’s Perspective, Membership Drive, Financial Review, Summer STEM Initiative, Logo Competition, and Future Events.
Under the able leadership of Bill Caiazza ’66 and John Casey ’78, the Chapter will support the first 2023 local high school STEM event on 11 Feb. Two more are planned in March. Details in next Shipmate
The 4th Dark Ages Dinner was Saturda,. 11 March in the Ballroom at the Cape Fear Country Club. This event celebrates our common Academy experience between the December Holiday Leave and Spring Break with an evening of tasty food, chilled libations, a round of “Plebe professional questions,” and embellished sea stories. The Uniform of the Night is tux or coat and tie with mini-medals for members and cocktail dresses for spouses and SOs.
Big Navy is coming to Wilmington 16-20 April for Navy Week. We are standing by to host a supportive event and very fortunate to have Captain Anne Leanos ’98, USNR, serve as our liaison. Go Navy!
The Chapter’s 2023 Calendar of Events is posted on our website: capefearnc.usna chapters.net
Charlotte Chapter
Pres: Christopher (Nix) M. Nickels ’91
e: CHRISNIX@AOL.COM
Email: UsnaaaCharlotte@gmail.com
Facebook Page: http://facebook.com/usna-alumniassociation-charlotte-251965968210794/
Website: Charlotte.usnachapters.net
LinkedIn Group: http://linkedin.com/groups/8344487
Hello Charlotte Chapter: Watch for emails about upcoming chapter events this year: Socials, Golf, Family Picnic, Football Watch gatherings and more!
Event Recap: To close out the year, see the pictures from the Chapter Army/Navy football (2022) watch party at Blackfinn in Ballantyne. Great turnout and fun had by all!
Chapter Officers: Huge BZ and thanks to our outgoing, Chapter Treasurer, Victor Perez ’10 and Board Member, Jeff Cleary ’82
Miguel Cintron ’86 has been elected as our new Chapter Treasurer. One of three foreign nationals in his class, Miguel didn’t have the privilege of serving as a US Navy officer but as a proud Annapolis graduate, has been active in every Alumni chapter where he lived.
Miguel had a decorated career in the financial services industry working for numerous fortune 100 companies and managing multibilliondollar deposit portfolios and its payments products. Welcome Miguel!
Brian Finegold ’71 was elected as Chapter Board member. From Dayton, OH, Brian was a Systems Analysis major and varsity gymnast. After graduation, Brian did numerous assignments as a helo and C12 pilot. Post service, Brian had a decorated 25-year career with the FBI where he helped develop the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System and its major upgrade, Next Generation Identification, which included facial and Iris recognition. Welcome Brian!
Chapter Member News: CLT Chapter Board Member Capt. Michael Kubiniec ’83, USN (Ret.) has been elected to a 4-year term on the Iredell-Statesville Schools (ISS) Board of Education District 5. Iredell County, located just north of Charlotte, NC, consists of 37 schools, 2,700 employees, and 20,000 students, and has seven board-elected members. His main priorities are: 1) Improve the poor performing schools; 2) Develop more innovative solutions to retain and recruit new teachers; 3) Build new schools that are cost effective; and 4) Address ongoing student behavioral issues which are detracting from the learning environment and teacher workplace climate. BZ Capt. K
Adam Kimball’08
CLT Chapter SecretaryPres: 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://myusna.com/topics/9508
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/groups/14196247/
The meeting convened at 1200 26 January at La Rosa’s Italian Restaurant in New Bern, NC. Thirty (30) members and their guests were present.
Rob Skrotsky ’67, President, began the meeting with a moment of silence and prayer for military personnel who are deployed, their loved ones awaiting their safe return, and for those suffering or grieving.
Randy Bogle,’68, Treasurer, reported the bank balance, all bills have been paid and chapter dues are due in January.
Capt. Skrotsky announced that he had formed a nominating committee of two members, John Kieffer ’67, and Rick Kunkel ’67, to find a new treasurer and secretary. He asked any members present who are interested to inform him or the nominating committee members.
Rob also noted that the meeting for alumni chapter officers will be held in April in Annapolis.
Members who could attend in his stead are requeste3d to notify him. He also encouraged the members to attend the Freedom Classic next month in Kinston, NC, where the USNA plays USAFA in baseball, one game each day of the last weekend in February. He said he would look into a box for alumni to sit together. He also said that the Founder’s Day Dinner for September is in the planning stage. He plans to use the New Bern Country Club.
Rob then introduced the guest speaker, Jay DeLoach ’78, RADM, USN (Ret.) who is a trustee and the NC state president of the
National Society of the Jay DeLoach ’78, Sons of the American Revolution. He gave an interesting audiovisual presentation of activities of the New Burn Chapter, as well as the state chapters.
Jay distributed a leaflet that describes the patriotic features of this organization. He also reviewed the process of becoming a member. This involves tracing one’s direct ancestors back to participation in the American Revolution. Accurate identities and dates from one’s ancestry are necessary to obtain membership.
After several questions Rob indicated that the next meeting will be at Camp Lejeune on 22 February and will include a discussion of the military working dogs that are trained and kenneled on the base. The meeting adjourned at 1340.
Tim Marvin ‘59 SecretaryNorth Carolina Triangle Chapter
Pres: CAPT Steve Gillespie ’87, USN (Ret.)
e: smgillespie44@gmail.com
Sec’y: Chris Perrien ’74, USN (Ret.)
e: ibmchris@mac.com
Website: www.usnatriangle.com
Greetings from the Research Triangle Park of North Carolina, Our Chapter looks forward to Spring weather and Spring events including the resumption of our Golf Squad’s monthly outings organized by the Chapter’s able Golf Rep, Warren Schultz ’71 and hosted by courses throughout the Raleigh-Durham community. And our year began smartly with the 6th consecutive designation as a Distinguished Chapter in our proud alumni network. We’re fortunate to enjoy reliable and enthusiastic support across all 8 of the year-groups represented in our 165 strong membership.
2022 concluded with a return to the to Compass Rose Brewery for a family & pet friendly Army-Navy Party with buffet, bouncehouse and USNA SWAG raffle. Outstanding Movement Order managed by event OIC, Brad Osmun ’08. As customary, we circulated the Ammo-Can and collected $1,600.00
for the USO of North Carolina. Great to be together and a good time enjoyed by all. The 120 in attendance included grads: Paul Stiller ’58, George Lipscomb ’ ’87, Shaun McAndrew ’93, Bill Coleman ’95, Lee Huffstetler ’00, Grant Smith ’06, Emory Miller 07, Brad Osmun ’08, Erich DeHart ’10, Kim Hanson ’09, Elizabeth Hallinan ’80, Joe Matza ’85, Matthew Minor ’07, Daniel Harris ’08, Tommy McNamara ’11, Anna Kim ’27, Robert Adams ’73, Kevin Alt ’81, Warren Schultz ’71, Stan Bashaw ’85, Stephen Gillespie ’87, Matthew Baker ’06, Matt Gieszl ’08, Alexander Dworjan ’10, Christopher Moreno ’12, William Gautier ’68, Sankey Blanton ’71, Christopher Perrien ’74, Thomas M Clemons ’82 William Sena ’95, Kelly Baker ’09, Jonathan Thai ’10, Gia DeHart ’12, Norman Elliott ’58, Perry Taylor ’71, Joel Parker ’77, Michael McGuire ’81, Eric Siebert ’93 and Jeff Truitt ’93
Recognized for the 6th 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/. Linked-in: USNA Alumni Association-Triangle Chapter (USNAAA Triangle).
Piedmont Triad Chapter
Pres: Tom Cornejo ’00
e: thomas.cornejo@yahoo.com
Sec’y: Josh Fogle ’03
e: foglejw@gmail.com
Upper Midwest Chapter
See Minnesota
Send Shipmate input to: Nathan CW Smith ’98
e: nathancwsmith@outlook.com
Blue & Gold Area Coordinator: Mary Plumb
e: Mary.plumb@yahoo.com
Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky Chapter
Pres: Earle Babcock ’74 p: 513-520-7776
e: earle.babcock@1974@usna.com
Vice Pres: Gaby Blocher ’98 p: 513-316-5903; e: Gabrielle.Bolton@gmail.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
Website: http://www.usnacinci.org
BGO Area Coordinator: Bryan Grubert e: bryan.grubert@gmail.com
Cleveland Chapter
Pres: CAPT Fred W. Bergman ’75, USNR (Ret.) p: 440-570-3564; e: FWayBergman@aol.com
Sec’y: John Blackburn ’82 e: joblackburn@clevelandtrack.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Doug Cabarle e: douglas.cabarle@bgo.usna.com
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: Carla Dowling-Fitzpatrick e: dowlingfitzpatrick@sbcgolbal.net
By all counts, except the 2-overtime outcome, the joint 2022 Army – Navy Watch Party with West Point was a huge success. The former Mids, Woops, family and friends gathered at Wendell’s Pub in Westerville to eat, drink, cheer, moan, and badger the rivals. The Navy contingent had the upper hand on attendance, with about 40 total Navy fans. This is the first year in memory that Navy had a bigger showing than West Point. Hats off to all who attended. The Columbus Chapter continues to grow, and it was great to see some new members join us!
Toledo Chapter
Pres:
BGO Area Coordinator: Gregory
e: gtzerr@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Mike Whaley e: mwhaley@ossaa.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 and Treas: Kasey (Cregge) Carradini ’84 e: kcarradini@hotmail.com
Website: http://tulsa.usnachapters.net/
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/USNA-Alumni-TulsaChapter-2202431113307009
Our annual New Year Kick Off at Ricardo’s went very well with multiple Midshipman, potential Midshipman and their families participating. Alumni participating this year include (From Left to Right) Rocky Goins ’84, George Carradini ’84 Shea Ferrell ’86, Craig LaGrone ’67, Harry Rouse ’77, Kasey Carradini ’84 and Patrick Hamilton ’87
Our own Harry Rouse ’77 participated with other classmates in the Oklahoma’s LINK in the CHAIN at the incoming Midshipman send off, Feb 24. Our chapter has consistently assisted this program in recruiting a leader for this event every year.
Go Navy!
Oregon and Southwest Washington Chapter
Pres: CDR John Adams ’69, USNR (Ret.)
e: john.adams@1969.usna.com
Vice Pres: CDR Mike Carmichael ’69, USNR (Ret.)
e: mikec@1969.usna.com
Treas: CDR Ted Scypinski ’90, USNR (Ret.) e: ted.scypinski@flir.com
National Chapter Trustee: LtCol Doug Ballard ’74, USMCR (Ret.) e: Cassandra.alpha61@comcast.net
BGO Area Coordinator: Gillian Richards e: jill@teamrichards.net
Website: oregon.usnachapters.net
Rocky
Members of the Tulsa Chapter will be sponsoring and participating in the local SEAPERCH Challenge where high school, middle school and elementary students will be competing with their homemade underwater robots. The U.S. Naval Academy is one of the sponsors. The event is 25 March from 9 am -4pm. Our Shea Ferrell ’81 is involved with the program. Please contact Rock or Shea if you want to support this fun and worthy cause.
Both December and January were very busy months for the chapter.
December saw several Chapter activities. First was the Army-Navy game which we watched with our West Point comrades at Big Als in Beaverton, OR. While the game did not end as planned it was a good time for all. Attending were Mike Carmichael ‘69 wife Suzie and family, Chris Bizzano ’97 and family, Todd Washburn ’93, Rich Killian ’86, Ted Scypinski ’90, Janette Sandburg ’96, Mark Springer ’89, Seth Chung ’10, Jake McMichael ’58 and family, Tim Myers ’64, Jake Owens ’06 and family, Doug Bomarito ’68 and guest, Chris Carlson ’78, Lee Hall ’80, Craig Replogue ’02 and family, Jack Kohl ‘65 and wife Joan, Jim Unger ’53, John Adams ’69, Mark Cooksey ’71 and his wife Susan, and Arlen Aspenson ’93 and wife Nicole.
The week following the game we held our December luncheon honoring the “greatest
generation”, those participating in WWII and the Korean Conflict. Present were Mike Carmichael ’69, Jake McMichael ’58 and his wife Dianne, Mark Cooksey ’71 and his wife Susan, Doug Bomarito ’68, Gregg Swanson USAFA ’66, John Frerichs ’50 and his daughter Stacy, Tim Myers ’64, Jack Kohl ’65, Jim Unger ’54, John Adams ’69, Doug Ballard ’74 and his grandson Chase Odell, Glen Weeks ’65, Tex Harkins ’67, Mark Springer ’89, Paul Kaus ’79, Butch Bewick ’62, Brian Hathaway ’89 and his father Paul Hathaway ’57
January’s luncheon was a purely social time with no speaker or formal program. It was nice to just visit. Attending were Mike Carmichael ’69, Doug Ballard ’74, Doug Bomarito ’68, Tex Harkins ’67, John Adams ’69, Jack Kohl ’65, Tony Lash VMI 58, Lee Hall ’80, Hod Wells ’59, Butch Bewick ’62 and Tim Myers ’64
Sadly, January also had a memorial service for alumni Donald “Don” Edd Grant USNA ’63
Attending the service were John Adams ’69, Mike Carmichael ’69, Jack Kohl ’65, Jim Unger ’53, Don’s close friend Joe Broz ’62 and former roommate Peter Soverel ’63. Don’s picture is included below.
Janette Sandberg ’96, Tim Myers ’64, Jack Kohl ’65, Mark Cooksey ’71, Ted Scypinski ’90, Shelley Liscom, President of the Parents Club.
Philadelphia Chapter
Pres: Rob Bender ’73 p: 267-625-3459; e: rbender@travismanion.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/usnaaa pittsburgh/
BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT David Gates ’77, USN (Ret.) p: 724-632-6621; e: LJreese357@aol.com
Susquehanna Valley Chapter
Pres: Tim Farrell ’76 e: im.farrell@1976.usna.com
VP: Rob Gundlach ’84 e: rjgundlach@msn.com
Treas: Jim Nolan '70 e: jimnolan8470@gmail.com
Website: http://www.usnasvc.com
BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Matt Chabal ’77 e: chabal@1977.usna.com
Bill Boniface ‘72 reports: Those of us who didn’t go to Philly enjoyed our chapter’s 11th Annual Army-Navy Watch Party at Lancaster Brewing Company in Harrisburg. Among the 22 attendees were host Bill Boniface ‘72 and his wife Susan; Bill Dornsife ‘66 and his daughter and son-in-law; Lee Erdman ‘76 and his wife, Karen; Dave Kern ‘80 and his wife Teresa and son (also USNA candidate) Michael; Scott Sutherland ‘81 and his wife, Kim; Matt O’Brien ‘94 and his wife Rosemary, son Michael, and friend Michael Wojcik; Rich Olszewski ‘96 and
wife Patti and daughters Cecelia and Louise; and Kendra and Jim Pfeifer (‘19 parents and Central PA USNA Parents Club members).
Despite the game’s final outcome after two overtimes, a number of attendees thought this was one of the best Army-Navy watch parties we’ve held over the years. Even having to sing “Navy Blue and Gold” first didn’t dampen our spirit.
Our chapter gathers the third Thursday of every month 1630-1900 at Mad Chef Craft Brewing, East Petersburg, PA. Please join us and bring your family and friends with you. Open your own tab and pay only for what you and those you bring with you eat and drink. Our chapter’s geographic area is large so if East Petersburg is too far to drive but you’d like to get together with other USNA alumni nearer to where you live please send one of our chapter officers a date, time, and place and we’ll communicate it by all means available to us.
Donald “Don” Edd Grant ’63
Our weekly Zoom happy hours continues to be an excellent forum to keep Chapter activities on track. We plan to continue them. Participating this month included: included Mike Carmichael ’69, John Adams ’69, Doug Ballard ’74, John Frerichs ’50, David Lutes ’63,
American Chapter
Pres: Tom Wolfe ’70
e: tsrjw71@gmail.com
Treas: Dale Gange ‘70
14518 Black Bear Rd., Palm Beach Gardens, FL 33418
Shipmate sec’y: Jennifer Stone
p: 202-909-5676; e: jastone0330@gmail.com
Website: www.rv.usnachapters.net
Facebook: USNA RV CHAPTER
BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Stuart Craig ’86, USN (Ret.) e: stuart.craig@bgo.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
BGO Area Coordinator: Ryan Blacklock e: ryan.blacklock@2004.usna.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
Charleston 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
On Monday, January 16, The Charleston Chapter held its Monthly Meeting.
Our Speaker was Warren Lasch, Friends of the Hunley.
In Attendance were: Max Hill ’51; Fuzzy Knight ’53; Jim Flatley ’56; Curt Holcomb ’61; John Common ’64; Frank Bryant ’66; Alan Burkhart ’67; Roger Paradis ’67; Bernie Magdelain ’67; Jim Welsch ’67; Mike Malone ’69; Tom Gillespie ’69; Gary Maxwell ’69; Steve Weise ’72; Jim Beltz ’73; George Watt ’73; Dave Shimp ’76; Dennis Simon ’77; Dan Cloyd ’79; Rick Stein ’82; OP Honors ’83; Greg Shore ’84; Dan Turbeville ’97; and Scott McGinnis ’97.
On Monday, December 19, The Charleston Chapter held its Monthly Meeting.
Our program had several local Veteran Charities speaking on their missions.
In Attendance were: Max Hill ’51; Fuzzy Knight ’53; Jim Flatley ’56; John Nuernberger ’64; Ray Setser ’65; Roger Paradis ’67; Bernie Magdelain ’67; Mike Malone ’69;
Charlie Young ’70; Rik Dilgren ’72; Kirk Donald ’75; Dave Shimp ’76; Dennis Simon ’77; Dan Cloyd ’79; Rick Stein ’82; Seamus Flatley ’83; Jeff Gordon ’83; Perry Ramicone ’83; John Hortman ’90; and Andrew McMarlin ’91
The Charleston Chapter meets on the 3rd Monday of each month at 12 Noon in Mount Pleasant. No reservation required.
Pres: Tom Cavanaugh ’69
p: 516-220-9896
e: tomcusna69@gmail.com
VP: Dave Igyarto ’74
e: igyartodp@icloud.com
Sec’y: Tim Johnson ‘02
e: tim.w.Johnson@outlook.com
Treas: John Scanlan '83
e: ping1@hargray.com
Happy Spring to all from the ACE basin, Port Royal Sound, lower Savannah River, and any other geographic regions of the Low Country chapter I may have left off. If you are thinking of where to spend a vacation this year, come down and see us. If you do, drop us a line if you can make any of our events. The more shipmates the merrier.
At the end of 2022, we had our Army-Navy watch party at R Bar and Grill in Bluffton. It was a hard-fought game with the historic overtimes enjoyed by all. Thanks to Navy football for making
it happen, and we will get Army next year. The cheering section this year included many alumni, friends, family, and parents of alumni including the following USNA grads: Clearwater 1957, Polhill 1958, Green 1977, Weidman 1977, Ogden 1967, Scharnous 1969, Igyarto 1974, Graham 1974, Hallman 1977, Mau 1979, Scanlan 1983, Mangan 1983, Corolla 1983, Corolla 1989, Bennett 1988, Johnson 2002, and Latigo 2016. We have several events planned for 2023. Our annual luncheon will be on 13 May 2023 at the Callawassie Club on Callawassie Island. This lunch will feature a guest speaker, Distinguished Graduate Admiral Robert F. Willard ’73, USN (Ret.). It promises to be an enjoyable day.
Other events upcoming with times and dates TBD include: April will include a lunch and tour of the Burnt Church Distillery in Bluffton; in June or July, we’re hoping to arrange a tour and buffet lunch at the Mighty 8th Air Force Museum in Savannah; and we are also planning viewing parties for the Air Force and Army games, as well as flag placements at the graves of Academy graduates in Beaufort National Cemetery on Veteran’s Day.
We encourage all members to stay up to date on our events by checking MyUSNA regularly. We also welcome suggestions for future events
and activities, so don’t hesitate to get in touch with us with your ideas (contact our current Pres- Tom Cavanaugh: tomcusna69@gmail.com).
More detailed information will be provided as we get closer to each event. We’re looking forward to a great year with the Lowcountry Chapter and we hope to see you at our upcoming get-togethers.
(Check out our website http://sclowcountry. usnachapters.net and our myUSNA.com SC Low Country Chapter group area for updates and additional information as it becomes available)
Palmetto Chapter
Pres: Jerry Pilewski ’97 e:palmettousna@usna.com
Vice Pres: Brian Treanor ’89 e: brian_treanor@hotmail.com
Sec’y: Suzanne Hopper (husband, John Hopper ’95 and son, Selik Hopper ’23) e: hoppermomx6@gmail.com
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
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
BGO Area Coordinator: Wes Trubeville e: bgoarea501coordinator@gmail.com
Rota Chapter
Pres: Michael Carsley ’88
e: michael.carsley@eu.navy.mil
Vice Pres: Ryan Eilerman ’15
Treas: Cassidy Masey ’06
e: cassidy.a.massey@gmail.com
Sec’y: Dustin Cunningham ’06
Chattanooga Chapter
Pres: Casey Turner '01
6408 Forest Park Drive, Signal Mountain, TN, 37377 p: 423.355.7771; e: lcaseyturner@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard Cataldi ’69, USN (Ret.) p: 865-966-4677; e: cdrcataldi@tds.net
The Chattanooga chapter met at the Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club to watch the annual Army Navy game. While the result was not what we wanted, the company and libation made up for it! Mr. Patrick Mcfadden ’86 and his wife Hallie, CAPT Don Drum ’72 and his wife Jane, VADM Ron Eytchison ’58 and his wife Patricia, and Mr. Casey Turner ’01 were there to share in the joy/teeth gnashing woe. Go Navy, Beat Army!
of the Class of 2022 for lunch at Calhoun’s restaurant near the Clinch River marina where several collegiate rowing teams hold their spring break practices. Midshipman 1/c Miles Knight ’22 was presented the CAPT William Francy award by chapter president Kristen Daniel ’00. The Lightweights had a very successful season and missed out on repeating as national champions by a tie-breaking procedure that awarded first to Columbia University. Coach Shawn Bagnall has notified the chapter that the team is planning on training in Oak Ridge again this spring, from 11-16 March. Due to multiple elements in the current environment, the crew team will once again not be staying with host families as they did up to the 2020 visit. For various reasons, it is not likely that we will be returning to the host family model in Oak Ridge that the lightweight rowers have enjoyed for almost 25 years. Coach Bagnall said, “There certainly was a time and place for the system we were blessed to be a part of in Oak Ridge, but again, that time has likely passed.” Regardless, our chapter is anxiously awaiting the visit of the rowers to mark a quarter of a century practicing on the Clinch River during their spring break.
We honored the incoming class of plebes and their families at our annual picnic in June. Four members of the Class of 2026 were with us and we presented the 2022 RADM Samuel P. Carter award to new graduate 2nd LT Matthew Williams ’22 USMC from Signal Mountain TN. Scott Goodson and Bruce Bevard represented the Class of 1976 for the Another Link in the Chain briefing. They were assisted by Andrew Waldmann ’01; this was the first time that the ALITC Class invited the 25-year senior class to join them.
Knoxville-Oak Ridge Chapter
Pres: Kristen Daniel ’02
e: kristenandwesley@gmail.com.
Sec’y-Treas: Jim Ward ’85 e: jiwardjr@gmail.com
Website: http://k-or.usnachapters.net/
BGO Area Coordinator: CDR Richard Cataldi ’69, USN (Ret.) p: 865-966-4677; e: cdrcataldi@tds.net
After two rough years during the COVID pandemic and a recovery year, 2022 was much more to our liking as the Knoxville-Oak Ridge chapter returned to its normal agenda of events. As we discussed in our column in the June edition of Shipmate, the Navy Lightweight Crew team joined us once again during the Academy’s spring break in mid-March. In typical fashion, our alumni hosted the rowers
In October, a group of us met at the appropriately-named Admiral’s Pub in Farragut to celebrate the 177th anniversary of the founding of USNA. The chapter has recently included the singing of the last verse of “Navy Blue and Gold” when we conclude each chapter function. The phrase “but still when two or three shall meet and old tales be retold” could not have been more apropos to describe the event.
the Army-Navy football game. The Woops hosted the activity at the Rarity Bay Golf Course clubhouse. Both sides cheered hard and the game made history as the first overtime game. But we all know the outcome; Navy sang first. Although it was not aired while we were together, Brent Stover of CBS conducted an interview of the three children of our Parent’s Club president Paula Treece and husband Tim, MIDN 1/c Elizabeth at USNA, Cadet 2/c Sarah at USAFA, and Cadet 4/c Dylan at USMA. Sarah was at USNA the past semester as part of the cadet/midshipman exchange program. Probably not the first time one family has had a midshipman/cadet to attend each of the three academies, but all at the same time? They each spoke about their love of their country and how they were motivated by their grandfather to follow in his footsteps.
Pres: CAPT Ron A. Sandoval ’81, USN 18010 Keystone Blf., San Antonio, TX 78258-3436
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
BGO Area Coordinator: Dave Driskell ’63 p: 210-275-4011; e: daved@frand.com
The Alamo Chapter enjoyed one of the largest turn-outs in years for the Army game. We gathered at the Flying Saucer as usual. We experienced an unusual situation this year with the attendance of four active candidates for the class of 2027. I’m not sure how the word got out, but I suspect BGO Laura Koerner ’97 had something to do with it. I am including several pictures of the event and want to give a special BZ to chapter treasurer Tom Colbourn ’68 for his organizing efforts for the event. Speaking of BGOs and candidates, we have some football recruits with this class. I am including a signing day event for recruit Gavin Woods that was attended by BGO Scott Outlaw ’86
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
North Texas Chapter
Director at Large: Daryl Smith ’88
Pres: Jamey Cummings ’93
e: pres@usnaaa-ntx.com
VP of Programs: Carrie Murdock ’99,
VP of Membership: Ty Rose ’06,
Treasurer: Greg Colandrea ’90
Sec’y: Frankie Delgado ’95 e: secy@usnaaa-ntx.com
Memphis Chapter
Pres: Henry W. Papa Jr. ’86
p: 907-244-7492; e: hankpapa@aol.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Drew Wyrick
e: wyrick03@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
BGO Area Coordinator: Thomas Forsythe ’79
e: tom_forsythe@kyzen.com
Website: www.usnaaa-ntx.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Tom Eschenbrenner p: 972 740 4060 ; e: eschenbrenner@gmail.com
The dark ages are behind us and that light we see is Spring and the upcoming commissioning of a new class of graduates! As we all prepare to say “Fair Winds” to the class of 2023, in December, the North Texas Alumni welcomed candidates for the classes of 2027 to the annual Blue Chip dinner. There were 285 in attendance this year to hear the Superintendent, VADM Sean Buck ’83, encourage the prospects and hand delivering appointments to a select few. This year’s dinner was filled with distinguished visitors, the Commandant of Midshipman, CEO of the Alumni Association, the Dean of Admissions along with 11 area Blue and Gold officers.
As always, the North Texas Parent’s Club played an integral role in the evening’s success, the Midshipmen home on leave served as the best ambassadors with their tales and candid discussions with the candidates. (A special thanks to Ownbey Photography for their support with this year’s great photos!)
In January, the chapter was treated to a presentation by newly selected 2023 Distinguished Graduate recipient, Ron Nicol ’75. The North Texas Alumni are very proud to have one of our own recognized with this tremendous achievement. Last, as we close out the Spring, the Chapter continues its migration to the new website and system. We encourage all members to make sure their USNA Alumni accounts are current to help ease the transition and avoid disruption of information flow. Please check the site for upcoming events to include our ’27 welcome aboard lunch in June!
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: https://www.facebook.com/USNAAATxGC/
Email: txgulfcoast.usnachapters@gmail.com
BGO Area Coodinator: Don Link
e: cdr.dlink@gmail.com
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 London, where Spring has finally arrived after what seems like an interminably long winter!
The UK Chapter was pleased to once again host the annual Army-Navy Game Watch party in December, and although Navy lost by only a hair, it certainly wasn’t for lack of spirit on our part.
Almost 65 alumni representing both service academies gathered at the Leake Street branch of Passyunk Avenue, near Waterloo Station (home of the best Philly cheesesteak this side of the Atlantic) to cheer on their respective teams in this time-honored rivalry, held on 10 December (Although the game will not return to Philadelphia until 2027, the UK Chapter always will be right here, backing the Mids!)
Ahead in 2023, the UK Chapter looks forward to hosting the various groups of midshipmen on LRECs and graduate study look-see trips, and we’re always open to meeting up with alumni passing through The Greatest City in the Western World (that’s London, in case there was any doubt!).
Until next time, BEAT ARMY!
Intermountain Alumni Chapter
Pres. Robert Allen ’67
e: ba@robertallen.org
Vice Pres. Ryam Merrell ’00
e: ryanmerrell@yahoo.com
Treas. Mike Hester ’69
e: mikehester46@gmail.com
Sec'y Tabeetha Moesinger ’91
e: tabeetha@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator: Darrin Briggs ’03
e: Darrin.Briggs@gmail.com
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
The Central Virginia Chapter gathered at The Center at Belvedere to watch the game with other veterans from the Charlottesville community this year.
Thanks to our hosts at The Center, and the sponsors (SKV Group and Gratitude Charlottesville), we enjoyed non-alcoholic beverages and good eats from Mission BBQ and Marco’s Pizza, along with BYO beer and wine. And no one was injured, hospitalized, arrested or put on report.
Farewell, Godspeed and Thanks to Ken Niumatalolo for a mostly GREAT 15-year run.
Hail to Brian Newberry and BEAT ARMY! Bill Murray ’83.
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
Army pushups.
We had a robust turnout, especially from the Class of), with 22 members and spouses, including: Doug Zanzot ’63, Deanie and Alex Rucker, VT ’65, Zen and Jay Potter ’68, Ellen and Tom Shields ’70, Mary and Joe Nadolski ’74, Gary Jones ’75, Jeff Bust ’75, Mike McDermott ’75, Diane and Chris Cikanovich ’75, Terry and Mark Metcalf ’76, Janice and Russ Pope ’76, Blythe and Charlie Watkins ’77, Bill Murray ’83 and Ty Gallander ’90
Despite the outcome, our band showed the NAVY flag well by mounting the stage and rendering 34 pushups by the end of the first overtime - and we were poised to press another 24 - when hopes were dashed by the fumble on the goal line. Our prone prowess (with Zanzot ’63 center-stage) WAY exceeded ARMY’s, who could only muster one person to do push-ups, and even that took some cajoling.
Once again, the place to be to watch the Army-Navy game in Hampton Roads was Shorebreak Pizza in Virginia Beach! Although the Mids suffered a heartbreaking defeat, about 350 spirited Navy fans enjoyed camaraderie, great food, and liquid refreshments at a gala bash orchestrated by dedicated planners and doers, including Events Chair Al Ponessa ’68, Chapter Prez Renee Reedy ’81, Dick Enderly ’71, Steve Nimitz ’76, Rob Aeschbach ’90, Shalimar Brazier ’04, Ken Marks ’71, Vince Bowhers ’85 and Ted Digges ’85
Despite the outcome Army-Navy partiers were happy in Hampton Roads.
In conjunction with the party, a very successful silent auction featuring 71 donated items raised over $4,000, much of which will support three of the Supe’s priority programs NASS, STEM, and the International Program! Many attendees also stepped to support the USMC Toys for Tots Program with lots of toys and cash donations! And the week prior to the game, the local CBS affiliate aired a great piece that included interviews with local former Navy players
Shalimar Brazier ’04, Shun White ’09, LaVaughn Kelley ’05 and Derek Peterson ’99
On 26 January the Dark Ages got a lot brighter with a terrific Happy Hour at the Yard House in Virginia Beach Town Center. And the plan is to keep the good times rolling with monthly happy hours in various Norfolk, Chesapeake, Virginia Beach, and Suffolk venues.
Our December Networking Breakfast featured a presentation by Marc Davis, the Sports Director at the aforementioned CBS affiliate, WTKR. To kick off 2023, our January speaker was Vince Bowhers ’85 who highlighted Lynnhaven River Now and other non-profit organizations working on local water quality and conservation issues; and in February we heard from Rick O’Rawe, FLTCM, USN (Ret.), the Director, Norfolk Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society.
To get all the latest news on future Chapter initiatives and events, as well as USNA news and updates, be sure to check out our website under the Hampton Roads Group at myUSNA.com. And don’t forget our LinkedIn and Facebook pages!
Dick Enderly ‘71
Pres: Robin Dreeke '92
e: rdreeke@gmail.com
Vice-President: George Williams '87 e: bucketokinawa@gmail.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 e: james.m.ripley@gmail.com
Website: http://quantico.usnachapters.net
Quantico Area Chapter (QAC) remained active as we ushered out 2022 and welcomed the New Year! On 2 December, 22 QAC members gathered for the year’s final installment of our breakfast speaker series. Our guest was VADM John Fuller ’87, USN, the 42nd Naval Inspector General who gave a very interesting talk about the position’s history and mission, and his intent to operationally orient the office. Priority areas for fiscal year 23 include TRICARE, logistics, and cyber resiliency special assessments.
December’s breakfast speaker, VADM John Fuller ‘87, USN. The next day, a few Chapter members braved the rainy weather and participated in the annual Sgt Mac Foundation wreath laying at the Quantico National Cemetery. This organization memorializes Marine Sergeant John McColley, who perished in 2006 in an aircraft mishap off the coast of Djibouti. QAC has supported this event for the last several years.
The following week, on 10 December, the Chapter hosted its 6th Annual Army-Navy Game Watch party at The Basic School, Quantico, VA. Though the final score was not to our liking, we still enjoyed the opportunity to gather and tell old tales with 100 new officers, Chapter members and their families and friends. Also in December, USNAAA named QAC a Distinguished Chapter for the fourth time in the past five years! With the Navy football season now behind us, we greeted the new year with our monthly breakfast on 6 January. LtGen John Wissler ’78, USMC (Ret.), the Distinguished Leadership Chair at the Stockdale Center for Ethical Leadership was our first guest of 2023. He gave a very compelling talk to 17 Chapter Members
and one family member, complemented by several stories that illustrated his theme of transforming Midshipmen into ethical warriors.
Eager to continue supporting Navy sports, seven Chapter Members and families gathered at The 6 Bears and A Goat Brewing Company on 21 January to enjoy some camaraderie and watch Navy BEAT Army! The Navy men won their game, while, unfortunately, the women’s team fell short.
All area (and visiting) alumni are welcome at Chapter events! Please check the webpage and Facebook site for more information. Also, QAC is actively recruiting members from the 202x decade. Come join us and add your unique perspective to the Chapter! For more information, please contact President Robin Dreeke ’92 at rdreeke@gmail.com.
Pres: Jeff Brown '84
e:
Sec’y: Pete Hayden '97
e:
Website: http://richmond.usnachapters.net
BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR David Lannetti ’81, USN (Ret.)
The Richmond Chapter just finished our election cycle and I’m pleased to announce our newest Chapter Officers:
President - Jeff Brown ’84
Vice President - Matt Laser ’97
Secretary - Pete Hayden ’97
Treasurer - Dave Sanders ’90
At Large - Brook Schurman ’83
At Large - Ed Lehre ’69
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: Jim Ripley ’74 e: james.m.ripley@gmail.com
(formerly the Williamsburg Chapter)
Pres: Kathleen Jabs ’88
e: kjabs@aol.com
e: vapeninsulachapterusna@gmail.com
Vice Pres: Rick Yasky ’78
e: rickyasky@gmail.com
BGO Area Coordinator: LCDR David Lannetti ’81, USN (Ret.) p: 757-423-8602; e: dlannetti81@gmail.com
Website: vapeninsula.usnachapters.net
Chapter dues are $20 a year and nametags (optional) are $12.
Dues and Contributions:
Send your checks to our treasurer:
USNAAA VA Peninsula
c/o Gary Carlile
3724 Mesa River
Williamsburg, VA 23188
Chapter Dues are primarily in support of Chapter events and support for USNA STEM and Summer Seminar participation by VA Peninsula high school students.
December 2023 Activities
On 10 December, the Virginia Peninsula Chapter and family members met at Williamsburg’s Revolution Sports Bar for the annual Army-Navy football game.
We are in the planning stage of our annual spring wine-tasting event on 29 April, at Mo & Sandi Gauthier’s ’69 Vineyard in New Kent County and our annual Alumni Picnic in June at The Beaches at Capital Landing, the Spence Witten’s family estate. All Navy alumni, family, and significant others are welcome at all our events. If you aren’t on our email list, please send us a note at vapeninsulachapterusna@ gmail.com and we will notify you about upcoming luncheons and other events.
BGO Area Coordinator: Darin Perrine
e: dperrine@mailbox.org
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
Puget Sound Chapter
Pres: Linda Postenrieder ’82
e: usnaaa.psc@gmail.com
Lou Nordstrom (USNA supporter), Howard Russell ’71, Meredith Russell, and Virginia Nordstrom at the A-N party.
The Chapter supported a visit to USNA on 14 December 2022, by the Marine Corps Junior ROTC of Phoebus High School, Hampton, VA. 14 Cadets went on an all-day Annapolis excursion. They received a video presentation, a briefing from the Admissions Office, and a walking tour of the yard with 2 recent USMC grads.
On the 2nd Wednesday of each month, the Joint Service Academy Small BusinessBusiness Development Forum meetings are held locally. Last May we started meeting in person and guests were able to join via Zoom. Mike Ohlhaver ’75 is the host of these Contact Ben Francisco <roger.benton.francisco@ gmail.com> if you are interested in learning about this group or desire to attend meetings. meetings.
If you live on the Virginia Peninsula and are interested in joining our chapter, please contact Kathleen Jabs, our chapter president, to be welcomed and put on our email list. If you know of other USNA grads in the area who might be interested in joining us, please let us know and pass along their contact information. The hospitality committee will contact them and add them to our email list .
Corr Sec’y: George Windsor ’75
e: gbwindsor@icloud.com
Website: https://myusna.com/topics/9554
The PSC joined in the fun on a cruise of Puget Sound with the WA State Parents Club and their Midshipmen who were home for the holidays. Though it was in the midst of the December snowstorm, many made the trip for a very fun night.
The new PSC leadership team officially took command on Saturday, 14 January in Everett, WA. Alan Schrader ’92 is the new President. Alan is an exceptional addition with his vast experience in the Puget Sound area, including Commanding Officer of Naval Base Kitsap.
Joining Alan and the rest of the existing team are Rick Snyder ’77, Pete Hoffman ’82 and Ryan Scott ’01.
The PSC Plebe Welcome will be on Saturday, 3 June this year. If you are interested in attending to welcome the ‘27 appointees, please contact us at usnaaa.psc@gmail.com.
Greater Washington Chapter
Pres: Luis Martinez ’01
e: president@usnagwc.org
Vice Pres: Anthony Calandra ’88
e: vicepresident@usnagwc.org
Sec’y: Alexis Opferman ’17
e: secretary@usnagwc.org
Treas: Chris Georgi ‘96
e: treasurer@usnagwc.org
Outreach and Engagement: Heidi Lenzini ’95
e: outreach@usnagwc.org
Diversity and Inclusion: Alberto Ramos ’10
e: diversity@usnagwc.org
Trustee: Fred Latrash ’87
e: trustee@usnagwc.org
Website: www.usnagwc.org
BGO Area Coordinator: CAPT Jim Ripleye: (Ret.)
Shipmates, 2023 is starting off with plenty to celebrate! As this column hits your mailboxes, our plans will be set for the chapter picnic to include our members, as well as our incoming area midshipmen (Class of ’27) and families! Check out our social media for more information. If you haven’t renewed your membership yet, check out our website (recently migrated onto HiveBrite!) and ensure your profile is also updated on MyUSNA. You should be getting emails from USNAAA that shares information across our extensive alumni network!
Send
Due to popular demand, we revived our distinguished speaker series with our first event in March – Navy Astronaut Robert D. Cabana ‘71, NASA’s associate administrator, its third highest-ranking executive and highestranking civil servant. Before taking that position, Cabana was director of NASA’s John F. Kennedy Space Center in Florida. More details will be provided in the next column; we are always open to recommendations for additional guest speakers.
We will continue to hold networking events, support local STEM efforts to assist students, as well as post job fairs. Don’t forget the Service Academy Career Conference in May, and the Joint Service Academy Business Network meets every month in a variety of locations around the DMV (DC, MD, and VA) – find out more on our social media!
The Annual Service Academy Golf Tournament has been hosted in July for several years and we anticipate the same for 2023. We will keep you posted on the details as planning for the event continues.
If you haven’t already, please join our Facebook and LinkedIn pages for info about the chapter, USNA, and the Navy!
Go Navy! Beat Army! Semper Fidelis, Luis Martinez, USNA ‘01 President, USNA GWC
BGO Area Coordinator: Mr. Leonard Green e: leonard.green.a@gmail.com
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 Area Coordinator: Mr. Leonard Green e: leonard.green.a@gmail.com
United States Congressman Scott L. Fitzgerald (5th District, WI) presided over a Service Academy Certificate Ceremony honoring the
students that he selected on the recommendation of his Service Academy Nomination Advisory (SANA) Board as the principal and (first) alternate nominees to the U.S. Service Academies. The SANA Board makes recommendations to the Congressman so that he may select the best and brightest of Wisconsin’s youth to represent Wisconsin’s Fifth Congressional District at the Academies.
Congressman Fitzgerald’s Ceremony was held at Saint John’s Northwestern Military Academy in Delafield, WI on 15 January 2022, at 9:30 am. Several Wisconsin Alumni and Parents serve as members of the SANA board, recommending candidates for the seafaring Academies. The Congressman’s official press release for the event may be found at:
https://fitzgerald.house.gov/media/ press-releases/rep-fitzgerald-honors-serviceacademy-nominees
From left to
Mark Germano, SANA Board Member, US Naval Academy Blue and Gold Officer, and father of LCDR Jessica Germano ’10, Navy Instructor Pilot, USNA; Mark Johnson ’82; SANA Board Member, Master Lock Company, and William Kopatich, from Sussex, WI attending Arrowhead High School, appointed to USMMA and an Alternate nominee for USNA; Ava Ulatowski, from Sussex, WI and attending Arrowhead High School, Primary Nominee for USNA; Congressman Scott L. Fitzgerald (LtCol, USAR (Ret.)); Commander Robert R. Grasse, USN (Ret.), SANA Board Member, US Naval Academy Blue and Gold Officer, Astronautics Corporation of America, and USNA ‘88.
Pres: ADM John Richardson USN (Ret.)
Vice Pres: CAPT Sarah Rice ’97, USN [Sel.]
Sec’y: CDR Renee Reedy ’81 USN (Ret.)
Pres: Steve Swift ’87
p: 813-787-6098
e: president@runtohonor.com
Treas: Jan Kennedy
Sister of John Kennedy ‘79
e: treasurer@runtohonor.com
Sec’y: Shannon Webb ’04
e: secretary@runtohonor.com
Website: www.runtohonor.com
Looking for a way to support, remember, and honor our fallen alumni? Please join us! RuN* to Honor is looking for volunteers to help organize and support current events as well as develop newmemorial events. Preserving the legacy of those in Memorial Hall is RTH’s mission and running is not the only way to do so.
If you’d like to join a RTH committee, contact the committee leads listed with the events.
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
CoS: CDR Calvin Bumphus ’97, USN (Ret.) e: chief-of-staff@usnama.com
Treas: C.J. Willis ’75 e: treasurer@usnama.com
BGO Coordinator: Nikki Betz ’05 e: bgo@usnama.com
Shipmate Contact: LCDR Jessica Anderson ’08, USN e: communications@usnama.com
Website: www.usnama.com
EVENTS
Upcoming Events:
The 2023 USNA Alumni Leadership Forum — April 28-29, 2023 is quickly approaching! The two-day Alumni Leadership Symposium theme is “Strengthening Our Competitive Advantage Through Inclusive Leadership”. The black-tie Saturday evening Gala Dinner theme is “Celebrating Hispanic Achievement at USNA and the Naval Service”. All Alumni are welcome!
Interested in volunteering? Let us know! Registration information will be available via email and social media. NAMA will continue to offer online sessions to help answer questions about finance, career progression, FITREPS, home buying, and more in the coming months. NAMA offers a multitude of resources and is an excellent way to GIVE BACK to the institution
that shaped us into the leaders we are today and in the future. Join NAMA today and get involved! We look forward to seeing what great work we can do together!
Past Events:
We started 2023 by actively planning the 2023 event and supporting the Brigade. NAMA attended the USNA Black History Month Banquet and hosted a “Kickback in the Mac” event in February.
NAMA partnered with the Naval Academy Foundation to establish the Naval Academy Minority Affairs Fund (NAMAF). Your donations support: on-campus visits for students and Centers of Influence, scholarship funding for STEM and NASS, Gospel Choir travel, and Midshipman activities.
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.
33. 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 on our website https://www.usnama.com/donation-selection/
RTH is looking to identify “lost” families of our fallen shipmates. The Naval Academy owes so much to these families, but we only have contact information for a small fraction of them. Help us get in contact with “lost” families so they can be included in USNA events. Email Pat McConnell ’02 at vp@runtohonor.com to support our efforts.
The colder weather months have not stopped our RuN* To Honor community. Supporters have been active across the country honoring our fallen alumni in various ways. David Wayland, Gold Star Family Member, ran the Big Bend Ultra 30K on 15 January 2023 honoring his son Patrick Wayland ’10. Also on the 15th, Steve Swift ’87, swam across Tampa Bay during the Frogman Swim in support of the Navy SEAL Foundation, honoring LT Brendan Looney ’04 and CDR Brian Bourgeois ’01.
As outdoor activities begin to ramp up, we hope to see you at other upcoming 2023 events:
*Memorial Day RuN* To Honor 27-29 May
-Committee Leads: Steve Swift ’87, president@runtohonor.com, & Danielle Beier ’10, comms@runtohonor.com, for more information or to host an event in your area
*Memorial Day Reading of Names (Live reading of names listed in Memorial Hall)
-Committee Leads: Pat McConnell ’02, vp@runtohonor.com, & Jan Kennedy, treasurer@runtohonor.com
*Honor Our Fallen Heroes in Annapolis, MD Fall 2023 (date TBD) (Memorial Hall service, other activities around a home football game)
-Committee Leads: Shannon Webb ‘04, secretary@runtohonor.com and Alexa Hunter ’04, gear@runtohonor.com
* 48th MCM, MCM10K, & MCM50K in Washington D.C. Oct 27-29 (Shindig, run, cheer)
-Committee Lead: Steve Swift ’87, president@runtohonor.com
More information about these events will be posted on our website and social network pages listed below.
Follow and share with us at: www. facebook.com/runtohonor.
Sign up for our email list at: www. runtohonor.com/mailing-list/.
Learn the stories behind the names in Memorial Hall at: www.usnamemorialhall.org
Find RTH gear at: http://honor_bigcartel.com
To Honor!
Pres: Christopher Goodale '17
Vice Pres: Isabel Krause '17
Sec’y: Ally Annick '20
Treas: Lucas Beltran '20
Outreach Officer: Adam Schuman '08
The USNA Pride SIG was officially established in October of 2022, and we are excited and ready to welcome any alumni who identify as LGBTQ+ or Allies into our community!
Throughout the U.S. Naval Academy’s storied history, many alumni who identify as members of the LGBTQ+ community, and their allies, have served with distinction in positions of command, citizenship, and government. This SIG shall serve to create a bond of community among USNA LGBTQ+ alumni and allies, serve as a platform for LGBTQ+ representation within the broader USNA alumni network, and establish
a network of mentorship and support for LGBTQ+ alumni and for current LGBTQ+ midshipmen as they prepare to commission.
Many LGBTQ+ alumni have had varied experiences relating to our LGBTQ+ identity. The USNA Pride SIG recognizes the pain and struggle that some LGBTQ+ alumni may have endured while at the Academy or while serving our nation. With a focus on the future, the USNA Pride SIG aims to celebrate both our LGBTQ+ identities and our service. The USNA Pride SIG stands ready to acknowledge and listen to the personal stories of our members in a positive and productive way.
Our core values of Inclusivity, Positivity, Character, and Community will assist us in building a SIG that recognizes the struggles and celebrates the accomplishments of our past and our future.
You can join us by requesting to join the “SIG - USNA PRIDE” Group on myUSNA, or you can email usnapride@gmail.com for more information.
Pres: RADM 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
Congratulations! Members of the Women’s Shared Interest Group (WSIG) and Friends greatly exceeded our fundraising goal of $250,000 for a naming opportunity in support of the new Alumni Association building. Thank you to all who designated their contributions to the WSIG!
Membership of the Women’s Shared Interest Group (WSIG) is open to anyone interested in issues involving women who have attended USNA. This includes classmates, parents, and friends of women midshipmen and women in the military, as well as veterans no longer in the service. Join us!
Look for many more WSIG events, stories, and other ways to participate this year.
Please contact us at ideas@usnawsig.com if you have:
*Recommendations for educational, mentoring events or STEM Fireside Chat speakers.
*Any recommendations for alumnae “her”stories or would like to help write or contribute
stories that can be shared throughout the year on Alumni Association communication channels.
*Recommendations for other events, in-person and virtual.
In January, we kicked off the STEM Fireside Chats with Anne Gibbon ‘03 and Sean Lavelle ‘13 in a discussion about using artificial intelligence to better manage and analyze data. We also hosted a continuation of the Financial Wellness Seminar 13-part series by Maureen Kane ’08. The January session discussed the nuts and bolts of stocks. Look for future announcements of sessions on different financial topics.
As we enter into Women’s History month (March) and Sexual Assault Awareness month (April), we reflect on the need to tell our stories and assist survivors. Last October, the WSIG, led by Stef Goebel and a team of dedicated healthcare professionals, held its first, extremely successful, Sexual Assault Survivors Retreat. It was a 6-hour zoom session attended by over 50 alumnae, and included a powerful variety of training presentations, breakout sessions, and personal sharing. Professionals with the experience and skills to aid in healing were present.
The next Survivor Retreat will be held on 21 October 2023. So that more alumnae and alumni survivors can access the material shared in the Survivor Retreat the team will offer quarterly webinars replicating the Retreat’s content. Alumnae who would like more information about this important program can contact Stef Goebel ‘80 <survivor@usnawsig.org>. Men who would like to chat with a man concerning this topic may reach out to Wyman Winbush ‘82 at <wyman@wymanwinbush.com>.
Here is a calendar of events related to Sexual Assault Awareness and survivorship (details will be published to the myUSNA.com WSIG group site):
2023 Survivor Webinar Series (all on Zoom) Webinar #1 TUES 28 February 2023 at 7 –8:30 pm Eastern. Understanding the Impact of MST on Body, Mind and Spirit.
Webinar #2 TUES 23 May 2023
Webinar #3 TUES 29 August 2023
Webinar #4 TUES 28 November 2023
The WSIG will hold an Annual Meeting in April 2023. If you have not gotten the details, please go to the WSIG site:
https://myusna.com/topics/9176/events or contact the WSIG at info@usnawsig.com.
Charles Fredric Merz ’43 Col, USAF (Ret.)
7 January 2019
Richard Hill DuBois ’44
25 March 2018
John William Cox ’45 CDR, USN (Ret.)
13 December 2022
Charles Dickson Jewell Jr. ’45 LT, USNR (Ret.)
8 October 2018
Arnold Paul Sorenson ’45
12 January 2022
Michael Bernard Elliott ’46 Lt Col, USAF (Ret.)
6 September 2021
Victor Reid Gullatt ’46
4 January 2020
Jerry David Heath ’46
22 December 2022
Byron Neaves Bettis ’47
31 January 2023
William Thomas Kelleher ’47
8 January 2023
Richard Dana McNeil ’47
29 December 2022
Joseph Daniel Costello ’48
21 December 2022
Charles Christian Heid Jr. ’48 6 RADM, CEC, USN (Ret.)
20 December 2022
Boyd Berkeley Sibert Jr. ’48
25 January 2023
Henry Brock Barkley Jr. ’49
11 January 2023
Edward Samuel Briggs ’49 6 VADM, USN (Ret.)
22 November 2022
John Michael Donlon ’49 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
26 December 2022
George Artrey Gomperts Jr. ’49
19 December 2022
Alexander Dingwall Thomson ’49 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
19 January 2023
Henry George Hiatt Jr. ’50
26 November 2022
Creighton Robert Knutson ’50 LCDR, USNR (Ret.)
28 January 2023
Arthur Lee Pleasants III ’50 CDR, USNR (Ret.)
22 August 2022
Edmund Tyler Wooldridge Jr. ’50 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
17 January 2023
Eugene Michael Avallone Sr. ’52 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
30 January 2023
Robert Sipp Denbigh Jr. ’52 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
21 December 2022
John McClellan Langford ’52 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
27 January 2023
Guy Bryan Townsend ’52 CDR, USNR (Ret.)
7 January 2023
Barrie Bliss Locke ’53 CDR, USN (Ret.)
30 January 2023
Robert Eugene Reid ’53
30 December 2022
Edward Tyler Scott ’53 CDR, USN (Ret.)
7 December 2022
Ronald Emory Finch ’54 Lt Col, USAF (Ret.) 11 December 2022
Thomas Blackburn Hudgins ’54 6 CDR, USN (Ret.)
30 March 2018
David Stephen Kruger ’54 LCDR, USN (Ret.)
10 January 2023
Kenneth Harold Moyer ’54 6 5 January 2023
John Walter Rigterink ’54
21 January 2023
Lawrence Grant Russ ’54 Lt Col, USAF (Ret.)
23 January 2023
Charles Griggs Wheeler ’54 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
26 December 2022
F. Daniels Butterfield ’55
11 January 2023
Lee Donald Harmony Jr. ’55 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
31 December 2022
John Burton Haynes ’55 6 CAPT, USNR (Ret.) 6 November 2022
John Lafayette Johnson III ’55
16 January 2023
John Clark Weaver ’55 6 RADM, USN (Ret.)
5 January 2023
Julian Lowell Coolidge II ’56 CDR, USNR 24 November 2022
John Henry Kirkpatrick ’56 6 RADM, USN (Ret.)
14 December 2022
Herbert Elwood Miller ’56 29 December 2022
David Brant McGuigan ’57
CAPT, USN (Ret.)
31 January 2023
Roger Dixon Rothwell ’57 Col, USAF (Ret.)
19 January 2023
John Walter Russell ’57
23 December 2022
Frederick Norfleet Steiner ’57
LCDR, USN (Ret.)
29 January 2023
Floyd Ronald Stuart ’57 6 Col, USAF (Ret.)
9 January 2023
Donald Frederick Swenor ’57
10 January 2023
Charles Joseph Korzinek ’58
23 January 2023
Clyde Cecil Morris ’58 6 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
14 January 2023
William Fulton Omberg ’58
LCDR, USN (Ret.)
18 January 2023
Vincent Andrew Panaia ’58
31 December 2022
John Joseph Seeberger ’58 6 CDR, USN (Ret.) 23 December 2022
Arnold Robin Battaglini ’59 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
5 January 2023
Bruce Gary Brown ’59 Col, USMC (Ret.) 7 January 2023
Wade Leon Davis ’59
19 December 2022
Ronald LeRex Hall ’59
23 December 2022
“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, 19146 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.
Leon Dale Minard ’59
Lt Col, USAF (Ret.)
26 December 2022
Hollie Joseph Tiedemann Jr. ’59 CDR, USN (Ret.)
2 February 2023
Toby Gene Warson ’59 6 CDR, USN (Ret.)
1 February 2023
Charles Milton Wilson Jr. ’59
25 December 2022
William Frederic Bass ’60 CDR, USN (Ret.)
11 February 2023
Calvin Richard McConnell ’60 Maj, USAF (Ret.)
26 December 2022
Robert Oliver Dulin Jr. ’61 CDR, USNR (Ret.)
16 September 2022
Paul Delton Hunt ’62
2 January 2023
Frank Gilkerson Marshall III ’62
2 September 2022
Edwin Rector ’62
23 January 2023
Bruce David Alitt ’63 6
23 December 2022
Richard William Buelow ’63
18 January 2023
Charles George Fishburn ’63 6
LCDR, USN (Ret.)
26 January 2023
Donald Edd Grant ’63
22 December 2022
Charles Frederick Helsper ’63
LCDR, USN (Ret.)
17 December 2022
Richard Frederick Kleinfeldt ’63
8 January 2023
George Robert Leever ’63
CAPT, USN (Ret.)
22 December 2022
Edward Francis McBride Jr. ’63
LCDR, USNR (Ret.)
17 January 2023
James Presnall Newberry II ’63
4 January 2023
James Kent Williamson ’63 6 CDR, USNR (Ret.)
28 December 2022
John Edward Gordon ’64 RADM, JAGC, USN (Ret.)
22 January 2023
Orval Glenn Herrell ’64 CDR, CEC, USN
2 January 2023
Robert Henry Lark ’64
LT, USN
1 April 2018
David Lee Best ’65
22 December 2022
James Michael Carroll ’65
21 December 2022
Joseph Dominic Favaro ’65 CDR, USN (Ret.)
1 January 2023
Fred Alois Hufnagel Jr. ’65
9 February 2023
Paul David Copenbarger ’66 6 CAPT, USNR (Ret.)
6 January 2023
Matthew John Herbison ’66
30 December 2022
Jack David Jewell ’66 6 LtCol, USMC (Ret.)
25 December 2022
Gerald Wayne Knott ’66 CDR, USN (Ret.)
14 January 2023
George Nicholas Samaras ’67 6 LtCol, USMCR (Ret.)
6 January 2023
Ronald Martin Stoll ’67
22 January 2023
Stuart Douglas Hammons ’68
15 October 2022
James Edward Hurston ’68 CDR, USN (Ret.)
1 February 2023
Henry David Tyler ’68 6
22 December 2022
Stephen McCall Lind ’69 6 CDR, USN (Ret.)
11 December 2022
Jeffery Lee Obst ’69
2 February 2023
John Stratton Tolmie Jr. ’69
29 December 2022
David Paul Faucher ’70 CDR, USN (Ret.)
2 February 2023
Gary Anthony Gradisnik ’70
CAPT, USN (Ret.)
8 January 2023
David Earl Lawrence Jr. ’72
24 January 2023
Logan George Milliken ’74 CDR, USN (Ret.)
9 December 2022
James Richard Moore ’74
29 January 2023
William Oliver Meyers ’75 6 CDR, USNR (Ret.)
9 August 2022
Craig Charles Snee ’76 6
13 January 2023
William John Clement Jr. ’77 LCDR, USN (Ret.)
29 January 2023
Roger Wesley Seldon ’77 LCDR, USNR (Ret.)
10 December 2022
Steven Charles Champion ’78
1 February 2019
Edmundo Paul Marquez ’79
26 January 2023
Glenn Lewis Sheridan ’79
14 January 2023
Mark Bass Vaughan ’80 6 CDR, USNR (Ret.)
22 January 2023
Jeffrey Hayden Salyer ’81
4 January 2023
Rob B Roberson ’87 Col, USMCR (Ret.)
19 December 2022
Troy Ellis Holland ’89
19 January 2023
Steven Drew Samaniego ’89 6
19 December 2022
Dondi Michael Sheehy ’89 CDR, USN (Ret.)
26 December 2022
Mark Frederick Springer ’89 CAPT, USN (Ret.)
24 January 2023
Kent Talma Churchill ’90
22 December 2022
Mark Anthony Strothkamp ’93
21 December 2022
William Kenneth Haxton ’94 LCDR, USN
26 September 2022
Timothy John Kidd ’94
5 January 2023
Neil Lawrence Rapawy ’94
29 January 2023
Curtis Jay Walkins ’96 LCDR, USN (Ret.)
9 December 2022
David Michael Wallace ’96
CAPT, USN
26 December 2022
Seth John Rosenberry ’04 CDR, USN
3 January 2023
Zachary Alexander Kennedy ’19 LTJG, USN
1 January 2023
Rear Admiral Charles C. Heid Jr., CEC, USN (Ret.), 97, passed away peacefully on 20 December 2022, surrounded by the love of his family.
“Charlie” was born in El Paso, TX, on 3 November 1925, the eldest son of Charles and Lillie Belle Heid. He attended the Texas College of Mines before entering the Naval Academy.
Charlie graduated with the USNA Class of 1948A and was commissioned in the Civil Engineer Corps. He later earned bachelor’s and master’s degrees in Civil Engineering from Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He was a graduate of the Armed Forces Staff College (1965) and the Advanced Management Program at the University of Pittsburgh (1976).
In his 33-year career, Charlie served extensively with the Seabees. During the Cuban Missile Crisis, he took command of Naval Mobile Construction Battalion Seven on deployment to Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. The battalion was awarded the Battle Efficiency “E” (twice) for Best of Type, Atlantic Fleet, and the Peltier Award as the Outstanding MCB in the Fleets. Charlie served as the Deputy Commander, 3rd Naval Construction Brigade at Danang, RVN.
Upon returning from Vietnam, Charlie assumed command of both the U.S. Naval Construction Battalion Center and the 21st Naval Construction Regiment at Davisville, RI. In later years, he served the Naval Facilities Engineering Command in the leadership of three of its divisions. His last tour of duty was as Commander, Atlantic Division, and U.S. Atlantic Fleet Civil Engineer, in Norfolk, VA.
His personal awards include the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit with Gold Star and Combat V, Meritorious Service Medal and two Vietnamese medals.
Following his military retirement in 1980, Charlie joined Combustion Engineering, Inc. leading project teams in Venezuela and Detroit. From 1979 to 1985, he also served Widener University in Chester, PA, on the Board of Advisors, School of Engineering.
For the past 30 years, the Heids made the Annapolis area their home. Charlie was a devoted Catholic, and an avid supporter of Navy sports. Charlie was predeceased by his loving wife of 70 years, Marguerite. He is survived by their children, Commander Charlotte McCormick, USN (Ret.) (Robert), Sheree Wydra (Mark ’75), David Heid (Patti), Captain Stephen Heid ’82, USN (Ret.) (Kei) and Marianne Stack (James); 14 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
A funeral service will be held at 10:30 on 11 May 2023 at the USNA Chapel, followed by interment in the USNA Cemetery. Memorial contributions may be made to the Seabee Memorial Scholarship Association (www.seabee.org/donate). H
Vice Admiral Edward S. Briggs, USN (Ret.), died peacefully at his home in Escondido, CA, on 22 November 2022.
Born on 4 October 1926 in St. Paul, MN, “Ed” entered the Naval Academy in 1945, where he played both plebe and lightweight football, captained the golf team and was First Battalion Commander (1949).
Upon graduation, he married his high school sweetheart, movie actress Nanette Parks. They began 35-years of naval life at NAS Pensacola, FL. He flew the F4U-4 Corsair and the F9F-5 Panther jet in two deployments to Seventh Fleet aboard PRINCETON and ORISKANY during and following the Korean War. His aviation career continued as a flight instructor in both Basic and
Advanced Flight Training Programs; as air intelligence officer in RANGER; and in Heavy Attack Training Squadron 124.
ln 1962, Ed became XO of HARRY E. HUBBARD (DD-748) in Long Beach, CA. Subsequent surface warfare tours included Strategic Plans Division, U.S. Naval Forces Europe; CO of TURNER JOY (DD-951) for two Seventh Fleet deployments to Vietnam (1967-1968); surface operations officer, Attack Carrier Striking Force, Seventh Fleet (1969); OP-34 staff; CO of JOUETT (DLG-29); Deputy Commander and Chief-of-Staff U.S. Seventh Fleet (1972-1973); and fleet operations officer, U.S. Pacific Fleet staff. Promoted to rear admiral in 1975, Ed assumed command of Cruiser-Destroyer Group Three in San Diego, CA, deploying to the Seventh Fleet as Commander Task Force 75. Later assignments included Commander Navy Recruiting Command; Commander Naval Logistics Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, and Commander Naval District Pearl Harbor.
Selected for vice admiral in 1980, Briggs became Deputy Commander and Chief-of-Staff U.S. Pacific Fleet, and in 1982, Commander Naval Surface Force U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He retired in 1984.
In retirement, Ed was a member of the Curriculum and Instructional Development committees of the San Diego and Escondido unified elementary and high school districts, chairing the latter for four years. He wrote family histories and co-authored the policy paper, “Climate Change, Energy Policy, and National Power” in 2014. As a member of the Navy League, the San Diego Military Advisory Council, Recruiting District Advisory Council and a mentor for the NJROTC Unit at Escondido High, his interest in and loyalty to the U.S. Navy never waned.
Vice Admiral Briggs is survived by his wife, Nanette; son, Jeffrey Charles; grandchildren, Kathryn Daly and Edward Shannon Briggs; and two great-grandchildren.
Please contact (jbriggs@jbriggslaw.com) for memorial information. H
Captain John M. Langford, USN (Ret.), 93, died peacefully in his sleep on 27 January 2023. John had lived in Bel Air, MD, since 2021 as his final home to be close to family and his alma mater.
John was born in Austin, TX, and spent his youth in rural Texas helping with the family farm, camping, hunting and fishing, earning his Eagle Scout badge and graduating from Austin High School (1948). Prior to graduating from high school, John enlisted in the Naval Reserve as an apprentice seaman on JOHN W. WEEKS, training to be a quartermaster. He was selected to join the Naval Academy and started his Navy career in the summer of 1948 as a Midshipman.
He graduated with the Class of 1952, was commissioned as a Navy ensign, married Annapolis native, Helen Belcher, and started a 28-year career as a surface warfare officer. John, Helen and their two children traveled around the country as John served in HENRICO (APA-45), NORFOLK (DL-1), ELKHORN (AOG-7) (CO), SPERRY (DD-697), VAN VOORHIS (DE-1028) (CO) and GARCIA (DE-1040) (CO). He also served a year in Vietnam and served in various staff positions. John was promoted to his final rank in 1975 and retired in 1980. His military awards include the Bronze Star Medal and Navy Commendation Medal.
John and Helen retired to Alexandria, VA. From there, they watched their children’s growing families and participated in community efforts with St. Albans’s Church, the Fairfax County Library, Fairfax County Sheriff’s Department and the West Point crew team. John and Helen were together through their 50th wedding anniversary in 2002. Unfortunately, she passed away in December 2002 and was interred at the Naval Academy Columbarium.
John remarried in 2006, traveling with his new wife, Lola Reed, to Hudson, WI, where she had family. John enjoyed fishing in the Midwest and Canada and spending time at his campground site in Minnesota. John and Lola spent 16 years together until her sudden death in 2021, after which John moved to Bel Air, MD.
John is survived by his son, Calvin Langford ’76 and his family; his daughter, Deborah Johnson and her family; numerous grandchildren; great-grandchildren; and nieces and nephews. He was predeceased by his parents, Calvin Sr. and Jane; and his brother, Commander Calvin Langford Jr., USCG (Ret.).
Funeral services are planned for 29 March 2023 at the Naval Academy Columbarium. H
WILLIAM ARTHUR LUSBY JR. ’52
Colonel W.A. Lusby Jr., USAF (Ret.) passed away on 14 December 2022. He was 93 years old.
“Art” was born in Washington, DC, to William Arthur Lusby and Kathryn Leonard and grew up on Chesapeake Bay, where his father lived and loved to catch and eat crab. Art met his wife, Marcella, on a blind date at the Naval Academy and were engaged later that year. They were wed on 27 November 1952, which was Thanksgiving that year.
Upon graduation from USNA in 1952, Art joined the U.S. Air Force and the family moved across the country many times. Art and Marcella had seven children over the next ten years. Along the way, he spent a couple of years in State College, PA, where he earned a master’s degree from Penn State. Among his many assignments, he was a test pilot at Edwards AFB and later, one of the elite few to fly the SR71 Blackbird (which still holds the world speed and altitude record) and Director, Research & Development.
After a 27-year career in the USAF, where he retired as a full colonel, Art had a second 15+ year career working for Northrop Grumman in El Segundo, CA, managing advanced transportation development programs. He retired in 1998 and moved with his wife to Ukiah, CA. Since his wife’s passing in 2010, Art lived with his daughter, Teresa, son, Andrew, and grandson, Conner.
Art is survived by his sister, Jean Hambleton; children, Marcella Manning, Pat Williams, Andrew Lusby and Teresa Lusby; and 12 grandchildren, of whom he was very proud. He was predeceased by his wife, Marcella; sons, Billy and Michael; and daughter, Cathy.
He loved the ocean and while working at Northrop, he bought a house in Huntington Beach, CA, on the water where he had a fishing boat. He loved to body surf and fish with his grandchildren by the pier. Funeral arrangements are in process and he and his wife, Marcella, will rest together at the Naval Academy Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations may be made to St. Mary of the Angels Catholic Church, 900 S Oak St., Ukiah, CA 95482. H
Lieutenant Colonel Jan P. Vandersluis Sr., USMC (Ret.), 92, passed peacefully on 10 October 2022 at his home in Palm Beach Gardens, FL. Jan was born to Frances and Brigadier General Howard Vandersluis, USA, on 14 November 1929 in Pensacola, FL. He attended the prestigious Staunton Military Academy, the Sullivan School (Washington, DC) and the U.S. Naval Academy, graduating in 1953.
In 1972, he earned an MS in Administration Management from The George Washington University.
Just prior to reporting to Annapolis, Jan met the love of his life, Helen Virginia Allen, sister of his close friend and classmate, Thomas H. Allen. They were married the day after his USNA graduation.
Jan entered the U.S. Marine Corps and retired after 20 years from USMC Headquarters, Washington, DC, working in the human resources and management consulting fields, manufactured housing field and security industry.
Jan was an exceptional athlete, specializing in swimming (earning a varsity letter as a plebe), judo and shooting. He was nationally ranked in each sport, attending Olympic Trials in judo and swimming. While in Army Ranger School, he earned the coveted Black Flag, as the most outstanding Ranger in the class. In 1965, he was the USMC Judo Champion, and also enjoyed tennis and racquetball.
From childhood, Jan played duplicate bridge and was a well-known instructor in the North Palm Beach area, playing online during COVID, and achieving the notable level of Diamond Master one month before his death.
Jan loved being surrounded by family, teaching his grandchildren to play chess and attending family reunions. He was known for his sense humor, telling jokes and outlandish stories of his escapades that may or may not have happened!
Jan is survived by his loving wife of 69 years, Helen Vandersluis; daughters, Helen “Franci” Jefferson and Claudine “Deenie” Berry (Christopher); sons, Jan P. Vandersluis Jr. (Hilary Greever), Kirstan A. Vandersluis (Brenda) and Allen G. Vandersluis (Melissa); 24 grandchildren; and 12 great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life took place on 30 October 2022 at Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, with interment on 31 October at South Florida National Cemetery in Lake Worth, FL. H
Kenneth H. Moyer of Cinnaminson, NJ, passed away on 5 January 2023, at the age of 93.
“Ken” was born in Poughkeepsie, NY, on 30 September 1929 to the late William Moyer and Charlotte Moyer (née Cronk).
He was the choir director and the lead bass (in a section of one!) at Trinity Episcopal Church in Delran, NJ, and he sang in the choir of every church he attended afterward. He particularly enjoyed singing in the Ocean Grove Choir festivals. He and his wife, Carol, drove to the shore faithfully each summer to attend rehearsals and performances. They also sang in the Cinnaminson Community Chorus for many years.
He spoke fondly of having sung in the choir when he attended the Naval Academy as well. He loved the institution and all that it stood for. He was a season ticketholder for Navy football games and still attended home games last year. As a Navy Blue & Gold officer since 1974, he went above and beyond the call of duty to help students who had a sincere desire to attend the Naval Academy. He and Carol ran informal SAT tutoring sessions and he had kept in touch with the many graduates of the “Moyer Dining Room,” celebrating his “kids’” achievements long afterward.
In addition to tutoring Academy hopefuls, Ken enjoyed teaching, served as an evening instructor at Spring Garden College in the 1980s and enthusiastically mentored co-op students from Drexel University. A metallurgical engineer with several patents to his name, he worked at Hoeganaes for 18 years before starting his own metallurgical consulting business. He established Magna-Tech P/M Labs in 1985 and was still working, researching and conducting magnetic testing before he left this earthly longitude and latitude. He always signed off calls or emails by saying, “fair winds,” and we wish him the same on his next tour of duty.
He was the beloved husband of Carol Moyer (née Rauch); father of William Moyer (Joanne), Glenn Moyer (Eileen), Linda Fix (David), Tawnie Williams (James), Julie Fitzpatrick (Greg), Renee Fusco (Bradley) and Kenneth Moyer Jr.; grandfather to Michael, Jonathan, Daniel, Jason, Joel, Nicole, David, Cameron, Spencer, Laura and Alyssa; as well as 14 great-grandchildren; and his dog, Major Tom.
A memorial service was held on 21 January 2023 at Grace Episcopal Church in Haddonfield, NJ.
In lieu of flowers, donations to Grace Episcopal Church in his honor are welcome (www.gracehaddonfield.org/givingatgrace).
The Moyer Family H
Captain Lee D. Harmony Jr., USN (Ret.), of Springfield, VA, passed away on 31 December 2022, in Fairfax, VA, surrounded by family. He was 89 years old.
Lee was born on 17 January 1933 in New Bremen, OH, to the late Lee Donald and Freida Virginia Harmony of Dayton, OH. He graduated from the Naval Academy with the Class of 1955.
He first served on CONY (DDE-508), before attending Submarine School and qualifying in submarines aboard BLACKFIN (SB-322). Upon completion of the Submarine Nuclear Power Training Program, he had duty in SEAWOLF (SSN-575) and TULLIBEE (SSN-587), followed by command of ABRAHAM LINCOLN (SSBN-602) Blue. Lee served on the Board of Inspection and Survey (InSurv) and inspected many of the submarines in the Atlantic fleet.
Lee retired from a 31-year career with the Navy in June 1986. He went on to work in private business and retired in 1991.
Lee was an avid runner. He ran cross country at the Naval Academy and ran multiple marathons, including the Marine Corps Marathon. He spent much of his retirement at his second home in Duck, NC, with his family.
Lee is survived by his wife of 67 years, Sarah Herndon Harmony; their five children, Sarah Wills, Lee Harmony (Stephanie), Mary Leigh Dewitte (Vincent), Catherine Bolger and David Harmony (Amy); 12 grandchildren; 12 great-grandchildren; and his sister, Barbara Moore (Thomas Moore ’55) of Cincinnati, OH.
A Funeral Mass was held on 27 January 2023 at Good Shepherd Catholic Church in Alexandria, VA. Burial will take place at Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.
In lieu of flowers, memorials may be directed to the Alzheimer’s Association (www.alz.org), Outer Banks Conservationists (www.obcinc.org) or Catholic Charities (www.catholiccharitiesusa.org).
The Harmony Family H
JOHN BURTON HAYNES ’55
Captain John B. Haynes, USNR (Ret.), died on 6 November 2022.
Born on 29 April 1931 in San Jose, CA, to Blanche and Karl Haynes, John spent three years at San Jose City College before arriving at Annapolis and becoming the Ninth Company’s “Not Very Kindly Old Man.” Full of wisdom, which he was never reluctant to share, John proceeded to navigate through the Academy with all deliberate speed. He was accompanied most of the way by his hometown love, Joyce Marie Frost. Married the day after graduation, they had shared 47 years together when she was lost in a tragic automobile accident in 2002.
John’s first assignment was in OWEN (DD-536), but after two WestPac deployments, he completed Sub School and reported to BREAM (SSK-243). There were two more WestPac deployments before transferring to BLACKFIN (SS-322), for another WestPac tour.
In 1961, John left active duty and began a long career in the Naval Reserve. In the Reserves, he held four commands, attended the Naval War College, was executive officer of the reserve crew of COWELL (DD-547) and served as Chief of Staff, Naval Base, San Francisco. He retired after 37 years of service as a captain.
After leaving active duty, John earned an MBA at Stanford, then consulted for a time for Martin-Marietta in Denver, CO. Eventually, he joined with Joyce to found and operate a number of enterprises in and around Northern California. These included many real estate investments, an orchard and the John Deere dealership in Red Bluff, CA. As part of his endeavors, John became a registered Professional Engineer.
John was a regular presence at Class activities, reunions and remembrances and remained interested in and was a vigorous supporter of the Navy, the Naval Academy and the Class of 1955 for all of his life.
John is survived by three sons, Master Chief Petty Officer J. Russell Haynes, USN, (Ret.), Stephen K. Haynes and Lieutenant Commander Paul Haynes ’83, USN; daughter, Catherine Haynes Ellis; eight grandchildren, Chad Haynes, Cheryl Witters, Christina Weber, Lieutenant John P. Haynes, USN, Dr. Brittnee Haynes, DO, Ensign Nicole Haynes, MC, USN, Elizabeth Ellis and Andrew Ellis; and nine great-grandchildren, Emma, Jack, Nathan, Harrison, Abigail, Josh, Grace, Luke and Max.
Interment is planned to take place at the Naval Academy Columbarium on 17 May 2023.
The Haynes Family H
Rear Admiral John C. Weaver, USN (Ret.), passed away peacefully on 5 January 2023 at the age of 89.
John was born on 1 September 1933 in Wausau, WI. At the Naval Academy, he studied Engineering and played football. His USNA team won the 1955 Sugar Bowl over Ole Miss 21-0 and John played on the 1955 College All Star Team, which beat the Cleveland Browns 30-28.
After graduating with the Class of 1955, he earned his naval aviator Wings in 1957. During his career, he made over 220 carrier landings. He served in Fighter Squadron 213, flying the F-4D Skyray and F-3H Demon. He attended the Naval Postgraduate School, where he earned a Master of Science degree in Aero Electronics in 1963. His positions included commander of the Pacific Missile Test Center at Point Mugu, CA; program manager for the Navy’s F/A-18; director of the Naval Aviation Maintenance Program; and commander of Space and Naval Warfare Systems. John retired as a rear admiral in 1990 with the Distinguished Service Medal, Legion of Merit (w/3 Gold Stars) and the Meritorious Service Medal.
John’s post military careers included president of Hughes Radar Systems Group; corporate executive vice president of Hughes Electronics; president and COO of Hughes Aircraft; executive vice president of Raytheon Corporation; and chairman and CEO of Raytheon International.
John’s passion was golf. He was a member of the Army-Navy Country Club, the Valley Club, the Burning Tree Club and the Los Angeles Country Club, where he served as president.
John was preceded in death by his beautiful wife of 60 years, Joan. He is survived by their four children, Laurel Pabian, Bryce Corcoran, Marley Kuehl and John Weaver ’87; and their grandchildren, Corinne Pabian, Scott Corcoran, Michelle Corcoran, Kelsey Herrera, Emily Herrera, John Weaver, Jackson Weaver, Ashley Weaver and Luke Weaver.
He will be missed by his children, grandchildren, friends, colleagues and fellow servicemen. John was a true gentleman who looked you in the eye, shook your hand firmly, and offered a kind word to everyone he met. He took pleasure in helping others reach their potential.
The Weaver Family H
Captain Walter G. Carlson, USN (Ret.), 87, completed his life’s journey on 2 September 2022, after a lengthy bout with pancreatic cancer.
Born on 10 September 1934 in Aurora, IL, to Walter O. and Ann H. Carlson, he was the youngest of five children. He graduated from Admiral Farragut Academy (New Jersey) and received an honor school appointment to the Naval Academy based on academic performance.
After graduation, “Walt” had an eclectic career He attended pilot training, subsequently serving in photographic and electronic reconnaissance squadrons VAP-61/VCP-61, Agana, Guam, and VQ-1, Atsugi, Japan. Eventually, he became an EA-6B electronic reconnaissance aircraft commander, collecting foreign technical intelligence for the CIA and NSA, flying mostly clandestine single-piloted missions throughout the Far East. He attended the Naval Postgraduate School, graduating in 1964 with an engineering electronics degree. He married the love of his life, Charlene Antos, a high school teacher from Bemidji, MN.
He was an engineering test pilot at the Naval Missile Center, Point Mugu, CA; was staff officer afloat to Commander, Carrier Task Force, 7th Fleet in Vietnam; and spent four years in Vicenza, Italy, with NATO’s 5th Allied Tactical Air Force, planning and directing air defense exercises supporting the Italian Air Force. At the Naval Air Systems Command office, he procured highly classified defensive electronic equipment with PMA253/PMA272, some with $1B budgets. He was designated a major command equivalent program manager as PMA272.
Following retirement from the Navy in 1983, Walt worked for Honeywell in Rome, Italy, and finally, Northrup Grumman in Baltimore, MD, specializing in the fields of infrared missile countermeasures and large solid state phased arrays for military ship and aircraft applications.
Transitioning to the private sector, he founded Carlson Consulting Incorporated in Annapolis, MD.
Walter’s military decorations include the Legion of Merit, Defense Meritorious Service Medal and Navy and Marine Corps Medal; as well as numerous corporate and achievement awards, from the Defense Systems Management College and as National Program Manager of the Year (twice). He was even knighted by the President of Italy with their highest award for civilian heroism.
In 2002, he retired full-time, snowbirding between Sarasota, FL, and Waynesville, NC, golfing and dedicating time to duplicate bridge (ACBL silver life master).
Walt is survived by his beloved wife of 59 years, Charlene; sons, Dr. Stephen Carlson (Aili) and Christopher Carlson (Eva); and his awesome grandchildren, Mark, Cameron, Ann, Cooper and Paul. Interment took place at Sarasota National Cemetery in Florida. H
Colonel Paul B. Cusick, USAF (Ret.), died on 7 December 2021 in Lompoc, CA, at the age of 90. He was born to Bernard and Mary Cusick on 9 February 1931 in Marion, OH. Paul enlisted in the Navy after high school in Marion, during the Korean Conflict. His officers recognized his potential and recommended that he apply to the Naval Academy. He went to the Naval Academy Preparatory School and from there, won a fleet appointment to Annapolis, joining the Class of 1956, 20th Company. He became an accomplished gymnast, played harmonica and was remembered for his sunny presence.
Paul joined the U.S. Air Force on graduation and earned his Wings as a fighter pilot in 1957. He flew interceptors including the F-102 Delta Dagger. In Vietnam, Paul flew reconnaissance missions in the F-101 Voodoo and the F-4 Phantom II. For this demanding and dangerous service, he received the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, the Air Medal and other commendations, while becoming a command pilot. After Vietnam, he helped the Air Force return to a peacetime footing.
Paul retired in 1979, then had a second career as a senior engineer on the Space Shuttle and Titan Centaur programs, working for Martin Marietta, then Lockheed. He finally retired in 1991 and he and his wife, Jan, settled in Lompoc in their home on the 16th fairway, where he enjoyed playing golf.
Paul was predeceased by his first wife, Virginia; son, Steven; and his second wife, Jan. He is survived by his daughters, Elaine and Elizabeth; son, David; and five grandchildren, Virginia, Katrina, Carly, Nicholas and Lydia.
He will be at rest in the Naval Academy Columbarium with Jan and Steven.
The Cusick Family H
Rear Admiral John H. Kirkpatrick, USN (Ret.), passed away on 14 December 2022 in Sterling, VA. He was 91 years old.
John grew up in Bessemer, AL, and graduated from high school in 1949. He enlisted in the Air Force in 1951, serving at Ramey AFB when he received a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy. At Annapolis, John was a member of the Second Company, battalion lacrosse team and varsity fencing team. He fenced épée on the Navy 1956 Eastern Inter-Collegiate Championship team, won the silver medal in the 1956 NCAA tournament, and selected All-American.
He completed flight training in January 1958 and was assigned to VU-2 at NAS Quonset Point, awaiting A-4 replacement training in January 1959. His first fleet assignment was with VA-46 (INTREPID). John met the love of his life, Anne McCoy, in Jacksonville and they were married on 1 July 1961.
John earned an MS from the Naval Postgraduate School in June 1965. Sea duty followed with VA-66 (AMERICA) and VA-212 (BON HOMME RICHARD). He flew 105 combat missions. His aircraft was shot down on 12 July 1967, and he was rescued after ejecting 1/2 mile off the coast, a few miles south of Haiphong.
John was designated an Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer in October 1967 and served at multiple AED duty stations.
He was selected for flag rank in February 1984, serving as Commander, Naval Aviation Logistics Center. He implemented Total Quality Management, a highly successful product quality improvement and cost reduction process throughout the naval aviation depot system.
He served as Assistant Commander for Fleet Support and Field Activity Management and Special Assistant for Quality Management to the ASD (I&L) until his retirement on 1 March 1989.
His decorations include the Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit (3), Distinguished Flying Cross (2), Purple Heart, Meritorious Service Medal, Air Medal (6), Air Medal, Strike/Flight (8) and Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V (3).
In May 1989, John joined a management consulting firm in Minneapolis, MN, as VP. Later, John and four colleagues formed a new company, Atlantic Rim Group.
In 1999, John retired again. He and Anne traveled the world until settling in Falcons Landing Retirement Community in 2015.
John is survived by Anne, his wife of 61 years; their four children, Laura K. Gent (Tim), John Kirkpatrick Jr. (Judy), Chris Kirkpatrick (Dinah) and Captain Elisabeth Kirkpatrick ’90, USN (Ret.); his sister, Paula Bridges (Jerry); and nine grandchildren. H
LEE QUINCY MCMILLAN ’56
Commander Lee Q. McMillan, USN (Ret.), of Crumpler, NC, passed away on 8 April 2022 at Kate B. Reynolds Hospice Home in Winston Salem, NC. He was 90 years old.
Lee was born on 22 November 1931 in Ashe County to Frank and Goldie Blevins McMillan. He attended Healing Springs School through the 10th grade. He moved to Washington, DC, where he graduated from high school in 1950. He served in the Naval Reserve and was called into active duty when the Korean War started. While serving on active duty, he was nominated to attend the Naval Academy. He graduated with the Class of 1956 and served in the U.S. Navy for 23 years.
While he was attending Submarine School in Groton, CT, he met his future wife, Calvene Ann Green and they were married in 1963. He retired from the Navy in 1976 with the rank of commander.
During his Navy service, he was awarded the Bronze Star Medal (with Combat V) (4/14/72); the Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (4/27/76) and the Navy Meritorious Service Medal (6/21/71).
Lee bought Shatley Springs Inn and Restaurant in 1958 and continued to own the business until his death. He was very active in his community, serving as an Ashe County commissioner (1996-2000) and was the chairman of the Ashe County Republican Party for many years. Lee enjoyed politics and he was inducted into the North Carolina Republican Party Hall of Fame in 2019. Lee was a member of Healing Springs Baptist Church, where he accepted Jesus as his Savior and was baptized at 14 years old. His civic service in Ashe County included serving as the first Republican president of the Ashe County Chamber of Commerce, a board member of the Ashe County Civic Center, a board member of the National Committee for the New River and a longtime member of the Ashe County Christmas Tree Growers Association.
He was predeceased by his parents; brother, Donald McMillan; and his former wife, Calvene Green McMillan. Lee is survived by his daughter, Tracie McMillan Downer; grandchildren, Landon Calvin Jordan and Lily Grace Jordan; nieces, Donna McMillan Howell (Kenny) and Eika McMillan Knight (Jeff); and his cousin, Brenda Blevins.
To honor Lee’s lifelong commitment to promote education, memorials may be made to the Ashe Advantage Chamber of Commerce Lee Q. McMillan Scholarship Fund, PO Box 31, West Jefferson, NC 28694. H
MARK ANTHONY O’HARA JR. ’56 Mark A. O’Hara Jr. went to his eternal rest with the Lord on 14 December 2022. He was 87 years old.
Mark entered the Naval Academy out of Mt. St. Joseph’s High School in Baltimore, where he set a Maryland high school record in the quarter mile run. He turned down track scholarships to Notre Dame and Georgetown to accept a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy, where he was in the 14th Company. While at Navy, he set a plebe record in the quarter mile that had lasted since 1932 and was also a member of the record setting mile relay team in 1954.
Upon graduation with the Class of 1956, Mark was commissioned in the U.S. Air Force. After Personnel School, he was assigned as adjutant of the 647th AC&W Squadron near Manassas, VA. In 1958, he was assigned to Stanford University, where he received his MS in Electrical Engineering in 1960. Following graduation, he was assigned to the 416L Program Office at Hanscom Field, MA, which was responsible for the development of the computerized air defense system. At the time of his resignation in 1963, he was the program manager for the upgrade of the Alaskan Air Defense System.
Mark went to work for IBM in 1963 in the Washington metropolitan area and remained there working both in Virginia and Maryland until his retirement in 1997. He was a systems engineer and program manager on a number of civil and military programs and was a member of IBM’s initial design team that developed the Ground Control Segment for the Global Positioning System. In 1986, he was on a faculty loan assignment to the University of Maryland in the Office for Minorities in Science and Engineering. He also was the lead non-faculty person in developing a MS Systems Engineering program for the university. He returned to IBM as a business development manager for space programs and later for FBI programs.
Mark was predeceased by his wife of over 50 years, Joanne. He is survived by their children, Mark III, Suzanne, Patrick, Betsy and Michael; 11 grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
A Celebration of Life service took place at Life and Liberty Baptist Church (Walkersville, MD) in January 2023. He will be laid to rest at Loudon Park Cemetery (Baltimore, MD).
Memorials may be sent to Mt. St. Joseph High School Class of 1952 Fund, 4403 Frederick Ave, Baltimore MD 21229. H
Lieutenant Colonel “Bob” Perry, USMC (Ret.), passed away on 7 January 2023.
Born to Clarence and Elsie Perry in Detroit, MI, on 25 June 1931, Bob graduated from Shortridge High School in Indianapolis, IN. He attended Butler University prior to enlisting in the Navy in January 1951. He was a 3/C petty officer aerial photographer when he received his USNA appointment in 1952. At the Naval Academy, he was in the 13th Company. Bob was commissioned as a second lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps upon graduation with the Class of 1956 and that same day, he and Blanche Veronica “Bunny”
Adams of Wilmington, DE, were the first wedding in the Chapel on 1 June 1956. He was designated a naval aviator in 1958. He also completed a BS degree in meteorology at the Naval Postgraduate School and was a graduate of the USMC Command & Staff College.
Colonel Perry’s flying assignments included both helicopters and transports. He commanded Marine WERS-17 in Vietnam and Japan. His last duty assignment was as commanding officer of the Marine Air Reserve Training Detachment at Selfridge Air National Guard Base, Michigan (1974-1977).
His medals and awards include the Distinguished Flying Cross (2), Air Medal (27), Combat Action Ribbon and two foreign awards—the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry w/Silver Star for Valor and the Korean In Hun 1/C for Valor.
After retiring from the Marines in 1977, Bob worked as an engineer with Ford Motor Company while attending law school (1977-1981). He received his JD and was admitted to the Michigan Bar in 1981. He then worked as a program management consultant with NavAir and NavSea in Washington, DC (1981-1988); practiced law as a criminal defense attorney (1988-2002); and was mayor of Stanton, MI (1996-2004). He also served as a commissioner on the Butler County (Ohio) Veterans Service Commission (2005-2016).
Bunny, his wife of nearly 63 years, predeceased him in 2019. He is survived by their son, C. Robert Perry Jr. ’81 (Mary); his three brothers, Duane Perry (Ann) of Holly, MI, Roy Perry (Cindy) of Chicago, IL, and Douglas Perry of NYC; five grandsons, CWO2 Robert Perry, USA (USMA ’10) (Whitney Thiem), Captain Steven Perry, USA (USMA ’13) (Megan Blaschka), Petty Officer 2/C Curtis Perry, USN, David Perry (Stephanie Solano) and First Lieutenant Jonathan Perry, USAF; and five great-grandchildren, Emily, Vincent, Madison, Marley and Samantha.
The Perry Family H
Colonel Floyd R. Stuart, USAF (Ret.), died peacefully on 9 January 2023, surrounded by love.
A native San Franciscan, Floyd graduated from Saint Ignatius High School in 1951. He attended City College of San Francisco prior to graduating from the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1957. He married the love of his life, Shirley (née McVeigh) on 29 June 1957.
Commissioned in the U.S. Air Force as a second lieutenant, Floyd completed pilot training, receiving his Wings in August 1959. Among his many exceptional years of service, Floyd was a C-130 aircraft commander with more than 4,500 flying hours. He received a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering from CalTech in 1962 and subsequently taught mathematics and aeronautical engineering at the Air Force Academy from 1963-1967. Floyd did two tours of duty in Vietnam (1967-1968), where he earned the Distinguished Flying Cross and Bronze Star with “V” for valor. Floyd served as a project officer with Manned Orbiting Laboratory Program at the Space and Missile Systems Organization (SAMSO) in El Segundo, CA (1969-1972). He was then Chief of the Planning Activities Division, Deputy for Development Plans. Following his graduation from the Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Floyd was a warning systems analyst in the Office of the Assistant Secretary of Defense for Intelligence at the Pentagon. Floyd returned to SAMSO as Vice Director, Secretary of the Air Force Special Projects and then as Assistant Deputy Commander for Space Operations, Headquarters Space Division, Los Angeles Air Force Station.
In what he described as the best job ever, Floyd assumed command of the Air Force Satellite Control Facility in March 1982 and served through his retirement in May 1985. In this role, he was responsible for a worldwide satellite control network providing support services to Department of Defense Spacecraft.
Entering civilian life, Floyd joined Hughes Communications Inc. (HCI) with responsibility for Launch Vehicle Acquisition and Support Services. Floyd and Shirley spent 3 wonderful years in Tokyo, Japan, while Floyd was Senior Managing Director and COO of Japan Communications Satellite Co. (JCSAT), Japan’s first commercial satellite communications company and a joint venture with HCI. Upon returning to California, Floyd was Vice President of Operations with HCI until his retirement.
Floyd was predeceased by Shirley in 2019, but she remained central to his life as he always wore their wedding bands around his neck. Floyd is survived by his four children; nine grandchildren; and four great-grandchildren. H
Commander William E. Byman, USN (Ret.), died peacefully in his sleep on 13 December 2022, joining his beloved wife, Eileen.
“Bill” was born in 1936 and raised in Loveland, OH, the first of three children born to Paul and Frances Byman. At Annapolis, Bill was in the Second Company, Class of 1958, was editor of the Trident, and was “Salty Sam” for The Log
His first ship, TOLEDO (CA-133), operated from Long Beach, CA. There, he met Eileen Littleton, a native of England, and they married in 1960. They moved to Yokosuka, Japan, where Bill served on WINDHAM COUNTY (LST-1170). That sea tour included transporting a battalion of Malayan UN peacekeepers around Africa and up the Congo River to the first rapids. Returning to California, he served at Inshore Undersea Warfare Group One, followed by assignment aboard REGULUS (AF-57) based in Alameda, CA, which deployed to supply fleet units off the coast of Vietnam.
Bill left active duty and returned to Ohio to attend the University of Cincinnati Law. He returned to active duty as a member of the Judge Advocate General Corps. He subsequently served in Millington, TN, Norfolk, VA, Whiting Field, FL, and as a general court-martial judge in Norfolk.
His post-Navy career was as an assistant city attorney with the City of Virginia Beach. He was the legal advisor to the police and fire departments.
Even in full retirement, Bill remained active in the community, especially at the Virginia Beach Community Chapel, the church he attended for 45 years. He served in various ministries, including singing in the choir—Bill loved music—and as a church elder. He was active in the church’s outreach to international students.
Bill and Eileen loved to travel. In addition to where the Navy took them, they visited many places throughout the United States and overseas, including several trips to England, plus Germany, Sweden, Russia, China, Australia, New Zealand and elsewhere.
Bill was very proud of his three sons (and daughters-in-law), Captain Michael Byman ’83, USN (Ret.) (Michelle), Commander David Byman ’86, USN (Ret.) (Amy) and Eric Byman, MD (Aimee). He took delight in his six grandchildren, John, Phoebe, Paul, Sarah, William and Grace. Bill was predeceased by Eileen, his wife of 62 years, in August 2022.
Bill and Eileen are buried at Albert G. Horton Jr. Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Suffolk, VA. H
For more information, visit www.usna.edu/cemetery/
Captain James A. Kenney, USN (Ret.), 87, of Hollywood, SC, peacefully entered the care of our Lord on 1 October 2022.
Son of the late Mary O’Brien and James E. Kenney of Holyoke, MA, “Jim” was born on 27 November 1934, attended Holyoke High School and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the great Class of ’58! He married Danielle Sullivan of Granby, CT, in 1959, earned his Navy Wings of Gold and went on to defend his country for over 30 years. He was the ultimate patriot.
Jim flew many types of aircraft, including the A-1 Skyraider before transitioning to the A-7 Corsair II as a plankowner with the “Argonauts” of VA-147. As commanding officer, he skippered the famous VA-27 “Royal Maces” to distinction in the waning days of the Vietnam conflict. He completed six combat deployments to Southeast Asia and amassed over 1,000 carrier landings. Before his assignment to Commander, Mine Warfare Command in Charleston, SC, in 1982, he was a battalion officer at USNA and CO of the USNA Preparatory School (NAPS) in Newport, RI. Jim retired in 1988 from his last command at Naval Base Charleston.
During his very distinguished service, he was the recipient of many military awards. The most notable were the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal (3), Air Medal (13 awards, 1 individual, 12 Strike/Flight), Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (2 awards, 1 with Combat V); Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal (2 awards, 1 with Combat V) and numerous other personal and unit awards.
Upon his retirement, Jim opened West Ashley Property Management (WAPM), a service needed due to the Naval Base Charleston closure, which Jim heroically fought to keep the base open throughout the 1990s. He was a life member of many organizations, his favorites being Bachman’s Battery, Military Order of the World Wars, the USNA Alumni Association and the “Red River Rats,” a Vietnam-era military aviator’s association.
Besides his parents, Jim was predeceased by his brother, Edward Kenney (Lucille) and sister, Mary Deleva (Joe). He is survived by his loving wife of 63 years, Danielle; sister, Margaret Randall (Richard); his adored children, Suzanne Zecchin (Todd), Danielle Cartuccio, James Kenney Jr. and Patrick Kenney; four grandchildren, Danielle Connick, Jake Cartuccio (Krista), Ryan Kenney and Breland Kenney; and four great-grandchildren, Isabella, Cameron, Kaylie and Giana. He will also be truly missed by his beloved sibling in-laws, nieces, nephews and an abundant number of friends. H
Lieutenant Commander Henry W. Miller Jr., USN (Ret.), passed away on 9 December 2022. He was 87 years old.
Henry was born on 23 May 1935 in Baltimore, MD, son of the late Henry William Miller Sr. and Helen (Knoble) Miller. He was a graduate of the Baltimore Polytechnic Institute.
He graduated from the Naval Academy (Sixth Company) in 1958 and served in the Navy for 20 years. He married Adele Hawthorne in October 1986 and resided in Purcellville, VA.
Henry served in three ships, BROWNSON (DD-868), ALBANY (CG-10) and CANBERRA(CAG-2). Ashore, his assignments were at the Bureau of Naval Weapons, U.S. Naval Postgraduate School, Rutgers University and the Naval Command Systems Support Center.
After his military retirement, Henry worked for TRW, Inc. for 20 years as a computer engineer/systems analyst.
In retirement, he attended Navy’s home football games and frequently Army-Navy games. He enjoyed tennis for many years. He also took a great interest in walking. He hiked the entire 184 miles of the C&O Canal National Park in each direction, usually in five to eight mile hikes weekly. Henry was an avid gardener and enjoyed raising vegetables. He was a member of St. Peter’s Episcopal Church in Purcellville, VA. Henry is survived by his wife, Adele H. Miller; his son, Henry W. Miller III; and three grandchildren, Henry IV, Harlan and Hayley. Services were held on 14 December 2022 at St. Peter’s Episcopal Church, with burial at Lakeview Cemetery in Hamilton, VA. H
Captain Clyde C. Morris, USN (Ret.), went to be with his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ on 14 January 2023.
Clyde was born 4 September 1935 in Vienna, GA, to the late Clyde and Gladys Morris. Upon graduation from Vienna High School in 1953, he joined the Navy, attended NAPS and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1958 in the Sixth Company.
Following graduation, he served on MANLEY (DD-940) and was a plankowner on CHARLES F. ADAMS (DDG-2). He graduated from MIT in 1965 with a MS in Naval Architecture and Marine Engineering and the degree of Naval Engineer. Following re-designation as an Engineering Duty Officer, he served at SupShip Groton, CT, and Charleston Naval Shipyard. In 1971, he was selected as officer-in-charge of the U.S. Naval Ship Repair Office/U.S. Navy Office Singapore, where he served for four years. Upon his return to the States, he served at SupShip Newport News, where he earned his “ED” dolphins. His final assignments were as Deputy Supervisor of Shipbuilding at SupShip Pascagoula and Assistant Director of Shipbuilding for the Assistant Secretary of the Navy (Shipbuilding and Logistics).
His awards include the Legion of Merit, Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation and the National Defense Service Medal.
Upon his retirement in 1984, Clyde worked for ANADAC, Inc.in St. Marys, GA, where he supported NavSea in the acquisition and activation of the Trident Refit Facility and the Trident Training Facility at SuBase, Kings Bay, GA. Next, he taught for Georgia Military College at the submarine base, where he developed the college curriculum for the apprentice program at the Trident Refit Facility and taught college algebra, physics and technical drawing. After selling real estate part-time on Amelia Island, FL, for four years, he retired in 2001.
The love of his life was his high school sweetheart, and wife of 65 years, Amy Frances “Fran” Mobley Morris. The pride of his life was his three children, Paul (Terri), David ’85 (Michele) and John (Mary Beth). The joy of his life was his ten grandchildren and two great-grandchildren. The center of his life was God, whom he served faithfully in 13 different churches, in numerous capacities including teacher, deacon and elder.
A celebration of life was held was held at Amelia Baptist Church in Amelia Island, FL, with interment at Jacksonville National Cemetery.
CCM ’58 H
DO YOU HAVE YOUR DD-214? http://www.usna.com/DD-214
Commander “JJ” Seeberger, USN (Ret.), a loving husband, father, brother and grandfather, passed away peacefully on 23 December 2022, at his family’s “Deep Run Farm” in Madison, VA. He was 86 years old.
JJ was born on 5 December 1936 in Brooklyn, NY, and grew up in the Bronx. After graduating from Cardinal Hayes High School in 1954, he received an appointment to the U.S. Merchant Marine Academy. As he was readying to depart for Kings Point, he was notified of his acceptance to the U.S. Naval Academy. He instead reported to Annapolis and graduated with the Class of 1958 as a member of the Tenth Company before embarking on a career in naval aviation.
JJ received his Wings of Gold in 1959. He flew the S-2F “Stoof” Tracker off straight deck aircraft carriers along the East Coast, Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean Sea. He deployed numerous times, one of which included the recovery effort for Alan Shepherd, the first American astronaut launched into space. JJ became an anti-submarine warfare expert and supported the Cuban Missile Crisis naval blockade. Later, he served as an Aeronautical Engineering Duty Officer and joined the S-3 Viking program. JJ retired as a commander following his final tour with the Center of Naval Analysis.
In his civilian career, JJ worked as an engineer for the Sparrow missile and V-22 Osprey programs. He received master’s degrees from both the Naval Postgraduate School and Virginia Polytechnic Institute.
While stationed at Quonset Point, RI, he met his bride-to-be, Patricia “Pat” Reardon. Nearing the end of his naval career, they settled in Madison, VA, on Deep Run Farm. Life in Madison included logging enough training miles to complete 19 marathons, as well as being a scoutmaster for the Boy Scouts. JJ was actively involved with his Naval Academy Class, 10th Company reunions, Navy football and traveling with friends and Classmates. As JJ always said, ’58 is Great!
JJ was predeceased by his son, Thad; and grandson, James. He is survived by his wife of 61 years, Pat; their children, Kristin, Scott ’87 (Lisa) and Michael ’93 (Judy); his sister, Marie; and seven grandchildren, Meghan, Sarah, Garrett, Rachel ’19, Ryan, Patrick and Cullen. His sons, Scott and Michael, also graduated from the Naval Academy, as did his granddaughter, Rachel. Scott and Rachel are also second and third-generation naval aviators.
The Seeberger Family H
On 21 October 2022, Captain Robert E. Currie, USNR (Ret.), beloved husband of Brenda, father, brother, grandfather, great-grandfather and friend, passed away peacefully in Newport Beach, CA.
Born in Springfield, TN, on 10 October 1937, “Bob” was an Eagle Scout and an accomplished debater. He was appointed to the United States Naval Academy by Al Gore Sr., where he and his classmate, Fred Dorwart, started a competitive debate club. Bob was in the First Company and graduated With Distinction in 1959.
He went on to serve as a naval aviator on BON HOMME RICHARD and ORISKANY and later as an intelligence officer, retiring in 1983.
After completing his active military service, Bob attended Harvard Law School, where his team was the 1967 winner of the prestigious Ames Moot Court Competition.
Upon graduation, Bob, Brenda and their family moved to Los Angeles, where he joined Latham and Watkins. He quickly established himself as a tough litigator with tremendous courtroom instincts. In addition to serving as the Orange County Office Managing Partner (1993-1995), Bob was a fellow of the American College of Trial Lawyers and a lawyer representative to the Ninth Circuit Judicial Council. Bob was among the most accomplished trial lawyers of his generation, a generous mentor and a dynamic leader. His impact as a mentor extended far beyond Latham, even after retiring in 2005.
An enthusiastic gourmet and oenophile, Bob was a judge at the Los Angeles County Fair Wine Competition. Bob and Brenda travelled extensively in their tireless search for the finest restaurants and vineyards, making friends all over the globe. Bob loved to play bridge and was a voracious reader of history, politics and the classics. A longtime residents of Newport Beach, CA, Bob served as secretary of the Foundation for the Great Park and was past president of the Defense Orientation Conference Association (DOCA). He also taught Ethics at Chapman University’s Fowler Law School.
Bob will be most remembered for his integrity, good humor, moral principles and generosity. His wisdom, love and insight will be deeply missed.
He is survived by his beloved wife of 62 years, Brenda Eddings Currie; brother, Bill Currie (Doris); daughters, Cheryl Currie Dill (Kenneth) and Emil Currie McCulloch (Jim); son, Forrest Clayton Currie (Rachelle); nine adoring grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
His remains will be interred at the Naval Academy Columbarium at a later date.
The Currie Family H
Commander Toby G. Warson, USN (Ret.), 85, passed away in the arms of his wife at their home in La Quinta, CA, on 1 February 2023.
A native of Fort Madison, IA, a small town on the banks of the Mississippi, he grew up as a water rat and stayed one throughout his life. After graduating from high school, he received a congressional appointment to the Naval Academy. At Annapolis, he played two years of football, boxed and sailed as a crewmember of HIGHLAND LIGHT. He graduated as Company Commander of the 16th Company.
Upon graduation, he served nine months in BASILONE (DDE-824) before reporting to Sub School, followed by nuclear training. His first submarines were PATRICK HENRY (SSBN-599) and JAMES MADISON (SSBN-627). Two years at Naval Postgraduate School was followed by assignment in QUEENFISH (SSN-651), where he participated in several very interesting patrols. They spent six weeks under the Arctic icepack, where he led several scuba operations, including an under-ice dive at the North Pole. Following QUEENFISH, he was assigned as officer-in-charge of SUBMARINE NR-1, the world’s only nuclear-powered deep submersible. During this three-year assignment, NR-1 participated in several highly classified missions, one of which resulted in his being awarded the Navy Distinguished Medal. Following NR-1, he was assigned for the next four years as commanding officer of GEORGE WASHINGTON CARVER (SSBN-656), making a number of deterrent patrols. His last assignment was as an executive assistant in the Secretary of the Navy’s office. One of his more interesting assignments there was leading an advisory board of senior executives from industry and academia whose function was to provide guidance to the Navy as to future technology investments. He also accompanied the Secretary to Antarctica and participated in a diving operation, thus diving under the ice at both ends of the earth.
Upon retiring from the Navy, he was employed by Honeywell, holding various executive positions the most interesting of which was the CEO of Honeywell Ltd. in the UK. Upon returning from England, became the first president and CEO of Alliant Techsystems, the world’s largest munitions company. While CEO of Alliant, served on a variety of Defense Department advisory panels, as well as several charitable and cultural committees and boards in the Minneapolis area.
He retired to the Pacific Northwest.
He is survived by his wife of 44 years, Linda; daughter, Leslie Clute; son, Michael; and granddaughters, Alexandra, Kendall, Samantha and Zoe. H
Commander Gaeton A. Long Jr., USN (Ret.), died suddenly on 16 August 2022. He was 86 years old and died peacefully of Parkinson’s disease.
“Gaet” was born in 1935 in Brooklyn, NY. After graduation from high school from Wyoming Seminary Preparatory School in Kingston, PA, he accepted an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated from Annapolis with the Class of 1960.
After graduation, he reported aboard COGSWELL (DD-651), followed by a tour with ComDesRon One. After three WestPac deployments, he was assigned to the Naval Communications School in Newport, RI. During this time, he married his longtime sweetheart, Beth Edwards. Next, came a tour aboard JOSEPH STRAUSS (DDG-16), homeported in Pearl Harbor, HI, making two deployments to the Tonkin Gulf.
After leaving the Navy in 1969 for a brief time, he returned to active duty via the TAR program as CO of NavResCen Brooklyn RC (NY). His next assignment was with CTF-60 (Attack Carrier Strike Force in the Med) as communications officer. Following, was a tour with ComNavResRedCom Reg Four in Philadelphia, and tours as CO of reserve centers in St. Petersburg and Tampa, FL. He retired from active naval service in 1982, and also received an MBA from Florida Tech the same year.
Gaet and Beth remained in Tampa Bay, where he was employed by Raymond James Financial, and subsequently, Tech Data Corporation as manager of facilities and office services. He ventured into real estate sales, followed by five years coordinating disaster services for the American Red Cross in the Tampa Bay area. He completed his working years in 2000, retiring as director of facilities for Shorecrest Prep School in St. Petersburg.
In retirement, he learned to play golf, continued his lifelong hobby of stamp collecting, enjoyed cruises, traveling, swimming, bridge and shipboard reunions, but his greatest love was his Sunday School class, where he taught for ten years. He had a love of people and will be sadly missed by many friends who remember his detailed sea stories and travel escapades.
Gaet and Beth were blessed to share 57 wonderful years together. A memorial service was held on 11 September 2022 at Lakeview Terrace, the retirement community where he lived in Altoona, FL.
Memorial donations may be made to the Parkinson Research Foundation, P.O. Box 96318, Washington, DC 20090-6318. H
Lieutenant Commander Charles A. Farrell Jr., USN (Ret.), died from Alzheimer’s disease on 29 October 2022 in Reston, VA. He was 83 years old.
“Charlie” was born on 26 October 1939 in Providence, RI, the son of Charles A. and Mary Silva Farrell. He graduated from Classical High School in June 1957 and entered the Naval Academy later that summer. A bright smile and cheery demeanor exemplified Charlie. He was an active participant in the 21st Company S&A Truck parties. His limbo prowess was legendary, but Charlie had an advantage; he was also a great gymnast for the Naval Academy. He also found time to be active with the Lucky Bag and The Log. Charlie was especially proud when his 21st Company won the Colors for the Class of ’61.
Following his four years at the Naval Academy, Charlie spent the next 20 years serving his country. His first two assignments for the Navy were aboard ships, MCCAFFERY and GEARING. His next tour of duty was in San Diego at the Naval Undersea Center, followed by time spent at the headquarters of Navy Material and the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard. His last assignment was at the Office of Naval Research in Arlington, VA, where he was an Undersea Warfare Research officer.
After his military retirement, Charlie joined Gould, Inc. in Glen Burnie, MD, as the Manager of Strategic Planning. In 1987, Charlie established LEAD NOW, a coaching firm for individuals. During the 1990s, Charlie served on the USNA Class of 1961 executive committee.
Charlie loved to be on or near the water. His passion began as a teenager when his family purchased property for their summer home in Lakeville, MA, on the shores of Long Pond. For most of his life, Charlie spent as much time as he could working on the land, touring the four-mile lake in a boat or racing on it steering a jet ski. Charlie described his family retreat as “a little bit of heaven.”
Charlie is survived by his wife, Mary-Earle Farrell; daughter, Mary Farrell Pfeffer; sister, Marsha Maxwell; two stepdaughters, Julie Harris and Kristin Precht; and six grandchildren, Caleb Pfeffer, Katie Pfeffer, Camden Pfeffer, Eliza Harris, Josie Harris and Geoffrey Precht. H
Captain James A. Luper, USN (Ret.), passed away on 28 November 2022 of acute myelogenous leukemia in Gaithersburg, MD. He was 83 years old.
Born 6 August 1939 in Austin, TX, “Jim” entered the Naval Academy from Iowa. At Annapolis, he was a varsity football player, 11th Company Commander and graduated with his class in June of 1961.
After graduation, he reported for flight training in Pensacola, FL, and Corpus Christi, TX, where he received his pilot Wings in May 1963. Jim reported to Patrol Squadron 19 at Moffett Field, CA, flying the P-3 Orion and deploying to Alaska and Japan. In 1967, he completed Naval Test Pilot School and served three years with the Naval Air Test Center, both at Patuxent River MD. He then reported to Patrol Squadron 48 back at Moffett Field and deployed to the Philippines and Thailand. Jim graduated from the Naval War College in 1973 and then reported to Patrol Squadron 1 in Hawaii as executive officer. He took command of the squadron in 1974, while deployed to Okinawa. In 1975, he reported to the Naval Material Command in Washington, DC, after which he served three years at the U.S. mission to NATO in Brussels, Belgium. Jim completed the Industrial College of the Armed Forces in
1981 and reported to the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations (Test and Evaluation Directorate). He earned his Master of Science degree in Systems Management from the University of Southern California during his Pentagon tour. After this final tour of duty, Jim retired as a captain in 1984.
After active duty, Jim worked for consulting companies, supporting Department of Defense activities.
In 2011, he retired from full-time work and resided in Falls Church, VA. Jim served as president of the Class of 1961 and was active in class activities. He also was a trustee of the Naval Academy Foundation Athletic and Scholarship Program.
Jim is survived by his wife of 36 years, the former Patricia Adele Gooding of Oakton VA; daughters, Kelly Stewart and Amy Susi; son, Andy Luper; stepdaughter, Deborah Rincon; nine grandchildren, Conor, Austin, Ben, Maren, Claire, Jack, Emily, Jonathan and Sofia; and his sister, Frances E. Potter.
Jim was inurned at the Naval Academy Columbarium on 18 January 2023.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to the Naval Academy Foundation, Athletic Excellence Fund, 25 Maryland Avenue, Annapolis MD 21401; (www.usna.com/give). H
Commander Charles D. Stackhouse, USN (Ret.), 82, of Corinth, TX, passed away on 12 November 2022.
“Charlie” was born in Sheboygan, WI, on 13 March 1940 to Keith and Jeanette Stackhouse. He grew up in Norwood, OH, where he excelled in academics and sports in high school. At Annapolis, he played football and basketball.
After graduating with the USNA Class of 1961, he attended flight school in Pensacola, FL, (ranked first in his class) and was designated a naval aviator in June 1963. He served as an A-1 Skyraider pilot with VA-65 aboard ENTERPRISE (June 1963-December 1964). In February 1965, Charlie reported as an RF-0J Cougar advanced instrument instructor pilot with VA-45 at NAS Jacksonville, FL, and completed A-4 Skyhawk Replacement Air Group training in May. Charlie flew again with VA-76 on ENTERPRISE at NAS Lemoore, CA, in July 1966. In February 1967, the squadron deployed aboard BON HOMME RICHARD
On 25 April 1967, Lieutenant Stackhouse (callsign “Tuna”) was flying as section leader on a strike against the heavily defended Kien An ammunition storage site. Under attack by enemy fighters, he maneuvered his aircraft in support of his wingman, was hit twice and elected to “visit” North Vietnam for a while. Parachuting into a rice paddy north of Haiphong, Charlie was taken as a Prisoner of War. He said that the spirit and humor of his compatriots and his faith in God and country sustained him during his 2,141 days of captivity. Lieutenant Commander Stackhouse was released on 4 March 1973.
Charlie attended Vanderbilt University and finished his MBA at SMU in Dallas. He was proud to have served his country and accumulated over 440 total carrier landings (130 at night, following 120 combat missions).
Commander Stackhouse retired from the Navy on 1 February 1982. His decorations include the Silver Star, Purple Heart, Bronze Star w/Combat V and Oak Leaf Cluster, Legion of Merit, Prisoner of War Medal, Distinguished Service Medal and Air Medal (13).
He was a program manager at McDonnell Douglas in Huntington Beach, CA, retiring in 1999. He returned to Texas, enjoying life with his wife, family and pets.
Charlie is survived by his loving wife of 39 years, Wilma; children, Ariana, Michele (Ryan), Alex (Kathy), Karen (Brad), Thomas (Kim),
Douglas (Cathy), Pamela (Jim) and Jennifer (David); 13 grandchildren; and his brother, William (Rhoda).
A celebration of life is pending, and he will be laid to rest at Dallas-Fort Worth National Cemetery. H
“Tim” Locher was called home to his Lord and Savior on 29 November 2022 at the age of 83.
Tim was born on 29 June 1939 to Oliver Glenn and Lela Barbara Locher in Bluffton, OH. The family moved to South Florida, where Tim and his sister, Nan, attended Lake Worth High School. It was there that Tim enjoyed football and basketball. More importantly, Lake Worth is where God blessed him with the love of his life, Karen Thoureen. After graduating from high school in 1957, Tim accepted an appointment at the Naval Preparatory School and in 1958 reported to the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1962. While at Annapolis, Tim played on the varsity football team and developed a love for the Mighty Goat.
Receiving his naval aviator Wings in 1964, Tim flew the E-2 Hawkeye before transitioning to a career in civil aviation, where he flew for National, Pan American and Delta Airlines.
Tim and Karen were able to return to South Florida and raise their family in Hollywood, FL. While a member of Sheridan Hills Baptist Church, God began to utilize him in a more public way. Whether flying his commercial airline flights, serving as a Hollywood city commissioner, Florida Southern Baptist Convention president, or on the International Mission Board, Tim strived to use his position to share the message of his Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
In 1999, Tim and Karen moved to Hendersonville, NC, enabling them to be closer to family. Their lives centered around serving at First Baptist Church.
Tim is survived by his wife of 60 years, Karen; their children, Gregg Locher ’85 (Ann) and Jill Jackson (Mark); six grandchildren, Lauren Rucker (Ben), John Jackson (Hunter), Kelly Shotwell (Jason), Hannah Locher, Garrett Locher (Delaney) and James Jackson; great-granddaughter, Emery Jackson; and his sister, Nan Locher Rountree.
A memorial service took place on 23 December 2022 at First Baptist Church of Hendersonville, NC.
Memorial donations may be directed to International Mission Board (www.imb.org/give) or Four Seasons Hospice (www.fourseasonscare.org). H
We are sad to announce the passing of Bruce David Alitt on 23 December 2022 of heart failure due to chemotherapy and radiation, stemming from a recent cancer diagnosis. His wife, Barbara, was at his side.
Bruce was born on 25 July 1941, in New Jersey to Dina (Yawnick) and Abel Alitt. Bruce spent his childhood in Bradley Beach, NJ, and attended Asbury Park High School, graduating in 1959. At the Naval Academy, he boxed competitively and was active in Jewish groups and activities. When he received his degree in nuclear engineering in 1963, he was the ONLY midshipman to graduate without a demerit at that time.
He remained in touch with many of his classmates and shipmates. Bruce regarded his time at Annapolis as one of the highlights of his life and he was very proud of his service to his country. The friendships he
made at USNA were an important and fulfilling part of his life. He served as an officer aboard SEAWOLF (SSN-575).
Bruce went on to several new careers after he left the service. He worked for Westinghouse as a nuclear engineer, designing power plants around world. His work travels included Abu Dhabi, Egypt and Trinidad/ Tobago (where he helped to build a new gas turbine plant). He also planned and built the facility in the Beaumont-Banning area of Southern California. Bruce worked for the state of Nevada’s Department of Corrections and the Department of Real Estate, where he was the chief investigator.
Bruce was a gun enthusiast, coin collector, concert and movie attendee. A Pittsburgh Steelers fan, he was a longtime season ticket holder. Bruce was active in pickleball, playing regularly until his recent illness.
Bruce, Barbara, and their family loved to travel. They took vacations and cruises together, including the Caribbean, Mexico, Europe, New Orleans, Atlanta, Annapolis, Russia and Israel.
Bruce is survived by his wife, Barbara Joseph Alitt; two daughters from his marriage to Roberta Neustel, Deborah Carol Clark (Erwin) of Atlanta, GA, and Beth Ann Alitt (Alan Berkowitz) of San Diego, CA; three grandsons, Zachary Clark (Halie), Collin Clark (Diana) and Andrew Hernandez (Jenny); and six great-grandchildren, Hazel, Norah, Finley, Lily, Lyanna and Archer.
A memorial service will take place at the Naval Academy, where Bruce’s remains will be placed at the Columbarium.
In lieu of flowers, memorial donations to the Naval Academy Foundation (www.usna.com/give) would be appreciated.
The Alitt Family H
Lieutenant Commander Charles G. Fishburn, USN (Ret.), passed away on 26 January 2023 after a long bout with cancer. A resident of Ashland, VA, he was 81 years of age.
“Chuck” graduated from Gonzaga Preparatory School in Spokane, WA, in 1959 before attending the United States Naval Academy and graduating with the Class of 1963.
Commissioned as a Navy ensign, Chuck attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, where he received a Master of Science in Electrical Engineering in 1968. He also attended The George Washington University in Washington, DC, where he received a Master of Science in Government and Business Administration with a concentration in Management Engineering in 1973.
While a naval officer, Chuck served his country in the Vietnam War. He received a Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit Commendation, Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Star and the Vietnam Meritorious Unit Commendation. After 20 years of dedicated service, Chuck retired in 1983.
From 1973-2006, Chuck taught an array of math, business and project management courses at the following institutions across the country: Old Dominion University, Golden Gate University, Tidewater Community College, George Mason University, Northern Virginia Community College, University of La Verne and Hope International University.
In 2006, Chuck worked for the Department of Defense at Quantico Marine Base as a Civil Service employee until 2013, when he retired.
He was blessed to spend the next seven years with his wife, Patti, at their home in Celebrate Virginia in Fredericksburg, VA, where they enjoyed entertaining friends and participating in community activities.
He was preceded in death by his loving wife, Patricia M. Fishburn; parents, Charles and Ruth Fishburn; sister, Rosemary Earp; and his wife’s parents, Richards and Jean Miller.
Left to cherish his memory are his children, Barbara Johnston (Robert) and Charles Fishburn; three grandchildren, Christopher Johnston (Vanessa), Ashlyn Peterson (Kristoffer) and Trevor Johnston (Nimisha); four great-grandchildren, Christian, Andrew, Mackenzie and Grayson; his siblings, Bill Fishburn (Rose), Ruth Fishburn, Katie St. Hilaire (Ted), Paul Fishburn (Raila), Irene Cleveland (Ken), Jack Fishburn, Ralph Fishburn (Karen), Terri Vilwock (Bill), James Fishburn (Marisol) and Margaret Gardner; his wife’s sister, Linda Carrier (John ’69); and many other family members.
Chuck and Patricia were laid to rest at Quantico National Cemetery in Triangle, VA, on 17 February 2023.
Fond memories and expressions of sympathy may be shared at (www.NelsenAshland.com) for the Fishburn family. H
Commander James K. Williamson, USNR (Ret.), passed away peacefully at Westlake Care Community in Lakewood, CO, on 28 December 2022, his 57th wedding anniversary to his beloved wife, Audrey Faith (Diede) Williamson.
“Jim” was born to Charles Walter and Clara Louise (Clemens) Williamson on 10 October 1941, in Twin Falls, ID. His father was a JC Penney store manager and Navy World War II draftee, so his family moved regularly through his early years. One stop was Hebron, ND, where he met his future wife, Audrey. He and his parents finally settled down in Hot Springs, SD, in the late 1940s, where he became best friends with Charlie Jett ’64 and graduated valedictorian of his high school class (1959).
He went on to the Naval Academy, graduating in 1963 with the Ninth Company and was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy. He served in the active Navy for 6+ years in both submarine and surface warfare assignments. He and Audrey reconnected in California during this time and were ultimately married on 28 December 1965, in Audrey’s hometown of Hebron. He transferred to Naval Reserve status and civilian employment with Johnson Controls as an engineer in late 1969, moving to Colorado, where his family had deep historical roots and where he would reside for the rest of his life.
Two sons, Kent and Kevin, were born to Jim and Audrey in 1969 and 1971, and Jim was a devoted father and husband as the family enjoyed many wonderful years living in Colorado. He remained in the Naval Reserve, mostly with the Naval Control of Shipping Organization, retiring as a commander in 1985. He moved to a small engineering consulting firm in 1977, eventually returning to Johnson Controls in 1984 and retiring in 2000. He was widely respected for his engineering acumen and quiet, steady leadership throughout his career.
He attended church, Bible studies, bridge groups and other activities with family and friends over the years. He loved golf, working in his home office, traveling, and also volunteered for the VA. His ultimate joy in life was his Lord, Jesus Christ, and his precious family and friends.
Jim was preceded in death by his parents. He is survived by his wife, Audrey; sons, Kent ’92 (and his wife, Tracie) and Kevin; and five grandchildren, Hadley, Hayden, Joshua, Matthew and Samuel.
Jim’s final resting place is the family cemetery in Longmont, CO. The Williamson Family H
Lieutenant Commander Arthur W. Wittig, USN (Ret.), died on 9 December 2022, in Calvert County, MD, of pulmonary and cardiac distress. He was 80 years old.
“Art” (also known as “Tex”) was born in Philadelphia in 1942 to Gunther and Edna Wittig. The family later moved to Fredericksburg, TX, where they had a dairy farm. After graduating from high school, Art received an appointment to the Naval Academy as a naval reservist. During First Class Year, he was in the 22nd Company and graduated with the USNA Class of 1965.
After flight training, he was ordered to VS-37. He served two tours in Vietnam and then transitioned to the T-2 Buckeye to be a flight instructor.
After earning a master’s degree in personnel management at the Naval Postgraduate School, Art flew the S-3 Viking with VS-28. He retired from the Navy in 1985 and became a Naval Science instructor in the Calvert County Public Schools, where he taught for 15 years. Art directed their first NROTC unit and helped many of his cadets receive appointments to the military academies, as well as scholarships from civilian colleges. Art then taught mathematics and social studies at Mill Creek High School (2001-2011).
Art will be remembered for his customary salutation, “Have a great Navy Day.” He was a larger-than-life guy, riding his beloved motorcycles into his 80th year. Art even proudly rode in “Rolling Thunder” in Washington, DC, supporting veterans, POWs and MIAs.
Art especially enjoyed traveling with his wife, Joyce, growing plants in his greenhouse and eating Texas barbecue. He initiated a recycle-awareness program at Mill Creek Middle School; was an active member of the Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church in Prince Fredrick, MD; was a volunteer for the Calvert County Fair Board; was a regular blood donor and donor coordinator; and volunteered with Saint Paul’s homelessness program.
Art is survived by his wife, Joyce Hughes Wittig; daughter, Gretchen Renee Wittig of Mineral Wells, TX (and her partner, James Gallagher); stepsons, Scott Williams of Ojai, CA (and his wife, Becca and their children, Luca and Cole) and Van Williams of Bethesda, MD (and his wife, Noelia and their children, Kaitlyn and Victoria); and his brother, Bruce Wittig (and his wife, Nancy). Art was predeceased by his daughter, Shannon Nicole Wittig.
Donations in Art’s memory may be made to Saint Paul’s Episcopal Church (www.stpaulspf.org) or to the National Niemann-Pick Foundation (www.nnpdf.org).
Mrs. Joyce Wittig & Bill Zuna ’65 H
Captain Paul D. Copenbarger, USNR (Ret.), a native of Oklahoma, passed away peacefully on 6 January 2023, with his family at his side. Paul had fought glioblastoma, a brain tumor, for two years.
Having graduated from high school at age 16, Paul attended the University Oklahoma for one year, then received an ROTC appointment to the Naval Academy. Even after one year at Oklahoma, Paul was still the youngest in his class at Annapolis. Upon graduation from the Naval Academy in 1966, Paul moved to a submarine assignment. First was Nuclear Power School, then nuclear reactor prototype training, then on to Sub School in New London, CT. By early 1968, Paul was trained and ready to move west. Destination, San Diego, homeport of SCAMP (SSN-588), his duty station for the duration.
Paul’s path continued in the Naval Reserve, with interesting assignments both in the United States and abroad, leading to his promotion to captain.
Paul also had a love for flying, and was a licensed pilot.
After a brief career as a Navy submariner, Paul attended law school and earned his Juris Doctor from Harvard University in 1974.
Paul moved to California, where he founded a boutique litigation firm. In his eyes, a litigator was not just a trial attorney, but a relentless warrior for justice. Paul won many more cases than he lost, many before the trials even began.
With him at the helm, Paul’s small firm took on attorneys from many large prestigious firms and defeated them. With four fledgling lawyers, he represented women in a malpractice case against two lawyers who were represented by the largest law firm in San Diego. After winning the case, he learned that the firm had devoted 104 time-billers to try to defeat him.
More than once, Paul found his way to the Court of Appeal. While less than 20% of civil appellants succeed in the Court of Appeal, Paul won over 60% of his appeals. There are several published opinions arising out of the cases he brought to the Court of Appeal, including a case arising out of a shareholder’s derivative action where Paul and his wife, Jaime, prepared the briefing.
Paul is survived by his loving wife, Jaime (Banfield); daughters, Dana and Erin; son, David (Cindy); stepdaughter, Danielle (Bruce); Ginger Copenbarger, the mother of his three children; and ten grandchildren. The Copenbarger Family H
Lieutenant Colonel Jack D. Jewell, USMC (Ret.), 79, died from idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis, surrounded by his family at his home in McLean, VA, on 25 December 2022.
Jack was born on 26 April 1943 in San Antonio, TX, to Lera and Harold Jewell. He grew up in Sulphur, OK, graduating as valedictorian from Sulphur High School (1961) and graduated from the Naval Academy in June of 1966 as a member of the Tenth Company (old Fifth Company).
After attending USMC Basic School, he was assigned in 1967 as an infantry officer to the First Battalion, Fifth Marines in Vietnam. Upon his return, Jack attended flight school and his first squadron was with VMO-1 in New River, NC, where he flew the UH-1, AH-1 helicopters and the OV-10.
In 1970, Jack was selected for the Combat Evaluation Team for the AH-1J Cobra and returned to Vietnam joining HML-367 Scarface. He served as aide-de-camp to the commanding general of III MAF, then attended the Amphibious Warfare School. He began transition training in the A-4 Skyhawk, completing training in VMAT-102 at Yuma, AZ. He was assigned to VMA-214 “Blacksheep” Squadron at El Toro, CA, serving as aviation safety officer. He was Marine Air Group 13 operations officer before returning to VMA-214. In 1977, the squadron flew from El Toro to MCAS Iwakuni, Japan, for a yearlong deployment, where he served as squadron maintenance officer. His next assignment was as 22nd Company officer at USNA, after which he attended the Command and Staff College. Returning to the Third Marine Wing in El Toro, he was wing assistant operations officer. Jack’s career highlight was as CO of VMA-214. During his command, the squadron was accident-free.
After 20 years in the Marine Corps, Jack joined McDonnell Douglas, which became Boeing. During his 20 years there, he served both on the military and commercial programs. He was director of several Boeing programs in Long Beach, CA.
After retirement, Jack became a University of California Master Gardener. He was a member of the Orange County Master Gardeners, serving as chair of the advisory committee for several years.
Jack is survived by his wife of 54 years, Annette Milton Jewell; daughter, Jennifer Black (Kevin); son, Jonathan Jewell (Frank); and grandchildren, Kyle, Katherine, Joseph, Winslow and Saxony. A memorial service was held at Trinity United Methodist Church in McLean, VA, on 7 January 2023. Interment will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date. H
Commander Gerald L. Kerr III, USNR (Ret.), died peacefully of cancer at his home in Berlin, NH, on 25 October 2022. He was 78 years old. His loving partner of 16 years, Claudia Mac Kay, was at his side.
“Jerry” was born in 1944 at Fort Snelling, MN. He moved with his family to Virginia. After one year at The George Washington University, he received a presidential appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy and graduated in the 33rd Company, Class of 1966.
Jerry was assigned to HAVERFIELD (DER-393) and spent 18 months in Vietnam. He was next assigned to DesRon 28 in Newport, RI, and then to OpNav-941, Communications, in the Pentagon. During this tour, Jerry decided to become a lawyer. He passed the LSAT in the top 1% and was admitted to Catholic University’s Columbus School of Law in 1969. Jerry worked full time in the Pentagon and attended law school in the evenings. He was admitted to the DC Bar in December 1973. In January 1974, he transferred to the Navy JAG Corps, and his first JAG assignments were to Naval Operating Base Norfolk and ComTacWingsLant at NAS Oceana. On reporting, he was faced with a large backlog of court martials. He requested multiple JAG lawyers and courtrooms and cleared the backlog quickly, personally handling 800 cases. As Vietnam War POWs were released, Jerry was assigned to ensure direct communications from the President of the United States to every returning POW. In 1977, Jerry joined the Naval Reserve until his retirement as a commander in 1987.
Jerry was admitted to the Virginia Bar in 1977 and was exceptionally successful in private law practice. He won a difficult case causing a major auto manufacturer to remedy a serious safety defect. From 2000 to 2004, Jerry taught law at Tidewater College. He was honored as Professor Emeritus in 2005. Jerry traveled the world, had a villa in Spain, a second home in Nova Scotia, and regularly attended yearly Olympics, and Washington Redskin and Navy football games. Wheelchair-bound, Jerry bravely attended our 55+1 class reunion.
Jerry is also survived by his son, Jay (by a previous marriage); three grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren.
Jerry left his estate in trust to Androscoggin Valley Hospital to establish a research and teaching school for men and women entering the medical field.
Jerry will be interred at New Hampshire State Veterans Cemetery. H
Lieutenant Colonel George N. Samaras, USMCR (Ret.), passed away surrounded by family on 6 January 2023 after a brave battle with glioblastoma. He was 78 years old.
Born on 28 September 1944, and raised in Annapolis, MD, George graduated from Annapolis High and attended The Citadel prior to his appointment to the United States Naval Academy. Upon graduation on 7 June 1967, he received his commission in the U.S. Marine Corps.
He served in Vietnam (1968-1969), earning numerous medals and commendations for valor. Among those were the Vietnam Service Medal w/5 Stars, Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Commendation Medal w/Gold Star, Navy Commendation Medal w/V, Strike/Flight Air Medal (6) and Navy Aerial Observer Wings. He continued his service at postings in the continental U.S. and Hawaii before retiring as a lieutenant colonel.
A Texan by Choice, George enjoyed a successful civilian career relocating to San Antonio for executive roles at Church’s, Popeyes and Hartz Krispy Chicken, before leading the acquisition of Wingstop and serving as CEO.
George is survived by his wife of 41 years, Jeanne of Fair Oaks Ranch, TX; brother, Nicholas Samaras (Darlene); daughters, Elizabeth Waring (Rich), Eleni Allen (Chip) and Jennifer Gartner Maurin; sons, Nicholas Samaras (Nancy) and Richard Gartner (Lorrain); and his cherished grandchildren, Lauren, Logan, Chet, Lily, Kaitlynn, Valentina and Vivianna, with whom he spent vacations, birthdays, holidays and pool time as their beloved “Papou.” He was predeceased by his mother, Christine “Ya Ya” Samaras and father, Nicholas Samaras.
George leaves a legacy of distinguished service to his country and humble service to his family and fellow man.
Funeral services were held on 27 January 2023 at St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church in San Antonio, TX, followed by burial with military honors at Fort Sam Houston National Cemetery.
In lieu of flowers, the family requests those who wish to make a donation in his name, do so to St. Sophia Greek Orthodox Church (www.stsophiagoc.org).
Condolences may be left for the family at (www.ebensberger-fisher.com). H
HENRY
Henry D. Tyler died suddenly of unknown causes on 22 December 2022, shortly after routine back surgery. He was 76 years old.
A native of Coraopolis, PA, “Dave” received an alternate nomination from his congressional district and a Secretary of the Navy appointment to the Naval Academy. He graduated with the Class of 1968, a member of the 25th Company.
After graduation and completion of flight school, he served as a flight instructor in VT-7 at NAS Meridian, followed by an operational tour in VA-12 flying A-7Es aboard INDEPENDENCE. His final tour was in the Recruiting Command in Cleveland, OH, finding and evaluating potential naval officers.
Upon leaving active duty in 1978, Dave went to work for a financial services company, where he held progressively more responsible positions. While there, he developed a fascination for computer programming. He developed customer relationship management software in his spare time that his company used operationally for more than a decade. He left that company after 13 years and became an entrepreneur, establishing and leading several companies and developing, selling and integrating his own software systems. His most significant development allowed hotel guests to use their room card to charge retail items to their room account from stores off hotel property. It was ready for proof of concept with one of Hawaii’s largest hotel chains when the financial crisis of 2008 shut the effort down, forcing Dave to find other employment. His last job was in an IT role with the Hawaii Medical Service Association.
Dave was an avid golfer who regularly joined the ’68 spring golf outing in Florida, scheduled a weekly golfing afternoon for himself during his days leading his own companies and played many of California’s best courses with his sons.
Dave generously lent his skills to the USNA Class of 1968. He developed, maintained and continually improved the class website, and helped plan multiple class reunions. In addition, he provided no-cost IT services to multiple non-profit groups in Hawaii, including the Ke’ehi Memorial Organization, which focuses on at-risk youth and disabled veterans and their families, where he served on the board of directors.
Dave is survived by his wife of nearly 33 years, the former Teresa Nicholson; three children (from a previous marriage), Alison Spivey (Mark), Clayton (Jennifer) and Marshall (Jennifer); stepdaughters, Alison and Sarah; and six grandchildren.
Services and inurnment will be at the Naval Academy at a later date.
Kit Ruland ’68 H
STEPHEN
Commander Stephen M. Lind, USN (Ret.), died of bone cancer in Olympia, WA, on 11 December 2022. He was 76 years old.
Son of Captain Irving Lind ’22, USNR (Ret.), and Jeannette (née McCall), “Steve” was born on 18 April 1946 in Washington, DC. He attended San Rafael Military Academy, where he had the good fortune of meeting Terry Ann Goecker.
Steve received his appointment to the Naval Academy from Washington state. A music aficionado, he played guitar and was a prominent member of the Drum & Bugle Corps. He was also an avid golfer, a passion that continued throughout his life. In addition to his infamous late-night card games, he found time to do a vast amount of outside reading. Steve and Terry were married ten days following his graduation with the Naval Academy Class of 1969, First Company.
Following Flight School at NAS Pensacola, Steve was assigned to Helicopter Combat Support Squadron One (HC-1), nicknamed “Pacific Fleet Angels,” at NAS Imperial Beach, CA. Steve’s Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King helicopter detachment (H-3) made two deployments to Vietnam. Among many high stress missions, Steve and his crew rescued the crew of an F-4 Phantom that crashed following takeoff from CORAL SEA (CVA-43). During his WestPac deployments, Steve was awarded the Air Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. Later in his career, he was awarded those medals again, as well as the Meritorious Service Medal. Subsequently, Steve was assigned to the Pacific Missile Range at Barking Sands, HI. Aside from critical military missions, Steve rescued injured hikers off steep cliffs, tourists from a crashed helicopter and nude swimmers who were swept out to sea.
Steve’s other active duty assignments included officer accessions at Navy Recruiting Command San Francisco; Controller, NAS San Diego; and Controller, NAS Whidbey Island.
Steve earned an MBA from Golden Gate University. Following active duty, he worked for the State of Washington for 25 years. He was Deputy Director, Traffic Safety Commission. In that role, he interacted with legislators and was an effective advocate on public policy.
Steve was a caring person throughout his life. He was devoted to his family. Steve’s inquiring mind, wisdom, perceptiveness, subtle humor and quiet demeanor served him and his country well.
Steve is survived by Terry, his wife of 53 years; son, Judson; daughter, Alexis; and two grandchildren.
Dwight
Bohm ’69 HCaptain William R. Bacon, USNR (Ret.), a loving husband, brother, father and grandfather, passed away peacefully at his home in Defuniak Springs, FL, on 27 December 2021 after a lengthy battle with Synovial Sarcoma cancer. He was 73 years old.
“Bill” received a BS degree in Naval Architecture upon graduation with the Naval Academy Class of 1970. He was an instructor on the Luder yawls for Plebe Summer while awaiting Nuclear Power School. Following the Vallejo-Idaho Falls-New London route, he was assigned as the E&RC division officer on the boomer ALEXANDER HAMILTON out of Charleston-Rota. Following two patrols and a three-year extended shipyard overhaul and shakedown, he helped cast off the sub’s lines and departed to the Naval Reserves, where he supported shipyards and SIMAs, ultimately retiring as a Reserve captain.
His civilian career followed the classical nuclear power route: B&W startup engineer, TVA nuclear power manager, IBM executive consultant to utilities and senior consultant to the power industry. Along the way, he earned master’s and PhD degrees in Operations Management.
Bill was an innovative thinker and developed several cutting-edge applications and approaches to business optimization and project management, thereby winning industry respect for project risk management of complicated energy projects. In 2014, he was selected to join the multinational ITER nuclear fusion reactor prototype construction in southern France. His diligent and detailed work revamped the entire project schedule toward a risk-based approach, which realigned a failing project schedule into a realistic cost-effective project.
A true Renaissance man, he sought wisdom from learning and experiences with a restless mind. As a skilled blue water sailor, he would take his sons on weeks long sailing adventures. He was never more at peace than when he was on the water. His skills were endless: construction, electrical, plumbing, wood working, architectural design and classic automobiles, to name a few.
After discovering a lung tumor in 2015, he endured three surgeries, five chemotherapies and participated in three clinical trials. He never stopped fighting his cancer and earned the respect of his doctors, nurses, friends and family.
He leaves behind his beloved wife, Nadine; sons, Redding (Lauren) and Russell (Sheena); stepdaughter, Jamie (John); siblings, Virginia (Jim), Elizabeth (Leon) and Mark (Yubeiri); grandchildren, Mabel, Redding, Katherine and Jack; niece, Mabel; and nephew, Henry.
His ashes were interred on 19 March 2022 at the Old Gulf Cemetery in Santa Rosa Beach, FL, with graveside military honors from Pensacola NAS. H
We are heartbroken to announce that on 10 December 2022, Captain Frederick R. Clements, CEC, USN (Ret.), of Hudson, WI, a loving husband, father and grandfather, passed away at the age of 74.
“Fred” grew up in New Lexington, OH. He showed early on he would grow up to be a strong and exceptional man, graduating high school as valedictorian and captain of the football, basketball and track teams. After receiving a congressional appointment to attend the Naval Academy, Fred graduated from Annapolis with a mathematics degree and then earned his master’s degree in civil engineering from Purdue University. Fred earned the rank of captain and proudly served as a naval officer for 28 years.
His awards include the Meritorious Unit Commendation (with BASILONE), Meritorious Unit Commendation (with OICC Guam), Navy Unit Commendation (with OICC Trident), Navy Commendation Medal and the Meritorious Service Medal.
After retiring from the Navy, Fred finished his distinguished career as Managing Director of Facilities at Northwest Airlines, where he met his devoted wife and traveling partner, Faye. Before Parkinson’s disease changed life for Fred, they enjoyed nearly 20 years together traveling, biking, dining and simply having a wonderful time just being together. While Fred wore the cap of a Navy captain, he wore other caps too and wore them well. He was a devoted father, coaching his kids’ youth soccer and basketball teams; a role model and inspiration to his stepchildren; and a supportive and loving husband and friend. Fred will forever be missed. Fair skies and following seas, Captain Clements.
Fred leaves behind his wife, Faye Proulx; his children and stepchildren, Christopher Clements, Corey Clements (Tara), Kelly Jacklitch (Cory), Mara Alvarez and Maxwell Proulx; brother, David Clements (Madeleine); and four grandchildren, Kayleigh, Aidan, Lucas and Abel. Fred was preceded in death by his first wife, Judy Clements; and his parents, Elmer and Mary Clements.
A Mass of Christian Burial was held on 16 December 2022 at St. Patrick Catholic Church in Hudson, WI.
Memorials are preferred to the Tunnels to Towers Foundation (www.t2t.org).
The Clements Family H
Commander Marvin J. Hamm Jr., USNR (Ret.), passed away on 15 September 2021 in Richardson, TX, at the age of 73.
“Marv” was born on 12 April 1948 to Marvin Joseph Hamm Sr. and Mary Goodson Hamm, in Jacksonville, FL. He graduated from high school in Millington, TN, (1966), also receiving his appointment to the Naval Academy that same year.
Upon graduation from Annapolis in 1970, he reported for flight training in Pensacola, FL, where he began his love of flying. He received his Wings in 1972 in Beeville, TX, flying the F-9 Cougar. He immediately reported to Lemoore, CA, for A-7 Corsair training, then was deployed for two years with VA-56 on the carrier MIDWAY, homeported in Yokosuka, Japan. Marv completed over 100 carrier landings. His last active duty assignment was as an A-4 flight instructor in Beeville, TX. Marv’s flight students held him in high regard, writing from the fleet in appreciation of his teaching and piloting skills.
Marv left the Navy in 1977, and worked for Honeywell controls as a pneumatic engineer in Austin, TX. He joined the A-7 Naval Reserve squadron in New Orleans, ultimately retiring as a commander after 20 years of service.
He was hired to fly for American Airlines in 1979, moving to Richardson, TX, and retired in 2012 as a 757-767 pilot. Still enjoying all things aviation, Marv worked eight years as an FAA inspector until retiring in August 2021.
His love of flying was only surpassed by his love of family. He was a proud father and loved his entire family immensely. Marv also became interested in Hamm family genealogy, built a genealogy website and helped plan and host Hamm family reunions in Selma, AL.
Marvin married Margaret Robertson on 15 September 2002 in Algodones, NM. She survives him and lives in Richardson, TX. He is also
survived by his mother, Mary Goodson Hamm; daughters, Louisa Clary and Lori Snyder (Ron Blumka); son, Barton Robertson; sisters, Rosalyn Jenkins (John), Sharon Sickles (Carroll) and Darleen Bercovich; brother, Paul Hamm (Sharon); and three grandchildren, John, Zachary and Amelia. Marvin was predeceased by his father, Marvin Sr., and his brother, Harold.
A celebration of Marv’s life was held on 25 September 2021 in Allen, TX. In lieu of flowers, the family requests memorials to (www.pancan.org) for pancreatic cancer research. H
William L. Hitchings died on 28 September 2021 of complications from COVID-19. He was 73 years old.
“Bill” graduated from Arcadia High School in Phoenix, AZ, in 1965. Entering the Naval Academy in June 1966, he was a proud member of the Class of 1970. He started in the Sixth Company and then, with his Companymates, shifted to the 36th Company. One of the highlights of Bill’s Academy experiences occurred during Youngster Cruise, when he had to use a mooring line to return from liberty as COLUMBUS (CG-12) was getting underway from New Orleans. After this incident, he “met” Rear Admiral Calvert, who was embarked on the cruiser. Several years later, the admiral (while Superintendent) remembered Bill’s “initiative” during Youngster Cruise.
Following graduation, Bill attended flight training at Pensacola and subsequently flew F-4 Phantoms. He completed numerous training and certification programs, including the Navy Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun) in 1976.
After completing eight years of service, Bill transitioned to a very successful career in the burgeoning construction industry in the Virginia Tidewater area. Over a period of 35 years, he successfully expanded the Norfolk based Baker Roofing Company office to multiple locations throughout Virginia. In 2012, Bill retired as president and co-owner of Baker Roofing Company.
In addition to his professional career, Bill dedicated much of his time to the growth of his church, community and family. He was instrumental in raising funds, as well as the planning and construction of the sanctuary and fellowship hall of St. Mark’s Catholic Church in Virginia Beach. He also coached neighborhood, select and high school soccer for 12 years, as well as supervising the construction of numerous parade floats by Kempsville High School students.
After retiring, Bill enjoyed traveling with his beloved wife, Ginger, singing in the church choir and volunteering his time for various positions at St. John the Apostle Catholic Church.
Bill is survived by his loving wife of 51 years, Virginia “Ginger”; their three daughters, Nikki Koren (Sean), Stephanie Stallings (Keith) and Sarah Dunleavy (Matthew); and seven grandchildren, Madeline, Sean Philip and Kaitlyn Koren, Savannah and Sierra Stallings, and Sophia and Christopher Dunleavy.
After many years of being a “lost Companymate,” Bill and Ginger attended a 36th Company reunion on Orcas Island in September 2019. Everyone enjoyed sharing stories and catching up on life’s challenges. All the members of 36th Company were so happy to have this special time with “Hitch” and Ginger.
Carl Weiscopf ’70 H“Tom” O’Leary passed away peacefully on 9 March 2022 at his home in Plano, TX, surrounded by his loving family. He was 74 years old.
Tom was raised in Des Moines, IA, and graduated from Dowling Catholic High School. As he wanted to fly the A-4 or F-4 airplanes, he turned down scholarships to Notre Dame and Iowa State and reported to the Naval Academy in June 1966 as a proud member of the Class of 1970. He started in the Sixth Company and then, with his Companymates, shifted to the 36th Company. One of the highlights of Tom’s Academy experiences was while a Plebe, he was selected as the lead in one of the Masqueraders’ plays.
Following graduation, Tom reported to Pensacola and received his Wings in 1972 at NAS Kingsville. He plowed back as an instructor in VT-22 to have an opportunity to receive F-4 orders after his tour in Kingsville. By becoming a “plankowner” in a newly formed Joint Transition Training Unit (JTTU), he extended his rotation by six months. This extension resulted in his dream orders to NAS Miramar. When the Marines pulled out of the F-14 program, he transitioned from the F-4 to the F-14. With two cruises with VF-1 on ENTERPRISE and subsequent orders to Top Gun as an instructor, Tom had achieved his early life goals.
After completing 13 years of service, Tom transitioned to the commercial airlines industry. He was a pilot for several airlines and retired in 2007 after 21 years with American Airlines. After retiring from American, he worked part time as a pilot instructor at CAE SimuFlite, Inc.
Tom married the love of his life, Denise Preston, in 1989. Tom always placed God and his family first. He enjoyed traveling, skiing, telling stories and listening to music in his screened patio room.
Tom is survived by his wife of 33 years, Denise; and three children, TJ O’Leary (Julie), Charlie Voltron (Nora) and Kristen Dickey (Nate); and five grandchildren, Abbey, Tommy, Vivian, Scarlett and Max.
Tom (also known as “Lears”) attended all the class reunions and always was the center of every conversation. No one told a story better than Lears and he always had one to share, particularly if related to Navy or commercial aviation. H
It is with a heavy heart that we say goodbye to Captain John R. Seeley Jr., USN (Ret.), a husband, father, naval officer and always, a gentleman. John passed away unexpectedly, and much too soon, after a brief health issue on 12 August 2022, in Saint Augustine, FL.
John began his distinguished naval career with the Naval Academy Class of 1970. As he joined his classmates in Tecumseh Court for swearing in, John stood out at 6 feet 6 inches tall. An All-America high school basketball player from Ft Lauderdale, FL, John quickly impressed the Third Company with his wit and determination to excel both academically in class and athletically on Navy’s basketball team.
After graduation, John reported to NOA (DD-841) as ASW officer. This was followed with duty as officer-in-charge of a Class “A” Naval
Recruiting Station. He had five additional tours at sea, including operations department head on LUCE (DDG-38), executive officer on PAUL (FF-1080) and an exemplary tour as commanding officer of MILLER (FF-1091). Between tours at sea, John attended the Naval Postgraduate School, where he earned a Master of Science degree in Systems Technology. He served at the Fleet ASW Center, Norfolk, as the initial officer-in-charge, Ocean Systems Technicians “A” School and as the first officer-in-charge of the NavSurfLant Surface Ship ASW Analysis Center. After his command at sea, John returned ashore to share his ASW expertise with the innovative Surface Warfare Development Group in Little Creek, VA. John retired from active duty on 30 June 1994, having completed a distinguished 24-year naval career that significantly enhanced naval surface ASW capabilities and tactics.
During his career, John was awarded the following medals and decorations: Surface Warfare Officer pin, Meritorious Service Medal (3), Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Achievement Medal, Battle Efficiency Award (2), Expeditionary Medal, National Defense Medal, Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (3) and the Medal for Humane Action.
After John’s Navy retirement, he worked as a civilian contractor. He was the Capstone Corporation’s CNIC C4I Suite Manager at the time of his passing.
John leaves behind his wife, Susan; sons, Christopher and Jeffery; sister, Jackie Balmer; as well as many classmates, friends and shipmates. He will be remembered as a class act and friend. Thank you, John, for your lifetime of patriotism and service to your county. H
Captain “Wally” Wallace, USNR (Ret.), passed away on 5 February 2022 after a courageous battle with cancer.
Wally was from Kenly, NC, and graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy with the Class of 1970, Fourth Company. He continued his military career with flight school in Pensacola, FL, and served in Meridian, MS, and Beeville, TX. He continued his active duty for eight years, going on to retire from the Naval Reserve as a captain with 26 years served.
In 1978, Wally was hired for his dream job of flying for Delta Airlines, where he was privileged to fly all over the United States and internationally. He flew the DC-9, MD-88, 727, 767 and the L1011. He retired as a captain after 32 years total with Delta and settled in Beaufort, SC.
His passion for flying continued and he taught privately until a year before his death.
Wally loved the LORD and served as a deacon and an elder in his church.
He was a Scout leader for many years, earning the Silver Beaver Award and many others. He served as cub master, scout master, cub day camp director, assistant district commissioner, district commissioner and assistant council commissioner. Wally and his son were both Eagle Scouts and he was passionate about leading the next generation.
Wally leaves behind his wife of 40 years, Marilyn; two children, Jennifer Findley (Don) of Haslet, TX, and Matt Wallace (Rebecca) of Apex, NC; and three grandchildren, Elianna, William and Aaron Wallace.
Captain Wallace was laid to rest at Beaufort National Cemetery. The Wallace Family H
Commander William O. Meyers, USNR (Ret.), passed away in his sleep on 9 August 2022 at his home in Townsend, DE. He was 68 years old.
Born on 5 January 1954, “Bill” was valedictorian of the 1971 Amos Alonzo Stagg High School class in Stockton, CA. He received congressional nominations and appointments to both the U.S. Air Force Academy and the U.S. Naval Academy. He graduated from Annapolis in 1975 with a Bachelor of Science degree, majoring in both physics and mathematics.
Bill spent most of his active duty serving in the surface line community, first onboard ENTERPRISE (CVN-65) as auxiliaries division officer, and later, at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard as military support officer.
Upon separation from active duty in 1985, Bill transitioned into the Naval Reserves. He first served at the Naval Weapons Station in Concord, CA, as both training officer and executive officer of the reserve detachment (twice selected for command) and later, at the first detachment for the Naval Reserve Maintenance Depot Bremerton in Everett, WA. He was promoted to commander in 1992.
Bill’s “day job” was as a federal civil servant, spending most of his career as a radiological controls/nuclear engineering inspector at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, WA. He retired in 2011 with over 40 years of federal service.
Bill’s avocation was teaching people how to drive. In 1993, he earned his Washington state driving instructor certification. In 2003, he achieved his instructor’s certification for developmentally challenged persons. Bill also contributed back to his community through the Knights of Columbus, attaining Second, Third and Fourth degrees.
Bill was predeceased by his mother and stepfather, Sigrid Sofia Frederica Thomsen and John Von Sosten; his father and stepmother, William Nelson Meyers Jr. and Velma Meyers; and his son (from a previous marriage), William Patrick Meyers.
On 23 November 2012, Bill married Alessandra Gomes dos Santos. She survives, along with his grandson, Ivan William Meyers; a brother; a sister; several nieces and nephews; and his much-loved dog, Dixie Blue.
Donations in Bill’s name may be made to the Gary Sinise Foundation (www.garysinisefoundation.org) or to the USNA 1975 Class fund (www.usna.com/give – choose “other donation options” and “support my class project”). H
Craig C. Snee was welcomed home to heaven on the evening of 13 January 2023, after a valiant fight against a recently diagnosed and extremely aggressive cancer. He was 68 years old.
A native of Jackson Township, OH, Craig was appointed to the Naval Academy from high school, where he was an all-county linebacker and varsity wrestler. He brought his wrestling talents to USNA where he also was a First Battalion Commander. He was a political science major and very active in the Naval Academy Foreign Affairs Conferences. He graduated with the Class in June of 1976, as a member of the Second Company.
Upon graduation, he was commissioned in the Marine Corps, serving four years. Returning to civilian life, Craig and his family started two businesses—Earth ’n Wood Products and Buckeye Bison. Earth ’n Wood operated and grew successfully for 38 years.
He was a leader in his community, serving as Jackson Township trustee for two terms and co-founded several community organizations. Most recently, he continued to serve at Jackson Friends Church, and he coached Northwest junior baseball and softball league teams.
Craig was a devoted husband, father and grandfather. He encouraged his children and grandchildren’s Godly faith, challenged them to learn and instilled the values of a strong work ethic, keeping family and friends close with laughter through it all.
He will be remembered for his leadership, for his mentoring and coaching that positively touched so many young lives and for his service to community. He lived his life and truly embodied his high school class motto, which he once shared with a Companymate: “Toil awhile, endure awhile, believe always, and never turn back.”
Craig is survived by his wife, Nancy; daughters, Jamie Haren and Andi Snee Jewell; his brother, Michael R. Snee; son-in-law Edward Haren II; and five grandchildren, Spencer, Charlotte, Bailey, Harrison and Garrett.
A celebration of life service was held on 20 January 2023 at Jackson Friends Church in Massillon, OH. H
Commander Mark B. Vaughan, USNR (Ret.), passed away in his home in La Mirada, CA, on 22 January 2023, surrounded by family, after a courageous battle with brain cancer.
A native of Shelbyville, KY, Mark completed a degree in Aeronautical Engineering at the Naval Academy, where he proudly rowed crew, sang in the choir and was an active member of the Navigators. Mark deftly avoided the Nuclear Power draft, and proceeded to Pensacola, FL, earning his pilot Wings of Gold in 1981. He continued to prioritize his faith by participating in Navigators, where he met his future bride, Donna Hallberg. Mark and Donna were married on 12 June 1982 in the NAS Pensacola chapel.
Mark later transitioned to the TAR program and embarked on a career in Fleet Logistics Support. Career highlights included flying both the C-12 and the C-131 in VR-48; flying the C-9 and deploying to participate in Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm with VR-59; and serving as commanding officer of VR-57. His final tour was in Italy as part of the ComFairMed staff, conducting operations in support of the Sixth Fleet.
Upon retirement in 2001, Mark began flying for Federal Express, primarily flying the MD-11. While at FedEx, Mark volunteered many hours of his flying skills to the ORBIS Flying Eye Hospital, helping to bring state-of-the-art eye healthcare training to medical personnel in several countries.
In 2009, Mark committed to deepening his faith. He completed a master’s degree in Spiritual Formation in 2013 at Talbot School of Theology at BIOLA. Particularly fulfilled in the role of part-time spiritual director, he would cherish and live out that calling for the rest of his life.
Mark’s greatest joy was his family: Donna, his wife of over 40 years; daughters, Anna (Zach) and Rachel (Parker); son, Nate (Andrea); and five grandchildren, Lewis, Graham, Julian, Walker and Sylvie. He is also survived by his brothers, Edgar ’78, David and Doug ’91.
Mark’s 1980 Lucky Bag bio expressed confidence that those who would come to know Mark in the fleet would “see as much of Christ in his life as has been visible here” at USNA. Through his service to country, dedication to God, and love of family, Mark most certainly “fought the good fight, finished the race and kept the faith.” We will all miss his cheerful grin, upbeat laughter, self-deprecating sense of humor and love of life. H
Steven D. Samaniego, who was a brief but honored midshipman at the Naval Academy, died suddenly on 19 December 2022 from pneumonia following complications from spinal stenosis. He was 55 years old.
Steven was born in San Antonio, TX, on 11 April 1967 to Florence Thompson of Texarkana and Robert Augustus Samaniego a U.S. citizen of Panamanian decent. He attended Westbury High School in Houston, TX, where he was an exceptional student, participated in service work, played football and sang in the Glee Club. “Dimples” was always in good humor and was beloved by many. At his mother’s suggestion, he applied and was inducted to the Naval Academy in 1985. It was the greatest honor of his life to attend. Due to an undiscovered health issue, he received his honorable discharge after just one semester. Even with his limited attendance at the Academy, this experience molded his character and guided his entire life.
Once Steven left USNA, he didn’t go back to college, but instead went on and perfected his trade through hard work and a commitment to the
values he’d developed at Annapolis. He had a 27-year career at Wolmak Machine Supply, where he was a highly valued member of the company and Director of Inventory Management.
Steven met his second wife, Mary Krage, online in the summer of 2012. They were married shortly after at Prince of Peace Church in Plano, TX. They went on to create a life full of love, laughter and winks. Steven was a proud owner of a Harley Davidson, which he took out on weekend rides with Mary and to the Sturges rally. He was genuinely happy reaching out to friends and family to get together – maybe for a game of poker. He loved movies and had a quick mind for memorizing quotes. Steven’s favorite movie was Idiocracy! He possessed a “larger than life” personality. He embraced warm heartfelt philosophies that made those he cherished smile and feel loved.
Steven is survived by the love of his life, Mary Krage Samaniego; two stepsons, whom he adored, Stephen Andrew Smith and William Farrin Smith; and his cherished grandson, Noah Zachary Rae Brooks.
He passed away at peace in the arms of our Lord, surrounded by his family and his closest friend. He was baptized Catholic and given Last Rights with absolution and will forever be devoted to the Naval Academy for shaping and anchoring his life. H
Our previous guidelines, “A Fitting Tribute,” were written by the late Chet Shaddeau ’47 and printed in Shipmate for the first time in the December 2001 issue. Since then, the demographics of our alumni have changed, as well as the way we communicate about losing our beloved alumni. As soon as we are aware of a newspaper or funeral home obituary, it is posted on our website and shared with the class for further dissemination. Their name/rank/date of death will appear in the next possible issue at the front of the Last Call section. Obituaries are not automatically reprinted in the magazine. This allows families to choose whether they want an obituary included in Shipmate and allows them
to alter/correct/condense/expand on a previously published tribute for our alumni audience. We do not have military records on file, but it is possible that a class may have files or reunion books that could be helpful. Please remember: An obituary is as much a keepsake for families as it is informational to our readers.
The timing of our obituaries section is unique—please send in the material once the family is ready, and we will publish in the earliest possible issue after that time. We can give you an idea of which issue it will appear in, but cannot guarantee a print date.
We have a limit of 400 words and final family approval is required. We appreciate your efforts to keep to this
limit. Submissions over the word limit will be returned to be shortened. Once we receive an obituary, we will edit for style and return for final approval by the family. Please be sure to include contact information to expedite this process.
Our guidelines demonstrate our format and follow chronological order, but the emphasis will vary by the individual. For some, their military career was their focus, for others, their civilian career, their hobbies or philanthropic endeavors.
A “head and shoulders” photo of just the individual is recommended. It can be a formal uniform portrait or a favorite snapshot. Closeup, with an uncluttered background is best. If you can send an uncropped photo, we can crop it in the
best way to fit our photo box. For graduates, we have the Lucky Bag (yearbook) photo available—just ask when you send in the obituary text.
With thanks to Chet, we offer this updated version:
At the top is the full name and class year. If you are uncertain of the graduating class, we can easily look it up for you.
Then, name, including rank (only if active duty or retired) and date of death. Whether to include a location or cause is up to the family. Not necessary, but not discouraged.
Next comes date, place of birth and names of parents. If they attended NAPS or another college, include that here. Notable Midshipman sports and activities may be listed, along with the Company they were in upon graduation.
You may include marriages as they happen chronologically, or spouses may be listed later with survivors. If there are multiple marriages, details are not necessary, but if you mention one marriage and then another, it makes sense to briefly acknowledge the circumstances (death/divorce).
When describing military careers, we walk a fine line of not using too many acronyms but being concise. Highlights and duty stations of interest are most important. Note that our style removes “the USS” and puts the names of ships in small caps. If you know the hull number, it will help readers know the type of ship without having to spell it out. Date of retirement and individual military decorations can be included here. If they did not retire, you may wish to include their highest rank.
Civilian careers can be described showcasing favorite or noteworthy positions or locations.
Advanced degrees may be grouped where they make sense or included as they occurred.
Listing hobbies, charities, civic honors and interesting activities or things they are known for are encouraged.
Please remain sensitive to listing survivors—the usual order is parents (if still living), spouse, children, grandchildren, siblings and more distant relatives. The extent of this list depends on how much space you have. If you have room, include relation (their spouse) and where they live for children, but as you go down the line, first names or numbers of great-grandchildren are appropriate. Deceased close relatives may also be listed here. Double check your list—we won’t know if you have forgotten someone or if a name has been misspelled. If you have a unique situation and need help, feel free to ask and do not forget to include class years for any family members who also attended USNA.
Most likely, this will appear in print after services have taken place. Include date and place where services/interment happened. If the date is still undetermined, consider writing something like “services will be held at PLACE at a date to be determined.” If you happen to know that date, send it in and we will include if timing/space allows.
If the family wishes (and there is room), certainly include where to direct memorial donations.
Whether to include author credit or not also depends on the word count. It is preferred to list “The Smith Family” rather than an individual family member. Here is a fictionalized example, and also please review back issues of Shipmate to see previous obituaries.
Captain “Bill” D. Goat, USN (Ret.), passed away on 1 January 2023 in Annapolis, MD. He was XX years old.
Born in Newport, RI, he was the son of Billy and Nanny Goat. In high school, he was captain of the wrestling team and editor of the school paper. He attended NAPS for a year and reported to USNA in YEAR. At Annapolis, he thrived as a cheerleader and as mascot for the football team. While he was a bright student, he is notorious for being the anchor of the class, due to his numerous hijinks.
Upon graduation with the Class of XX, he was commissioned as a Navy ensign and married his Academy OAO, MaryLou Smith. Bill excelled as a Surface Warfare Officer, using his enthusiasm to inspire his sailors. Over his 20-year career, he served on and commanded a number of ships, his favorite being PHILO T. MCGIFFIN
After the Navy, Bill served as a motivational speaker, speaking at venues throughout the U.S.
Upon retirement in DATE, Bill and MaryLou returned to Annapolis, where he was president of the local USNA Alumni Association Chapter and a fixture at home football games. He never missed a parade on Warden Field and sponsored many Midshipmen members of the Drum & Bugle Corps. He shared his love of the Naval Academy with everyone he met and was known for his extensive blue and gold wardrobe.
Predeceased by his parents, Bill is survived by his wife, MaryLou; their children (and spouses), Billy (Jane), Kidd (Susie) and Taylor (Chris); grandchildren, Billie, Charlie and Jordan; his sister, Nan; and brother, Bob. He was also predeceased by his maternal grandfather, W.T. Door ’47, who encouraged him to pursue a military career.
Services were held at the Naval Academy Chapel on DATE, followed by interment at the USNA Columbarium.
Memorial donations may be directed to the Naval Academy Foundation (www.usna.com/give), the Navy Marine Corps Relief Society (www.nmcrs.org), Wounded Warrior Project (www.woundedwarriorproject.org) or his personal favorite, Goats of Anarchy (www.goatsofanarchy.org).
The Goat Family
Classified ads are accepted on a space available basis as a service to USNA Alumni only. The Alum’s name and class year MUST appear in the ad. Spouse ads are accepted only with the Alum’s name and class year included in the ad. Ads are accepted camera-ready and electronically; jpg., tif. or PDF formats. (300 dpi) Any classified ad may occupy one column width (2.5 inches) by a maximum of up to 8 inches of column length.
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fax: 410-295-4003; phone: 410-295-4074
Please contact Maria O’Shea via email or phone for space availability — even if the due date has passed, I will try to be as flexible as possible.
Publisher Jeff Webb ’95 jeff.webb@usna.com
Editor Jimmy DeButts jimmy.debutts@usna.com
Editorial
Assistant Editor Anne Sharpe anne.sharpe@usna.com
Design and Production
Art Director/Production Manager
Jackie Furton jackie.furton@usna.com
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Maria O’Shea maria.oshea@usna.com
Chapter, SIGs and Classes Editor
Sandra Stansbury-Spadaro sandy.spadaro@usna.com
Obituaries Editor
Timothy Elizabeth Woodbury timothy.woodbury@usna.com
Associate Art Director
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
Kelly Eskelsen
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Address emails to individual staff as follows: first name . last name @ usna.com
Jeff Webb ’95 President/CEO
Kara Fagley Executive Administrator for the President
TJ Grady ’96
Executive Vice President, Engagement and Communications
Dr. Sofi Loomis
410-295-4090
410-295-4092
TREASURY AND OPERATIONS
Robert “Bob” Gast Jr. 410-295-4040
Executive Vice President and CFO
Lisa Strobel 410-295-4051
Sr. Director, Finance and Treasury Operations
Kevin Mitchell 410-295-4039
Dir., Treasury, Analytics & Investment Reporting
Tim Smith 410-295-4059
Director, Financial Reporting
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Janet Douglas 410-295-4057
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Payroll Manager
Jim Scally 410-295-4058
Staff Accountant
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Staff Accountant
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Garrett Keating 410-295-4087
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Jordan Bailey 410-295-4060
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Denise Clark 410-295-4079
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Dr. Joy Jones 410-295-4048
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DEVELOPMENT
Bill O’Connor 410-295-4101
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Abby Repko 410-295-4103
Exec. Administrator/Principal Gift Administrator
John Rudder ’78 410-295-4191
Senior Advisor
Rusty Yeiser ’74 410-295-4174
Senior Advisor
Development
Meghan Murphy 410-295-4189
Dir., Corporate and Foundation Relations
Erin Pelletier 410-295-4106
Principal Gift Strategist
Planned Giving
Jennifer Macris
410-295-4105
Assistant Director, Planned Giving
Annual Programs
Gabrielle Kulcsar
410-295-4147
Senior Director, Annual Giving Programs
Dan Quattrini ’81 410-295-4167
Director, Class Legacy Gift Programs
Megan Farmer 410-295-4188
Director, President’s Circle
Clay Evans
410-295-4034
Coordinator, Annual Giving Programs
Sara Brown
410-295-4130
Coordinator, Class Giving Programs
Donor Relations and Stewardship
Natalie Brianas
410-295-4102
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Travis Galaska
410-295-4111
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410-295-4127
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410-295-4181
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Dawn Beach
410-295-4150
410-295-4115
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410-295-4109
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Ashtin Riad
410-295-4151
Asst. Dir., Development Analytics and Research
Gift Administration Team
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Director, Gift Administration
Victoria Sever
410-295-4126
410-295-4122
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Ashley Clark
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STAR Project Coordinator
410-295-4116
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FOUNDATION ATHLETIC AND SCHOLARSHIP PROGRAMS
Don Hughes ’88
Vice President
Tracey Cook
Director
Mariola Baker
Assistant Director
QUICK REFERENCE
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 and Foundation, 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 2023 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.
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CONTACT US
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The U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association and Foundation’s President and CEO, Jeff Webb ’95, co-founded the Shared Interest Group Run to Honor because he, like many other alumni, was inspired to venerate those alumni killed in action or in military operations in service to our nation, and to support Naval Academy Gold Star families.
VIRTUAL MEMORIAL HALL provides another avenue to honor the more than 2,700 alumni whose names grace the granite walls of Memorial Hall. Visit and ensure that those who have made the ultimate sacrifice will never be forgotten.
www.usnamemorialhall.org
Visit Virtual Memorial Hall and share your memories of fallen classmates and shipmates at
U.S. NAVAL ACADEMY FOUNDATION
GREAT CLASS CHALLENGE 75 CLASSES. 5 DAYS. 1 MISSION.
From 8-12 MAY the GREAT CLASS CHALLENGE is back and you’ll have the chance to support the Naval Academy while you compete to prove your class is the greatest! Last year you broke records—over 6,000 alumni raised more than $2M!
To rise to the top of the rankings and show that your class is the greatest, make your gift with the enclosed envelope anytime (just make sure it arrives by 12 MAY) or give online at www.navalacademychallenge.com once the challenge kicks off on 8 MAY.
Will the Class of 1965 secure their TENTH win for participation this year? Will another Class rise to the ranks to surpass the record held by 1984 for most alumni to give during the Challenge? Make your gift and view the leaderboards to monitor which classes take the top spots! Who will BE THE GOAT?
www.navalacademychallenge.com