Washington Area Lunch - April 12, 2013

Pictures were submitted by Dave Carruth

On 12 April thirty-six Classmates, wives and family members gathered at Pirates Cove for some very good food/drink and even better companionship.  We were also honored to have as our guests six midshipmen and the 24th company officers. Our total was thus 44 souls as we used to give the headcount aboard a plane.

The weather started off rather sad as we drove through heavy downpours, mist and fog on our way over from Springfield.  It was raining when we reached Pirate’s Cove, sometimes very hard.  This is the first time we’ve had “bad” weather at our luncheons there but by the time we started home the sun was out and we ended with a beautiful day.  Pirate’s Cove is a marina on the West River that feeds into the South River and into Chesapeake Bay.  Warren’s thinking when we first started going to Pirate’s Cove was that it just about split the distance between Washington and Annapolis.  Today the attendees were almost half and half.

One of the highlights of this luncheon was having Don and Marion Buhrer make it.  Ginger Cove has a van that carries wheel chairs and they came over in that.  Both of them look good.  Don told me he has placed his order for the upcoming season football tickets.  How about that!!!!!

The other attendees were:

Warren and Nancy Graham

Dave and Betty Carruth

Roger and Amante Carlquist

Richard and Tama Carquist- Roger’s and Amante’s son and his wife.

Charlie and Jean Mertz

John and Toni Fry

Bill Bass and Carol Manganaro

Bob and Helga Smith

Bob and Judy Flood

Cab and Libby Davis

Phil and Muggs Shutler 

Bill Bartow and his daughter-in-law Barbara

Jonathan and Anne Marie Sisson

Charlie and Marguerite Heid

Hank and Inez Clay

Tony and Patty Duncan

Don and Betty Hall

Betty and I both commented on how pleased everyone seemed to be to be together.

Since we always ask the midshipmen to tell us about themselves it seemed appropriate to give them a thumbnail sketch of the Class of ’48, which I did.

Most of us, including the 24th Co. folks selected the crab cakes for our lunch and they were as good as they have always been, very heavy on the crab and easy on the filling.  I was told that the chicken dish was also very tasty.   Dessert was cheese cake and also quite good. The tab was $24 per person but the restaurant served the people in uniform for $18.  A nice touch.  As I’ve indicated the Class of ’48 likes Pirate’s Cove a lot and we can recommend it highly.

Roger Carlquist says there are 115 people who have indicated they will come to the reunion; however, some of the ones who have hotel reservations have not sent in their money for the reunion.  It is his intention to contact each of them by phone and determine whether they will be with us.  Of interest, almost the entire reunion committee was at the luncheon.  Only Phil Rogers did not make it.  Roger says he anticipates there will be 130-136 people at the banquet.

Phil Shutler told me he will be teaching adults and children to ski at Ski Liberty again this coming winter.  I’m feel certain there are others of you who are still very physically active but how many of us are still hitting the slopes?  I finally quit because I didn’t have anyone to ski with but my 60 year old son is still a patrolman at Snowshoe even though he lives in Charleston, S.C.  I understand that Chuck Gordor walks a goodly distance every morning and John Fry still runs and competes.  Bob McClinton of course sails all the time in competition.

Our guest list was as follows:

LT.Daniel Byume-graduate of a merchant marine academy followed by a masters from the University of Maryland in “Leadership.”  He has been the company officer for just about a year and says it is a great experience

AOC Sarah DeKarske has been with the 24th Co. for three years.  She will leave next month and after being commissioned as a Chief Warrant Officer will report to Lemoore, CA  but I don’t know the specific unit.

The midshipmen were:

Class of ’13 graduating next month on the 24th:

Will Parker from Boonville, MO  going to the SEALS

Hannah Legler from Houston, TX going to flight training

Christopher Gallardo from San Diego, CA going to EOD

Class of ‘14
Bahaa Jadich from Beirut, Lebanon

Class of ‘15
Joseph Gardner from St. Louis, MO

Class of ‘16
Jonathan Barrav

They were, as we have experienced before an impressive group.

The 32 pictures I took at the luncheon are, or will be, on our home page as soon as John posts them.  Address is http://1948.usnaclasses.com