This is being written in mid September and some answers to questions I ask may be in the September-October issue of the magazine which we won’t have for several weeks yet. Specifically the results of the Alumni survey which you should have filled out and returned long before now since it came to us in June or very early July. I had intended to comment on one part of that survey, namely the matter of Shipmate, but Chet Shaddeau, Class Secretary of ’47 in his column for July-August, did a far better job than I would do. If you haven’t read it I recommend you do so. Very well done Chet.

     The subject of diversity at the Academy has been beat to death. Related to that question I have requested that the Shipmate staff provide a short article examining a Class such as 2002 which has been in the Fleet over 5 years providing the entering Class profile with numbers, broken down by race/ethnicity, and gender. That to be followed by a graduation profile with the same breakdown plus duty assignment; then retention numbers at the six or later year point broken down the same way. We’ll have to wait and see if such an article appears in our magazine.

     CDR R.A. Baughman, USN, son of Nan and Fred Baughman (deceased) 9 th Co. has been awarded the VADM James Stockdale leadership award. One of two officers so honored. The following is excerpted from the CNO notification of the award.

     The Stockdale award for inspirational leadership will be presented to CDR Baughman in November 2009 for his performance as Commanding Officer Explosive Ordnance Disposal Mobile Unit Five. He is the first recipient of the Stockdale award from the Explosive Ordnance Disposal Community.

    This fleet award was established in honor of VADM James Bond Stockdale whose distinguished naval career symbolized the highest standards of excellence in both personal example and leadership. The award is presented annually to two commissioned officers on active duty below the grade of Captain who are in command of a single ship, submarine, aviation squadron, seal team, seal delivery vehicle team, naval special warfare squadron, special boat team, explosive ordnance disposal mobile unit, mobile diving and salvage unit, or navy special clearance team during the nomination cycle. Candidates are nominated by peers who themselves must be eligible.

     The review process includes screening at the Fleet Commander level with final selection by a board of senior officers.

     Bob is currently assigned as Deputy Commander, CJTF Troy, Camp Victory, Iraq.

   We send our congratulations to Bob and the family. He is following in his father’s footsteps.

     An email from Jean Lochner wife of Ray Lochner (deceased) 6 th Co.—I enjoyed the ’48 in Shipmate this month as it brought back a lot of fond memories. Augie Albanese 3 rd Co. isn’t the only one never to have actually graduated from high school. Ray joined the Navy on his 17 th birthday, Dec 3, 1940. After being admitted to USNA he wrote his old high school and they sent him a diploma and yearbook. It was the wrong yearbook, later the principle sent Ray his own copy of the ’41 book. Now Ray can’t compete with Augie about being a youngster of the class as he was on the oldsters side, but Ray had approval to be married as a midshipman. I still have that letter. It was approved by a W.S. Estabrook, Jr. It seems Congress had shelved a few commissions as changes had been made between Line, Supply Corps and Civil Engineer Corps. The Commissions arrived at ten the morning of graduation, graduation at noon and we were married in the Chapel at five. Oh, what a day!!

     Then there was Bayonne, NJ and Supply Corps School. Housing for married men was almost nil. We had a third floor walk up flat, a room that consisted of a sink, stove with one burner, an ice box which was always overflowing and a table with two chairs. The other room had a couch that pulled out to a bed which when open you had to step on to get around, a dresser, and an overstuffed chair. We had to share the bath with a couple in the back apt. who we never saw so a can of cleaner was always carried to the bathroom. Also if the people down stairs ran water we didn’t have any! Later Joyce and BruceBenson 15 th Co. moved into the back apt. so that made life much more pleasant. We had two burner to cook on and kept our evening bridge scores running. It was a fun, but a trying time and housing even got better, to a half of a Quonset Hut- a great improvement. We all have stories to tell. In reference to Bob Ghormley’s 11 th Co. article, Ray could never understand how the Supply Corps officers automatically had the radio shack duty to decrypt messages. Korea caused him many a sleepless night. Ray felt it was a good way to learn to type with no errors. Oh, if he were only here in this computer age. He bought a new computer two weeks before he died, but was never able to use it.

     Thanks Jean, a very large number of us have similar memories, particularly the half a Quonset Hut part. When I ask Betty why she stayed with me then her answer is “you promised me it would get better and it did.”

     The next item has some background. I reported in the last column that Lee Strong 22 nd Co. had passed on 7/28/09. For the 50 year book Lee had written a bio and I later put a note to myself in red ink on that page saying Lee wanted that to be his obit. He later added about two lines and his family sent me the new version. In this Shipmate there is also the newspaper obit in Last Call. I, and Lee, offer the following as perhaps a model for your obit which I hope you have already written or are working on it.

     Lee graduated from Canoe U. in 1947, thanks to a gift of gab in Spanish; blood toil, tears and sweat. And thank you, Sir Winston. A preference number of 496 out of 500 propelled him aboard the President Jackson (APA 18) for two years of clunkin and thunkin’ from Tedium to Ennui, Tsingtau to Shanghai. Navy wings of gold brought glorioskey tours in Hawaii, T.H.; USNA Spanish Dept; Fasron 107 Iceland; Patron 18, Jacksonville; NROTC Auburn Alabama; Staff, U.S. Forces Azores and – ZEE MOONLIGHT CRUISE! Staff, CinCSouth, Naples Italy. It became apparent by this time that the Navy’s estimate of my worth and my estimate were incongruent—Say rather disparate! So on to retirement as a Light Commander 1967—and CAPITALISM!/OLE!

     A tour with Air America in Laos was polished off with an odyssey on around the world. Thanks to Elizabeth’s parents minding three (3) Strong chillun, Elizabeth met me in Bangkok and we traipsed on via Delhi. Viewed the Taj Mahal floating in moonlight. Great duty. Families first and forever! Elizabeth and I were blessed by our Lord with 3 sons, 1 daughter, and 4 grandchildren (now 12).  

     Service as a City Commissioner 1972-74 (did not raise taxes) and as a loyal member of the Blockheads tent, Laurel & Hardy Sons of the Desert, built character. Favorite by-law? “No official shall have any authority whatsoever.” Favorite un-vanity tag? “Will Rogers never met Lee Strong” (Nor you!) Lee won the coveted MM award in 1985, which is either Macho Man, Money Manager (Tax Defense), Molto M, or something else. This is like, unto the contention that Homer did not write the ILIAD, but rather another Greek of the same name. Retired from Merrill Lynch as a VP in 1988, reporting to Dean Witter 24 hours later for Capitalism 1066 Still holding forth (Not fifth. Teetotaler) and reveling, 2004.

     Does anybody remember Doodles Weaver, with Spike Jones? There’s this sultry female voice crooning..”Sayonara, adios, auf wiedersehn, au revoir…” Doodles: “How do ya like that? She didn’t even say good bye!: Well, it ain’t over till the fat lady sings. Here’s a verse or two from your Poet LaFayette senzs portafoglio:

  1.   “So live, that when thy summons comes…” Bryant, THANATOPSIS.

  2.   “Eagles, crying flames..” Brooke.., THE GREAT LOVER

  3.   “A fellow of infinite jest, of most excellent fancy..”Shakespeare, HAMLET

  4.   “To you from failing hands, we throw the torch..” McCrae, IN FLANDERS FIELDS

  5.   “Caramba, it’s the samba!”…Peggy Lee

6. “A merry heart doeth good, like a medicine”….Proverbs, 17:22

  7. “ There’s no police like Holmes”…Wodehouse

  8.   “Send thee not to know for whom the (funeral) bell tolls. It tolls for thee”..Donne

     Since the Sept-Oct issue I have received notification that we have lost the following Classmates and wives:

   Alford, Z.D. 2 nd Co. 3/18/25-8/6/09

   Barber,R.P. 6 th Co. 11/28/24-9/17/09

   Beadling, D.A. 2 nd Co. 6/22/25-4/7/09

   Cuff, F.A. 4 th Co. 9/21/24-7/20/09

   Doddy, W.F. 23 rd Co. 12/15/25-8/26/09

   Hartshorn, D.L. 20 th Co. 9/11/25-8/23/09

   Hunter, H.R. 21 st Co.   3/17/26-9/20/09

   Lansden, H.B. 1 st Co. 8/11/26-9/21/09

   Carolyn Smith Wife of S.T. Smith, Jr. 14 th Co.

   Peggy Smith Wife of Newbold Smith 19 th Co.

     To the families we send our deepest condolences. We too shall miss them.

     Some of us are still traveling, witness this email from Jack McCord 7 th Co. on 8/18/09

     Hi Dave from Grand Junction, CO, Jack (Pappy) and Mary K. McCord still enjoying travel and being involved. We spent the month of March ’09 doing the wineries and dining in Southern CA and Kauai and Maui with friends and relatives. In June we spent 10 days with our son John who lives and works in the Lake District in Northern England and SW Scotland doing genealogy research followed by a 2 week river cruise in the Ukraine where we visited Odessa, then Sevastopol and Yalta in the Crimea and the capital Kiev. In mid-July we celebrated our 60 th in the Black Hills of South Dakota with 35+ family members. Finally, this August we visited Classmates –Betty and Fred Lafferty 7 th Co. in Silver City, NM area and Alda and Bill Ikard 17 th Co. in El Paso, TX—before taking in a couple of Operas in Santa Fe, NM. It was great to see these good friends and talk about old times and Classmates.

     Good Grief! Jack. The two of you are really covering ground (and oceans). I’m certain you are having a wonderful time but did you sell your home?

     Charlie Schott ’85 has been working with Jim Sizer 1 st Co. and kindly sent me a report on Jim’s July retirement—Jim Sizer retired from TACOM in Warren, MI in July 2009. After 28 short years, he finally gave up trying to fix the Army’s problems—they’ll just have to learn to get along without him. Jim’s leaving decreases USNA’s onboard strength from 5 to 4, leaing us to brave the Whoops. Jim covered a variety of duties over his tenure, including working on the Paladin self-propelled howitzer. At his ceremony, approximately 60 relatives and friends thanked him for his service and wished him well. I had the pleasure of addressing the group, mentioning that the Class of ’48 started their service to our country sixty five years ago. I’m proud to follow in Jim’s footsteps, with my retirement hopefully closer in my horizon. BZ Jim, Fair Winds and Following Seas.

     Dick Bates’ (deceased) 7 th Co. son reports on Dick’s grandson as of 9/1/09. Patrick is now in his third year at Virginia Tech as a full scholarship NROTC Midshipman and is his company’s MIDN/CPO. This year, he was also selected to be on the Virginia Tech Corps of Cadet Cadre to train the incoming freshmen in Band Company. ‘48’s children and grandchildren are carrying on the Navy tradition. Good show Patrick