SEC’Y: CAPT Dave Carruth, USN (Ret.)
7206 Danford Lane; Springfield, VA 22152
P: 703-569-1354 E: [email protected]
WEBMASTER: John Tsiknas
15644 Caldas De Reyes, San Diego, CA 92128
E: [email protected]
WEB SITE: usna.com/classes/1948
JULY-AUGUST 2010
Let’s start with the Washington/Annapolis group luncheon, which occurred on14th of May at Pirate’s Cove restaurant. As I’ve said before this is a popular place for our group and, since we usually get a good turnout from Annapolis when at the Cove, I expected good numbers especially since we had a good speaker signed up. Our recent attendees at the Army Navy Club in Washington usually number 40. This is so consistent that when Warren makes the reservation he gives them forty as the number attending and it is usually within four; however, the March luncheon fell short and the Cove didn’t make the magic forty either even with our speaker and his wife. Given that it is about 50 miles for the Washington group I guess it is understandable, but that has not previously been a factor. I think we are just getting more loath to hit the road. Some did however and here they are:
Bill Bass 20 th Co., Phil Bolger 22 nd Co., Marion and Don Buhrer 5 th Co., Amante and Roger Carlquist 19th Co., Libby and Cab Davis 17 th Co., Patty and TonyDuncan 4 th Co., Toni and John Fry 21 st Co., Nancy and Warren Graham 2 nd Co., Betty and Don Hall 22 nd Co., JoAnne and Kevin Hanlon 2 nd Co., Grace and BillHarkins 1 st Co. (they were accompanied by their son, Bill Jr. who did the driving –thanks Bill, Jr. it is always great to have your folks, and you, there), Marguerite and Charlie Heid 17 th Co.; Rosemary Hogg, (Gordon 9 th Co.); Jean Lochner,( Ray 6 th Co.); Carol Manganaro, (Frank 12 th Co.); Nancy Reams, (Ben 7 th Co.); Elizabeth and Bill Reed 18 th Co., Patsy and Phil Rogers 9 th Co., Anne Marie and Bing Sisson 16 th Co., Helga and Bob Smith 18 th Co.
Our speaker was CDR Tim Disher, USN (Ret) ’81. He is the Director, International Programs. He spoke to the last Council of Class Presidents and brought along three Mid’n who are in the program. Each of them gave a short presentation of their experiences, one spoke about China, the other two about mid east assignments. All were very impressive. Unfortunately no mid’n could attend the luncheon because they were taking final exams; however, Warren says that Tim gave an excellent talk and everyone came away with the belief that the International Programs is an absolute winner. The program is currently sending 40% of the Midshipmen abroad by graduation. The Supe’s goal is to send 100%.
You will note that I did not list Betty and me as attendees. We were on the Isle of Palms, SC where we had rented a beach front house for two weeks and were joined by our daughter, Sharon, and her husband, Paul, from Manassas, VA; our son, Steve, and his wife, Ricki, with their teenagers, daughter, Miranda, and son, Fred, from Charleston, SC; and Ricki’s parents from Bethesda, MD. It was a family reunion and we celebrated birthday’s (Steve), anniversaries (Steve and Ricki), adoption day (Miranda was adopted from Peru), and Mother’s Day. As is always the case when on vacation we ATE, but we also swam in both the ocean and the pool, walked and rode bikes on the beach, played pool (the house had a full sized pool table), and Sharon, Paul, Steve and I went parasailing. See pictures of Steve and me at the high end of the journey and then coming back aboard after our “sail”.
A comment, we drove down and back, mostly on I-95 where for long stretches the posted speed limit is 70 mph. For long stretches the average speed we experienced for all vehicles was 80 plus. It is a thrilling experience! Betty and I think back on our many transits of the country where the posted speed limit was usually “REASONABLE AND PROPER” but in practice seldom exceeded 60 mph because neither the cars nor the roads were built for sustained higher speeds. Remember Route 66?
I note in the Washington Post this morning (25 May) that the class 2013 climbed Herndon in record time yesterday. The article then goes on to say that the Supe had edicted “no grease and no spraying water on the climbers.” This was done in the name of safety. Time marches on and there continue to be changes at USNA.
Every Tuesday the Washington Post and the Wall Street Journal have a section on health. Like everything else you read on that subject they tout exercise as being the “fountain of youth.” All of us should be getting not less than 30 minutes every day of moderate to intense exercise. I’ve written before of one of our Classmates who really takes this to heart. The Annapolis Capitol on May 13 th carried an article on the fourth annual Salute the Legends 5K Race at Severn School. I pick up from the paper “John Fry remembers Severn well. He graduated in 1944. During its first decades, Severn was a preparatory school for the Naval Academy. Fry, 83, was sent to the school from his hometown in California and is a member of the USNA Class of 1948.
A retired member of the Foreign Service, he’s lived around the world, yet decided to spend his golden years in Annapolis. With his wife, Fry currently lives in Ginger Cove. “I run every other day, “ Fry said. “There’s a three-quarter-mile beltway around Ginger Cove. I run five laps.” The first Severn School student to cross the finish line clocked in at 19:23. John, going at a steady pace, came in at 43:50, ahead of several students”.
Well-done John. We should all be following in your footsteps though probably not as swiftly.
Mary Ortlieb passed away at the end of January and a memorial service was scheduled in February but then the “blizzard” hit. Her service was finally conducted on May 25 th and was attended by Nancy and Warren Graham, Elizabeth and Bill Reed, Diana Keenan, (Paul 13 th Co.); Suzanne Van Kirk (Bob 19 th Co.) from VA Beach and Gloria Wilson,(Joe 24 th Co.) from Warminster, PA. Warren says there was a good gathering of neighborhood friends also. Our condolences to son Chris, his wife and their children.
This has been a rough month for losing Classmates and wives. We must say, “Until we meet again” to Classmates:
T.F Nealan 3 rd Co. 5/18/10
Jud Shook 15 th Co. 4/24/10
C.A. Whitmore 6 th Co. 4/16/10
and Martha “Pat” Fargo, wife of Bob Fargo 20 th Co., died on 5/15/10.
To the families of the departed we extend our prayers. For those of you who still have them Jud has bios in both the 30 and 50-year books.
I continue to be amused at the conversation I have stirred up with my questions regarding the oldest and youngest in the Class. The latest input, which I have checked and which should put the question to rest, was an email from Bill Borchert 8 th Co. suggesting that W. McKinley 5 th Co. birth date 8/17/22, might be the eldest. Are there any other candidates for either youngest or oldest?
All the email folks have this information but for you who do not belong to the club you need this information. Helene and Walt Alt 2 nd Co. lost their son, Bruce, on 2 April two days before his 61 st Birthday. I sent them a note saying “our children are getting along in years but I can’t think of anything which would hurt more than to lose one of them.” Walt responded, “you are right that it is difficult and hurtful to have one of your own slip through the door before you have the opportunity to precede them.” Walt and Helene, our prayers are with you.
Response to my comments regarding a possible 65 th reunion are following the same path I experienced while putting together the 50 Year book, i.e. very little. So far I have heard from two of you. Bob McClinton 11 th Co. came back saying he and Gunvor would attend. He also said that he feels that reunions should take us back to our roots so he supports Annapolis as the location. Rhona and Chuck Gorder 12 th Co. in an email said they visited Bill Ikard 17 th Co. and Alda Durrill this weekend in El Paso. While there they talked about reunions and possibilities for the next one. They came up with several ideas; one was a Mississippi Riverboat Cruise. They also suggest maybe Las Vegas, NV and Austen, TX or a wine country tour in Northern CA. Should we decide on a Riverboat Cruise Rhona and Chuck have volunteered to put it together.
Those are two extremes but are certainly valid inputs. How about the rest of you providing your two cents plus some idea of whether you would attend.
Rhona also provided another example of the things we are all putting up with these days; Chuck had a squamous cell carcinoma removed from the top of his head on the first of April. Didn’t seem like much at the time but when I removed the padded dressing I was shocked at the number of stitches, as many as 20 across the top of his head (there’s not much skin to work with there). Chuck says he was scalped, and I believe that he was! Anyhow, the doctors say they got it all and he is recovering well”.
By the time you read this we will be well into summer. I hope you are doing, and enjoying all the things we always used to look forward to in the summer like home cranked ice cream, ice cold watermelon, Bar-B-Q with family. This is Memorial Day weekend. As we honor our service personnel past and present take time also to give thanks that we live in the only nation in the world where we are privileged to enjoy life, as we have known it. We are indeed blessed.