I’m starting assembly of this column on 31 July.

Perhaps a strange way to begin a column, but with an eye to the weather, which seems to me to have been aggravating so far this year and the National Weather Service now predicts that we will have a vicious hurricane season with 17 named storms.  Ye Gods!  But back to the items of interest.  Bill Ikard  17th Co. sent this along to me.  It is a response to a “how are you” to George Wright  17th Co. who lives in Tuscaloosa.  “I personally came through fine.  The tornado was about 2-3 miles south of my house, so my house & family did fine.  But I along with my old law partners own an interest (1/2) in a shopping center which was badly damaged = 2-3 million.  We are arguing with insurance company now.  My daughter owned a house in the tornado zone, but my grandson was not living in the house at the time.  That house is damaged but livable.  The destruction is about 6 miles long and ¾ mile wide thru the center of Tuscaloosa.  We were lucky, but damaged financially, which is bad but not physically damaged.”

From Nature to man made.  In response to an email to Mary Daley about the fire in her apartment house back in May.   “I lived on the fourth floor of this five story building, the fire originated in an apartment across the hall from me.  Thanks to another resident’s banging really hard on my door, I was alerted-opened the door to find smoke filling the hall.  I grabbed my purse, shoes and with a Kleenex over my nose and mouth made my way to the stairwell.  Good thing I knew where it was-couldn’t see my hand in front of my face.  Amazingly, everyone got out OK- some in the building were on walkers, etc.

We were told originally that it would be about 6 weeks before we could move back in, but we’re now told it will be 8 months or longer before the building can be put in order-the flames reached all of the fifth floor and water damage (ceilings collapsed because of water ) was extensive.

I stayed with one daughter the first night, a second daughter the next, and was put in temporary quarters for the next two months.  At least that’s what I thought-now I must make other arrangements since they’re not at all sure of the 8 months figure.

So-I’m OK-furniture must be cleaned and put in what is described as an “ozone room” to remove smoke smell.  Can’t have furniture for at least 3 weeks.  Life is full of surprises.”

That’s been two months now.  I haven’t heard anything new from Mary so I must presume she has found some acceptable living conditions. 

Now some good news from Randy Patterson  13th Co.  I have published this word for word to all the email addresses, but I think you “hold outs” will find it of interest.  “I have moved out of assisted living in MD and back to the Chambersburg, PA area into a 2BR Town home on the campus of Menno Village, a component of the Mennonite facility here.  Have 2BR and baths and all the rest, plus a nice front porch to enjoy when it is cooler.  Address 270-B Menno Village, Chambersburg PA 17201.  Phone 71-263-3565.  

My health is pretty much back to normal from the small strokes last Jan that sent me to MD and assisted living.  Most of my local pals and fly- fishing pals live nearby as is my church-so this is sort of a homecoming.  I sold the condo to the incoming pres. of Volvo International that is moving its heavy equipment facility here.  Everything in the condo has been distributed to me or the kids and grands or will be auctioned in DC.  I am ready to resume a more normal life even though without wheels.  Fly-fished with pals three times last week.  May join the west coast class cruise if still room and plan to fly back to Seattle next spring for the annual fishing trip up to BC.  This place has all the facilities if my health goes or a repeat stroke.    Randy”

Even in the short period between the last column and now we have lost 3 members of our family:
 Classmate
          16th Co. Ryder, J.K.   7/2/11
 Wives
          Abel, Joan 7/22/11, wife of Paul Abel (deceased) 9th Co.
          Kratzer, Margaret “Peggy” 7/10/11, wife of Dale Kratzer (deceased) 10th Co.
Each of them will be missed by the Class.
          Two recent deaths caused Classmates to email me with memories:          

From John Fry  21st Co. on 7/25/11—“Many years ago, when returning to their Virginia homes from Hilton Head Island, SC, George and Carolyn Ball and Bill and Grace Harkins stopped briefly to visit Carolyn’s family Mount Hope Cemetery plot in Florence. SC.  While there, in its quietly peaceful, beautiful surroundings, George was overheard to say: “This is where I want to be buried.”

And so it was on July 16th, 2011, amidst plumeria and maile garlanded family and friends, George was buried there with familiar military, religious, and personal honors: five servicemen, three-shot, rifle volleys, mournful taps, ritual folding and bended-knee flag presentation, followed by readings, hymns, and loving eulogies.  Playing her ukulele, their daughter Louise led us in singing “Aloha Oe,” ending, “Until we meet again.”

I remember George as a feet-on-the-desk, trombone-playing, Company-mate for three years, an unexpected visitor test-driving his new Triumph sports car, an understandingly proud George Washington law school graduate, an inspiring leader of his entertaining Hawaiian band, and always, with a cheerful smile and genial word, an enduring friend demonstrating steadily through the years the kind of personal friendship that makes life worthwhile.
          With every good wish, John.

From Rhona Gorder with memories of Troy Stone  2nd Co.-Chuck and Troy became firm friends when gradating the Naval Academy they both were assigned to the USS SPRINGFIELD, their first ship.  They traveled together from Long Beach to San Francisco (Chuck said it was the first and only time he’d ridden in a Pullman), went to the famous Top of the Mark for a drink and looked down and saw the SPRINGFIELD for the first time.  In those days before all the tall buildings were built, they had a clear view of the port.  A couple of years later, Troy signed up to fly airplanes and spent the next 30 years in the service.

Scribe’s note, at graduation Ty Dedman  13th Co.,  Sam Smith 14th Co. and I were all assigned to OAKLAND (CLAA-95).  Since the ship was deployed the skipper asked the bureau to send one of us to gunnery school, one to CIC school and one to Damage Control School.  The bureau screwed up and sent all three of us to all three schools.  Lots of funny stories of how that was handled; however, we did not travel by Pullman to our first school, Damage Control.  On part of the trip we gathered in the Club car for a drink with Hal Deeley  9th Co.,  John Rasmussen  14th Co. and some others whose names I can’t recall now.  We displayed practically all of the uniforms then in vogue, Gray (the Grayhound Bus uniform), Blue, Khaki, and White.  One of the other passengers came over and inquired if we were all in the same service?  Thank goodness the gray uniform didn’t stay long.          

An email and picture from Paul Riley  13th Co.  -Herewith is photo evidence of the (last Class of 48) Golden Wedding ceremony held by Evelyn and me at the vintage 1886 Grand Crescent Hotel in Eureka Springs, AR, in mid-June.  Our original class groomsmen, Joe Elwood Weatherly and the late Jim Schmoller, were not available, but the USNA was represented by my oldest son, Miles, Class of ’86.  Of course, Mary, Jack and Will were also there with spouses, along with our eight grand children, one great-grandson, and several of our siblings.  A great time was had by all.   

Balances in various funds are now as follows:
                   Flower fund--$7,781.  Bob says so far this year the fund has spent $1700.
                   IT Award fund-- $       1,809
                   IT Endowment-- $1,994,503
                   Reunion Fund--   $     24,021

NAPS-last year when we were discussing NAPS, Cliff Morgan  18th Co. was motivated to send me two emails:

7/14/10- After graduation in 1947 I was ordered to the cruiser LOS ANGELES along with two other Classmates.  Much to my surprise I found in the wardroom another, more senior, Ensign (I can’t for the life of me remember his name now) who had been at NAPS with us.  He had been one of the group who had passed the entrance exams but didn’t make the cut.  I don’t know how many of them there were, but some (maybe all) were sent to the V-12 college program.  In his case he had enough prior credits that he graduated a year ahead of us.  He would never let me forget it.  Incidentally, Ernie Gray 7th Co., was one of those who went from NAPS to the V-12 program at Duke but then entered the Academy in September as a replacement for either Boswinkle or Jillson.

7/21/10- from Cliff.  In 1968-9 I was Operations and Plans Officer on ASW Group FIVE staff.  One of the fellow staff officers was Joe Tranchini of the Class of ’60.  He had been a football pick and sent to NAPS for preparation.  Through some slip-up he didn’t get a discharge from enlisted status and several years after graduation he received retroactive credit for the four years Academy time.  At least somebody beat the system!!!

Your committee is working on the 65th.  By the time you read this you should have long since responded to the letter asking if you planned to attend.  If you haven’t done so please go find that letter and let us know whether or not you plan to join us.