CLASS OF 1948 SHIPMATE COLUMN
MARCH-APRIL - 2013

Since you will be reading this in early April we will be only one month away from our 65th Reunion.  I hope a good number of you will be there.

It is unlikely that in 1944 any of us gave any thought to where we would be or what we would be doing 69 years hence.  Even today that is a hard span to grasp.  We’ve had 60 reunions so far, all well attended and, from feedback, all thoroughly enjoyed.  We’ve actually had more “reunion/gatherings” than 65 for our West Coast Classmates put together some “reunions” out there.  “Scorchy” Smith (deceased) 21stCo and the Monterey group put together a gathering there in Monterey and a very good number of people came from all over the country.   Rhona and Chuck Gorder 12th Co. have done the same in San Diego and have in addition put together several cruises.  As we have told each other for years now, whenever something is perceived needing doing, one of our Classmates will step up and get it done. Every reunion has been that way.  In response to a question I asked, Jean Lochner sent me the following-

“Dave, Ray and I did homecomings every year when Pete Goldman 8th Co. dumped it in our laps.  We came back to Annapolis in 1958.  At that time the A&B groups were together for homecoming, but the tenth reunion was coming up and there was some problem as to which year should be celebrated, so Ray started writing little editorials in SHIPMATE, to try and bring the classes together, not only for the gathering, but also the SHIPMATE columns (Scribe’s note: if you go back to the SHIPMATES of 1948, 1949 etc we had two columns.  Almost all of the class news consisted of marriages, births, new addresses etc.)  It happened and the Class of ’22 was cheering us on as their class was still A & B.  I’m not sure it happened in time for the tenth, but if not soon afterwards.  Many, many members of the Class took charge for the various gatherings; making arrangements for a place, food, music and etc.  Ray kept the books and got things going each year and paid the bills.  Besides some at Carvel Hall, we had one at the Crofton Country Club and many at the Chartwell Club house before we ended up at the Boat House!  The Boat House was just fine for off years with 100 to 150 people, but one reunion we had reservations for 100 plus and 300 showed up.  Lots of angry people that year who had reservations and didn’t receive a token from the reunion!”

  Jean told me another time that after one party, I think at Carvel Hall, Ray didn’t have enough money to pay the bill so he passed the hat, twice, and the bill was paid.  When Phil Rogers 9th Co. saw a need for a new gate to take the place of Gate 1 he gathered up a committee, proposed the project to the Class, collected the money, got the design done and approved, and then had the new Gate built and dedicated.  When changes to the yard disrupted the Gate, Phil and his committee redid it to the configuration you now see.  Phil also chaired the 50th through 60th reunions in Annapolis.  For the 65th Roger Carlquist 19th Co. has stepped up to chair the reunion committee.  Warren Graham 2nd Co. has chaired (been president) of the Washington/Annapolis chapter for many years arranging all the bi-monthly luncheons we have here.  Charlie Heid 17th Co. almost always arranges for our luncheon speakers and for the visits of the 24th Company midshipman, their company officer and enlisted representative.  He also proposed to the Class that we put together a $2 million gift to support the Information Technology (IT) effort at the Academy.  We did it and IT is now becoming part of a required course in Cyber Security for which a new building is in planning.  This will be the new Center for Cyber Security Studies.    Perhaps, for our 65th Reunion we should consider pumping up our original $2 Mil. Gift.  In the interim if you decide you want to help that effort directly be sure to mark your check for Endowment #824800.

I feel certain there have been other high profile projects, but these are the ones that come to mind and they are examples of people stepping up when needed.  All things considered the business of the Class is being managed quite well.  From your scribe’s perspective  one area where some improvement would be greatly appreciated is class news.  The sources of news for this column come predominantly from the Washington/Annapolis area, Washington State from Bob McClinton 11th Co.; San Diego from Rhona and Chuck Gorder; Norfolk/Virginia Beach from a large group there sending in an occasional luncheon report, this picture being an example.  It was taken, I believe in Sept. 2010 and shows, from left to right-Jack Gracey (deceased) 16th Co., Bill Small 1stCo., Andy McIntyre 22nd Co., Erline Holt, Ted Holt 18th Co., Betty Edwards, Mike Childress 2nd Co., Kitty Bacon, Don Ross 15th Co., Elaine Cousins, Jean Resch, Jeanne Parish, Jack Klinefelter 5th Co., Jan Small, Don Deibler 24th Co., George Parish 22nd Co.  This is what I believe you readers like to see/read and I’m can’t help but believe that there are other Classmates who meet for lunch, even just two.  Practically all of us now carry a cell phone so cameras are at the ready and pictures are easy to share with your Scribe.  Take advantage of your available technology and give your Scribe a hand.  I have in the past not printed many pictures in SHIPMATE preferring to post them on our home page (http://1948.usnaclasss.com) in color, but now that we have color in SHIPMATE I will print more.  Tyler Dedman 13th Co. has been an excellent contributor as was Scorchy Smith before he passed on.   Once again I ask the distaff side of the Class to give me some inputs.  I’m certain that all of us would like to share your memories of being a Navy wife.

Since our last column we have learned of the passing of too many Classmates and wives.  Fourteen of our friends have left us to carry on without them.  They will be missed.

Classmates:
12th Co.    Frahler, Andy                    11/28/12*
16th Co.    Gates, H.K.                       12/2/12
7th Co.      Howard, L.R.                    1/16/13
17th Co.    Jaccodine, R.J.                   1/12/13*
8th Co.      Searson, R.A.                     11/30/12
4th Co.      Shorr, W.E.                        12/22/12*
19th Co.    Smith, E.N.                         1/18/13
Non Grad  Killeen, J.                            8/15/12

Wives:
Augenblick, Pauline                               9/10/10
Davis, Kitty                                          1/10/13
Grady, Mary                                         3/18/12
Harrison, Franciszka                              12/31/12
Law, Sue                                              12/22/12
Metzger, Paula Ann                               1/11/11
*See the 50 Year Book for biography.

As our numbers continue to diminish it naturally impacts how many we have to form committees when needed.  My records show that as of today there are still 329 of the original 909 graduates still around with a very high probability that there are others who have passed on that we do not know about.  I have pictures of the 55th reunion committee showing 16 people including Sumner Moore (deceased) 20th Co., Dudley Holstein (deceased) 20th Co., and Ben Moore (deceased) 10th Co. 

That compares to this picture of the 65th committee.  From left to right they are:  Bob Flood 18th Co., Judy Flood, Phil Rogers, Tony Duncan 4th Co., Roger Carlquist, Bill Bass 20th Co., Warren Graham and Charlie Mertz 13th Co..  Regardless of the number these Classmates work hard for you.