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NEWSLETTER #5. December 2005

From the Class President

Topic	Link	Topic	Link	Topic	Link
War	WA	Sea Stories	SS	Medical Tip	TP
Navy	NA	Luncheon	LU	Quotes	QU
Academy	NAc	Golf	GO	Conclusion	CON
Problem	PRO	Book Revu	BR
Association	AA	Numbers	NU
Class 42	CL	Reunion	RU
Midway	MID	Communications	COM

Published for those sharing the interests of the U.S. Naval Academy Class of 1942.

In the last Newsletter, I dared to address THE WAR. Five Classmates responded with some cogent comments. Bottom line: The more you study this War, the more apparent it becomes that "culture" is the operative word. It is not just about terrorism or religion. Rather it is a continuation of a clash of cultures that has been going on for hundreds of years - the East versus the West. You do not change cultures overnight or with military forces alone. Education is the key - and that takes time. So what is going on in those school houses that are being opened in Iraq may be as important as the actions to suppress the terrorist activities of the insurgents. Regardless, whether we bug out of Iraq immediately or stay there for 50 years, the whole experience will be a small blip in the history of the East/West struggle. A surprising feature of the current blip is how many members of the Eastern culture have come to embrace certain aspects of the Western culture.

There is a new Chief of Naval Operations - Admiral Mike Mullen USNA '68 - a surface "sailor" - missile expert. He replaced Admiral Vern Clark who had been in office for five years.

Of some significance is the planned restructuring of some of our naval forces in order to address the perceived security challenges of the future. There is now a concrete plan, being slowly implemented, to not only preserve our BLUE water Navy, but to augment it with a GREEN water and BROWN water capability. GREEN water has a depth range of forty feet or less. BROWN water is ten feet deep or less. It is becoming obvious that some naval forces will have to cover those areas of activity. For example, the northern reaches of the Persian Gulf where much naval action is taking place (a lot by the Coast Guard) is GREEN and BROWN water territory. It is difficult - and inefficient - for the modern destroyer or patrol craft to cover that area. Another difficult area is Guinea on the West Coast of Africa. In not too many years it will be a major source of oil and will require security as that oil is exported from its coast. The Guinea port area will require a naval force with GREEN water capability. Our Navy is moving to cover that contingency. So you will see more of the Brown Water Navy of the Vietnam days in the future, upgraded to take advantage of modern technology.

Next, you can expect to see the Navy taking on tasks in the Iraq war that have been traditional Army/Marine Corps missions. There will be an increase in naval forces in both Iraq and Afghanistan , some being line officer command billets for special reconstruction teams. And there may well be naval forces guarding a prison in Iraq . These augmentations will be in addition to the sizable numbers of medical and Construction Battalion forces already in those combat zones. Authorities say that there are many volunteers for these tasks from our young troops. They want to be part of the action. There seems to be a far different attitude about serving in Iraq and Afghanistan compared to what we witnessed during the war in Vietnam . Read Emails or listen to those vets who have served in Iraq and are preparing to return. They convey a feeling that they believe they are making a contribution to a worthy cause. And this applies to females as well as male members of the armed services. A valid measure of this feeling is the high retention rates being experienced by all of the services.

The major natural disasters in 2005 have demonstrated the significant role that naval forces can play in disaster relief. While the structure and composition of naval forces may vary, the emphasis on the need for a maritime capability never seems to diminish. More than ever, operating from the sea seems to be the main way to go in today's hostile environment, be it for military combat or humanitarian relief. The current leadership continues to emphasize and plan for the creation and maintenance of that capability, regardless of the nature of the threat.

Finally there are problems, most specifically money problems. The new CNO points out that we spent a lot on national defense during the Reagan years. We lived on those expenditures during the nineties and have bought nothing of significance since - other than the Super Hornet aircraft. Now costs for weapons systems, operations, and manpower support (medical care for example) have skyrocketed. Something will have to give.

As you might expect, there is increasing interest among midshipmen in the War in Iraq . Lecturers in leadership classes and other speakers are often vets recently returned from that War. World War II was a great War - at least for those of us who survived. The stories and lessons of that time are still pertinent, but the mids are more interested in the war they will be fighting. There are now many experienced "new war" vets in the yard who can give them the "straight skinny."

More women have entered the Academy as midshipmen. Twenty percent of the new Class of '09 are women, up from roughly sixteen percent in recent previous classes. And more women are being added to the Academy staff.

The new Commandant of Midshipmen is Captain Bruce Grooms - a submarine officer with an outstanding reputation. Much is being made of the fact that he is the first "black" commandant in the Academy's history. He comes across as a professional: low key and calm, with a feel for the job at hand. He has his own agenda, which he shares with those interested in listening. It is traditional and in keeping with the objectives of the Superintendent. I have the impression that they are a good team. And the Superintendent continues to grow in stature and popularity - with a neat personal touch that the Mids enjoy. He even marches to the football games from the Yard with the Brigade. I have been told that in laying out policies and procedures for running the Academy, he and his close advisers have attempted to pattern their style after Charlie Kirkpatrick, who many in our Class will remember as a very popular Company Officer when we were mids. He was the Superintendent when the current Supe was a mid. It makes sense to pattern your style after a successful and respected mentor.

One new development that raised some hackles with the mids this fall was the reduction in weekend leave/liberty for the members of the First Class. Past practice had the First Class bailing out of the yard (and Annapolis ) as soon as the last academic class was over on Friday. First Class mids have now been placed on a more restricted status, requiring them to remain in the yard (a watch in three as I understand it). In other words there is an effort to return to the life style we experienced - with major weekend activities in Annapolis being those taking place in the Yard. This should increase attendance at athletic events and bring about more cohesion within the Class and the Brigade. The new Commandant commented on this change, admitting that it had received something less than popular acclaim from the mids. He believes that the initial shock has passed and life is moving on as it always does. I think we would support the change in life style. Most will admit that some of the best events in our young lives were those activities in the Yard on a weekend.

Recent announcements of Rhodes Scholars has four more Academy grads listed - three from the Class of 2006 and another from 2005 who is presently studying at Harvard. Four is the highest number of Rhodes Scholars from any university in the country this year. This accomplishment reflects well on the Academy faculty who must devote a lot of effort to these awards.

An infrastructure addition of significance - recently opened - is the Uriah P. Levy Jewish Chapel and Learning Center . It includes a beautiful worship facility for members of the Jewish faith, as well as support for other Academy functions. It is most impressive, made possible almost completely by private donations. Also coming soon, a new field house with 140,000 square feet of space, courtesy of public funding. Further on the horizon, with private funding already pledged, is a hockey and indoor tennis facility, to be located near the golf course. This will enable the Athletic Association to seriously consider hockey as a "varsity" rather than a "club" sport. It costs a lot of money to fund a varsity sport and possession of a first class ice rink is a requirement for hockey to qualify. As I understand it, much of the funding for this facility is coming from the estate of the late John McMullen, Class of '40. He made many financial donations to the Academy.

Major rehab is being conducted at Gate One (the gate near the Annapolis dock). $3.8 million is targeted in order to make that Gate an impressive (and more secure) entrance to our alma mater.

Problem. As with most colleges these days - booze is a problem. Have you heard about binge drinking?

Because of a major emphasis in the AA on fund raising, a significant change in the composition of the Board of Trustees (BOT) has taken place in recent years. As we know from our experience in raising funds for our projects at the Academy, the Classes - not the Chapters - are the major fund raising entities. But the BOT has traditionally included in its membership, several Presidents of the major chapters. (There are currently more than ninety chapters in existence). In order to give Classes more say in AA matters, the more than seventy classes have been divided into seven decades and each of these decades is now represented on the BOT by an elected Class President. (I represent the Classes of the '30s and '40s Decades). The Class Presidents have been organized into a Council of Class Presidents (COCP), with a Chairman, Vice Chairman and Secretary. The COCP meets once every six months, just prior to the BOT meetings. Issues of significance are addressed. Votes are taken if necessary and the results are taken forward to the BOT for consideration. It seems to work well and fits in with the objective of raising money. I am happy to report that at the moment at least, the COCP seems to be relatively pleased with the way the AA is operating. I am sure that many of the members of the older Classes question the fund raising emphasis, in that "public funding" was the mainstay of Academy support in our time. But you cannot argue with success. The current drive for funds has reached a goal of about $250 million, which is not much compared to Harvard or traditional universities, but for the Naval Academy AA, it is most impressive.

Leadership. We have had some changes in leadership with widows, wives, and members of our Class/Family taking over some functions. For example, Ann Beale, supported by Vira Schoenfeld ran the recent "after the game" Homecoming Dinner at the Officers and Faculty Club in the Yard. The whole day was a great success, with perfect weather, a good turnout for the Tailgate in the parking lot, and a winning score followed by the excellent dinner. Ann and Vira also organized the recent annual Christmas luncheon in Annapolis , which was another successful event. Judylee Meade (daughter of Bob and Re Childers) plants the '42 Flag for our Tailgate spot at the football games, taking over that function from Max Duncan. It is a most welcome service.

Charlie Bishop is a key leader for our West Coast Classmates. He has all gyros spinning at the proper speed. Hap Day continues in his role as Corresponding Secretary, submitting his monthly news columns and many obits to Shipmate magazine. Swabo Rawson as Vice President, serves as counselor and Master of Ceremonies at our Washington area affairs. Rufe Porter keeps track of our money and has taken on a significant new responsibility as the Chairman of our Sea Story Committee. More about that later.

Jack Crawford is on top of our Distinguished Graduate program. He has put together another outstanding package nominating Ed Kintner as a candidate for consideration by the Selection Board. I know that you would all support this nomination. Some very significant people in the scientific field - including Jim Schlesinger, former Secretary of Energy and Defense - have enthusiastically endorsed this nomination. For me, just knowing that Ed is the guy that cleaned up Three Mile Island is sufficient justification for his designation as a Distinguished Grad. Keep your fingers crossed for Ed. The Board meets this month and the announcement should come at the beginning of the new year.

Jack Crawford is also becoming quite a spokesman about World War II. At the annual U.S. Navy Band concert in Constitution Hall this fall, the theme was WW II. Jack was one of three spokesmen. For five minutes he addressed the "turning point" phase of the War - the Midway caper. The CNO and SecNav were in attendance and Jack received appropriate kudos from both. Don't count us out - yet. In short, the Class leadership is alive and well.

Midway. On 28 August 2005, Bill Houser and the West Coast contingent of the Class, led by Charlie Bishop, presented an impressive 18 x 27 inch bronze memorial plaque to the USS Midway Museum in San Diego . Dick Sewall designed the plaque. It contains the '42 Class Crest above a statement that honors our Classmates that served in the Midway battle. It is now mounted on a bulkhead near the forecastle of Midway on the visitor tour route. It is the first item in the Museum's collection to be devoted to the history of the Battle of Midway. Another class act by the Class with Class.

Sea Stories. There are many ways for a Class to leave a legacy, particularly of intellectual property. Considering the experiences in our lives, our Class is loaded with "intellectual property." How do we pass that "property" on to future generations? The Alumni Association has made it quite simple. On the AA Web (usna.com), there is now a feature called "Sea Stories." You can click on that Web, then click on "History and Tradition" from the menu, and you will be presented with an opportunity to read a host of stories from various Naval Academy Classes. We have decided to take advantage of that capability. Rufe Porter volunteered to take on the task and has assembled an "editorial board" composed of Jack Crawford, Ken Simmons, and Dick Curtis. You submit your sea story to Rufe via regular mail, Email, tape recording, or scrawled pencil marks on a piece of yellow paper. He and his team will consider its value and work it over for publication if considered worthy. It is then forwarded to the Class President for submission to the AA for consideration and posting on the Internet.

Guidelines for the stories are traditional: preferably about something in which you personally participated; accurate with no embellishment; follow wardroom tradition, ie, no sex, religion or politics.

We sent an Internet message to those receiving that form of communication and solicited stories. Several have been received. (Read about Frank Sellers and the capture of a special German submarine during WW II. Or from Roy Werthmuller how one ship treated Japanese crewmen rescued in the Pacific). We are earnestly soliciting more stories. Think about the many unusual events in your life - the kind that you enjoy describing to your friends or family. Describe them in some form of communication and send to Rufe Porter at 8012 Falstaff Road , McLean , VA. 22102-2762. Or Email: rufusCP@aol.com. He will take it from there. We seek stories not only from Classmates, but from wives, widows, children, relatives - anyone that has a story relative to the Class that would be of interest to people searching for the "truth" about our time in the world. This is a wonderful way to pass on to posterity, some examples of the fascinating lives we have lived. And remember, these stories will be available for years, to historians, teachers - the World - as well as the 50,000 or so living members of the Alumni.

Class Lunches/Activities. Because of the concentration of Classmates/Wives/Widows/Family in the Washington/Annapolis metropolitan area, much of our organized Class activity takes place there. But all members of our Class/Family are invited to attend the events we have scheduled. If you are going to be in the Washington DC area during 2006 and would like to attend any of the lunches at the Army Navy Country Club, contact Bill Montgomery at 571-434-8494. For all other events, call Jerry Miller at 703-273-7184. Here is a listing of what we have planned for 2006.

+ Wednesday 8 February at Army Navy Country Club (ANCC) in Arlington , VA. St.

+ Wednesday 7 June at the Sheraton Hotel in Annapolis . Luncheon for Classmates and

+ Mid December. Class Xmas Party at the home of Dick and Joan Curtis in Colesville,

MD. All Classmates in the Washington/Annapolis area will receive separate invitations but if you are going to be in the area and want to attend, call Jerry Miller at 703-273-7184 and he will handle the details. The exact date is yet to be determined.

Golf. The successful Mary Hill Memorial Golf Tournament managed by J.T. Hill at Quantico for many years, has now become a memory. We had a great affair last spring but the members that are able to participate are rapidly dwindling in number. Also the task of putting the event together has magnified in complexity. So reluctantly we say farewell to that great annual event, with thanks and deep gratitude to J.T. for all of his work for many years.

But the Class is not entirely out of competitive golf. For many years at Homecoming in Annapolis , we have entered a foursome in the annual tournament, set up many years ago by our Classmate Bill Morrow, to help support the Academy golf team. Bill Morrow, Jerry Miller, Bob McWethy and Max Duncan have been the entries for several years. With the departure of Max for Savannah , Swabo Rawson has filled in. I am happy to report that '42 is now the oldest Class participating. That means that we are in the lead golf cart and start the shot gun procession by teeing off number one on the number one hole. USNA '42 - number one wherever possible - doing whatever is necessary to maintain that position, if it is nothing more than staying alive. We will NOT talk about the scores, just our presence at the event.

Book Reviews: One interesting activity started by Dale and Barbara Reed sometime ago is book review luncheons. As we grow more sedentary and our love for Lazy Boy chairs increases, listening to someone review a new book and having a discussion of the content can be mentally stimulating. And if the attendees bring covered dishes for lunch, some great food can be on the agenda. You might want to consider such an event in your area, with classmates and friends. We usually run about 20 attendees at each event. It is fascinating to listen to some of the comments (sea stories) that can emerge after someone reports on a new manuscript. We really have led a full life, which provides much background for comment relating to the narratives of others.

Numbers: As it must be expected, we continue to lose a few. Since the last Newsletter, the following are included in the list of those that have passed on. Wives: Madge Malone, Nancy Allendorfer and Lillian Creecy. Classmates: George Atkinson, Howard Cole, Richard Corkran, Ray Oliver, Tom Pearson, Walter Price, Bob Reilly, Charles Shelton III, Carl Swenson, and William Werner. Latest count on the positive side: 196 grads, 129 non-grads, and 217 widows.

Because many of the burial services of our Classmates and widows take place in the Arlington Ceremony or the Yard at the Naval Academy , the members of the Class living near Washington attempt to attend. We like to have at least one Classmate present for each event. I have been attending most as a matter of respect. In the process I have learned quite a bit. For example, because of our age, we will usually be the eldest in attendance. This can be helpful in the gathering before the service, particularly if it is a graveside service. The younger members of the families are usually a bit uptight and emotional. It is a somber period and the aura can be one of real sadness. The presence of a Classmate - someone who knew the individual in the younger days - can be a stabilizing factor. As one daughter commented to me - in writing no less - "Jerry, you were an anchor at this event." I knew what she meant. Just a comment or two about the individual, recalling some humorous incident or impressive accomplishment can do much to ease the tension - to help the assemblage realize that the death of an octogenarian is something to celebrate, not regret. Think about it the next time you enter a chapel or a gathering for a graveside service. See if you can bring some joy to a painful occasion. As we continue to discover, there are many ways in which we can continue to serve.

Another aspect of funeral services that I have come to notice is the location of the grave. I attended a small family graveside service for Lillian Creecy in December 2005. Lillian was being buried beside her husband and our Classmate, the late Dick Creecy. I had known that there was some military history connected with the Creecy family. The burial site was on a knoll in the Arlington Cemetery. As we approached the site, I noticed a large head stone with the name Creecy chiseled in the granite. I was informed that it marked the site of Dick's grandfather, a graduate of the Naval Academy and a veteran of the Civil War. There were other members of the Creecy clan on the same knoll. Then I noticed another large headstone within ten or fifteen feet of where Dick and Lillian are remaining together. The chiseled name was William Snowden Sims - Class of 1888 - a great hero of mine. Many will remember Sims as a great thinker, probably better than Mahan. But what I admired about him was his emphasis on accuracy in gunnery. "It is only the hits that count, not how many shots that are fired." That philosophy - quality over quantity - was passed on to another great graduate, William S. Parsons, USNA '22. Parsons became a highly respected scientist who served as the Deputy to Oppenheimer in the development of the atomic bomb. He was the "weaponeer" - the scientific authority - in the crew of the Enola Gay when it delivered the bomb on Hiroshima. Parsons built on the lessons from Sims, becoming a key member of the famous old "gun club." The proximity fuse and the Sidwinder air to air missile were products of his talent. And here were Dick and Lillian Creecy, destined to spend their eternity next to William Sims. That is pretty good company. And the experience of standing at that location made me reflect a bit on the company I would like to be next to in the future. Funeral services can be downers, but there is much to learn and celebrate when the subjects have done lived to the octogenarian stage of live and are resting peacefully in good company.

Reunion: Jake Glick really has this under control. You should be receiving periodic letters about the event, soliciting your interest and intent. More will follow as we approach the scheduled time, 2-5 October 2006. Some attendees are coming great distances, such as Bobby Lim from the Philippines. Estimates are that we will have about 125 or so in attendance. Events have been scheduled with our age in mind. For example at the banquet you will have the opportunity to dance, but much of the entertainment will allow you to sit in your seat and enjoy some great lyrics from the wonderful music of World War II. We know that several will require assistance from relatives, who are encouraged to attend. Further, we welcome members of our Class/Family. This reunion will provide an opportunity for some of you to visit with the Classmates of your relatives. For example, Dana Wyrick, daughter of the late Jim Wyrick, will be attending and will be most interested in meeting Classmates that knew her father. Further, both of Scroggie and Jean Wiley's daughters with their husbands will be there. Wyrick and Wiley were in the same Air Group after WW II, along with twelve other members of our Class. Think of the Sea Stories these young people will be interested in hearing. Come one, come all. It will be worth the effort. If any question, please call Jake Glick at 703-799-7559. Or Email: jeglick@erols.com.

Communications: Remember to call Jodie Collins at Alumni Headquarters when you have changes to be made to our new Directory. Phone: 410-295-4035. Some with Email capability have been upgrading their Alumni file without calling Jodie, which is great. Jodie is serving us in order to make it easy for updates in data. This is a special service that we receive.

Medical Tip: From Peggy Herndon, our health honcho. "During winter we need to augment sunlight with daily supplements of Vitamin D - 1,000 to 2,000 IU s - to improve perkiness. Bad weather makes us grumpy, sad and anxious." I've always wanted to be "perky."

Quote: From Victor Davis Hanson - classicist and historian - in addressing the recent uprisings in France . "Everyday behavior toward one another - not utopian rhetoric or sloganeering about 'diversity' - is all that matters in the end."

Conclusion: We continue to be fortunate in that we have defied the odds and are still able to witness some fascinating events in history such as the continuation of the clash of civilizations, natural disasters of significant proportions, political rancor not seen since the Civil War, and marvels in technology. We will soon be "nonagenarians" so remember to check your directory, call a buddy, THINK POSITIVE, and have a Happy New Year.