Did you miss last month's issue? Visit the Shipmate Archive.
Did you miss last month's issue? Visit the Shipmate Archive.
The dates of our 45th Reunion have changed. It will now take place on October 26-29,
2000, an "off-Homecoming" weekend. However, nothing else has changed. We still have booked the waterfront Marriott Hotel in Annapolis as well as the Days Inn on Route 50. And Washington area Classmates are still planning a great program. More details will be provided later in this column, via letter, and on the '55 Net.Paul Slack (04) has brought attention to the fact that Dave Dunn (04) has been in the
news lately, "I see Dave often in Park City, UT on the golf course and the ski slopes. Our classmates should be kept abreast of the activities of other mates." Thanks Paul for forwarding the Harvard Business School Distinguished Service and Alumni Achievement Awards for 1998. (PHOTO #1, "Dave Dunn") Each spring, the Harvard Business School honors a select group of men and women who epitomize the strengths and accomplishments of their extraordinary community. David J. Dunn was a 1998 Alumni Achievement Award recipient. As Founder and Managing Partner of Idanta Partners Ltd., Dave has built a reputation as "one of the nation's leading venture capitalists." Since Dave started the firm in 1971, Idanta has worked with some thirty companies, including Prime Computer & Iomega Corp., that have created more than 40,000 jobs. Dave's involvement has been hands-on - serving both companies, mentioned above, as chairman for seventeen and eighteen years, respectively. His particular interest is in improving educational opportunities for new generations of students from disadvantaged and minority backgrounds. In keeping with this belief, Dave has provided funds to support underprivileged students. BRAVO ZULU to Dave Dunn!Dick Ellis (16) has sent in a very entertaining vignette concerning Youngster Cruise '52:
A short time ago I ran across some pictures that I had taken back when the
world was flat and found that we were not as "portly" then as most of us
are at this current moment. The picture was taken in front of the
boathouse at Queen's University in Belfast, N.I. in June of 1952 during our
youngster cruise. (PHOTO #2, "Navy's four oared with cox") From left to
right are Lew Gregg (06), Jack Sinnott '53, me, Steve Lowe (11), and
kneeling in front is Chuck Hagee (10). While the really good guys were at
Helsinki grabbing up the Olympic Gold, we found ourselves on DES
MOINES anchored at the head of the loch about 12 miles to the east of
Belfast. Jack Sinnott managed to drum up a race between our rather
mangy group and a four oared with cox from Queen's University. He even
convinced the Midshipman's Office that we needed open gangway in order
to catch the train up to Belfast every morning.While the "monthly insult" had just been increased to the grand sum of
$7.00 from the previous $3.00 amount, the cost of the train fare was apt to
eat into the pocket book too deeply for us to really enjoy the experience.
Ace Davis (20) had, however, stumbled onto a solution in that he had
found that the ship's store had a large quantity of sea-stores "Lucky Strike"
cigarettes that had been marked down to $.25 a carton. Ace indicated that
an investment in "Luckies" might well serve in lieu of the coin of the realm
if placed in the right hands once we got ashore.The cigarettes had apparently been stored for several years in the same
compartment with a load of "High Titre" salt water laundry soap, hence the
drastic markdown. The cigarettes were as dry as a bone, tasted simply
awful, and if one tried to smoke them, they had a tendency to flare up
without warning and then burn like a piece of primer cord, much to the
smoker's peril. Several of us made a small investment and banked them
away for later use.Ace Davis was correct, in that the station master was willing to trade
Bangor-to-Belfast tickets for a carton on each of our trips up to Queen's.
He couldn't have been a smoker himself, probably passed them off to
someone else, for had he smoked one, we would have never been able to
make a second trip so inexpensively.Those classy looking shirts were made by the DES MOINES ship's
serviceman/tailor. We each contributed a new T-shirt from the C&SS and
a midnight trip to the flag bag on the signal bridge provided the blue and
gold material for the emblem.The race came off the last day prior to leaving N.I. Chuck Hagee kept the
stroke down to a gentleman's level and we came out ahead with a boat and
a half lead at the end.DES MOINES next went to Portland, England, and the balance of the sea
stories, fortunately, went with us to London. Just prior to heading back to
Portland, a group of us including Candy Crimm, Ace Davis, and J.D.
Everett (20) among others, convinced Ray Medeiros (03) to take an
express trip in a large laundry hamper down the main stairway of the hotel.
Ray arrived in the lobby to a great round of applause at the same instant as
did a member of the local constabulary, summoned by the manager to quell
the riot. For a short time we thought that the next attraction on our tour
would be our visit to the bar of justice at the Old Bailey. At that point the
balance of the "Luckies" was put forth as a gesture of good will and we
made a hasty retreat toward Waterloo Station and the Boat Train back to
DES MOINES.I venture this confession with the assumption that the statute of limitations
will, by now, have covered our youthful indiscretions.It would be a shame not to include a bunch of great pictures of Classmates taken recently just because I haven't a particular story to go with them (the general story is, "a neat time was had by all"). So, here they are - call it rolling up the year 1998 in pictoral form. The pictures were taken at football game tailgate parties, Class dinner parties, and miscellaneous events "...when two or three shall meet, and old tales be retold..." (PHOTO #3, "Jean Westbrook, Karen & Pat Taylor"; PHOTO #4, "Pat Taylor & George H. Martin"; PHOTO #5, " '55 Rooting Section"; PHOTO #6, "Darrel Westbrook, Steve
Lowe & Gary Snyder"; PHOTO #7, "Charlie Plumly, Tom Kiefaber, Ray Hine & Ray
Medeiros"; PHOTO #8, "Bill Kennington, Pat & Paul Sutherland"; PHOTO #9, "George
& Marilou Stott"; PHOTO #10, "Spud Flowers & friend Joy"; PHOTO #11, "John
Adams & Bill Martin")Yours truly had the good fortune recently to join the Mustins and the MacKinnons for
the gala events surrounding the world premier of the movie "Enemy of the State" in
Washington D.C. Hank's sister's daughter, Terry Curtin, is a VP of Public Relations with Walt Disney, and she graciously invited us into the inner sanctum of moviedom. We were royally treated to chauffeured service, preferred seating and red carpet treatment at the after-movie party (personal introductions to the stars, including Gene Hackman). We had a neat time! (PHOTO #12, "Out with the Stars")MOVERS. John DeZell to: P.O. Box 3340, Central Point, OR 97502; George Mead
(13) to: 1022 Prospect St., #503, Honolulu, HI 96822; Norman Palladino (24) to: 1101
Corte Las Holas, Oxnard, CA 93030; John Raster (07) to: 51491 Highland Shores Dr.,
Granger, IN 46530; William Rentz (09) to: 1780 Weems Rd., Locust Grove, GA 30248;
and Wayne Shanahan (13) to: c/o Mesa Ridge Office, 1402 W. Ajo Way, Tucson, AZ
85713.HEARD IT ON THE GRAPEVINE ('55 Net, that is). From Easy Ed McHale (03):
Hi Gang: Last Tuesday Celina and I had the pleasure of attending the bi-annual luncheon of ex-football team members. This event is organized by three guys in the SDIEGO area---primarily Hugh Webster (12). He was there of course, nursing his new knee job. This is his second luncheon and many of the guys in attendance have had similar operations. Of course, us ex-Managers just have aches and pains like everybody else and get nosympathy. Anyway, Webbie did a great job getting out about 40 ex-players including VADM Jim Stockdale '47 USN (Ret), who is a board member of the new Military TV Channel. The featured guest was Line Coach Gene McKeehan, who is a very bright and positive guy. I sat with him so got to bend his ear about our very positive line coach Homer Hobbs, who used to watch the players with binoculars during time-outs to see if their adams apples moved while taking water. Homer's "lean & mean" theory concluded that only sissies (or another less complimentory name) swallowed water during breaks. So much for the olden days. The new guys are up-beat about the future. Gene told us they seek leadership qualities and individuals who can hack academics as well as the military aspects of "being a Midshipman first". I hate to take any credit for Gene's pitch, but I had just mentioned similar things Ben Martin '46 told me many years ago and the attitude we adopted when Captain "Bonzo" Perrich '47 USMC (Ret) tested us the first day back from summer leave in Aug. '54. After we responded to his "frying" every room by holding field day & squaring away immediately, Bonzo never missed a practice---the system does work. If you come across any quality high school football players, let the Athletic Dept. know! From Bart Fordham (16): Carolyn and I went to Lynn & Dan Shields' (16) house for the Army-Navy game last weekend, meeting my other roomie, Bob Smith (16) and his wife, Marilyn there also. We saw several other 55ers , but were sorry that Charlie Plumly and Pat Taylor and wives were unable to attend. Despite the horrors of another loss to Army, when it was almost a lock for Navy, we had a wonderful time. I am very glad to report that Dan has really improved since his second hip replacement and leg injury, caused when a chair collapsed on him some months ago. He's still hobbled by a cane, but is able to navigate around pretty good, can drive and get around much better than before. And he's playing the infirmity to the hilt ... Honey would you get me a drink. Honey can you get the paper, etc. etc. etc. I go in for a complete left knee replacement on Monday, Dec 14. My doctor is a joker, so I may end up with a rubber leg or something. I hope to be home about five or six days later, and then recovery begins. As a sole practitioner, I can assure you that my recovery will be nothing short of a miracle! The
bills continue, even if I am NOT making any money, so watch my smoke!For 1999, the Washington area social schedule is pretty much the same as last year.
Luncheons will be at Portofino Restaurant in Arlington on March 18, May 6, June 24,
August 26, October 21 and December 2. In addition, Ann & Wes Saunders will host a
crab picnic in July and Ray Hine is working up a golf program to begin in April. And we
will have our Homecoming Party at Busch's Chesapeake House following the Navy-Akron football game on October 23rd. Attendance by out-of-towners is an extremely welcome plus to these events, so plan ahead!
Conceptual planning for the 45th
Reunion: The dates of our 45th Reunion have changed. It will
now take place on October 26-29, 2000, an "off-Homecoming" weekend.
However, nothing else has changed. We still have booked the waterfront
Marriott Hotel in Annapolis as well as the Days Inn on Route 50.
And Washington area Classmates are still planning a great program.
More details will be provided later in Shipmate, via letter, and on the
'55 Net. We still have a long way to go - if you have any ideas, put
them on our Listserv or call Tom Kiefaber at (703) 759-7743 or another
Washington area Classmate.
| Class Membership for December 1998 is 63 Percent...........
Are you a member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association (15 non-graduates are!)? You can sign up by calling (410) 263-4448 x112 or 117. Annual dues are $30.00 or $410.00 for lifetime membership (paid in quarterly installments). Or indicate your interest to me and I'll have USNAAA send you an application. You'll find SHIPMATE has vastly improved. Tom K. Note: Please contact USNA Alumni Services office at 410-263-4448 x112 or achamber@arctic.nadn.navy.mil to update your address if you are a member of the USNAAA and not getting Shipmate. If you are not a Naval Academy alumnus, but would like to subscribe to Shipmate, please contact the phone number/email address above or click on Subscription Form. Your Webmaster |
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