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Some words from Class Prez, Denny Sullivan (13):

We had a meeting of the 45th Reunion Committeee on September 21 to
finalize plans for our October 2000 gathering.  The dates are October 26-
29 and detailed info has been sent out by email to those on the net.  And a
letter should be in the hands of all classmates prior to the Christmas break.

A report on the Washington DC crowd is in order:  Tony Bracken (20)
has purchased a new 26 foot pontoon boat to tool around in on Lake
Bancroft next to their home in Falls Church. (PHOTO #3, "Pontoon Boat
Captain"; PHOTO #4, "The Brackens enjoying their new toy"; PHOTO
#5, "The cocktail pennant is up!")    I was a guest for a dinner cruise a few
weeks ago along with Ray Hine (20) and his friend Virginia Wyman.  I can
report that the boat is a true Cadillac of pontoon boats - naugahyde seats,
carpeted deck, icebox and all the other goodies.  Tony and Martha are
enjoying retirement, but the problem is getting Tony off the golf course.
Maybe after the first snowfall.

The golf program in the Washington area continues to be a big hit with 3
or 4 foursomes turning out every month.  Tony Bracken, Ray Hine, Joe
Chmelik (22), and Lucy Mustin continue to take honors every outing, but
Hank Mustin (12) is creeping up on them.  We are pointing toward our
challenge match with the Class of '57 on Septemer 15th.  A recent outing
was hosted by Dutch Schultz (24) at his Mount Vernon CC in Alexandria.
We discovered that the club manager is Cory Taylor, son of Pat Taylor
(16).  Cory joined us for a few stories and some laughs, and he appears to
enjoy his job. (PHOTO #6, "Hine, Harper & Bracken checking score
cards"; PHOTO #7, "Dick Morgan & Dutch Schultz", PHOTO #8, Tony
Bracken & John Adams")

I was wandering around the Army-Navy CC a few weeks ago and looked
in on some plumbing repairs being made near the swimming pool.
Supervising (and shoveling too) was Classmate John Gallagher (19) who
had spent years in the construction business before turning it over to his
son.  John lives in Annandale and is doing well, and promised to become
more active in local class activities.

Another accidental sighting took place in Rehobeth Beach, DE.  Dan
Peckham (02) was sheparding his daughter and grandchildren around an
amusement park off the boardwalk.  Dan is fully retired, has remarried and
remains in the Silver Spring MD area.

During the same trip, I had dinner with  Judy & Bill Manthorpe (13).
They have a lovely new home in a country club community in Rehobeth
Beach.  Judy designed the house to her specs and Bill supervised
construction when he could spare time from his teaching.  Their new
address is: 130 East Side Dr., Rehobeth Beach DE 19971, phone (302)
226-1144.  Bill asks that any Classmate passing through give them a call.

This year's '55 Leadership Award presenter, Charley Plumly (16) received a very nice
letter from Ray P. Donahue, Jr. '74, Capt USN, Commanding Officer, USS LEYTE GULF
(CG 55):

Your Cruiser, USS LEYTE GULF (CG 55), is now past the halfway point of
our deployment.  We've spent 77 of the first 90 days deployed at sea,
conducting operations in the Adriatic Sea and now the Arabian Gulf.  As
Air Defense Commander for Maritime Forces supporting Operation Allied
Force/Noble Anvil in Kosovo, LEYTE GULF provided a seamless web of
coverage for multi-national surface units operating in the Adriatic and
Ionian Seas.  The ship was tasked with positively identifying every aircraft
flying in and out of the region, sifting through over 1000 daily NATO
combat sorties into the former Republic of Yugoslavia.  LEYTE GULF also
spearheaded the naval element of a multi-force, multi-nation data link that
exchanged real-time information between 32 surface units, airborne early
warning aircraft, and 100 Command Centers worldwide.

LEYTE GULF's strike warfare team performed exceptionally well,
responding to short notice Tomahawk mission tasking several times with
professionalism and accuracy.  Tactical innovations originated in LEYTE
GULF, and other THEODORE ROOSEVELT Battle Group ships, will change
how Tomahawk missiles will be used in the future.  We're proud to know
that our role in Operation Allied Force made a difference leading to peace.

When off station, the ship has visited Bari and Genoa, Italy; Villefranche,
France; and Palma de Mallorca, Spain.  Sailors were particularly pleased
with the liberty offered in and around Villefranche and Palma.  Both places
saw crewmembers enjoying fun in the sun.  Villefranche, a quaint town
situated between Monaco and Nice on the French Riviera, was once the
homeport for the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean.  It provided an
interesting look at life for our Navy in the early 1960's.  Villefranche is also
the home of Sean Connery, Elton John, Tina Turner, and a host of other
celebrities, so our "Star Gazers" were always on alert.

LEYTE GULF has now shifted theaters and transited the Suez Canal with
USS THEODORE ROOSEVELT (CVN 71) on 9 July.  We are on station in the
Arabian Gulf continuing our duties as Air Defense Commander and carrier
escort.  The Carrier Airwing is flying missions in Southern Iraq supporting
U.N. mandates.  We're staying close by and making sure that no one
challenges our right to be there.  We expect to be relieved in the Arabian
Gulf in late August and return to the Mediterranean for our last port visit in
early September.  All of our courses then point toward home and a return
to Norfolk, VA on 24 September.

All of us onboard appreciate your support and look forward to seeing you
upon our return.

San Diego area '55ers enjoyed a luau Tuesday evening, 24 August at the Jamaica Village Clubhouse in the Coronado Cays.  The camaraderie was most gratifying.  A beautiful evening capped off the occasion. Attending were: Nancy & Paul Abernethy (06), Teri & Tom Boucher (07), Vern Carlson (08), Lynne & Ned Floyd (18), Sandy & Chuck Henry (01), Fran & Ken Highfill (03), Lavon & Dick Jones (10), Al Kozischek (02) and his friend Mary Ann Andersen, Penny & John Nyquist (16), Bob Price (06), Carol, the widow of Harry Schrader (13), Tom Shine (21) and his friend Pat Curley, Peggy & Hugh Webster (12), and Karen & Bob Weir (21).

Joe Clarkson (08) received an informative note from his company-mate Tom State (08):

Currently I'm in Spokane on a six month trial run for a possible PCS.  Just attended three important reunions -- grade school 54th, high school 50th, and a family centennial at Lake Chelan -- and all were outstanding!  Wife is warming up to the area, so I have hopes for the PCS.  We have a nice apartment with a good view, great neighbors and lots of old friends.  Thomas Wolfe said you can't go home again, but Thomas State may prove otherwise.  We are now in a full vacation mode, but I had been "on call" with TRW for the launch and ascent of the Chandra X-ray Telescope recently.  Chandra is now in its operational orbit and is undergoing checkout of its instruments.  I had headed a small group that developed the plans and procedures for Chandra operations in the shuttle, upper stage and transfer orbit phases.  Everything went very well and the science community, NASA and TRW are ecstatic.  This was my swan song for full-time assignments.  I'm too old to keep up the frantic pace in that arena, although I would like to keep my hand in the mix.  Thus, I am negotiating with TRW to conduct training courses in the fine art of spacecraft-launch vehicle integration, launch operations and flight operations.  Doing that a couple times a year (in the winter) would be ideal for me. I do get to Bellevue WA frequently.  If you are still in that neighborhood, I'll look you up on my next visit.  I always enjoy seeing and hearing from classmates and company mates.  I feel fortunate to have been associated with our great group.  Now that I am getting checked out on this computer it is easy to make contact.  Keep in touch.

Potpourri.  Mary Gale "MG" Buchanan informs that Dick Gaines (05) lives in the Jacksonville FL area and is playing "gigs" with his jazz combo, and doing fine with a new pacemaker.  Windy Gaines sent MG his latest tape. Heard from Ed "Sea Breeze" McHale (03): As you can see by the enclosed photos, we're having a great time on our '99 ventures. (PHOTO #9, "McHale's big catch!"; PHOTO #10, "The McHales with the Blue Angels")  The Blue Angels came to Mugu this Spring and we were their special guests.  In fact, they dedicated the entire show to us!  That's our buddy Dave Silkey (Slot Man) standing next to Celina.  I'm equally proud of this 25 lb. King salmon I caught in Olga Staits, north of Sitka during two glorious weeks aboard a friend's boat.  Now we're off to the Oahu North Shore for a couple of weeks with our new granddaughter, Megan Camille - pictures to follow.  Otto Zipf (15) reports: In July, Peggy and I spent two weeks in Switzerland to explore, and enjoy, tremendously, a narrow corridor of this small country from Zurich down to Interlaken and Bern, including Luzerne.  We stopped by the area in and around Altdorf to learn a bit about the legend of William Tell.  While staying in Luzerne for several days, we took a trip up to Pilatus, a "low" peak of 6,959 ft.  It was socked in badly, with visibility down to about 15 ft.  We'll try again on a future trip.  From Interlaken, we took two cog railways, starting at Grindelwald and ending at Jungfraujoch.  The enclosed picture shows Peggy and me at Jungfraujoch, the highest resort served by a rack railway at 11,401 ft. (PHOTO # 11, "Zipping down the Jungfrau")  It is called "The Top of Europe".  In the background is Jungfrau peak at 13,642 ft.  John DeZell (13) has an offer for any classmate who wants to embark on an exciting and rewarding new career - full or part-time.  He's hiring field representatives for the Royal Neighbors of America.  For those interested, give him a call at (877) 795-9707.

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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.

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