Class News: 1963 June 2008

We recently learned from the AOG that our classmate Col (Ret) John A Nehring died unexpectedly from a pulmonary embolism on Wednesday, March 19th, 2008. Services for John were held in Colorado Spring on 14 April at the Bethany Lutheran Church. Jim Gaston, Drue Deberry, Jimmie Butler, Denny King, Jim Hauser and Ev Vaughn represented the Class of 1963 at the service. The family has asked that in lieu of flowers, memorial donations be made to any Air Force Academy related endeavor or the Disabled American Veterans: DAV, PO Box 14301, Cincinnati, Ohio 45250-0301. You can also go to www.DAV.org. Condolences may be sent to his family in care of his son, Mr. Jonathan W. Nehring, at 917 9th Ave, Helena, Montana 59601

In the March edition of Checkpoints, the AOG reported our classmate, James A Manuel, died on August 2nd, 2005. Bill Ball tells me that this information came to the AOG because of their returned mail. To date they have had no luck contacting the family. So, we may be able to help through the “Class News.” If any of you may have known him well enough to help clear the air, confirm his death, and write a Gone but Not Forgotten for a Checkpoints article it would be much appreciated. The reunion committee, according to Bill, is planning to turn Jim’s cup at the reunion using the information the AOG has if it proves correct.

And, speaking of the reunion, our 45th Reunion progress can be followed on either the Class Web Site (www.usafa63.org/) or the AOG Web Site (www.usafa.org). If you haven’t yet made arrangements for Colorado Springs in October do not delay! Now is the time. For hotel reservations at the Colorado Springs Marriott, contact the hotel on-line (thru the AOG Web Site) or telephone Michel Chiroux at (719)268-4215. Don’t forget to let them know you are with the USAFA ’63 Reunion to receive the negotiated $119 room rate (the same rate applies for 3 days prior and 3 days subsequent to the reunion dates of 1-5 October). Also, and this is important, keep watch at the AOG Web Site for reunion event sign-up. Formal sign up for reunion activities will not begin before 1 June. This will include ordering merchandise, purchasing football and tailgate tickets, paying golf tournament fees, dining with the cadets at Mitchell Hall and dining with the class on Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings. Everything will be noted and paid for on line. Not internet you say? Well, contact Corrie Grubbs at the AOG (719)472-0300, ext 105 and she will mail the necessary forms.

Drue Deberry continues to look for inputs and ideas regarding a class gift. More likely it will be something we identify before or during our 45th reunion and would have in place by our 50th. Part of a class gift could be an endowment for the Cups. Diff’s message included with the reunion mailing sent in March listed the various options the Cup Committee is considering and will be presented/discussed during the 45th Reunion Business Meeting.

One final word about the reunion; I have been thinking about those classmates who have not shown up at one of these every five year affairs. Some, I am sure, have never been back to the Academy since June 1963. Here is a suggestion for you: if you know one of these classmates and you are able to contact them, make a call or write a note and ask them to come to Colorado this October. Who knows, maybe they are just waiting for one of us to let them know it is important to us to get back together again.

Bill Wecker suggested we might be interested in a new charitable foundation supporting the Academy called USAFA Endowment Inc. Do take a look by going to www.usafaendowment.org. You will be impressed. Bill is on the Foundation Board of Directors as the Treasurer and serves on the Board along with our classmates John M. Fox and William H. Simpson. Your Comments are welcome.

As reported last time Doug Hardgrave celebrated his 70th Birthday at what obviously was a three day bash in Atlanta with some of his many friends. The whole thing kicked off on Thursday night, March 13th, with a dinner for the out-of-towners at a local restaurant. Friday was a golf outing followed by dinner and Saturday night was the party! Doug was clearly very gratified with the turnout—great friends & family he says. The precedent is set and now Doug is looking forward to many classmates’ 70th birthday celebrations.

Zoomies partying with Doug: L to R, Front row, Fred Frostic, Bud Gilligan; row 2, Ed Pickens, Doug, Gary Saban; row 3, Dave Skilling, Jim Hannam, Dick Guild; row 4, Hank Hoffman, Jeff Heal.

Lucky Ekman sent a note written in long hand via the US Postal Service telling us about the wonderful time he and Kaye had while vacationing at Ed Reisdorf’s Los Cabos Golf Resort. Lucky says “Ed has created something unique, even for Cabo San Lucas. It’s a great place to vacation, even if you’ve parked your golf clubs, as I did long ago. We’d go back in a heartbeat, for the desert beauty, the resort ambiance, and the whale-watching. In fact, we’re plotting how we might get the whole family there during whale calving season next year. But the best part was spending time with Ed who happened to be there, supervising his domain the week we were there, TDY from his permanent home in Scottsdale.”

Ed and Lucky in Cabo

Bob Mazet hosted Art Johnson for an evening in late April. Art was in Phoenix, visiting a relative during his annual spring tour of the USA from his home outside Dallas. He stayed with Bob one night and they went out to dinner with Ed Reisdorf and Tom Derieg. In March, Bob and Ralph Wetterhahn were both guest speakers at the annual C.J.A.A. (Classic Jet Association of America) Convention for owners of jet war birds the weekend of March 13-15, at Kirtland AFB, NM. Bob spoke to the group Friday evening and showed 50 minutes of film (now on DVD) that he brought back from his second combat tour at Ubon, in the 8th Tactical Fighter Wing. Bob says the “Wolf Pack” was under the command of Robin Olds when he first arrived. Ralph spoke Saturday evening about Robin Olds for about ten minutes and then about his adventures as an aircraft archeologist and accident investigator.

Robin Olds is and will always be a favorite subject of many of our classmates but especially, since his death last June. Even I, an old multi-engine guy, loved Robin’s announcement, when commanding the 8th, he proclaimed that “Peace is not our profession.” He once tried to explain to me that the peace symbol worn by hippies was derived from the Nuclear Safety Symbol. I believe it. In mid-April e-mails were flying around talking about a project proposal involving Robin and possibly funded by the Class of 1963. The proposal calls for the construction and display of a replica of an alleged Robin Olds "Break In Case of War" glass case purportedly found in the halls of the Pentagon. The idea was introduced and is being investigated by Gary West and Joe Lee Burns. According to Joe Lee, the idea is Gary’s; Joe Lee is just the messenger. He wrote that “the project has to be top drawer. He wants to do a life-sized wax figure of Robin, probably sitting in a plain chair like an alert facility, dressed in flight suit, boots, G-suit, survival vest, harness, gloves, overseas hat and mustache, completely encased in glass, with "Break . . . ." sign and small mallet or ax. It would be placed in the Alumni Hall (or another suitable location) at the Zoo.”

To close, Chuck Bush’s talented daughter, Bettina, will be performing for the Cadet Wing on the 21st of May. Bettina expressed an interest in doing a Benefit Concert at USAFA, with proceeds going to minority Cadet Recruitment. She will perform at Cadet Festival scheduled in the late afternoon and evening of the 21st, in the Spirit Hill area.

Ok, that is it for this time. Please take care of your reunion arrangements as quickly as you can. We are looking forward to seeing you in October.

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