Summer, 2002

We start with another moment of sadness. This time it was the loss of Bill AYERS in early April. Bill’s passing hit home a little more because we were roommates for a semester, Third Class Year in 15th Squadron. Bill as a roommate showed me what it took to be successful—work at it! All semester long he challenged and pushed me, demanding that I do better—made the Deans List that semester and didn’t do it again until First Class year. The internment at Arlington Cemetery couldn’t take place until the morning of May 2nd. First time at Arlington for me and it was very impressive. Bud GILLIGAN kept us all informed about the time and location. He also made sure a wreath from the Class was there. On the morning of the ceremony it was gloomy and raining hard and typically, I didn’t have a raincoat or umbrella. The concierge at my hotel gave me an umbrella that helped on the walk from the Metro Station to the Visitor’s Center. At the meeting place, a goodly number of our classmates were assembled there: Dean HESS, Harry WILSON, Bob HALL, Barry WALRATH, Jim ALLBURN, Pete OGNIBENE, Steve DOTSON and Dick TROY—down from Pennsylvania. Representing the 15th Squadron was Bud of course, Dick GUILD, Warren NOGAKI (all the way from California), and Ed PICKENS. To begin with, we walked behind the caisson to the gravesite where a gravesite ceremony was held. The rain had stopped by then and the sky lightened up.

Thanks to Bud for keeping us updated letting us all know what was going to happen—not to mention the wreath. After the ceremony, those of us who could went back to my hotel, had some coffee (still morning) and swapped stories of Bill plus the usual catching up on what was going on in our lives. It is fascinating how we can just pick up on things with each other like we have not been apart from one another for years. One point we all agreed on was the Class 40th Reunion in 2003. Everyone I talk to is looking forward to getting back together in Colorado Springs.

On that subject, here is a note from the “Pres”--Jim DIFFENDORFER: “Greetings. Butch VERDIER has stepped forward and is handling 40th Reunion planning. Faced with only five home games in 2003; two of them not close to scheduling, and two being Homecoming and Parents Weekend - both off limits for class reunions, we have decided to venture into November for the Army game. That will be Nov 5-9, 2003 (Army game, Sat Nov 8). Hotel reservations are becoming scarce also. Butch is working on the Wyndham (formerly the Marriott) for our "headquarters". Hey, it's supposed to be cold and windy and snowy and .... whatever for football, right? Actually, I think our chances of a good weather weekend are only slightly less in early November. This is one of those Reunions ending in a "zero", so let's pull together for a great weekend. I'd like to lay out a challenge to everyone. If you attended the 35th (a great event!) and your First Class roommate was NOT there, take it upon yourself to insure he attends the 40th! Make that a priority in the next year, OK? BEAT ARMY!! Diff

So far, it looks as though Butch’s team includes Bob HAYES and Jimmie BUTLER (emeritus). As we get closer to November 2003 you will be able to get the latest Reunion details and “hot poop” by going to the Class Web Site. By the time I get the data and put it in this column it will no longer be “hot”. URL for the Web Site is http://www.usafa63.org/ <../>. If you have any suggestions or inputs on the proceedings please don’t hesitate to let the guys know your thoughts.

You can contact Butch at pcverdier@juno.com <mailto:pcverdier@juno.com> and Bob at BCAHayes@kktv.com <mailto:BCAHayes@kktv.com>. Be assured Butch or Bob will get right back to you. At this moment, the important thing to remember is November 5-9, 2003. Block out your schedules for then! Fred BAUER sent an e-mail last month asking for the Reunion dates. He was already working on his 2003 calendar—now that is advanced planning! Fred’s e-mail address is EagleBbear@aol.com <mailto:EagleBbear@aol.com>.

Every now and then we hear of a good idea. Here’s one that might help increase attendance at the Reunion: each of us should contact our First Class Roommates and let them know we are looking forward to seeing them at the Reunion in November 2003. Good idea, give it a try!

If you recall from last time there was some mention of us connecting with the Class of 2003. There does seem to be some agreement that our class should consider doing something (formally) at the graduation of the Class of 2003. The reasoning goes like this: not only are they the 40th class to graduate since we graduated but they may also be considered as Kin—that means for us Kentuckians they are family because their class color is Yellow—oops, Gold. The 50th Class—2013 will be Grey Tags not Yellow Tags. If my finger calculator is accurate, the Yellow Tags come around again in ’07, ’11, 15, ’19, and then 2023 (60th Class for us). Obviously we should be at that graduation as well. Anyway, the idea was put to Diff and he is working on it.

Roger SIMS called, just before he was leaving for the hospital to undergo multiple (quadruple the man says) heart by-pass surgery. He called of all things to tell me my suggestion about retirement in the last version of the Class News should be more of an action item—he told me to just do it! I checked in on Roger yesterday and he is out of the hospital and trying to catch up on his bills and doing all right. Can you believe it? After all Roger has been through these past few years to have this come up and no symptoms to boot, the doctors found this problem. I tell you, Roger has taken a lot of hits—maybe he is one of those guys who sets the average and paves the way for the rest of us.

Around the 5th of June my e-mail inbox started receiving notes reflecting on our 39th graduation ceremony. Maybe some of you tend to look at that subject from a slightly different perspective—you’ve heard this before? We first got together as a class June 26, 1959. So, that makes Wednesday, June 26th 2002, next week as I write this, to be our 43rd anniversary as a Class. It was fun hearing from the likes of Andy NASSIR and new “Gramps,” John NEHRING. Thanks for the reminder.

Back in March—too late to make the last issue--Frank PORTER announced that he and Rose were headed back to Germany this spring to teach in the Heidelberg District. While most of us are either retired or talking retirement, Frank and Rose are still teaching and looking forward to more. They were both happy teaching in Florida when they decided there wasn’t enough adventure in their lives. So, they packed up and went back overseas to Okinawa. Sold their home and one car, put the other car in storage, and returned to teaching school with the Department of Defense Dependent School system in Okinawa. Rose taught on a Marine base and Frank at Kadena Air Base. They have been trying to get back to Germany, where they were stationed for many years before returning to the states. Success! Frank says that at this point he anticipates working for another five years or so. He and Rose are in the process of purchasing a condominium on the beach in Northwest Florida so they have a place to park during the months they are out of school. Meanwhile, they are still traveling--this year to Thailand, Cambodia, Singapore, Hong Kong, and Taiwan. They also made it to Hawaii for spring break reliving the time they were married at Fort DeRussy, across from the Hale Koa, twenty-one years ago. In that time they have accumulated a family and have three grandsons to enjoy.

Left to right is Rex Ramsey (Aussie FAC), Jimmie BUTLER (Nail FAC), and Dick SLOWIK (Bart FAC) at the 10-14 April, 2002 FAC Reunion in Hawaii. Roughly, 240 signed up to attend. Next reunion possibly in San Antonio in two years.

Dick Slowik was nice enough to send a report on the FAC reunion. To start with, the fact that most attended a luau, went on several island tours, a nighttime cruise on a large ship, and got to stay in a pretty nice hotel on the Pacific Ocean, made this a very attractive reunion. On the negative side, the last one was held in Florida and around 700 attended. Our speaker was a four-star and an ex-FAC. We dedicated a FAC memorial in the Punchbowl that everybody in attendance was highly proud of, and the ceremony was terrific. Have some more movement toward finishing the FAC history book by maybe next year. Thanks to Dick for the update.

Quick Notes: Bill SIMPSON sent an update to the AOG that included his e-mail address bill.simpson@suspfz.com <mailto:bill.simpson@suspfz.com> and his new job title: President and CEO, Susquehanna Pfaltzgraff Co.

Dr. MAZET sent the next photograph of himself with Ed REISDORF and Olga Korbut. Yep, that Olga Korbut. If you recall, Olga dazzled the world of women’s gymnastics with her performances at the 1972 and 1976 Olympics winning a total of four gold and two silver medals. Bob says he recently hosted Olga and her husband Alex while she was conducting some gymnastics clinics in Scottsdale. Bob also included his new e-mail address: bobmazet@cox.net <mailto:bobmazet@cox.net>. The really good-looking guy on the far right of the picture is George (one of Bob’s Boxer).

<< Will Insert Photograph Here when received>>

Ed, Olga, Bob and George

Note: photograph is in the mail

That’s it for this time. Have already exceeded the word length—thanks to your great inputs—and as usual, this effort is at least a day late for submitting the copy to the AOG. Hope this version of the Class News will find all of you enjoying a great summer and looking forward to some Football! Take care.