1919*
Yes, that's Larry Lougee, with "full field pack"—which, as described in his letter of May 18 from Camp Roberts, California, "consists of about everything I own.
On my back are a blanket, shelter tent, pole, rope, stakes, towel, shaving equipment, tooth brush and paste, clean underwear, socks, mess kit, raincoat, trench shovel, bayonet, canteen, cartridge belt, first aid kit, gas mask and rifle. I forgot to put the stove on! We get up at 6 A.M. every morning and are on our way out to the rifle .range long before the sun comes up. I often think of you folks back east who are in your offices at that time (3 hours difference). It takes us an hour to march out to the range and by 7:30 A.M. the first targets are up. We take turns in the pits and have classes in between firing. Lunch is always in the field and our rolling kitchens are a most welcome sight when they come clambering through the dust to our position. Right now we are firing the .30 cal. Springfield and will progress to the Garrand and Browning.
"This week starts my 5th week of basic training and we've 8 more to go before being regarded as fully trained infantry. It really is a most pleasant existence—good food, plenty of sleep, and a nice bunch of fellows in this Company. They are nearly all college men from every part of the country. Our 2nd Lieutenant is a Princeton '36 man and I'm sorry we don't have a better football record during the past few years to needle him about. I wish he was Harvard.
"Speaking of needles—every Monday I get two needle injections—one tetanus and one typhoid. I've had so many of them that I feel like a walking sieve. The typhoid shots give me a fever, and as I write this I keep having chills and will shortly turn in so as to feel O.K. in the morning.
"There are many Dartmouth men out here—nearly all assigned to the ski troops. We had a group picture taken for Sid Hayward a few weeks back so probably it will appear before long in the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. I understand that a big group from the present graduating class is headed this way too.
"Although this training is pretty rugged, I find it is not too tough for an "old man" who has been lucky enough to take canoe trips and skiing weekends as often as possible. This living in the out-of-doors from morning till night fulfills a secret ambition I have had for years. I used to think it might crop out sometime in the form of a 4-months' canoe trip down the McKenzie River to the Arctic Ocean —but this substitute (at $21.00 per month) will have to do for the present. I'll unqualifiedly recommend the life of an infantry private for any '29er who feels that he'd like to get the kinks out of his muscles. A 15-mile hike with full field equipment will do the trick!"
From the Navy Yard, Mare Island, California, Lt. (j.g.) Bill Keyes reports that he's pretty well squared away but still working and hoping to get to sea eventually. Once in a while he gets into town (Mare Island is in the far north corner of San Francisco Bay about 30 miles from the City), and recently spent a week-end with Polly Parrott and his family—"a delightful wife, a daughter who will before long bowl them over, and an honest-to-God boy. House-wise he is also well off with a charming spot in Burlingame down on the Peninsula."
Other recruits recently heard from are: Lt. Shep Stone, who broke bread with Herm Liss and me in Boston the other day. He apparently is in Army Intelligence, though being discreet he would not commit himself. Dick Johnson is a Lieutenant (j.g.), training at Great Lakes to be a gunnery officer, Armed Merchant Marine. BobSparks is a Lieutenant in the Army, destined for Maxwell Field, Ala. Bob leaves a 13-year job with Goodyear, the last three years as branch manager at Bridgeport, Conn. More important, he leaves a wife and two little girls, Sonia, 4, and Nan, 9 months. And Cris Born (A.U.S.) is flying all over the country, out of Maxwell Field, architecting Army airports and training fields. Down at Dale Mabry Field, Tallahassee, Ellie Cavanagh has been promoted from Lieutenant to Captain. An effort will be made during the coming months to get word from the many others in the service.
Herb Ball has left his Washington job with Defense Plants Corporation and is now travelling the country as special assistant to the president of Fansteel Metallurgical Corporation, North Chicago, engaged 100% in the production of vital war materials used in the manufacture of electrical equipment, and known most favorably for its research and development of tantalum. It seems that Herb was representing the Defense Plants Corporation in negotiations with Fansteel over a proposed plant expansion program and that after the business was concluded he was invited to join Fansteel's organization. In Herb's travels he recently visited a machine tool plant in Ohio and was agreeably surprised to discover that the plants manager who was responsible for its fine record of performance was Wally Bergstrom. Herb says that back in Washington Defense Plants Corporation is still in good hands, Marv Braverman having transferred there from R.F.C.
Washington's '29 contingent continues to grow. The latest member is Hank Stein who has been with the Legal Division of the OPA since April. Working with the Paper & Paper Products Branch, Hank spent the month of May crisscrossing the country addressing meetings of paper merchants explaining the General Maximum Price Regulation. He reports finding Frank Weeks and Bart Stoodley in Washington, both Lieutenants in the Navy. Another OPA man is Dud Orr who has become chief counsel for the New Hampshire Administrator.
Carl Spaeth is in Montevideo as American representative to the permanent organization set up by the Pan American Conference.
Jim Hodson was appointed Judge of the Seattle Municipal Court, April 3, resigning as counsel for the Washington Railroad Association. He fills the unexpired term of his predecessor, recently elected Mayor, and will have to run for re-election this fall.
Captain Nick Vincent of the 38th General Hospital Unit, Camp Bowie, Texas, married Joyce Frances Hinkle of Verona, N. J., May 19.
Al Starrett announces a son, David Austin, born March 30. Al is an assistant professor at Georgia Tech where he has been since 1935. But the Army Signal Corps has approached him and he may be on his way.
Bill Davenport's first offspring arrived May 11: Linda Reiver, 5 lbs. 8 oz., and Marcia Hills, 5 lbs. 14 oz. Bill says everything's fine. It must be that California climate.
And here's the way the Gates do things: "ROBERT DOUGLAS CATE The Cates, Bob and Lee Are shouting with joy Announcing with glee The birth of a boy At quarter to eight On April eleven. The young fellow's weight Was just over seven. We've named him Robert Douglas Cate. We'll call him Robin while he's young. For his arrival on this date Announced to us that Spring had come. We spread the news proudly, We call the news loudly On April eleven Three quarters past seven A rollicking baby (As President, maybe) Arrived with bells ringing, The populace singing. Port Washington, N. Y. April 11, 1942."
Van Jamieson hasn't the final returns on the Fund yet, but tentative figures are very gratifying he says. The quota is within reach. Good job, boys. [The Alumni Fund's preliminary report is elsewhere in this is- sue.—Ed.]
Larry Lougee '29, shown in the field dur-ing his USA basic training.
Secretary, 75 Federal St., Boston, Mass.
