1936
According to the Dartmouth War Record published in the August issue of this MAGAZINE, 256 men from '36 are now wearing the uniforms of their country and 5 men from our class have already given their lives. At this time I would like to act as a clearing house and send a wah-whowah to each of those 256 men from all the rest of us on the home front and once again pay a fitting tribute by all of '36 to the memory of Dick Huerth, Ken Robinson, John Schulz, Steve Smith, and Charlie Stern.
As this column is being written, the Allies are moving into Italy, and although the whereabouts of the Americans at the
moment remains a guessing game, it is entirely possible that wherever they are that Don Erion is right there. A letter from him to Hanover dated June 21, 1943, indicated that he had seen plenty of action in the Tunisian campaign and was in on the victory at Bizerte, among other places. Don had the unique experience of reading one morning in the "Stars and Stripes" that Donald W. Jr. was born on June 8, in Nashua, N. H.. and due to the mail situation it was the first he had heard about the big event.
Norb Hofman is still at Ft. Knox, but has run into tough luck from the start. He has been hospitalized twice and in each case for broken ribs received in training. He is now on the road back and by the time this reaches you should be again in active training. Norb recently received a very interesting letter from Dick Hefler who is now a lieutenant (jg) and is an officer aboard one of our aircraft carriers. One of his jobs is acting as censor and he didn't play any favorites with his own letter. Like many of the rest of us, the real stories will have to wait for awhile longer.
More news comes from North Africa in a letter from Capt. Dick Crosby. He has been there since the beginning of the year and has spent considerable time at the front. He also mentioned that he ran into Warren Davis out there. Dick also passes on the news that Sam Morse, who is in the Air Corps, has had his first book published, with the introduction being written by well known Wallace Stevens. Another one of the class in North Africa is Tommy Thompson.
News from Ross Woodbridge that he is now training as an Asst. Field Director for the Red Cross after six and one-half years at Station WHEC, Rochester, as an announcer and publicity director. Ross also reports the arrival of a daughter, Martha, on April 15, 1943, and receipt of a letter from Bruce Smith who is an M.D. with a Marine outfit in the South Pacific.
Bob Morris was in town recently for a short spell and has finished his basic training at Military Police Replacement Center at Ft. Custer, Mich., and is now waiting to go to OCS. In the meantime he is acting as Cadre for a new group of civilians being transformed into soldiers. Bob reports seeing Chet Young who is now a 2nd Lt. in Chemical Warfare, but assigned to the M.P.'s to teach gas warfare.
Ray Builter recently received his gold bar after graduating from OCS at Ft. Sill, Okla. Capt. Gage Aborn is now at Spence Air Field, Ga., at the advanced flying school.
A recent AP dispatch from New Guinea carried the interesting story of the formation of a jive band known as "Cap'n Portmore's Hepcats" or the "Fightin'est, Flyingest Swing Band in Uncle Sam's Armed Forces." I guess we all remember Gil's trumpet playing at school and later with Bob Crosby, and can well understand his solid sending with his band on the ground and with those planes in the air.
Bob Prentice's wife comes through with an interesting letter, and on July 1 he was made a sergeant while at Ft. Riley, Kan. He left there on July 31 to go to OCS in the Transportation Corps in New Orleans.
Vital statistics for the month: Marriage of Elizabeth Jane Becker of Washington to Maj. Ted Whitmore on June 26 in Washington, with Ben Moyer as one of the ushers .... marriage of Janet Lee Bickford of Forest Hills to George Beyer on June 26, at Forest Hills .... marriage of Virginia Sweet to Ens. Russ Hurd on July 30 at Utica, N. Y. . . . . marriage of Nina Mahaffey to Fred Varney of the Air Corps on August 3, at Sabinal, Texas .... marriage of Helen Frances Campbell to Lt. Connie Wickham on August 22 at Bala, Pa arrival of Joan Gibney at Al and Eloise Gibney's on July 24.
Ten years ago this month: '36 struts around Hanover as gay young sophomores and becomes the first class in many years to win the football rush as freshman and as sophomores .... fraternity rushing starts in earnest .... sampling of food at Ma Smalley's and other eating clubs with Commons left behind .... etc
In closing yours truly has two requests first, as Secretary, keep sending in the news and how about some pictures; and second, as treasurer, don't forget that check for your dues and your contribution to the Memorial Fund.
NORB HOFMAN '36, former secretary-chairman of the Class of 1 936, and his wife Adelaide, who is a loyal Dartmouth supporter.
Acting-Secretary and Treasurer, Bank of New York 48 Wall St., New York, N. Y.
