1917
The 1917 Hats Off Department suggests remaining uncovered a little longer than usual this month, word of several well-deserved promotions having been received.
Ed Langmead USAAC writes that he is now a colonel of the General Staff Corps assigned to duty with the Chief of the Army Air Forces. This sounds pretty topflight in the life of a flying officer of long standing, but Ed makes it easy by explaining that:
"Actually, I am a Senior War Department Clerk, one of those fellows who spends half his time writing staff studies (usually long hand) which some other clerk tears up. The remaining half of his time he devotes to tearing up staff studies prepared by his fellow clerks. Meanwhile, the people in the field go on with the war business and do just about as they dam please."
As you will recall, Ed was one of the more foresighted who stayed in the service after the last fracas. From the few reports meanwhile, we judge that he has attained his present commission the hard way and is preeminently qualified. More power to Col. Ed.
Comdr. Sam White and Comdr. Bart Shackford have been elevated from lieutenant commanders since the last writing and therewith merit our enthusiastic congratulations. Sam writes from Kodiak, Alaska, "My family is in Seattle which is next door neighbor to Alaska, so I get pretty up-to-date news from home even if I can't get there."
Bart sent his photograph as evidence and says that while there is nothing startling to report, "Scuttle-butt around the Long Beach (Cal.) Naval Dispensary has it that my next letter will be from somewhere else such as "Care of Postmaster, San Francisco," which may mean so little, or so much. I have been on duty here in the old home town for fifteen months, and that kind of luck can't last forever. Am still carrying on as lab director of various hospitals around here, which, with the regular Navy work, is enough." Bart has not had the chance to run over to Corona to see Walt Walters and congratulate him on his promotion, but hopes to soon. Bart's son is in Alaska with the Coast Guard.
Another old compaigner to be saluted is John Young. Jim Durkee writes that John is back in the service as a captain of field artillery at Camp Callan, Cal. At the risk of embarrassing him we might remind you that John finished up our graduation war as a captain, possessor of Croix de Guerre with palm and having twice been recommended for the D. S. C. and once for the D. C. M. Best of luck in this one, John.
The New York Alumni meeting in mid-March brought out sixteen '17ers, thanks in part no doubt to the efforts of rounder-upper Tom Cotton. They were Don Brooks, Tom Cotton, Arch Earle, Summy Emerson, Pop Ford, Capt. Hal Ingersoll, Karl Koeniger, Rudie Miller, Elliot Mudgett, Len Reade, Sam Saline, Len Shea, Art Stout, Maj. Gil Swett, Gene Towler and Ves Whiton. Arch regaled the Alumni with Dartmouth and spring hum songs at the piano.
It was the first time in years that several had had the chance of visiting with Hal Ingersoll. He was graduated from an Army Air Forces' School in Pennsylvania, where Capt. Ray Collerd is a member of the staff, and is now a member of the Anti-sub Command in New York. Ray himself was in New York the preceding week, talked with some of the boys over the 'phone, but was unable to break away from official duties either for face to face reuning or for the Alumni meeting. Maj. Gil Swett is now at Headquarters, First Air Force, Mitchell Field, N. Y„ on General Chaney's staff. Gil says the General is tops, his associates a fine crowd, and his work necessary but far from glamorous. Gene Towler reported Gil as looking ruddy and perfectly fit.
Capt. Gerald Shattuck USN is in the southwest Pacific, but there has been no news from him for several months.
Maj. Hal Bidwell was transferred last August to 27th Air Base Headquarters, Bowman Field, Kentucky. Bid says there is not much to tell about his particular job more than that it is a staff assignment and that he is inside during all his office hours. Modest folks, these Army officers. But the world is all right, because his good wife is in Kentucky with Bid.
HARD WORK
From Camp Hood, Texas, Capt. Arch Gile says:
"This war ain't so hot, or else I'm getting old myself. There were days (and nights) in the other one when we had fun. I've been here over three months and have been away from Camp one night in that time. We did go quail shooting that weekend. Had a grand pointer dog and it was a perfect day, so two of us got eighteen quail. Other than that it is just hard work. I'm on the General Staff, Assistant to the Assistant Chief of Staff, and it's just hard office work. I am so damned tired at night (we work four out of seven) that all I want is to crawl into bed. I don't know much about staff work but the Colonel does, and is a peach to work for if he thinks you are trying, and the Lord knows I am. I'm hopeful of a change, but I am in for the duration and six months so will quite likely do as I am told."
Major Bill Fitch would like to get where the shooting begins:
"After several pleas I have finally obtained assent to be released for foreign service before the year is out. Meanwhile, I have been placed in charge of the Aviation Cadet section of General Arnold's staff which means that, with the help of a hundred or so officers and civilians, I have to procure and send to training enough boys to clean out the Jerrys and the Japs and man the new bombers we've got coming, which will make the B-17'S look like midgets." Bill had seen only Ralph Britton and Col. Hal Halloran until recently when Frank Lagay dropped in to see him, but he sent no details on Frank.
Summy Emerson attended the Dartmouth-Columbia basketball game not so long ago and saw the old basketballer himself, Elliot Mudgett, there cheering lustily for freshman forward Brindley from Mudge's home town of Rockville Centre. Judging from Brindley's record thereafter, Mudge's enthusiasm was well placed.
Hal Clarke attended a Chicago Dartmouth undergraduate luncheon recently and was surprised to find himself the oldest alumnus present. We hope Hal really played the role and gave the boys sage advice as well as spun yarns of the good old days.
One Saturday afternoon not long since in the Quiz Program between the acts of "Aida" by Metropolitan Opera, Sam MacKillop heard a group of questions posed from the pen of one "E. E. Smith of Springfield, Mass." Rather than leave the matter hanging so indefinitely, we wrote Ed on the subject and received his prompt acknowledgement that the questions were his. "And I haven't yet got over my surprise at hearing them read over the air." He adds that he is "still teaching at the Classical High School here, still have a couple of text books that occasionally sell a few copies, and still don't quite get around to writing any more. And now I am teaching more Spanish than English, just as I was in 1917 and for the same reason, which would certainly amuse 'Red' Green if he could know it."
Vic Smith, like Sherm, tolerates no limits in his loyalty. Whereas Sherm's number plates (which never did get to our Silver Jubilee) bore the registration, "D-1917," Vic's Philadelphia address is 1717 Sansom Street. Even his telephone, Rittenhouse 3117, carries the distinction. On a recent trip to Chicago, Vic spent a Sunday afternoon reuning with Hal Clarke, talked with Paul Soule on the 'phone, and had a lunch with Baldy Trier. Vic reports Paul as being a Naval Officer stationed at Great Lakes and being able to claim the distinction of being the mostest grandfather in the class, having already nine grandchildren. That is what we call a record, but if we are mistaken, please set us straight pronto. Baldy Trier, in a letter of about the same date, verified the fact of his lunch with Vic and says, "I will always buy any good '17er a lunch when he gives me the opportunity." He is still with Arnold Bros, in the meat business "going on my 24th year. We have a good supply of meat here in Chicago but understand you boys down East are going a little hungry. As a result, believe I will spend my winter vacation right here at home." Baldy says his son, in the second semester of his sophomore year at Dartmouth, with Vic's son, "is topping his class with good marks. Would like to go down and see him but 44 below zero is not much of an incentive."
There is still the opportunity of seeing Sunny Sanborn's Reunion pictures. Just let me know of your interest and you will be included in their itinerary.
CMDR. BARTLETT C. SHACKFORD '17 USNR
Secretary 57 Chestnut St., Dedham, Mass. Class Agent 487 Berkeley Avenue, South Orange, N. J.
