1932
We don't know just how it happened yet. When we learn the full details, they will appear in this column. The only report we have is that Fred Roe, lieutenant AUS, has been reported killed in action near Myitkyiana, Burma. The date: July 28. Previous war theatres: North Africa (January, 1944); India. It's a long way from the snow-covered fields of New Hampshire to the miasmic jungles of inner Burma, but all his classmates know that the fine and serious lad we hailed on the duckboards of Dartmouth bore with him into battle the same spirit which made him beloved to us. The condolences of the whole class go out to his wife Mae, and to his family.
Dr. George Hahn sends some news that wants recording, and I hereby include it, with apologies to the Doctor for having misplaced his letter for several months. George tells that Art Blais moved to Fairhaven, Mass., in the spring; that Bill Mackinney was married to Joyce Thayer last Christmas time; that Joyce is a very charming girl from Erie, Pa.; that Bill's job is at Westinghouse, "something to do with turbines," and that he has been compelled to turn down several handsome offers from other places. George runs into Bill Hand along the Philadelphia streets quite often: this Bill is, I think, a practicing chemist up near New Brunswick, N. J., and I would be glad of verification of this report. George also saw Stan Colla, now in the Navy, during Stan's brief visit to the Quaker City in the spring.
The Doctor keeps right busy, trying to build up a practice, doing hospital work, and serving as instructor in gynecology and clinical assistant in radiology at Jefferson Medical College. Notice was given in this column some time ago of one of George's articles on cancer therapy, and George says he is still much interested in the problem, having been in charge of X-ray therapy at Jefferson during the first half of 1943. But gynecology takes up most of his time these days. On this score, he hasn't been doing too badly himself. Twin girls (Anne and Elizabeth) arrived to grace the Hahn homestead last fall, and they will be a year old October 21 of this year. That made three girls for the Hahns until the middle of July, 1944, when a fourth one arrived. I don't know the new young lady's name, but have assurances that she is doing very well. Seems to be George now has about as many ladies as one man can be expected to Handle.
An Associated Press despatch from Brehal, France, on August 31, quoted the words of a lad you all know. "They just got 15 or 20 prisoners down the road," said Captain Orrin F. Crankshaw, medical officer from Summit, N. J., to the AP reporter. "Hell, that was a month's supply, when we were on Guadalcanal." As you can see, the Captain has been getting around. And more power to him.
Also getting around is "Whip" Walser, who finished his naval indoctrination late in July, and reported July 30 to Amphibious Operations Training Base, Coronado, Calif. Says he saw "Red Achelberg" studying at his indoctrination school. The Navy hasn't improved "Whip's" spelling of classmates' names. But that's all right, too. It gives the secretary a good workout in guessing. Now you guess.
Under the aegis of Bill Morton, Scribe Carleton, and all the hardscrambling lads who assisted in the Fund Campaign, the class subscribed a grand total of nearly $3900. This is the best record since graduation in actual cash subscribed. The average gift is now $l2 as against $4.29 in 1933. We reached 83 per cent of our quota, which is better than any time since 1941, when we oversubscribed our quota at 105 per cent. Our best year, too, was 1941 in number of contributors (348), but barring that, Bill Morton's 322 contributors this year beats previous records. I, for one, am proud of Bully, Beagle, and the hardworking committee: Drew, Eichler, Fox, Hamel, Heavenrich, Keyworth, Lott, McCall, O'Brien, Pierpont, Sargeant, Sheldon, Stern, Todd, and Wilkin. Their performance is worthy of the best traditions of the class; more than that, it establishes a tradition which we all hope will hold.
To reLurn to the zones of war, I have record of some highly interesting meetings which took place early in August and involved two majors, two captains, and two corporals,—and at least two countries. Let me see if I can get the matter straight, despite the need of continuing censorship. Lt. Alex Clark, brother of Cpl. John Clark, kindly writes to say that John had a session with the robombs in London. Late in July, John apparently paid a visit to Oxford or Cambridge (some place along some river) where he ran into Capt. Owsley, just then back from three months in some far-off area. John met Chuck just as the captain was stepping from an eight-oared shell, "where he rowed bow oar so nobody could check up on him," says his malicious acquaintance. Later, at "The Swan," they spent a good Saturday afternoon, sipping and chatting when Chuck wasn't busy waving back at the ladies who drifted past in their placid punts. Among their conversation topics was Major Hosmer, whom Chuck had seen, though John missed him. In London, John saw Cpl. Ben Burch, very busy in special services, and got a brief sight of Lt. A 1 Gerould, who is doing some navy work there. Before August first, John was transferred to North Africa. Either from there or from Italy, John sent a V-mail letter dated August first, say- ing that he was salubriously sitting in a crumbling villa, while the breeze whipped in from the blue bay, and had seen Major "Bo" Wentworth, who turns out to be in the same outfit: HQ, 7th Army. Bo and John got together for an evening's gab, and John talked via phone to Capt. Sonny Foley, also stationed nearby. Bo writes to say he has seen John and Sonny, swapping both anecdotes and antidotes. All three are fit, busy, and busting with stories which they will tell us homebodies about at the Fifteenth Reunion.
Readers interested in the background of the National Citizen's Political Action Committee (PAC), which figured in the news at the time of the Party Conventions, will be pleased to know that the publicity brain behind PAC is our own "Ping" Ferry. Ping handled press relations for the International Labor Office in 1941-42, and was briefly with OPA in the latter year. Late in May of this year, he stepped into Sidney Hillman's PAC to handle their public relations job. Ping's task is to help get out the largest possible popular vote in the November elections, and if anybody can do it, Ping's your man. The Editor and Publisher for July 29 carries the whole story, including a picture of Ping looking very determined. It's worth reading. So long.
Secretary, 178 Prospect Ave., Princeton, N. J Treasurer, 7 North St., Old Greenwich, Conn
