1938
In spite of the MAGAZINE'S layoff for a month, news for this issue is a little lacking. At the moment of writing, Capt. Dick Francis is the hero of Camp Blanding. The two of us are running a mortar school, and our hero took it upon himself to tell his class that while he didn't like to discredit any of the tales our war Vets brought back with them, he wanted to prove that a mortar shell couldn't be armed before firing, and proceeded to demonstrate in the prescribed manner. "See," says Francis, "it can't be done." At which up pipes one of his students, "But sir, the safety pin just flew out." It's the first time I've seen the Buddha nonpulssed. Lt. George Allbright has been selected to attend the officers' survey course of the Field Artillery School at Ft. Sill. Lt. Johnny Duguid is with the 380 th Bomber Group. Major Dan Marshall is back from his travels, and at Camp Lejeune, .N. C., Bill Heydt is an inspector with Pitney-Bowes Postage Meter Cos., in Stamford, Conn. To bring you up to date on the promotions, it's now Major Young Dawkins, Major John Mayer, Major George Kingsbury, Capt. George Dana, Capt. Morris Kantzler, Capt. Jul Westheimer, Capt. Bob Foley, Lt. (sg) Warren Chivers; and junior grades to Parker Brownell, Fred Davis, Sandy MacLeod, Dick Holt, and Bill Watson. To second lieutenant go Bob Reno, Bud Walls, Ralph Johnston, Roily Linscott, Bill Schopflin, Jack Duguid, and Jack Harmon; and to ensign, Jordan Colton.
To the William P. Lyle's comes daughter Susan, as of June 28, weight unspecified. Lt. Bill Stead writes, "Spent 17 months in the Aleutians, a few months operating on a P.C. out of 'Frisco, and now am on a tug boat playing around in the vicinity of the Golden Gate. Was married on December 14 to Charlotte Rexstrew (U. of Chicago)." S/Sgt. Ray Troutner got himself engaged to Peggy Beale of Rochester, N. Y. He says, "On February 3, I returned from fifteen months' duty in North Africa and India and China as a radio operator in troop carrier and air transport planes. Made a couple of trips from India to China with Capt. Carl Gugino as pilot and I might add that I was never in better hands. He was at Berry Field, Tenn., when he wrote, but expected that he'd shift to Dallas, Texas. If I don't hear from more of you, there won't even be this much news next month. I gave up staring into the crystal ball two years ago.
On the late news, Major Don Boyle has been reported missing in action on the day of a raid which won him the Air Medal for skillful leadership of his Marine Fighting Squadron. While leading his squadron as escorting fighters in the January 23 raid on Lakunai Airdrome, Rabaul, he attacked Zeros with such telling effect that only one American bomber failed to return. First Lieutenant Fred Thorpe is billeting officer at an invasion port in France. Sam Wakefield has been promoted to captain with the Bth Air Force Composite Command in England. He is with a section of a heavy bomber base which is sending B-24 Liberators over Europe.
Graham White is married, and the bride is Constance Harvey (Bob's sister). She's an ensign in the Waves, a mighty fine organization. Bruce Olson was best man, and Muff Davis and Mattimore were ushers. Helen Stratton, Chattanooga, Tenn., and Bill Powers were married, too, June 10. Same goes for Frances Jefferson, Larchmont, N. Y., and Lt. George Nichols, Transportation Corps. No, I take it back, they're engaged. I don't want any one to think this rag ever gets ahead of itself. News from Rum-Dum Reeve is that he's ass't gunnery officer on a troop transport, and a full lieutenant now. More importantly, though, he and Claire belatedly announce the arrival of Randi Lee, last January. Ray Ammarell got his promotion to first lieutenant at Hq. Air Service Command, Patterson Field, Ohio. Barbara Ortlund, Chicago, and Chuck Compton are engaged. Bob Tomlinson graduated from the Naval College for Primary Flight Instructors, New Orleans. Whether he's still home, I don't know, but at last report, Capt. Charlie Wiggin was home on leave after twenty-two months in the Southwest Pacific. Capt. Chuck Moses has been assigned to the faculty of the Field Artillery School at Ft. Sill. Asher Lans won a $l,OOO Pabst Postwar Employment Award on his treatise, "The Promotion of Postwar Employment." Ash is an instructor of economics at Brooklyn College, and in addition is connected with the legal department of Associated Gas & Electric.
MAJOR JOHN FITTING JR. '38, USMC
Secretary, 41 Fifth Ave., New York, N. Y. Treasurer, 1743 Q St., N. W., Washington, D. C.
