1917
The picture of Lt. Hen Sturgess which garnishes these words indicates that the intervening years, together with his more recent Washington Naval service, have touched Hen comparatively lightly. Hen, too, has maintained his youthful figure. "I am still in the Bureau of Naval Personnel, Training Activity, and by now, one of the old timers of the Swivel Chair Fleet. They just won't turn me loose, for it seems I'm the only one in the
Navy who doesn't think I'm too old for sea duty. Have been here more than twenty months now, and it is some satisfaction to know that in my small way I have contributed to the training of so many thousands of kids who are out there fighting, and doing such a swell job." Just to refresh your memory Hen enlisted in the last war as a seaman, second class, had many months of sea duty, and then, via a summer at the Naval Academy, ended up an ensign (T) U.S.N. He writes, "Speaking of kids, I am pretty proud of my two. Hen Jr. is a lieutenant (jg) in the Navy and has been out in the Pacific on a destroyer for twenty-two months. He has seen about all the actions and his ship has been awarded the Presidential Unit Citation. The other youngster, Bill, is a buck private in the Air Borne Service, a qualified paratrooper. His was the first outfit to land in Normandy on D-day. They captured and held Carentan, for which they were awarded the Presidential Citation. Then on September 17, they jumped into Eindhoven, and of course, I haven't heard from him, but feel that he is all right. So can you blame me for being proud? I feel as if I should receive some sort of citation for having two such kids." And maybe those kids don't get a kick out of having their Dad in the Service too! "Looks like this thing is going to drag along for quite some time, so maybe I'll hit the half century mark still in uniform. I could apply for inactive duty, under present regulations, but as long as they have a job for me to do, I've decided to stay with it."
The Philadelphia Alumni met October 6, and '17 was represented by Bruce Ludgate, Art Jopson, Vic Smith, and Heinie Wright. Bruce, Vic, and Heinie took in the Penn game next day, as did Sumner Emerson, the only out-of-towner that fortunate.
The Notre Dame game the next weekend was a better inducer. There were thirty-three stalwarts at the University Club, October 13: Barber, Bartlett, Mott Brown, Walt Carr, Comdr. George Currier, Doty, Eaton, Emery, Evans, Ferguson, Haggerty, Holden, Jimmie Jones, MacKillop, MacIntyre, Ed McGowan, Jim McGowan, Jim Montgomery, Murphy, Nourse, Olds, Richmond, Sunny Sanborn, Scudder, Sewall, Shea, Sherm Smith, Stockwell, Rog Stone, Errol Thompson, Wells, Wheelock, and Phil Woodwell. Wired regards and regrets were received from Lt. Col. Will Fitch, Al Emmons, and Gene Towler. Sam, Pete, and Win did a perfect job on arrangements and the result was a swell party. Connie Murphy was the spark, and Comdr. George made the only speech, giving us some small idea of how the Navy ticks, as well as of his travels in the Service. The occasion marked George's first return to his home '17 port in much too long a time. Although they may never fully appreciate it, it is the boys from distant points who make these meetings for those of us who are in home territory, and this year again there were several. The game on the fourteenth came out about as predicted, barring Connie's enthusiastic forecast, and it drew some who were unable to get to the meeting: Don and Mrs. Green and daughter Barbara, Leon Randall, Frank Reagan, Deering and Mrs. Smith, and Karl Stillman. There were others no doubt, and a number of wives, but between the excitement, the facilities, and the weather, a complete group picture was impossible.
The Brown game, came the twenty-eighth, was also played in inclement weather, to say the least. It was this factor, no doubt, which limited the Old Guard attendance to Bunny and Millie Holden with Doris Anne, Spique and Ruby Maclntyre, and Norm McCulloch. And boy! What a game the rest of us missed. Given a break in the weather another year, we won't miss that game, nor Bunny's and Millie's cocktails and sandwiches, if their hospitality is again proffered.
On November 4, those who journeyed to New Haven were treated to a good scrappy game, which nevertheless exemplified the uncertainties of football in war time. The crowd who made it were: Lt. (jg) Carl and Mrs. Colby, Comdr. George and Helen Currier, Bunny and Millie Holden, Ev and son Dick Robie, Jack and Dodo Saladine, Bob and Anita Scott and daughter Anita, Len and Sally Shea, Major Butch and Lee Sherman and son Lt. (jg) Hillie, Gordon Tracy, and Mott and Fran Brown. The whole gang moved in on the Scotts after the game and there made merry until long after the conventional hour for leaving a cocktail party. Gene and Lucile telephoned from Cranford, and Don and Helen Brooks from Upper Montclair. This is the sixteenth year that the Scotts have entertained the gang,—a '17 tradition if we know one. May we never miss another.
Major Butch Sherman takes a just pride, in the fact that all four male Shermans are in the Service. Lt. (jg) Hillie USN was recently on leave after a year's sea duty in which his ship participated in two invasions. He is now starting flight training in the Middle West. Second Lieutenant Laurence USA recently piloted his B-24 from the West Coast to France where he is now on duty, saluting Brattleboro, Vt., and making a stop in Iceland, enroute. Joe is an apprentice seaman taking boot training at Fort Samson. The Major himself has recently been transferred to New Haven where he becomes really available again from a '17 point of view.
Carl Colby and Al Dupuis got together this fall for a weekend in New London, and we doubt that a word of English was spoken by these two foreign language professors. Carl's son, Kenneth, an E/M2 in the Coast Guard, was recently as- signed to a ship in the Pacific Comdr. Walter Kipp is back in the good old U.S.A., for the time being at least Capt. Howie Shaffer USN has left Washington to become supply officer at the Puget Sound Navy Yard, Bremerton, Wash Lt. Comdr. Slatz Baxter is in California, at the Naval Hospital on Treasure Island and working with Comdr. Bart Shackford. "He is a hot shot in pathology. I hadn't seen him since 1917," Comdr. Sam White says. "Hope the Class of '17 kidneys and arteries hold out well enough so we can still swing one in Hanover in 1947. It's still a good gang. Give them my best as you meet them."
Gordon Tracy writes, "All other news is overshadowed by the recent telegram that Dick '45, my oldest, is reported missing in action over Austria as of October 7. He was a sergeant—radio gunner—on a B-24 Liberator operating out of Italy. My youngest son, John, now seventeen and a senior in high school passed his mental exams for Air Corps Reserve but was rejected for physical reasons—color blind. My daughter Elizabeth is in junior high school. The old man is a tottering wreck from a long stretch in a small tool plant still loaded with war orders." It is a hard row for Gordon to just wait for further word on Dick. Our hearts go out to him and our earnest hopes are that the lad is all right.
The class is infinitely saddened by the news of the death of Hap Mason on November 3. Although it had been known that he was not well, the word came as a great shock. Those of his classmates who journeyed to Brattleboro for his funeral were; Angus Black, Don Brooks, Mott Brown, Marshall Davison, Dick Holbrook, Bunny Holden, Spique Maclntyre, Sam MacKillop, Bob Scott, and Butch Sherman.
SENIOR MEMBER of a Fighting Family, Lt. Albert H. Sturgess 'l7 USNR, helps train Navy men. His two sons are in active service.
PRE-INVASION SNAPSHOT of Brig. Gen. Edmund C. Langmead 'l7 taken on the steps of a manor house "somewhere in England."
Secretary, 57 Chestnut St., Dedham, Mass. Treasurer, 9 Park Terrace, Upper Montclair, N. J.
