1917
The pictures this month are of particular interest not only because they give us an upto-date view of Don Green, but because they introduce our Class Twins, Don Jr. and Barbara, born June 11, 1919. Our twins may have been mentioned before in these columns but we doubt that they have been properly presented, previously. Don Jr. is somewhere in England or Normandy with Army Ordnance. Barbara is at home with Don and waiting for her fiance, a staff sergeant in New Guinea. "The twins are the most loyal and ardent Dartmouth rooters you ever saw or heard of." Don is at home at 26 Sever St., Worcester, and reports that "for the past fifteen years I have been a fire prevention engineer with the Mutual Fire Inspection Bureau of New England, an organization representing twenty-five old New England fire insurance companies. My territory is New England and New York City. I get to Hanover once or twice a year to inspect the college buildings. This assignment you can well imagine is a pleasant one. Used to see Arch Gile each trip before he went into the Service." In addition to his regular work, Don now puts in five nights a week at a local munitions plant.... helping to make antiaircraft shells and basooka parts. Don takes a real pride in the fact that he has written Don Jr. every day of the nineteen months he has been in the Service with never a miss. He thinks, and we agree, that this is quite a record "when you consider that my day begins at 8:00 A.M. and ends at midnight. As Kate Smith says, 'lf you don't write, you're wrong.' "
This is the last general reminder of the October 14 game with Notre Dame in Boston. Lay your plans now, mark your calendar, and send in for tickets as soon as you receive the applications. Reservations have already been made at the University Club for dinner the night before. It will be just about midway between reunions—a swell opportunity for a refresher. So be sure and plan your business in Boston for that week-end.
The gang was well represented in Hanover in mid-June at the meetings of College and class officers, which coincided approximately with the 175th Anniversary of the College'. Hap Mason was named chairman of the executive committee of the Alumni Association. Don Brooks was elected vice president of the Treasurers' Association, and Karl Koeinger, the Kompitant Kampaigner, now heads the nominating committee of the Class Agents' Association. Bud Robie was present as the secretary of the Connecticut Clubs. The week end was inspirational, as a visit to Hanover always is, and our own opinion is that Hanover is not changed. The V-12 and Naval units are a good crowd of boys and they appreciate their situation in God's country. Their formal review on the campus late Friday afternoon was as good as most back in 1917, perhaps even a shade better.
We were welcomed by Bill Stone, Rog's son, who again has the ideal summer job on the staff of the Inn. Dave Emmons AS USNR seemed to be prospering under the rigors of V-12 training and is a real chip off the old block. Our efforts to see Vic Smith Jr. were unsuccessful but his shipmates reported him as completely recovered from his long serious illness of last fall. We were fortunate in finding our fratres in urbe, Charlie Stone and Clarence Cofran, at home, and still on the job aiding and guiding the efforts of the current undergraduate and service generation. Mary and Joy Gile had left Hanover for a few days, but J. Gile '16 reported Major Arch as now in the Infantry at Headquarters, 22nd Replacement Depot, Camp Cooke, Cal. In fact, as published in Camp Orders of the day recently, Arch officiated as Commanding Officer of Troops in the Formal Retreat Parade.
Further details from Arch come by way of a letter to Gene Towler. "I was getting worried about being discharged for being senile when out of a clear sky I was ordered out here as Ex. Off. for the Battalion. Got here March 4th and found the unit just activated,—no C. O. on the ground and no unlisted men. The C. O. arrived the next day but we didn't get filled up until about two weeks ago. As a matter of fact we have a swell unit, from the C. O. down to the last private (not even excepting the Ex.) .... I suppose we are headed for overseas sometime, but you know as much about when and where as I do. I am tickled to death to be out of the desk job I had at Hood. I am out of doors nearly all the time and have lost twelve pounds. Haven't felt better in a dozen years, if ever. This isn't a Californian's idea of California, as I understand it. Camp Cooke is recognized as one of the coldest camps in existence. Wear wools all summer, and the wind blows constantly. When it blows hard the dust is so thick you can't see a building a hundred yards away, and the sand just sifts into the buildings. Finally had to buy some long underwear to keep warm, and I haven't used that in Hanover for twenty years.
"Stopped over about five hours in Los Angeles on the way here,—called up Jim Durkee who dropped a lot of big business to get a bottle of brandy which we finished before he had to go to a luncheon and I had to catch a train. Jim hasn't changed, a bit except to have added a few pounds and a certain amount of middle-aged dignity. I don't see why I can't achieve that." Karl Kowinger's grandson arrived June 13, so our Kampainger has joined our growing list of grandpappys. Daughter Anne's husband is a lieutenant USNR stationed in Washington. Karl's son, John Crawford, is 2nd Lt. USMC, a fighter pilot stationed at the Daytona Beach, Fla., Operational Base. He had three semesters as a civilian at Dartmouth before enlisting.
An invitation to become bishop coadjutor of the Episcopal Diocese of Michigan was extended to the Rev. Don Aldrich in late May. He was elected on the second ballot from a slate of ten nominees, by 375 Episcopal clergymen and laymen meeting in special convention. The New York Herald Tribune of June 12 published the fact that Don had declined the proffered post, and quoted his letter, which seems to us characteristic of him: "Strangely enough the very magnitude of the opportunity creates a double obligation which I feel I not only cannot but ought not to attempt to carry. In short, a chaplain's work must claim sole allegiance. He must be committed to the job before him with no reservations or looks backward. He cannot have one leg on shore." Don has been rector of the Church of the Ascension, New York, since 1925, and on leave as a lieutenant USNR since September, 1942.
In his May 11 letter, we have further good word from Comdr. Walter Kipp USNR. "Practically all my travelling is by plane. At present I am C. O. of this base. The work is hard but varied and interesting. We are fortunate in having the best mess in North Africa, although some days I wonder what could be worse. I lived with a- French family and can now converse fairly well, which is a help. At first the Arabs seemed like something out of a book, but now I recognize many of them and have learned a few words of greeting.
"The greatest rewards that I have received in this second war are the many friendships with younger men. As you know, I helped train thousands of young officers in Boston. Now that I am over here, they all come in to see me. They have made good. I have helped many over rough spots. To me, this is the best thing I have ever done. My own son is on his way to the South Pacific, so I try to treat these young fellows as I would want him to be treated. Anyway, we are on the way to victory and I am pleased to be able to do my small part."
The April issue of the New York Dartmouth Club News reports that according to an unverified report George Currier has left for overseas duty with the rank of captain USNR. While we are not so keen about having George so far from the Boston Yacht Club, we do hope the report of his promotion to four stripes is founded on fact Comdr. Sam White writes, "It seemed like New England tonight when we had a good old-fashioned clam chowder, but the clams came from our own beaches. Sure would be fun if some other aged '17er got sent out this way. They seem to be scattered from hell to breakfast. , Except for the short period near Gil, I haven't even been close to one that I know of. ". . . . From Fort Devens Capt. Charley Peters says, "I'm still here as shop commander getting out engines and vehicles for the troops." .... Florine Lockwood writes that Comdr. Larry, on duty in the Pacific, had the pleasure of seeing Lt. Comdr. Sam Haskell in Australia, and that since leaving there Larry has spent some time in New Caledonia, the New Hebrides, and Guadalcanal." Sounds like a long haul from here, but anyway, our congratulations to Larry on his promotion.
Major Sandy Lynch writes, "Australia is one hell of a long way from any respectable address. I left Ft. Lewis, Wash., December 5 and have been here since the end of January. The Hopkins outfit is just across the road from us; the Harvard unit is a ways up the line. About the first of March our equipment got here and we started to set up our hospital. We were about two-thirds set up when the order came through to cease and suspend play. So since then we have just been sitting in status quo. This is a nice place, good climate, lots of sun. I'm as weathered looking as that old man on the mountain up around Franconia. One of these days we'll probably get sent up into the Islands, or to India, or to China. Up to now, however, my going on two years of 'extended active service,' so called, has been characterized largely by inertia.
"I have seen no one who was nurtured neath the elms of Hanover, no one who knew the 'soft September sun sets," no one to whom 1917 means more than the year when we got into the last war. .... However I am much impressed with the youth of today. Good stuff they are. A lot better than the youth of our generation, though I will say that Gale, Worthington, Thielscher, and myself were exceedingly high class young men."
Although the final results on the Green Derby are not available as these words are being mailed to Hanover, we are confident that our bets were soundly placed. Anyhow it was a grand race. For a moment, way over on the back stretch, we may have had some misgivings, but from the moment '17 rounded the turn right up to the finish there was never a doubt but that we would finish well up in the money. Never underestimate the power of "17! The faster the company, the better the run,—and the greater the satisfaction to every last member of the best gang in the world.
1917 CLASS TWINS shown with their father, Donald W. Green '17 (above left) . The twins are Donald W. Jr., and Barbara Virginia.
Secretary, 57 Chestnut St., Dedham, Mass. Treasurer, 9 Park Terrace, Upper Montclair, N. J.
