1929
The accompanying picture of the Class Dinner—Detroit Division, shows Seth Jewell, Dick Eberline, Karl Pittlekow and Dick Brown pausing for a reunion beer between helpings of steak (ground) grilled in the open at Squire Eberline's farm. Color photography would reveal that the two Dicks were wearing the established mark of a '29 Reunion—the fireman's red shirt. The other dinners were quite as successful. The New Yorkers, in the words of Jack Hubbard, say theirs "was a roaring success. Jim Hodge forgot to get an extra bartender, so peeled off his coat and joined Bernard back of the bar and slopped together some drinks most beautifully. Freddy Ingram dropped in for a few minutes on his way back to Beaver Falls and Jim and I tried to do all we could to make him miss the train, but to no avail. Supper started downstairs with clam chowder, steamed clams and ran the gamut of a shore dinner, including watermelon for dessert and plenty of pitchers of beer, until the Class movie started and then the keg ran dry. How some of us have changed in 15 years! But Gus Wiedenmayer, who was Beau Brummell in College, still carries the part. Jack Ackley told us some very interesting experiences he had had at Guadalcanal and other stations in the Southwest Pacific, covering a rather long tour of duty over there until he wound up in the hospital for some 8 or 10 months. I am glad to report that he looks in the pink of health now and has not changed a dot or a dash since he was in college, either in looks or in spirit. Bill Morgan, our other Service man present, told of some of his cold nights on the Atlantic with waves breaking all over the boat and not knowing whether they would be swimming among the icebergs by morning or not. He is on shore leave now for a short stay with his new daughter. Glad to report that he has stayed out of the hospital except on finishing his indoctrination course in Hanover." In attendance were Jack Ackley (Lt. USNR), Tal Babcock, Jack Blair, Trunky Brittan, Johnny Calver, Art Clow, Bob Collins, Dave Dudley, Harry Enders, Eddy Felch, Al Fisher, Rus Goudey, George Hersam, Gil Griffin, Jim Hodge, Jack Hubbard, Ross Hughes, Freddy Ingram, Charley Mackay, Ken Macnair, Frank Middleton, Bill Morgan (Lt. USNR), Johnny Moxon, Walt Sherwood, Tuck Small, Jeff Stearns, Tom Stokes, Gus Wiedenmayer.
The Boston party, though only about half the size o£ the New York celebration, was noteworthy for its surprises. The expected attendance of six grew to thirteen, with such welcome last minute arrivals as Squeek Redding, fresh in from a North Atlantic cruise on a D. E., and Steve Balkam, Lt. USN'R. Squeek had special reason for congratulations: after serving as an enlisted man and gaining a quartermaster's rating he has been ordered to report to the Twelfth Naval District Headquarters where he will be given a commission and a new assignment. Then, there were Inches Pierce, all the way from Portland, Maine, and Beedie Brisbin, stopping over on his way to the Republican convention in Chicago; Red Ardiff, Dick Sanders, Phil Rising, Ralph Butler, Art Rose, Jake Jaquith, Ted Shackford, Bill Andres and OUie Holmes, the old maitre d'liotel who did all the work to arrange the party.
The Class Movies were also seen at Ichie Little's dinner in Philadelphia and at Bob Drake's Chicago party.
It's too early at this writing to speak of the results of the Class participation in the Alumni Fund, but none too soon to say thanks again to Duke Barto and Beedie Brisbin and their helpers for their effort to lead the Class to its rightful position among the contributing groups.
In the past month there have been short visits with Tommy Phelps who has been serving on the staff of the Flagship, Destroyer Commander, is now on his way to a new assignment in the Pacific; Dick Johnson, home for a few days from Norfolk where he passes gun crews; Dud Orr, newly commissioned a Lieut., jg, now in Washington awaiting assignment; Tal Babcock, representing his bank, The Continental Bank & Trust Co., at a convention in Boston; Bob Austin, recently made a partner of Breed, Abbott & Morgan; and Bill Coles up from Venezuela for a few days, grateful for a few breaths of Boston's east wind but anxious nonetheless to get back to Caracas, his family and his business; and John Dickey, in town to address a meeting in his capacity as Director of the Office of Public Information of the newly re-organized Department of State.
We have one of our best contributors, Ed Cogswell's mother, to thank for the news of Ed's recent engagement to Lois La Trobe of Auckland, New Zealand. Ed, who has been stationed in New Caledonia since January 1942, has just been promoted to the rank of captain. His fiancee was educated in New Zealand, Hungary and France, and did radio station and script work in Wellington before taking her present secretarial position with the Services of Supply, U. S. Army.
Bill Sykes, Lt. USNR, married Miss Frances Webb White, daughter of Dean William Henry White, of the Law School of the University of Virginia, and Mrs. White, last April in Charlottesville. Bill is stationed in Washington.
From Dick Morgan in England has come this letter written in May: "I am enclosing a Postal Money Order for my small contribution to this year's Dartmouth Alumni Fund. The amount is far out of proportion to what I would like to do and to what I think the best college deserves and represents—especially since becoming a member of this man's Army. Hope I can add something to this when mustering out day comes. That class gift of cigarettes at Christmas came in handy, and it felt good to be so remembered. I had then been overseas a couple of months, and the cigarette problem was already becoming acute. The seven packs rationed out each week have to be stretched pretty thin. The winter in England was rugged. Hanover's freezing dry cold was a cinch comparatively. Since spring has arrived here this hunk of land has become quite livable. Our present base is excellent, there are several choice pubs within cycling distance—and we're all set. Otherwise it's the same old routine and same old Army game you've heard so much about. It's over a year and a half to date—and I am still answering Roll Call. Bes.t regards and good luck in the Alumni Drive."
And this one from Phil Mayher, written "at sea" in May:
"On Feb. 5 I received dispatch orders to report to the Amphibious Training Command at San Diego. I was given 48 hours to pack and be on my way. I had never been west before and enjoyed tremendously two months at the Air Liaison School in Coronado. I spent several days in San Francisco—flying both ways—and three weekends in Los Angeles. We used to stay at the Beverly Hills Athletic Club and twice 1 ran into Jack Brabb who is also in the Navy stationed .at Los Alametos. We tried to contact Ed Plumb in Hollywood but were unsuccessful. Jack is looking and feeling fine. His hair is a trifle thin on top and I might add that mine is almost white. I left the states several weeks ago and am now well "out yonder." One of my jobs is materiel officer for our division which takes me ashore quite often. These islands are quite interesting but I wouldn't-trade my life on shipboard for any shore duty down here. I am aboard a beautiful ship with ample overhead—even for me—and the chow is good and our quarters excellent. We are fortunate in having a fine group of officers and in general conditions are about as pleasant as they could be considering the fact that we are so far from home."
Charlie Shaeffer has finally gotten around to reporting his pride and joy, Charles Webster Shaeffer, born August 14, 1943. Father S. is "still with General Electric at Bridgeport actively engaged in commercial aspects of ship fittings for U. S. Navy & Maritime Commission. Busy is no word for it."
Frank Weeks has recently been made a Lieut. Commander. He is stationed in Washington doing highly technical work in electronics Dick Burke, Lt., jg, is in Naval Aviation Supply, Philadelphia Fritz Beiman does all right for a fellow who's been rejected twice by the Army, what with manufacturing pharmaceuticals and managing a 1500 acre farm in the states and a 2200 acre one in Canada Bob Leigh, when last heard from late in May, was taking boot training at Great Lakes while his commission application papers were in final stage of processing in Washington.
BEER AND STEAK (ground) made the Detroit 1929 Reunion Dinner a huge success. In photo, I. to r.: Seth Jewell, Dick Eberline (host), Karl Pittlekow, and Dick Brown.
Secretaryy 75 Federal St., Boston, Mass. Treasurer, Batten, Barton, Durstine & Osborn 383 Madison Ave., New York, N. Y.
