1941
I had sort of a vacation last month in that there was no ALUMNI MAGAZINE for the month of July. It was all to the good as the news from the various corners of the world was quite limited, however, I have plenty this time. The next issue won't be until October so any news that I get by Sept. 10th will be in time to be included. Please note the change of address of your humble secretary. We had to expand to make room for the growing child.
Last time I told you I intended to go to Hanover for the alumni meetings held there in June. Mary Ann and I turned over our duties of Ma and Pa to a benevolent friend and headed for the North Country via New York. We arrived in White River Junction Friday, June 9, in time to get squared away at the Hanover Inn before the big dress parade by the V-12 Unit in honor of the meeting alumni groups. It isn't necessary to denor do I think that I could do it adequately. You all remember those last days in June that we spent there before graduation! Neither will I try to tell you about all that went on while there because you probably will be able to read about the weekend elsewhere in this issue. However, there is one thing I feel should be of interest to many of you. There are definite plans being made under the Dartmouth Vocational Plan to aid all men in the service in obtaining jobs of their liking after the war. Everyone seemed to feel his responsibility towards you men who have given up jobs to do the fighting. All of you who might not have received the questionnaire sent out through Mr. Neef's office, asking if you would be interested in being included within the plan, should drop a card to Mr. Neef indicating the type of job, salary, location, etc., desired after the war. I'm sure everything will be done to help you get what you want. Before we knew it, we were in a typical B. & O. car headed for New York wondering when we could make another such trip to good old Dartmouth. Now for some news about our boys: they're a fighting, marrying, and propagating crew.
Captain Bob O'Brien was awarded the Silver Star with two regimental unit citations for heroism at Tarawa last November when he led a company of Marines which made a successful push against the Japs that secured one end of Betio Beach. Another of our boys, 2nd Lt. George A. Wrisley, also received the Silver Star for gallantry in the same action. George's award was made by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz for his work as a naval gunfire spotter. His fire direction, accomplished under heavy sniper and machine gun fire helped knock out many pillboxes and blockhouses.
Major Frank E. Tomlinson received the Air Medal with two Oak Leaf Clusters in recognition of his aerial achievements with a B-24 Liberator bombardment group stationed in Italy with the 15th Army Air Force. He is squadron commander and has led his bombers in attacks on Roumania, France, Austria, and most of Southern Europe.
Ist Lt. Oliver J. Gross is now a student in the four engine pilot school at Roswell, New Mexico. He has had his pilot wings ever since June 1942.
Let's talk about our marrying bunch now. Major Richard F. Blanchard A.A.F. wed Miss Margaret Rodgers Lyon at Colorado Springs last May where Dick is now stationed. Dick had been stationed at Panama Canal and is in the Second Army Command. Lt. (jg) Willis J. Nelson married Miss Valerie Boisseau in St. Louis, Mo. Will spent 13 months overseas and was in. the invasions of Guadalcanal and Bougainville. Lt. Richard Rose joined the Army in July 1942 and finished his training in the Signal Corps at Fort Monmouth. He later trained in Florida and won his wings. He is now a bombardier-navigator of a Marauder. Dick recently married Miss Katherine Whiteside Price. William L. Clark's romance with Patricia Elizabeth Magowan, Wells College '4l, culminated in their marriage on the 20th of May at Rochester, N. Y. Bill and Patricia are both seniors at the Medical School at the Univ. of Rochester and will be graduated in September of this year. I got a note from Stewart Steffey who says that if any '4lers get to San Francisco and want Navy trans- portation either east or west they should contact him in the Port Director's Office. Stew married Miss Patty Hare, Smith, '44 last May. He is a lieutenant in the Navy and has been in England, Lisbon, Dakar, and for an unannounced reason spent some time in the U. S. Navy Hospital in Philadelphia.
And now to those who believe the population of the U. S. should be expanded. Bob and Harriet Koenig report a new addition to the junior alumni group in blue-eyed Peter McIntyre, born June 2. Jack Lockwood has changed jobs from Lafayette College to Clinton Engineer Works, Tennessee Eastman Corporation, where he is engaged in an important war project. Jean and he got settled in Oak Ridge just in time to give the stork a three point landing when Elizabeth Hyde was born on June 11. Lt. Dave and Priscilla Chamberlain also announce the birth of David Caverly Jr. on June 3 in Boston. Dave is Personnel Officer on the Torpedo Squadron Eleven, U. S. Naval Air Force somewhere in the Pacific, so has not yet seen his big boy. Here's hoping you get a chance soon, Dave. Capt. Clayton and Gerry Gray report the arrival of Super-pilot Lucinda on May 31 in Keene, N. H. Poppa Gray is also overseas and knows about his new co-pilot only through the cable and letters he has received.
A closing thought that a wondering parent wrote to me. Do you fellows like to receive letters? You do, don't you. I received the suggestion from a forgotten father that perhaps a course at Dartmouth "in filial relations and obligations, with particular emphasis on the duty of a son to write to his parents at more or less reasonable intervals" might be added to the curriculum. Anyway, it does seem strange that we should forget so quickly all they have done for us. I know I'm a slacker in this respect and this little note brought my faults home. Let's all help keep up the morale of the home front by seeing that our parents hear from us at least once a week. I'm going to try, won't you ? Be seeing you.
Secretary, 510 East Glendale Avenue Alexandria, Virginia Treasurer, 17 N. Park St., Hanover, N. H.
