1942
I returned to Hanover for the first time since that memorable day in May back in the year 1942. My return was on the Saturday of the Dartmouth-Holy Cross game. It was really wonderful although I couldn't stay long because of the housing shortage. Franny Dodge (Former Players and their followers will remember Frannie) told me that that weekend was the first time that Hanover has resembled the old days since 1942. The long arm of Hanover Law had its reserve out to handle all the traffic. It was raining when we arrived so the Hanover merchants got a large play in the line of rain equipment. The rain stopped at the kick-off. There were many dates in town and some of the students were dressed in rolled-up flannel trousers and other attire that showed the abandon of Dartmouth men espedaily when they face a rainy game. The Inn was jammed as Grand Central on a Saturday night. And the White buildings of Dartmouth Row viewed the scene and seemed to sat "We're bigger than a war. We've kept it. the same."
If you couldn't pick up the "Dartmouth Spirit" on the way down to the stadium, you could never have missed it there. It spurred David on so that he almost brought down Goliath. David's sling in this instance was a pass. Holy Cross came out of that game not nearly as proud and confident as it was when it went in. A familiar player to the men of 1942, named Frost, tore the All American jersey with the Red Grange numerals on it from the back of the self-ordained Koslowski of Holy Cross. It was all like old times and it is waiting for you as anxiously as you are waiting for it.
If you can remember a few months ago, it was reported in this letter that Lt. Joseph G. Nason was believed to be alive from a word dropped in a Tokyo broadcast. That was good news to the men of '42, but now the news is better. Joe was found alive in a Jap prison camp. If you missed the background of this story here it is briefly. In October, 1943, Joe was reported "missing" and later the Navy Department changed this to "Killed in Action." Some time later, on the basis of a suspicious Jap broadcast, it was considered a bare possibility that he was a prisoner. His family, although hopeful, felt doubtful. Then the news came that confirmed this hope. Would that Joe were only the first.
The gremlin in my news system seems to be one Farley who operates a little green sheet out of Rutland. I get a news item, and then I pick- up this character's appeal and read my item there. Well, the important thing is that you receive the news. If Lt. James F. wants to assume part of my burden, and you get the news, I shall not be the one to object.
So you can now understand why I have taken the liberty of writing so much in the way of non-news. I guess the en route classmen are waiting for a chance to write me the final chapters of their lives in the service.
The news that is at hand is all happy. It is happy now at least because it is comprised of marriages and engagements. Two Merchant Marine men have thrown a hitch. On August 25 Barbara Ann Sawhill married W/O Richard G. Smith; and on August 28 Miss Louise Schnitzer married Lt. Dixon Yard. And to continue with the list, T/5 Elizabeth Ann Nettleton, WAC, married S/Sgt. Bruce Stephens on August 30. And in the Department of GoodIntentions we have the engagements of Miss Beryl Hague to Lt. Edward Ralph Hodgson: Miss Mary Neil Ozrnent to Lt. Edwin J. Pin' gree; and this displaced item which came by letter, namely, that Miss Mary Elizabeth Ronnie was to marry Roy Carruthers. Roy, as reported in a previous writing, is planning to return to Hanover to finish up.
The only remaining news is that 1st Lt Oliver J. Barr has returned to this side of the water from the ETO where he was in Mountain Infantry with the 5th Army- Jim wears the Bronze Star Medal with an Oak Leaf Cluster, the Purple Heart, and the Combat Infantryman's Badge which he won by being the lead scout of his division of the 10th during 1ts first attack on Mount Belvedere. Jim led the group that cleared the top of the first hard-won Apennine Peak and later won the Cluster for setting up an observation post under heavy enemy .fire.
To conclude this disjointed thing, I might add that at that football game I saw the wee oracle of Rutland's Naval Recruiting Office, the one "Big Jim," also Dutch Schaeffer, and lohn Glesmann. I promise that in the next letter I shall have a full account of the marriage of Lt. Robert Gorman, whose engagement was previously announced and who has just returned from the Pacific. Therefore, unless you want to read only about this nuptial, YOU had better send some news, all of which I promise to report unless that wire-tapper in Rutland gets it first.
Acting Secretary, R. D. No. 1, Rensselaer, N. Y.
