1935

Down Under Department

Lt. Ted Harbaugh took time off from his regular duties with the Marines out in the Pacific theatre to write the following on Christmas Day:

The ALUMNI MAGAZINE seems determined to station me in Oberlin, Ohio. More power to 'em and to you! It would be a grand idea, especially today, on Christmas. You see, my family is there. But I've been far afield—four times across the equator in my first four months in the Pacific theater, which included a blitz against the Japs that took us west of Tokyo. You've heard of Peleliu, of course, and how the First Marine Division landed there in September. Well, I was on hand to see it and take part.

But to Kay and me, the most important news right now is the arrival of our new son, John Borland Harbaugh, all nine and a half pounds of him, put in his appearance on the fourth of December, in Oberlin. When I talked to Kay last week by radio telephone, she assured me all is well on the home front. That makes two boys in our family, Bryce, our first, was born July 25, 1943

I run into Dartmouth men now and then for instance, Bob Stone and Dick Hurd, who seem to be getting along fine. This morning I went to Christmas services with Ad Parker '37.

Weather like June in Ohio brought out white Navy uniforms today and it didn't seem just right for December 25th. But the greetings are just the same—Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Ted's regular address can be had by writing to me or the Records Office in Hanover.

Next, Major Ralph Specht, writing from San Francisco, under date of 9 January 1945:

I shall not bore you with details of my military service. other than to say that I entered active duty as a Reserve officer in October 1941 and went through a very thorough course of instruction for thirteen weeks at the Infantry School, Fort Benning, Ga. In February 1942 I was sent to Fort McClellan, Ala., where I was stationed until April 1943 when I attended the Command and General Staff School at Fort Leavenworth, Kansas. Upon graduation in June I had expected to return to Fort McClellan but while on leave at home I received orders to report to the War Department for further general staff training. At the conclusion of this course (which included a very nice trip to the WestIndies) in September 1943 I was sent overseas and assigned to General Headquarters, Southwest Pacific Area, where I have remained ever since. My travel from the West Coast was accomplished by air and the trip was a hurried one as I was only able to spend two days in San Francisco before departing.

I spent just a year in Brisbane, Australia, and I highly recommend the Aussie beer. As for the gals, I shall make no comment other than to say I am still a bachelor.

In September 1944 I established "residence" in New Guinea and at the present time I am "somewhere in the Philippines."

During my stay at Fort Leavenworth (not the prison I assure you) I played some golf and drank beer with Bill Blakeslee who was in my class. Bill has a charming wife who was with him while he was attending the school at Leavenworth. He left shortly thereafter for England, has been promoted to major and I presume by now he is sipping cognac in some Parisian cafe.

In Australia I ran into 57 Millstein and that ugly, UGLY, Bob Roundey, both lieutenants in the Navy. I also had a beer session with Roy Shattuck, a captain in the Air Forces. Roy gave me quite a dissertation on the income tax, a subject on which he is currently keeping himself abreast, so I plan to look him up after the war for some professional advice.

In New Guinea a first lieutenant came up to my desk and inquired as to the whereabouts of some officer he was looking for. To my surprise the inquirer was Duke Mills. Duke holds a commission in the Air Forces.

Brother Frank was called to active duty several weeks before me and he became a "glamour boy," having been assigned to the Army Air Force at Mitchell Field, L. I. After a pleasant tour of duty there, he was stationed at Fort Dix, N. J., Orlando, Fla., a few other places, and then sailed for overseas four or five months ago. He is presently located at Saipan and is with the Service Group.

Frank is a lieutenant colonel and insists that I must salute him and say "Sir" when I see him. It is certainly remarkable how these younger brothers (five minutes younger to be exact) get ahead in this world. I have tucked away a bottle of Scotch which is earmarked for a celebration in the event we ever do catch up with each other here in the Pacific.

VISITOR OF THE MONTH ....

Was Bob Hage, fresh from thirty days leave after almost two years spent mostly in England, with some time devoted to the Normandy invasion.

Bob is as gay and debonair as ever, and full of interesting stories about life over there. The night that he had a few with Reg Bankart and your scribe, Bob gave us a detailed account of his attendance at a Thanksgiving Day party which the King and Queen gave at Buckingham Palace, which is something you should plan to hear about at our delayed Tenth. Bob wears a new ribbon, green and white, the first of its kind we had ever seen. When he first walked into our office, we hesitated to inquire (for one should know about these things), and were quite ready to conclude that it might be something which the Irish had given him or that Bob had run up himself for surviving an Orangeman's Day in Northern Ireland. After we had lunched, however, a more observant friend of mine asked me who was my friend wearing the Commendation from the Secretary of the Navy ribbon, so now we know.

The day Bob and I had lunch at the WavesBarracks (which isn't as funny as it sounds!) we ran into George McCleary of 1936, Bill Ramsey of 1934, and Fritz Hormel. Fritz is rounding out his fourth year or better in uniform (Army) and in high hopes of getting an overseas assignment some time soon.

Runner-up for visitor-of-the-month honors was that Sage of St. Louis, Frank Cornwell, in town to see that the War Production Board does right by his Nell the last in the form of the Brown Brothers Shoe Cos. Frank looks all of two or three years older than he did back in 1935, leads an active and busy life, teaches advertising on the side, and can still put all the old punch into his far-famed Ghost Story!

Alumni Fund .... 1945

George Colton steps back into the line-up as class agent and will shortly have his team throwing the pigskin around in their early spring practice. Famed undergraduate football manager, successful since in other fields of endeavor, George brings his experience and energy to bear on the Fund at a time when a truly concerted effort on the part of all of us will put it well over the top. Ninetyeight per cent of objective last year, better than that this round.

Secretary-Chairman Bureau of Aeronautics, Navy Department, Washington 25, D. C.

IN MEMORIAAI BRADLEY REEVES Killed in action, somewhere in Belgium 18 December 1944 JOHN HANSON MULLEN Killed, in action, somewhere in Normandy 24 July 1944