1940
It's too early to state without equivocation that there'll be a '40 party this year in lieu of our Fifth, but it looks that way at this writing. We hope to have definite word on it in the April issue so that you can make plans. Responses, the few that we have, are unanimous that (1) there should be a gettogether and (2) it'll be good.
IN THE SERVICES OVERSEAS
The advance guard of the class in Germany, POW Ted Ellsworth, is reported again through his wife Barbara, who is waiting it out in Dubuque. Ted became a prisoner on October 4 when a village he and his company took was retaken by the Germans on their fourth counterattack. He is well. Barbara has also heard from Tom Braden, still in England, but expecting to ship out with a paratroop unit to which he was recently transferred.
Long absent and constantly wandering Lt. Dick Glendinning reports from a port of call somewhere between here and the fighting. He is an armed guard officer on the Dick had no '40 news, largely due to the fact that " the last guy from '40 that I have seen was Lee Brekke in the fall of 1942, who was then en route to Africa in a sub-chaser. His mission was successful. A continent was taken. Since then, inroads have been made in others, but I still haven't seen anyone from the class." Dick has been a Navy man since March 1943, and has spent twenty-seven months since then in Bermuda and eight on his present duty.
Capt. Jack Cowan writes enclosing the first Fund check of 1945 that has come through this corner. Jack is now overseas, still with an Army disbursing office, and concerned at the moment with paying out for supplies, damages and native labor.
Marine Capt. John Fitzgerald has been awarded the Legion of Merit for his leadership as commanding officer of his amphibian tractor battalion during the battles of Peleliu and Ngesebus last fall. He has been overseas for three years and has seen action at Guadalcanal, Cape Gloucester and the action mentioned.
Howie Tallmadge is now a first lieutenant and assigned to the Ordnance Section of the Service of Supply in the India Burma theatre. Howie has been overseas over a year, with two months of it in North Africa and the balance in India. Art Root is another overseas classmate, being a corporal now attached to the adjutant general's office of the Infantry, somewhere in France. And Lt. JerrySullivan was recently reported through the Boston papers as still flying against the Nips from a Pacific carrier.
AND HERE AND THERE
Chap Wentworth has been, these many months since September, a Navy man. After passing the Eddy test last fall he has been a radio technician. He was recently selected for a commission, and probably sports the boards by now. Chap and Mrs (Christina) recently visited Lt. and Mrs. (Gene) BenBacon. Chap reports that life in the Navy is interesting and strenuous.
Ray Hotaling is, to my knowledge, the last of the '40 Georgia contingent which, at one time, represented a sizable portion of the class. He was recently transferred to Robbins Field when Daniel Field became a POW camp. His title is long, and, by my interpretation, means personnel work with the service command. Ray has asked, without results, for transfer to a tactical command in a combat area.
Russ Neisloss, Asst. PX Officer at Camp Breckinredige, was upped to first lieutenant January 8.
AMONG THE CIVILIANS
Dick Kidder, lumbering with his dad in Franklin, N. H., announces the addition of Marilyn to his family last November. She makes a total of three for Dick along with Alan, 3, and Jason, 2, which is, so far as I know, the class record to date.
Doc Aulmann has changed jobs and is now, still in advertising, assistant to a vice president with Maxon, Inc. Doc has been in New York for a few months now and his new work will keep him in the big city. He and Capt. Frank Reeves had plans for a minor reunion underway at the time Doc wrote.
One of those lapses in the flow of class news leaves room this month for the third assistant acting secretary's periodic appeal. All who have written to me this past year are hereby commended for their class loyalty. The rest of you are strictly slugs in my book. It costs a little time and the usual stamp for those of the latter group to effect a transfer. How about it?
Acting Secretary, 1 Terrace St., Montpelier, Vt.
