1942
Remember those days writing English papers with a minimum word limit on them? Remember how we used to throw in everything but the kitchen sink to make enough words? Those days seem to be quite a paradox to the present ones when I try to put these letters together. Now I have a maximum, and it would take four times that number to even come close to relating all that comes in your letters. So if I'm going to practice what I am trying to illustrate, I had better move on. It is with the deepest regret that I report that on March 19, 1945, Lt. David R. Dunlap Jr. was killed in action while fighting in the Pacific-Asiatic Theater. Dave had recently been promoted. He was married to the former Jean Faith Van-Valkenburg, and they became the parents of twins, a daughter Sage, and David R., on January 21.
Word has also been received of the death of Lt. Russell Britton. Russ was killed in Germany on February 9, while fighting with the Sixth Armored Infantry of General Patton's Third Army in the successful attempt to relieve the encircled American Forces at Bastogne, Belgium. The sorrow that has come to these two families is shared by that of every member of the class of 1942.
The Croix de Guerre has been awarded to T/3 Bert W. Anger by General Charles de Gaulle for meritorious and exceptional service rendered in the liberation of France. Bert went in on D-plus-4 with General Omai? Bradley's Twelfth Army and has participated in three campaigns while assigned to the 2nd Mobile Broadcasting Co., attached to the psychological warfare unit of the Twelfth. Bert has also been awarded the Bronze Star for meritorious action in Normandy.
A newspaper clipping tells the long story of a rescue at sea by the "Snafu Snatchers," a rescue group of the Air Force in which Lt. Dick Deane took part. Dick was the navigator on the plane that rescued two fliers who had gone down. The rescue plane was unable to take off in the heavy sea and was forced to taxi to a small island with the aid of the crew's bailing. When the plane returned to the base it had difficulty in landing, as it could not see the lights of the field and the radio had conked out, but it got in safe and sound by instrument.
Lt. George Rounds was recently presented with a special commendation letter and ribbon for his outstanding performance of duty while serving as assistant operations officer on the staff of a carrier group commander, prior to and during the amphibious invasion of Southern France in August of 1944. At present George is on duty in the Operations Department of the Fleet Air Detachment, Quonset Point, R. I.
William Simpson was recently promoted toa first lieutenant while serving on the FifthArmy Front in Italy. He is now a platoonleader in a quartermaster battalion with anInfantry Division.
Pfc. Winthrop Robbins has received a sealedletter of commendation which reads in part,
"For valor and courage in combat," from Gen.Patton while doing reconnaissance work inNormandy, France, and Germany.
The numbers on the sides of these copy pages tells me that the words are piling up, so you had better stand ready to take your news at a more rapid rate. A letter from Cpl. Joe McCormick tells that he is now in Germany, that he saw Nellie Craw in England back in 1944, and that in France he met First Lieutenant J. D. LaSeur who was servicing Black Widows. Duke Frieman writes again saying that he is still an instructor at the Glenview Naval Air Station; that Lt. Tom Danes is serving with a Paratroop outfit in France; that Nate Ward is back in Chicago stationed at the Navy Pier, and Joe Nagler is still working for Consolidated Vultee in Fort Worth. Bill Farmer is the top choice for Number One twirler on the 1945 Lincoln, Nebraska, AAF Wings Baseball team. Lt. (jg) Gordon Burgess has just been given a new ship which was launched on March 27. It is an LST and he has been made the executive officer. Captain Lloyd Bishop, whose many varied and great activities have been previously reported at length, has reported for duty as Chief Orientation and Indoctrination Officer at Camp Davis, N. C, which is an AAF Personnel Distribution Center. S/Sgt. Ed Massey is one of the many U. S. Troops who has ceased fighting in Germany. Some of the other service promotions include Capt. Lyman C. Whittaker; Capt. Philip Locke; Ens. Duncan E. Williams; Ens. William H. Emerson; Lt. (jg) Thomas E. West; Major Robert E. Carruthers; Lt. (jg) James G. Skinner. And in the way of announcements of new positions, the marriage of Miss Elizabeth Drake of Bronx, N. Y., to Lt. Edward McLaughlin took place on April 14, 3.945.
Lt. Johnny de la Montagne writes from sunny Italy where he is still operating with a Mountain Infantry that he has run into Bill Simpson and Bob Headley, and that he occasionally sees Jim Barr. John says that his wife has been teaching skiing in Wyoming and that a letter from Dr. Chester Jones announces that the good doctor has escorted ten babies into the world. Lt. (jg) Dunbar Schuetz writes that he is back in the States stationed at Camp Bradford after spending two years in the Pacific aboard an LST. He is now accompanied by a new wife as of March 14. She is the former Virginia Gilman, of their mutual hometown, Nausau, Wise. He also writes that Ollie Quale is now a communications instructor at ATB, Little Creek, after being at Bradford several months. Russ Hartranft is aboard a destroyer in the Pacific and has seen considerable action lately in the Philippine Area. Russ and Dunbar got together at Pearl Harbor with Swifty Barnes, who is now somewhere thereabouts. Dunbar continues by relating that Bob Wilson is now at NAS, Hutchinson, Kansas, flying fourmotored bombers; that Dan Hagge is now in Germany as a stretcher-bearer; Ronnie Westgate is now a senior warrant officer and still in Italy. Frank Cushman is still working in a defense plant in. Worcester, Mass.; Bill Upthegrove is waiting for a destroyer at a Naval Operating Base; Ed Hawkridge is waiting for a new destroyer, after returning from the Pacific where he was on similar duty. Ed was the Dartmouth representative at Dunbar's wedding. Pete Kelch is now an ensign having returned from Persia where he worked for the Army as a civil engineer. At Camp Bradford, Dunbar met Warren Kreter and his wife. Warren has been in the area for some time, but Dunbar didn't know what his duties were.
That ended the long letter of Lt. (jg) Schuetz and it also ends me. May I remind all you single members, in closing, that the month is June. If you can get within marrying distance of that One-and-Only at home, I (and all the married members) suggest that you take the proper action to contribute to the department of "Hearts and Flowers" that should be flourishing in this column monthly. Take care of that little matter will you?
Acting Secretary, R. D. No. 1, Rensselaer, N. Y.
