1943
Went back to Hanover last weekend to reassure myself that it is still the most beautiful town in the U. S. The freshmen had just arrived—over two hundred, I believe; new suits, new shoes and a look of awe and respect for the "old timers" who had arrived a day early and were already wearing the turned-up pants and sneaker combination. Dan Richardson still watching the town pass by the Inn porch. Don Cobleigh back to take over the Glee Club. Softball a model T rattling by Fletch and Slim .... a member of Green Key directing freshmen. Same great place.
Met Hex Harrigan today Quly 9) at the Dartmouth Club in New York, just back from England, something growing on his upper lip. In a few weeks he'll be on his way west for what he thinks will be training with Superforts. Fuzz Fosdick westbound, too, for further training with B-255, so the Missus writes.
As far as I know, Bill Sweeney, who was listed as missing in the previous issue, is safe and very much the hearty fellow he always was. Got a letter dated May 11 in which he described the scenic beauty of China's many mountains as seen on foot and from the back of a burro, necessitated by engine trouble. The trip back to the base took seven days and was, I believe, the incident that caused all the anxiety. I'll know for "sure in the next issue. More good news in a letter from Ben Edmonds, back in this country on a sixty-day furlough after spending five months in a German prison camp.
Several weeks ago Butch (short for butcher) Lena gave a party in his apartment in . New York that was truly fine and inspiring. Dave Hoffman and his wife were there. Other Dartmouth men were Andy Morgan, Marty Shea, and Don Burnham. Everybody had a wonderful time except the landlady downstairs who promptly issued Hugh something that greatly resembled an- eviction.
Hud King is instructing at Glenview, Ill., very much single at this point, but ever hopeful. Also hopeful but in a different sense is Howie Thomas, now in a Field Artillery Officer's Candidate School at Fort Sill, Okla. Tracy Breed wrote from New Mexico in May that he expected to be discharged from the Air Corps and expects to fly for Pan American in South America. Preston Moore, a lieutenant (jg), is serving on a destroyer in the South Pacific, in what capacity I don't know, but nevertheless very busy as his seven combat stars would indicate. Cpl. Dick Dunbar is stationed at Sharjah (watch the accent), Arabia, ferrying war supplies to the Far East. He celebrated his last birthday with his father, Lt. Col. Clarence E. Dunbar '09. They met somewhere in the Sahara Desert, and, as Dick put it, "It was obviously some birthday." Fred Worthen ran off with all the honors at a swimming meet in Agra, India.
Mrs. Harmon writes that Phil was wounded last January while serving with the 7th Army in Germany and was consequently laid up for seven weeks in the hospital. And from Mr. and Mrs. Clark I learn that Bob (from Keene, N. H.), received the Bronze Star in the ETO. I'm sorry that I can't give you any more details of these heroic episodes but I have the War Department and the modesty of those concerned to overcome. I don't know which is the more difficult.
Received a long letter from Rog Thomas, now serving with a Civil Affairs Detachment in the Philippines. This may give you a general idea of what he is doing.
We found ourselves in the good company of the 24th Division. Thus D-Day saw us making the beach head guarded by two emaciated, half-dead Japs. We made a rapid overland trip to the principal city on this island .... and discovered, much to our chagrin, that we almost preceded the combat forces. For the first time in my life I experienced what is popularly known as fear .... sweating out darkness in flooded foxholes.... banzai attacks .... the screams of companions hit by shell fragments. No picnic! Now, however, we are living in a mansion, very complete, even ice-cream. Civilians are returning in droves and we are continuing our civil and relief administration
Rog was married some time ago to Nemary Urquhart.
Again from the Philippines comes word from Fred Stockwett that he is the proud father of a baby girl, Sandra Lyn, born April 22. Bill Shumacker is also in the same category but X can't rely on my memory to say when or where. Sherwood Martin and Jim Evans are "expecting" additions in September and August respectively.
Evidently the very wet and the very cold spring we had didn't remove any of the romantic element for some of the boys. On May 6 Miss Rita Marjorie Jenkins of Lynn, Mass., was married to Jim Doucette, the latter having just completed nineteen months of duty in the Aleutians. Any weather must seem good after that Miss Rita Beryl Knight was married on June 16 to Bob Craig. Bob received his commission as a first lieutenant a few days later at Temple University and is now en route to Honolulu with his wife, where he will interne at Queen's Hospital Miss Lianne Lytel of New York and Bill Holiday were married April 18 in Tucson, Ariz., and are now living in Chicago. Bill received a medical discharge eight months ago from the Marine Air Forces in which he served as an instructor at Corpus Christi Miss Clarisse Davis married Lt. (jg) Jim Adams in Springfield, Mass., the 24th of May, the latter back from eighteen months' duty in the North Atlantic On June 22 Lt. (jg) George Munroe and Helen Taylor of Waco, Texas, were married in the Church of Christ at Hanover. The bride was given in marriage by Dean Lloyd K. Neidlinger. Following a reception at the Inn they left for Seattle, Wash., where George's ship is under- going repairs. Rumor has it that several other classmates "paid the preacher," as Will Sweeney so crudely puts it Let me know.
Lt. Harry Semmes Jr. appeared in the "Heroes of the Washington Area" series recently and here is the official report describing the action that won for him the same award his father received in the invasion of North Africa.... "In the Saipan landing operation, Lt. Semmes continued to lead his tanks after he was struck by a Japanese shell fragment which pierced his right eye and lodged in his nose. The tank officer lost the sight of his eye. After his unit had reached the beach head, he turned the platoon over to the ranking sergeant and set off on foot for treatment of the wound. About 600 yards from the beach he saw an immobilized tank, retraced his steps, brought repair crews back to the vehicle and supervised their work. Walking 900 yards to an aid station, he wanted to rejoin his outfit after receiving treatment, but medical officers ordered his evacuation." .... Another WAH HOO WAH for Lt. Stan Calder who won the New Jersey State Golf Association's amateur championship in his first try for the title.
Service promotions are many this month and here they are: Lt. William H. Alexander 3rd; Lt. (jg) Charles C. Callahan; Lt. (jg) Richard Lansburgh; Lt.(jg) Arthur H. Clement; Lt. Louis D. Leßesche; Lt. (jg) Albert J. Holzhauer Jr.; Lt.(jg) Dustin C. Lewis; 2nd Lt. William T. Maeck; Lt. (jg) Charles M. Donovan; Lt. (jg) Arthur L. Brockway Jr.; Ens. Robert B. Grimshaw; Lt.(jg) Harry G. Gerber; Lt.(jg) James D. Elleman; Lt. (jg) Edward W. Lider; Lt. Henry W. Coulter Jr.;' Lt. Charles J. Webb; Lt. (jg) Walter C. Leonard Jr.; Lt.(jg) James Olsen Jr.; Lt.(jg) Robert C. Kiger; Lt. (jg) George B. Munroe; Lt. (jg) Paul D. Hanlon; 2nd Lt. Stanley G. Calder; Lt. Allan M. Hirshberg; Capt. William D. Leo; Lt.(jg) Donald W. Jones.
THE SS ROGERS BLOOD, NEW WARSHIP NAMED FOR A DARTMOUTH MAN, HITS THE WATER AT HER LAUNCHING. The attack personnel destroyer was named for Lt. Rogers Blood '44, Marine officer and holder of the Silver Star and Purple Heart, who lost his life at Eniwetok. His mother, Mrs. Robert M. Blood, wife of Robert M. Blood '06, christened the craft. Mrs. Blood is shown at the left with her daughter, Wave Lt. Elizabeth M. Blood, USNR, maid of honor at the christening. Among the Dartmouth group present at the launching were John L. Sullivan '21, Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Air, Dean Robert C. Strong '24 and Prof. John B. Stearns '16, Herbert A. Wolff 'lO and Mrs. Wolff whose son, Herbert '44, was at Eniwetok with Rogers, and Doctors William P. Clough m'11 and William P. Jr. '34.
Secretary, 49 Countryside Dr., Summit, N. J. Treasurer, Shelburne, Vt.
