1919
Phil Bird helped with, Boston side-lights for the December issue. Not long ago, King Cole produced a very interesting letter, outlining 1919 activities in Washington, D. C. Spider Martin has held back lately, but only to enrich our knowledge of certain classmates' doings, through his most welcome News Letter. Patient Readers, please take the hint. It is always gratifying to the secretary to have a letter from one of us, telling something about himself and family, as well as about our mutual friends within the class.
When Chairman Red Colwell, Jim Davis' appointment to head up our postponed 25th Reunion, told me he had sent out the "First Call" to save only three but special days in June, a glow of pleasure overcame a small lump in the throat and, upon reading the letter focusing our attention upon June 28, 29, and 30 as dates to be in Hanover, it became downright enthusiasm. No one can deny that Red is batting 1000 in the early season, so here's hoping we all respond and find out for ourselves what a good time can be had. With 1918, 1919, 1920, and 1921 in Hanover all together—well—why say more!
Christmas brought many cards to the secretary's desk which he hastens to acknowledge with thanks.
Ray Legg's name appears in the New York Dartmouth Club News as a new member of that club. Spider Martin's also appears in the same Bulletin as a member of the Activities Committee, and Lew Garrison's on the Publication Committee.
Al Rayner of West Hartford sends news of Tom Hapgood, which we quote in part from the Springfield Union of December 4:
Col. Hapgood, a graduate of Dartmouth College with a B. S. degree in 1919, and formerly production manager of the Strathmore Paper Co., has been connected with Springfield Ordnance District since 1924, when he was commissioned a second lieutenant, Ordnance Reserve. He was ordered to active duty as a captain February 4, 1941, and assigned to the Springfield district. In March 1941 he was promoted to major and advanced to lieutenant colonel February 23, 1942. He was named executive officer of the District in January 1942, a post he has held since; and also served as chief of the general office division and chairman of the Awards Board and the Surplus Property and Disposal Boards.
Col. Hapgood leaves the Ordnance District to become associated with Lt. Gen. Omar H. Bradley in the organization of the Veterans' Administration.
Al's letter describes life in Hartford. He writes:
A Springfield friend sent me the clipping, knowing of my long friendship with Tom since we were together in grammar and high school as well as College. I am sorry to see him leaving this part of the country now, but know he is taking advantage of a good opportunity.
I am still, as for the past nine years, time study engineer for the Whitlock Manufacturing Co., of Hartford. We make heat transfer equipment normally but have been doing much special war work including torpedo tubes for PT boats and a lot of equipment for the Manhattan Project. My oldest son, Bill, now 20, went through the Navy V-12 training, including eight months at Dartmouth" and received his commission as ensign at Notre Dame Midshipmen's School last June. He was top man of the class, receiving highest honors in all subjects. He was first assigned to an LST which had to spend the summer in a Hoboken shipyard for repairs and decommissioning, but recently has been transferred to an LST on the Pacific Coast. My other son, Donald, 19 years old, is an Operations Agent for American Airlines here in Hartford. Then we have a daughter, Constance, 9 years old. We had a fine Dartmouth Night celebration in Hartford. Jim Jewett was the only other nineteener there, I believe. Glad to know that plans are forming for a postponed 25th Reunion and will surely try to make it.
When we want the real low-down about World War 11, we can always call on someone in the class. Commodore Paul Halloran could tell us much about building airfields and supply depots on Saipan, Guam, and other important Pacific outposts, as well as something about bases and repair yards in the U. S. A. Grief Raible (Lt. Comdr.) can take us right to the Normandy Beachhead and up to D-day plus 11 (eleven). Want to know about Army ho'spitals? Ask Col. Jock Murray, Col. Dan Featherstone or Capt. Clarence Buttenweiser. If interested in the Atlantic transport duty, try Capt. Larry Eastman USNR, or Comdr. Henry Siegbert. For Navy flying at Esperitu Santos, ask Lt. Comdr. Clark Ingraham, and if Army fighter business in New Guinea and the Philippines interests you, contact Major George W. Rand.
Commander John Chipman USNR can talk at length about Egypt and Iran and Gene Markey, before Gene returned to Hollywood and married Myrna Loy. Lt. Comdr. Louis Munro has the Navy office personnel problems in Boston all ironed out, and Lt. Comdr. Staff Hudson could really give us a story about the eastern seaboard air patrols out of Floyd Bennett Field.
Colonel for a brief period, Bob Paisley left his important government post in Washington, 1). C., and flew to the Philippines right after the capture of Leyte, and conferred with Gen. MacArthur and staff concerning that important product, Manila hemp.
Col. Bob Proctor, Col. Tom Hapgood, Col. Jigger Merrill, Major Fred Blanpied, Lt. Comdr. Norman Godbe, Capt. Ralph S. Hayes, Comdr. Ralph Meader, Marine Col. Bill Eddy and others have, still, to post us on highlights of their respective service activities. When do we hear about them? If not sooner, certainly next June at Reunion at Hanover.
Don't think we are overlooking another famous Army officer of 1919. Colonel Red Blaik needs no news item to describe his success at West Point where he turned loose one of the sweetest football teams of all time this past fall. We are more than proud of our classmates in or. just out of service.
We still want news of Major Godman, Lt. Comdr. Howard, Col. Hubert Johnson, Col. Maulsby Forrest, Col. Will Levy, Major M. C. Jones, Lt. L. D. Milligan, and Army Lt. Hal Morse, Lt. George Ludlow, Captain Ray Pierce, Major Thornton Wood and others whose names are still to come up. No doubt promotions have produced one or more errors in the above titles. We mourn Lt. Comdr. Bob Newcomb, whose ship, a destroyer esCOrt commanded by him, was sunk by enemy action in the Pacific not long before the war's end.
A record must be compiled to cover service activities of sons and daughters of 1919 in World War II. We would welcome an account of your boys and girls and their place and part in the last war.
One thing sure, 1919 appears to have enough colonels to complete the staff of a Kentucky governor.
The annual report of our treasurer, Max Norton, was received a day or two ago and indicates a small but suitable balance to take care of class expenses. It might be pointed out, at this time, that we have no class dues to add to this fund and that receipts during the year 1945 are shown in the report as "None," whereas expenditures total a large sum, $23.10. No doubt, here again, 1946 should show a change for the better or worse, depending on how our Finance Committee gauges the proper charge for Reunion expenses next June.
H. Gordon (Gin) Mullen, now acting head of the hosiery department of Julius Kayser & Co., will be named chief of that department within the next few days, well-informed market sources reported. Mr. Mullen would succeed Charles A. Kaufman, who resigned effective ecember 1 to join Chester H. Roth Cos. Previously, Mr. Mullen had headed Kayser's export division.
A letter from Manning W. Hodgdon on the Aluminum Company of America stationery, from Cleveland, Ohio, indicates that Hodge will be in New York City for a visit very soon.
Further word from Tom Hapgood indicates that he has arrived at his new home, 45 Forest Road, Springfield, Delaware County, Pa. He has taken over his duties as a full Chicken Colonel, as director of Coordination and Planning (one of thirteen new decentralized offices under Gen. Bradley). Fred Balch and Dennie Sullivan, please note Keystone and Vine Streets, Philadelphia, where Tom can be found working. His daughter entered Penn State College this fall.
An extra copy of the 15 th Reunion report would be welcomed by the secretary to be filed in the Archives Room of Dartmouth College Library.
Larry Eastman turned over command of the Bland on December 15th to his successor. He expects shore duty in the First Naval District shortly, at either Portland or Boston, or possible release to the inactive list.
Larry has had a four and a half year stretch in the Navy, almost all sea duty. His son Peter has recently entered the Navy and is located at Electricians' School. We will welcome Larry and his wife, Emma, who is with him. They expect to return to 65 Pine St., Portland, Maine, in the near future.
Henry Siegbert, according to a recent report in the paper, has retired as a general partner of Lewisohn and Co., and is entering another field of business Paul Halloran has taken over duty as District Works Officer, Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, Va Art Palmer has moved to Long Ridge Road, RFD 2, Stamford, Cbnn. William W. Allen can be found at 25 Pearl Street, Brandon, Vt.
CONGRESSMAN JAY LE FEVRE '18 (right) of New York shown with Congressman Simpson at the Parthenon while their Committee on Postwar Economic Policy and Planning was visiting Athens last summer.
Secretary, 103 Aviemore Drive, New Rochelle, New York Treasurer, Hanover, New Hampshire
