1939

A quick look through the mail reveals several letters but for a change we could stand several more,—especially from you reconverted civilians.

Ed "Mike" Daley tops the list, starting his letter with the usual apology and then continuing as follows: "I 'fought' the war to the bitter end, finally arrived home and was released early in November, and am still on terminal leave—until February in fact. Terminal leave, that's Army for extended party. Really all I've been doing is lying around and partying a bit here and there. And now for the important thing,—I'm taking the fatal step and being married Saturday, the 12th of January." By the time this is in print, Ed will have married Elizabeth Bloom and yours truly will have been at the wedding, but at the time of this writing I can merely speculate about more party. As a matter of fact, since Ed's letter I've seen both him and Liz and I might add we didn't seem to break the routine of Ed's "terminal leave."

A letter from Ed Robinson explains in a rather quaint way why he was listed as missing in action for three months in Europe. As Ed puts it, "A Kraut lieutenant didn't know he was licked when he was cut off behind our lines in the Ardennes, and went right ahead and captured me, a major and a dozen assorted enlisted men (ably aided by some of his own E.M.). I was a mortar platoon leader, and at that point my radio operator and I were trying to find an O.P. tor a particular job. The German got us behind his lines with the help of fog, darkness, heavy woods, and a lot of nerve, and for the next 90 days I inhabited some of the less desirable of the P.W. camps. In one I had the very undesirable experience of seeing three American soldiers collapse and die of starvation—and that when jewelry or money would get plenty of food from the guards, so there was food around." Ed's letter relates further how he was liberated by Patton's forces only to be recaptured again. After the second capture, Ed escaped to be picked up again, this time by civilians.

A note from Gordon McCoun finds him still flying, only now it's for Pan American. He's guiding an old DC-3 in and out of Rio, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Quito and Panama. Gordy had little to say of any '39ers except that he had heard that Larry Dilkes was flying for Pan American out of Miami.

A Christmas card from the Ordways enclosed a note which indicated that Dick was heading back to Tennessee as soon as that discharge came through.

Newsbriefs—A note in the New York Times reviewed Bert MacMannis' Naval history before his recent discharge. Another note in one of the New York papers revealed that Al Tishman was back working for the Tishman Realty Co. Maurice Costin married Jeanne Ganthier on November 5. John Bowie married Margot Peacock in Wellington, New Zealand, on December 8. Quite a note about Bud Little appeared in the Vicksburg, Miss., Herald—"Captain Amos Little is a little guy with big ideas about his future. He's a five-foot, four-inch parachuting doctor who thinks there's an established future in aerial rescue work. After 47 breath-taking rescue leaps, most of them in the rugged mountains of Montana, Wyoming and Colorado, the 29-year old Army doctor says: 'When I get out of this man's Army, I plan to take a couple of years residency in orthopedics, settle in this Northwest country, build up a private practise and continue with aerial rescue work.' "

Recent visitors to Hanover included Buzz Waters and wife, Sam Hird, Bob Jessup and Arnie Childs. The place still looks about the same, doesn't it? I don't know, though, the co-ed dorms (apartments) ought to add a new touch.

Secretary, 102 Park Drive, Cranford, N. J. Treasurer, 50 Fair Oaks, Clayton 17, Mo.