1940
A recent attempt oF your acting secretary to be an executive, at least to the extent oF resigning his appointed job and passing it back to our legally elected secretary-chairman, one Thomas Wardell Braden, has met with partial failure. Tom, now bulwarking the Whaley- Eaton Service in Washington, claims (1) that he is working hard, (2) that he is without the services of a secretary, (3) that in the short time left to Reunion there is no point in transferring the writing of this column to one who has been out of touch in the recent past. He will come in on the Reunion planning, so, until Reunion, this job will be split, Tom operating as chairman, and J. Moody continuing with the news.
The Alumni Fund campaign this year will be carried out through a new agent, DonRainie. Jack Rourke, in the middle of parenthood involving an organization to be called "Jack Rourke Productions," finds that time will be limited for him in the next few months. Don was recently discharged from the Army after three years of it, most of it spent at Camp Myles Standish, Taunton, processing troops for overseas, and, more recently, helping them into civilian status. He's been an active class agent every year since graduation, an ever constant source of news to this scrivener, and will have the time this spring to head up the usual good 1940 campaign. Indian Drums under his editing should be forthcoming ere long. Jack's new enterprise sells radio package deals, spot announcements, jingles and offers the services of 1940's "Voice" as announcer.
The planning of Reunion, July 12 through 14 is well along. You'll hear from the College in April about dormitory reservations, and the first class mailing will go out the latter part of the month, featuring complete plans for the 1940 program, tariff rates, and so on. Reserve your time now, remember that Hanover Holiday can be squeezed in at either or both ends of the official dates, and plan to be there.
Sobering news still trickles in on '40s casualties. The latest, and, it is hoped, last, is Gerry Sullivan, missing over Camranh Bay, French Indo-China, since January 12, 1945. He is now listed by the Navy Department as missing and presumed dead. If you will remember, it was reported at the time of his disappearance that he was participating as a volunteer in a search for a squadron mate who was shot down in the bay. He was last seen strafing Jap shore installations as he led three planes in for the search. He was awarded the Gold Star in lieu of a second DFC for the action in which he was lost.
Three recent functions have included '40s in good numbers turning out for evenings of food, drink and gabbing. First, the Boston Alumni Association dinner in February found Fred Miller,Dwight Meader, Howie Stock-well, Bob Austin,Tom Dunlevy ('40 or '41 ?), Chet Brett, Jack Fitzgerald, Red Hermann, Tuffy Reeves, Herb Landsman, Danny Sullivan, Ted Le.-witt, Al Rosenthal,Bill Daniels, Dick Seidman, George Burleigh,Scott Dillingham, Dick Chase, Stet Whitcher, RoyBlanchard, Roy Merchant, Bob O'Brien, John McDonald and Don Rainie in attendance. On March 5 Earl Reingold, Dick Everett, Don Rainie, HowieAckerly and Carl James showed up for the Manchester, N. H., annual meeting. March 6 was a strictly 1940 night in New York when, under the organizing efforts "of Bud Hewitt, 60, count 'em, sixty, men of 1940 gathered at the Dartmouth Club for cocktails, dinner, an organization meeting, and a hell of a good time. Result: we have a New York committee, composed of Bud Hewitt, chairman; Les Nichols, Mac Cross, Ray Dau, Chet Garrison,Dick Bowman, Chal Carothers, Fred Eaton, ErnieLendler, and Charlie Power; Wednesdays between 12 and 1:30 have been designated as 1940 time for luncheon at the Club every week—you'll always find a '40 group there at that time; and tentatively scheduled is a monthly dinner meeting on the first Wednesday of each month, first to be held in May, since the April meeting will be replaced by the annual New York Association affair April 11. Of the 60 present, 40 indicated they will definitely be at Reunion, accompanied by assorted wives. If that average holds for the class, Hanover had best tell the rest to come some other time; we'll need all the facilities.
All that leaves a tiny bit of space for some of the accumulation of letters. With the Indian Drum starting up soon, and space therein at something less of a premium, some of the dope that has been forced out of this column for the last couple of months will find its way to you. Till then, we have these bits to offer: Ted Ellsworth, home in Dubuque and selling insurance, was awarded the DSC for leading his company into the outskirts of the Maginot line during the invasion of Germany. Ted was recommended for the Congressional Medal of Honor, says the news release, but received the DSC instead because most of the eyewitnesses were killed in the action. Fred Michel, Major, USAAF, returned from the war with the Purple Heart, DFC with two Clusters, and Air Medal with Eight Clusters. He's now ferrying for the Army, chiefly the P-80 Lockheed Shooting Star. Scotty Treeman, at last reports, was flying the route to England for American Export Airlines. Bill Ghapin, still hospitalized after losing a leg following six months' imprisonment, writes his objection to finding his name beside two memorial gifts in last year's Alumni Fund list. Bill thinks it's nice to be remembered, but requests that further memorial gifts for him be deferred a few decades. He was fitted out with a new leg at Atlantic City, and expecting discharge in March. ClintClad checked in last month from Yale Law School where he matriculated following three and one-half years of Navy life. He found the Marshalls of 1940 also there, Bob in the Forrestry School and Howie at Drama. Howie and Clint have veterans' apartments adjoining, with their wives sharing the kitchen. He found quite a Dartmouth veterans' group at Yale, but no other '4os. That's it for April. Keep the news coming in. We can't use it here, but it'll sure help the Indian Drum.
UPON COMPLETION OF ACTIVE DUTY Major Howard Sommer '40 (right) was awarded the Oak Leaf Cluster to his Army Commendation Ribbon by General Eisenhower, While overseas/ Major Sommer received the Bronze Star.
Acting Secretary, 1 Terrace St., Montpelier, Vt.
Treasurer, LT. COMDR. 8040 Diggs Rd., Norfolk 5, Va.
VOX.CLAMANTIS.IN.DESERTO
