1942
REFLECTIONS OF A BRAND-NEW
CIVILIAN: Taking a cue from,the advertising of a current screen fantasy, you have my permission to bill this opus as "Page is back and Grief has got him." To cry on my own shoulder at the outset as I return after an absence of 24 issues, I just put the simple question to one and all—Did any of you ever try to pick up loose ends when same were nowhere to be picked? That's about the story as I looked at a lot of blank paper a few nights ago. It was disheartening until all of a flash-like it comes to my mind that the Mighty Mite, one J. Lawlor (Ankledeep) Farley, our adept, and, by the grace of our 600-odd members, successful class agent, has seemingly cornered the market on all class news of late and had even in a most recent issue gone so far as to say that he had ten or a dozen letters he hadn't gotten around to using. Well, the short of it is, one and all, that Farley is not long on letters any more and the lesson to some ten or a dozen characters is that you send the greenbacks to Farl and what news you have on hand to your old pal with the green shirt in the mountains.
In spite of the fact that the tenth of the month comes around frequently and that there are all sorts of nasty Reunion jobs staring me in the face, it is nice to be back among you lovely people once again. Before I go further I want to put in your thanks and mine to Phil Brooks and Dick Bolton who spelled Page for the last two years. Don't think that it wasn't a lot of extra work for them. It was. Especially in Dick's case where the class work ran up against bar exams and the lean days of a law clerk's existence. Those days tried their souls. My thanks to you both.
Your reporter is currently carrying on as an apprentice in the printing business in Burlington after three and one half years in the Army. I got to the tremendous rank of Staff Sergeant in the Counter Intelligence Corps and got to see nice places like India, Assam, and North Burma. The toughest battle I faced was looking for an apartment in New York City* on my last assignment and I ended up in a blaze of glory with two. The above address is only temporary as once again I go through the housing situation blindfolded. But 100 Deforest Road, Burlington,'will always get me and I hope a good many of you take advantage of my generous offer and write.
We were all shocked a short time ago to hear that Howie Lamson had been killed in action. My mail a few days back brought word that he has been awarded the Silver Star posthumously for heroic action on Saipan in June 1944. Said his citation in part:
Courageous and aggressive in the face of terrific fire, Lt. Lamson led his platoon to its objective and by skillful direction of mortar and small arms fire successfully repelled several fierce counter-attacks. Utterly disregarding his own safety, under heavy artillery and mortar fire, he bandaged the wounds of his men and moved them to protected areas and also skillfully directed the covering forces and removal or destruction of equipment. Although seriously wounded by hostile fire while leading an assault on an enemy pill box that was denying his battalion its objective, he contributed materially to the ultimate success of the operation.
It is tough, indeed, to lose men like Howie and it seems that '42 has lost far more than its share.
A confidential source that must be classified as most reliable reports: Don Williamson married in '44, has a daughter, Barbara Helen, aged, 6 months, and is working in Chicago as secretary for the Williamson Adhesives, Inc. Don is holding forth in Winnetka and is vice president of the Chicago Junior Association of Commerce. Another reliable source says: Brad Bates, a law student at the University of Virginia. .... Bill Harris with the Huron Portland Cement Cos., in Detroit PeteKrist with American Airlines and living in East Haven, Conn. Pete was bucking for Major when I left him on the shores of the Hooghly in February 1945 Joe Logan a law student at Harvard John Milnor interning at Queen's Hospital, Honolulu, I believe. .... Ollie Quayle with TWA in Washington, stenographer and all. .... Dave Sargent with United Investment Counsel in Boston Bynum Hinton at Cornell Law Howie Morse a TWA pilot Ed Squire a graduate student in chemistry at Northwestern John Valkevich a sales representative with Liberty Motors, Lynn, Mass Luis Zalamea holding forth at Edifice Ultra Calle 17 No. 8-28, Bogota, Columbia Promotions to Major JamesWilbee, Lt. (jg) Mel Lee, Lt. Lindy Difabio on the inactive list and Capt. Micky Finn and Lt. (jg) Pat Reilly on the active list.
BACK TO HANOVER: Dutch Schaefer, selling salt in and around Elizabeth, N. J., back to put his kid brother in college; AI Hooker Conn.; Cliff Roberts, Minneapolis; Ralph Morrison, Swampscott, Mass.; A 1 Hutchinson, Oyster Bay, N. Y.; John Stewart, Hanover; Bill Clark, Hanover; R. R. McCathran, Chevy Chase, Md.; Frank Malavasic, Little Falls, N. Y.; Ray Wattles, Buffalo; and FordCoffman, Webster Groves, Mo. Incidentally when you jokers are back at Dave Heald's hostelry, where the above names came from, how about picking out the flashily attired major domo and giving him the good word on what goes on. I'd rather have it direct from you, but Dave's a big help if you're too busy.
RACING THE SPACE LIMIT: Jack Stinsori, out of the Army, heading for Pensacola. Future indefinite. .... Dr. Mel Figley reporting the only wedding of the month, his to Margaret Jane Harris in Cleveland, on March 16 Sid Bull with Gulf Oil from the bottom, as aren't we all. .... JimMulligan still with overhead doors at Stanley Works, New Britain Jack Witter, who gave me my mustering out pay, now out himself but still 52-20 Ben Page, off for Texas and his first million, said to have left half a bottle of White Horse in New Britain Jack Harriman with the 6th Emergency Rescue on Okinawa from all reports seeing the Pacific from Manila to Seoul. .... Phil Moon with the Credit Department of the National Bank of Detroit. Living in Pleasant Ridge, Mich. .... Bob Waldron back in Hanover; Tuck, I believe. .... Bob Dewey, the Admiral, studying law at Ann Arbor, saying there are many other Greens on hand Don Gates starting in in an advertising agency in Milwaukee, looking swell on the Hanover scene in January. .... Craig Kuhn and wife, Sally, with two offspring in Pittsburgh where Craig is studying law. .... Bob. Gorman and wife, Kay, in Raleigh where Bob is studying textile manufacture at North Carolina State. . . . . Stu Finch, a full-fledged M.D., finishing his surgical internship at Baltimore City Hospital, now a resident in Pathology. Stu goes to the Army MC soon Chet Jones ditto at Strong Memorial in Rochester. He's Navy-bound. .... Mike Desherbinin getting out the AVC's New York Bulletin which is said to muchly resemble the Daily D. ... . Bate Eivart a traveling salesman, last heard from beating the bush in Maine. .... John Storrs on a West Coast trip, womaninspired, and then hoping for Yale Architectural School Bill Enos finishing his internship at Bridgeport Al Dingwall last seen gesticulating over Biltmore (N.Y.C.), cocktails and heading for a business world of some kind. .... Bud McKinlay back in Chicago and father of a six-monthold Hanover-bound boy Harry Bond with the Massachusetts Taxpayers Association, covering the Bay State .... and Brue Stephens back at Tuck.
One quick word about Reunions and such. I hope, if Treasurer Ted Arico permits, to get a letter to you before May 10 giving you all the details. The Reunion this year is informal and DOES NOT replace the regular Reunion in 1947. I personally want to boom the 1947 meeting, but the August job this year will be a good deal and will give you the added op. portunity of meeting men in the classes of 1943. '44. and '45- !'d appreciate very much hearing how you feel about the matter. 1 think strongly, though, that one or the other must be emphasized or we will have a couple of half-baked Reunions instead of one good one.
So it goes, and here I go. Farley will have left town by the time you worthies get this So I'll be depending on you from here in. Incidentally if I can be of any help to you in locating other class members give me the big buzz. My files will soon be in order. And please, on bended knee, give me your ideas on when and what for Reunion.
Secretary-Chairman, 100 DeForest Rd.; Burlington, Vt. Treasurer, c/o Mrs. Made Thompson, 88 Howard St Rockland, Mass.
