1943
As you will recall, in the last issue I mentioned the fact that the letter from HowieThompson to Fritz Geller was amusing and interesting and would publish it in this issue. Consequently here it is:
"Your letter, thanks to the mail strike we had here just at Christmas time, only arrived today. Late or not I haven't had such a good chuckle in a long time as I had this afternoon reading your account of reunion. I'm sure my secretary is convinced someone was in my office goosing me to hear the laughter that it produced! As I think I told you on that Christmas card, which I hope you have received by now, I arrived home just two weeks too late, but I guess you guys that did get there more than made up for any absences on the part of each other.
"I did get up to Hanover for a short visit though, about a month after reunion time (and didn't see any of your corpses littering up the house, to my surprise and disappointment - not to see any of you, I mean). It looked awfully good, too. I decided then that someday I wouldn't mind at all settling down in the old town when I get so old and crochety they throw me out of the Foreign Service, which may be any day now. Seriously, it was awfully good to be home and to see the family and the few friends I did get to see, but it was all too short and by early September I was back here again with a three-year stretch to put in before I will be back home again. Next time anyway it should be fall and football season which I'm much looking forward to, and hope to get tip to Hanover for a game. I haven't seen a game since 1949. Horrible, though! I still follow our fortunes in the Sunday Times, which we get a month late.
"I'm about to be transferred from this post, Lille, where I've been stationed as public affairs officer for Northern France since the spring of '51. I expect to be moving to Paris to some sort of an assignment, still in the Information Service, at the Embassy, where I shall probably remain until I go home again in September '56, which at this point seems a hell of a long way off, unfortunately. Fortunately my brother will be coming into the Riviera on a Mediterranean cruise (he's a recalled Navy pilot) next month so I hope to have a few days in Paris with him then. Then of course one never is lacking for visiting firemen* (friends of friends of friends of someone who knew you at the age of 18 months) from April through November, and my God if that doesn't cure you from wanting to ever see anyone again nothing will. But that's the time I take my vacation, fortunately, which helps discourage them some. Although you would be surprised how many of them will hunt you out even in the most inaccessible Alpine village in Europe. This year I will probably go to either Greece or Scandinavia. I have the travel bug pretty bad of course (if I didn't I wouldn't be in this racket). There are also plenty of long weekends such as Easter when I go over to London or out to Brittany. I usually manage to squeeze in a couple of weeks skiing every winter, too (honestly I do work sometimes). Last year I went to St. Anton and this year I'm thinking of going to Davos. Think I've skied more over here than I did at Hanover.
"When I was in Paris two weeks ago I had dinner with Butch Woods and his wife whom I see quite often. Great couple and they have a couple of cute kids. Butch showed some very fine pictures he took while he was in Moscow that were fascinating. He's in the commercial section of the Embassy, working on trade between the USSR and Western European countries. Guy Mallett is also in Paris working for what remains of the Marshall Plan administration. I have lunch with him occasionally and of course we inevitably talk over the old days.' I've been seeing Guy off and on over here since we were both at Geneva - he at TWA - back in '47-48. I don't believe he has been home except on leave since that time.
"I have run across some others over here too. Saw Walt Howe in Luxembourg where he is stationed (yes, he used to work for Call Me Madame,Perl Mesta). He's been in the Foreign Service now since '46 — previously having served in Djakarta and Teheran. I'm also in sporadic correspondence with Bob Kerwin, who is in Istanbul doing substantially what I'm doing here - information work I went to graduate school with Bob (whom we call 'the Pasha') in Washington after the war, so know him much better than I did at Hanover. He already has himself a dam good reputation as an expert on Turkey (the kind you don't eat). I just missed seeing Tom Schroth in Paris a month or so ago, I understand from a mutual friend. Apparently he was over here in his capacity as editor of the Brooklyn Eagle. While I was home last summer. in spite of some efforts on my part (inadequate I must admit) I did see some classmates, Tony Farrell while I was in Hanover, Tea Miller who lives near me in Newton, Mike DeSherbtnm'42 who was also at Geneva with me; and I played golf in a foursome with Prank Hatch in West Hartford I tried to get "Sweeney" up to my house tor a drink but found out later that he was away on his vacation at the time. Why don't some of you plutocrats come over here and visit me. (Don't worry I don't classify you as visiting firemen.) No kidding you would be most welcome.
"I must add before I finish this, as I suppose you probably (or maybe) are curious about this - yes,
"Being a lazy man I'll rely on you to pass on this info to all the boys and to Bill Baker, too, if you wish. Give my very best to all the boys and thanks again for writing me with the details of the reunion. Best wishes to you and Betty.
Recently received a large spread from the February 21 issue of the Boston Post with the caption She Chose Love. The article was very interesting in that it went on to tell of a hard decision to make in '49 for Sue Bennett, namely whether to turn her back on the lights of Broadway and Stardom in TV for marriage and everything that went with making a home and rearing a family. As you might have guessed she chose the latter. You are undoubtedly wondering who in the class of '43 was such a charmer to bring about this decision. It was none other than Doc Fielding, himself. Doc is now an obstetrician and gynecologist at Mass. Memorial Hospital. The "and everything" that went with making a home and rearing a family came into being on July 17, at which time their child Jed was born. That is all the room we have for this month and I am happy to say that there are several other letters and news items that will have to be used next month.
As yet I have had no takers for the regional reporting positions so won't someone please come to my rescue!
Secretary, 200 E.Jefferson St., Springfield, Ill.
Class Agent, Middlefield St., R.F.D. 1 Middletown, Conn.
