1916
If you wish to read or re-read one of the greatest sagas of U.S. naval heroism and seamanship in World War I, get access to a copy of the October 1968 issue of "The Retired Officer." The tear sheets ShortyHitchcock has just loaned me give no sure address or guidance but any old navy friend doubtless could help. It reproduces the full text and pictures of the 1919 Saturday Evening Post article entitled "Heroes All," the thrilling story of how, in rough seas in the submarine zone at dawn on October 9, 1918, the rudder of the commanding escort destroyer Shaw jammed and within two minutes the doughty little ship was cut in two by the speeding Aquitania carrying ten thousand troops and crew. The result could easily have been so terribly worse had it not been for that courage and seamanship. And our Ed Riley was one of the heroes.
On October 21, 1968, after lunch, GeorgeHarding Smith Jr. sat basking on his sunny terrace at Tinchebray. He looked up to see two men approaching from the orchard gate. He took them to be neighbors bent on arranging a bridge date; but then he saw that they were strangers - they even spoke English. One introduced his companion, himself as Jackson, and said something about Dartmouth. Unfortunately George at that moment could remember only three Jacksons: Andy of 1812, Stonewall of the Civil War, and Shoeless Joe of the Chicago Black Sox. To help out, his visitor called for George's 1916 AEGIS, turned to the picture of George Kreider and said "That's me!" A nice session brought out that they had heeled together for The Dartmouth back in 1912. Then the pair went on their way, in a jeep, toward Cherbourg, without getting a drink. - P.S. Jackson, you're entitled to equal space, you know. How about submitting your version?
Three more Golden Wedding anniversaries have been acknowledged. Fred andDorothea Bailey celebrated theirs (October 10) with an At Home the next Sunday to their friends, including Alec Jardine. Vergeand Mary Rector had one May 16 and presumably celebrated it by their August-September return to 1956 favorites like Brussels, Frankfort, Salzburg, Baden Baden, Vienna, Zurich, Berne, Interlachen, Geneva, Madrid and Estorial, Portugal. His old dogs, Verge says, couldn't take it as on previous trips and also keep him off golf courses. In future he therefore plans to concentrate mainly on California. Come again, Verge. Tut Tuttle and his wife said that their anniversary passed on May 16 without fanfare, for early in the year Ruth suffered a succession of setbacks. By late October, however, she had recovered remarkably. Tut himself now has only limited vision in his right eye, but manages well if he drives mainly on the more familiar and less traveled roads near his home in Beach Haven Park. They see the Dan Olsons occasionally, and the travelling Ell Brills paid them a surprise visit last year. They are understandably proud of their young people, in Grosse Pointe. The older grandson Edgar, who next lanuary will be a junior at Michigan State, entered with sixteen advance credits and has a full four-year National Merit Award scholarship. (Seems to take after his grandfather.) The younger grandson Neil is now a high school senior of such promise in football and track that he is probably headed for one of the smaller colleges on an athletic scholarship. The boys' father, Colonel George A. Tuttle, who earned his bachelor's degree in military engineering at West Point in 1944 and his master's degree in engineering at Michigan in 1949, topped off a distinguished career in foreign service with four years as Chief of the Detroit office of the Joint U.S./Federal Republic of Germany program to develop a new Main Battle Tank. For that, on retirement last summer, he was awarded the Army Legion of Merit decoration for exceptionally meritorious service. . . . Now, still only 44, Colonel Tuttle is engineering consultant with Avco-Lycoming, the world's largest manufacturers of gas turbines. Our warm felicitations to all three of these couples.
So many of our bubbly California contingent have been visiting each other, I hope that Eskie, Dan Lindsley, Dan Dinsmoor,Ruby McFalls, and Verge Rector will indulge my covering their mutual activity in this way. Thanks to a prompt change of medication, an attack of phlebitis interrupted only briefly Shorty Hitchcock's splendid return to near normalcy. With his doctor's and insurer's approval he is now driving again but with his first automatic transmission and slowly in right hand lanes, eschewing the Freeways. Nothing like being independent. Atta boy!
It is with sadness that we have this month to report the deaths of Joe Newmark, "DD" Linelian, Ken Henderson, Bob Dana, and Harold Gibson. In Memoriam notices for each will appear in that section of this or a later issue of the ALUMNI MAGAZINE. To each family, the deep sympathy of the Class goes out.
When confirming #219 as invariably "their room" at the Hanover Inn on three to four annual visits, many built around Ken's business trips to the area, for over fifteen years, and for the last 25 or 30 years having the same maid "Winnie," Jim McFate paid a long warm tribute to Ken and May Tucker. "All of us at the Inn," he wrote in part, "feel a personal loss in the passing of Kenneth Tucker . . . and many of our employees have written to Mrs. Tucker... for they were the kind of guests that all of us liked."
Margaret Perkins, May Tucker, Selma Newmark, Irene Linehan, and Margaret Dana wish all of you to know their appreciation of remembrances. So do our shut-ins like Horace Fishback, slowed since last spring by a stroke; Ken Stowell who, in two good letters since his coronary at Bergen in June, reported their preceding happy two months in Italy, London, and around the North Cape. A good letter from Les andEthel Campbell concedes only that "middle age is slowing him up, darn it." More later with the address of the winter apartment that will let them continue to enjoy the country, friends, and family near home.
Cards and letters of remembrance do help such friends to speed their convalescence. Please also help by reporting promptly all mishaps to classmates you hear of, with printed notices where possible. Thanks to so many of you, our life-line is now working better.
Space fails so I have to hope you have read elsewhere of the Dartmouth NightPrinceton weekend at Hanover, and that John's estimable Balmacaan has named for you the 28 men and ladies of '16 who shared the game and/or Elsie and JohnStearns' long stellar party that followed it. Supplementary highlights of Parker Hayden's and my binge must go over except: How much, Shorty Hitchcock wrote, he would like to have seen John presiding in bright "English pink" coat, if he'd also have called "Tally-Ho"! Or was it "Yoicks."
Whether or not you were there, by the way, remember that our 1916 interim reunion is set for no other than The Hanover Inn on September 4-6, 1969. Save the dates. Watch your Balmacaans for official details.
And you who will spend part or all of this winter in Florida, remember to tell me by Christmas just what your address there will be and for just what period. To all writing in, a list of all will be sent.
Secretary, Box E, Swarthmore, Pa. 19081
Treasurer, Singletary Ave., Sutton, Mass. 01527
Bequest Chairman, CHARLES E. BRUNDAGE
