1941

The holiday season is approaching, and amidst thoughts of peace and good will, some of our classmates have reflected on earlier Decembers. Dana Chase writes from Longmeadow, Mass., that he was engineering officer of LST 475 on December 25, 1943, when they delivered Sixth Army troops to the beach at Cape Gloucester, New Britain. His ship remained alone on the beach because a surgical unit aboard was handling the overflow casualties from the landing. That night the enemy counterattacked and almost overran the unprotected and beached LST. Dana and six others positioned themselves with only M-l rifles, ready to defend their ship whose guns could not be made to bear on the beach. When word arrived that our forces had held off the counterattack, Dana and his ship- mates were spared a tragic end.

1* HI "O Bill Aylward, writing from Indialantic, Fla., remembers Christmas 1942, his birth- day as well. Bill celebrated with one warm beer aboard his ship, PC 479, up the Tulagi River. With him was Phil Shribman, whose PT squadron was stationed nearby. Phil had been a junior officer on a relatively safe troop trans- port when he requested PT duty to get some real action. He was assigned the Guadalcanal- Tulagi slot, and, sadly, a month after their Christmas meeting, Phil’s PT boat was lost in combat.

A happier memory for Bill and Adele Ayl- ward was the birth of their child on Decem- ber 21,1944. What a difference a year makes !1

Ab Combes in Pittsfield, Mass., has recent- ly welcomed George and Joanne Denny to that town, the latter having moved from Rich- mond, Mass. Ab has enjoyed recent trips to Guyana and Suriname, and he goes regular- ly to Exuma in die Bahamas from January to May. Ab says the welcome mat there is out for all passing ’4ls. He still plays tennis, but is now heavily involved in serious croquet, which he claims is a great test of skill and strat- egy. (A wicket game?)

" Chip Denting, that N.Y.C. doctor now happily ensconced in Hanover, reports that Gene Stollerman is a new resident in the area. Chip has a pacemaker, which he says makes him bionic, if not impregnable, and he still works part time in the Bronx to prove it.

Dan Dacey in Roxbury, Mass., also reports good health. He retired from New England Telephone Company in 1983.

Unfortunately, Vince Else is having some health problems , according to a recent talk with his wife Mary Ann. A note to them at 304 Camarie Court, Naperville, IL 60540 would surely be welcomed by this outstand- ing scholar-athlete.

Best wishes to all for this religious season and the New Year. Cheers and good health!

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