1962

The October DAM gave a "Rouse" to Tom Moorman, who had received the Thomas D. White USAF Space Trophy and the General James V. Hartinger Award for his contributions to the U.S. space effort. Now for the rest of the story: Tom is a lieutenant general and vice commander of Air Force Space Command at Peterson's Air Force Base, Colo. The awards recognized General Moorman's (sounds formal, doesn't it?) leadership in U.S. military space operations, including 31 successful space launches, near-flawless space support to tactical forces in Desert Storm (the first-ever comprehensive space operations in a military conflict) and innovative quality-of-life improvements in his command. As Tom cited in the awards ceremony, "the space systems were the first forces on the Desert Storm scene, ready to provide missile warning, communications, navigation, weather, and surveillance. Space was crucial because it provided the coalition forces with an undeniable competitive advantage while allowing the President and commanders in the field to establish the time and tempo necessary to attain our objectives with minimum casualties." Tom and his wife, Barbara, live in Colorado Springs and have two sons, Thomas III and John. Incidentally, Tom's father, also a USAF general, took part in the commissioning ceremony in the Bema on June 9, 1962, in which some 120 '62s became "gentlemen" in the four military branches. Also incidentally, I never made it past a single silver bar.

Moving from space to school affairs in Berlin, N.H., Dan Whitaker was recently named superintendent of School Administrative Unit 20, which covers Berlin and six surrounding communities (including Errol, home of the Dartmouth Land Grant). Like most school superintendents, Dan faces budget constraints as well as the trials of orchestrating cooperation among seven very different towns. Prior to his new position, Dan was the super for S.A.U. 32, "down in Lebanon," N.H. As the Daily Berlin Reporter noted, "Whitaker maintains a home in the Lebanon area but plans to relocate to the North Country with his wife, Joanne, and his nine-year-old and seven-year-old daughters." We are talking some serious North Country here, folks.

As you read this in February, our 30th Reunion will be only four months away. By now, you have received a mailing from TomKomarek with the preliminary schedule for Monday, June 14, to Thursday, June 17, as well as pre- and post-reunion activities. All of you, from Colorado Springs to Berlin and everywhere in between, deserve a Hanover vacation. Send in your "yes" to Tom or call him at home (202) 484-7985. One last incidentally... Tom is still assistant secretary of Labor, so he has the pleasure of initiating a new Democratic Secretary while organizing a reunion. Some guys have all the luck.

(508) 448-6297,155 Indian Hill Road, Groton, MA 01450