1947

It's hard to believe that this is the April issue with the temperature outside my window being nine above zero here in good old Redding in January! I can't wait until it gets back up to a nice freezing level. Talked to Dick Hollerith, and he and Rommy had their children and grandchildren for the holidays in New Jersey. Lots of grandma's good food and fun was had by all. Mary and I visited with Joan and Hugh Chapin in Chapel Hill, N.C., on December 5 during the reunion that we had with the members of the L-3-4th Marines (China). All is well there, and the Chapins are planning a trip to South Africa at the end of January. The both of them are getting to be world travelers in their retirement. Good for them! Received a phone call from Alan Epstein right after he heard my talk with David Molpus over the National Public Radio about my old China days in 1945, and the relationship with Tsui Tujou (Charlie Twoshoes) we all had in Love Company, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines. It took 54 years to get the story told, and we finally got it published in December of 1998 by the Naval Press. Mary and I had a long lunch with Ursula and FrankWeber. Frank was on his way to pick up some batteries for one of his buddies' heart monitor. The training as a navy corpman is hard to break even at his age! They are planning a trip to Texas later this spring, which will give Frank a chance to get some golf in now that his knees have been repaired. I received a note from Joe Eisaman, who has volunteered to cover our classmates on the West Coast and drum up some responses for the '47 newsletter. When he writes to you please RESPOND!

A story that I heard at the V-12 reunion, and heard again at our 50th Reunion (it may be true): A V-12 Marine in his time off on one Saturday was fishing at Occom Pond and he was observed by a math professor. "Young man," said the stern moralist to the young man fishing on the bank, "Your time must not be very valuable. I've been watching you for two hours and you haven't had a single bite." "Well, Professor," the young man replied, "I consider my time too valuable to waste two hours of it watching another guy fishing when he isn't catching anything!" Time is precious—no matter how we use it. The rumor has it that the young man became a colonel in the corps 30 years later.

Have fun and stay well.

10 Archers Lane, W. Redding, CT 06896