As has become my custom, I traveled to the East Coast this fall for the Falcons’ annual Service Academy away-football game. Ordinarily, Wendy would have accompanied me, but she had just returned from several weeks of “chemo R&R” with family and friends in England and declared herself “traveled out.” I made a two-week trip out of it and used the time productively by freeloading on various classmates and other friends in the DC-VA-MD area.

The first targets were Bill and Anna Telford who have been regaling me for years with tales and photos of their fabulous home on the shore of Smith Mountain Lake in central Virginia. They had graciously invited me down to sample the legendary hospitality and scenery enjoyed by many other 59ers on countless mini-reunions. It was a great visit and I may even have gotten the last boat ride on their drought-stricken lake.

The biggest surprise of the trip was the visit to the National D-Day Memorial located in nearby Bedford, VA. The location is appropriate because this town suffered the highest per capita D-Day losses in the nation. This site isn’t just a plaque and a gift shop; it’s a 9-acre complex with a lush English garden, a haunting invasion tableau with statuary and a stylized landing scene, and the striking Victory Arch seen in the accompanying photo. This memorial is located outside of the mainstream tourist traffic patterns of the DC area, but was well attended and is just waiting to be discovered and appreciated by crowds of discerning veterans and other aware citizens.

Todd and Telford at the D-Day Memorial: Too young to have fought at Normandy, but not too old to remember and revere the heroism of those who did.

A few weeks later, Bill wrote, “The weekend after the game, we were pleased to host Joe and Karen Morgan. That was the weekend of the annual Smith Mt Lake Home Tour, whereby eight homeowners put their homes on tour for three days as part of a fundraiser for local charities. The problem this year was that the water was so low due to our drought conditions that we couldn't take the boat. Nonetheless, the weather was great and we had a good time. Joe and Karen were continuing south to visit Charleston and Savannah, on their way to visit Joe's Mom in Gainesville, Fla. They certainly had good weather for the trip. It hasn't rained here in so long we've forgotten what it looks like! I'm just glad we were able to get the boat out when you were here, so we could see some of the sights.”

Back in DC prior to the game, the week’s highlight was an informal but elegant dinner party hosted on Friday evening by Kent and Fredda (Sparks) Montavon at their stylish A Street home. It was a “hubbubulous” party that featured great food, the usual 59er camaraderie and more-or-less on-key singing of “Happy Birthday” and (of course) the Air Force Song, accompanied expertly by Fredda on their piano.

Joe Morgan did his usual masterful job of organizing the pre-game and post-game tailgates and dinner in Annapolis, up to and including MUCH better weather than the 2005 version. The game’s outcome, unfortunately, was no improvement over previous contests. It looked to me like the loss at BYU the previous week shook the team’s confidence and they left at least 15 points on the Navy field through poor execution and lost composure. They’ve bounced back, though, and have put together an enviable record.

Some of the early birds at the pre-game tailgate.

 

As is usual with these game-related social activities, not everyone made it to every event, but at various times throughout that weekend I enjoyed visiting with Mike and Arohanui Bender, Dick and Jean Carr, Jim and Molly Connally, Steve and Patty Hamer, Jack and Shirley Hundemer, Jimmie and Judy Jay, Wayne and Bonnie Jefferson, Ed and Judy Josephson, Ron Lanman, John Miltner, Kent and Fredda (Sparks) Montavon, Ed and Lucia Montgomery, Joe and Karen Morgan, Mike and Marian Reardon, Trude See, Craig and Joann Schaum, Bill and Anna Telford and Fred and Brenda Wynn. Sheryl (Jennings) McGurk and her husband, Sean, also joined us for the tailgates.

In October, Brian Parker reported on his annual trip to the 13^th Bomb Squadron Association Reunion. “On the way to the reunion, I enjoyed a short but very pleasant visit with HT Johnson at his lovely home in McLean, VA. Both HT and Linda look great.

“At the Squadron Association reunion we had another reunion with classmate, friend, and the Association treasurer, Norris Olson, and Jean as well as the Association's oldest member, Colonel Silas Molyneaux  (USAFA faculty member for our Class) and wife Marilyn.

“The entire trip, which went from Texas to Maine, to the reunion in Hampton, VA, and back with many detours visiting old friends and relatives, was over 5,000 miles in 28 days.”

After the AF-Army game on 3 Nov, I had the pleasure of joining a small group of classmates and other Lowry-era grads and their wives at a local restaurant for a very special occasion: the 85^th birthday party for B/Gen (Ret) Ben Cassiday. Kudos to Dave Phillips for setting up (and subsidizing key parts of) the party.

It was a “Love Fest” all around as the members of the early classes toasted Ben and reflected on the impact “Bent-wing Ben,’ had had on our young lives. For us, this 33-year old full colonel hotshot fighter pilot was a living template for how Air Force officers should look, speak, act and conduct themselves. He was and remains our consummate exemplar of leadership, integrity, discipline and professional excellence. Modest man that he is, he was visibly squirming under the glare of all this adulation, but was just as clearly proud of what his charges had accomplished in their lives through his guidance and influence.

Bent-Wing Ben’ and some of his young charges all grown up. From l.: Brock Strom, Pete Todd, Gene Vosicka, Eddie Rosane, Ben Cassiday,” Roger VanHaaften, Ed Montgomery, Max Miller, Larry Thomson, and George Klutinoty. Missing: Dave Phillips, who was outside smoking large cigars and committing philosophy with Randy Cubero (’61).

 

Wendy and I wish you and your loved ones a joyous holiday season and a healthy, happy New Year. Take care of yourselves and each other and let’s show up at the 50^th Reunion at Full Strength!

THOUGHT FOR THE QUARTER:

Love thy neighbor as thyself, but choose thy neighbor carefully.