From Ken Alnwick
KJAlnwick@aol.comAce,
You may wish to tell our classmates that George Luck's infiltration of the West Point ranks lives on in at least one person's memory. In a letter to the AF Times, a ret. captain, tells the story in a letter to the editor in the 4 Jan issue, p. 31.
I quote:
"There was some excitement in the Army-AF contest I will never forget. The Army cadets were marching in precision drill on the field when all of a sudden a cadet broke from the ranks, discarded his cape and revealed his Air Force uniform. It seems he had attended West Point earlier, left and was given a USAFA appointment."
"You guessed it -- kept his Army cape, put it on that day over his Air Force uniform and infiltrated the Army ranks".
Who says fame is a fleeting thing.
Cheers to all,
Ken
From Roy Jolly
paragonjolly@sisna.comBarb (the original issue) and I are now living in Mesquite, NV, 2/3 of the way,on I-15, from Las Vegas to St. George, UT. Tired of cold wx we love the winters here and try to be gone most of the summer when it passes about 108.
Let us know where you are and what you are doing and be sure to plan to attend the 40th.
From John Macartney
jdmac@erols.comSubject: You'll Like This Speech...
Background: May 3, 1974: Ohio Senate Democratic primary. Howard Metzenbaum condescendingly questioned John Glenn: "How can you run for Senate when you've never held a 'job'?"
Glenn's impromptu response: "I served 23 years in the United States Marine Corps. I served through two wars. I flew 149 missions. My plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire on 12 different occasions. I was in the space program. It wasn't my checkbook, it was my LIFE that was on the line. It was not a 9 to 5 job where I took time off to take the daily cash receipts to the bank."
"I ask you to go with me, as I went the other day, to a Veterans Hospital and look those men, with their mangled bodies, in the eye and tell them that they didn't hold a job. You go with me to any Gold Star mother and you look her in the eye, and tell her that her son did not hold a job. You go with me to the space program, and go as I have gone to the widows and orphans of Ed White and Gus Grissom and Roger Chaffee, and you look those kids in the eye and tell them that their dad didn't hold a job. You go with me on Memorial Day coming up, and you stand in Arlington National Cemetery-where I have more friends than I'd like to remember --t and you watch those waving flags, and you stand there, and you think about this nation, and you tell me that those people didn't have a job."
"I tell you, Howard Metzenbaum, you should be on your knees every day of you life thanking God that there were some men-SOME MEN-who held a job. And they required a dedication to purpose and a love of country and a dedication to duty that was more important than life itself. And their self-sacrifice is what has made this country possible. . .
I HAVE HELD A JOB, HOWARD!"
From Paul J. Vallerie
kayval@uswest.netGlad to see the troops have gone modern. I've just retired to Boise, Idaho and gotten a new e-mail address. This one is current. Add it to the list.
Keep in touch.
Paul & Kay Vallerie
Boise, Idaho 83713
(208) 323-0821
fax (208) 323-2075
From Les Querry
lesquerry@compuserve.comHello Ace,
It's nice to still be a member to such an exclusive club. I'll be meeting with the D.C. '60 group on Wednesday. Please add my data to the '60 mailing list.
2274 Crows Nest Lane
Reston, VA 20191
Phone: 703-620-3537
Fax: 703-758-8568
From Gary D. Sheets
gary_sheets@email.msn.comWould it be possible to post the status our 40th reunion class gift on the Web page?
Perhaps 1) $ Pledged 2) Total $ Collected 3) Number of class gift contributors.
Gary
YES, SEE CLASS GIFT PAGE - THANKS FOR THE IDEA.
From Bill Carnegie
Bill.Carnegie@clamericas.comHi:
I received Andi's letter with info on finding this place, so here I am.
I am whiling my time away as a database administator for a french bank in
NYC - CARNEGIE_@CLAMERICAS.COM
fax (212) 261-3467.
Home is balinhard@aol.com - if you have to ask, search for balinhard on the net; or check out www.scotch.com.
It seems to me I read something in the Checkpoints about age, so I will keep writing until I reach that notable age of the big 60 which won't be until next year.
If this gets through let me know, and I will send more, especially if I get a hint of what is of interest currently.
Example:
Question: What is NYC like?
Answer: Well, I took a short walk at lunch time and while standing at the curb I noticed the light was green, but the traffic cop waived for cars to stop.
That's an unusual occurrence in NYC these days even if it is Christmas. This taxi actually stopped pretty quickly - probably so he could remain right in the middle of the crosswalk. The car behind him couldn't stop of course; he was looking at the light which was green. The traffic cop ignored two other police vehicles full of police which passed by and told the drivers he could not do anything for them. They both drove off; the latter leaving a big pool of radiator fluid in the street. That's NYC for you.
Right now the other NYC seems to be Tom Cruise's wife Nicole in her new play.
Also who has first priority on my money; the paver project or the lacrosse coach? Sorry, that's an underhanded blow to the body politic.
I gotta go home!
From RG Head
rg.head@wg.srs.comAce,
Message and e-mail are right on target. All the best for a very merry Christmas.
thanks,
rg
From Jim Thomasson
ThomassonJ@aol.comCharlie, I received your test email loud and clear. Hope you are doing well. Thanks for setting up the class web page-it is great. I won't be coming to the mini-ski-I don't ski (or haven't in years} and I still have to work for a living. I am flying a king air 200 for one of the NASCAR Winston Cup race teams. Our sponsor for 1999 is Sara Lee meat division. It is a great job and I love it. Pull for us. Our car number is 30 and our driver is Derrike Cope.
My home phone is 704/366-2395.
Thanks again and take care,
Jim Thomasson
From Robert Badger
Robert.Badger@usdoj.govPerfect, Ace. Thanks for the help. No, sorry to say, we will not be at the Mini-Ski Reunion, although I really would like to go. The more time passes, the more often we all need to get together. Once we get outside of our families, it seems to be the Class of '60 that means the most.
See you soon.
Bob
From Dean F. Vikan
dvikan@means.netAce,
Great home page for the "2nd to none" class. I just want to pass on a correction to my email address. What you have listed is my old one from Georgia. My new email here in Minnesota is dvikan@means.net
Thanks for the great class support.
Dean F. Vikan
From Doug Rekenthaler
DougRek@aol.comDear Ace:
The mini-ski no, but the 40th is likely. I broke my leg and ankle on Thanksgiving, have had two surgeries, now have two steel plates, sixteen screws and pins holding things together, and can't walk yet. Maybe back on the feet within another month...needless to say, no skiing. I'm more in the mode of crawling than skiing!!!
Hope all is well with you. Thanks for making the update.
Best regards,
Doug
SORRY, DOUG, TOTALLY UNACCEPTABLE -
SOUNDS LIKE YOU'RE TRYING TO WIMP OUT TO ME.
From Ben Furuta
benf396@earthlink.netHello! just a message to let you know that my e-mail address listed on the Class of '60 page has been changed to benf396@earthlink.net instead of the telis listing.
This is being sent from my office but my personal e-mail is the one to be listed.
Ben Furuta
Acting Senior Project Director
Regions 8 & 11, California Professional Development Consortia
Los Angeles County Office of Education
9300 Imperial Highway, Downey, CA 90242
(562) 922-6404
FAX (562) 922-6291
Furuta_Ben@lacoe.edu
From Gary Gulbransen
PPILOT@compuserve.comDear WebSurfers,
If you go to the site below you can easily E-mail 90% of the U.S. Senate and express your support or lack thereof for our embattled President. Highlight the address, go to EDIT and copy it. Then go on the internet and EDIT paste the address in. It will save typing.
http://www.earthlaw.org/Activist/senatadd.htm
From George & Evelyn Elsea
geelsea@igg-tx.netHello, Ace!
My wife and I have moved from Virginia to Texas. In order to avoid the long distance fees that AOL charges for access from this small town (Lampasas) we've changed service provider. The new eMail address is geelsea@igg-tx.net
Thanks for your work in getting this 60 net going. All the best, George
From Al Johnson
ajngj@erols.comSubject: Al Johnson Ski and Lawn Mower Repair School
Ace:
It seems that I neglected to set up our home PC to receive e-mail. Once Gale figured out my screw up, she fixed it and lo and behold we received about 40 messages. All systems at home are now normal.
I too am looking forward to seeing 50% of the two of you. Nevertheless, I will patiently continue to give you talented and expert instruction in all of those areas where you are so weak--particularly the social graces.
Just got interrupted by a call from DK Johnson. He sends greetings from Idaho. He also noted that he still believes there was a genetic relationship between you and the monkey down in Florida. DK said he will try to be in Salt Lake City Thursday night, March 4th to have dinner with the MiniSkiers.
Like you, we arrive 2/27 and depart 3/5. I'm looking forward to seeing you guys again. Think good snow and green runs.
Al
From: Gordon Flygare
g.flygare@worldnet.att.netSubject: Gordo on-line
Ace,
I've come up at home at g.flygare@worldnet.att.net as well as the at-work numbers. After all this time at the office, I'm finally having to learn how it actually works. You are my first e-pal.
All else is ops normal even though the Boeing Company stock lags despite my best efforts.
Gordon
I GET IT... E-PAL VS. PEN PAL. NEAT WORD PLAY, GORDO.
From: Bill Hales
whales1@rochester.rr.comSubject: Change of Address
Hi Ace,
It's been a long time since I've communicated with you but I have been interested in the class news. After leaving the AF in '65, I joined Eastman Kodak and moved from beautiful Big Sprangs, Texas to Rochester, Noo Yok. Joan and I had 2 sons who are now in their early 30's. Joan developed "early onset" Alzheimer's Disease and passed away last June. I took an early retirement from EK in '94 to be with Joan through her ordeal. We also were in an apartment rental business which I sold last October. Right after the sale, I left town for a trip to visit folks who were close to Joan and me. My travels included time with Edie/Chuck Diver and Kathy/Charlie Liggett. It was great visiting with these fine people and their support helped me quite a bit.
I am now in the process of remodeling my life without Joan and am rethinking many issues that I have taken for granted for all these years. One point is to reestablish my network of friends that was left dormant for so long. Towards this end, I am writing you to update my e-mail address to whales1@rochester.rr.com and to encourage others to correspond with me if they wish. I plan to attend the class reunion in 2000. Joan and I were planning on attending the last one in '95 but the trip became more than she needed. By 1996 she was even unable to attend our son's wedding, to give you an idea of how fast this disease moved.
Ace, many thanks for the fine efforts you and others have provided the class (including me). Please accept my sincere good wishes for you and all of the "best class" yet!
Bill
From: Anthony "Tony" Burshnick
Ajbkjb@aol.comSubject: DK & George visit DC
DK Johnson who is Mr. VFW in Idaho was in town for the annual VFW get together with the politicos. Deke straightened out most of the ones he met and should be congratulated and thanked for the tremendous job the VFW does in securing entitlements for us veterans, most of whom served in foreign wars. DK would like all of you vets to join the VFW but send him a note and get an application from him so you can be in Deke's Lodge in Boise. At the same time DK was in town George Elsea drove in from his home in Lompasas, Texas. A few years ago, while living here in VA, George did battle with a humungous dog. DK and I figured it weighed at least 500 pounds. Needless to say George lost. He is now working with the local lawyers to get some compensation to pay for all the damages to his left leg. Anyway we had a nice lunch and told a lot of war stories. Deke and George were tentmates in Viet Nam so I did most of the listening while they told fighter pilot stories.
I told them about the class notes section so perhaps they will tell their own stories. Thanks ACE for keeping the class page going. I was up to your old stomping grounds at McGuire AFB this weekend and you will be glad to know they still remember your exploits.
TWAN***
From: Bill Currier
wrcijv@PBTComm.NetSubject: Add Bill Currier
Please add my address to the class email list.
Regards to all.
Bill
From Howie Whitfield
HWhitfield@zoomit.sikorsky.com=================================================================
Hey Howie,
Were your ears burning last week?
I was at the mini-ski reunion and Al Johnson and Andi Biancur and I were talking about you and wondering why you weren't there.
You're probably in better shape than any of us, and could be our class representative as you attacked the double black diamonds. In the meantime, I'll be looking for cruising, groomed, blues. Don't want to hurt myself so I look for the runs that are well within my capabilities. (Actually, make that "cruising, groomed greens..." - the old honor code kicking in makes me not want to lie.)
Jerry Delacruz was there and we were trying to remember if you were on the ski team one year. (By the way, what beautiful form he has!)
Great hearing from you and thanks for sending your email address. Hope it will spark some email from some of the guys.
Will we get to see you at the 40th reunion?
Saw on the news where you probably have enough snow up there to last you for awhile. Save some for next year and join us at the mini-ski.
Take care and keep in touch.
Regards, Ace
=================================================================
Ace,
Thanks for the nice note. I really had planned on trying to make the mini ski reunion this year but I got tied up here at work (guess I just have to retire like some of our classmates). I haven't done much skiing since the Academy and I'm sure you guys are in better shape. I was on the ski team our first year skiing downhill, then I got in trouble with math and got kicked off the team. The years after, the only way I made the team was to ski cross country- a tough way, but at least I got to ski downhill on the side.
I was in Australia on business a couple of weeks ago and had dinner with Jim Kerr. He went "down under" about ten years ago selling Yazoo lawn mowers, etc., but he never lost his accent.
Rosie Cler sent me a note about two weeks ago about lost souls and I updated him about my life- probably more than he wanted to hear. I certainly intend to make our 40th. I saw a few of our guys a year and one half ago at the Air Force 50th Anniversary in Las Vegas/Nellis AFB, Greg Boyington, Bill Goodyear...
We got about six inches of wet snow at my house last week and our power went out- I'm getting too old for these New England winters and shoveling snow. My older brother Marsh just retired to Hawaii, ...what a deal!.
I guess it is a quirk of old age and memory, but it seems like it was just yesterday you and I and Bruce Hinds were climbing together. Those were great times!
Howie
From: Fuller Atkinson
pita@WCTEL.NETAce:
The AF wanted to send me to Graduate School in EE, Computer Sciences, which I declined, as I didn't think blowing up the power lab was a very good background for this field. Since then I have successfully avoided these contraptions except for business. However, my kids and grandkids finally talked me into joining the 20th century.
From Ken Alnwick
KJAlnwick@aol.com.Here's my dilemma. FEMA and the 27 agencies it represents , and the White House Y2K coordinator, recently have been on a somewhat laudable "feel good" campaign to assure the public that the effects of Y2K will be no worse than a really bad storm (Which is the Ace Holman theory as well.) The problem is this, how do you have a decent contingency response game that postulates rolling brownouts if the Director of DOE says " There will be zero failures within the national grid?"
Here is my request. Do any of you smart guys and Fuller Atkinson look-alikes out there know of ways that Y2K could reliably/reasonably cause things to fail as catastrophically as they did on more than one occasion in EE lab? In other words, do you know how selected segments of the power, telecommunications, fuel,transportation, banking sectors, etc. could be brought down by Y2K? For example, is there something in a telepnhone system end office that is reliant upon an embedded chip or unremediated system that has 10% or more probability of failing on 01-01-00? How might the internet become vulnerable? Is there likely to be a Y2K clone of Melissa? My quest is to identify "prudent worst case" scenario events that will cause my players to sit up, question some of their assumptions and not become too complacent. The only caveat is that the Y2K-induced disruption of services has to be technically feasible, even if it is a low probablity event. I have a small team working the problem, but we may be too close to it and could use a fresh perspective.
Special prize for those whose events are used in either DoD or National-level Table Top Exercises. Do the words "Al Johnson" and "ski" and "white cotton" mean anything to you?
Cheers,
Ken
Director, Gaming and Simulation Programs
Kapos Associates, Inc.
Suite 1900, 1101 Wilson Blvd.
Arlington, VA 22209
Office 703-528-4575 X 310
Fax 703-768-1264
kjalnwick@aol.com
kjalnwick@kapos.com
From: Andi Biancur
ABiancur@aolcomSubject: News
Ace,
I thought that I would pass this on to you. Tony Lovell passed away on the 2nd of April in Fort Walton Beach. I don't know many of the details, AAron Thrush has most of them. He was buried in Opp, Alabama and is survived by his wife Terri. Dick Kingman is supposedly doing the obit for Rosie et.al.
Also, if you didn't get the word, Al Johnson had a class get-together for those in the D.C. area on Saturday, 10 April. I called the house that evening and talked to him. He had around thirty folks in attendence, to include Mr. D. K. Johnson and Sally and Mr. Pupich (I do not know if Diana was with him or not). Maybe you can get some info from him if you e-mail him.
Take it easy & check 6,
Andi
From: Bill Hales
whales1@rochester.rr.comSubject: Airline announcements
If you haven't seen these, they are worth reading!
Bill
[WITH APOLOGIES TO THOSE CLASSMATES WHO FLEW THE AIRLINES... PERHAPS SOME OF THESE QUOTES CAME FROM THEM.]
Airline Info
Occasionally, pilots and attendants make an effort to make the "in- flight safety lecture" and their other announcements a bit more entertaining. Here are some real examples that have been heard or reported:
"There may be 50 ways to leave your lover, but there are only 4 ways out of this airplane..."
"We do feature a smoking section on this flight; if you must smoke, contact a member of the flight crew and we will escort you to the wing of the airplane.
"Smoking in the lavatories is prohibited. Any person caught smoking in the lavatories will be asked to leave the plane immediately."
Pilot - "Folks, we have reached our cruising altitude now, so I am going to switch the seat belt sign off. Feel free to move about as you wish, but please stay inside the plane till we land... it's a bit cold outside, and if you walk on the wings it affects the flight pattern."
And, after landing: "Thank you for flying Delta Business Express. We hope you enjoyed giving us the business as much as we enjoyed taking you for a ride."
As we waited just off the runway for another airliner to cross in front of us, some of the passengers were beginning to retrieve luggage from the overhead bins. The head attendant announced on the intercom, "This aircraft is equipped with a video surveillance system that monitors the cabin during taxiing. Any passengers not remaining in their seats until the aircraft comes to a full and complete stop at the gate will be strip-searched as they leave the aircraft."
As the plane landed and was coming to a stop at Washington National, a lone voice comes over the loudspeaker: "Whoa, big fella. WHOA!"
After a particularly rough landing during thunderstorms in Memphis, a flight attendant on a Northwest flight announced: "Please take care when opening the overhead compartments because, after a landing like that, sure as hell everything has shifted."
From a Southwest Airlines employee... "Welcome aboard Southwest Flight XXX to YYY. To operate your seatbelt, insert the metal tab into the buckle, and pull tight. It works just like every other seatbelt, and if you don't know how to operate one, you probably shouldn't be out in public unsupervised. In the event of a sudden loss of cabin pressure, oxygen masks will descend from the ceiling. Stop screaming, grab the mask, and pull it over your face. If you have a small child traveling with you, secure your mask before assisting with theirs. If you are traveling with two small children, decide now which one you love more.
Weather at our destination is 50 degrees with some broken clouds, but they'll try to have them fixed before we arrive. Thank you, and remember, nobody loves you, or your money, more than Southwest Airlines."
"Your seat cushions can be used for flotation, and in the event of an emergency water landing, please take them with our compliments."
Once on a Southwest flight, the pilot said, "We've reached our cruising altitude now, and I'm turning off the seat belt sign. I'm switching to autopilot, too, so I can come back there and visit with all of you for the rest of the flight."
"Should the cabin lose pressure, oxygen masks will drop from the overhead area. Please place the bag over your own mouth and nose before assisting children or adults acting like children."
"As you exit the plane, please make sure to gather all of your belongings. Anything left behind will be distributed evenly among the flight attendants. Please do not leave children or spouses."
"Last one off the plane must clean it."
And from the pilot during his welcome message: "We are pleased to have some of the best flight attendants in the industry... Unfortunately none of them are on this flight..!
Heard on Southwest Airlines just after a very hard landing in Salt Lake City: The flight attendant came on the intercom and said, "That was quite a bump and I know what ya'll are thinking. I'm here to tell you it wasn't the airline's fault, it wasn't the pilot's fault, it wasn't the flight attendants' fault... it was the asphalt!"
Overheard on an American Airlines flight into Amarillo, Texas, on a particularly windy and bumpy day. During the final approach the Captain was really having to fight it. After an extremely hard landing, the Flight Attendant came on the PA and announced, "Ladies and Gentlemen, welcome to Amarillo. Please remain in your seats with your seatbelts fastened while the Captain taxis what's left of our airplane to the gate!"
Another flight Attendant's comment on a less than perfect landing: "We ask you to please remain seated as Captain Kangaroo bounces us to the terminal."
An airline pilot wrote that on this particular flight he had hammered his ship into the runway really hard. The airline had a policy which required the first officer to stand at the door while the passengers exited, smile, and give them a "Thanks for flying XYZ airline." He said that in light of his bad landing, he had a hard time looking the passengers in the eye, thinking that someone would have a smart comment. Finally everyone had gotten off except for this little old lady walking with a cane. She said, "Sonny, mind if I ask you a question?" "Why no Ma'am," said the pilot, "what is it?" The little old lady said, "Did we land or were we shot down?"
After a real crusher of a landing in Phoenix, the Flight Attendant came on with, "Ladies and Gentlemen, please remain in your seats until Captain Crash and the Crew have brought the aircraft to a screeching halt up against the gate. And, once the tire smoke has cleared and the warning bells are silenced, we'll open the door and you can pick your way through the wreckage to the terminal.
Part of a Flight Attendant's arrival announcement: "We'd like to thank you folks for flying with us today. And, the next time you get the insane urge to go blasting through the skies in a pressurized metal tube, we hope you'll think of us here at US Airways."
From: Andi Biancur
ABiancur@aolcomSubject: Voice from the past
Charlie,
I thought that you might be interested in a voice from the past. And that you might want to add John to our lengthing list of 1960 e-mail addresses.
We have contracted for a hotel for the 40th reunion next year. As soon as it is finalized, I will get you info for the class web page. Take it easy and stay out of trouble.
From: John and Deanne McCullough
wefish@midwestinfo.netAndi, Hello from voices of the far distant past, John and Deanne McCullough. We've had infrequent contacts with Son over the years,and a couple of brief outings with Ron Yates. Other than that, we've had no contact with the Colorado past since I resigned in 1967. I spend most of my time in Alaska these days as I am a sportfishing guide and am building a remote lodge on Kodiak Island this spring/summer. Otherwise, we're retired here at Lake Miltona in central MN and enjoying various travel adventures. For example, I'm off to the Kola Peninsula in Russia this week for Atlantic Salmon fishing and to drum up European customers for the lodge. I have several Belgian customer friends who fish Steelhead with me in AK each fall. Since fall is a busy time for me I have never participated in Academy reunions and most likely will not in the future unless the fish change their migration habits-not likely. I think I sent in a donation of $60 for the project. If this not the case, please let me know and I will send a check for that amount. Beyond that, hope you are successful with the project and have another happy reunion with the Class of 60.
John McCullough