 |
USNA Class of 1963 |
photos courtesy: USS WASP (LHD 1) |
|
|
USNA Class of 1963 |
photos courtesy: USS WASP (LHD 1) |
Hot News
Martha woke me early Monday morning because of all the phone messages from friends and classmates checking on my well being. Someone cracked my email password and sent out the scam email that many of you received. I am sorry for the inconvenience and any concern it caused. I have recovered my gmail account and my address remains "psmarsden63@gmail.com ". Lesson learned: have a "stong" email password!
Here's the text of the email scam that should ALWAYS be ignored:
Hi,
I really donāt mean to inconvenience you right now, but I made a quick trip to London,United Kingdom and had my bag stolen from me with my passport, cash and credit cards in it.this may sound odd, The embassy is willing to help by letting me fly without my passport, I just have to pay for a ticket and settle Hotel bills. Unfortunately for me, I can't have access to funds without my credit card, I've made contact with my bank but they need more time to come up with a new one. I was thinking of asking you to lend me some quick funds that I can give back as soon as I get in. I really need to be on a last minute flight that leaves in a few hours.I will be grateful if you can do this for me
Etc., Etc.
On Sunday, July 25, 2010, at 11:11 am, Bonnie Evelyn Nolan, widow of George Fred Nolan (Class of 1963, 14th Company) married Michael Allan Blackledge (Class of 1963, 4th Company), widower of Helen Faust Blackledge. The civil ceremony took place in Albuquerque, NM at Bonnie's home. The ceremony was officiated by the Honorable John Edwards Conway (USNA Class of 1956), Senior Federal District Judge for the District of New Mexico.
In attendance were all three of Bonnie and George's children: Marcey (along with her children Maggie and Alan); Beth (with her husband Ron and children Mollie and Garrett), and Katy (with her husband Tony and their son Matthew). Also in attendance were Mike and Helen's son David (with his spouse Tricia and their children Charlene and Ian). Mike and Helen's son Douglas is currently serving at Ramstein Air Base, Germany, and could not attend. Witnesses attending were Thomas C. Genoni (USMA Class of 1965) and his wife Sheila.
After a photo session, the wedding party adjourned for a luncheon at The Cooperage Restaurant in Albuquerque, topped off with wedding cake. The lovely couple enjoyed a pre-nuptial European cruise honeymoon in June.
|
| Mike's family: younger son David with his family |
|
| Bonnie and Mike with Judge John Edwards Conway, USNA Class of 1956 |
|
| Bonnie's family: three daughters: Marcey, Beth, and Katy, with their families |
Here's a photo of the class crest selected by the class of 2013. If you look closely at the cable that fouls the anchor, you will see the numbers 6 and 3 in its coils. The class motto in Latin means roughly "surrender to nothing" or a more formal way of saying "Don't Give Up the Ship", an attribute that they have demonstrated individually and as a class as exemplified in their Sea Trials and in their class spirit to date. I understand the crest selected was designed by Josten's, the company that has the crest and ring contract for 2013 and a number of other classes, and was one of three or four that the class could chose from in April. It was then approved by the commandant and the superintendent before being unveiled.
|
| Class of 2013 Crest |
I have a 1963 Lucky Bag plus June Week Supplement available for adoption. Will be happy to send to a classmate who may have lost his. First come, first serve. Please call 212-866-7408.
There was a graduate at the Naval Academy who was in a Band called the
Spiffies. His name was LTJG ROBERT C. SMITH. There is mention of him
in the LINK Fiftieth Anniversary yearbook Class of 1960. He was a
graduate. He was killed in action and his widow is making a memory
book for her son who never had he chance to know Robert. I noticed in
an email
on the web that someone had a memory of the Spiffies and was hoping
that if anyone could get me some information, fun memories of the band
or Robert it would be a great help. Pictures of the band would be wonderful if anyone had any.
Larry had a quadruple bypass surgery done on Monday May 3rd. He is still in the hospital but may be coming home soon. He is doing well so far but we are not out of the woods yet. It will be a month before he can drive and probably 2 months before everything is back to normal.
Academy Superintendent VADM Jeff Fowler announced the nomination of RADM Michael H. Miller as the next USNA superintendent.
See https://www.usna.com/SSLPage.aspx?RSS=whatsnew&referrer=&pid=10380.
There will be a DC Area Class luncheon at the ANCC - Williamsburg Room - on Wednesday, April 21st at 11:30 am. It has been awhile since our last luncheon so I hope many of you can attend.
There is no speaker scheduled - just good fellowship and camaraderie. Look forward to seeing everyone.
The luncheon will be a Deli Buffet - choice of soup, salad, mix of bread types, slices of ham, roast beef, turkey, American and Swiss cheese, lettuce, tomato, pasta salad, brownies, cookies. Cost with tax and tip would be $22.00 per person. If we do not get at least 20 folks we will have to cancel the luncheon as the cost per person for less than 20 folks is more.
There will be an "Honor" bar for sodas, beer, and wine.
The lunch will end NLT than 1330 (if you have to leave - later if you all want to chat). 1130 to 1200 for drinks. Lunch (and more drinks) at 1200.
RSVP to bforster5@verizon.net or JEP.Ring@1963.usna.com.
My name is Dan Glenn and I was in Jerry Penniker's squadron when he was shot down in South Vietnam in 1966. We were good friends at the time. I am working on writing an extended story about Jerry, his family, the events of his life and the effect it had on others for years to come.
I would very much like to hear from any of his classmates that were close in the Academy. I'm interested in special stories or details that would increase understanding of his time at the academy. Although I have many Academy graduate friends my insight is limited since I was commissioned through the NROTC program.
I am currently living in Colorado about two hours from Colorado Springs. I can be reached by e-mail at dglenn@2g.com or by telephone at 719-742-0272
I was appointed, effective last Wednesday, by the Secretary of Defense, with White House concurrence, to the Secretary of the Navy Advisory Panel. This came after several months of "vetting" (no nanny problems) and preliminary security clearances. (Final security clearances are still in process, should the FBI call you!)
The Panel is charged, as a component of the Office of Program Appraisal, with advising he Navy Secretariat on maritime strategy, industrial base, shipbuilding, and intelligence organization. Currently, the Panel is charged specifically with assessing maritime strategy in the Asia-Pacific area of operations, as well as development of energy policies and programs associated with Navy operations. An associated activity is advice on the $12 billion construction of the new Marine Corps facilities on Guam, as those forces relocate from Okinawa.
I am humbled in joining such distinguished Panel members as James Woolsey, former CIA Director; Admiral Edmund Giambastiani, former Vice-Chair of the Joint Chiefs; Prof. William Alford, Director of East Asian Legal Studies at Harvard; John Devine, former Director of all CIA operations outside the United States; Dr. Jerrold Green, President of the Pacific Council on International Relations; Ambassador Robert Joseph, of the National Institute for Public Policy and former Under Secretary of State; Frank Miller, of the National Security Council (Arms Control); Maurice Sonnenberg, Senior International Advisor to JP Morgan; Steven Green, former Ambassador to Singapore (a strategic US Navy port); Dr. Dov Zakheim, former Under Secretary of Defense and now SVP at Booze Allen Hamilton; and a half dozen other very distinguished and accomplished individuals. We are supported by a full time Navy staff led by a Captain, 3 Commanders and several junior officers and civilians.
It would seem that my prospective contributions are related to having development experience (Guam), on-the-ground business experience in China (Asia-Pacific strategy), and ULI Trustee associations and connections (energy).
As for your tax dollars, I am compensated for meetings and whatnot at the whomping rate of $71 per day as a "Special Government Employee". The real perks are front row parking at the Mall Entrance of The Pentagon and privileges in the Secretary's Executive Dining Room!
I look forward to sharing with you my experiences as they occur (and as I am allowed) over the coming two years.
JDeF
Classmates-- I recently received a remarkably good book abt NAVY football from a friend from '62. It is so good that I wondered why I had not previously heard of it. Then I noted the 2009 copyright and thought some of you might also have missed it.
You do not want to miss this book!! It is about the special relationship between President Kennedy and the NAVY football teams of our era. The research by the author Michael Connelly is excellent and his style is very readable.
Many of the scenes and events will bring back personal memories not only of games we saw but also other memorable people and events such as Superintendents, coaches, politicians, pep rallies and political influences. Certainly an opportunity to relive the golden age of NAVY football which featured the great athletes of our class and those of '61, '62, '64 and '65.
The book is : THE PRESIDENT'S TEAM (The 1963 Army-NAVY game & the assassination of JFK) by Michael Connelly. Mvpbooks.com
Also available from AMAZON.
A USMA 1963 group has proposed a matchup with us on Tuesday, 28 September starting at about 1100 - 1130. There are still a lot of steps to go through to see if this can be approved by the Golf Association Board. I need responses of interest by 15 December so a request can be submitted to Pat Owen in time for Board review in January. The cost will be $75 per person and includes green fees and cart.
Please respond to: godzilla14@verizon.net
The date for the mid-term reunion in San Diego is now set for March 31 to April 3, 2011. The committee is working hard on events and hotel blocks. It is critical they have an accurate estimate of attendees.
If you haven't responded yet to the mid-term reunion survey or have changed your decision, please contact the committee now. http://www.usna63.org/reunion/. Send your Yes, No or Maybe and number of attendees to MidTermReunion@aol.com
A Great Opportunity for Classmates
Click Here for the letter to the Class from Mario regarding Bill's situation and the status of his clemency effort. MS Word required.
Items of Ongoing
Interest
The basic colors are blue and gold for the colors of the Naval Academy. We also added red for the Marine Corps, pale blue (sock-bag blue) for the Air Force and a small black stripe between the red and pale blue for the Army. This was done to recognize members of the Class of 1963 who upon commissioning served in the sister branches of the armed services. The main blue and gold stripes are six units wide and each of the three smaller stripes is one unit wide. That way you get a combination of 6 and 3, for the Class of 1963. There is then a 12-unit drop in Navy blue and the pattern repeats itself.
Class ties, both four-in-hand and bow, are available as well as scarves and cummerbunds. The price of each item is $63 or if you order any three items the discounted price is $163 and if you order all four the price is $200.
Orders can be placed with Ms Dawn Strom, % Lowe Enterprises, PO Box 12393, Aspen, CO 81812.
Here are photos of Cynthia DeFrancia and June and Chuck
modeling the items.
I added a brief note concerning the death of classmate Dick Bryant who died in an accident prior to graduation. Click here.
If you look at Last Call you'll note that we have no obituary or other remembrance for over half of our deceased classmates.
If you have any formal information for any of these classmates or just want to express your memories of them drop me a line at Steve C. and I'll publish a page for them.
It is a good time to check your entry for accuracy and to update it in the "My Profile" section. Also remember to keep Mike Shelley and Steve Coester informed of any changes >
- Put on a catered meal on weekday or weekend.. They will provide a room and tables. The rest is provided by the party putting on the catered meal including silverware. They would invite family members. Could be for 30 wounded and family members.
- Provide funds
Semper Fi Fund. Provides every family with money to help them while here. Designated for Marines and NavyCorpsman. http://www.SemperFiFund.org
Yellow Ribbon Fund - Provides family members free taxis, rental cars. http://www.yellowribbonfund.com/yellowribbonfund/
- USO - USO hires caterers to provide catered meals. http://www.uso.org/
- Armed Forces Foundation - Meets the family members when they arrive in town. http://www.armedforcesfoundation.org/
- Navy-Marine Corps Relief Society - Pay bills of family members while here. http://www.nmcrs.org/index.html
I have had two types of cancer presumed to have been caused by Agent Orange from my in-country service in Vietnam. It would appear that the VA is now honoring claims for compensation from veterans who also served at sea in the areas near Vietnam. For example, the claim is successfully being made that water sprayed with the poison made its way into the ship's purification systems and into the drinking water.
Based on clinical research, the following diseases are on VA's Agent Orange list of presumptive disabilities: chloracne, Hodgkin's disease, multiple myeloma, non-Hodgkin's lymphoma, porphyria cutanea tarda, respiratory cancers (lung, bronchus, larynx and trachea), soft-tissue sarcoma, acute and subacute peripheral neuropathy, and prostate cancer. A regulation is being developed to add diabetes mellitus.
In addition, monetary benefits, health care, and vocational rehabilitation services are provided to Vietnam veterans' offspring with spina bifida, a congenital birth defect of the spine. A new law authorizes health care and monetary benefits to children of female veterans who served in Vietnam for certain additional birth defects.
My advice, if you contract one of these diseases, is to work with an outside service organization, such as the American Legion. They will help with the paperwork and get you your compensation. Be patient - it takes forever. . The VA needs proof of service in Vietnam (DD214, etc) and proof that you have one of these diseases from your doctor or medical facility. My claim for the prostate cancer took six months. My claim for lung cancer was submitted in December and as of the end of March was just approved. I still have another hearing in June before it is considered permanent.
Be sure to also take advantage of the VA health care system. Although I have used my civilian doctors for the major procedures (more for convenience only), the VA doctors are real pro's and the benefit of zero co-pay for prescriptions is worth a lot. For example, after my latest surgery I was still losing weight. My doctor was concerned and told me to drink two cans of Ensure daily, costing about $2 per day. I called the VA and I now receive Ensure at no cost.
Regards,
From Mike Cronin:
Until recently it was true that VA compensation was used as an offset to military retired pay. A retired vet who later received VA disability compensation had his military retired pay reduced by the amount of the VA compensation. Since VA compensation is not taxed, the veteran did receive a tax benefit, but the dollar amount of monthly income before taxes did not change.
That has now changed. Several years ago Congress agreed to phase out that offset provision over ten years. Bottom line: if you have any disability that might be service connected you should apply to the VA and let them decide if you are entitled to compensation. If they decide you are at least partially disabled you will come out dollars ahead even before taxes are considered. Apply now. Compensation is dated from the day you apply even though the VA decision process can take years.
One final note. Military retirees can use VA medical facilities without risking their military retired health care (Tricare) benefits.
From Ken Sanger:
Some who receive disability compensation can double dip.
The following is from the VA website at http://www.dod.mil/prhome/mppcrsc.html
"The Department of Defense has two programs designed to reduce the reduction in retired pay due to receipt of Veteran Administration compensation, for certain disabled retirees.
Concurrent Retirement and Disability Payments (CRDP) provides a 10-year phase-out of the offset to military retired pay due to receipt of VA disability compensation for members whose combined disability rating is 50% or greater . Members retired under disability provisions must have 20 years of service.
Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) pays added benefits to retirees who receive VA disability compensation for combat-related disabilities and have 20 years of service ."
And this from a 2006 document found on the above site:
"The Department of Defense is currently receiving and processing applications for the Combat-Related Special Compensation (CRSC) program. The CRSC program became effective May 31, 2003, for qualified retirees with combat-related disabilities. Payments are retroactive to June 1, 2003, for otherwise qualified members. The criteria of eligibility to receive CRSC payments have been expanded effective January 1, 2004, to include members with any percentage combat-related disability compensated by the VA.C"
Irish
Pennants
Irish Pennants are loose threads
that
invite attention, or may need to be tied up or cut off. For the
purpose
of this web site, they represent miscellaneous thoughts, threads
of discussion and points of view by classmates and colleagues. To
submit [or respond] to Irish Pennants, just send an e-mail to webmaster@usna63.org
without objection from the Class Secretary, they will be published on
this
site, invite rebuttal or response, and eventually [perhaps] fade
away.
Carry
On!
Class of 1963 facts and lore, Cannonball
recipe, satire, humor
Humorous Thoughts for the 40th
| You are here: | Navigate to: | ||
| Class News Top of page |
 Wardroom |
 Site Map |
 USNA63 |