W. Spencer Johnson

President, USNA Class of 1963

1604 Trawler Lane

Annapolis, Maryland, 21409

410-626-7934

wsjohnson63@gmail.com

 

 

Reunion Planning

 

 

Dear Classmates,

 

            All the planning pieces for our forty-fifth reunion are now in place and we are ready for your arrival and check in at what promises to be a great reunion.  Have a safe trip to Annapolis and a great time while you are here.

 

            Thursday afternoon features a three hour Chesapeake Bay cruise aboard the Catherine Marie departing from the Annapolis Dock area downtown. A cheese and fruit spread will be set up onboard along with cash bars for drinks as desired. Remember to bring cash for the drinks since they are not accepting credit cards on board.

 

Also Thursday afternoon there will be a class golf tournament at the Naval Academy Golf Course at the Naval Station across the Severn River. The cost of play includes green fees, a golf cart, prizes and refreshments.  A bus will depart the country Inns and Suites for the golf course at 1100 and return at 1800.

 

            On Friday morning at 1000 we will hold our memorial service in the main Chapel, followed by a class meeting at 1330 in the Mahan Hall auditorium and an address by the current Superintendent. At 1600 the Brigade takes the parade ground for a dress parade.

 

            Our Friday night soiree will be held in the beautiful N Star rooms at the Navy-Marine corps Stadium from 1900-2300. This will feature food stations from "the Seven Seas", beer and wine included, and a cash bar. The Baltimore catering firm of BoBrooks will present a superb selection of offerings from around the world that more than symbolizes our having been "scattered far and wide" since graduation. The facilities allow us to wander around during the course of the evening rather than being anchored in one spot so that we can greet and see as many classmates as possible during the evening. Beer, soft drinks and wine included. Cash bar for other beverages. Please bring cash as needed.  Dress is business casual: slacks, jacket, tie if desired but not required: ladies pants outfits or dresses as desired.

 

On Saturday we will attend a class tailgate and the Navy-Holy Cross baseball game, a double header, the first game beginning at noon, using the new facilities at Bishop Stadium and Terwilliger Field.  We will work on reconstituting the 1963 baseball team and afford them pre-game recognition. The theme for the tailgate will be "Take Me out to the Ballgame".

 

Our reunion schedule stands as follows:

 

Thursday

24 April

 

1000    Check-in commences

Country Inn and Suites Annapolis,

2600 Housley Road

Annapolis, Md.

410-571-6700

Reunion Headquarters

 

1200   Class Golf Tournament USNA Golf Course

Bus departs from Country Inns and Suites at 1100

Returning at 1800

 

1400-1700 Chesapeake Bay Cruise aboard the Catherine Marie

Departs City Dock, Annapolis

Vegetable, Cheese, Fruit, Crackers

Cash Bar

1830-2130  Dinner Cruise for Sixth Battalion aboard

the Catherine Marie

 

Evening Free for Company Arranged Events

 

    Friday

25 April

 

0800 Registration Continues at Alumni Hall USNA

 

1000 Class Memorial Service

USNA Chapel

 

1100-1330 Tour of Center of Academic Excellence Center

 Nimitz Hall (library) lower level

 

1330 Class Meeting

Mahan Hall Auditorium

Address by the Superintendent

 

1600 Dress Parade

Worden Field

 

1900 Jewish Worship Services

Levy Center

 

1900-2300 Class Soiree

N Star Rooms Navy-Marine Corps Stadium

Food from the Seven Seas

Cash Bar

 

  Saturday

26 April

 

1100-1600 "Take Me Out to the Ball Game"

Tailgate

Bishop Stadium

Terwilliger Brothers Field

 

1200 Navy-Holy Cross Baseball Game

 

1600 Second Game of the Navy-Holy Cross Double Header

 

1800 Evening Free for Company Planned Events

 

Sunday

17 April

 

Chapel Services as Desired

 

0900 Catholic Mass

1130 in St AndrewÕs Chapel

 

1100 Protestant Services

0830 in St AndrewÕs Chapel

(Communion Service)

 

Brunch as arranged by individuals

 

1200 Forty-fifth Reunion Adjourns

 

 

Notes 

 

Access to the Naval Academy.  Parking on the Yard is extremely limited. Cars with DOD decals are admitted through the gates (Gate 1 or gate 8 only). Cars with handicap licenses or markers are also admitted. Only a few parking passes will be issued by the authorities for use by reunion attendees. Plan to use the bus transportation that will be provided. Please remember that all persons entering the Naval Academy grounds must have a photo ID (DoD ID card, driver's license, passport, etc) to present to the sentries, even if on the buses. Failure to present a photo ID may result in not being allowed to access the grounds. Ensure that you have one in your pocket or purse.

 

 

 

Stuff  After conferring with a number of wives and classmates, their strong opinion was that we don't need more mementos or stuff to commemorate the reunionÑnot even a bag. With this in mind, you will find bags, clothing, hats, and everything else you may want on a reunion website at wwwUSNA.com/shop or www.navyalumnistore.com. Additionally, there will be a link posted on the registration web page when it is put up. If you do not see something there, check out the wider range of merchandise available at the Alumni Store link. If that does not meet your needs, let me know what you are looking for and we will try to find a purveyor for it. You can have any item embroidered with the class crest in blue, gold or multi-colored thread, and add any names, monograms, etc that you may want. Any item purchased through the Alumni Association results in a ten percent contribution of the purchase price to our class fund. Additionally, a purveyor will be at our headquarters site to sell items that you may not have ordered in advance and would like to have. A local outfitter will be on-site at registration for last minute items that may catch your eye of fill a need.

 

 

Two items will be received by all attendees. The first is a handsome nametag and lanyard for wear. The second is a bronze coin issued to each classmate that will have our class crest prominently displayed on one side and the Naval Academy seal on the other. This is the same coin that our class will present to the newly inducted members of the class of 2013 as their "honor" coin during their plebe summer as part of our "Link in the Chain" responsibilities for the class that follows us by fifty years. It is intended that on graduation day for the class of 2013, in addition to presenting the newly commissioned officers with their gold bars of rank, we will give them another coin that is identical except for their class crest replacing ours, symbolizing the passing of the torch from our class to theirs

 

Midshipman's Store Hours are limited. The Midshipman's Store is open from 0730-1630 on weekdays and closed on Saturday and Sunday. Many of the Academy specific items that can be found in the MidshipmanÕs Store can also be found on-line at the Alumni Store and at the VisitorÕs Center in the Harmel-Leftwich building adjacent to the field house. The Visitors center is open on Saturday and Sunday as well as during the week and also offers guided walking tours of the Yard. Presentation of an Alumni Association or Naval Academy Athletic Association membership card at the Visitors Center at time of purchase will give you an additional 10% discount. All proceeds benefit the Brigade of Midshipmen