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Alumni Sandstorm Archive ~ November, 2007
01 02 03 04 05 06 07 08 09 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30
Richland Bombers Calendar website
Funeral Notices website
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/01/07
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7 Bombers sent stuff:
Sandy Carpenter ('61), Carol Converse ('64)
Gary Behymer ('64), David Rivers ('65)
Shirley Collings ('66), Rick Maddy ('67)
Steve Huntington ('73)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Judy Willox ('61wb)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Micki Lund ('63)
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>>From: Sandy Carpenter Lee ('61)
To: Judy Cameron Ayers ('60)
Re: AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071031-
Pals1960.jpg
Great picture! I remember seeing all you "upper classmen gals"
in the halls when I was in the class just below you. You all
look great, and I could recognize every one of you. So wonderful
you all can get together like that. All my closest girl friends
are either too far away, or have health problems that hinder
travel. But, we talk on the phone often. I know that Linda
Seaton ('60) lived really close to one of my best friends, Ruth
Meyer Speck ('61), and she lives way back in Iowa. She came and
visited me when I lived in Sitka, AK, and I went to visit her
the next year. Joanne Backer Wendt lives in Prosser, and I
manage to get her to the ranch each summer with us. Aren't old
friends just the BEST???
Re: West vs. East Side of the Mountains
I've lived on both, and there are so many pluses in both areas,
it's hard to say which I really prefer. But, you're right, the
winters over here on the west side get pretty dismal, with rainy
days stretching forever it seems. That is probably one of the
reasons we go to California to see relatives each winter. We
skipped last winter, because we purchased the horses in the
early spring (bad decision). But we look forward to seeing my
husband's brother in Long Beach, and my aunts and uncle in
Pacific Palisades the first 2 weeks of December this year. My
husband and brother own a timeshare membership, so we usually
try to throw in one week in Palm Springs while we're down there,
and really soak up the rays before we have to head home to
winter again. We've found if we take that trip to California in
February, that by the time we come home, it's early spring here,
and that's not so bad to come home to. However, after having
lived 15 years in Alaska (Ketchikan, Anchorage and Sitka) and
finishing out the last 10 in Sitka where rainfall is twice or
three times what it is on the west side here, this rain doesn't
really seem so bad.
[Juneau's rain 102"/year, Ketchikan 162", Seattle 38",
Portland 36", Richland 8" -Maren]
I've been in Ketchikan where the winds and rain were so bad,
that when sitting in my office on a street that went up hill,
I actually saw rain running up hill... NO lie. AND... while
walking the block to work one day, I didn't yet know that winds
sometimes funneled down through the streets of Ketchikan and
picked up velocity up to 100 mph. It literally swept me off my
feet, and I quickly reached out for anything I could grab (for
fear I would end up out in the ocean) and grabbed hold of an
extended mirror on a truck parked along the street... then
literally rode out that gust of wind in a horizontal position.
Was really glad for that mirror, or I don't know where I would
have ended up. Soooo, winds can be bad any place.
Speaking of dust in the early days of Richland... while my
mother and I were still in Chicago, waiting for my Dad who went
ahead of us to Richland in 1944, my Dad thought he'd be "cute"
and sent my mother an envelope of dust he had collected off our
"B" House windowsills. He wrote in the letter, "Honey, this is
what you have to look forward to." She almost didn't want to
move there, but was always glad in future years that we had.
Richland was a great place for us kids to grow up... even with
all the dust storms and wind.
-Sandy Carpenter Lee ('61)
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>>From: Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
Re: James House ('63) Top Notch Run 11
Great picture of all of you! These are the things that I do miss
about living so far away from Bomberville. The lunches and other
get togethers with my fellow Bombers.
-Carol Converse Maurer (Magic Class of '64) Eureka, CA
still misty raining and wondering just how many kids
will want to be out in this tonight.
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>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
Re: Sambo's
Somewhere, someplace in time, somehow, someone from this
group will appreciate this photo!
http://AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Behymer/071101-Sambos.jpg
-Gary Behymer ('64) ~ Colfax, WA
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>>From: David Rivers ('65)
Re: Whole Earth Bomber Catalog
Pop Quiz... anyone know where you can pick up a genuine Bomber
windbreaker? How bout Bomber T-shirts... I'm talkin REAL Bomber
stuff... not that politically correct stuff (they probably just
put "RHS" on some of that stuff!)... now I'm told that there are
some Bombers out there that even refused to buy pieces of the
old gym floor because it said RHS instead of Col-Hi... course
we all remember that we always chanted "RHS RHS RHS" during the
games... but when they changed the name officially, some of us
got our dander up... by the way... the Bombers that wouldn't buy
the RHS floor did manage to get some pieces of the floor from
which I hear they are gonna mark them "Col-Hi"... won't mention
no names or how I heard about it... so... back to where I was...
or wasn't but should be... how many kids do you know that would
drive all the way to Vancouver from Richland to deliver Bomber
stuff and more importantly to carry the Bomb so Number 32 ('63)
could hug it for a few hours... well there's one place you can
get all the Cool Bomber memorabilia you could want and one girl
who would carry the bomb to a friend... and that girl is having
a birthday on November 1st...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Judy Willox ('61)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-David Rivers ('65)
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>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
Re: The movie "The Golden Compass"
I received an email about a movie coming out in December
starring Nicole Kidman. It's called "The Golden Compass,"
and while it will be a watered down version, it is based on
a series of children's books about killing God (It is the anti-
Narnia series.) The message said that the hope is to get a lot
of kids to see the movie - which won't seem too bad - and then
get the parents to buy the books for their kids for Christmas.
Read more at the following SNOPES website and see what you think:
http://snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66) ~ Richland
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>>From: Rick Maddy ('67)
Re: west - east
Washington state is certainly a beautiful place. I would say the
most beautiful of all the states – a bold statement from someone
who believes in ‘the eye of the beholder' and has never been in
Maine, Vermont, New Hampshire, Alaska or Florida, but there are
factors I won't mention that goes way beyond aesthetic, physical
beauty... okay, just one... chiggers. I will trade one chigger,
depending on where she digs in, for three sand storms a year. I
have lived all over WA. I even consider coming back to WA now
and then, but usually I am under some mass stressor causing
momentary brain damage at the time... like the time I jarred
from my sleep believing Homeland Security Threat Level was red,
orders on my crank style radio were no suitcases, please... did
they say please?... take only the clothes on my back, all gold
coins if I have any and quickly go to the nearest FEMA Camp
because Los Angeles was under attack by Liechtenstein terrorists
that had been 'wining and dining' in Malibu for the past
three years, four months and ten days on a six month visa.
Nevertheless, I'm not sure which side of WA I would come back to
anyway. One point of interest is the two eastside's. Yes, they
are different. The north eastside (not to be confused with the
northeast side) and the south eastside (not to be confused with
the southeast side) that seem to split somewhere very near the
town of Lamont. Westside is just the Westside, a.k.a. the wet-
side. After living twenty plus years on both sides (45 years),
while escaping from myself, I finally realized I needed to
leave. I live in Huntington Beach, CA for the time being... for
the weather... and the various neck exercises. I love it here.
But it sucks here too. And that is my point. I have never lived
or been anywhere in the United States, particularly July and
August, that didn't suck. I have zero interest in seeing Kansas
or North Dakota in February... especially since they dropped
the mail order bride section in the Sears catalog. But I have
to live somewhere. Oh, yea, one other thing... I'm relatively
happy. The Happy Meter makes a big difference, no matter where
you live.
-Rick Maddy ('67) OC
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>>From: Steve Huntington ('73)
The ongoing discussion of east versus west has jogged me out of
a continuing delirium. In my dream, I see Huskies on their way
to the Rose Bowl and Seahawks holding up Lombardi trophies while
big haired announcers make goofy comments about the end of two,
no three decades of Seattle championship draught. The NY Yankees
are complaining in the papers that Seattle keeps hiring all of
the rising stars that they develop. In this version of heaven,
I have a King Cup 40 oz beer that stays cold through a whole
quarter... and in the east Pasco High is considering dropping
basketball and football as the teams have not won a game against
Richland in so many years... all obvious fantasies. The Huskies
at least need to know what an end zone is for to win, Ishihiro
has probably already leased a flat in Soho, and I never once let
a King Cup last as long as an inning, much less a full quarter.
Oh... this east versus west thing is really all about that last
item, and our first and most important major food group - beer.
A lot of the recent discussion has been focused on the
differences in precipitation between the two geographically
disparate area. This diversity is actually a planned blessing
from the Almighty, as the two climates are necessary to ensure a
supply of the ingredients required to brew. He provides rain to
have water to brew with. Now you know why Seattle and the rest
of the west side is wet. The snow packs in the middle of the
state are an emergency source, provided to ensure we never run
out of a source to keep the vats full even if the Bogachiel rain
forest was to turn Saharan. Barley and hops will not grow well
in those rain soaked bogs, thus necessitating dry land farms -
and presto deserto - you have eastern Washington and the Yakima
valley as His next miracle. So easy when you can sit back and
see His big picture.
I was just back home in October and had the chance to travel
both sides of the pass in taking care of some family matters.
What a beautiful, scenic, and beer blessed area it is! The pass
was all dressed up and shining yellow and red and silver in fall
plumage, the Puget Sound ferries scuttled back and forth across
deep, cold, and placid waters, and Pyramid, Mac and Jack, and
even a few steins of Stella were flowing in all the right places
- Tommy's Uptown and Jackson's included. (Jackson's... posh
stuff that is. I remember when the bar keep at the Gaslight
would fill a gallon jug with Oly for 2 bucks out the back
door). I would suggest to all the participants in the ongoing
controversy that they see His real genius in creating Washington
State. It is surely the best of all possible worlds - providing
every climate, and every other thing we need - to keep our mugs
filled and our lives joyous (except maybe a championship trophy
now and then). So go out, find a friend that supports the other
side of this controversy, and buy the chap a cold one. After
realizing you have a common love for our home state, buy him
another! With enough of that joy, just close your eyes, and
you too may just faintly hear that Super Bowl announcer as he
introduces the 2008 Super Bowl MVP, Matt Hasselback...
-Steve Huntington ('73)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/02/07
FALL BACK at 2am TOMORROW (Sunday) morning
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2 Bombers sent stuff:
Fred Segrest ('57), Vic Marshall ('71)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Norma Loescher ('53)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Tom Beaulieu ('59)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Richard Jacobs ('75)
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>>From: Fred Segrest ('57)
Re: '57 Reumion pictures
Greetings to all Bombers,
Are there any pictures from the 1957 reunion available on the
website? I’ve looked, but with no success. Those of us who were
unable to attend would delight in seeing how the rest of the
class has aged (I’m not talking about you, of course). Thanks
for reading.
-Fred Segrest ('57)
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>>From: Vic Marshall ('71)
My, how the years begin to fly by. I was looking at my calendar
of upcoming events the other day and noticed an important
Birthday brewing (hmmm - that term could have some significance.
Birthday Brewing - kind of goes together, doesn't it?). Anyway,
I didn't realize until this morning that I believe this is the
BIG 50 for this youngster and the baby of the family.
So, not to publicly embarrass you too much - happy 50th
Dr. Richard Jacobs ('75). Now if you could just get Notre Dame
Football back to winning - isn't there some doctor thing you
can do???
All the best,
-Vic Marshall ('71)
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/03/07 ~ FALL BACK at 2am Sunday
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1 Bomber sent stuff:
Mike Franco ('70
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>>From: Mike Franco ('70)
Re: Rich Jacobs' ('75) B-day
Hey Rich, happy birthday... Glad to hear of your thriving
medical practice... it would be nice if you recognized all the
guidance and inspiration you got from Ben ('69) and Bob's ('70)
pals during your youth. I am pretty confident that if it wasn't
for our inspiration you would be pumping gas with Vic Marshall
('71) right now!
Happy 50th birthday, you are almost half way to Ben's IQ!
-Mike Franco ('70)
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/04/07 ~ FALL BACK at 2am TODAY
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4 Bombers sent stuff:
Gus Keeney ('57), Betti Avant ('69)
Darlene Napora ('69), Barb Belcher ('72)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Twins: Betti & Robert Avant ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Darren McIntyre ('82)
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>>From: Gus Keeney ('57)
Re: California Fires
On my way home to Yuma last night, (Between Tohachapi and Palm
Springs, CA) I passed several groups of Fire Fighters from
Oregon, Washington, Idaho and Montana heading back north. I
guess the fires are settling down and they are being turned
loose to return home. Thanks for help Troops!!!!
I was still smoky around Bakersfield and coming down into the
San Bernadino areas, but the latter might have been the normal
LA Smog. Clear the rest of the way from the Bay Area south.
It's good to be back home in Yuma!!!
-Gus Keeney ('57) ~ From Sunny Yuma where I'll be catching up
on some needed sleep today and enjoying the rest of the
Warm Winter!!
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>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
Re: Birthday Greetings
Dear brother Robert,
I'm not sure of your new address or phone number and don't know
if you've been getting my e-mails. So I'd like to wish a happy
number 57 to my "womb-mate". Have a great day!!!!!
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA where it's been cooler but dry
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>>From: Darlene Napora Shuley ('69)
To: Betti Avant ('69)
A very "Happy Birthday" to Betti (twin Bob, too) and many thanks
for her contributions to the Sandstorm over the years!
-Darlene Napora Shuley ('69) ~ from Austin, TX where the weather
is gorgeous - warm days, cool nights and best of all, the
nasty chiggers have gone to bed for the winter!!!
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>>From: Barb Belcher Valinske ('72)
Re: class of '72
This is in answer to Mike Dalen's ('72) note on 10/30/07:
you're right - the class of '72 very rarely has anything to say.
I wonder what Vicki Owens ('72) in South Africa is doing? She
use to send in the most interesting stories, such as celebrating
Thanksgiving in S. Africa. Hope things are going well for her.
I also remember several(!) years ago when the road trip of
Vicki, Terri Zangar ('72), Sharen Manolopoulos ('72), and Remy
Neill ('72) celebrated turning 50 years old.
http://alumnisandstorm.com/htm2004/Xtra/50sRoad-Owens.html
I have lived in West Richland since 1991 - there are now two
traffic lights and one round-about on Bombing Range Road! We are
fast losing our rural charm as the developers pave over every
square mile possible. Seeing a horse and rider on Van Giesen is
a rare sight these days. My family moved here from Arkansas in
about 1946, and there are now three generations of our family
living in West Richland.
Only five more years until we are eligible to join the Club 40.
I still have a few copies of the 30-year reunion book if anyone
is interested. Please send me your e-mail address so we can find
you in 2012.
-Barb Belcher Valinske ('72) ~ W. Richland, where the days are
mild and the nights frosty. The trees had good autumn
color this year but of course, the wind has blown most
of the leaves away.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/05/07
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4 Bombers sent stuff:
Mary Triem ('47), Pappy Swan ('59)
Jack Gardiner ('61), Lynn-Marie Hatcher ('68)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Charles Cox ('56)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Judy Cameron ('60)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Curtis Gunter ('61)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Gerald Stein ('66)
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>>From: Mary Triem Mowery ('47)
To: Barb Belcher Valinske ('72)
I enjoyed seeing that a much younger Bomber is looking forward
to joining our alumni association Club 40. That says to me that
we have left at least one good impression on our young Bombers.
Seriously, I hope when you reach "that age" you will enjoy
belonging to a fun organization.
-Mary Triem Mowery, a '47 Bomber
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>>From: George "Pappy" Swan ('59)
To: Gus Keeney ('57)
Re: California Fires
"I was still smoky around Bakersfield and coming down into the
San Bernadino areas, ..."
Gus, I know you meant "It was...," rather than "I was," but
as I read that, I could not help but conjure up visions of the
"Big Gus Keeney" flying "lickity split" down the road, trailing
smoke, after having his feathers singed" while racing through
the lingering California fires (or possibly from atmospheric
re-entry) on his way to his "Snow Bird Wintering Area."
Have a nice warm winter, my friend!
-George "Pappy" Swan ('59) ~ From also sunny Burbank, WA where
the yard work is almost pleasant, but I'm getting it out
of the way so I can concentrate on more important things
later ... like pheasant and waterfowl hunting.
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>>From: Jack Gardiner ('61)
Re: Jason Lee pics
For those of you who attended Jason Lee Elementary school. Here
are pictures of her last day standing. Taken on September 5th
2007. Also taken at Twin Bridges in West Richland while the
trees are turning fall colors.
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071105-Gardiner-00.html
-Jack Gardiner ('61)
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>>From: Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
Re: Gained weight, anyone?
Well, I noted in the Sandstorm recently that our 40th reunion
dates (Class of 1968) have been set for August, 2008. This led
to Thomas (who has never been to a reunion) and me (last one I
attended was our 15th) renewing our discussion of "Should we go
... Yeah, we really should go ... I'd kinda really like to ...
It might be fun, after all this time ... etc."
And then it always comes around to basically this ... "Geez, we
used to be such slender, little people. Uh, pleasingly plump in
a wife/husband (being somewhat kind by using the word 'plump'
there, I should add) is a nice thing ... but can we really face
all those old classmates like this?"
Thomas and I have not really stayed in touched with friends from
"back in the day". So not many people have seen the "rounding
factor" in effect on us.
After marrying 3/17/2004, and moving to rural Idaho 7/21/2005
year ago, have moved into an accelerated phase of morphing into
a different (and better, we believe) way of looking at life --
and a different (and not necessarily better!) way of looking,
physically. (Actually, we had both started 'plumping up' before
ever running into one another again in 2001. So can't blame it
on our marriage or the farm!)
So here is the question -- anyone else out there been brave
enough to say "what the heck!", and go to a reunion in a, uh,
different (rounder) shape than when last they saw all the
folks with whom they graduated? If so, sure could use some
encouragement -- so would love to see your stories posted here.
This may sound like vanity -- but it's really more embarrassment
than anything else!
Thanks in advance to anyone willing to share!
-Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68) ~ Haven Farm - 1/2 east of
Lewiston, ID (Man it's getting dark early today! But
it was a beauty -- about 60°, sunny and clear. It's
already been down to 19° at night, though!)
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[Trust me, you'll have so much fun! GO. And guess what? Anybody
you knew back then is still the same person inside! -Maren]
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/06/07
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13 Bombers sent stuff:
Bernie Qualheim ('56), Joretta Garrison ('58)
Bonnie Allen ('59), Pappy Swan ('59)
Carol Carson ('60), George Barnett ('63)
Linda Reining ('64), Fran Teeple ('68)
Shirley Collings ('66), Andy Michels ('68)
Betti Avant ('69), Greg Alley ('73)
Matt Crowley (‘75)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jim Schildknecht ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Becky Rulon ('66)
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>>From: Bernie Qualheim ('56)
Re: Fw: New Richland High School Alumni Archive
Maren, what is this???
Bernie, Just some folks trying to make a buck (sorta like
classmates.com)... and you can tell that they're FAKE cuz
they don't even have BOMBERS in their email anywhere....
they ain't Bombers, that's why.... They're in MARYLAND! I
wouldn't click their link if I were you.
Bomber cheers, Maren
-Bernie Qualheim ('56)
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>>From: Joretta "Sue" Garrison Pritchett ('58)
Re: '58 in '08 reunion planning
Planning for Class of '58 50th Reunion. Next meeting will be
Tuesday evening, November 6, at 7pm. We'll meet at the Richland
Community Center in the Lounge. Bring thoughts and ideas, and
be prepared to get involved. Questions call me.
-Joretta "Sue" Garrison Pritchett ('58) ~ Richland
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>>From: Bonnie Allen ('59)
Re: Eastern/Western Washington Debate
I am a little late in entering this debate, but so be it. I
think happiness is the main thing in life, and has a lot to do
with how happy you are in where you live. I've lived here for
almost 40 years now, so I think I've learned how to do it pretty
well. Yes, it does rain in Western Washington, but we don't have
dust storms. When we have wind on the West side, (which I really
hate) we are having a storm! I think I hate the wind more here
than I did in Richland because of the fir trees that can fall
on your (or my) head, but then we don't get as much wind as the
folks on the East side. Since living in Western Washington, I
have learned to be flexible--when it's nice I go outside and
really appreciate the sunshine--and when it rains, I pretty much
stay inside. I have learned that I don't melt--if I get wet, I
can dry off, change clothes and be on my way again. When I was
working, I was pretty determined to go for a walk every night
after work--it had something to do with my sanity! There were
times when I got pretty wet, and I survived. I'm pretty sure
that my mother's belief that "if you get your feet wet you'll
get a cold" is not true. I've been wet a lot! I'll settle for
warmer in the winter and cooler in the summer than you folks
have on the other side of the mountains! I must say that I do
envy your nice springs and falls when your temperatures are in
the 60s and 70s and ours are only in the 50s! But I think the
best place to be is simply "home."
-Bonnie Allen ('59) ~ Mill Creek, WA The sun is shinning, the
sky is blue, and I'm going out to work in my soggy yard.
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>>From: George "Pappy" Swan ('59)
To: Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
Re: Gained weight, anyone?
Yes, yes I have! Indeed, I have, especially after having knee
and foot problems about a year ago that put me in my recliner
chair for about a month. I gained about 20 pounds (seemingly
overnight). My dog, Darby, gained weight too, because where I
go.. .she goes.
But the good news is that I got the foot and knee problems
temporarily solved and have been shaving off the pounds, slowly
but surely getting me back to my normal portly self. The 20
pounds have gone away, mostly from my personalized exercise
program of "pushing." I push away from the table and avoid
seconds and certain foods. And, I am able to be more active.
Darby has lost weight too from my cutting her "doggie chow"
intake and a daily exercise routine of chasing a tennis ball
(until hunting season came along). Side Note: It is working very
well for her but I have created a near-nuisance situation for
myself. I cannot do anything out in the yard that I don't have
a tennis ball dropped at my feet or shoved in my face, and if I
don't throw the ball, she chews it up. But as usual, I digress!
Lynn-Marie, do not despair. When you go to any of your later
reunions, you will immediately notice that it is predominately
attended by a lot of older, plumper people, making you wonder
where your old classmates are? I tend to remember my classmates
as what they looked like back in Bomber days, especially those
that I have not seen for many years. So, reading name tags takes
on great importance. At my reunions, I take great comfort in the
fact that I observe many of my classmates reading mine before
they greet me, as if they recognized me all along. The usual
weight gain that comes with age levels the playing field and
puts us all on common ground. So, don't be concerned about
having put on some extra pounds. Keep in mind that its a very
popular trend in our later years and everyone is doing it.
However, I am now thinking that I need to shave even a few more
pounds from my "seasoned" framework. A couple of days ago, I
made a most startling discovery when I weighed and measured
at my doctor's office. I now have irrefutable proof that I
am indeed the "Incredible shrinking senior citizen." When I
graduated from high school, I was rather skinny, but I stood all
of 5' 9 1/2" tall. About five years ago, I had shrunk in stature
by one whole inch. No big deal, I told myself, older people tend
to loose height. But, now I find that I am 5' 6 1/2." So, I am
shrinking... or slowly disappearing? At this rate, if I live to
be 90, as many of my relatives have, I may be only 4' tall.
Or am I "puddling?" Over the years, my feet have stretched from
a size 9 1/2 to a size 12. And my large rib cage has descended
to become a rather large sunken treasure chest around my mid-
section. As I shrink, each additional pound seems to emphasize
my roundness. So, I really should lose some more weight, or I
will soon resemble a beach ball with very short legs. So, yes, I
know roundness.
I second Maren's advice, "[Trust me, you'll have so much fun!
GO. And guess what? Anybody you knew back then is still the same
person inside! -Maren]"
I once asked my wife, Jeanne, what happened to her little "wasp-
like" waistline? She replied that it was still there, but now
its gift wrapped. So, Lynn-Marie, believe me... you are not
alone. There are many like us. Go to your reunion and enjoy!
-George "Pappy" Swan ~ Burbank, WA - Where I ponder the
shrinking phenomenon and wonder... Am I am turning
into an elf?
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Carol Carson Renaud ('60)
Re: Weight Issues
To: Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
This subject of gained weight probably applies to a high
percentage of our high school friends. I'm sure everyone
(especially the women) thinks about this when the subject of
Reunions comes up. As a very dear friend once told me, when it
comes to women's bodies, women will always say they are "never
good enough." I personally don't consider myself fat... just
"fluffy." Not that I don't fight the good fight most of the time
weight-wise, it's just not worth worrying about for me. What you
see is what you get and I think I'm really nice so if my weight
bothers anyone, it's their problem, not mine.
The way I look at it is that I appreciate people much more
now for who they are, not what they look like and I bet there
are lots of folks out there who agree. By this age, we have
discovered what is important and skinny isn't it.
While I missed Club 40 this year, I have every intention of
attending next year. In fact my Big Brother (Steve Carson ('58)
has told me he is considering coming out from Chicago for his
50th and I told him we could go together. (Here's your chance to
commit Steve - let's do this together.)
So Lynn-Marie, don't sweat the small stuff (even if it's bigger
now).
-Carol Carson Renaud ('60) ~ From bright and sunny Lynnwood, WA
where it is sunny by cool today.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: George Barnett ('63)
Re: Jack Gardiner's ('61) fall foliage photos
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071105-Gardiner-00.html
Beautiful Jack, and thank you. I recognize each of them (taken
from the second bridge) you see we used to have that island and
the alfalfa field on it was my FFA project during my Jr. and Sr.
years at Col-Hi. AH but alas, the Ag program is gone now. Many
fun and enlightening experiences that included your brother
Chuck ('63-RIP) and many others. I also used to run a trap line
from the downstream side of the second bridge to about a half
mile further downstream. (Behind Koeppeon's old place).
Bye Geo.
-George Barnett ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Linda Reining ('64)
to:Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka('68)
re:reunions/changes
GO---you will have a good time! I understand how you feel and
what you are saying and I will admit that I stayed away from my
reunions for the same reasons---gained weight and didn't look
anything like I did when I was in high school and was
embarrassed, BUT I went to my 35th(first one I ever went to)and
also the 40th and I had a GREAT time! was fun to see familiar
faces, and re-connect with everyone. a lot of us had changed,
but some had remained the same(as far as "body"), but they were
all the same inside--your friends are your friends, regardless
of how your body changes! GO, you will have a good time----
and, trust me, NOBODY will say one word about the weight gain OR
the grey hair---they will just be glad that you came!!!!!
-Linda Reining(Boomber Bomber class of '64).........Bakersfield,
CA.......our skies are finally clearing up from the fires in
Southern CA---heard on the news that we are possibly going to
have another "La Nina", which means a dryer and warmer winter
than usual!!!!!!
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Fran Teeple Wolf ('68)
Re: Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
Oh good golly Lynn! We are ALL a little rounder (I am!), our
hair is thinning (mine!) or gone (hey Rick Valentine - are you
coming for this one? - I owe you two lunches. I Loved Maren's
add-on.) You were a sweet kid then, I've loved reading your
entries and following your adventures, and was hoping to have a
chance to tell you so at the reunion.
I've stayed connected to a few, re-connected with a few, and
sadly, the Class of '68 has lost a few more special classmates.
Also, I have this sneaky feeling that there are more '68 Bombers
that READ this newletter than WRITE into it.
A little nip here and there, a procedure of lipo (or two!) a
few implants, a little botox - well they haven't happened. I am
aging and so, I think, everybody out there is too. But the funny
thing is... I try to remember that everyone, like me, has shy
places and shy times. I'll work at being brave and come talk to
all of you 'cause I'd like to catch up on our lives. I hope you
will all come talk to me, too?
-Fran Teeple Wolf ('68) ~ Spokane, WA we've have a few
wonderful days of Indian Summer. Tonight it will 29°
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
Re: Class of '66 November Birthdays
To all of our '66 classmates having November birthdays and most
of them turning the BIG 60, I wish a HUMONGUS CELEBRATION!
Gerald Stein turned 60 yesterday, November 5; Becky Rulon and
Jim Schildknecht turn 60 today, November 6; Mick Hemphill turns
60 on November 15; Kim Moore Boatman will be 60 November 17
(WHEW, THAT IS A LOT OF BIRTHDAYS.)
BUT ... you would NEVER guess that there are two of your
classmates born in 1948 who are still ONLY 58, at least for
another week. I believe Marc Franco and I are the
youngest of the '66 class. Marc turns 59 on November 13, and I
turn 59 on November 14.
Come on ... Let's celebrate!
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66) ~ Richland
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Andy Michels ('68)
Re: Sandstorm
I have a complete set of 1968 Sandstorms and some 1967s. I
would like to see them post to the website. Can that be done?
-Andy Michels ('68)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Andy, It can be done. First you need to get somebody to scan
them all. -Maren]
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
Re: weight
Lynn-Marie & Thomas,
Like Maren said, "it's what is inside that counts". I have seen
both sides of the weight issue when attending my reunions. We
had a classmate at the 10-year reunion that had lost a lot of
weight. No one recognized her without looking at her name tag. I
had one guy come up to me at my 20th and started talking to me
like a long lost friend. I had gone to grade school with him and
never really saw him after that. He was always a "skinny little
runt" that at times I would have liked to throttle. At that
reunion he knew who I was right away but I had to look at his
name tag. He had joined the Navy out of high school, gained at
least 6" in height, and over 100# since our senior year. He was
very personable and we talked for quite awhile. So see, it can
go both ways but everyone is still the same in so many other
ways. I have talked with classmates I never even knew in school
because of the size of our classes. Go to your reunion and have
fun as I know you will.
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA where the sun is brightly
shining today anyway
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Greg Alley ('73)
Re: Bomber updates.
Just had to write in because the other day only Mike Franco ('70)
submitted anything so things are really slow in Bomberland.
Had to comment on the poor crowd at the Richland-Lewis & Clark
football game. Yeah, LC took care of the Bombers 28-0. It was
a game at 4 in the afternoon, on a Saturday, it was 60° and
sunny, and a playoff game. More than half the stadium came
disguised as empty seats. It was the worst crowd I have ever
seen for a home post-season event in town. Other Bomber teams
did well like the girls' soccer team. If you're in town, take a
look at the Mac Hall renovations. It looks like the building was
hit with a real bomb as its gutted out and their using the basic
frame of the building to make a new school structure.
-Greg Alley ('73) ~ It sure is nice in the afternoon in Richland
these early days of November before the cold hits soon.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Matt Crowley (‘75)
Re: Rich Jacobs’ ('75) birthday
Hey, the Class of ‘75 is starting to turn 51... I know I did in
September. Rich, are you really only now turning 50? I hope you
had a happy one, whichever it was.
-Matt Crowley (‘75)
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
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****************************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/07/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
12 Bombers sent stuff and 1 Bomber funeral notice today:
Norma Loescher ('53), Millie Finch ('54), Bill Berlin ('56)
Nola Davey ('56), Gus Keeney ('57), Patti Jones ('60)
David Sowden ('62 & 63wb), George Barnett ('63), Roy Ballard ('63)
Dena Evans ('64), Shirley Collings ('66), Don Andrews ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Marilyn "Em" DeVine ('52)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Dan Haggard ('57)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jim Weaver ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Julie Smyth ('69wb)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Norma Loescher Boswell ('53)
Re: Death of Jerry Dudley ('53)
With great sadness I must tell fellow Bombers that Jerry passed
away November 5, 2007. He fought lung disease, COPD, for many
years, and recently entered home hospice care. His sons Dean and
Jeff were with him at the end.
Jerry was a Bomber through and through. As classmates, he and I
served on dance planning committees. Jerry appeared in Pep
Assembly skits, tapping into his good sense of humor. He was a
close friend of Marilyn Richey ('53-RIP). Marilyn and Jerry had
steel-trap memories. Books could be written about the high
school people, places, and events Jerry remembered.
As a youth, Jerry caught polio and lived the rest of his life
with a severely shortened leg. His musical nature moved him to
join the band. Later he kept his love of sports alive by
becoming a manager of the football and basketball teams.
After high school Jerry spent a lot of time on boats in the
Columbia River, bestowing upon himself the title "river rat." He
helped plan alumni and Club 40 reunions. In everything he did,
Jerry gave freely of himself and was loved in return. He will be
dearly missed.
-Norma Loescher Boswell ('53) ~ In Richland, where no services
are currently planned. If Jerry's requests for no service,
no obituary are overruled by his family, I'll let you know.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Millie Finch Gregg ('54)
Re: Old Sandstorms
Many of you know that my mother passed away this year and I have
been going through boxes of papers, pics, etc. Well, I have
found 2 Sandstorms - one is dated May 21, 1947, and the other
one is dated May 25, 1948.
They are quite interesting but I am not quite sure what to do
with them. Any suggestions???
I hope everyone is enjoying our sunshine and looking forward to
the holiday season just ahead of us.
-Millie Finch Gregg ('54)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Bill Berlin ('56)
Re: East, West, where is best?
I too have to jump in on the East vs. West controversy. As I
have mentioned in the past, I left the day after I graduated
from Col-Hi to go to Alaska and work in the salmon canning
business. From that experience I got saltwater in my veins and
it has become almost like a drug drawing me towards the "chuck"
like a huge magnet. I did a lot of boating on the Columbia,
Yakima and Snake rivers growing up but working and boating on
saltwater made fresh water events seem real small. Richland was
an ideal place to grow up with lots of advantages for kids of
all ages but looking back, I am not sure I really wanted to stay
there. I knew I did not want to go to WSC (now U) so I reduced
my options to the U of Montana in Missoula or Linfield College
in McMinnville, OR and took the latter and glad I did. Between
Alaska and Linfield, that was my "split" from the Tri-Cities and
Eastern Washington and I have never wanted to return to live no
matter how many rainy or cloudy days we have in Western WA.
Now that is just me and I can respect those who want to live
in the Tri-Cities, specifically Richland, or want to come back
to live there. That is great and if that is what makes them
comfortable, so much the better. Looks to me that Pappy is happy
in Burbank and Patti in West Richland but it is not for me. Just
the same, it is not right or fair for us living in Western WA to
be critical of those in Eastern WA and visa versa. Live and let
live, no matter where that might be, is my motto.
I sure love where I live... in Anacortes, WA. Just the right
size of town, great health and hospital facilities and not a lot
of stressful traffic congestion like we had in Seattle. It is
pretty easy to get to either Seattle or Vancouver, B.C. if we
want the "rat race" and easy most of the year to get over to
Victoria and Vancouver Island and that is cool. We still have a
place over on San Juan Island very close to the migratory Orca
Whale pods and I can't get any of that in Eastern Washington. I
am a happy Bomber.
-Bill Berlin ('56)n ~ in Anacortes, WA where we have had some
pretty darn nice weather lately but I see rain on the horizon.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Nola Davey Meichle ('56)
Re: Washington State Ferry in the "Big Blow" on 10/18/07
http://alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071107-Davey-00.html
-Nola Davey Meichle ('56)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Gus Keeney ('57)
To: Pappy Swan ('59)
I was smokin' along pretty good until I hit the LA outbound
traffic on I-10. It was bumper to bumper and moving along at
5 MPH whenever it moved at all. Took almost an hour to from
the interchange onto I-10 to Cathredral City near Palm Springs!!
I went to Los Algodones Mexico and got some new glasses to
replace the ones that I lost on the way down. What a difference
it makes!!!
-Gus Keeney ('57) ~ From Sunny Yuma where it was near 90 today.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Patti Jones Ahrens ('60)
A couple of months ago I announced that JD Diner's owner Hannah,
had given us permission to cover the restaurant's walls with
pictures from the Bombers. Kaylene Henjum Livingston ('60) and
Mary Judd Hinz ('60) brought the first two last month to get us
started. Looking forward to more pictures and the fun of seeing
others' pictures. The pictures can be from school or in the now.
Make sure the names of the Bombers and the year are on the
picture(s).
-Patti Jones Ahrens ('60)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: David Sowden ('62 & 63wb)
Re: Cookie Recipes
Post this in the Sandstorm if you wish... I got to from Carol
Bishop Horne ('57).
http://www.northpole.com/
Go Bombers
-David Sowden ('62 & 63wb)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[My cousin sent me the same email with all the cookie recipes.
You can click on the links from the main website to find a ton
of cookie recipes... looks like other neat stuff, too. -Maren]
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: George Barnett ('63)
Re: Greg Alley's ('73) comment yesterday about Mac Hall
One of our own BOMBER ALUMNI got the contract to do all the
steel work in rebuilding Mac Hall. Charlie Barnett ('69) (little
bro) owns Metalfab out in West Richland and they will be doing
all the renovation of the basic structure. If you run into
Charlie, check out his belt buckle. It is an old "BOMBER" brass
belt buckle with the B-17 on it. It originally belonged to Bill
Hartley ('56)... he gave it to me in about 1959, and I LOANED it
to Charlie somewhere about 1964? Anyway, you are welcome to
remind Charlie that I still remember WHO it belongs to.
Bye Geo.
-George Barnett ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Roy Ballard ('63)
Re: Birthdays
To: Shirley Collins Haskins ('66)
Shirley, I think that you got your birthday wrong, I thought
that you were 56..... :-) :-)
-Roy Ballard ('63), an aging 62 and portly, like Pappy
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dena Evans ('64)
Re: Reunions and weight gain
Speaking from the point of view of being overweight ALL of my
life, I would like to share a few things.
During my entire school year experience, I had very few friends.
The ones that I did have, loved me for me, which I was so
thankful for. It is not easy for a person 'of size' to feel good
about themselves, unless there are people around them that help.
Unfortunately, my family didn't do that, but I had a few close
friends that made my life worth getting up for each morning.
Cathy Biehn ('64), Paula Millar ('64wb), and especially, Deedee
Willox ('64), were the 3 people that gave me self worth during
my years at Columbia High School. They saw me only for the good
person that I am, not my packaging.
After reuniting with Deedee after 40+ years, she is making
my life a better place to live. She is constantly giving me
compliments, and telling me that I 'clean up' real well. Deedee
makes me get out more, and meet new people, which I rarely did
before. I was too worried about what people were thinking about
me. I didn't want to be the one sitting in the corner as an
adult.
There is this problem that I still have with meeting people at
the reunions, and only because I still have that little voice
inside of me telling me that I am still back at Col-Hi with the
people that don't give a damn about me because of my weight.
(Its really very funny when I think about it. I am a BBW, yet
I am invisible to sooooo many people). I was very shocked when
Kathy Hoff ('64) came up to me and started a conversation at our
Club 40 Reunion in 2007. Kathy, that made me feel that things
can change when you get older, because I wouldn't have even
thought that one of the 'popular' girls would give me a second
glance, let alone talk to me. As for the boys, men now, you
missed out on a wonderful person when you didn't talk with me
because of my weight. And ladies. There were a few guys that
weren't jocks, but overweight, that should have been given a
chance. You probably missed out on a good friendship, and
possibly a better life.
Its never too late to find out who a person is, and what a good
friend they can be. I am going to give it my best to give the
'popular, fine looking, foxy etc.' people a chance to get to
know the wonderful me, like my 3 good friends did. If we would
all just set aside our 'teen' years and concentrate on how we
want to spend the rest of our lives, caring about others would
be a good place to start.
All in all, the reunions are a wonderful place to be. Don't
worry about the weight gain, hair loss, or any of those
'insignificant' facts of life. I have been to 2 of the Club 40
and have enjoyed them immensely. Even if I do sit on my fanny
most of the time, just being there is uplifting. The band is
great, and the food is delicious, and there is happiness
abounding. Smiles. laughter, tears. They are all a part of the
Reunions. As my 20 year old son Zack says, 'its all good'.
-Dena Evans ('64) ~ In beautiful Portland, where the sun has
actually graced the sky for 3 days now. I just don't know
what to do first. Darn, laundry is piling up, so down to
the basement for a few days!! I knew that it was too good
to be true.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
Re: Class of '66 November birthdays
I did not realize that we have yet another classmate with a
November birthday. Jan Klusman McCurdy turns 60 on November 30.
Are there any other '66 classmates with November birthdays?
May we all have wonderful birthdays as we add another year to
our life ... growing up is optional.
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66) ~ Richland
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Don Andrews ('67)
Re: East side/West side
I have moved back and forth with other stops in between. My life
started in Sunnyside, then Richland, Everett, Richland, Randle,
Pomeroy in that order. Then adventures in Page, AZ; Farmington,
NM; San Clemente, CA; back to Richland, Olympia, Richland,
Olympia; then another adventure "10 years, one year and a half"
in Texas. Back to Olympia, Vancouver U.S.A., and in 7 years from
now to my final resting place, retirement in Richland at Horn
Rapids. I have included photos of the view from our new home.
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071107-Andrews-00.html
"There's no place like Home, there's no place like Home"
Bomber Cheers
-Don Andrews ('67) ~ Vancouver U.S.A.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
Funeral Notice
>>Jerry Dudley ('53) ~ 11/23/33 - 11/5/07
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/08/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
6 Bombers sent stuff:
Marilyn De Vine ('52), Wally Erickson ('53)
Millie Finch ('54), Gus Keeney ('57)
Pappy Swan ('59), David Rivers ('65)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Spencer Houck ('71)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Marilyn De Vine ('52)
To: Norma Loescher Boswell ('53)
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53-RIP)
Thank you for sharing the loving remembrances of Jerry. But you
left out one thing: life guarding and teaching swimming for
many, many years. He was a hero to many of us older and younger.
He took great pride in his teaching accomplishments and the last
time we talked he mentioned more of the names of kids he taught.
(Children of Col-Hi Bombers, etc.) He was a "Class A" guy and
I'm sorry he suffered for so long. Now he can rest in peace.
God Bless him.
-Marilyn De Vine ('52)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Wally Erickson ('53)
To: Norma Loescher Boswell ('53)
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53-RIP)
Thank you Norma for the info on Jerry's passing. I agree...
Jerry was everyone's friend. He loved sports; he wanted to be
involved somehow, and he did that by being on the bench for our
sports teams. I still see him with a "white towel" around his
neck, being there for our players coming off the field or
basketball court with water, or to help with an injury. He had
an obvious limp due to polio, but that never interfered with his
attitude about life. I'm glad I went to our 50th class reunion;
Jerry of course was there. Those of you that don't go to the
reunions for what ever reason... are missing out on your past.
May God be with you and your family Jerry!! Thank you for the
great memories at Columbia High... "God Bless you Jerry".
-Wally Erickson ('53) ~ We've had beautiful fall weather here
at Coeur D'Alene, but did get a little "sprinkle" this
morning. Regarding class reunions, are we (class of '53)
having a 55th class reunion next year, or will it be a
"Club 40" reunion??
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Millie Finch Gregg ('54)
Re: Jerry Dudley )'53-RIP)
To: Norma Loescher Boswell ('53)
Thank you for the words about Jerry. He was indeed a very good
man.
The Dudleys were one of the families living in South Richland
where I grew up, and also his sister Diane ('54-RIP) was in my
class.
They were a great family and you could always see Jerry on the
ball field, whether indoors or out, he would always be there.
Thanks so much for the good words and he was truly a BOMBER!
-Millie Finch Gregg ('54)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Gus Keeney ('57)
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53-RIP)
Bummer to read about Jerry Dudley. He was my Favorite Life
Guard at the Pool and running into him in the later years was
always a treat!! We had a lot of memorable talks (Most of which
I can't Repeat!!!) sitting in front of the Richland Yacht Club
whenever I brought my Boats upstream from the St. Helens, OR
area. I always loved the banter between Jerry and Doug Stiles
('57) there.
Jerry, My old friend you are being missed already.
-Gus Keeney ('57) ~ Sunny Yuma AZ where it just reached 98.4
on my outside temp readout!!!! At least I'm getting my
laundry done!!!!
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: George "Pappy" Swan ('59)
To: Dena Evans ('64)
Re: Reunions and weight gain
Very well said Dena! Remember me? I'm the portly old dude that
lives down yonder, or' the hill, an' 'cross the water from
Deedee Willox Loiseau ('64) in yon fair dale of Burbank, WA. As
I read your posting in today's Alumni Sandstorm, I was thinking,
"Its really a two way street." Every time I see you and Deedee
at the reunions and luncheons, I see smiles and feel Bomber
friendship. We get back what we give out and I always enjoy
running into the two of you.
Also, just like attending one of those "Anonymous-type"
meetings, I have yet another confession to make. "Hi, my name
is Pappy and I was a skinny kid." While some folks, in our
school days, bore the burden of some extra weight, I suffered
in the other direction.
I was an ultra-light and weight challenged kid. In fact, I was
the model for the 90-lb weakling in the Charles Atlas Ads. You
might ask, how skinny was I? Somewhere, I have a picture of me
striking a Charles Atlas pose, which was later used as a
pattern for Halloween skeleton cutouts. Early on, I tried out
for football and made the team, my position was tackling dummy.
Then, I discovered hunting and fishing. But, the fish pulled me
into the river. I was so skinny that I stole nuts and bolts out
of my dad's work shop to carry in my pockets to keep from being
blown away in our legendary wind storms. I was so skinny that
girls looked right past me (seemingly through me) and never
even noticed me until I ran screaming smack into a wall locker.
Yes, I was self-conscious too!
And, I was short. It wasn't easy being a short skinny kid,
nick-named "Shorty." I could never bring myself to talk to girls
because I would have had to look up at most of them or carry a
foot stool around. I once tried wearing shoes with six inch lift
soles, but they wore a weak, skinny kid out... real fast!
Serving in the Marines, beefed me up and I filled out a bit.
But, some things just never go away. A few years later, when
being measured for a wet suit by an old Navy diver, he said,
"Ya sure got small wrists!" So, I decided to do something about
it. I was determined to be larger. Soon I succeeded; my belly
was larger, my butt was larger, and lately my feet are larger.
But, my wrists are still the same size and I'm shorter. Go
figure. Sometimes life is just not fair for a short, formerly
skinny guy... with small wrists.
Nevertheless, I can now say that I have viewed segments of my
life from a skinny, a fairly normal (whatever that is), and a
fairly plump body and I can safely say that from inside here I
was the same each time... well maybe a little more sure of
myself and devil may care now. So Bombers, regardless of your
exterior packaging, go to the Bomber reunions, luncheons, and
gatherings and say, "Hi, I'm (enter name here)." You will be
amazed and stupefied at what good times you will have!
-George "Pappy" Swan ('59) ~ Burbank, WA where a jolly fun-
loving, bodacious, ol' dude remains trapped in and trying
to get out of this shrinking seasoned body.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: David Rivers ('65)
Re: Reunions
Somebody having a reunion? Wow... when... where... Do my eyes
deceive me? Bombers questioning whether they should go to a
reunion because they don't look as they did back on graduation
day? Earlier this year we hadda Party for Steve Simpson ('65)...
it was a "just in case" party... Steve had decided he wasn't
going to take any more treatments for his cancer and we were all
concerned... what if we don't have till next June when we always
get together?!!!!!!! That was all it took... as it turned out,
it was the first time all of the seven sorries had been in one
spot at the same time in quite some time... somebody asked one
of the guys if he was a "Sorry-Seven"... I took the opportunity
to tell the girl who asked that we are all Sorry-Seven... it
only so happens that only 7 of us were in that particular
picture at the time... and for you who are worried that you
don't look as good as you did in school... I can assure you that
when we retook the Sorry-Seven photo we did NOT look as we did
in the first one!!!!... we had a huge crowd at Tony Harrah's
('65) somewhere near Mt. Vernon... now I don't live anywhere
near Mt. Vernon... but I NEVER miss a chance to be with my '65er
classmates if I can help it... In fact... a whole bunch of us
don't miss a chance to be with any Bombers if we can work it
out... I don't care what class it is... we crash if we are in
town... I'm always disappointed when a class has a reunion on a
date other than during Cool Desert Nights in June because that's
when the '65ers get together every year... and if you've got a
reunion going there is a good chance we will be there dancin'
with your classes Bomber Babes... Uncle Jimbeaux ('63) (aka the
Oracle) taught us well... if there's Bomber Babes we'll be there
and if there aren't we'll be there talkin' about the river, the
flume or some other topic of local concern... the point is...
we all grew up in that little berg and we all call it home
no matter where life's trip may have taken us... now I fully
understand the pain of growing up... not one of us wasn't
touched by some hurt we experienced growing up... Some of you
kids who think the "popular" kids (as I saw them referred to in
the Sandstorm the other day) didn't hurt growing up you've got
another think coming... I'll never forget a few years back a
bunch of us were sitting in a room at the DI and the subject
of insecurities came up... I hate to tell you this but we all
experienced almost the exact same ones... I remember Tony
Harrah... the smartest kid in our class and one of the VERY most
popular voicing a fear of returning home because we might not
approve of some of his life choices... ARE YOU KIDDING ME?...
We love you... I mean LOVE you... Yes school can be a bit of
a beauty contest... and none of us measure up to her or him...
some of us may have been very shy because of the way we
perceived the world saw us and we may have missed opportunities
to meet others we might have liked to meet and get to know...
and yes... some kids were cruel... some people are still cruel
but they don't get away with that crap at a Bomber gathering...
Please don't be surprised when the divine Ms. Hoff ('64) comes
up and gives you a hug... she is one of the most loving people I
know (and she's known Heidlebaugh ('65) since kinneygarden not
the 2nd grade)... I know at our 40th reunion we had something
like 3 people who had never been to a reunion... How come! None
of us are getting any younger and we want to see you... yes
YOU... Yes we may have missed out on getting to know the
beautiful person you were and are... but let's not let that stop
us from getting to know you now... As far as I'm concerned all
Bomberettes are Bomber Babes and all the guys are part of the
gang... if you feel we failed you back then... don't YOU fail
us now by staying away... and don't you dare sit in a corner
waiting for someone to walk up to you... walk up and hug
everyone you meet and say: "Hi, I'm so and so... how have you
been?" OK... this thing is starting to sound and look like a
Maddy ('67) post so I'll stop... for now.
-David Rivers ('65)
*******************************************
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/09/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9 Bombers sent stuff:
Anna May Wann ('49), Jim McKeown ('53)
Karen Cole ('55), Bill Berlin ('56)
Missy Keeney ('59), Carol Converse ('64)
Linda Reining ('64), David Rivers ('65)
Shirley Collings ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mary Lou DeMeyer ('59)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Dick Boehning ('63)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Kandy Smith ('63)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Dick Pierce ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Tom Schildknecht ('70)
BOMBER ANNIVERSARY Today: Bill Scott & Cherrie Tempero ('64)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Ann Thompson, aka Anna May Wann ('49)
As I've told many of you before, the reason we are spreading out
and getting shorter, is the weight from all of that knowledge
stored in our head. It keeps pushing us down and of course the
only solution is for our bodies to spread. So the more we spread
it means we have that much more knowledge stored up there in our
head.
That's my explanation for my larger size (since high school) and
I'm sticking to it –
As for East side vs West side. Lived both and also in the middle
(Ellensburg). All are great as long as you have family and
friends around. Life is what you make it and how you accept it.
So as Pappy and David Rivers said, just go to the reunions,
greet everyone and keep smiling. We love all of you, just love
us back.
-Ann Thompson, aka Anna May Wann ('49)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Jim McKeown ('53)
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53-RIP)
To: Norma Loescher Boswell ('53)
We just returned from the Mendocino coast and were without
computer for a few days. What a loss, losing jerry Dudley this
week. Jerry was an inspiration to all of us in the early '50s,
especially since he was a classmate of ours in '53. Parties,
swimming in the canal, sports, the pool, he was there and he
didn't let the fact that he had a limp bother him. You could
always count on Jerry to help at any of our reunions, and,
until recently, he was always there. He was a legend, and he
would probably be very upset reading this... but he was.
Goodbye old friend, and maybe there is a need for someone up
there to carry whatever, for one of the games in the sky. You
definitely qualify.
-Jim McKeown ('53) ~ from very sunny Sacramento, CA
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Karen Cole Correll ('55)
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53)
I'm a day late sending my condolences to the Dudley family. I
worked with Jerry for five years at the "Big" swimming pool. I
have never seen a more relaxed swimmer. We often accused him of
napping while swimming on his break. He wasn't above joining in
on the pranks pulled while Rish wasn't there, even though he was
left in charge! He was an excellent swimming teacher and a good
friend.
My sincere condolences to the family... he will be missed.
-Karen Cole Correll ('55) ~ Nine Mile Falls, WA where it looks
like the other side of the mountains, gray and misty
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Bill Berlin ('56)
Re: Bomber Mom
It is with great sadness that I must tell you that Dorothy
Russell, mother of Jim ('58) and Jack ('59-RIP) passed away on
Monday, November 5th. Dorothy had been living in North Seattle
to be close to Jim and had been reasonably active until two
years ago when she lost her voice box.
Orly, Dorothy, Jim and Jack were our next door neighbors in
Richland down on GWWay for many years. I recall that they had
come to Richland from Silverton, OR and were active in a lot
of the kid activities in the south end. Dorothy and Orly both
taught Sunday School at Southside United Protestant Church and
Dorothy was very active in supporting the Richland DeMolay
chapter activities. In the 1950s Dorothy was one of the first
people in Richland to bronze baby shoes and always had a
basement full of them hanging on wires drying. It was a pretty
good sized home business but Dorothy was high energy and could
handle that and a lot more.
I have to say they were great neighbors and always ready to
help. I remember when the local block of kids put on a circus
out in the "compound" and Dorothy did so much to make it a
success, as did my Mom, Nita Hamilton and Dorothy Murray, that
it came out as a big time show. My Dad and Orly were the best of
friends too as Orly ran Parker Hardware in Uptown Richland and
thus had access to all kinds of neat things my Dad, being a
amateur wood butcher, could play with at or buy.
Jim took his Mom out for lunch every Tuesday for years, an event
they both looked forward to, but recently Dorothy's condition
got to be too much for both of them to handle, what with
wheelchair transfers two or three times per trip, so Jim went
to where Dorothy lived and had lunch with her there.
With Dorothy's passing, that leaves just my Mom (aged 98+) the
lone parent/adult survivor of our "little band of nerds" in
the 200 block of South GWWay, but Dorothy was always in that mix
whether she wanted to be or not. She was a great lady and will
be missed by son Jim and all of us that are still around (Bill
('56), Bruce (KHS '61) Berlin, Jimbeaux ('63) and Caroline
('60) Hamilton, Pat Murray ('61 - where are you, Pat?) and a
bunch of other kids "on OUR block."
-Bill Berlin ('56) ~ Anacortes, WA
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Missy Keeney ('59)
To: David Rivers ('65)
Thanks, David! We all needed that!!
-Missy Keeney ('59)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
Wow! Good going David Rivers ('65)!! You said it so well for
all of us! I bet there will be lots more kids show up to their
reunions that have been afraid to go before after reading your
input into the Sandstorm.
-Carol Converse Maurer (Magic Class of "64) ~ Eureka, CA
where the fog is in and winter is upon us once again.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Linda Reining ('64)
to:David Rivers('65)
re:reunions
WELL-SAID!!!!!!! "funny" to think that the "in crowd" had
insecurities, but I spose "they" were just like "us", except
that "they" hid it. lol heck, I still HAVE insecurities and I am
way past high school age!!!!! *grin* wish I had the nerve back
in high school that I do, now. my daughters always laugh cause
they say I will talk to anyone! *grin* as for hugging, that is
my preferred way of greeting someone, too. good "ice-breaker".
*grin*
Linda Reining(Boomber Bomber class of '64)..........Bakersfield,
CA.......we are still using our a/c and the temps are still in
the 80's!! doesn't look like we will be getting much of a winter
this year! weatherman is predicting another "La Nina"---warmer
and dryer winter than usual. so far, it's living up to that
prediction! grrrrrrrr
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: David Rivers ('65)
Re: I have good news and bad news
First the bad... which is actually a good thing but I goofed up
and missed wishing Happy Birthday to Jimmy Weaver ('64) on the
7th... Dude... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!
Now, the other good news is that on the 9th one of our very own
is having a birthday... You will remember him as a Tackle...
Number 11 of Rish's finest... Now that's important to me because
I admire a guy who will get right there in your face... myself,
I only played football because the rest of the boyz did and I
didn't wanna be left out (remember that little talk we had about
insecurities?)... so naturally I hadda play... but I didn't
get up there close in the line... I played right end and only
well enough to stay on first string but not hard enough to get
hurt... I'm sure Strankman thought I was lazy... no... I just
wasn't stupid... ignorant always... but not stupid if I can
help it... in fact... one of the happiest days of my young life
was the day my mom came to me and said until my grades were
better... no more football... so I was saved from injury (due
to football anyway... but never from my big mouth) from the 10th
grade on (naturally my grades never got better)... soooooooooooo
anyway... it is birthday time for one of the big kids... he and
his wife, Linda ('63), have always been gracious enough to allow
me to join the big kids table with them and for that I am ever
grateful... Nuthin' like rubbin elbows with the big kids... as
long as I don't spill my milk... so the long and the short of it
is that you will be reading this on his birthday...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY Dick Boehning ('63)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-David Rivers ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
Re: More Class of '66 November Birthdays
I found that we have at least two more '66 classmates
celebrating their BIG 60 birthdays this month. Karen Grob's
birthday was November 4th, and Denny Duncan's birthday will
be November 29th.
Anyone else celebrating this month? If so, please let me know.
Thank you.
Enjoy your once in a life time day and don't start a fire with
all of those candles!
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66) ~ Richland
*******************************************
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/10/07 - HAPPY BIRTHDAT MARINES
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
10 Bombers sent stuff:
Wally Erickson ('53), Mike Clowes ('54)
Tom Verellen ('60), Mike Brady ('61)
Marilyn Swan ('63), Dennis Hammer ('64)
David Rivers ('65), Betti Avant ('69)
Brad Upton ('74), Christa Moore ('75)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Bill Johnson ('57)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Carl Dvorak ('58)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Dee Shipman ('72)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Fred Meeks ('73)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: MARINE CORPS BIRTHDAY
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Wally Erickson ('53)
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53-RIP)
Reading some of the memories sent in on Jerry... you have to
wonder all the things he did to keep our teams, the student
body, memories of the "good ole days", the swimming pool, class
reunions, and the "Columbia Spirit" together. There is not
enough said to tell the whole story about someone that really
cared about who we were. Jerry was someone that cared about who
we were and where we were going. I was putting more air into my
basketballs today; I was thinking this was another thing that
Jerry did... whether it was a football, or basketball before
each game. When you see all the basketballs being used before
each game... that's a lot of basketballs!!!!!!! There's a lot
more involved getting ready for each game. Jerry was the one
guy there to make it happen. Sure, you have the players, and
coaches; but, what about the guy who's on the bench there for
each guy on the team. That guy was Jerry Dudley!
I had to throw this one in... Jerry was a very special person.
I wish I had spent some time with him at our 50th reunion.
Another reason I bring this up is... it's one more reason you
should go to your reunions. Share with your old friends the
memories you have of them.
I play basketball with our grandkids (girls and boys) and son in
laws during the summer. I love the game and it's a fun time for
the family. Remember the game "horse"... there's other names
used today. I remember sneaking into the old girls gym to play
basketball with my friends during the summer. Many of you
weren't around during the time of the "old girls gym". That's
what's neat about the "Sandstorm"; there's someone bringing up
something that happened during the good ole days.
-Wally Erickson ('53) ~ Memories are a great thing to have!!
Still having fair weather here in the Coeur D'Alene area.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54)
Re: The Pleasures of Yesteryear.
I was reminded today of one of the pleasures of childhood, and
even into the teen years. Whenever my mother would go to the
trouble of baking a cake, one of my chores was to clean the
mixing bowl. This was usually accomplished with one or more
fingers lifting out the remaining batter. Naturally, one had to
lick that off one's finger(s). Even today, with almost ready to
cook cake mixes, the pleasurable taste of un-cooked batter is
still there.
It was almost better than my first deer. But that was back in
the day when the big debate was whether or nor the Kentucky long
gun was more accurate after the barrel was rifled. And this was
versus the match-lock gun. But, then I'm dating myself.
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53 RIP)
I will be one among many who will miss seeing his smiling face
either around the pool deck (the Big Pool of course) or a Club
40. He was of a rare breed and is truly missed in the Bomber
Camp.
-Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54) ~ he monsoons have returned
to Mount Angel, OR
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Tom Verellen ('60)
Re: Pictures from the Pumpkin Patch
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071110-Verellen--00.html
Is there a size limit on being called a "patch"? This farm in
Nisqually is fairly large so it doesn't seem right to call it
a patch. Happy Halloween.
-Tom Verellen ('60)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Mike Brady ('61)
Re: Bob Card ('62)
I've been trying to get in contact with Bob Card for several
years. Jim McKeown ('53), Bob's brother-in-law, gave me an
e-mail address, but it didn't work.
Bob and I were "crazy" kids growing up. Like many of us, we
were lucky to get through our teens alive. Bob's dad was an
advertising artist at one of the "large" department stores in
Richland. He asked us to take the store's truck and pick up
something. He told us to be careful because the top of the truck
was pretty high. As usual, we weren't thinking as we drove into
A & W Root Beer and tore the eaves off the restaurant. That was
a little embarrassing!
-Mike Brady ('61)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Marilyn Swan Beddo ('63)
Re: Christmas card list
Hi Maren;
I received this in my email today. Think it could be included
in the Sandstorm? Thanks,
When you are making out your Christmas card list
this year, please include the following:
A Recovering American soldier
c/o Walter Reed Army Medical Center
6900 Georgia Avenue, NW
Washington,D.C. 20307-5001
-Marilyn Swan Beddo ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dennis Hammer ('64)
Re: Happy 232nd Birthday USMC!!!
Especially to Bombers in the Corps.
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071110-Hammer-Marine.jpg
-Dennis Hammer ('64) ~ USN ('68-'72)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: David Rivers USMC ('65)
Re: From the Halls
Of Mac and Montezuma... it's that time again a time to remember
all the buddies we left behind and all the ones who made it
home... all the guys from the Old Corps and all of those in the
New Corps... Yeah I know... some a you guys and gals got more
time in the... hmmm how do I put it... uuuhhhhhhhhh the way
it was always said to me seems a tad inappropriate for the
Sandstorm... wait I got it... some of you got more time in the
"sandbox" than I got in the whole Corps... yeah yeah heard it
all... I asked Maren and Brad ('71) if they had a list of
Marines because I really hate to mention one without mentioning
all... but I have only a small list that Maren has put together.
I would ask tho that for all you others out there... how 'bout
sending your name and class (graduation class... I know I
know... "I ain't got none... ") to Maren so next November 10th
we can wish each and every one of you a Happy Marine Corps
Birthday... so to the following, some fallen and some still
kicking: Hector Alvarez ('64), Mark Black (RIP '66), Mac Brand
('64... Mac I really miss seeing you), Gary Carlson ('64),
Doug Hagen ('65), Jimmy Heidlebaugh (has known Ms. Hoff since
Kinnygarten '65), Jim House ('63 Number 32 in your program),
Mike Jennings (RIP '64), Kenny Johnson (RIP '65), George Kelly
('64... we joined on the buddy plan then never saw each other
again!!!!!!!!!!), Mike Lahrman ('63), Guy Lobdell (RIP '66),
Rick Maddy ('67... don't go getting all teary eyed, and write 7
pages in the Sandstorm), Jim Mattis ('68), Bobbie "Tuna" Mattson
('63/'64), Ray Moss ('64), Kerry Pitman ('65), Rick Reed ('49),
Gary Setbacken ('64), Jay Seigel ('61), Steve Simpson ('65),
Pappy Swan ('59), Brad Wear ('71... I thought he was in '68?),
Gary Webb ('64) and to all the other Marines out there, Bombers
or not...
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MARINES A JOB WELL DONE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
(my Dad had a sign on his house for me when I got home from
VietNam that said "Welcome Home a Job well done" That's for
you, Pop)
-David Rivers USMC ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
Re: Cabela's
To: Pappy Swan ('59) and other outdoor enthusiasts
Next Friday, November 16th is the grand opening of Cabela's in
Lacey, WA, USA. Square footage wise it'll be the 3rd largest
in the country. They say the average person will spend at
least 3-1/2 hours just looking around the place. They also
are estimating 4,000,000 visitors a year to stop in. Here's
to the economy of the area.
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA where everyone is wondering
where fall went
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Brad Upton ('74)
I think I plugged this date a few weeks ago, but in case I
didn't... I'll be headlining at the L.A. Comedy Club (which
isn't in L.A.) inside the Palace Station in Las Vegas this
coming Monday-Sunday, the 12th-18th. If there are any Bombers
that want to experience the OJ robbery sight, come on by!
Also, there is a beautiful new club in Kirkland at Totem Lake
called Laughs. I'll be headlining there as well from November
22-24th. You read that right, we're doing a show on Thanksgiving
night in case you need an excuse to get away from the family.
-Brad Upton ('74) ~ (I thought we'd hear from Mike Davis ('74)
when the proof was uncovered that there WAS a Sambo's in
Richland).
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Christa Moore Kirkendall ('75)
Carol Culley, Bomber Mom of Christa Moore Kirkendall ('75),
Cindy Moore Wingfield ('76), Cathy Moore Hammer ('80) and
Gauin Moore ('82) passed away on October 31, 2007 after a brave
fight against ovarian cancer. We will miss our mother more
than words can say. She never complained during her illness or
through all the treatments she had trying to get better for the
last 1-1/2 years. Please pray for a cure for this awful disease.
-Christa Moore Kirkendall ('75)
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/11/07 ~ VETERANS' DAY
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8 Bombers sent stuff:
Shirley Rae Drury ('51), Gus Keeney ('57)
Mike Brady ('61), Dave Sowden ('62wb/'63wb)
Marilyn Swan ('63), Kathy Hoff ('64)
Gary Behymer ('64), Rick Maddy ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Bev Coates ('52)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jack Sinderson ('53)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ted Neth ('55)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Don Brackenbush ('63)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Don Eckert ('64)
BOMBER ANNIVERSARY Today: Jerry Boyd ('52) & Patsy McGregor ('54wb)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Shirley Rae Drury Crume ('51)
Re: Cards for Recovering Soldiers
The email requesting cards to recovering servicemen at Walter
Reed is fraudulent according to the Snopes newsletter I received
today. Here's the link to the article:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/soldiercards.asp
-Shirley Rae Drury Crume ('51) ~ Writing from Kennewick, where
it is sunny after rain this morning. Tomorrow's Tri-City
Herald (which I deliver to carriers in the early, early
morning) purports to weigh over 2 lbs apiece. Poor
carriers! At least the bundle droppers get to make two runs
of it, carrying first the preprints, then the papers when
they come off the press. My route has over 1200 papers. You
should see my biceps!
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Gus Keeney ('57)
To: All You Marines,
Sorry, this one slipped up on me!!! Happy Birthday MARINES on
this Veterans' Day weekend. And Happy Veterans Day to the rest
of us!!!!!
-Gus Keeney ('57) ~ from sunny Yuma, AZ where it is going to
be another beautiful week!!!!!! I plan on getting in
some Jeep exploring in this week.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Mike Brady ('61)
Re: Personal Training
With all the talk about weight issues, I would like to offer
FREE personal training advice to any Bomber. I recently received
my Associate of Science degree in Personal Training. I own a
personal training business specializing in training adults 50
years and older. My partner and I train people in their homes
or at a small studio in Woodinville, WA.
If anyone needs direction on setting up a training program for
themselves/family members or just needs a little help with their
program, I will be glad to work with them on-line. I can also
offer resources and motivation to help with their program. If a
Bomber wants to train at home, I can provide a list of equipment
at a cost of under $200 that can be purchased at most sporting
good stores.
If I am overwhelmed by my offer, I promise to get back to you
ASAP.
-Mike Brady ('61)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dave Sowden ('62wb/'63wb)
To: Dennis Hammer ('64)
A hardy thank you for the birthday tribute to our beloved Marine
Corps in the Sandstorm on November 10th. I return the salute
to my highly respected former Navy friends like yourself, Jim
Wodehouse ('62), Larry Holloway ('64) and Patrick McCartney ('63)
and to many more to mention. Also a great Veterans' Day to all
who have served in any branch where "all gave some and some
gave all". Let us not forget our MIAs. Also worth a mention is
the fact over 1/4 of our country's homeless are veterans but
hey, who cares? Judge Judy is on TV.
Go bombers and semper fi
-Dave Sowden (whb '62-'63 but left town to join the marines)
in Forest City North Carolina, where we are down over 12
inches of rain fall and with no hurricanes or tropical
storms in sight it looks like some hard times ahead but
like I said, Judge Judy is on TV. Also one of the few
looking forward to the coming tax season, being in the
preparation business.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Marilyn Swan Beddo ('63)
Re: Cards for Recovering Soldiers
IMPORTANT NOTE:
http://www.snopes.com/politics/christmas/soldiercards.asp
Maren:
Got a note from Ann Thompson, aka Anna May Wann ('49) [who
said she "tried this last year and the cards came back because
there was no name on the card. You almost need someone there
to receive the cards and hand deliver them."]
Would you mind posting something on the Sandstorm & see if
there are any ideas out there?
Ann, thanks for that note. Seems sad that something so simple
as to add a little cheer to some soldiers' lives has to be
complicated by red tape. Wonder if anybody else has an idea of
how to get these cards sent through without this glitch?
-Marilyn Swan Beddo ('63)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[Read the stuff on that website. Looks like the Red Cross might
be willing to help. -Maren]
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Kathy Hoff Conrad ('64)
Re: Veterans' Day
I would like to thank all of you who have served our great
country. You are our true heroes! Welcome Home. God Bless you
and the U.S.A.
-Kathy Hoff Conrad ('64)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
Re: Columbian Yearbook
Just recently someone was searching for a Columbian yearbook
from ????. (What year?)
-Gary Behymer ('64)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Rick Maddy ('67)
Re: Veterans' Day
I hope everyone has a peaceful Veterans' Day. Thank you David
Rivers ('65) and Dennis Hammer ('64) for the Marine Corps
birthday greetings. Semper Fi to all. My father, a former WWII
Marine (RIP), told me I would always salute the uniform, but
not necessarily the man wearing it. I salute both with the list
provided. A fine list indeed. Some other Bomber Marines would
include Phil Collins ('67... who I went in on the buddy system
with and, like Rivers said, never saw again), Tim Curd ('67),
Paul Dudley ('68) and a couple of honorary Marines. Craig
Williamson (NAB) who is married to our Penny Cornelison
Williamson ('67) – Craig was a Richland fireman for about 30
years and retired as a Chief Fire Inspector (if that is the
correct title for those that figure out how a fire is started).
I dragged Craig out of the Bremerton Navy Hospital in 1968 for a
weekend of mischief in Bomberville. I introduced Penny to Craig,
or was it Craig to Penny, and she decided she wanted this guy
for a husband. It was and still is a beautiful thing. One other
Bomberette, Penny McAllister D'Abato ('67), who I have known
since kindergarten, is married to and been jumping into fighting
holes for many years now with a 30 year plus retired Marine
'Top' who had so many stripes on his sleeves they were difficult
to count.
The mentioning of Sambo's Restaurant by Brad Upton ('74) was
sure mouth-watering. If anyone ever takes a hankering for a
short stack, you are in luck, but will have to drive to Santa
Barbara... http://www.sambosrestaurant.com/
To: Marsha Hopfinger Sork ('67)
Wonderful compilation of the classmates, Marsha. I haven't
forgotten about you. I'm collecting my laundry quarters and
will soon send money for the possible 60th birthday bash and
the booklet. It only took me about three years after telling
Maren I was sending my Online Sandstorm donation slash dues –
I know... I have less than two years before the 60 thing. I'll
get right on that.
Re: Six Photos
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071111-Maddy-00.html
Picture #1) I just had some 35mm film processed from my 2 year
vacation on Hawaii. The unprocessed film is six years old and I
was surprised that I even got one photo back. I had visited the
base at Pearl Harbor and photo'ed this building, which I believe
is the main office building on base (Admin). The pock marks were
made by the Japanese shooting the base up on Dec. 7. The Navy
decided to leave them and just paint over them. This photo is
six years old. The photo does not give the full picture to how
much this building was shot up. An incredible amount of ammo
expended by the Japanese pilots.
Picture #2) The photo of the Kamikaze, a Japanese Tony single
engine bomber, was shot down by my Uncle Howard and the gunnery
crews on the aft (back) of the USS Sangamon (20 and 40 mm guns).
They had two Kamikazes attack them within a five minute span on
May 4, 1945 off the coast of Okinawa. This particular plane
sheared off the communication antennae you see hanging (always
lowered when attacked) off the side of the ship. The Japanese
pilot fired his guns until he hit the water. Tenacious suicide
pilots. America has seen these types as recently as... well,
almost daily in Iraq. The second Kamikaze, a Japanese Nick,
suffering heavy fire from the aircraft carrier and still able to
maneuver his aircraft, dropped its bombs and flew the plane into
the wooden deck of the ship. Aircraft parts, the pilot and bombs
entered the ships ammunition stores below and the ship blew up
sending 112 sailors, including my Uncle Howard into the water.
1200 sailors onboard, seventeen die onboard and of the 112 in
the water twenty-five are never found. While in the water the
sailors were trying to save themselves and help as much as
possible anyone that was injured. On the most part, they would
stay away from each other so not to be drowning each other in
the panic. Somehow they found a rope and several hung on to this
lifeline, including my uncle, until they were picked up several
hours later. The ship, looking like the fourth of July on May
fourth, as my uncle would say, kept under way and actually
limped home to Bremerton, WA. My mother, eighteen years old, and
her brothers, sisters and parents watched the ship come into
Puget Sound as the family lived in Kingston, Bainbridge Island,
at the time. My Uncle Howard is 82 years old and lives in
Yakima, WA.
Picture #3) And for our classmates: The 9th grade photo of
Phil Collins ('67) shows that we had thought about the Marine
Corps or a long time before jumping in with both feet.
Picture #4) Phil and I in Seattle just before leaving for boot
camp in Hollywood (MCRD – San Diego).
Picture #5) Phil and I at Edson Rifle Range, Camp Pendleton with
M14. I do not recall ever firing an M16 at Camp Pendleton, but
did take them apart and put them back together a number of times
in a classroom, until my arrival in Vietnam.
Picture #6) And a photo of me in the old Bremerton Navy Hospital
with the 1968 Queen and Princess of Seafair – Seattle. I had
just gotten my left elbow fused.
May I say again, have a great Veterans Day. A very special day
in the hearts of many survivors of war.
-Rick Maddy ('67)
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/12/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
12 Bombers sent stuff:
Ken Ely ('49), Betty Bell ('51)
Norma Loescher ('53), Bill Berlin ('56)
Sally Sheeran ('58), John Campbell ('63)
Dennis Hammer ('64), David Rivers ('65)
Cathy Geier ('66), Fran Teeple ('68)
Ken Staley ('68), Brad Upton ('74)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Duane Cross ('79)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Ken Ely ('49)
Re: Letters/Packages to Walter Reed Hospital
[Sandstorm Editorial Policy: "There is no room for long
quotes or verbatim "copying" from outside sources. You may
cite website(s) as reference(s)." Here is the Walter Reed
Army Medical Center website where you can find all the text
that Ken quoted. - Maren]
http://www.wramc.amedd.army.mil/Lists/WRNews/DispForm.aspx?Id=25&
-Ken Ely ('49)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Betty Bell Norton ('51)
Re: Local Real Estate Agent
An older friend of mine has a son in California that wants to
move up here to be closer to her. She called me asking if I knew
of a local agent. I told her I didn't, but that I knew where to
ask! If you know personally of any local real estate agents that
you would you would recommend would you let me know? Tell me
what you know about them, what you have heard about them, etc. I
will give all of the info to her and let them decide. Thanks in
advance for your help!
Had a great Bazaar yesterday - it must have been good, my feet
are still aching!
-Betty Bell Norton ('51) ~ in windy Richland
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Norma Loescher Boswell ('53)
To: Friends of Jerry Dudley ('53 RIP)
Jerry's obituary appeared in the Nov. 11 Tri-City Herald. The
family, abiding by Jerry's wishes, will NOT hold a memorial
service.
Jerry's interests and accomplishments which I didn't know, or
forgot to tell you a few days ago, can be read in his obituary.
As others who wrote to the Sandstorm confirmed, what a full and
rich life he led, and how lucky we are to have been part of it.
-Norma Loescher Boswell ('53) ~ in Richland, meditating on life.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Bill Berlin ('56)
Re: Vets' Day
We took in the Remembrance Day parade in Vancouver, B.C. and it
was a dandy. Lots of Pipes and Drums and well as the Canadian
Forces Marine (Navy) with their "Cannon Run" team from Canadian
Forces Base Esquimalt, the Leopard tanks of the B.C. Division's
Queens Horse Brigade and lots of stuff. A whole Canadian Legion
unit dressed in War I uniforms, both combat and full dress...
Red Tunics, Pith Helmets and Blue pants with red stripe. Sharp.
Here is the deal on the Cannon Run event. There are only two
major Navy bases in Canada, Halifax, Nova Scotia and Esquimalt
(Victoria), British Columbia. A Cannon Run team consists of (a)
a muzzle load cannon, (b) a caisson it rides on, (b) powder and
shot box, (c) muzzle ram and (d) 16 sailors. The teams march out
and at the sound of a starting pistol, dismantle the wheels from
the caisson, the cannon from the caisson mounting bed, remove
the powder and shot box and "contain" the muzzle ram. It is up
to the team to take all of these pieces across a rope "bridge"
over hand to the other side, reassemble the entire cannon
assembly, load, tamp and fire the cannon and then disassemble
the rig and take it back to the other side and reassemble it
completely to finish. It is a timed event and you would be
amazed how fast all of this takes place. They are always done
at RCMP/Forces Tattoo's or on Navy Day events, one year in
Esquimalt and the next in Halifax. Tuck this in your Bomber
Useless Information File, but don't miss it if you have a chance
to see a competition.
Re: Jerry Dudley ('53)
Jerry was one of the "big guys" when I was growing up. I took
swimming and Red Cross Lifesaving from him and then had to pass
the test with Rish. Jerry just had a way with people to build
confidence and mine was getting me to dive off the high board.
He did it and boy was I amazed at how easy it was. Someone
mentioned what a great stroke he had, very powerful, and I
agree. It was impressive and a great tool for learning how to
power swim, correct breathing and strong kicking. Thanks Jerry.
I am still a pretty good swimmer thanks to you.
To: Rick Maddy ('67)
Many thanks Rick for the pictures. Reminded me when I went to
Basic Training for the US Coast Guard. I was fortunate to have
learned how to row a boat growing up but all of the guys in
my training unit were from Kansas, Nebraska or Iowa and knew
nothing as to which end of the oar to hold on to. The better
your rowing performance, the less painting or spud peeling you
had to do so, as self appointed Bo'sun, I whipped these big
Mid-West farm boys into a rowing team that won weekly Admiral's
ribbons. I don't think we ever painted rocks and only peeled
pots once in the whole time.
On a TDY [Temporary Duty] rotation, we had to go to Camp
Pendleton and go through some gunnery range work, odd since I
think at the time our Weapon's Locker in Juneau consisted of
twelve bolt action WW I Enfield's with black painted stocks and
chrome works and barrel with frozen actions and a couple of US
Army .45 caliber pistols. I digress. I was also a pretty good
shot, my Dad said a naturally good eye for shooting, so I did
well with the M-1 Garand and M-1 Carbine and loved the BAR.
Later the M14 was a piece of cake as long as you kept it extra
clean. After the range, an old Marine Gunney came over and said,
"...kid, what the hell are you doing in this - - - - - - - Navy?
All you have to do is trade Semper P for Semper F and you're in
a real outfit..." I snuck out of Camp P and back to USCG Base
Juneau and never mentioned it to the Admiral. I did have a great
time with the Marines and always have respected them.
-Bill Berlin ('56) ~ OK folks, it is November and time to get
your Sandstorm dues in. $24 is cheap for all of the stories
we get from Pappy, Rivers, Maddy, Jimbeaux, etc. This
has got to be a lot of work and 24 bucks seems cheap to
me, especially when I have a couple of marine/maritime
subscriptions that cost $500 or more, so why not sit down
and write that check for $24 (or more) and get it in to
Maren before another Hurricane hits and they hold up her
mail for a couple of months. Git 'er done!!!!
"Bag Man" Bill ('56)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Sally Sheeran Heath ('58)
Happy Birthday to Ted Neth ('55). I know it's a sad day, too,
thinking of Danny ('57-RIP). Thanks to him and others who gave
their lives and to those who have helped and are still helping
to make the world a better place... including sister Peg Sheeran
Finch ('63) who tended to the wounded warriors while serving as
an Air Force nurse at Clark AFB. God bless 'em all - and God
bless America.
-Sally Sheeran Heath ('58)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: John Campbell (Gold Medal Class of '63)
I'm a day late, but I want to wish a big happy birthday to my
buddy and classmate Don Brackenbush ('63) on November 11th, one
of the few people I know who is older than I am - well, only by
a few days. Hope Don, Lila Jenne Brackenbush ('63) and family
have a great day. Hmmmm, 63 sounds like a good number.
-John Campbell (Gold Medal Class of '63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dennis Hammer ('64)
Re: Singing Turkey
Two or three years ago someone posted a link to the singing
turkey video. Well, it has long ceased to work, but the video
can now be seen on YouTube.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hd4h5xKLGuE&mode=related&search=
-Dennis Hammer ('64)
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****************************************************************
>>From: David Rivers ('65)
Re: I can count... I can I can
Ok... normally counting from 10 to 11 does not challenge me
greatly... but these darned Monday Holidays to confuse me a
tad... The Marine Corps Birthday is on the 10th of November...
started way back in 1775 so that's easy for me... Veterans' day
is the 11th of November... so far so good... but somehow with
Veterans' day being celebrated on the Monday after... well that
was just too much for my feeble brain to comprehend... I can't
say it any better than the Divine Ms. Hoff ('64) said it on the
correct day in the correct Sandstorm... when I saw the Caption
on the Sandstorm that read "Veterans' Day" I was shocked and
awed... I knew it was wrong... but then it said 11/11... I knew
I had blown it... I can't say more than Thank You to all the
Many Bomber Veterans out there. Words are not enough to express
the gratitude I feel along with all the other Bombers in this
world. So to Echo Kathy Hoff: THANK YOU!!!!!!!!!
-David Rivers ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Cathy Geier ('66)
Hello Everyone,
I am adding to the ongoing discussion about west side and
eastside. I was raised with you all in a wonderful place and
time. I spent most of my adult life in Seattle working and
secretly hidden in a small neighborhood which grew up around
me.. Wallingford. I left the traffic and school budget cuts for
a better life and tumbled in a small town.
I have lived in Richland for almost the last one and a half
years.
I miss trees and the advanced yoga and type of dance I did in
the Seattle area. While I have enjoyed the new Bikrams studio
and Kia Ora gym and some wonderful part time jobs, I am in
process of returning to the west side. Anyone with a nice in
town apartment to rent in Bellingham please contact me...
I will miss many things from my brief respite here, including
seeing unexpectedly people from my youth in line in Safeway or
whereever... but it's time to fly again...
-Cathy Geier ('66)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Fran Teeple Wolf ('68)
Re: Mike Brady ('61)
Mike,
Count me in! Less is more they say and I'd like my husband to
have less of me to love. Beam, I mean... Take me down, Scotty...
er, Mike. This sounds like fun.
-Fran Teeple Wolf ('68) ~ Spokane, WA It's freezing tonight...
28° at my house.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Ken Staley ('68)
Re: Veterans' Day
Wishing Jim Mattis ('68) a good Veterans' Day. For those of you
who haven't heard, Jim was recently awarded his 4th star by
Congress! If you read Thomas Rick's book FIASCO, the last few
chapters include a great deal of what this stellar vet was up to
in 2004. Now Hollywood is in the act with none other than
Harrison Ford playing our General!
-Ken Staley ('68)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Brad Upton ('74)
Okay Bombers--I got some confirmed dates. I'll be at the
Chumash Casino in St. Ynez, CA with Johnny Mathis on February
14th. I am also with Johnny Mathis in Clearwater, FL on March
7th and in Ft. Meyers, FL on March 9th. I believe you can go to
www.johnnymathis.com/ and click on the schedule and it'll
take you to all the info.
Also, if you're into planning waaaay in advance--I'm with the
Smothers Brothers on May 30th at the Edmonds Performing Arts
Center (already 2/3 sold out) and on May 31st at the Admiral
Theater in Bremerton.
-Brad Upton ('74)
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/13/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9 Bombers sent stuff:
Dave Brusie ('51), Marilyn Stewart ('62)
Donni Clark ('63), Jim Hamilton ('63)
Peg Sheeran ('63), Gary Behymer ('64)
Jim Heidlebaugh ('65), Lynn-Marie Hatcher ('68)
John Mosley ('71)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Carol Carson ('60)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Marc Franco ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Sue Dix ('72)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dave Brusie ('51)
To: The Family of Jerry Dudley ('53-RIP)
What a wonderful friend we had in Jerry. The Lord has a Great
Manager with Jerry joining the ranks. He never let his problems
stand in the way of spreading a ray of sunshine. We will all
miss him immensely.
-Dave Brusie ('51)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Marilyn Stewart Stephenson ('62)
Re: Where to send the cards to the wounded [Soldiers]
There are two great Troop Support Groups here in the Tri-Cities
who have contact with about 7 military Hospitals, plus Medics in
Iraq and Afghanistan. Each of the Troop Support Groups have the
ability to send cards to wounded men and women in the military.
A.C.E.S (American Citizens Encouraging Support) and
OTY (Operation Thank You)
The phone numbers [have been deleted for privacy. -Maren}
A.C.E.S contact Kathy Hoff Conrad ('64) or Marilyn Stewart Stephenson ('62).
We have names and address for wounded in most of those
hospitals, we have major contact with VA Hospitals in Walla
Walla, Portland, Boise, and Seattle.
The other Group is OTY (Operation Thank You). OTY is run by
Norma Myrick Nunamaker ('54). Her phone number is [deleted for
privacy. -Maren].
Each Group would be happy to take your cards and put them in our
Christmas Care Packages for the wounded... just give us a call.
Thanks,
-Marilyn Stewart Stephenson ('62), A.C.E.S.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Donni Clark Dunphy ('63)
Hi Bombers!
It has been a while since I have checked in. It has been a
wonderful summer and fall with lots of time with the grandkids.
However my husband and I just got back a couple of weeks ago
from a 10 day trip to Pennsylvania and I would like to share
a few highlights. We went for a family wedding and decided to
make it a mini vacation. We started out in Gettysburg which was
just an awe inspiring place to visit. We stayed at a B&B on the
Battleground and a highlight of that stay was a history lesson
the hour before breakfast. The first morning a lady came in
dressed in costume to tell us all about the women's role the
days after the battle. She shared a wealth of information about
caring for the soldiers, from what they fed them to how they
nursed them with limited supplies. The second day a Confederate
Soldier showed up in full dress who entertained us with songs
from the civil war era, which included his rousing piano
playing, solos and a sing along. What fun! It made you want to
join up especially when singing "the Union forever, Hurrah boys,
hurrah"! We also had a personal tour guide (which I highly
recommend) who goes with you in your car for 2 hours out on the
Battlefield and takes you through the 3 days of the Battle and
the different Battle sites.
After Gettysburg we stayed at a Mennonite Farm in Lancaster
County. We all (about 20 of us each morning) joined hands for
the Johnny Appleseed prayer, which we sang and had so much fun
at breakfast just getting to know everyone and listening to
stories that it was almost noon before we got out of there for
the day. Besides experiencing a Barn Party, a wagon ride and
other fun things on the farm, we took a tour with a Mennonite
lady of the Amish countryside. Another thing I recommend. This
lady who grew up in the area knew the Amish inside and out and
told us and showed us all kinds of things we would never know
to look for. She gave us a little history on the Amish and
the Mennonites and took us to the farms that have cottage
businesses. So we indulged in homemade root beer, pretzels,
whoopie pies and shoofly pies. This lady use to work for the
Aunt Annie pretzel company as a counselor and was also on hand
to counsel the families who lost the girls in the Amish tragedy
that happened last year. One of the evenings we had dinner in
an Amish home with about 25 other people. When the scrumptious
dinner was over the Amish couple asked us to sing with them.
There were some good singers present because we sounded like a
choir (lots of men harmonizing) and there was hardly a dry eye
in the house. They sang to us in German also.
The next day we spent at Hershey's. If you ever go to PA, don't
miss Hershey! What a delightful little town! From the Trolley
Ride Tour around town, the Hershey Kisses St. lights to
Chocolate World itself it was well worth the time. In fact we
could have spent a couple of days there. They also have an
amusement park. The story of the town and Mr. Hershey is
amazing!
On to Philadelphia where we spent the rest of the time in the
Birthplace of Freedom! The Liberty Bell, Independence Hall,
Betsy Ross' house, Ben Franklin's first Post Office, Christ
Church etc. etc. were all musts! And now......................
Re: Mike Brady's ('61) offer
I must tell you that he already has helped me and given me great
tips and advise on weight training and what to look for in a
trainer. And after all of that food in PA it is back to the
exercise for me! Thanks Mike, hope you can help others and I
will be checking in with you after I loose a few pounds again!
Whew! By the way, I thought I was in pretty good shape. Huh! Be
prepared to be sore! But it is a good feeling!
God bless all of you once again for your service to our country
and as others have said "God Bless America"!
-Donni Clark Dunphy (from the Golden class of '63) ~ From the
little house in La Mirada where we missed the fires but I
am still washing off the soot. The nights are cooler, the
days still warm. My Mums did not do well this year. We are
getting ready for my husband's Dad's funeral and company
from out of town.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Jim Hamilton ('63)
It's almost that time of year again for the Gold Medal Class of
'63 Marching, Caroling and Chowder Society's Christmas Party in
Olympia. We're gonna call this the 20th annual (it might be the
21st).
Mark your calendars for on Saturday the 15th of December.
Brother Leo [Webb ('63}] has got us a hall, Plenty's is the
same place we've gathered for the last couple of years.
We will commence with the Hugging and Kissing at 10:00am, with
Ellen [Weihermiller Anderson ('63)] leading the flag salute
whenever a majority have one arm free to put over their or
someone else's heart. In keeping with tradition, there will be
no gift exchange, or Amway power point presentations. As always
there will be 100 square grid to guess Frank Whiteside's ('63)
excuse to not attend.
If you are planning on attending or have any questions, just
let me know.
-Jimbeaux
-Jim Hamilton ('63)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Peg Sheeran Finch ('63)
Re: Thanks, Sister Sal
Thought I should correct what my sister, Sal Sheeran Heath ('58)
wrote in today's Sandstorm ... thanking me for taking care
of the soldiers at Clark AB in the Philippines. It was on
PEDIATRICS that I worked for those years during the Viet Nam
war, and though I could look out the window of the hospital and
see the buses bringing the wounded soldiers - still in their
uniforms - from the air strip, I wasn't privileged to care for
them. I did make visits to a Richland wounded soldier, Max,
after being notified by my mom that he was at our hospital. They
are our heroes.
Sal, her husband, Chuck, and I are meeting in Seattle today, to
leave for China with a tour group... Shanghai, Beijing, and a
Yangtze River Cruise, among other sites... That is if the
expected high winds don't cancel our flight to L.A. They're
coming from Wasilla, AK, and I, from Omak, WA.
It feels a lot different than going to Europe... I'm more
nervous, but excited, too.
-Peg Sheeran Finch ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
Re: Richland veterans initiate renaming effort
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/story/9449015p-9360497c.html
Re: Gone but not forgotten.
Salute!
Faces from The Wall
Benton County
http://www.facesfromthewall.com/ffwbent1.html
Franklin County
http://www.facesfromthewall.com/ffwfran1.html
Walla Walla County
http://www.facesfromthewall.com/ffwwall.html
Main Page
http://www.facesfromthewall.com/ffwwaindex.html
Former Sgt. Gary Behymer - U.S. Army (Aug 1968 to Apr 1970)
*****
Re: No Sense of Humor?
"The whole town lives off of the nuclear industry. They
have no sense of humor for jokes about being irradiated.
They want the high level nuclear waste dump. There is a
little field just outside of town in the desert that always
blooms bright green -that is where they dumped radioactive
water on the ground half a century ago and now they
irrigate to prevent to much radioactive dust blowing - it
is a thing of beauty to see as you fly into town. Life
there is like an episode of the Twilight Zone. Go bombers.
posted by caddis at 5:11 AM on June 7"
Spotted on this 'blog'.
http://www.metafilter.com/52134/Proud-to-be-a-Bomber
-Gary Behymer ('64),
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Jim Heidlebaugh ('65)
Re: Marine Corps Birthday [11/10]
So, for about a week before, I was marching around with my cut-
offs bloused, practicing my salute, then got side-tracked with
Gary Behymer's ('64) eclectic Bomber ebay stuff. Anyway, missed
the deadline for wishing... Happy Birthday to the "Proud and
Few"... some... David Rivers ('65), Craig Davis ('65)... and
others, are still celebrating. And, Happy Veterans Day, to you
Vets. I thank you for my freedom.
-Jim Heidlebaugh ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
Re: More of me to "re-une" with!
First, thanks to all of you who responded in this forum and to
me privately. The consensus is 100% -- "Go, to your 40th reunion
- you will have a GREAT time. And no one will care if you are
rounder or not! (Besides, it's unlikely you will be the only one
that's rounder!)"
I was recently trying to explain the death of a cat to our
eldest (3.5 year old) grandson. I told him that bodies (cats',
dogs', people's) are like cars ... we use them to get around in,
we fix them up if they get broken or 'sick', but after a while
they wear out so much or get so broken or sick that they can't
be fixed any more. So then we get climb out of our bodies --
kind of like climbing out of an broken car that just can't be
fixed any more -- and we get new bodies to live in somewhere
else. (We are Christian, but we have some other beliefs that co-
mingle. This was as close as I could get to making it clear to
our little guy.)
I realized after I started getting responses that this whole
thing really comes down to a matter of trust, that is trusting
Bombers at a reunion to be more involved in "reuning" than in
judging. Trusting others to have a code that says "I know that
the person is the spirit on the inside, not the 'vehicle'
carrying that spirit -- i.e. the body."
So, thanks to all who reminded me of what I already obviously
knew.
I was raised not to judge by appearances, and that's how I have
lived my life. But like a lot of us who have lived for a while
(and some people who are still very young ... I am thinking
right now of one of my seriously damaged patients who is only 6
years old - who thinks she is "too ugly to live" because she has
to wear glasses and is really skinny. She got this idea from her
Dad, by the way. Guess he had a different kind of daughter in
mind. Too bad for the jerk about the no-refund policy.), I've
been through a painful time or two at the hand of a person or
two who was NOT raised the same way -- people who DO judge only
by appearances.
For example, several months ago I was told by an administrative-
type say that I did not dress "Gucci enough" for someone who
practices psychiatry. (This partly came as a response to the
fact that I gave up wearing makeup as a gift to myself two or
three years ago. I HATE putting it on, and it felt good to stop
doing it -- so I did.) Anyway we ended up parting ways -- this
value system of hers 'slopped over' into all of her attitudes
toward everything -- and was just in too much conflict with
mine.
One other thought -- I am reminded of all the Bombers who have
given up these bodies already to go on to newness. Christy Ouren
Manolopoulos ('68 - RIP) particularly comes to mind. She and I
were not close in high school, but we knew each other. I
remember when she died a while back now ... there was a great
link to a slide show that her family (probably son, Zorba ('91)
put together. It showed Christy from high school to shortly
before she died -- it showed her very plump and it showed her
downright skinny ... that last photo from not long before her
death, I think. I am sure that everyone who liked her, and
especially those who loved her, would rather have her at the
40th reunion plump -- even fat! -- and smiling, than be missing
her presence, as we will be. So that kind of puts the whole
thing into better perspective, I'd say.
And now, will Mike Brady ('61) please e-mail me or re-post his
e-mail address here. I would be interested in what he has to
offer in terms of long-distance re-conditioning for those of us
over 50 who have extremely busy schedules, and live too rural to
get to a gym! Plump or not, it would be good to be in better
condition!
Thanks!
-Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68) ~ Haven Farm - east of
Lewiston - in the beautiful little Cottonwood Creek Valley.
(Where "Creek" is pronounced "Crick" -- and our first
laying hens are now giving us over a dozen eggs a day.
"Country Folk Can Survive!" Tip of the hat to Hank
Williams, Jr., there.)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: John Mosley ('71)
Re: Remembering fallen veterans
To: All Bombers
Brad Wear ('71) and I have asked the Richland City Council to
remember our classmates who have been KIA while serving in the
armed forces by naming city streets, parks, etc. for them. So
far I have a list of 14 servicemen (12 Viet Nam era and 2 GWOT)
which I gave to the council. I have had positive feedback about
this request from them. No one thinks this is a bad idea but
how do we get this to come about? If you agree that having some
recognition in our community please email the Richland City
Council at
citycouncil@ci.richland.wa.us
Let them know. Share a remembrance of the fallen. The ideas
expressed so far are to name roads. This goes along well with
Richland's history but RMC has numerous restrictions on road
naming. City Parks which are often named after the neighborhood
or street they are on. Hiking trails such as the river trail or
even mile posts on jogging trails?
All other ideas would be welcome. I know that other cities have
such recognition, more common in the south and around military
bases. Kennewick renamed Carmichael Drive after the first
VietNam causality from Kennewick.
The names I have come up with so far are listed here and if I
have missed any one that you know of please let me know at
jdmosley@aol.com. Thanks for your support.
SP5 Danny A. Neth 5MAR66
PFC Clyde E. Murr 24MAR66
PFC Mark S. Black 30MAR66
PSGT Geo. Schook 7AUG 67
SP4 William Dowd 5JAN68
MAJ. Don Pick 27AUG 68
PFC Charles Green 11JUN69
PFC Dan Wagenaar 12JUL69
LT Kerry Love 23OCT 69
CPL Richard Nelson 22MAY70
LCPL George Rodriguez 23MAY70
PFC Thomas Taylor 11JUN70
SPC Jeremiah Schmunk JAN06
SGT Travis Pfister FEB07
-John Mosley ('71)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/14/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 Bombers sent stuff:
Tom Verellen ('60), Gary Behymer ('64)
David Rivers ('65), Shirley Collings ('66)
Alan Lobdell ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ken Neal ('57)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Shirley Collings ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Michael West Rivers ('68wb)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mary Jo Garrison ('69)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Tom Verellen ('60)
Response to Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka's cat story:
A friend's granddaughter after witnessing the family cat being
killed in a closing garage door (pretty traumatic for everyone)
announced that "We need to get a faster cat".
On East vs West: Yesterday's wind storm brought back memories
of the unobstructed blows of yesteryear, but on the west side
we can almost always count on loosing power for a few hours. I
don't really recall being without power for any length of time
while growing up in Richland. And living with/near/under some
large fir trees always produces a certain amount of anxiety and
hope (I hope it won't hit the house if it does come down). Then
there are all of the branches that get trimmed off that cover
the yard and streets. If they get down into the lawn become a
real pain, the mower won't pick them up or shred them, they
won't rot for a long time. So if they aren't picked up they
become embedded in the grass an unpleasant surprise for next
summer's barefooted pedestrian or to puncture the tent floor and
air mattress of a sleep out. So "If it's not one thing, it's
another."
-Tom Verellen ('60)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
In the 11/12/99 Alumni Sandstorm I left a note on Wilbur
Gallaher who taught 6th grade at Sacajawea Grade School in
the 1950s-1960s. In 1999 he had moved to Pendleton, Oregon,
upon the death of his wife.
http://alumnisandstorm.com/htm1999/1999-11-Nov.htm
I checked the Pendleton phone book for his listing this morning
and failed to find his name. Automatically I went to the SSDI
(Social Security Death Index) and sadly to say it was found
there...
WILBUR W GALLAHER 20 Sep 1927 26 Dec 2001
-Gary Behymer ('64) ~ Colfax, WA
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****************************************************************
>>From: David Rivers ('65)
Re: What's in a name
Ever think about those guys and gals with "WB" behind their
names? They are the kids who woulda been Bombers if they coulda
been...but for some reason or another they moved or something
and ended up somewhere else but clearly their hearts and souls
remained Green and Gold (is that actually gold????????...
Jimbeaux ('63) once called it "parking lot yellow" or something
like that) so anyway The WBs have strong ties to Richland
and the kids they knew growing up and have never lost that
feeling... I know one of those kids is having a birthday on the
14th... I forgot to send him a real card so this will have to
do... he was always a fun loving kid and spent his life moving
from one house to another just as I did and got to know a bunch
of Bombers... He was what they call a "wanderer"... he would
wander off as soon as his mom took her eyes off of him and then
naturally his older brother would have to trace his steps and
try and find him... He was always doing that... One time he
wandered over to the Uptown behind Grandma Libke (Billy Libke's
('57) Grandma)... he crossed GWWay on the red and got smacked by
a car... always thinking, he told the police that Grandma Libke
had pushed him into the street... As luck would have it his
parents moved before he could graduate from Col-Hi... but that
doesn't make him any less a Bomber and shore doesn't make him
any less dear to me... Oh by the way... this kid is also my
little brother "Mikey"... So for you Lil Bro and for all the
WBs... you are Bombers in our hearts!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY MICHAEL WEST RIVERS ('68wb)!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
-David Rivers ('65)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
You won't believe it, but another November birthday for the
class of '66 has been reported by a friend of Jesse Mallory
whose 60th birthday was on November 3rd. I want to wish you a
VERY HAPPY BELATED BIRTHDAY, JESSE!
Out of about 500 graduating '66 classmates the odds are in favor
of having a lot more November birthdays. Any one else out there?
Re: Hanford High grad shares Nobel Prize
This story isn't about an RHS graduate but a 1980 Hanford
graduate, Dina Washburn Kruger, and what an honor for the
City of Richland.
Full Story
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66) ~ Richland
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****************************************************************
>>From: Alan Lobdell ('69)
WOW! It’s hard to look at photos of people you remember from
school that were taken from us far too early. Mark Black ('66-RIP)
was a friend of my brother's, which is to say I knew him only
because Guy ('66-RIP) ran around with him. Even at that I still
remember when Guy told me about him. I know it's not as many as
others but I still feel I know far too many names on the wall
from both school and when I was in the Corps. By the way,
there are a number of Marines (including myself) from the class
of '69. When I first saw the wall in Washington DC in 1994 I
thought it was not going to be any big deal to me. (I was hard
and could handle it). NOT!!! The first name I saw who I knew
did it; I was a basket case from then on trying to look at the
entire wall. At the third name I knew, I had to walk away. The
only time I've ever cried that much is when my wife died. The
Wall is very powerful and everyone should see it someday.
-Alan Lobdell ('69)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/15/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 Bombers sent stuff and 1 Bomber funeral notice today:
Barbara von Olnhausen ('62), Dena Evans ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Janet Tyler ('61)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: John Campbell ('63)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mick Hemphill ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Barbara Maffei ('71)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Greg Alley ('73)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Barbara von Olnhausen ('62)
Re: Fastest Man Alive
http://www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/local/story/9430184p-9342362c.html
This is a link to recent TC Herald article on Charlie Bigelow ('54).
My mother sent the article to me... which included a big picture
of Charlie, and we reminisced about his "need for speed" on the
river. His boat was beautiful and the inboard motor looked to a
16-yr-old like it was capable of flying a plane! Used to be in
total awe of Shirley Strege Bigelow ('54) and Viva Webster Metz ('53)
as they effortlessly slalom skied behind Charlie's 60 mph
driving on Columbia River. I was much more happy doing 25 mph!!
-Barbara von Olnhausen ('62)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dena Evans ('64)
To: Alan Lobdell ('69)
I read your entry in yesterday's Sandstorm about the Vietnam
Memorial Wall. Did you know that there is a traveling wall?
I lived in Pittsburg, CA and saw it there. One of my good
friends, Arnold Murillo, is a Vietnam Veteran, and he brought
it to Pittsburg. Arnold is the Chairman and founder of the
Pittsburg Vietnam Veterans Association and Memorial. I don't
know the scale on the traveling Wall, but even seeing this
smaller version is overwhelming. I am one of the fortunate
people that lost very few to the war in Vietnam, but there
were thousands that viewed the Wall when it was is Pittsburg.
(Pittsburg itself is not a very big city, but it is like most
places now, one city ends on one side of the street and another
city begins on the other.)
The Traveling Vietnam Memorial Wall was a one man operation.
To my understanding, the only thing that Arnold had to do was
procure a room and the meals for the time the Wall was being
viewed. The Wall was there for one week. Paper and pencils were
supplied by Arnold so the visitors could trace their loved ones
name on the paper. Many visitors left mementos at the base of
the wall with a note to the soldier. Arnold gave the articles
left to the gentleman that toured with the wall, and the items
were given to the guards that walk the Wall in D.C. The Wall had
24 hour guards. Most of them were Vietnam Vets themselves. They
all said that they were proud to do it for their fallen and MIA
Brothers.
If you are interested in bringing the Wall to the Tri-Cities,
you would probably contact the Commander of the local Vietnam
Veterans. If it has already been in your area,the people that
viewed it were truly blessed.
-Dena Evans ('64) ~ Portland, OR where we are getting our share
of "liquid sunshine".
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[http://www.themovingwall.org/
It took me "forever" find the pictures taken by Pam Ehinger ('67):
richlandbombers.tripod.com/2001/2001-MovingWall.html -Maren]
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Funeral Notice
>>Julianne Ellis Miller ('76) ~ 2/1/58 - 11/7/07
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/16/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 Bombers sent stuff:
Betty Bell ('51), Floyd Melton ('57)
Nancy Mallory ('64), Alan Lobdell ('69)
Cecily Riccobuono ('77)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Wally Erickson ('53)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Patti McLaughlin ('65)
BOMBER ANNIVERSARY Today:
Duane Lee ('67) and Valerie Nielsen ('69)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Betty Bell Norton ('51)
Re: Betty Hiser Gulley ('49)
I saw Betty at the Richland Community Center yesterday
(Wednesday). She has been visiting daughters down south
since March and just came back last week for a few days.
She is leaving today to move to Texas with one of her
daughters, due to health reasons, and asked if I would
let her Sandstorm friends know about this.
Also - thanks to all of you that responded to my request
for realtor information. I gave all of the information to
my friend and she wanted me to thank each of you.
-Betty Bell Norton ('51)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Floyd Melton ('57)
Re: Charlie Bigelow ('54)
I wonder if Charlie remembers the legal Drag race someone
sponsored on the old By Pass south of Richland in about 1955/'56?
He had a 1953 white Oldsmobile standard transmission (I think)
and my folks had a 1953 blue and white Oldsmobile with an
automatic transmission. I think I got permission to enter it in
the drag race (details slip my mind). I won one or two races
then I met Charlie at the starting line. I was all charged up
and broke rubber and then watched Charlie and the white Olds
speed away for the win. I was excited just to be in the drag
race and now I know that I had the opportunity to race against
a legend.
-Floyd Melton ('57)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Nancy Mallory Johnson ('64)
I was surprised yesterday to see my brother Jesse Mallory's ('66)
name! I don't t think he reads this site so I sent that portion
to him.
Yesterday, the traveling Vietnam memorial wall was mentioned. I
saw it a while back when it came to Jackson, TN. What a site. I
did take pics (now if I could only find them). The fellows there
offered to help me find a name... thankfully I was just there to
see it as both of my brothers came home (David ('64) was in the
jungle and Jesse was on an aircraft carrier).
We're having a lovely day today (yesterday was unseasonably
warm).
-Nancy Mallory Johnson ('64)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Alan Lobdell ('69)
To: Dena Evans ('64)
There are actually four or five traveling walls that criss
cross the US all year long. Whenever one of them is within the
Western Washington area the organization I belong to (Point Man
Ministries) sets up a tent and keeps members on hand 24 hours a
day. We have found that many vets will only come to the wall at
night and stand a couple hundred feet away and look at it from
a distance. We try to spot them and go out to talk to them, if
they will talk. Many will not!
Its like 9/11, everyone remembers where they were and what they
were doing that morning. Well, for these guys you multiply it by
365 or more and you can understand they cannot get the events of
those days out of their minds. That's PTSD and it's something
the military (and the VA to be truthful) has never addressed to
any satisfaction at all. In fact the VA will do everything in
its power to refuse benefits to vets.
In some defense of the VA I do understand that there are a lot
of liars and want-to-bees (We run into them all the time) out
there trying to get VA benefits, however it is no excuse for
denying the real vets. The last stat I saw was that there had
been 3.4 million men and women in country in Viet Nam and the VA
has had claims for benefits from over 6 million persons. Pretty
sad that our country has that many lying scum claiming benefits
and having never even been in the service. Another sad item of
our country is the Hall of Shame listed on the net. It is a list
of people claiming to have been Navy Seals however have never
been. The list is long and it will surprise you the type of
people listed on it.
Oh Well, I had better stop before I get myself too worked up
over them.
-Alan Lobdell ('69)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Cecily Riccobuono McClanahan ('77)
Re: Julie Ellis ('76-RIP)
As many of you, I am so sad to hear about the death of Julie
Ellis. She was one of my best friends at Col-Hi and we shared
so many good times, and so many laughs. We lost touch over the
years, but I'll never forget the fun we had. She will be missed.
I hope that her many friends will take the time to sign the
guest book. There are two. One on the TC Herald web site, and
the other one is the web site for Mueller's Funeral home. I know
it would mean a great deal to her family. My deepest sympathies
to all of them.
-Cecily Riccobuono McClanahan ('77)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/17/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 Bombers sent stuff:
Anna May Wann ('49), Ann Clatworthy ('54)
Jim Andersen ('61), Dena Evans ('64)
Dennis Hammer ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Kim Moore ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Barb Hogan ('72)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Brian Hogan ('74)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Ann Thompson, aka Anna May Wann ('49)
To: Brad Upton ('74)
Just to let you know 3 little old ladies have front row seats
reserved for November 24th in Kirkland at Laughs Comedy Club
8:00 pm show. Looking forward to seeing your show again. Haven’t
seen you since you played in Redmond at the Brewery.
Hope to see some more Bombers there. Have heard this is a great
club and the food is good too – suppose to be lots of fun.
Very inexpensive!!!
Waiting for the rain to go away – but at least getting stuff
done in the house since I don’t want to be outside – (no I'm not
afraid I'll melt – no chance!!!)
-Ann Thompson, aka Anna May Wann ('49) ~ From Rainy Bothell, WA
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****************************************************************
>>From: Ann Clatworthy Weyerts Hogshead ('54)
To: Floyd Melton ('57)
Re: Drag Races
I remember well the drag races sponsored by the Desert Knights,
the Tri City Hot Rod Club, which used the by-pass road to hold
sanctioned drag races in the mid-fifties. Ray Weyerts ('53-RIP)
was the club photographer (Super 8 movie camera) and the husband
of my youth.
I was one of the few women who raced... can you believe in my
dad's 1952 Chrysler slug which you shifted by taking your foot
off the gas pedal and waited until it clunked into the next
highest gear.
I had a blast driving, but I never won a single race. We also
photographed the Mary Hill -Hill Climb sometime around then as
well. I remember a sports car going off the road on one of the
curves, no one injured...
Those were exciting times.
-Ann Clatworthy ('54)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Jim Andersen ('61)
I recently had to put my wife in an Alzhiemers Facility after
5 years of being the sole caregiver for the 24-7 care that she
required. There is a lot of guilt that one goes thru with a
decision of this magnitude, and frankly I am having a lot of
second thoughts if I did the right thing. I would like to hear
from anyone in the Bomber Nation that has had a loved one which
they had similar choices to make. After 35 years of marriage
you suddenly find yourself alone and questioning your decisions.
Would appreciate any advice on how to cope with the loss and
what steps you can use to ease the pain.
-Jim Andersen ('61)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dena Evans ('64)
Re: VA benefits
To: Alan Lobdell ('69)
There are too many vets that need help and don't get it. This
is why your stats blew me away. I know of one Viet Nam vet
specifically. He did 2 tours and came back a different person
each time. He is now an alcoholic, and when he gets really
drunk, which is every other night, he starts talking about Viet
Nam and the horrible atrocities he witnessed and the ugly things
he did there. He will not go for help because he feels that
there is nothing wrong with him. He carries an anger inside of
him that no human should have to. Calling him a miserable soul,
would not even begin to describe him.
I did not know about the amount of Traveling Walls that there
are. When I went to the website of the Wall that Maren put up,
I was astounded that one man could get all of this done. Thanks
for clarifying that.
I spoke with Deedee Willox Loiseau ('64) last night, and she
told me that the Moving Wall had been in West Richland quite
awhile ago, and she regrets not seeing it. She went to the same
website that I did, and when she saw the Wall, she was amazed.
Yes, it IS truly amazing. GOD BLESS OUR VIETNAM VETS. God bless
all of our vets, but I do believe that the Viet Nam vets were
not honored like they should have been, until this wall and all
of the memorials came into being. Practically every city I have
been to in my travels, has a Viet Nam Veterans Memorial along
with WWI, WWII, and Korea.
I hate to say it, but the 'war' that we are involved in in
the Middle East will sadly produce another Memorial for us to
visit. We have lost too many soldiers in trying to help people
that, from what I understand, didn't want our help in the first
place.
-Dena Evans ('64) ~ Watching the rain fall, and no, not even
enjoying it. Left to do some errands yesterday, sun was
shining. About 2 miles down the road, raining like the sky
had opened up. This ex-Californian still doesn't carry an
umbrella in the car, but after getting wet yesterday, came
home, dug it out of the closet, and put it in the car.
Sometimes it does take some Bombers a little more time to
get things right! LOL
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dennis Hammer ('64)
To: Alan Lobdell ('69)
Re: Veteran Wannabes
It was about twenty years ago when I first became aware of
people claiming to be Vietnam Veterans who were not. That
totally took me by surprise. I have considered lying about my
Vietnam service too, only the other way around. Every time I
fill out a job application that has that question that reads,
"Are you a Vietnam era veteran?" or something like that I always
sit there for a minute or two and wonder what to do. I need
this job, maybe I should lie and say I am not. They say on that
form that how you answer those questions will have no effect on
whether or not you are hired. I used to think, "Yeah, you
believe that and I have a green bridge between Pasco and
Kennewick to sell you too." I have always put down "yes,"
figuring it they have a problem with that it is their problem
and I probably didn't want to work for them anyway.
This is not something new, I remember in Jr. High all the
publicity when the last Civil War (Confederate) veteran died.
Research has since shown he was a fraud and only 10 years old
when the war ended.
Truth is, I don't even feel much like a Vietnam vet. I received
nearly two years combat pay and never once got shot at. I made
two Vietnam cruises on a combat ship which had been fired on
and even hit, (but not while I was aboard), with a side trip to
Korea when the North shot down that radar plane in April 1969,
and I made one cruise on a support ship mainly refueling and
re-arming the aircraft carriers off Vietnam. So as a Navy
Radioman to me Vietnam was mainly a lot of hard work. It wasn't
physically hard, but we got so much "traffic" it was hard work
keeping up with it.
I've come across some liars too. Maybe harder for me to spot
Army, Air Force, or Marine, but some of the "Navy" ones did not
do enough research, because they say things I know not to be
true.
I did see the traveling wall when it came to West Richland. I
looked up the name of a man we lost overboard. He was on the
last panel (actually in the center). I had not realized how
close to end of the war that was.
Something that has bugged me from the time I got out of the Navy
is how government workers get Veterans' Day as a paid holiday
when most of them are not veterans, and as a veteran I never get
it as a holiday. Two days ago someone wrote a letter to editor
in the Tri-City Herald on this subject expressing my thoughts
quite well.
www.tri-cityherald.com/tch/opinions/letters/story/9456041p-9367572c.html
-Dennis Hammer ('64)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/18/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
8 Bombers sent stuff and 1 Bomber funeral notice today::
Dick Wight ('52), Mike Clowes ('54)
Larry Mattingly ('60), Patti Jones ('60)
Mike Brady ('61), Rick Maddy ('67)
Dwight Carey ('68), Jerry Lewis ('73)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Nancy Riggs ('51)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Peggy Hartnett ('72)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Lynn Schildknecht ('74)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dick Wight ('52)
Re: Drag races on the bypass
Floyd Melton ('57) mentioned sanctioned drag races on the
bypass. I had a brush with them summer of '56 (I think) when
home on leave before heading on a transfer to Kodiak, AK. At
the urging of a friend, I entered my entirely stock '55 Chev., a
"straight stick" trannie with overdrive, 283 (or was it a 265)
cu. in. engine. I recall we had to tape the windows with lines
of tape to reduce the chance of shattering glass, remove hub
caps, etc. I bought the car new at the Richland Chev dealer,
summer '55, "broke in" the engine by doing 30mph to 80mph
"sprints" on an old road outside of town, heating the engine
up really "warm", then removing the break-in oil and replacing
it with standard 20W (or whatever) the next day. Car ran like
a scalded dog! I won 2 heats in that 1956 race, one against
somebody's '48 Buick (maybe) coupe hotrod that was supposed to
"wax" me. Never raced in any event before or after!
Re: New subject
I went "bionic" with a new knee (total knee replacement) this
past Tuesday. Released to come home less than 72 hours later.
While the degree of success is never certain until the therapy
and healing gets done, things look good. Modern medicine! I'm
told my surgeon uses a laser sighting system for placement and
aligning. Thence an insertion of time-release morphine capsules
that yielded literally ZERO pain for 30 hours. I was walking
and doing therapy the next a.m.!!! There's "downsides" to the
scenario, but I hesitate to whine and snivel! Hope to be back
on the golf course soon.....
-Dick Wight ('52) ~ near Branson, MO where the Christmas season
starts WELL before Thanksgiving!
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>>From: Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54)
To: Dennis Hammer ('64)
Back in the beginning, November 11th was celebrated as Armistice
Day commemorating the end of "The War to End all Wars" (aka
World War I). This war, as we all learned was to end on the 11th
hour of the 11th day of the 11th month. Don't know who dreamed
that one up; but that was to be the end of fighting. Once upon
a time, we also celebrated Lincoln's Birthday (mostly in the
North) and Washington's birthday as separate holidays. Not to
mention Columbus Day. Those are now know as "President's Day"
and "Founder's Day" or some such title.
Then some congress persons felt that these holidays should be
celebrated on the Monday nearest the actual date. This was to
provide the "workers" more three day weekends. And, in doing so,
re-named the holidays.
I think they tried to get the 4th of July as a weekend holiday
also.
It seems the rationale behind all of this was Franklin
Roosevelt's proclamation that Thanksgiving would be celebrated
nationally on the fourth Thursday in November instead of the
various days it had been.
Hope this has muddied the waters even more; and has failed to
answer the question "Are we responsible for what Congress has
wrought?"
-Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54) ~ Mount Angel, OR
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****************************************************************
>>From: Larry Mattingly ('60)
Re: Travels
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071118-Matt-00.html
Home again for a few days.
I spent 15 days in China and got home a week ago. I had a full
desk waiting and have finally caught up and have some time to
write a few words about the trip. The NWA flight from Seattle
to Narita, Japan was 10 hours and 1 book long. I can't sleep
on a plane so when everybody else goes to sleep I can burn
through a book in good time. A quick change of planes and on
to Shanghai with the US rep from one of the factories I was to
visit. She came in from the Midwest to Narita on a different
flight. The food during the flight was actually edible.
After an overnight in the Ramada at PuDong International airport
we taxied to the China Interior airport on the other side of
Shanghai. I flew off to Beijing on China Eastern for a couple
of days after we agreed to meet and find the factory manager in
Changsha at noon of the 3rd day. She had some other business to
take care of in the Changsha area. I stayed in a small Chinese
hotel in Beijing where only the tourist advisor spoke any
English. He got me on a bus to the Great Wall and I spent the
day there in 2 areas of the wall. It was awesome! But it was
really crowded with people. I did find a quiet spot and just
stood there with my palms against the wall trying to relate
back a thousand years of time. Quite an experience. I have a
tee shirt that says "Great Wall, Been there-Done that" and a
certificate with a laminated picture of me at a high point on
the wall. (See pictures) The next day I went to the place
where they have all of the ancient Astronomical Observatory
instruments. It is on a small piece of what is left of the old
Ming Dynasty wall. Some dated to 1493. (See Pictures)
I ate dinner 2 nights in a restaurant that catered to an
international crowd. At tables around me one night were Germans,
Irish, English, Ukraine, Austrian, and a couple from South
Africa. Someone asked for a fork. No one on the staff knew what
they were asking for, and of course they did not have any. Moral
of the story is, if you get very far off the beaten path you
better be up on your chop sticks. (I learned to use chop sticks
eating chop suey at Frank's Grill in Pasco at about 7-8 years
old. Circa 1950). For the balance of my second day in Beijing I
visited the Forbidden City. Wow, it was huge! You cannot see all
of it in one day. But in 6-7 hours you can see most of the best
parts. The ancient craftsmanship is something to behold. One of
the features is the many huge bronze caldrons sitting on fire
rings of bricks. These were used to slowly cook people in
hot/boiling water until they screamed themselves to death...
gross but really true. (See Pictures)
Then I hopped a China Southern plane to Changsha down in Hunan
province. (SW of Shanghai and hard to find on maps). Christy
Chen (our factory escort and translator) was there to meet me.
Along with her was Mira a pyro friend for many years from the
mid-west who is the US Rep. It was fun to watch the Chinese
reaction when Mira appeared... she is 6'7" and blond. We tease
Burt her husband who is only 5'3". Anyway the Chinese pretty
well stayed out of her way even when it was crowded. From
Changsha we motored the hour's drive to Liuyang City, AKA
"Fireworkstown". There are some 2000 fireworks factories within
a 200 mile radius of Liuyang. The next 10 days was spent walking
around factories and in meetings during the day and watching
2-3 product demos every night. That was where the fun (?) began.
Chinese drivers are very competitive and drive very fast and
make very dangerous passes on the outside of hairpin curves on
very narrow hiways. Sheesh. In one 20 K stretch I counted 33
very near misses with heavy trucks, some at closing speeds of
over 150 kph. One driver was so reckless that we were on two
wheels on several corners. When she stopped at the factory I got
out and refused to ride back with her. Turned out she owned the
factory. But they found another driver. Chinese roads in the
countryside are narrow and full of carts, 3 wheeled trucks,
assorted forms of bicycles, scooters, motor scooters, children
playing, an occasional bullock, little old ladies spreading
the newly harvested rice on the roadway to dry in the sun, and
trucks of all kinds and sizes. I saw one old gentleman peddling
a bicycle with a two wheeled cart built onto the back. He had
propane tanks stacked at least 8 feet high and could barely
peddle up a small grade. Another had saddle baskets with 5-6
small pigs in each basket and a net over them to keep them in.
The last 3 days were spent at the Liuyang International
Fireworks Festival. I was special guest there as I was asked
to write a review of the festival for publication in several
fireworks periodicals published in various countries of the
world. That was my third invite to write this year. It is fun
and I enjoy the recognition, but it is time consuming.
I had a grand time and usually found enough on the table that I
would eat. I met lots of pyro friends from the far corners of
the earth. Our Chinese escort/translator was amazed as I kept
bumping into guys I knew from some country somewhere. I escaped
without any maladies, except a slight cough. But I think that
was from the very bad pollution. Visibility was rarely even
a mile and the smoke from burning off the rice paddies after
harvest made it much worse. Liuyang is a city of 1.7 Million and
on the one somewhat clear day I counted 73 construction cranes
in the skyline. Shanghai and Beijing each had many more. That
country is booming! No wonder they are soaking up the world's
supplies of copper, steel, and aluminum. Not a complaint, just
an observation. See more pictures of various. Sorry this is so
long... But to tell the whole story would take many more pages.
And YES, I am going again next year.
I am off tomorrow to Coeur d'Alene, ID for the week for our
annual Friday after Thanksgiving fireworks display. As usual,
a lot bigger and different from last year. This year we are
featuring LARGE shells. 10-16s (44 lbs) 40-12s, lots of 8s
and 10s, and over 2 tons of other pyro items. This year we had
to use 5 barges instead of 4. If you can get there, it will be
well worth your time and effort. If you are coming, drop me an
e-mail and I will give you some info on where and how. And... I
will be able to make the Spokane area lunch on Sunday.
"Happiness is the sky in bloom"
-J Larry Mattingly ('60)
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>>From: Patti Jones Ahrens ('60)
Re: All Bomber Lunch - Richland
alumnisandstorm.com/Lunches/Current-ALL/00.html
What a disappointment for me. This is the only the third time
I have missed a reunion that I could attend since I graduated
(been to some I haven't been invited to also). '60s, R2K,
Luncheons and picnics, etc., etc. Was I stunned that my back
problems took over. On the mend... I know what to do to not let
that happen again.
Pictures always are great.
Thanks to Marie Ruppert Hartman ('63) a last minute call
prepared her that I wouldn't be there. Between Glen Rose ('58)
and Carol Rose (spouse) picking up the things for sign in and
delivering them back to me. An email from Marie let me know
everyone had a good time.
Pictures were taken by Marie.
In attendance were: Glen Rose ('58), Carol Rose (spouse - '62
Sunnyvale, CA Hi), Dore Tyler ('53), Miriam Tyler Lane ('60),
Lorin St. John ('55), Phyllis St. John (spouse - '70 Glacier Hi),
Pat Dorris Trimble ('65), Roy Ballard ('63), Mary Mowery ('47),
Vera Smith Robbins ('58), Doris Ann Nordman Gibson ('47),
Sharon Panther Taff ('57), Fred Klute ('58). Burt Pierard ('59),
Kathy Hoff Conrad ('64), Marilyn Stewart Stephenson ('62),
Charles Keiser ('63), Marie Ruppert Hartman ('63).
Marilyn DeVine ('52),
Some graduation years were not on the sign in sheet.
-Patti Jones Ahrens ('60) ~ When the temperatures dip here
they do dip (it isn't winter yet where the temperatures
will go much lower). So does Western Washington dip
quickly. A dry climate helps a lot. Thankfully I don't
have to deal with the water chill of Western Washington
unless visiting. Nor do I have to deal with the big winds
like what swept into Western Washington yesterday and
trees falling and branches flying. It did blow here but
it was tolerable. Lots of tumble weeds blowing down the
streets. Now the news is talking snow. Mainly up Yakima
way. I always pay attention because the weather can turn
to the worst no matter what the news says. Like to snuggle
in at home when the snow flies.
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>>From: Mike Brady ('61)
Re: Viet Nam Era Veteran
I am also a Viet Nam Era Veteran. I never set foot out of San
Diego County during my 3 years, 10 months, 13 days, 10 hours and
22 seconds of active duty service. I have never been concerned
about checking the box that asks if I am a Viet Nam Era Vet. I
always thought it gave me a better chance of getting the job. I
don't think it made a difference. I don't know why they even
ask the question. I would be interested in hearing from a Human
Resources expert on the subject.
-Mike Brady ('61)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Rick Maddy ('67)
Re: Civil War Battlefields
Like Donni Clark Dunphy ('63), I also found the town and the
battlefield of Gettysburg to be very interesting. Everyone
should visit at least one battlefield. I have been in
Gettysburg, Fredericksburg, Murfreesboro, Stone River and
Wilson Creek to name a few. A terrible time in our history.
History is an interesting fiasco as it seems to depend on who is
interpreting it. From the book J. Randall Houp's 24 MO Volunteer
Infantry Lyon Legion, Houp states (paraphrased) we should view
each side (Union and Confederate) as Americans and equals. My
gg-grandfather, Jesse, was in the 24th MO (Union Army). What
went down from this point known by my family is... Jesse got
word from home one of the kids was very sick. Permission granted
by command, he left for home not far south of Fordland, MO. And
stayed home. Not an unusual thing in those days, particularly
in the early days of the war (1860-1865). Jesse, thirty-six
years old, was declared AWOL in Feb. 1862. On Dec. 16, 1862,
Confederates (Bushwhackers) came onto the property of my gg-
grandparents. These men knew him as a Union sympathizer and
were looking for him by name. They knew his persuasion was
Union because of his enlistment in Aug. 1861 in Rolla, MO. My
g-grandfather, John, was twelve years old, the oldest of six
siblings ranging in age from twelve to one. Jesse was hiding and
the Confederates grabbed John with intentions of hanging him by
his thumbs in the barn to find out where his dad was. In the
meantime, one can only imagine the kids screaming and crying
with my gg-grandmother, Susanna, holding the baby and trying
to keep the rest rounded up, the Confederates hooking up the
family's new wagon, pillaging their winter supply of potatoes
and getting ready to hang John for information. John's brother,
James, is ten. Anybody that has a brother and watching these
events go down at that age would have been incredibly scared,
irate and probably wishing they had that squirrel rifle in their
hand to defend their older brother about that time. There were
too many of them for such foolishness. One could only pray
things did not get any more out of hand than what was. Jesse,
squeezed in the attic, hearing the commotion, came to the front
door with a gun (pistol or rifle is unknown) in his hand and a
Confederate instantly shot him. Jesse fell back into the house,
dead. Now the interesting part of this story is my aunt, my
mother's oldest sister, knew her grandfather, John, until she
was nineteen years old. I have talked to her several times on
the phone and while visiting her in her home about Jesse. My
mother was ten when the family left MO for WA. My aunt will be
90 this coming year. Can we all imagine there are still people
living that were shaped by certain events of the Civil War?
Well, there are. I have driven in the South several times.
The Confederate flag, the same carried onto the battlefield,
flies everywhere; in homes, on car windows, license plates.
In few instances, like a Confederate cemetery, do I find it
appropriate. An ideology containing a clause of owning another
human being and willing to die for that cause being a reality
of a government. You want to fly a flag, try the American one.
Myself, unlike Houp, do not see Union sympathizers and soldiers
and Confederate separatists and soldiers as equals. Americans,
yes. Equals, no. I have yet to be convinced of that idea.
I've been wrong before. Maybe age will bring another opinion,
but I doubt it. One other book of historical reference to my
gg-grandfather, Jesse, is in the Turnbo Manuscripts by Silas
Claiborne Turnbo (1844-1925) Vol. 3 THE DEATH OF FOUR MEN (Jess
Cornelison). Turnbo is a good read for anyone interested in
Civil War history.
NOTE:
First, I know when I post really long messages, or whatever they
are called, many of a repetitive nature, they sound like a me me
me. I want to assure everyone that it really isn't all about me.
I was in Vietnam a very short time during TET of 1968, blown up
early in my rotation and got out of there alive. Simple as that.
Just another grunt trying to stay alive in a world of death...
and I managed to do that. Short time in Nam, a year in the
hospital, sixteen operations and a lifetime of fighting sanity.
Period. No hero. No legend in his own mind. No nothing. I don't
live alone for no reason at all. Just a kid realizing a dream of
being a Marine and riding the waves wherever in the world the
Navy sailed me.
To: John Mosley ('71) Brad Wear ('71)
Re: Remembering fallen veterans
Excellent idea brought up by you two! I had the pleasure of
visiting the John Ruggles III Little League Baseball Field in
Knoxville, TN during my Trip 2005 summer trip. 2LT Ruggles
was my platoon commander killed by the first bobby-trap on the
patrol I was wounded on. Pointman, PFC. Billy Harris, was also
killed with the LT hacking brush on an overgrown trail on some
ridge thirty-five miles east of Hue City while on a flanking
patrol off Highway 1 looking for anything that moved. I was hit
by the third trap. In Knoxville, by myself, standing on Ruggles
field watching these four young boys playing ball like I had on
many occasions at the Richland Little League field next to L&C
Elementary. Ruggles field is relatively new and was named as a
new field vs. changing the name of a field. Nevertheless, either
way is very acceptable as far as I'm concerned. I asked one of
the boys to take a photo of me on the mound, which he did. A
very emotional day. Later, standing there alone crying like a
baby for reasons unknown... having what I think was and call
a PTSD moment. Turned and went away a little bit different a
person than the one that had arrived. I missed the dedication
because not until a Marine I was with in Vietnam casually
mentioned the baseball field in a conversation while visiting
him at his work in Los Angeles did I even know it existed. One
of the dedicators of the field was our company commander,
Captain Fred Smith (CEO and founder of FedEx). I was camping
in the Smokey Mountains and drove into Knoxville one morning
specifically to visit this field. Naming streets, ball fields,
parks in any city after their veterans that fall in the world's
fields of battle is more than appropriate. Kudos to you both for
bringing it up. (Ruggles, Harris and Goodiron can be found on
the Wall - KIA - Feb. 28, 1968).
Re: Helping Veterans - Organizations
I thought this would be interesting for those that give from
their hearts money to benefit others in need of help. Just a
bunch of good ole boys helping us poor vets. At what point does
our government... that would be us... that seems to be too busy
at the moment pointing their finger at each other while selling
our language, our industry, our Constitution, our customs, our
freedoms and the future of my granddaughter down the river do
anything about these sorts of problems? Does anyone know?
Re:ABC news report
...In the last two years, generous Americans answering appeals
to help wounded and paralyzed veterans have given more than
$464 million to charities that have been given an F in a new
report card from a leading charity watchdog group. Those
failing charities include the National Veterans Services Fund,
of Darien, Conn., which took in more than $6 million in
contributions last year supposedly to help veterans' families.
It got a report grade of F from the American Institute of
Philanthropy, which says the charity gave out only two percent
of its money for charity...
Re: Report Card for organizations that people send their hard
earned money to help veterans
Re: American Institute of Philanthropy – A Watchdog helping
donors make informed giving decisions.
Re: Photos
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071118-Madd-00.html
1. Me, standing on the pitcher's mound in Ruggles Field,
Knoxville, TN - 2005.
2. Murfreesboro: A flood had washed these Confederate soldiers'
graves up in the actual battlefield and the city of Murfreesboro
made the decision to dig up a bunch of soldiers found in a mass
grave before any more went down the river... 70+ soldiers if I
recall. Some of the names had been saved off their stones, many
names were lost. They were all buried together in this mass
grave in front of the center stone in the city cemetery. Seems
like it was the 1930s this happened, but I cannot recall.
3. Stones River Battlefield-2005
4. Gettysburg, PA - The Angle (as named by the Union) and The
High Water Mark (as named by the Confederates) is the same
place. Seminary Ridge in background. The field has been mowed to
show the entry of Generals Pickett, Pettigrew and Trimble during
the infamous charge of 12,000 Confederates into the Union forces
where southern Regiments went in with colonels and retreated
commanded by lieutenants.
5. Gettysburg, PA - High Water Mark: Places on the line where
thirty men deep clashed with point blank shooting, knives and
swords and eventually using their rifles as clubs.
6 & 7. We have all seen this photo of the dead Confederate that
the photographer dragged thirty some yards from behind the photo
into this sniper's den at the Devil's Den and 'posed' the
unfortunate soldier. The battle was July 1, 2, and 3. I was
there on July 5 and these rein-actors were still hanging around,
so I stepped up and took the photo.
8. Gettysburg city center. Sometime around the last week of
June saw Confederates ride into town down the street in the
background. They came into this town square, firing pistols in
the air, yelling, scaring men, women and children half to death,
carousing and drinking, spending their worthless money of the
Confederacy to shop owners too scared to not accept it and then
rode out of town. By July 3, the red brick building on left had
wounded Union soldiers flowing out into the street.
-Rick Maddy ('67)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dwight Carey ('68)
Re: Vietnam Vets
Thank all you vets, not just Vietnam Vets. There are many
veterans who were part of some "Police Action" that I can't
even remember the names, and didn't last long. Grenada, etc.
To read some of the posts lately about people who are faking the
Vietnam experience, was amazing. I just guess I have not run
into any of those types, or at least not been aware of any. I
believe I could probably tell within a couple of minutes talking
to them.
I too was reluctant to admit I was a Vietnam Veteran - for
probably 10-15 years. Within the last 20 years or so, I've been
proud to say I am a Vietnam Veteran. In fact, we just had a
reunion with the Recon teams I was with in September (Vegas) -
and it was one of the funnest times I've had in a long time.
We're going to do it annually, now. We trusted each other more
than you could imagine, and it was great to see everyone.
I was 101st long range Recon, and earned my combat pay. Was
shot at a lot, and shot back a lot. Combat pay was $65 a month.
Total pay - we didn't have to pay FIT - was $300 a month, and I
sent $250 a month home. These were very long months, I might
add. Very long. 24-hour days. Couldn't buy anything where I was.
So - even with the better pay of today - and I'm sure it's not
that much better by comparison - the veterans are not getting
any type of pay that would keep them doing what they do. The
only reason they're there, is because they believe in the cause
and feel they are getting things accomplished. I wish our news
media would wake up and tell us about all the good things that
are going on. The country of Iraq has a long ways to go, but we
are doing a lot of good.
I attended the Washington DC Vietnam wall when it was dedicated,
with a group of Tri-Cities veterans, and have seen the traveling
wall in West Richland and in Richland across from the Uptown
district a couple years ago. It is very moving, because of the
names of those from the Tri-Cities, and the names of those I
knew in the service who didn't make it home. All wars, including
the current one - take people from us way, way too soon. Their
potential was never realized, and most were too young to object
to their forced service, in the case of Vietnam.
If you know of veterans needing help, I can get them in touch
with the local representative, no questions asked. And yes - 35
years is a long time to go needing help, but it happens much
more than it should.
-Dwight Carey ('68)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Jerry Lewis ('73)
Re: 1973 Col-Hi annual wanted
Our house flooded while we were away in Japan this Spring. We
were lucky in that most of the water went through a vent in the
bathroom floor and into the crawlspace, limiting damage to the
first floor. Amazingly, not too much personal property was
ruined. The main thing of value that was damaged was my 1973
annual. It's a bit warped and has some mildew.
This situation will make me scan it sooner rather than later,
but it would be nice to have an intact copy.
I heard that there were a bunch of annuals that were either
salvaged or discarded when the remodel happened recently, so
I'm wondering if there's one floating around out there.
Let me know.
If you want to see the aftermath, or pix from our Japan trip:
http://public.fotki.com/jlewis8907/public_pix/japan-2007/
(For the Japan albums, slide show mode is probably best. Check
out the kids' portraits in the Kitami album first).
-Jerry Lewis ('73)
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Funeral Notice
>>David Gardner ('73) ~ 5/12/54 - 11/13/07
*******************************************
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That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/19/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7 Bombers sent stuff:
Marilyn Baird ('60), Donna Bowers ('63)
Frank Whiteside ('63), Maren Smyth ('63 & '64)
Lynn-Marie Hatcher ('68), Betti Avant ('69)
Gale Waldkoetter ('72)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Don Ehinger ('55)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mary Rose ('60)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Richard Trujillo ('62)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Bill Wilson ('63)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mike Lahrman ('63)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Marilyn Baird Singletary ('60)
This was sent to me by a friend and wanted to pass it along. I
have sent 10 cards myself and hope everyone else will send at
least one. Only takes a moment. God Bless.
Something cool that Xerox is doing
If you go to this web site
http://www.letssaythanks.com/Home1024.html
You can pick thank you card and Xerox will print it and it will
be sent to a soldier that is currently serving in Iraq. You
can't pick who gets it, but it will go to some member of the
armed services.
How AMAZING it would be if we could get everyone we know to
send one!!! This is a great site. It is FREE and it only takes
a second.
-Marilyn Baird Singletary ('60) ~ From Northern California
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
[I checked this one out... snopes.com says it's "true" -Maren]
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****************************************************************
>>From: Donna Bowers Rice ('63)
To: Rick Maddy ('67) and other Civil War Buffs:
We, too, take every opportunity to go to Civil War Battlefields
and have done Gettysburg, Vicksburg and several others. One that
was really interesting to us, since we live outside St. Louis,
was the Battle of Pea Ridge in NW Arkansas. Since it is several
hundred miles from St. Louis (close to Branson and hot springs),
one wonders why it was important. St. Louis was officially non-
partisan in the civil War, but truth be told, since the Dred
Scott decision that started the war was handed down in St.
Louis, it was mainly populated by southern sympathizers. The
Battle of Pea Ridge was significant because had the south won,
it would have had a clear shot through to the backside of St.
Louis and because St. Louis, where only a small contingent of
forces were defending the city, is at the confluence of both the
Missouri and Mississippi Rivers would have been a strategic coup
for the south, who's army at this battlefield was far larger
than the Union Army (10,000 vs. 16,000). It is most amazing to
me to understand that its the little things that are done that
either make or break these battles (as in life also), yet, have
a far larger ramification in history. One of the reasons that
the south lost this battle was a hot dog Southern General in
a grand standing move to lead his troops got himself shot and
killed which left the southern army leaderless and hence lost
the battle for them. Grant went on to capture the vital waterway
of the Mississippi by laying siege to Vicksburg, which the south
lost on exactly the same day as Gettysburg (which is just TOO
amazing in and of itself).
Its the little things that count, when it comes to the whole
and often people do not realize what one moment can do in
history, but it is also necessary to get a picture of the
whole. If you come to any of the battlefields/antebellum
homes/museums, I would recommend taking the tours offered by
the Park Rangers, or at the very least, the mobile devices they
rent, and for heaven's sake, leave enough time to do other
things in the area to really get the flavor of the area. The
personal tours that Donni Clark Dunphy ('63) talks about are
the best because they are not always politically correct but,
consequently, are the most fun and most memorable. We have lived
back here for over 20 years now and we still have not seen it
all. I am sure Maren, who calls NO her home [I do not! Richland
is home!! I just happen to live near New Orleans -Maren], would
attest to the fabulous tours in the South. I am consistently
amazed at the choice of vacation destinations that miss this
part of the country-midwest and south-as a destination. Ohio,
and Michigan are just full of interesting cities. I have made it
a requirement to go to each of the state capitols in every state
we have visited, because many have been historically restored,
and since we don't have a lot of castles like they do in Europe-
I always call these the "People's Castles", and they make me
proud to be an American. So get out and see America, but don't
forget the midwest as a destination. I absolutely love and miss
the beauty of the West, but there are so many interesting places
to see back here. So a BIG THANK YOU to Rick Maddy for his
interest in the battlefields-he sees beyond the green grass, and
the battlefield emplacements right into the very heart of what
this nation is about.
And this medium that Maren so tirelessly provides, gives me
insights into places I haven't been to yet (like China). This is
just the best!!! Thanks Maren, and all you fellow Bombers, that
give me great pleasure every morning!!
Sincerely: Mike('60) and Donna ('63) Rice -I just got
back from 5 wks in San Francisco taking care
of Big Bro Clif ('61), who is on chemo for
Lymphoma, but has a good prognosis.
-Donna Bowers Rice ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Frank Whiteside ('63)
Re: Civil War/ Battlefields
To: Rick Maddy ('67)
Great entry and pictures! Like my friend, Pitts (Jim Armstrong ('63),
I have a great interest in the Civil War. As a transplanted
Yankee, I have a somewhat different view of the situation. I
have lived (except for brief periods in California, Seattle and
Colorado) in the South for most of 42 years having moved from
Richland at age 20. I have seen few Confederate battle flags
flying anywhere, and it really doesn't bother me when I do. A
few people have them as a front license plate as a novelty. I
look at it as a "freedom of speech and expression issue" rather
than what is politically correct. The American flag is the only
one that represents the country as a whole.
I wrangle with Pitts on occasion about "Southerners still
fighting the Civil War." Personally, I have never heard one
person talk about "damn Yankees" or make other disparaging
remarks about the North or Abraham Lincoln. At one time,
feelings about the war were very strong, but that was long ago.
Most people here know little or almost nothing about the Civil
War. Outside of a history class or at an historic site, I have
never discussed the Civil War with a Southerner.
I have respect for the soldiers of both sides. Other than
some officers, most foot soldiers didn't own slaves. The vast
majority of Southerners owned no slaves. The fighting men
of both sides were caught up in a political battle. Not all
Southern soldiers and citizens supported slavery just as not all
Northern soldiers necessarily opposed it. I try not to have
a bias, and look at the situation in historical perspective.
Slavery was a horrible "peculiar institution" and should never
have happened. But it did, and it was widely accepted in the
colonies until it was banned in certain areas over time.
I guess if I wanted to be, I could be an "angry Yankee." My
great-grandfathers on both sides fought for the North. My
paternal great-grandfather was wounded 3-4 times between May
1861 and April 1865 and was disabled after the war. My paternal
great-uncle, James (Eddie) Whiteside, was killed at the
"Engagement on Bayou Teche" while leading an attack on the
Confederate gunboat "Cotton." The site is about sixty miles from
my house. I have gone there with my metal detector to search the
cane fields for relics from the battle. The landowner has a huge
collection of stuff from the local battles. He even showed me
where the battle with the "Cotton" took place. He claimed they
used to dig up stuff when plowing and just tossed it in the
Bayou. I'd love to scour the bayou but don't think the gators
would like it. I have Eddie's picture, in uniform, on my wall
and think, "What a waste." A first lieutenant at 22 when he
died.
Anyway, what happened is history, and all we can do now is study
it and learn from it. One day, I'm taking a run up to the Port
Hudson (LA) battlefield.
Any other Civil War buffs out there?
-Frank Whiteside ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Maren Smyth ('63 & '64)
Re: Recent Email Problem
Some of you may already know this. My email program had a melt
down last Thursday / Friday. Some of you may have wondered why
Saturday's Sandstorm was VERY late.
This is also a public THANK YOU to Richard Anderson ('60).
Richard stayed on the phone with me for 5 or 6 HOURS (maybe
more?)... till about 3:30am (CT) Saturday morning. Basically
whatever was in my inbox when the melt down happened is lost.
Since Richard and I both get anything addressed to
sandstorm@richlandbombers.com, he was able to forward all the
entries for the Sandstorm that were lost -- and that included
all those pictures you saw in Sunday's Sandstorm.
I'm about caught up now. Wanted to say that if there's anybody
who was in the middle of a "conversation" with me and kinda
waiting for a response, you might want to remind me where we
were in our "conversation" so I can respond. This would include
anybody who has recently (in the last month or two) sent me
something that required an update on any of the Bomber websites.
If you haven't seen your update show up where it was supposed
to, please send me a reminder.
What I used to do was leave the email in my inbox until I did
whatever I was supposed to do before deleting the email. There
were 212 emails in my inbox... COULD be there were just too
many? Maybe my email program didn't want any more than 200? I'm
gonna do things a little differently now.
Again, THANK YOU, Richard.
Bomber cheers,
-Maren Smyth ('63 & '64) ~ Gretna, LA
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****************************************************************
>>From: Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
Last year I didn't get all the Christmas cards out.
This year, I decided to do Holiday cards, including
Thanksgiving. They included the annual letter, bringing
folks up to date. Thought I would send it out to Bomber
friends near and far -- so here it goes:
November, 2007 Blessings of peace to you – our friends and
family! It has been quite a year of change at Haven Farm! Thomas
stopped work as a software engineer in March although he still
consults on occasion. That same month we began to close Lynn-
Marie's private psychiatric practice. Good experience & we had
served the neediest of people until a new practitioner could
start at a funded clinic there in Clarkston, WA. But we were
going broke doing it on our own – without state funding! She
went through a few work-related changes, getting to where we are
now. She practices outpatient psychiatry in four rural clinics
for the State of Idaho, seeing adults on Mondays, & children &
adolescents Tues-Thurs. Mon-Thurs Thomas is a full time farmer &
househusband. Fri-Sun we work together, sharing projects, giving
thanks at how blessed we are to live where we do -- & marveling
at how much work there is still to be done, after 2.5 years here
already! We keep saying "Everything takes more time & costs more
money than expected!"
We raised our 1st two hogs from 30# to about 220# in 4 months.
Yummy! We also have yard full of chickens that we got as 34
chicks in May. Some hens are laying now (over a dozen eggs some
days!), & some hens & roosters are making great dinners! Thomas
designed & built a great chicken coop this fall.
We decided to give up on goats. Our first four did a lot of tree
damage. They were an experiment - older goats that we adopted.
When the time came to put them down, we agreed that we will get
sheep next time -- after we finish bringing the pastures into
good condition. That is an ongoing battle, as they had been
neglected for so long. The two horses are doing okay on the
pastures already, so we have made progress. We still continually
have to move temporary fencing for them though. And we had to
buy hay for winter, of course.
We are now working on building the greenhouse, which will open
up from the dining room out on to deck extension Thomas built.
Next on our list is roofing the BIG pig sty so it can be used
by the horses for winter shelter. (Old barn completely down now.
New barn – expensive! – is still in the future.)
We put up a big crop of corn this year & lots of plum jam. The
garden was productive, but we learned a lot from some mistakes
we made. So next year we are expanding it & changing the way
we approach certain aspects of it. The orchard we planted in
spring, 2006, is thriving overall. Had to replace a few trees,
& are moving a couple to a less sunny area. Learning as we go.
Should get some real crop next year!
Eldest grandson, Asher (will be 4 in January) stayed with us
several times this year. He is quite the farm boy. His parents &
little brother, Noah (will be 2 in April) were around once in a
while, too. Noah will be old enough to come alone by next fall.
Middle grandson, Jameson (will be 4 in February), came for a
visit with his parents in September. As always, we wish our kids
& grandkids lived closer so they could be a part of building up
the farm & especially profit from the joys & lessons of living
rural! But they all have busy lives going, & most are no further
away than Seattle – 6.5 hours by car, 1.5 by plane.
Our youngest 'child' (young man!), Nikolai, graduated from high
school in June, with honors. He decided not to go directly into
the Marines after all. Instead he moved to Sacramento (& the
only one living outside of Washington State) in September. He is
working as a nurses’ aide, & preparing to start nursing school.
He has learned some interesting "first time out of the nest"
lessons already. And he misses the farm. But he has a lot of
friends, and loves his work. He'll be a great nurse!
At Haven Farm, we rely on the grace & guidance of God in
our life path – which is not always an easy one, but always
interesting! He continues to watch over us in love and mercy,
for which we give daily thanks! We pray for blessed Thanksgiving
& Christmas Seasons, & a New Year of peace within & spiritual
growth for each of you.
May the Lord Bless and Keep You!
Thomas & Lynn-Marie Peashka
-Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
All of the talk regarding questions on applications regarding
Vietnam era veterans got me thinking. I went into the WAC
in January 1974 and even though the war was declared over I
still got a National Defense Ribbon upon graduating from basic
training in March of that year because they still had a lot of
the ribbons left. When I have filled out applications and it
asked if you're a veteran I say yes and technically it is
considered a Vietnam era veteran. I had decided to go back to
school in the mid '80s and knew I still had some GI Bill
benefits left. I only had a year but it helped as I had out of
state tuition to pay. The only sad thing about it was it was
right after the "Graham-Rudman Bill" passed and there were cuts
in the benefits allowed to deserving people. When I lost my
job 2 years ago I had someone ask me if I thought my age were
holding me back and I said I hope not as that's discrimination.
They usually don't ask a year of high school graduation but I
just got thinking if by answering I'm a veteran of that period
they figure I may be too old to handle the job.
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA where it's cooler and wet but
then hey it's western Washington after all
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Gale Waldkoetter Skaugstad ('72)
via Gale's mother, Doreen Hallenbeck Waldkoetter ('51)
Re: Sally Sheeran Heath ('58)
http://www.adn.com/outdoors/story/9463551p-9374818c.html
-Gale Waldkoetter Skaugstad ('72) - Fairbanks, AK
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/20/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
9 Bombers sent stuff:
Dick McCoy ('45), Helen Cross ('62)
Shirley Sherwood ('62), Jim House ('63)
Mike Lahrman ('63), Dennis Hammer ('64)
David Rivers ('65), Alan Lobdell ('69)
Brad Upton ('74)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mike McKeown ('60)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Vernona Chappelle ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Laurie Fraser ('79)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dick McCoy ('45Beaver/'46Bomber))
To: Maren Smyth ('63 & '64) and Richard Anderson ('60)
...for the over and beyond work. Do you need any financial help
for the phone bill or did you win the lottery?
[I have UNLIMITED long distance for $20/mo. When Qwest
first made that offer, I asked them to please repeat that.
Then I asked "For how long?". They said "Forever", so I
said "Sign me up." -Maren]
To: Ann Clatworthy Weyerts-Hogshead ('54)
You drove a '52 dodge in a sanctioned race? Now I can add you
to the nutty portion of your family, which includes all but
your mother, who remains somewhat questionable for hanging
around all those years.
-Dick McCoy ('45Beaver/'46Bomber)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Helen Cross Kirk ('62)
Greetings, fellow Bombers. I have been scanning all the daily
Sandstorms when I get the chance. Life has become very busy for
the preacher and this preacher's wife, as we are moving into
the Advent Season. I've had to take over the youth group in one
church, but thankfully the regular teacher is back, so I can
help her....
There are so many things I'd like to comment on. I am very
interested in the Civil War. I'm joining the Lincoln Society
here, and will be helping to celebrate the 200th birthday of
Abraham Lincoln on Feb. l2, 2009 with a year-long celebration.
I'm so excited as we recently visited an Amish community and I
found a summer era dress and matching bonnet that fits, so I'll
have something to wear for all the celebrations, plus when the
river boats land 6 times in Grandview, we want to wear "old-time
clothing.." And I'm so glad I don't have totry to make as in sew
something, as that would be an effort for me.
We did go see the Shiloh battlefield a few years ago, and went
to Gettysburg years ago, but I'd like to go back. I just read a
very interesting book on that era, called "Lincoln's Virtues"
about his speech makings policies by William Miller. I guess
that the slave issue really was a big deal in the war between
the North and South. One of my ancestors on my dad's side,
Willilam (I believe) Buffum was involved as a Union soldier in
trying to steal a train from the Confederate Army in Tennessee
in about l862, and was captured, but not shot. He was one of
the first to receive the Congressional Medal of Honor for that
action. (I'm writing this from memory, but if I go home and
check the facts, I won't get this written.)
My email address remains the same, so don't know why there have
been problems with email to me being rejected, and no, my email
box is not overfull. I have lots of room left, thankfully, as I
won't tell you how many emails I store.....
I'd like to send birthday greetings to Nancy Riggs Lawrence ('51)
I tried to email you, but it was just returned.
John, Adkins ('62) thanks for the great DVDs you sent me and my
Japanese friend of our reunion. I'm sure they are great. In my
technically challenging state I haven't viewed it yet. But I
will get that check in the mail, as I've said every day since I
got them...
I close wishing all blessings and prayers for the upcoming
Holiday season and all it means. I know this is different for
some, but I do thank God for the many blessings we have being
here in the United States with all our security and comforts,
and opportunities to be free to do what we believe in.
-Helen Cross Kirk ('62)
P.S. I also should brag that my niece, Karin Cross (sadly
not a Bomber, as she lives in Kennewick) went to the State
level in swimming competitions this month. While she didn't
bring home a medal, we are very proud of her for getting to
that level. Her dad, Roy Cross ('65) my brother is very
proud of her I know, as we didn't even come close to that
in our wonder years of completive swimming, but we did have
fun, and it kept us off the streets.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Shirley Sherwood Milani ('62)
We just completed a two month tour around the U.S. First time
I'd ever done that. We were in 27 different states. I can see
how people get hooked on history. It's always been my favorite
subject (Mr. Slaby might have disagreed with that), but I had
never studied the Civil War. We spent time in Gettysburg and I
was fascinated. I bought the book "The Killer Angels" by Michael
Shaara, and once I started it I couldn't put it down. It's one
of a trilogy and deals only with the Battle of Gettysburg. You
people who have studied the Civil War have probably read it
already. I'm also getting Ken Burn's Civil War documentary on
Netflix every week. I want to read the rest of Shaara's books as
well. Shaara won the Pulitzer for this book and after you read
it that comes as no surprise.
-Shirley Sherwood Milani ('62)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Jim House ('63)
I encourage all Bombers of the Vietnam era to read "Stolen Valor
– How the Vietnam Generation was Robbed of its Heroes and its
History" by B. G. Burkett and Glenna Whitely published in 1998.
The book is supported by thorough research and well-documented
references. It debunks many of the stereotypes and myths about
Vietnam veterans.
To: Mike Brady ('61)
The author was inspired to right the book because of his own
experience when interviewing for jobs after a year in Vietnam
(in a non combat role) and getting a masters degree. After
one interview he was told that the company "did not hire baby
killers". In your case, I would give preferential consideration
to a Navy Corpsman, just as the Marines do. In my case, I spent
a rewarding career with a company who valued my experience as a
Marine officer that somehow trumped a rather shaky transcript
compared to those of other candidates competing for the
position. Your question is certainly valid.
To: Dena Evans (‘64)
The "miserable soul" you referred to, may or may not, have the
problems that you say he denies having. While I should defer to
the health professionals, I think it is unlikely that he caught
alcoholism while in Vietnam. There is also a good chance he
did not even witness or participate in the atrocities he talks
about. "Stolen Valor" reports numerous cases of phony veterans
claiming to have participated in atrocities. The book also notes
that less than 15% of Vietnam veterans actually served in combat
units. Of course the other 85% had jobs just as important to
the war effort as those carrying a rifle in the jungles and rice
patties, they just did not experience combat. (We've recently
seen Iraq veterans in Washington State making similar claims for
reasons unknown to me, perhaps for self-importance, or to be
a victim, or to obtain benefits, or to support some political
cause). On the other hand, those who served in Rusty Calley's
platoon at My Lai, should have nightmares, and in my opinion,
are criminals unworthy of government benefits.
To: Alan Lobdell ('69)
I am glad you pointed out the high number of bogus claims made
to the VA. I recently attended a "Veterans' Fair" hosted by my
Congresswomen. She seemed proud of the improved performance of
the local VA hospital and no politician is going to campaign on
reducing fraud in the VA. Everyone wants to throw money at the
veterans. The fair I attended had three different booths set up
offering to help those with PTSD. I picked up one pamphlet that
listed 18 symptoms. When I told the host that I did not have the
symptoms. The response was "Oh really???? Yes, I still maintain
the my most serious lingering issue was caused by a high school
girlfriend who took my name off her dance card rather than
anything I experienced in combat.
I also recently attended reunions where two individuals were
boasting of finally getting their "100%" ($36k per year tax
free) for PTSD although they said they were not suffering. They
were eager to coach others to game the system. "Stolen Valor"
includes chapters such as "PTSD Made Easy" and "The Vietnam
Veterans Guide to Tax Free Living".
As for atrocities, the book points our there were much fewer
rapes, murders and other atrocities in Vietnam compared to the
Americans fighting in the "good war" WWII. Vietnam veterans do
not commit suicide at a higher rate than the rest of their age
group. The casualties were not disproportionate for low income
or minorities compared to the rest of the population. Vietnam
casualties were better educated and came from higher income
areas than other wars. They are no more likely to be homeless
than those who did not serve.
To: Betti Avant ('69)
Your suggestion that you received a ribbon "because they still
had a lot of ribbons" might be demeaning to others like you who
stood up to serve our country in that era. Thank you for your
service.
Unlike Alan ('69), I let myself get worked up this time.
Hopefully I will return to my brief, jovial, Bomber-loving self
soon.
-Jim House ('63) ~ Mead, WA
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****************************************************************
>>From: Mike Lahrman ('63)
Thanks for remembering. Happy Holidays to all,
-Mike Lahrman ('63)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dennis Hammer ('64)
To: Civil War Buffs
I do have great-great-grandfather who almost certainly was at
the Battle of Pea Ridge. His regiment, the Phelps' Regiment
Missouri Volunteers was there so he probably was. This regiment
was organized in Rolla, Missouri by future governor of Missouri
John Phelps and only existed for six months. My gg-grandmother
had written a summary of her life sometime between 1890 and 1900
and was published in the paper when she died in 1913 at age 87.
Here is a part of it: "We lived [in Arkansas] until the war of
1861. On account of my husband's union principles he had to
leave the state and go North. He joined the union army under
General Seigle, left me with five children, the oldest one
J.M. Miller, was 16 years old. On September 19, 1861, James
had to leave home. He started North , but was captured by
the Confederates. That left me with four children, the oldest
thirteen years of age."
"In the fall of 1862, I loaded part of my household furniture
into a wagon drawn by oxen and started North. I cannot describe
the troubles and trials I had to undergo (with a sick child in
rain and cold) before we landed in Rolla, Phelps County, MO.
I lived in Rolla until the war closed. I lost three of my
children, the 2nd oldest one that was home, and my dear little
babe that was born in Rolla."
"As the war clouds began to clear away my husband was
discharged, and James came home also, and my husband went to
Howell County, picked out a homestead four miles northwest of
West Plains, home steading 147 acres. We landed on our homestead
on the 24th day of December 1865. (I guess our homestead was
about the first taken in the county.)* We lived on the farm
about fifteen years then sold out and bought property in West
Plains. We lived together happily until January 24, 1901,
when after a protracted illness, God saw fit to take my loving
companion to himself to enjoy the realities of a never ending
blessedness."
I only know the names of three of the children. She states her
husband came back after the war, but the Phelps' regiment was
only in existence for six months, so I wonder if he was also
in another unit. Only the Phelps Regiment is mentioned in his
pension papers. It also seems funny that she doesn't mention
that her son James Monroe Miller who was captured by
Confederates spent a couple years in the 3rd Pennsylvania Heavy
Artillery out of which was formed (and he went with them) the
188th Pennsylvania Infantry. He must have stood out, Born in
Tennessee, had lived most of his life in Alabama, then a short
time in Arkansas; so here he is in a Pennsylvania outfit in the
Civil War and I bet he has quite a Southern accent.
I haven't taken the time or money needed to do the research I
want to do yet, but they have recently raised the fee quite a
bit to get copies of service records and pension papers.
If anyone is searching for Missouri Civil War ancestors, or any
war from War of 1812 through World War I The Missouri Secretary
of State has a site where you can search by name or regiment,
and can click on and see a copy of the index card for that
individual.
http://www.sos.mo.gov/archives/soldiers/
The card for my ancestor in Phelps' Regiment enlisted as Private
and was promoted to 1st Sergeant. His pension papers also say
Sergeant. The National Parks Service lists him as in and Private
and out as Private. So you can't even get official records to
agree.
-Dennis Hammer ('64) ~ Kennewick just on the outskirts of
home--Richland
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: David Rivers ('65)
Re: Does it ever end?
First and foremost... when I make fun of Maddy ('67) it's all
fun... but nobody else better ever mess with my boy because he
IS my hero and my dear pal... Second but never second... I
missed Mickey Hemphill's ('66) birthday on the 15th but I made
up for it best I could... Now... yesterday, I put on a brand new
pair of black Converse low cuts... the reason I did that is
because my VERY FIRST pair were getting so nasty it was
almost... I say almost embarrassing to wear them... now how
could I still be wearing my first pair? Easy... In the day, I
couldn't afford a pair... Now Harrah ('65) tells me they were
only 5 bucks at BB&M... that may be true... but if it is then 5
bucks mighta just as well been 50 smackers... Luckily for me,
Richard Twedt ('64) discovered that they also sold an indoor
track shoe that cost maybe 3 bucks... I guess the difference in
2 bucks meant the difference of gas money and smokes... So... in
1995 I went to the Sports Shoe store... dunno the name and
decided I was finally gonna have me a pair of those coveted
shoes... I stood looking at them for what seemed to be hours...
should I shouldn't I... it was awful... could I finally afford
them... (they were 25 bucks now... probably the least expensive
shoe in the store)... it took me forever to buck up with that
25 bucks... I had probably spent 3 times that earlier in the
morning on something I HAD to have that I don't even remember
now... I finally made up my mind to splurge (funny... years
before my daughter HAD to have a pair of "British Knights"...
they had been 25 smackers and I was horrified... she wore them
once and was beat up in the bathroom by a gang of girls who
called them "Blood Killers"...) I wore them to our 35th reunion
and was soooooooo charged... everybody said "look he's wearing
black converse"... and so... yesterday, after thinking long and
hard... I decided to put on the new pair that had been in the
closet as a gift for maybe 5 years... apparently, my first pair
sorely needed replacing when they were given to me... Oh... I
haven't thrown the first pair away yet... someone suggested they
could be bronzed... kinda big to use as book ends... even for
heavy law books... There is a lot more I want to say on this
subject about being haunted by our childhood... Things about
proving to ourselves that we are OK... I say to ourselves
because that's what it's really all about isn't it... and
proving to our Dads (at least for guys) that we aren't total
losers... my Dad's been gone for 10 years... am I over it? Davis
('65) says my Dad was VERY proud of me... he told Terry... many
times... Terry is another story... one about a kid who came over
from Spalding and just wanted to be one of the guys at Jason
Lee... I never wanted Terry's place in the pecking order... it
never occurred to me I was a threat to him... I never wanted
to be... we were always buds... but every time I would feel
comfortable about myself... BAM he'd knock me down... don't get
me wrong... he's not a bad kid... just a kid... so even tho he
and I have got past all that and even tho I know he dotes on
me... there's still that little kid nagging... I wonder if I'm
OK... whew... when do we get over all that? Got a client waiting
so gotta go... I will try and finish this later... not today...
some other day... when I get up the nerve again... know what I
mean?
-David Rivers ('65)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Alan Lobdell ('69)
To: All of us older vets
We have a large number of young men and women coming back from
two war zones who have the same problems as everyone who made it
back from Nam. I hope everyone thinks about this and is willing
to do some small part in helping them not have to go through
the 30 to 45 years we have. Getting them to understand that the
fear, hyperalertness, looking over your shoulder, swerving your
car to avoid potholes or anything that could be an IED, bad
dreams, unable to sleep at night, urge to kill something
anything, short temper, headaches, etc., etc., etc. are a
NATURAL REACTION TO AN UN-NATURAL EVENT. It is not your fault,
and you are not crazy, nor are you the only one thinking that
way. There is help for you if you will get to the service
organizations that are in place to provide that help.
Please encourage any new vet or parent of a new vet to point
them in the direction where they can get help. To all Viet Nam
Era Vets, maybe we can give these new vets a better chance to
live a better life if we talk to them and let them know they are
not alone. Don't tell them war stories, tell them how you felt
when you came home and let them know it's not a sign of being
crazy! We can make a difference for them if we try, one at a
time.
To: Dennis Hammer ('64)
I know exactly how you feel on this issue. The third time I saw
my brother shot up from being over there I was so angry I could
hardly stand it. When he got out of the Corps he showed me all
of the scars he had. He looked like Swiss cheese. I got mad to
the point of wanting revenge. I went to the different services
and asked what the quickest route to Nam was. The Marine Corps
two year hitch I was told, so I signed up. Then boot camp, ITR,
artillery, nuclear weapons training, nuclear supply procedures
training, NCO school and then finally orders for Okinawa end
stop Southeast Asia. I had the orders for about two days when
I was called to the captain's office and he took my orders and
informed me that they were cancelled. I asked why and was told
"You don't need to know." That was it, I spent my time in 29
Palms, CA raging mad at the Corps. One of the reasons I denied
having been in the Corps for almost 25 years. I never realized
until many years latter that it is a form of survivor's guilt
and that I had been asking myself, why me, why wasn't I sent
over, all my friends were and a number of them never came back.
You feel guilty over something in which you have no control what
so ever and it does get you down.
I've learned over the last ten years that there was nothing I
could have done about it and it was out of my hands and that I
don't really have anything to feel guilty about but even at that
it is hard. I was in the Corps and was willing; God simply did
not put me there for whatever reason.
God Bless all Vets, new and old.
-Alan Lobdell ('69)
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>>From: Brad Upton ('74)
Frank Whiteside ('63) pointed out that: "Other than some
officers, most foot soldiers didn't own slaves. The vast
majority of Southerners owned no slaves." So really, it was
the rich corporations (plantation owners) that enjoyed cheap,
imported labor and supported the politicians that supported
their cause. Good thing we'll never make that mistake again!
-Brad Upton ('74)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/21/2007
Dateline: Richland
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
11 Bombers sent stuff:
Bill Witherup ('53), Mike Clowes ('54), George Swan ('59)
Larry Mattingly ('60), Dennis Hammer ('64), Jim Heidlebaugh ('65),
Linda McKnight ('65), David Rivers ('65), Donni Clark ('63)
Betti Avant ('69), Alan Lobdell ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Rosemary Qualheim ('63)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: John Crigler ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Deanna Fulcher ('72)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Bill Witherup ('53)
Press Release
On November 15th, 2007, poet and playwright Bill Witherup was
appointed to the position of "Artist-in-Residence" at Washington
Physicians for Social Responsibility. Witherup, a native
Washingtonian whose father worked at Hanford, is the author of
nine books of poetry and poetry in translation. Witherup has
been active in the peace movement, in labor issues and as an
advocate for prison reform since the 1970s. He sees the Artist-
in-Residence position as "a means of linking up the missions of
WPSR with the literary and arts communities both in the United
States and on the world stage."
-Bill Witherup ('53)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54)
To: Jim House ('63):
Thank you, and welcome home.
To: Betti Avant ('69):
If memory serves, the National Defense Medal began during or
shortly after World War II. It is/was awarded to all members of
the Armed Forces serving on active duty and upon completion of
"boot camp", OCS, ROTC or service academy graduation and
commissioning. I am not too certain when (or if) the Armed
Forces stopped issuing the medal. Granted, with the medal and
$1.50 you might be able to get a cup of coffee somewhere other
than Starbucks.
-Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54) ~ Mount Angel, OR
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****************************************************************
>>From: George "Pappy" Swan ('59)
To: Jim House ('63)
Re: Vietnam Era Veterans and "Stolen Valor"
Captain,
I echo your encouragement for all Bombers of the Vietnam era to
read "Stolen Valor -- How the Vietnam Generation was Robbed of
its Heroes and its History" by B. G. Burkett and Glenna Whitely
published in 1998. Your review of the book is directly on
target. In fact, it was you who recommended the book to me a
couple of years ago. It was indeed a real eye-opener for me.
I did my first "Four in the Corps" as an active duty regular and
was discharged in April of 1963 before the Vietnam War really
cranked up. Sixteen years later, I had learned to fly but was
too old to think about becoming a military pilot. I re-enlisted
to serve with the Marine Air Wing at Whidbey Island and trained
as a crew chief on Hueys for two 2-year enlistments, until the
"birds" were sent east and we were asked to become base support
personnel. I had come back in to fly, so I got out.
However, when I first joined the Active Reserves, to my
amazement, I was informed that I rated the National Defense
Ribbon, based upon the dates of my previous active service. I
had seen no action during that time. I was puzzled. During my
first enlistment, I had volunteered and requested Infantry and
for a period of time I had served with a Battalion Landing Team
on board troop ships. Once we were off the coast of Vietnam for
a while, loaded down with live ammo, waiting to go in by
helicopter to evacuate U.S. citizens. But, the operation was
canceled and so I was never actually "in country". I gave up
arguing and accepted the award. And besides, my single lonely
award up until then was the Good Conduct Ribbon (mostly because
I never got caught raising hell). So, that one little ribbon
finally had some company on my uniform. For those who don't
know, service ribbons are actually representative of the
corresponding medals which are normally worn only on dress
uniforms.
I too do not believe that any National Defense Medals were ever
given out just because they had some left over. I'm sure it was
based upon one's period of service and I believe the National
Defense Ribbon was awarded for active service (regardless of
location) between certain dates considered to be the beginning
and end of the Vietnam era. The National Defense Ribbon should
not be confused with other awards for service within the Vietnam
area considered "in country".
Reading the above book helped me, not to approve of or excuse
their actions, but to understand what was behind, the actions of
a lot of people that I am aware of and have met over the years
who made overly bold claims about their military service. Early
on, some had me feeling quite inadequate about my own service
compared to theirs, until I gradually learned that many were
outright frauds.
Most noteworthy, for me, was a childhood friend of mine who
later in life tried to convince his family and me that he had
flown "Tomcats" off of Navy carriers for the CIA on "Black Op's"
during the Vietnam War. I knew his claims were bogus but I
quizzed him about his unit and experiences anyway. He tried to
take a typical ploy used by many frauds (mentioned in "Stolen
Valor") and claimed that since it was "Black Op's" it was so
secret that his military records were expunged and therefore, no
record of his assignments or "Dangerous Missions" existed. I
finally called "BS" on him and reminded him that he must have
forgotten that, as a Marine stationed nearby, I had visited him
at his SAC Air Force base when he had given me a grand tour of
his duty station... where he was a computer technician. He, like
many, apparently felt such a need to be more or focused upon...
that he mentally rewrote a segment of his earlier life.
I respect any veteran, whether they have seen action or not. The
key is that they served their country and their fellow citizens.
However, I have learned that most "heroes" who were really in
the stuff, don't usually talk very freely about it. They're the
"real deal"! But, I become very suspicious when veterans, in
some cases, "veterans", all too easily volunteer and flaunt
their horror stories of war, especially when the stories sound
reminiscent of Hollywood action flicks. And, thus the reason for
the name of the book, "Stolen Valor".
-Sergeant Pappy ('59) ~ Retirement Duty Station Burbank, WA
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: J Larry Mattingly ('60)
Re: Fireworks and Nice News
Nice bit of news. We have been preparing for it for the last
week, and now have a signed contract. My company, Entertainment
Fireworks, will be live on "Good Morning America" on Wed., Nov.
28th. Details are still sketchy but the producer flew in today
and we will know more in a day or two. It is part of a program
to see the Christmas Lights celebration at Coeur d'Alene ID. We
will fire live before dawn for direct broadcast in New York with
tape delay in the west.
So, Saturday we will tear down this large display leaving enough
equipment to fire the next show on 2 of the barges out of the 5.
Then we beat feet to Olympia, pick up another display, grab some
clean clothes, and beat feet back here Monday to set up for the
show Wed AM. Rest assured we will put on a display suitable for
the occasion.
My oldest daughter's comment was "well, it only took you 50
years to get there."
The following Monday, Dec 3, I am off to Honolulu for Hawaii
OSHA. I will be doing a re-certification seminar for Hawaii
Licensed pyrotechnicians. Any Honolulu Bombers up for dinner
Monday or Tuesday night? Drop me a note and I will send you my
cell number, it works over there. I fly home Wed. the 5th.
Here's wishing you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving with
friends and loved ones.
"Happiness is the sky in bloom"
-J Larry Mattingly ('60)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Donni Clark Dunphy ('63)
Hi Bombers! When I wrote the other day, I forgot to say that
although it is so wonderful to see our amazing world and
especially the good old U.S.A., there is no place like coming
home and with a click finding my Bomber family waiting for me. I
agree with Donna Bowers, Richland will always be home. I am so
grateful for all of you!
It is that time of the year when I remember the cottonwoods and
poplars turning gold, Daddy putting the storm windows on, and
Jack Frost paying visits in the night. I can still smell Mom's
turkey in the oven. The best part was making the stuffing.
Breaking the bread a few days before so it would dry out, and
then waiting until it was all mixed with butter and tasting it
until it was just right. Mom's pumpkin pies were the best and
she piled on the homemade whip cream that was such a treat back
then. Richland Lutheran had a Thanksgiving service on
Thanksgiving Eve. I miss so much singing those old songs "We
Gather Together", "Come Ye Thank-full People, Come". And of
course we would watch Lawrence Welk and all of the other
wonderful Thanksgiving specials.
Tomorrow morning we are heading up to the Sierra Nevadas to
spend Thanksgiving with our daughter and her family in Minden
NV. I want to wish everyone a Blessed Thanksgiving and I hope
and pray each one of you have health, happiness, and family to
share! God Bless All!
-Donni Clark Dunphy ('63)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dennis Hammer ('64)
To: Helen Cross Kirk ('62)
Re: Andrew's Raid aka The Great Locomotive Chase
I remember seeing the Disney film, staring Davy Crockett (I mean
Fess Parker). Robert Buffum was the third to receive the Medal
of Honor, but it appears that he suffered from what we now call
PTSD. I don't know if you are aware of this site or not, but
they found his grave and placed a marker on it in 1995.
http://www.correctionhistory.org/auburn&osborne/miskell/buffum/buffum.html
-Dennis Hammer ('64) ~ Kennewick
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****************************************************************
>>From: Jim Heidlebaugh ('65)
Re: Civil War
The talk about the Civil War has been interesting. In fourth or
fifth grade, I checked out a book from the library at Jason Lee.
Our librarian's name was Mrs. Oakes. I think she may have been
in her 70's at that time. She told me that her dad enlisted in
the Union army at 15, and had been in a parade with President
Lincoln. If she was in her 70's in the mid-fifties... not sure
why this has stuck with me all these years... don't remember
what I had for lunch.
-Jim Heidlebaugh ('65)
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>>From: Linda McKnight Hoban ('65)
First off, Happy Thanksgiving to all Bombers. I for one have
lots to be thankful for, but won't be having the usual turkey-
induced coma this year. Denny and I, plus our Sunny (Pomeranian)
will be headed to the beach, Seaside, Oregon in fact, on
Thanksgiving Day. We plan to stop at Camp 18, because I have
never been there, and hopefully have lunch, if they are open,
which I don't really want to find out until we are there (to
avoid early disappointment). We plan to also soak up some
history of the timber industry as this was known as the largest
log cabin ever built. Can't wait!! Haven't been out of town
since our return from Sturgis. Looking forward to walking on the
beach, hand in hand with my honey... and with Sunny.
Just my two cents worth regarding Viet Nam Veterans, VA
benefits, etc. I am hopeful that investigation is done before
benefits are paid, and more importantly whether the Vietnam Vet
truly suffered the symptoms of PTSD. My first transcription job,
after returning to college for further training as a medical
transcriptionist, was working for a company that had a contract
with the VA Hospital in this area. The reports I transcribed
were Psych Evaluations a lot of the times, and the narrative
portion about the individual veteran's "war experience" were
heart-wrenching and gruesome. I don't believe I would be able to
forget that, if it happened to me.
My ex-father-in-law was a Marine in World War II. The details
of where and when are a bit sketchy to me, but the gist of part
of his "war experience" is this. He was a survivor of an attack,
and there were other survivors, but many, many casualties all
around him, dead young men like himself. They were rescued by a
Navy ship. When on board the Navy ship, none of the sailors
would get close to the Marines, because they smelled... of
death. My mother-in-law said that each and every war that
occurred after World War II brought all of this back in the
open... like a fresh wound.
I have a couple of very, very close friends who married men who
went to Vietnam. One friend said that you didn't dare wake him
quickly; more than once she and her children hid in the closet
during episodes while he was fighting non-existent Viet Cong. My
other friend said her husband came home and marched in the peace
marches.
There will always be people trying to buck the system. The
veterans who need benefits desperately are not getting them, or
are not getting them soon enough. Write your elected officials.
Our Oregon legislators really do listen.
I will now get down off my soapbox. (As my Daddy would say,
"Linda, get down off your soapbox!! Stop carrying the flag for
all your causes!" Oh, how I miss my Dad.)
Bomber Cheers,
-Linda McKnight Hoban ('65) ~ from Beautiful Suburban Tigard,
Oregon, where the sun is shining and Sunny is barking
at the UPS truck going by... she hates that truck,
all 6 pounds of her.
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****************************************************************
>>From: David Rivers ('65)
Re: A few Ramblings
Dang....Saw Number 32's ('63) name in the Sandstorm and of
course hadda read what Uncle Jimmy had to say...I've never seen
so much from Jim except when describing every play ever made by
the Bombers while he was playing...I mean the guy can tell you
what EVERY player did...I once witnessed Jim and Rodney Brewer
('65) talking about the games and these guys have not forgotten
a single moment....but he wasn't talking about B-Ball...I will
admit that I don't read every word written in the sandstorm so
when something like this comes up I have to go back and read all
that was said...I was very surprised when I first learned of
the Viet-Vet wanna be's out there...never occurred to me that
somebody would be so brazen as to claim to be a Vet when they
weren't....but as a Lawyer I have to be a bit a shamed of my
naivete...I have always been naive...tell me something and I
take you at your word no questions asked...Duh...you'd think I'd
learn
I will tell you that Vietnam did not turn me into an
alcoholic...I loved booze from the moment I met it in the back
seat of Charlie Warford's ('61) '56 Chevy...way before I went to
Vietnam....I bought a house once on a VA loan but that's as
close to making any claims I've come...when my head fell off my
shoulders a couple of years ago I knew what caused it but didn't
go to the VA because I am lucky enough to be able to go to a
private Doc....I have a bout 70 percent of my functions back and
that's amazing to me and I am grateful for all 70%...I know
very well that I have brothers and sisters out there who did not
have the 40 100% years I had before my injury took its toll...I
admire Rick Maddy ('67) and others out there who have had to
cope with their injuries all these years...A half hour with
Rick in person would convince anyone that he is as at peace
with his situation as anyone can be...One of the things I admire
about number 32 is his calm demeanor...when he writes more than
a sentence I know I need to read it all...every word at least
twice...I have always had this thing where when I read the
written words of someone I know I read it in that person's
voice....I read Jim's words in his voice and it was just as tho
he was sitting in a chair across from me...will I read the
book? You're darned right...
On another note...Our resident movie "star", Terry Davis (Knox
'65) starts shooting a horror movie on December 3...cool...he
should get a pay check for his birthday...I can't believe they
are paying him what they are paying him...Geeeeeeeez...he's not
even gonna look like himself...they coulda had me for half the
price...anyway, I've had some of the make up pix for quite
sometime but when they postponed filming didn't send them
in...I'll send them with this post...
http://alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071121-Rivers-00.html
for you Civil War buffs,
Terry will also be making a Civil War film in Georgia starting
in January...hopefully...don't have any pix of that...I had a
clip of an interview with Terry on that but have no clue where
it is in this machine...
For all you Vets out there...hang in there
-David Rivers ('65)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
Re: Service ribbon
To Jim House ('63):
I wasn't inferring that they gave us the ribbons because they
had so many left over, that's just what our drill sergeant told
us. I was proud to serve and I'd do it again if I were younger.
My last job was at Madigan 2 years ago. When personnel would be
seen after returning from Iraq they went through a lot of tests.
They decided if any came through our department (and I imagine
others) we were to ask them a certain question. If they said yes
then we hurried to get them through our area so they could spend
some much needed time with their families. Some of them had
languished a bit longer than they should have, hence the changes.
God bless those who serve.
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA where the last 2 days the Alumni
Sandstorm hasn't come to my in-box
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****************************************************************
>>From: Alan Lobdell ('69)
To: Jim House ('63)
You are correct on the PTSD money mill that is going on around
the country for vets. I have seen it many times. For some reason
(money) there are those providing ways to get 100% on PTSD for
any vet who can prove they were in Nam. I have even seen cases
where coaching was offered to help the so-called suffering vet
get by the psychological evaluation. The right things to do,
words to say, etc. It doesn't matter what they were in the
service or what they did. I know of one retired Marine Colonel
who had a very bad childhood with a stepfather who abused him
badly and he was able to pin all his problems on the service;
bingo, 100%. I also know a sergeant and a couple PFCs who have
received 100% and for the life of me I cannot find anything
wrong with them other then they don't want to work and hate the
world. They do seem very happy the first of each month when
their check comes in.
By the way, a few years ago a number of guys here on the west
side of Washington decided to go out and talk to the vets
holding signs along the highway entrances to see if they could
help them out. Big surprise, over the weekend they did this they
only found one out of about two dozen with signs who was in fact
a vet. Needless to say the guys don't do that anymore.
Please don't let what I have said take anything away from the
real suffering vets. Many do have severe problems both physical
and mental and deserve the help. It's the fakes I cannot stand.
-Alan Lobdell ('69)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/22/2007 ~ HAPPY THANKSGIVING
Dateline: Richland
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
5 Bombers sent stuff:
Dick Wight ('52), Roy Ballard ('63)
Dennis Hammer ('64), Linda Reining ('64)
Betti Avant ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Ellen Spitaleri ('65)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Sandi Cherrington ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Dawn Bell ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jo Clark ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Brent Christi ('71)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Brad Wear ('71)
11/22/1963 JFK Assassination
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2003/Xtra/1963-12-09SSpg1.htm
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dick Wight ('52)
Re: National Defense Service Medal
The entries by Bob Carlson ('54) and "Pappy" Swan ('59) prompt
me to offer the following factual data regarding the Nation
Defense Service Medal. It was awarded to all active duty
military personnel including USCG (which is one of the 5 Armed
Services by law since WW II) and uniformed Public Health Service
folks serving with the military. Later on, the last two periods,
it was also awarded to reservists and National Guard folks
serving on active duty for reasons other than training. Periods
of eligibility are: 27 Jun '50 - 27 July '54 (Korean War), 01
Jan '61 - 14 Aug '74 (Viet Nam conflict), 02 Aug '90 - 30 Nov
'95 (Desert Shield/Storm?), Sept 11 '01 - present (Iraq War).
This medal grew out of the American Defense Service Medal from
WWII. Since it was awarded to all folks serving in the military,
there were lots of awards and it ranks low (lowest?) in
precedence. Those who served in more than one period display a
gold star on the medal or ribbon for each additional period. I
have 1 gold star, having served in the first two periods, but
not "in-country" in either. "In-country" folks received
additional awards. Korean Service medal comes to mind. All kinds
of specialized medals exist out there. For instance, I have the
Arctic Service Medal, 3 Commendation Medals, and one Meritorious
Service Medal. These types of awards are performance-based, like
the higher combat ones: Bronze/Silver Stars, Distinguished
Flying Crosses, Medals of Honor, etc.
I doubt any National Defense Medals were ever handed out just
because they had "extras", but as you can see, the criteria are
pretty low!
Regards to all.
-Dick Wight ('52) ~ near Branson, MO where veterans are treated
VERY well indeed! ~ year around!
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****************************************************************
>>From: Roy Ballard ('63)
To Jim House ('63), Pappy Swan ('59), and all other Nam Vets,
thanks for your service. I too did my time in Vietnam, as an
airman in the Air Force, was stationed in Nha Trang, south of
Cam Rahn Bay. I did some convoy work when I was allowed, so did
get to see some other places other than my home base.
But nowadays I have a feeling that I didn't do my share. It
still brings moisture to my eyes when I think about it. I've
got a good friend that spent 3 tours in Nam, all on river boats;
Chuck has a lot of trouble with PTSD and it is hard to see
what he goes through; did get to take him fishing off Vancouver
Island twice and he had a great time while there, but did have
problems when coming home, one time.
I will have to get "Stolen Honor" and read it. Right now I'm
trying to finish a book called "An Enormous Crime" by Rep. Bill
Hendon and Elizabeth A. Stewart, it's about all of the reports
of GI's that have been reported to be seen still remaining in
Nam, Laos, and Cambodia. They are in hidden caves, compounds,
and every other place that you can think of. I've written to
both of our senators here in Washington, but no replies from
either and one is on the Veterans Affairs committee. It is a
very informative book and if what is reported to be seen is
true, this country has a lot of soul searching to do.
I guess that I should do as Linda McKnight Hoban ('65) says,
"get off my soapbox," so I will. Thanks to all the Vietnam Vets
and I wish the best for all.
-Roy Ballard ('63)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Dennis Hammer ('64)
To: George "Pappy" Swan ('59), Jim House ('63), Betti Avant ('69)
Re: National Defense Medal
Here is a Wikipedia article on the National Defense Medal with a
lot of good information on it and shows the dates for which it
covers.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Defense_Medal
It was created in 1953, but covers a time period back to 1950.
It basically is for anyone in uniform no matter where they
served and covers the time period of the Korean War, Vietnam
War, Gulf War, and War on Terrorism. Since it was retroactive to
June 27, 1950 I bet a lot of vets who served during that time do
not know they are entitled to it. You Korean War Bombers might
want to check that out. Yes Pappy, according to the dates, you
are entitled to it too. In the Navy we called it the "gedunk
medal" because everyone got one.
Re: Korea Defense Medal
There is a new one for Korea that covers operations after the
cease-fire. Created in 2002 and covers the time since 1954.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Korea_Defense_Service_Medal
Some Bombers might be entitled to this one also. I got the Armed
Forces Expeditionary Medal for Korea when the North shot down
that radar plane, but I wasn't there for thirty days, so I missed
this one.
Re: Vietnam Gallantry Cross (Unit Citation)
Another one that I bet a lot of Bombers are entitled to and
don't know about it is the Vietnam Gallantry Cross as a Unit
Citation.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_Gallantry_Cross
We received it in 1970 I think. It was from the government of
South Vietnam and at that time awarded to the (1st Marines?) and
every ship that had fired in support of them going back for
years. A lot of sailors and Marines that were entitled to it at
that time didn't know about it because they were either
transferred or discharged by that time. If I understand it
correctly, virtually everyone in the Army in Vietnam is entitled
to this one.
The last year and a half I was in I could have been wearing the
Navy Unit Commendation. It was for the last cruise on that heavy
cruiser, but apparently it was awarded at the decommissioning
ceremony, three fourths of us were already at new duty stations
by then and didn't know about it. I found about it years later
when I joined the veterans association of that ship. I guess I
could have my DD 214 upgraded and it added, but I don't know
that it really matters any more.
I also have a Good Conduct Medal; and, sort of like Pappy, if I
ever show it to someone I generally say something like, "And to
show you how stupid they are, this is a Good Conduct Medal."
Re: Fakers
Even while in the service we had some fakers, but the best story
I heard was told by a "lifer" while I was still in. He said that
once, when he was a newbie, during a personnel inspection the
Captain finished inspecting a row of men, then turned around and
came back to a young kid, pointed to a ribbon he was wearing and
said, "I was there; and I was only 19 years old when I was
there." Then turned and walked off.
-Dennis Hammer ('64)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Linda Reining ('64)
re:vets
the vets here in Bakersfield, have what they call, "stand down"
every October---it is held in the park, they put up tents, have
reps from the VA and other "helps" for veterans, plus a group of
vets from Korea and Viet Nam, that get together to give advice
and just be "an ear" for these guys to talk to. they try to help
them find jobs, give them a "square meal"(a lot of them are
homeless and spend their days and nights living on the streets
and in the parks), also give them haircuts, clothes, shoes, and
warm jackets, if they need them. it is so sad to think that we
treat our vets this way---they gave more than we can ever know
for our freedoms and we have repaid a great many of them very
shabbily. I am so thankful that the men and women that served in
Desert Storm and, now Iraq, are being treated ten times better
than the ones who came home from 'Nam were! a great number of
Americans need to be ashamed of the way they treated thsoe vets-
---they didn't ask for that war and they did what they were told
and when they came home, they were treated like criminals! what
a shame!
Linda Reining.......Bakersfield, CA...temps have finally gotten
cooler and we haven't used the a/c for two days, now! *grin*
Happy Thanksgiving, Bombers everywhere
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****************************************************************
>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
I'd like to wish all of you a good "Turkey Day", don't overstuff
yourselves (*).
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA where the sun has returned but
with colder temperatures.
*******************************************
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/23/2007 ~ "SHOP TILL YOU DROP" DAY
Dateline: Richland
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4 Bombers sent stuff:
Bill Berlin ('56), Tom Verellen ('60)
Carol Converse ('64), Pam Ehinger ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Gayle Dawson ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Bill Berlin ('56)
Best Thanksgiving wishes to Bombers everywhere and I hope it was
a great holiday for all. I can remember big family Thanksgiving
dinners at our house on GWW and my dad expected brother Bruce
(KHS '63) and me to help in the prep department; e.g., spud
peeling, carrot peeling, squash cutting, etc. I think we
alternated between our house and Cuz Bev Smith Jochen's ('52)
place, but always fond memories of T-Day. I also remember turkey
MRE's in Nam... not so good memories.
To: Bill Witherup ('53)
Congratulations on your appointment by the Washington Physicians
for Social Responsibility. Not sure what that means, Social
Responsibility, but would like to know if you care to elaborate.
Re: Mrs. Oaks
The Oaks lived just down the street on GWW from us and yes, she
was well into her 70's and still working in the School District.
Her husband was older and retired, but a nice guy. You had to
know my dad to fully understand how brother Bruce and I got into
some of these situations; but, being military, we got routine
Marching Orders during our teen years. One of my "duties" was to
weekly take the Oaks to the grocery store and help carry their
bags out of the store and back into their house. They had a cool
1939 or 1940 Ford that I would have bought in a blink of an eye
because it was great to drive and had maybe 15,000 miles on it.
One day I looked out in the parking lot, which was part of the
compound, and there sat a 1956 Mercury Monterey hardtop with the
first Moon Roof I had ever seen. The Oaks had traded in the
little Ford for this luxury, drive like you were on a cloud,
chic magnet vehicle. Going to the store was now very cool, you
know, arm out of the window, short sleeves rolled up like a
Hollywood star, etc. Long story short: the summer after I
graduated from Col-Hi and spent in Alaska working, Mr. Oaks died
and Mrs. Oaks did not drive. I think she retired in 1956 too but
I am not sure. In any event, Mrs. Oaks gave me the Merc the day
before I left for Linfield College and just after I had bought a
used 1952 VW Bug. A Champagne car on a beer income, so my dad
kept the Merc and continued driving Mrs. Oaks to the store
weekly even though we now lived in Kennewick.
Re: Viet Nam
I guess my story is a bit different. Being in the US Coast Guard
and listing that on job applications and other forms never drew
the Viet Nam flack that some guys did. I read "Stolen Valor" a
couple of years ago and it is a very interesting read. After I
came back from Nam, I got on with my life, my wife and my kids,
and started my own business (actually businesses) and never
looked back. I know that a lot of guys had real problems after
the war, as they are now coming back from Iraq, and I am not
sure the government really stepped up to help them as it should
have. The government spends millions, if not billions, on give-
away programs and projects but somehow the GI's coming home fell
through the cracks. I don't know very many guys with PTSD but my
brother Bruce (USN Captain) has had a lot of exposure to guys
with it in his various units and through the Navy Reserves.
-Bill Berlin ('56) ~ in Anacortes, WA ~ sitting in the sun and
looking at 45°. Went down to the local Salvation Army
office and did a lot of prep (what else?) for their
Thanksgiving Dinner yesterday. Pretty impressive to see 25-
30 turkeys cooking at one time with a second load going in
right after they are through.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Tom Verellen ('60)
Heavy frost from near Lacey this morning.
"The Last Rose of Autumn"
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071122-Verellen-LastRose.jpg
Wishing all a happy Thanksgiving.
If I understand this correctly, I am now a "decorated vet"
even though I don't get a medal for doing something that the
government made me do (drafted). I'm thinking maybe "undecorated
vet" is a little more accurate and appropriate.
-Tom Verellen ('60)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
Re: 'Stand Down'
Here in Eureka, we have a Stand Down for all the vets also. This
was the 2nd year that it had been done and many many more people
were involved this year. I think it's a very good thing!
To: David Rivers ('65)
Thanks for the pics of Terry Davis ('65). He looks so cute when
all outfitted out, haha.
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071121-Rivers-00.html
-Carol Converse Maurer (Magic Class of '64) ~ Eureka, CA ~ We're
having sunny weather, but frost in the mornings. "Happy
Thanksgiving" to all of you out there wherever you are!!
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****************************************************************
>>From: Pam Ehinger ~ The Blue Ribbon Class of '67
I'm a day late but still want to wish all Bombers a Happy
Thanksgiving! We all have so much to be thankful for. Also want
to wish Dawn Bell ('67) a Happy Birthday! I've lost your email
and phone number; Dawn, I hope you see this and drop me a line
and let me know how you're doing! And have you heard from Peg
Kestel Hume ('67) lately?
Bombers Rule
-Pam Ehinger ~ The Blue Ribbon Class of '67
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/24/2007
Dateline: Richland
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
2 Bombers sent stuff:
Burt Pierard ('59)
Richard Anderson ('60)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Nola Davey ('56)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Gary Christian ('67)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Burt Pierard ('59)
Re: Armed Service Medals
I believe that the original medal referred to a couple of
weeks back was actually the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
(affectionately called the "Cold War Medal"), not the National
Defense Service Medal everyone has been discussing. I believe
the AFE medal was created and first awarded for participants in
the Cuban Blockade. The award is mentioned on one's DD-214 with
the campaign listed in parentheses after the award.
In my case, the one I received in 1964 says "Viet Nam" although
this was somewhat falsely identified. If one recalls, after the
Bay of Pigs fiasco, JFK needed a diversion from public opinion
and sent military "advisors" to Laos in the fall of 1961 (BTW
this is also why Reagan "invaded" Grenada -- diversion from
the Iran-Contra scandal). These "advisors" were supposed to be
"noncombatants"; but, I was serving on a carrier (spring of
1962) over the horizon to the east of the Laotian shore where
we were daily loading all our planes with bombs and they would
fly west, then come back to the boat empty. There was no press
notification of these operations, very "hush-hush". In 1963 and
1964, when Viet Nam was starting to heat up, the decision was
made to award the AFE medal for Viet Nam. Curiously, they set
the starting date in the theater to include us Laotian people,
thus the "fraudulent" nature of my Viet Nam Veteran status.
I was telling David Rivers ('65) this story and told him that
when I am around REAL Viet Nam Vets (like him), I am almost
embarrassed to admit that I am "officially" considered a Viet
Nam Vet.
Bomber Cheers,
-Burt Pierard ('59) ~ Richland
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****************************************************************
>>From: Richard Anderson ('60)
Photos of Mac Hall Renovation and Central Courtyard at RHS
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071123-RHS-00.html
It was a slow day yesterday in Woebegone-Bombeville; so, I
wandered down (over?) to the school and took a few photos of
the progress of the renovation of Mac Hall, and of the Central
Courtyard / Gathering Place (I'm sure they have a formal name
for the area, I just don't know what it is). Keep off the grass!
(They laid the sod just a week ago.)
-Richard Anderson ('60)
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/25/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
12 Bombers sent stuff and 1 Bomber funeral notice today:
Anna May Wann ('49), Luana Ivers ('52)
Bill Witherup ('53), Carol Bishop ('57)
Larry Mattingly ('60), Annette Hall ('62)
John Adkins ('62), Carol Converse ('64)
Dennis Hammer ('64), Susan Hurst ('65)
Pam Ehinger ('67), Rick Maddy ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Charles Solomon ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Fran Teeple ('68)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jim Cantrell ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Gary Turner ('71)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Debbie Nelson ('77)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Leon Rice ('82)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Shelly Strege ('98)
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>>From: Ann Thompson, aka Anna May Wann ('49)
Re: Brad Upton Show, 11/24/07
What an evening, Brad is hilarious. My mouth is still sore
from laughing. Met one of our other alumni this evening, Frank
Stratton ('64), from Concord, CA, who was visiting his sons in
Kirkland. Also in attendance was Susan Hurst ('65), myself, and
two of Susan’s and my golfing buddies from Redmond and Bellevue.
We had front row seats and couldn't have had a better evening
anywhere. I gave up my Husky football tickets to go see Brad and
it was well worth it (especially since the Huskies lost). But if
you ever get a chance to see Brad please do so.
Maren, See picture (I sent it to Richard – hope I did it right)
[PERFECT, Ann!! You sent the picture to pix@richlandbombers.com
Thank you so much. -Maren]
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071125-Wann.jpg
-Ann Thompson, aka Anna May Wann ('49) ~ Beautiful evening in
Bothell, WA 45°!! right now, but will get colder
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>>From: Luana Ivers Portch ('52)
Re: Marilyn Overstreet Garrett ('52-RIP)
Hi Maren,
No one has as yet sent in a funeral notice on Marilyn so here it
is. Guess because there was no grad date in the paper.
Marilyn Overstreet Garrett
April l5, l934 - November l6, 2007
The obit is in the Tri-City Herald - think it was Wed. the 22nd.
Thanks,
-Luana Ivers Portch ('52)
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>>From: Bill Witherup ('53)
This is a response to Bill Berlin's ('56) question in today's
Alumni Sandstorm. If you want to know more about Washington
Physicians for Social Responsibility, just key in the full
name or the initials WPSR. WPSR is a chapter of the national
Physicians for Social Responsbility. I am not a doc myself,
but have been a volunteer with this organization here in
Seattle since 1991.
Thanks for the inquiry.
-Bill Witherup, Classy '53.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Carol Bishop Horne ('57)
Re: Susan Bishop Henn ('62-RIP)
Maren...
My sister... Susan Bishop Henn passed away today [11/21/07]...
I think she was in the class of '62... There will be no funeral
or memorial at this time... She was in Seattle and had had
surgery and they took her off life support today...
I think I am rattling on... Anyway u can put that in the
Sandstorm for us...
Thank you
-Carol Bishop Horne ('57)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Larry Mattingly ('60)
Re: Thanksgiving and the day after
Being single and having my children scattered in the far corners
the US, it is not terribly difficult to be away from home on
Thanksgiving. It helps that I am participating in a large and
wonderful event such as the Christmas lighting festival at Coeur
d'Alene, Idaho. Our fireworks display is large and complex with
4 barges full of mortars and several hundred items on 1000 feet
of boardwalk. It is a lot of work but keeps us busy.
Last year was made very pleasant by the gracious invitation from
Wally Erickson ('53) to join his family for dinner. Wally went
to western Washington for Thanksgiving this year, but we had
dinner early in the week.
This year I was surprised to find an e-mail from Ruthann
Hutchins Jensen ('58) and her husband Carl (NAB), inviting me
to join them for Thanksgiving dinner. They were driving up from
the Tri-Cities to see the festival and take a cruise on the
lake. The combination of good food and gracious friends made a
wonderful evening.
We fired the display about 3 minutes late as some guy in an Aqua
Car had wandered in right under our mortars and did not have
the speed to get out in time. So we had to hold the countdown a
bit. But the display was great. We had added a fair number of
Japanese Triple Petal, and hand-tied Italian shells, all in
large caliber, to the display this year. They were awesome. One
of the gold brocade (fine lacy fire) 16-in shells went up at
least 1700 feet and dripped all the way to the water. The
sponsor was nearly speechless and obviously delighted.
It was nice to get a call from Ruthann after the show telling
me how much they enjoyed it. I hope they enjoyed their Santa
Cruise on the lake.
Re: Good Morning America update
Late Wednesday night we received word that we were to fire not
1, but 2 displays for "Good Morning America" Wednesday, November
28th. Apparently at about 4 AM and again about 6 AM. So Sunday
will be a long day at EFI getting them prepped and packed for
shipping. And then off eastbound again early Monday AM.
"Happiness is the sky in bloom"
-J Larry Mattingly ('60) ~ At home near Tacoma and glad I
cleaned the kitchen and changed the bed before leaving
last week.
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****************************************************************
>>From: Annette Hall Bundrant ('62)
Maren, I don't know if you want to put this into the Sandstorm
or not. I received a note from a lady who works with Vets,
coming and going, so was inclined to believe this, then checked
it out. The movie coming out next month in time for Christmas,
called the Golden Compass, is from a book written by Phillip
Pullman. He is an atheist from Britain. In his books, his
purpose is to kill off God. Have the readers who have young
grandchildren, as I do, to check it out before letting them
see it.
http://www.snopes.com/politics/religion/compass.asp
Thanks
-Annette Hall Bundrant ('62)
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****************************************************************
>>From: John Adkins ('62)
Re: Service 'n' Ribbons 'n' Stuff
When I was at the initial receptions station at Ft. Ord - we
took a battery of tests to determine your fitness for certain
"specialties" in the Army. There were multiple questions such
as: Would you rather read a book or go camping? I chose "read
a book". At any rate, after basic Combat Training, I was
sent to Personnel School at Ft. Ord and then our whole class
of Personnel dudes was sent to Ft. Benjiman Harrison, in
Indianapolis for 16 weeks of Finance and Accounting School.
I knew something was up when the first thing they told us was
"this 16 week class will be presented in 4 weeks". So a mere 4
weeks later there I was a qualified "F&AO -AGO GO" specialist on
my way to Ft. Riley, Kansas, with orders assigning me to the 9th
Infantry Division (the old unreliables).
Several months (in my case, 8 to be exact) the 9th Infantry was
moved, in total to "the Pearl of the Orient" on troop ships (ah
yes - the USS John Polk). I spent a year in south east Asia with
the 9th Infantry, 9th Admin Company - not a combat unit - we
were way too dangerous for combat - we would inflict way more
damage by accident than any combat team could bring to bear on
purpose.
During my time there I experience "incoming" one downed Chopper
- a night time raid at Rach Chein that over ran our perimeter.
But I was a "chair born Ranger", well except in a couple of
those moments when I was required to "put my head down and fire
wildly into the night sky.
I would proudly walk shoulder to shoulder with David Rivers ('65)
or Jim House ('63) or Rick Maddy ('67) or Burt Pierard ('59) or
any other of a very large (may I say) band of brothers. We had
and assignment and we did it. All that political stuff don't
matter more than a tick's toe.
I don't have much of a need to put my medals on anything - dang
it none of them army duds go round my girth anymore anyway, but
I do have a small display case and those medals that I have,
are within it. A couple of years ago I scanned all the "slide"
pictures I had of south east Asian into digital images and
organized them into a memory album of the friends I made there.
I don't think I have a need to pump up my service record - that
would be a total insult to folks that went though a lot and
emerged with all of our respect.
-John Adkins ('62) ~ Richland - it's gonna get above 30 today -
it's just "gotta"
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****************************************************************
>>From: Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
It's pretty sad when I can't place what the high school looked
like when I went there. Mac Hall is easy to remember though. I
think if I had gone to the early reunions and had taken a tour
of the school each time, then I would be able to remember. But,
the first reunion I went was the 30th and by then, lots had been
remodeled on the inside and outside.
Hope everyone had a good Thanksgiving and are looking forward to
Christmas - my favorite holiday! Can't believe that the stores,
this year, opened up at 4:00am. People were in line at 2:00am.
Crazy!
-Carol Converse Maurer (Magic Class of '64) - Eureka, CA
it's been sunny of late, but very frosty in the mornings.
Overcast today with a chance of rain.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dennis Hammer ('64)
To: Burt Pierard ('59)
Re: diversion or foretelling???
"(BTW this is also why Reagan "invaded" Grenada --
diversion from the Iran-Contra scandal)"
This is a neat trick since the Grenada invasion was October 25,
1983 and the Iran-Contra affair did not start to break until
November 1986 a full three years later when that plane loaded
with guns went down in Nicaragua. Maybe Nancy really did see
something in the stars!!!
I suppose it could be argued that it was diversion for the
bombing of the Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon on October 23,
1983, but I would think that even the US Military would need
more that two days to plan, prepare, and execute an invasion.
-Dennis Hammer ('64) ~ Kennewick, an insignificant suburb of
the mighty Bomberville
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****************************************************************
>>From: Susan Hurst ('65)
Re: Brad Upton's ('74) Show, 11/24/07
AlumniSandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071125-Wann.jpg
I just got home from Brad's show at Laugh's Comedy Spot in
Kirkland tonight. I was able to join Ann Thompson and her
friends. We, along with the whole audience, laughed our way
through the entire show. It was a delightful evening. If you
ever get a chance to see Brad, do yourself a favor and go. I
would give him an A+, if I were still teaching.
Thanks Brad for the fun evening and I'm looking forward to
playing your CD tomorrow.
-Susan Hurst ('65)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Pam Ehinger (The Blue Ribbon Class of '67)
To: Richard Anderson ('60)
Re: Richland High School - Mac Hall Renovation - Courtyard
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071123-RHS-00.html
Good pictures of Mac Hall! But what was that Silver thing? Why
not the Bomb? I know I know the Higher Ups think the Bomb is
offensive! Go Figure!
[Pam, here is a larger view of the sculpture in the
courtyard. Next time I'm over at the school I'll check to
see if there is any explanatory text with it. -Richard]
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071123-RHS-07-detail.jpg
Bombers Rule
-Pam Ehinger (The Blue Ribbon Class of '67)
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****************************************************************
>>From: Rick Maddy ('67)
Re: PTSD
First, I hope everyone had a very HAPPY THANKSGIVING!!
I have certainly enjoyed the input on PTSD. Just about every
time I go visit some buddy of mine I usually wait until the
first of the month so I know their check has arrived before I
do. My whole life I have tried to figure out how many days one
must walk around in a situation where they can die at the drop
of a hat before that 'time in' amount causes a mental problem.
One day, three, 100, a year? How many military personnel,
civilians and enemy must you see die before something goes
wrong in the mind? One, 10, 100?
While studying for my special education degree as a senior I had
the opportunity... okay, a class assignment that needed okaying
by the professor before getting started... I decided to write
on the subject of PTSD in sexually abused children. A rather
numbing topic, but certainly appropriate for an education
study... and my female professor went for it, so I received the
go ahead. Using that forum, I figured I would be able to dig
into what happens to the mind in situations of extremely unusual
and stressful experiences, way outside the norm, that can cause
mental health problems... then, just maybe, I could answer
questions from the mother of my children like, "When are you
going to call the VA for an appointment with the psychiatrist?"
I went after the applied psych degree to study me because I
figured it would be cheaper in the long run for the taxpayers.
The VA paid for my education. My study of me. Therefore the
taxpayers paid for my education. Thank you.
The Greeks a few thousand years ago talked about PTSD, but were
too busy pillaging to write much about it, give it a name, try
to understand it, but did mention some form of debilitating
stress was certainly occurring among some of their soldiers.
PTSD is old news that nobody did a thing about for hundreds upon
hundreds of years because they didn't know what to do and still
don't. And what is the difference between 80% and 100% PTSD...
besides 20%, several hundred dollars and the subjective whims of
the VA shrink... and those qualifiers written in their big fat
shrink book... the DSM-revised whatever book.
So, while learning to become an educator, student teaching, etc.
etc., questions like, "What is wrong with your arm?" or "Why
don't you open your hand so things like that don't happen (as
the change hits the floor)?" or "Hey mister.. today.. please,
I'm in a hurry (while trying to get my money in my wallet and
purchased food off the counter)." or "What are those numbers on
your arm?" or "What the hell happened to you?" would surface now
and then...and those questions were just from the students in
the cafeteria. I became more and more vocal about the war out of
respect to those who died just doing their stinking job on the
day I was wounded. The more I looked into the war as an adult,
the more bitter I became. That broadened as the years went by.
Good days and bad days, but who doesn't have those, disabled or
not. Now I'm sort of wondering if maybe I should go score a bit
of that PTSD money for myself. Too bad I don't have a mental
problem, huh?
I know Marines who talk about the war. Just this past year the
Veterans Administration started talking about a witch hunt on
veterans they had given a PTSD rating to. Re-open their files...
weed out the fakes... possibly decrease the rating in non-
fakes... but, what I think happened, was the VA realized if they
did that then everyone would start questioning the credentials
of the psychiatrists giving out those ratings. The VA was smart
to end that idea... at least the publicity of it. Although, I
was hoping to see, publicly, the qualification history of the
shrinks working for the VA. Who are those people? PTSD is a very
subjective eval and has little to do with being fair... as the
government tries to save money... and try to figure out where
the $2.3 TRILLION of taxpayers' money disappeared to just prior
to 9/11. Google that one. Few care about that too.
Out of seven Marines I was in Vietnam and/or boot camp with that
I still talk to today, three are receiving PTSD money from the
VA. Rod, 3/5/K with his Purple Heart, one of the seven survivors
from second platoon that walked into an ambush on Feb. 6, 1968
(The Wall is by date of casualty – the rest of the platoon is on
Panel 37-E); 100%. Lives in San Diego. Keller, who was wounded
by a mortar shell at Khe Sanh with the 3rd Div. 3/26 on Feb. 22,
1968. Prior to that Keller, with two other Marines, was captured
by several gooks while on an OP (observation post) when the day
was heading into sunset, held for an hour or so before mortars
started raining on them scattering everyone, managed to get
loose and started crawling into the late evening bushes. He
crawled back towards his line until he found some Marines that
he was sure would kill him when spotted, but did not. Keller is
100% PTSD and has POW (which the VA puts on the ID card) status
for his short stay visiting the gooks. Not too many Vietnam vets
like that are around. Keller is one who rarely speaks about the
war to anyone. Lives in Salinas, CA. Mac, second platoon squad
leader 3/5/K and Bronze Star recipient for exposing himself to
enemy fire while trying to knock out a machine gun nest, which
he did, and motivating his men to get moving forward and fight
when they were running low on ammo; 80%. Speaking of acting and
movies, R. Lee Ermey (Full Metal Jacket, Mail Call) was Mac's DI
at MCRD. Lives in Porterville, CA.
Four are receiving nothing from the VA and not one of them has
ever stepped into a VA hospital for anything – Collins ('67)
Motor-T up around "The Rockpile." I never wanted to be that
exposed and was thrilled to not know anything about engines.
Phil is in Kennewick. Fifer 3rd Div. 3/9/I ran patrols up around
the DMZ area of operation with nine months of walking point –
never got a scratch (recipient of the Navy Commendation Medal
for heroism). I did not know of this award until about ten years
ago. Fifer never mentioned it until his wife brought it up one
day. Fifer said a Remington Raider gets that award if you write
a good paper with very few spelling errors. Fifer was awarded
the NCM for holding down a suppressive fire until everyone in
his squad had moved out of a bad situation. The last Marine out
came back to him, grabbed his shoulder and had to tell him it
was time to leave. Fifer is in Maple Valley. Bastien 3/5/K
weapons platoon said he never even sneezed in Vietnam. Bastien
boarding a UH-34D, I believe (because he took a photo of it),
was told to grab the next one that came in because a gun was
already on board. The chopper he did not get on was shot down
five minutes later on take off and nobody survived. Lives in
San Diego. Heath 3/5/K weapons platoon mostly a machine gunner.
Heath one evening was stomping around in the bushes where he was
setting up his machinegun and settling in when a new guy walked
up to almost where he was and set off a booby-trap, killing
the new guy and the shrapnel completely missing Heath. Heath,
previously stomping all around it, never set it off. A miracle,
at least for Heath. And then me, 3/5/K 3rd Platoon, 100%
disabled, Stat N – loss of use of both hands. Two months in an
infectious amputee ward in Japan and ten months in an infectious
ward in Bremerton. Three of these men I was in boot camp with;
Keller, Fifer and Collins ('67) and have known almost forty
years. Phil even longer. I'm thinking about going to the VA next
week for some new sunglasses.
These are not war stories, they are small windows into survivors
guilt, anxiety disorder, panic attack, things done or not done
that haunt, guilt from thinking 'better him than me' too keep
your mind, sorrow, anger, accidently killing your own man,
killing an innocent civilian, loss of a friend, whatever, the
thousands of different reasons on a battlefield... post trauma.
How can anyone figure out the solution to PTSD when they do not
comprehend the problem?
What does one expect from the madness of people killing each
other when these men and women come home from war -- sanity?
On the most part, I'm talking about those that are doing the
killing... whatever the book says that % is. The Veterans
Administration needs to be very diligent with what box they
start sticking veterans in that come home from a battlefield.
Somebody needs to clean up these VA psychiatric doctors,
administrators and apparently a lot of phony DD-214s that seem
to have 'slipped', for lack of a better word, into the VA system
and caused a very disturbing problem, if that indeed is what is
going on!!
Thank you Alan Lobdell ('69) for bringing up the issue of bogus
veterans' applications for PTSD. I see the number 600,000
backlogged for VA PTSD evaluation. Six million is a number that
I cannot even begin to fathom. With all due respect, I really
cannot believe that many people have walked into a vets hospital
and handed them a fake DD-214 trying to obtain a rating of any
kind? But then again...? Here is a site that mentions 600,000
and also a one year old Harvard study on the VA and PTSD.
site that mentions 600,000
http://www.news.harvard.edu/gazette/2006/08.24/99-ptsd.html
-Rick Maddy ('67) ~ I very much enjoy all of you and love
getting up in the morning and reading all of your posts.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
Funeral Notice
>>Marilyn Overstreet Garrett ('52) ~ 4/15/34 - 11/16/07
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
****************************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/26/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
12 Bombers sent stuff:
Pattie Crigler ('59), Larry Mattingly ('60), John Browne, Jr. ('61)
Donna Nelson ('63), Jim Armstrong ('63), Jim Hamilton ('63)
Linda Reining ('64), Shirley Collings ('66), Pam Ehinger ('67)
Dwight Carey ('68), Lynn-Marie Hatcher ('68), Betti Avant ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Roberta Adkins ('52)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Bill Berlin ('56)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Eleanor Attwood ('65)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: CB Lih ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jill Walser ('81)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Pattie Crigler Cole ('59)
To: Brad Upton: ('74)
When are you going to be at the Admiral Theatre in Bremerton?
-Pattie Crigler Cole ('59) ~ Port Ludlow, WA
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Larry Mattingly ('60)
Re: Link to Coeur D'Alene, ID Christmas display
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ2Ry9Ahdyg
This was not a professional video, but is reasonably well done.
The music was played by the sponsor while we fired. We did step
on a few, but they wanted it fired in less then 9 minutes.
Actual time was 8 minutes 45 seconds.
"Stepping on it" in pyro parlance means we burst one shell
inside of and spoiling the one before it, and not letting it
mature to the full effect.
Re: Good Morning America, November 28th
We will do this again TWICE before dawn on the 28th of November
for "Good Morning America". It will be live in the east and tape
delay in the west. But we have only one 16 left. So it will be
fired in the "live" show. Doing it twice was not our idea, but
we will handle it. And yes, we will likely wake up the locals.
Each display uses 2 barges.
"Happiness is the sky in bloom"
-J. Larry Mattingly ('60) ~ from the EFI facility in the woods
south of Olympia. Tired, but feeling good.
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: John Browne, Jr. ('61)
Re: Bomber HQ
http://alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071123-RHS-00.html
I don't recognize a thing from those pictures that Richard
put up (of RHS nee Columbia High School)... but the Daliesque
basketball standard is Beautiful..
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071123-RHS-07-detail.jpg
although I couldn't figure out where they'd put the backboard &
hoop. I like the table/chair combos , too- especially the
chairs...
To: Dennis Hammer ('64)
I think Grenada was more to distract from the furor in Congress
over the Nicaraguan harbor mining that was making waves in
1983... and I'm sure William Casey had "off the shelf" plans
to accommodate whatever the Pentagon needed on short notice
(probably with the veiled threat that, if they didn't move
fast enough to suit the President, he'd send the CIA to do it,
instead). ^..^
-John Browne, jr. ('61) ~ under thin overcast... so thin that
the moon burns right through... & temp in the low 30s,
in mid-Pugetopolis
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Donna Nelson ('63)
While I was home for Thanksgiving, my sister Deb ('77), Jesse
and Meagan (her kids and all Bombers) went to the cemetery to
visit our parents and grandparents grave sites in the military
section next to the swan pond off the bypass highway. I can't
remember the name of the cemetery.
Anyway, we noticed a few of the flags flying representing the
different branches of the military were torn and wondered who
you talk to to get them replaced. Our Dad died a Lt. Col. in the
Army and would be happy to know we cared enough to see that they
were flying high and not torn. There's a white one and a blue
one that looked pretty bad.
I guess for any torn American flag or military branch flag...
whose responsibility is it to replace them??
-Donna Nelson ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Jim Armstrong ('63)
Re: Apple Cup
GO COUGS!!!
-Jim Armstrong ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Jim Hamilton ('63)
All these ruminations regarding PTSD has given me pause to
reflect on my own situation. While I think I’m pretty, kinda
normal, I do have flashbacks when I hear a Filipino Band
trying to cover a Credence song. Does the VA serve up a stipend
for those of us who lost part of our hearing listening to
those same bands rocking out in Officer or EM clubs, "Roaring,
roaring, roaring on the river...". Another thing is that I
think that stuff they put in the potatoes is staring to work.
My first ribbon, came with a set of gold bars on 15 December
1967. It was a National Defense Service Ribbon and I thought I
was Audie Murphy. The Army's version of the Good Conduct medal
was called a "Dentene Wrapper" as I recall.
jimbeaux
-Jim Hamilton ('63)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Linda Reining ('64)
to:Annette Hall Bundrant(62)
re:"Golden Compass"
I had read about this movie on the Internet and was very shocked
and surprised that Nicole Kidman would agree to be in this
movie. parents/grandparents really need to be aware of this
movie----it is being "touted" as a kids' movie for the Holidays
and, according to the Internet, they are "dumbing it down" so
that adults won't really know how evil this is---most parents
will just send their kids to it and not bother going themselves,
which is what the producers are counting on. this movie is based
on the first book in a trilogy that this man has written--in the
last book, the children kill God!!!!! I hope that enough people
find out about this and refuse to let their kids see it OR see
it themselves. IF we are lucky, it will "bomb" at the box
office!
Linda Reining(Boomber Bomber class of 64).........Bakersfield,
CA......we have finally gotten cooler weather and the a/c hasn't
come on for a week, now. "grin" have made 30# of jerky for
Christmas and will make the lefse tonight(5# of potatoes), then
will be time to start baking cookies! have all my Christmas
shopping done, so now, I can just relax and enjoy this time of
year---it is MY favorite time of all---even rude people in the
stores don't bother me--LOVE the sounds, the smells, the hustle
and the bustle---just WISH we'd get snow---remember all the
years in Richland with a White Christmas and I still miss it!
sledding down Carmichael, drinking hot cocoa, snowball fights,
just lots and lots of good times and great memories!!
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Shirley Collings Haskins ('66)
Re: '66 November birthdays
Chris Stade ('66) enjoyed his 60th birthday on November 15 by
celebrating with Mick Hemphill ('66) who also turned 60 November
15. I wonder which was born before the other that day. It really
doesn't matter, though. I heard that they had a great
celebration!
Re: Mrs. Georgia Burns, Retired Typing/Shorthand/Steno Teacher
Mrs. Burns is my all-time favorite teacher, and I recently spoke
with her daughter, Karen Burns Rajala ('68), and found that her
mother just turned 93 and is still living in Port Angeles (that
is where she and her husband moved to in 1976 when they sold
their "Q" house to us.) Mrs. Burns lives with a care taker, and
Karen said that her mom's memory is not always very good. Mrs.
Burns also has a son, Doug Burns ('62). A former neighbor of
ours said that Doug is a priest in Chicago. I know that he is
on the "Lost List" for the '62 class.
Peace to all ~
-Shirley Collings Haskins ('66) ~ Richland
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Pam Ehinger (The Blue Ribbon Class of '67)
To: Richard Anderson ('60)
Thank you, Richard! Still have no clue what it is or why it's
there! But thank you for trying to find out what it is and what
it means!
Bombers Rule
-Pam Ehinger (The Blue Ribbon Class of '67)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Dwight Carey ('68)
To: Rick Maddy ('67)
Re: PTSD
Yesterday's post from you is a "Keeper" in my email archives.
The "small windows" you explained - made me thank God I was
a couple years later, and working on a small team. (without
sneezing). I echo your wondering how many fake DD-214s are
really out there, and so many numbers coming out in some of
these articles on PTSD.
During the Vietnam action, most of the combat was done by 10% of
the forces, and I would suspect that would be the majority of
the PTSD issues. All claims without a Combat Infantry Badge (CIB),
or the equivalent, should be looked at closely. To be awarded
the CIB, you had to be in the field for 30 days, and they used
to keep pretty close track. I heard they screwed that up with
Grenada - all the officers were trying to get in country for one
day to get their CIB. One of my former team members was a Lifer
at the time, and kept getting "Bumped" to the back of the
flights going in, because he already had his.
Today, the Army promises a career if you sign up as a "Tank
Mechanic". After taking a closer look, the "Tank Mechanic"
is driving the Humvee into roadside ambushes, etc. So - I'm
guessing that since there is no real dividing line in the
current conflict, the PTSD claims can be widespread.
All veterans should be active in the VA medical system - so
maybe productive changes would happen. The government needs to
take a good, hard look at their veterans' medical needs. Ask us
to serve, but take care of the consequences. Everyone should be
thinking of our troops in Iraq and Afghanistan, and hope the
violence subsides.
-Dwight Carey ('68)
-- Wishing I was fishin'
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
Re: PTSD - from a professional & a survivor
I am glad we are talking about this. I especially want to thank
Rick Maddy ('67) for his eloquent discourse yesterday (11/25).
(Obviously that education the VA paid for was money well spent,
Rick!)
As some of you know, I practice (rural) psychiatry. Just the
same as in any job, I have my least favorite parts (doing
dictation and the overwhelming paperwork!) and my more favorite
parts. One of my absolute favorites is working with people with
PTSD. This is true for a number of reasons, probably not the
least of which is that I live with this diagnosis myself.
But I think the number one reason I value this experience so
much is that people with PTSD actually can and very, very
often DO see great improvement in their lives -- given their
willingness to do the work, and a good professional to work with
them. It's great to be a part of helping that to happen.
Cured? Well, with PTSD, what I tell patients I go for is
"nicely scarred over." I almost always present the analogy that
continued to live with untreated PTSD is like having an internal
abscess. At this juncture, I usually will stick out my arm and
point to an area, saying, "It's like when my horse bit me here.
If that wound had closed over on itself, but the infection had
been allowed to go on and on, untouched, it would not be long
before it would have become systemic. It would have affected
my whole life -- body, soul, mind, heart. I could have become
entirely subject to the infection running through me -- even to
the point of death. At very best, my life would certainly would
be limited by the effects of the infection."
So working with PTSD patients is a step-wise process -- and I
won't go through the whole thing .. establishing trust, etc. The
bottom line is, my job is to bring them to the place where that
abscess can be opened up, cleaned out, and allowed to heal over
-- "nicely scarred."
Does everything get "all better"? Rarely - probably never. Do
people get a good life back? Yes, very, very often. Are they
scarred? Sure -- that's bound to happen from a wound. Let's not
pretend, folks. But one's life experience can be so much better
- worth the living - when he/she "works his/her stuff through".
It's hard. It is not fun -- not for me, not for my patients. But
it is entirely, 100% worth it.
As for what Rick said, PTSD can be the result of 100 traumas --
or just one. Each of us is wired a little differently. (For
example, if your spouse beats you only 10 times instead of 100
times, does that mean you don't "qualify" for a PTSD diagnosis
-- even if you are experiencing the symptoms of PTSD?)
I know PTSD from personal experience. I know it from academic
training and internships. I know it from on-the-job -- every
day. Really, I know what I am talking about.
Thanks again to all who have brought this subject to light in
this forum.
Especially thanks again to Rick Maddy ('67) for his comments of
11/25. (If you missed his words, it would be worth it to go to
the archives and reading them.)
-Lynn-Marie Hatcher Peashka ('68)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
To: Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
Re: Black Friday
Carol,
You were talking about stores opening at am and people in line
at 2am. Some of our stores opened that early but people stood
in line from the day before some as early as 12:00 (noon) on
Thanksgiving day. I hope they got what they were looking for.
One lady whose picture was in the paper had 2 of one gift and
said if she'd had a cart she would have gotten at least 1 more
of it. Me, I'm going out around 5:30am on Sunday to a 24 hour
store to do mine as I know there won't be the crowds.
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA where it's been cold but no
moisture
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
****************************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/27/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
7 Bombers sent stuff:
Mike Clowes ('54), John Adkins ('62)
Gary Behymer ('64), Jim Heidlebaugh ('65)
Alan Lobdell ('69), Betti Avant ('69)
Daniel Laybourn ('70)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Andrew Eckert, Jr. ('53)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: David Rivers ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54)
Re: Sculpture in Courtyard
alumnisandstorm.com/htm2007/Xtra/Any/071123-RHS-07-detail.jpg
If looked at from the right height and angle, one could possibly
make a case for "The Cloud".
-Bob Carlson, aka Mike Clowes ('54) ~ getting ready for the
"Bah! Humbug!" season in slightly frosty Mount Angel, OR
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: John Adkins ('62)
Re: Happy Birthday
Happy Birthday to my friend David Rivers ('65) - you ol' jarhead
Many of you know that David comes from an Apache background -
you may not now that there were many Aztecs in his ancestry -
he's sort of "half Aztec"
-John Adkins ('62) ~ Richland - It's snowing in the beautiful
downtown Tri Cities
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Gary Behymer ('64)
To: Donna Nelson ('63)
Re: Donna's Question: "I guess for any torn American
flag or military branch flag... whose responsibility
is it to replace them?"
Yes... Donna, you already know the answer. It is OUR job to
replace them. Here in downtown Colfax WE chip in to replace all
of our 'street' flags twice a year. The son of a WWII flyer took
on the responsibility 4 or 5 years ago. Salute!
-Gary Behymer ('64) ~ Colfax, WA
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Jim Heidlebaugh ('65)
Re: Birthday Boy
Sure seems like these things roll around more than once a
year... maybe not. Happy Birthday to the Birthday Greeter.
David Rivers ('65) turns .......... 61 .... today!
-Jim Heidlebaugh ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Alan Lobdell ('69)
To: Rick Maddy ('67)
Thanks for everything you said about PTSD. You sounded so much
like my brother Guy Lobdell ('66-RIP)... it was very hard for
me to read, however I didn't want to miss a word of it.
It is unfortunate; however it is very easy to get a fake DD-214.
It's just a piece of paper and it's also surprising how far in
the system it will take you. A close friend of my Terry Newby
PhD, also an in country Nam Vet, has been a volunteer veteran's
advocate for many years and gets the VA stats each year. I've
been waiting to see what comes out this year.
-Alan Lobdell ('69)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
To: Larry Mattingly ('60)
Re: Fireworks Display
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ2Ry9Ahdyg
Larry,
That fireworks display from Coeur d'Alene was gorgeous. I sent
the link to a friend in Kansas who every year for extra money
her family has a fireworks stand at their home in the country.
They usually go to Missouri to get the best they can buy and
when I knew them they sold out every year. "Happiness is indeed
the sky in bloom".
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Daniel Laybourn ('70)
Re: after all this time...
So here I am back in Richland... and it's the first snowfall
I've seen/been in in 25 years... what a change...
-Daniel Laybourn ('70) ~ in Richland again... with white stuff
fallin' out of the sky...
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
****************************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/28/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
4 Bombers sent stuff:
Alice Hanthorn ('59), Patti Jones ('60), Helen Cross ('62)
Jeff Michael ('65)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Alice Hanthorn Johnson ('59)
To: Larry Mattingly ('60)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ2Ry9Ahdyg
Just a word: WOW!!! Thanks SO much it was lovely, Terrific,
etc., etc., etc...
Oh yah! Thanks to Dave Hanthorn ('63)... and my new flat screen
19" hi res monitor, like wow!
You guys made my evening, and to think I can play it again!
-Alice Hanthorn Johnson ('59)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Patti Jones Ahrens ('60)
Even though the news had announced snow was coming, I was
surprised to look out last night to see the ground was covered.
Snowed for a good couple of hours then the wind arrived swirling
the snow. What a beautiful sight with the lights twinkling on
it. Melted this morning but more is expected within a couple of
days.
Reminded me of when I was in about 4th grade. Snowed all day.
The school district decided to close for the day. We were told
to wait and a parent would take us home. Little ridiculous to
me as I lived in the 13 hundred block of Birch right behind the
school. Easy l/2 a block walk if that. We waited for our rides
that picked us up in front of the Spalding. Driver drove to the
back of the school and dropped me at my home. The snow did keep
flying and the wind kept it moving briskly around the houses and
the streets. Do not know what the final accumulation was but it
was a very strong snow storm.
Re: Birthday
Happy Birthday David Rivers ('65). (Yes, I'm a day late). Keep
the Birthday going for youngness, fondness and friendship. Still
conjure up memories of when we knew each other during grade
school. All you neighbor boys were always busy doing something.
We all spent hours on the Spalding play ground, safe where our
parents knew where we were. Your parents had the good house on
Acacia right behind the school so they could watch after you.
Not that you might have had to be watched. **grin** I'm sure we
all found our hiding places at times so the parents didn't know
where we were. Games of hide and seek so forth. Oh, to be that
young again.
Re: Eastside/Westside
I will always prefer the Eastside and the warmth.
-Patti Jones Ahrens ('60)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Helen Cross Kirk ('62)
First of all, my sympathy to Carol Bishop Horne ('57), and your
younger sister, Sandy ('69) on the loss of your sister Susie ('62-RIP).
What a shock. I haven't seen Susie for several years, but she
was one of my group of best friends from about 5th to sometime
maybe in 9th grade when Billie moved, and we started to work,
etc. and the group kind of faded into the background.
I will forward this onto Billie Cummings Christian ('62wb).
-Helen Cross Kirk ('62) ~ Grandview, IN where we are facing our
first real frost of the year, no snow yet, but lots of rain
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Jeff Michael ('65)
Hey there Bombers and Bomberettes...
So, when I was in the USAF, '65 - '72, I was awarded the
National Defense Service Medal, along with all the other guys in
during that time. It was OK to have with my Good Conduct Medal,
again given to all the guys that served for a couple years
without doing anything really bad... like, treason, for example.
I had a couple other ribbons, too, that weren't given to
everybody. But here's the paradox. In my early years I had
to type those DD FM 214s for everyone that reenlisted while
stationed on Wheelus AB, Libya. I was the separations,
reenlistment and extensions clerk (the ONLY one). I worked
directly for the personnel officer... he had to do the swearing-
ins as required by regulations. We did some unusual ones... in a
helicopter, once on the edge of the Sahara, once in a boat on
the Med.
But, back to the point. I had to type the list of the medals
the airman had earned on those forms. That meant more typing
on a many copies form (carbons) and no corrections allowed. So,
medals given to everyone were not very special to me. And they
didn't seem to recognize anything very special.
On the other hand, the closest I came to combat, having rocks
and a Molotov cocktail thrown at me during the '67, 6 Day War,
earned me no medal... just long days and nights of continuous
work.
Come to think of it, I'm not too fond of the Purple Heart,
either. Risk of survival earning them is too high.
As for PTSD... what I saw being admitted to the hospital at
Tachikawa, Japan was enough to set me into the need of VA
benefits. Fortunately, by then, I was working in Armed Forces
Radio and TV... not a corpsman. In Japan, I saw only some
conflicts with the Japanese Mafia, but again... no medal.
So, to avoid the possibility of any more medals... I got out in
Oct '72.
P.S. I never said "Good Morning, Vietnam" on the radio... but
hour after hour, I said "___ died in the conflict in Southeast
Asia today. That raises the total to ___ this year."
dj Jeff Michael ('65) ~ Jamul, CA (South East of San Diego
proper by about 10 miles). The difference between an
extreme high tide and an extreme low tide, like today, is
around 10 feet. That's an awful lot of water moving in and
out of the bay a couple times a day. Pretty amazing.
*******************************************
*******************************************
That's it for today. Please send more.
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø¤º°`°º¤ø,¸¸,ø¤º°`°º¤ø
****************************************************************
Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/29/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 Bombers sent stuff:
Bonnie Allen ('59), Larry Mattingly ('60),
Betti Avant ('69)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Janis Ervin ('49)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Denny Duncan ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Joe Campbell ('67)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Mike Howell ('68wb)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Rick Polk ('70)
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Bonnie Allen ('59)
Re: Larry Mattingly's ('60) Christmas Display
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJ2Ry9Ahdyg
Larry,
Frequently I get a little behind reading my Sandstorm. I just
watched your Christmas Display in Coeur d'Alene. Beautiful! No
wonder you like your job so much!
-Bonnie Allen ('59) ~ Mill Creek, WA
****************************************************************
****************************************************************
>>From: Larry Mattingly ('60)
Re: It's only network TV
Heartfelt thanks to all of you who commented on the Friday (11/23)
display. We felt it would be good but it came out pretty close
to perfect. I can be my own worst enemy in evaluating the
"Entertainment Value" of our work. Fireworks is not a perfect
science and sometimes it just doesn't click when faced with
the challenge of entertaining people with fire. Everything,
including the fractious Cd'A winter weather, worked in our favor
and every single one of the over 3500 items fired as designed.
The special shells did indeed "step it up a notch", the sponsor
was deliriously pleased, and I went to bed in the wee hours a
very happy pyro.
Suddenly.... we were faced with not one but two more displays
fired in front of national network TV, and on "Good Morning
America" (GMA). That is rare in our business. We were the envy
of the industry. Ken and I hot footed it back to the plant near
Olympia and prepped and packed 2 displays smaller but similar in
stature to the Friday display.
Ken left early in the AM Monday and I took a few hours to catch
up on business and left at 4 PM. I ran into snow at N. Bend and
it took me over 9 hours to get to Cd'A in absolute blinding snow.
Winds at the summit were 45-55 MPH. In a 10 mile stretch over
the summit of Snoqualmie I saw 24 vehicles in accidents. 2 were
on their tops in the ditch. One was on it's side on the road and
the rest were in various positions and condition. Most were not
drivable. I held my speed down and just kept driving. 30 minutes
after I crossed they closed the pass for a period of time to
clean up the mess. I had to stop several times to de-ice my
wipers and headlights. It was ugly.
Meanwhile we were told that one show had to be on land and so
had to tear it down, move it off the barge and across the lake
and re-set it to the GMA director's satisfaction. When we were
ready to fire by late afternoon Tuesday, GMA staff pronounced
us as outstanding, awesome, and a bunch of other nice things. At
the production meeting and run-thru they did point out that New
York controlled the feed. I met Sam Champion. Nice fellow. I
cautioned him not to look up when standing on the fire truck. We
fired over 500 shells to break right over his head in less then
30 seconds. This totally filled the air with fine ash that
stings in the eyes. He took my advice and all was well.
A couple of thousand Cd'A citizens turned out and by 3 AM the
place was full of people. The countdown went as planned and we
fired the barge display as planned and it was perfect. Likewise
the display across the lake over Sam's head. Again close to
perfect.
Alas, the network controls the "feed" (that is what actually
goes out over the air). Many of you saw it as we did. They
bounced it around from camera to camera and you saw only a few
seconds of the first display, and a few more of the second. The
citizens were happy, the sponsor was happy, the GMA staff was
happy, the staff at KXLY 4/ABC were very complimentary. We don't
feel too badly as we did what we were asked to do, and were paid
to do, and we did it well. It is after all, network TV. Thanks
for all the good wishes and nice comments.
"Happiness is the sky in bloom"
-J Larry Mattingly ('60) ~ Home again near Tacoma, after another
blinding drive through heavy snow fall. From Ellensburg
to the bottom of the pass on the west side. Now to wash,
pack, and prepare for my trip to Honolulu, where I will
be conducting a Certification course for Hawaii Licensed
pyros.
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>>From: Betti Avant ('69)
Re: Coeur d'Alene
I'm usually up early in the morning but don't have the TV on,
but this morning I made a point to get my paper read and shower
done so I could catch GMA (Good Morning America). It looks like
Larry Mattingly ('60) was up bright and early to put on a couple
of great shows. What time was it done there as I know here the
show is on tape from 7-9?
-Betti Avant ('69) ~ Lacey, WA
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That's it for today. Please send more.
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Alumni Sandstorm ~ 11/30/07
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
3 Bombers and 1 spouse sent stuff and 2 Bomber funeral notices Today:
Betty Bell ('51), Ann Clatworthy ('54)
Kathy Moorman (spouse), Carol Converse ('64)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jeanne Turner ('63)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Jan Klusman ('66)
BOMBER BIRTHDAY Today: Sandy Clark ('71)
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>>From: Betty Bell Norton ('51)
I have an address for Betty Hiser Gulley ('49) at her daughter's
in Eulers, TX. If anyone wants it please e-mail me and I will
give it to you.
-Betty Bell Norton ('51)
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>>From: Ann Clatworthy Weyerts-Hogshead ('54)
To: Larry Mattingly ('60)
Re: Good Morning America (GMA) Fireworks Display
Larry,
Carl and I were happy to see your fine work here in Fort Valley,
Virginia on GMA, thanks to the advanced notification in the
Sandstorm. The sky was awesome and so were the people of Coeur
d'Alene, getting up so early. Carl's daughter, Denise Lundy, is
a real estate agent in Coeur d'Alene and I'm sure she was there
to see the spectacular display. Good Job, Larry!! Thanks for
telling us all about the grueling detail to get the job done.
People have no idea of what it takes to get that kind of show
ready. I know how bad the Snoqualmie Pass can be this time
of year... lived there for four years while driving to Seattle
every day to teach.
"Happiness is the Sky in Bloom"... what a good description of
your work. Good Luck in Hawaii, what a nice break for you.
Wally Erickson ('53): Were you able to get there?
-Ann Clatworthy Weyerts-Hogshead ('54) ~ Fort Valley, VA where
the leaves have fallen and the wind is blowing... winter is
right around the corner. On December 1st Carl and I will
ride our motorcycles in the Mt. Jackson Christmas parade.
GMA take notice!! Ho! Ho! Ho!
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>>From: Kathy Moorman, spouse of Jack ('54)
Re: Jack Moorman ('54-RIP)
Wanted to let you all know that after many months of suffering,
Jack finally left this world on November 16, 2007. He died
peacefully at home. I apologize for being so long in notifying
you, but things were a little hectic for a few days.
-Kathy Moorman, spouse of Jack ('54)
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>>From: Carol Converse Maurer ('64)
Re: Fireworks in Coeur d'Alene
Oh, I wish that I would have known what channel GMA is on. Our
local TV paper starts at 10:00am. I tried several times, but got
what was called the "Early Show". Nobody looked familiar, so I
turned it off. Didn't know what time it was going to be shown
either. Wish we would have had that information. I don't watch
TV during the day except for one soap opera.
I did enjoy the Christmas show on the Sandstorm though. Quite a
display!!! Way to go, Larry!
-Carol Converse Maurer (Magic Class of '64) - Eureka, CA
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Funeral Notices
>>Jack Moorman ('54) ~ 8/18/35 - 11/16/07
>>Gary Langlois ('77) ~ 1957 - 11/21/07
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That's it for the month. Please send more.
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October, 2007 ~ December, 2007