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1955 Class Notes
News from Pete Fikaris and the Nominating Committee.
“The nominating committee has the following slate ofclass officers,thus far, for the coming 2015 reunion:
President...... as yet,no candidate
Vice-President...... Jim Bergen
Secretary...... Tom Phillips
Treasurer...... Norm Blahuta
Historian...... Dan Ludwig
Class Scribe...... Jim Ryan
Information Systems Officer..Jack Campbell
If any Classmate is interested in the President's job please let me know. Pete”
The 60th Reunion, 2015 from Dave Wheeler. Dave tells us some of the details below could be changed, but here is some tentative news about the Reunion:
“Jim, … I am note-taker for our teleconferences, the last of which was held on Dec 13th. The notes, including Draft Schedule below, are currently out for Committee staffing, after which we have to work out the details with USMA, WPAOG and the hotel. There are several changes to our prior May reunions, to include:
- The Sunday NYC trip signup is for bus transportation only. People buy theater tickets on their own, or shop or sight-see.
- The Sunday light lunch on the Supe’s Boat can accommodate about 120 people. As with the NYC trip, we will have to get 50 passenger busses nearly full to run these trips. They will be first signed up, first served options inthe registration packet.
- Somehow, more senior Classes aced us out of all the chapels for Monday morning Memorial Service, so that was switched to Tuesday afternoon, and the bus tour moved to Monday. This was a recent USMA-driven change. The section of the Columbarium gifted by ’55 is immediately adjacent to the rear of the Old Cadet Chapel.
- The Class Meeting in Ike Hall immediately after the Supe’s Command Brief will save time, compared to stragglers back at the hotel.
Draft Reunion Schedule as of December 13, 2013
Please note: some changes have to be confirmed with USMA &/or WPAOG. Optional breakfast May 20th depends on our having fulfilled our contract with the Park Ridge Marriott.
Saturday,May 16 / 1200-1800 / Reunion Registration at Park Ridge Marriott1400 / Reunion Committee meeting at hotel
Sunday, May 17 / 1100 / Bus departs for NYC; returns to hotel 1800
1200 / Bus departs for WP Boat Dock; Supe’s Boat cruise; heavy hors d’ourvres lunch, returns to hotel 1630
1200-2100 / Reunion Registration at hotel
1800-1930 / Welcoming Dutch Treat Cocktail Hour; dinner on your own
Monday, May 18 / 0630-0800 / Breakfast Buffet at hotel
0830 / Buses depart for WP
1000-1030 / Stop at WPAOG (Herbert Hall) for Gift Shop
1030 / Buses to ’55 Lichtenberg Tennis Center, 15 minute stop
1100 / Buses drive through ’55 Coaches Housing Area
1110 / Buses arrive USMA Prep School, 20 minute stop
1200-1315 / Lunch in the Eisenhower Hall Ballroom
1330-1430 / Academy Briefing in Eisenhower hall Theater
1445-1515 / Class Meeting in Eisenhower Hall Theater
1445-1530 / Buses depart for hotel as loaded
1800-?? / Informal Buffet Dinner at hotel
Tuesday, May 19 / 0630-0800 / Breakfast Buffet at hotel
0830 / Buses depart for WP
1000-1100 / Alumni Exercises on the Plain
1100-1200
1200 / Cadet Review on the Plain
There will be van assistance for those needing help to cross the Plain
1215-1345 / Lunch in Washington Hall; speeches and Class gift presentations
1400-1530 / Memorial Service in Old Cadet Chapel, visit ’55 gift section of Columbarium, self-tour Cemetery
1500-1530 / Buses depart for hotel as loaded
1800-2200 / Banquet Dinner and Dancing (coat & tie)
Wed., May 20 0700-
0930 Optional breakfast in hotel restaurant & departures
Photo: Dave Maurer Celebrates his 80th Birthday.
Dave and Martha [Sep 2013]
Photo: ’55 Panhandle Lunch Bunch,DeFuniak Springs, FL
L-R: Secord, Werner, Prater, Ryan, Pemberton [Oct 2013]
Photo: Charlie Johnson visits the Campbells at their daughter’s
home in CT. L-R: Charlie, Paula Campbell, Jack [Oct 2013]
Photo: Ellen Schick, Carol & Luddy Harrison ‘52, Hotel Thayer [Aug 2013]
Gratitude: To Family, Friends and Classmates, Poem
by Jim Eddins for his West Point Classmates. (Jim’s daughter Victoria read this poem in her Eulogy for her father at his Memorial Service held in Virginia Dec 2013.)
“To see Mortality arise
Is, at our age no surprise.
But we recall, with some delight,
Classmates, friends and family who visit, call or write.
First the family had its run,
Then came classmates from D-1:
Ryan, Bergen and Bob Newton; followed on when it was best
By Drummond, Jim and Tommy West.
The Trobaughs and the Hinrichs too
From the west coast they flew.
Last to come was Ludwig, Dan.
All to help my dear wife, Ann.
Inspired by Ryan our great class scribe,
Your cards and letters encouraged me to imbibe
with you in celebration,
Of 50 years since Graduation.
But of the others I've discussed
Family, friends and classmates robust.
Most want no credit to accrue
to recognize the acts they do.
But as each of them must surely know,
They are to me a true hero.
There is no award I can impart,
But my God has given me a start,
By writing each name upon my heart.”
Attendees at the Washington, DC Area Annual Christmas Brunch. Norm Blahutareports on the 56 attendees at the Brunch held at the Army-Navy Country Club in Arlington, VA on 1 Dec 2013: Blahuta, Norm & Barb; Burrus, Bill & Dorinda; Carpenter, Bob & Marly; Cutchin, Jim; Deardorff, Bob; Doyle, Jack; Franklin, Joe & Connie; Gay, Ted; Goldstein, Bud & Dorothy; Hilbert, Don & Carla; Ludwig, Dan & Donna; Malone, Dan & Anne; Malooley, Lorna; McCulla, Bill and Joan; McGuire, Marty; McJoynt, Durf & Barbara; McNair, Carl & Jo Ann-BG Myrna Williamson (G); McNerney, Dave & Cyndy; Miller, Rich & Mary Ann; Newton, Linda; Page, George & Patty; Rudzki, John & Anita; Schepps, Matt & Betty; Sloan, John & Ruth; Strati, Bob & Pat; Troyan, Dan & Danielle (G); Wargowsky, Dick & Sandy; West, Tom & Elaine.
Photo: Dan Ludwig & DurfMcJoynt, DC Area Christmas Brunch [Dec 2013]
Central Texas Mini, reported by Jack Campbell. “Woody Black had a last minute family issue come up and had to cancel, but Sharon caught a ride with the Coopers driving down from Harker Heights. The Dinwiddies also drove in from Harker Heights, and Maren Palmer joined us from Temple. The Diensts met up with the Fleegersand drove in together from the Houston area. The VandenBosches came from San Antonio as did the Blahutas who were visiting family there. Those from the Austin area included Roberta Stone, the Bakers, theKennebecks and the Campbells.”
Photo: Bakers, Roberta Stone, Kennebecks, Diensts, Dinwiddies, Blahutas, Maren Palmer, Campbells, VandenBosches, Sharon Black, Coopers, Fleegers [ Jan 2014]
Photo: Marlowe Viney, Dianne Enslow, Donna Ludwig, Pat Vitty, Trudy Lichtenberg,
Phil Enslow Mississippi River Trip [Nov 2013]
Jack Campbell Sends the Following Notices: “Classmates, We are asking for your answer to 3 important questions. When you pass on to the Ghostly Assemblage, do you (1) want a wreath or a charitable contribution from the Class?, (2) what is your charity of choice for those who would like to make a memorial contribution in your name?, and (3) who would you suggest as the Local Class Assistant (LCA) for your family? If you have already submitted the information, great. If you haven’t yet gotten around to it, please submit the 3 answers to . Lee McKinney reminds us to fill out and email the TAPS Check List to him at if you have not already done so. The Check List can be found on the Class Home Page You are sure to save someone a lot of digging if you can complete the form while you are still alert. The Class Historian (Dan Ludwig) is putting together a booklet for the 60th Reunion titled ‘How I Got to West Point.’ If you did not submit your story to the Class Forum, please write one up, and share it with all. Send it to the Class Forum or directly to Dan at .”
Class of 1955 Taps. It is a sad thing to report the passing of four classmates during the period covered by these Notes: Perry Boyd (19 Nov 2013) in Chapel Hill, NC; Jim Eddins (21 Nov 2013) in Charlottesville, VA; John Hamilton (20 Dec 2013) in Columbia, MD; and Jerry Denman (23 Dec 2013) in Sardis, MS.A “Friend of the Class of 1955” Carl Goldstein left us 19 Oct 2013 in New York City.
Photo: WILLIAM PERRY BOYD
Photo: WATHA JAMES EDDINS, JR.
Photo: JOHN MARK HAMILTON, JR.
Photo: JERRY LINWOOD DENMAN
Editor’s Note. My thanks go to Tom Sims for his unfailing attention to detail in producing high quality photographs for the 1955 Class Notes.