July 2014 Class Notes

WELCOME
Here it is the Fourth of July, another Happy Birthday for our great Nation. Hope all of you have a grand holiday!

Win Skelton and I and the rest of your Board of Governors are deep into the planning for our 65th Reunion next May. Actually we have been planning since 2011, but we are getting down to the point where we need your inputs. A class letter will be out shortly asking your intent and requesting a deposit so we have funds to use in planning.

We recently added a new member to our Board: Dick Newton's son Dick III, a recent AF LTG retiree and a graduate of the Air Force Academy. He will be representing our children and grandchildren.

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1950 Cosmopolitan Magazine article "I Married West Point"

Here is the original article by by Will Coates' widow Nancy that appeared in a 1950 issue of Cosmopolitan Magazine.

"I Married West Point"

To those who never knew Willard Coates but who, with me and his parents, now share the shock of his untimely end in a command post in the bleak hills of Korea, I feel it important that I tell his story, our story... BY NANCY NOLAN COATES as told to JEAN LIBMAN BLOCK

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Distinguished Graduate Bill DeGraf

Bill and his Family

Congratulations to Bill DeGraf for receiving the well-deserved Distinguished Graduate Award. 

His citation reads:

"William B. DeGraf '50 - First to graduate in the Class of 1950, a class that produced 64 general officers (including 7 four-star generals), Colonel DeGraf (Retired) has been its acknowledged and unchallenged leader for decades. He has led class gift programs, organized class reunions, and served as class scribe for 33 of the past 39 years. His leadership might stem from the fact that he was already a first lieutenant before coming to West Point (battlefield commission during World War II). After graduating he fought in Korea, received a master's in nuclear physics, taught at USMA (Department of Electrical Engineering), and commanded the 1st Brigade of the 1st Infantry Division in Vietnam (earning a third Combat Infantryman Badge during that conflict, a rare feat). After retirement, DeGraf contributions to the Army went even further: As the Assistant Vice President of Science Applications International Corporation, he led the design, development, and activation of the National Training Center at Fort Irwin, CA, which is thought to be the crown jewel of the Army training system."

NASA Magazine Interview of Chuck Friedlander

Chuck Friedlander (Class of 1950) got to experience the American space program of the 1960s in a way that few could.  As Chief of the Astronaut Support Office at Kennedy Space Center during the Gemini and early Apollo programs, he worked behind-the-scenes with the astronauts that flew the vehicles and who eventually walked on the Moon.  His story, along with some personal, behind-the-scenes remembrances of the space program, were recently featured in the Volume 21 #1 issue of “Quest: The History of Spaceflight."

March 2014 Class Notes

WELCOME
They say that Spring is coming soon, but the piles of snow still on the ground say otherwise. It has been a hard winter all over this year and not much in the way of news has come along. Some of the news will be from late Christmas cards.

MORRISON MOTEL
Bob & Martha had youngsters coming and going. Granddaughter Callie and her husband Paul with their daughter Annabel came home from Kenya because of unrest there during the election. It was just in time to have great grandson Zack arrive. Other family also used the "motel" from time to time.

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December 2013 Class Notes

HAPPY NEW YEAR 2014
Hard to realize another Christmas has come and gone. Some of you were in deep snow, others in bright sunshine, still others in ice, but all of us look forward to another great year.

MORE HONORS
The latest AWC Foundation News had a nice article on Dick Trefry's retirement from the Board of Trustees after two decades of service to the Alumni Association of the Army War College, including being president once and vice president twice. He will still be active in serving the foundation and the college.

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Sent by Cabell Fooshe

Taken at Mclean Little League game in McLean, VA on October 2, 2013. Top Left is Jamie Crittenberger. Bottom left is his son Kelly Crittenberger age 10. Top Right is Cabell Fooshe. Bottom right is his son Cab Fooshe age 10. Note Kelly Crittenberger had made it on base 21 at bats in a row coming into this game!

GO ARMY, BEAT NAVY!!!!

    September 2013 Class Note

    WELCOME TO FALL
    The leaves are turning outside our window and the air is getting cooler. Fun listening to Army football, even if the scores are not what we want.

    The format for Class Notes has been changed by AOG. I can only put two pictures in the notes themselves. All the others will be put in a separate photo gallery. Since I do not want to have to choose between which ones go with the notes, I will be putting ALL pictures back in the photo gallery. Also only the first time a classmate, wife or widow's name is mentioned will it be in BOLD.

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    July 2013 Class Notes

    SUMMER IS HERE
    The Class of 2013 has graduated. Where did the years go?

    FOUNDERS DAY IN WILLIAMSBURG 
    The celebration took place at the Two Rivers Club. The guest speaker was LTG Keith Walker '76, the son-in-law of Volney & Janice Warner. The Warner's daughter Valerie also was part of the group. Enjoying the super evening were Walt & Shirley Adams, Bob & Peg Wilson, Al & Betty Paulger, and Clyde & Mary Spence. 

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    From Clyde Spence

    Mike, Bill, Sandy,

    I thought you might be interested in a short report:

    1) I attended the 1st Cav Div annual reunion in Ft Hood from 6-9 June and visited the Cav museum. They had a rather large display on Father Emil Kapaun and his award of the CMH, which I'm sure you, Mike in particular, would have appreciated.

    2) I was able to purchase a copy of Will Lathham's book, "Cold Days in Hell - American POWs in Korea" from the local Barnes & Noble. Haven't read it yet, but I'm looking forward to doing so!

    3) I was among those who visited Korea 21-28 June to help celebrate the 60th reunion of the Korean Armistice Agreement. Reps, to include young people, were invited from all the 22 nations that fought alongside the ROKS during the war. LTG Rowny (Ret) was the senior US rep - he's 96, blind, and wheel chair bound, but he has a remarkable memory that permits recalling every conversation he ever had with anyone! (He is Cl of '41 and was on Gen MacArthur's staff and helped plan the Inchon invasion - has a book coming out this summer: "Smokey Joe & The General"). I sat next to him on the 14-hr plane ride back - and he is remarkable - and he plays the harmonica like a pro! The Korean Gov displayed a special effort to show their appreciation for all nation's support during the war and making it possible for their being such an advance industrialized and democratic nation today. President Park did have a reception for us, the day before she left for her meeting with the Chinese Government! We all came away so impressed with what the Koreans have achieved, thinking the sacrifices we made may have made that "Forgotten War" worth the costs after all - a message every soldier and US citizen should hear!

        

    4) I did visit the Cl of '50 memorial placed on the grounds of the Korean Military Academy(KMA) in '92 - really stirring to see the names of all our classmates who were KIA/WIA in the war inscribed on the monument. I do have pictures which I will send to Sandy. A point - the Koreans send a candidate to West Point every other year; West Point has never reciprocated! The Lt escorting me around the Academy was a KMA graduate who received his Master's at Columbia Univ (NYC) and was an Rhodes Scholar! Their program is a model for all Academies!

    OH! It took me 6 hrs to travel BY CAR from Volney and Janice's house in McLean to our home in Williamsburg!

    Take care,
    Clyde