Shipmate 2011
NOTE: The contents of this page will consist of all the news items for the class that don't fit into SHIPMATE due to the imposed limitations of 2,000 words (including the words charged for photos) for each class news column. The column will add the material for the succeeding issues of the magazine as they are mailed. At certain points, old news will be deleted to insure the page doesn't become overly long. The photos on this page may be clicked upon to enlarge them, so that you may see who is actually in the photo, a better arrangement than the "tiny photo" policy being utilized in the magazine. So on to what was to have been in SHIPMATE!
10th
Company Reunion
USNAAA Santa Barbara
Chapter News
Jean and
Buff Walter Sailing in the Grenadines
Lt
General Mathew T. Cooper, USMC (Ret) '58 , Distinguished
Graduate
Chet Nagle Has His
Novel Iran Covenant Published Jan 2009
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Wild West Reunion
A few pictures from the Wild West Reunion
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| Al and Ann Skiles at the dinner cruise | Ben and Ginny Montoya dancing the night away |
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| Bill and Sally Withers at the dinner cruise |
See the Wild West Reunion Schedule of Events
10th Company 2011 Reunion in Monterey (11/4/11)
Another week long fabulous 10th
Company reunion in
Pictures shown here are from J.J. Seeberger. More pictures from Wes May can be seen at the following link:
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| Beautiful Monterey Coastline | Bill and Mickey Hillsman |
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| The Guys | The Gals |
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| Mel Runzo and Jake McMichael | Farewell Dinner |
USNAAA Santa Barbara Chapter News
From Gary Minar:
The Santa Barbara USNAAA Chapter enjoyed another summer picnic on July 9th, just a few miles north of Carpinteria where Prince William and Kate were celebrating a charity polo event at the beautiful Santa Barbara Polo & Racquet Club grounds that same day – attended by throngs. The weather was perfect at the lovely Manning Park in Montecito, and our site was decked out with the traditional Navy signal flags, provided by our Chapter President and flag caretaker Bill Stewart, ’63. There is a story about these signal flags that we will relate in future articles about their source (retired from a decommissioned warship??). Each signal flag is individually sewn and bound with a wooden handle and loop in the nylon line so they can be tied in line to create an operational signal message! Compare these to the operational signaling in digital form today via EHF or satellite. In the time it takes to pull one flag, a vast amount of operational data can now travel around the world. Can we all remember learning how to signal with these flags, practice aboard the USNA YPs, and being tested periodically in the evening at Bancroft Hall?
We enjoyed a great catered lunch of tri-tip, BBQ chicken, and all the trimmings, done by our local caterer, Ralph Karlskint, who has served the Chapter for 20 –some years. Of course we had a wide choice of beverages and snacks arranged by our Chapter Treasurer, Chet Seto, ’78 and helper Steve Huber, ’80.
In attendance were a range of ages and classes from 1940 to a potential 2016 candidate, and included CAPT Dave Sasek, ’87, Chief Staff Officer Officer at Naval Base Ventura County. Our Santa Barbara Chapter ranges through Ventura, Santa Barbara and San Luis Obispo Counties, a large geographical area over 180 miles long. Attendees were: Bob Newcomb, ’40 and Betty, Bill Spangler, 46 (wife Gini was ill), Russ Christian, ’48 and Karole, Phil Conley, ’50, Dr. Bill Stewart, ’50 and Rosalie, Fr John Fuller, ’52 and Jarrel, John Marshall, ’52 and Barbara, John ‘Pete’ Stephens, ’52 and Barbara, Stan Swanson, ’52 and Margaret, Pam Ammerman (Neal ’54), Stanton Keck, ’54 and Delene, Ed McHale, ’55 and Celina, Paul Cusick, ’56, Vern Hanna, ’58, Jim Higgins, ’58 and Betty, Gary Minar, ’58, Nils Rueckert, ’58 and Beverly, Bob Harmuth, ’59 and Luci, Jon Ives, ’59 and Ann, Bill Kelly, ’59 and Nancy, Jim Osborn, ’59 and Lillian, Larry DeSha, ’61 and Maria, Homer Smith, ’63, Bill Stewart, ’63 and Joan, Tom Morgenfeld, ’65 and Norma, Steve Genstil, ’68 and Mary, Howard France, ’73, Chet Seto, ’78, Steve Huber, 80, Dave Sasek, ’87 and Nicole with D.J. (7) and Colin (5), and Michelle Keys, candidate for ‘12 with friend Marley Shipston.
Many ‘old tales were retold’ this day and we reflected on the memories of many classmates and their spouses who were not able to be with us due to health or have passed on.
We closed our grand afternoon by singing our song sheet, closing with Navy Blue & Gold. Our music leader was the strong voice of Dr Bill Stewart. The SeaBees also ‘sang’ their song. Alumni in the area are encouraged to contact one of us in the SB Chapter if you would like to join. Next large event will be the Army-Navy Game party in December at the Santa Barbara Yacht Club.
Gary Minar, Chapter Sec’y. gary.minar@1958.usna.com
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| Jim and Betty Higgins, Vern Hanna , Nils and Beverly Rueckert, Gary Minar |
Jean and Buff Walter Sailing in the Grenadines
From Buff Walter
Jean & I have been able to make two bare boat charter trips in the past couple of months. The first was in the Caribbean sailing a 50.5 Benetau monohull from St. Lucia to Canouan. We spent a week sailing from St. Lucia to Canouan. The picture you see is on the beach at Tobago Cays on my 76th birthday where we had a marvelous feed on Langouste. We sailed with my son Rich & wife Susan, my daughter Patty & husband Randy, and Jack & Henriette Gordon class of 58 USMA. On the first picture from left is yours truly holding the lower edge of the flag, Jean, Jack Gordon, Henriette Gordon, Susan, Rich, Patty, & Randy holding flag.
The second trip was on a Cat in the Sea of Cortes with the Gordon's again, Herb & Betty Puscheck also class of 58 USMA. We sailed out of La Paz in Baja, Mexico and saw eight hump back whales and dove with hundreds of Sea Lions. After a week of sailing Jean & I took a ferry to the mainland and a train trip up to Copper Canyon. The train ride is listed as one of the four best and we believe it. The canyon is four times the size of the Grand Canyon and spectacular. Still enjoying the travel and sailing
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58 IS GREAT
Lt General Mathew T. Cooper, USMC (Ret) '58 , Distinguished Graduate
On 24 March, Terry Cooper joined the select group of USNA Distinguished Graduates. In the paragraphs below are 1 ) a picture of our three distinguished graduates, 2) the USNA press release, 3) a synopsis of Terry's distinguished career and 4) a link to the video that was shown at the ceremony.
Press Release
The Naval Academy Alumni Association has proudly announced the 2011
recipients as: Rear Admiral Robert H. Shumaker '56, USN (Ret.); Dr.
Bradford W. Parkinson '57; Lieutenant General Matthew T. Cooper '58,
USMC (Ret.); and Mr. Corbin A. McNeill Jr. '62.
Our
2011 Distinguished Graduates join an elite group of leaders who serve
as a true example to today's midshipmen," said Byron Marchant
'78, president of the U.S. Naval Academy Alumni Association.
"They have lived lives true to the
Biography
Born
and raised in
Cooper’s
final years on active duty were spent as Deputy Chief of Staff for
Manpower and Reserve Affairs at
Following
his retirement from the Marine Corps, Cooper served for 15 years as
the president and CEO of Marine Toys for Tots Foundation, a non-profit
charity dedicated to bringing the joy of Christmas to underprivileged
children throughout
In
addition to the Distinguished Graduate Award, Cooper’s other
decorations include the Defense Distinguished Service Medal, the
Distinguished Service Medal, the Legion of Merit, the Bronze Star
Medal with Combat “V” and one star, the Meritorious Service Medal,
the Joint Service Commendation Medal with oak leaf cluster, the Navy
Commendation Medal, the Combat Action Ribbon, the Presidential Unit
Citation, the Navy Unit Commendation and the Meritorious Unit
Commendation along with a number of campaign medals and foreign
decorations. Cooper is also the recipient of the Navy Distinguished
Public Service Award and the Boy Scouts of
Cooper
is an honor graduate of the Marine Corps Basic School, an honor
graduate of the Marine Corps Command &
https://www.usna.com/SSLPage.aspx?pid=12018
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Chet Nagle Has His Novel, IRAN COVENANT, Published.
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| Chet Nagle -From Back Cover | Iran Covenant Dust Cover (See Dust Cover Text Below Chet's write-up |
My first novel will be on Amazon.com by 1 January 2009, at last, and the second follows as soon as the editing process is finished. Iran Covenant is the story of a clandestine attack on Israel by Iran – using a smuggled nuclear weapon – ending with non-nuclear strikes by Israel and the United States that destroy Iran’s nuclear weapons program. The plot details how that could be accomplished without putting "boots on the ground." The 306-page novel may be purchased at www.irancovenant.com for $21.00 (which includes shipping and handling), or directly from me by calling (703) 684-1333, or from Amazon and major online booksellers, after 1 January. (104)
Besides all that, lovely and patient wife Dorothy and I have been tracking our offspring. Oldest son Chad, a lawyer, is teaching and working in Istanbul, second son Christian is writing and teaching in Japan, and daughter Susannah is in her final year at University of Virginia Law School. My plan is to have all that high-priced talent supporting their aging father in the manner befitting a member of the Great Class of ’58. I am not, however, counting on it.
Dust Cover Text
Fiction: Terrorism & Espionage
Naval
Academy graduate and Cold War carrier pilot, Chet Nagle
flew in the Cuban Missile Crisis. Then he joined International
Security Affairs as a civilian – leading to defense and intelligence
work in Iran, Oman, and many other
countries. Awarded the
Order of Oman in the battle with communist Yemen, he is now a
writer and consultant.
Advance Praise for Iran Covenant
Chet Nagle knows what
goes on behind the scenes in Middle East politics and the war
on terror. Iran Covenant is an action-jammed, headline-driven look at
reality in the
guise of a spy thriller. Characters are vivid, drama intense, and
depiction of a fanatical
Iranian regime all too real. Tom Clancy and Vince Flynn readers will
be thrilled.
- Arthur Herman,
author NY Times bestseller How the Scots Invented the Modern World.
Iran Covenant: a
page-turning tale of counterterrorism, as explosive as today’s
headlines. –
W.E.B.
Griffin & William E. Butterworth IV, best-selling
authors of Men at War.
Iran’s willingness to
use any weapon to defeat the US and Israel is deadly accurate
- more than many Washington insiders will admit. Iran Covenant is an
action-filled,
technically accurate novel -- or a scenario on which an intel forecast
could be based.
Either way it’s a ripping yarn. Chet Nagle knows covert weapons
systems and the men
who run them. – George
H. Wittman, columnist
for The American Spectator.
Nagle, a new voice in
the world of thriller writers, delivers cutting-edge, real-time
action in Iran Covenant. A novel every bit as intriguing as its title.
– David
Hagberg, best-selling author of
Allah’s Scorpion.
Not only does Nagle
know what he is talking about, he has lived it. And he can write!
That’s a rare combination. –
Tucker
Carlson, MSNBC
Commentator.
I