News

7 November 2016
Greetings T3 faithful -

Election tomorrow (or today if you opened it a day late or yesterday if you opened it two days late or, nah that’s enough). Of course you may have voted early in which case this email is just as much a mess as this campaign has been. I’m scared of all the candidates. After the election is decided I’m going to exercise my military background and support whoever is appointed over me. If you are a Clinton supporter please don’t delete this email yet and if you are a Trump supporter you can forward this email to whomever you wish.

Had a couple interesting things the past month. The first one involved the death of my niece’s grandfather in-law. The gent was 92 and a veteran from the WWII era. I had only met him once and had a rather enjoyable conversation with him. Anyway my niece was making a shadow box with his military ribbons and rank and asked me for help in getting the ribbon rack in the right order. She thought that just because I did twenty years on active duty I would know. Good assumption but I failed. There were ten different ribbons. I recognized only the good conduct ribbon. I went on line and still struck out actually only finding one or two. I contacted the person I thought would be able to help me best and that was Sergeant Major (Ret) Bruce Mersereau. I sent him a photo of all the ribbons. That was on a Tuesday evening. Bruce said he would let me know and the very next morning not only did Bruce identify all the ribbons he sent me a depiction of how they should look. There were two medals from the New Jersey (pronounced Joizey) National Guard, a WWII Victory medal, a Korean Service medal and several others. Thanks to Bruce’s help my niece got the information and was able to assemble the shadow box in time for the service on that Thursday. She was grateful for Bruce’s assistance as was I. Thank you Sergeant Major! It was fully fully greatly greatly appreciated!!

All along I have been under the assumption that Allen Anderson of DMA HOF fame and Herb Boothroyd, Allen’s classmate from a Topo class in 1946 were our oldest living former students. MAJ(Ret) John Jen’s sent me an article that mentions a WWII Vet that had roots on Fort Bevoir and may be our oldest former student or at least the one with the oldest diploma. CW3 Scott Hashagen tracked this gentleman down and interviewed him. Cordell Queathem actually was on Douglas MacArthur’s staff as a topographic drafter. Years ago I worked with a MSG Harry C. Cronin (S3, 30th Topo ’68) who also worked on MacArthur’s staff so I can’t help but wonder if they worked together. Anyway the article is attached and is very interesting reading. Hope you can open it. Thanks John for sending it.

And contrary to what I had heard in the past and was beginning to believe the world did not end when the Chicago Cubs won the World Series. It was truly a world series that everyone that was not a Cleveland Indians fan had to enjoy. Congrats Cubs fans and my condolences to Cleveland Indian fans. Personally I really enjoyed it although the Cubs whipped my SF Giants. In perspective the last time the Cubs had won the WS it was the year my father out-law, who passed in ’86, was born (1908 in case you live in a cave) and this year was the birth of what would have been his last great grandson (20th), my grandson Kyle. My mother out-law will be 101 next month. We will celebrate college course style and are labeling the celebration “Party 101” .

Our next get together is this coming Monday, November 14th, for lunch around 1130 hours at the same place, The China King, across Opitz Blvd from Olive Garden at Potomac Mills in Woodbridge, Virginia. We start around 1130 or so and keep up the conversation to sometimes as late as 1400. Please join us if you can. My super vet friend Gene is planning on attending again. Second Monday of the month, odd numbered month equals lunch. Next month’s will be Monday, December 12th for dinner. This character has been asked to be a character witness at a murder trial that day. For the first time I actually may have something interesting to say at dinner. Trial is actually scheduled for three days in Spotsylvania. I didn’t do it your honor.

Don’t forger to check out our www.BelvoirDMS.org web site. Although I haven’t talked with Ray in a while he continues to maintain it with vigilance. Oh, Hi Ray!!

Email is over. Follow the desires of your presidential choice.

Jack (540) 846-5413