Master of derring-do in the Steve Canyon mold, Ron YATES--perhaps the greatest general since Sergeant York--wrote some interesting bon mots about his harrowing Klondike adventure off the Shelikoff Straits: "In early October, John MCCULLOUGH, Dale THOMPSON, and Ron YATES went fishing for steelhead (ocean-going rainbow trout) on Kodiac Island. The trip was orchestrated by veteran Alaskan sport fisherman MCCULLOUGH, and THOMPSON and YATES were persuaded to go only after repeated assurances that the weather on Kodiac would be mild, and the fabled Kodiac brown bears (genetically the same as a Grizzly, but much larger) would be in hibernation. In fact, MCCULLOUGH em­phasized that the group would be 'lucky if we even see a bear!' After eight days of excellent steelhead fishing, two bear sightings, and redefining mild weather as nothing below 15 degrees, the group started the 15-mile float to the pickup point and pontoon plane.

"Unfortunately, the `mild' weather did not continue. Winds picked up to 45-65 mph, chill factor dropped below zero, and the pickup plane could not make it in for two more days. The group was unusually lucky by MCCULLOUGH's standards, as they did see the bear that attacked their provisions on two consecutive nights, leaving them without food, and the mild weather was sufficient to freeze the pickup lagoon to a depth of a foot of ice. Without any place to land, the pontoon plane was forced to radio an Eskimo village some miles away, and they came by sea to rescue the intrepid group in a very small boat.

"THOMPSON and YATES repeatedly suggested that there was not room in the boat for MCCULLOUGH; but, the Eskimo was subject to bribery, and MCCULLOUGH was permitted to come along (this was after dragging the boat over ice for seven miles). Look for an article in an upcoming issue of American Angler magazine on the trip." Ron and Dale are no longer accepting telephone calls or Christmas cards from MC­CULLOUGH! (RC: my follow-ups reveal that the attack bears--we'll just call 'em "Biff" and "Smokey"--initially measured 6' nose-to-tail. Both the number of bears and their size, however, seem to be increasing exponentially with time, growing faster than the point of Pinocchio's pro­boscis. Arctic wonder-drugs?)

Spent some quality time with Florian P. MEINHARDT when Karen and I visited San Diego last October. Phil retired in '86, now lives a lordly life of leisure and letters in lovely La Jolla. Still actively engaged in politics--Phil made a strong bid for a Congressional seat from Kan­sas--he was attending that weekend an international symposium entitled "Insights '96" with speakers Carter, Peres, Sadat's widow, Rabin's widow, and nonwidowed Gorbachev. Phil later noted: "Went to Bob Dole's bash afterwards, and the highlight was getting Bo Derek's autograph. I told her she was still a 10!" (On a sad note, Phil's wife of 16 years, Elizabeth, died last May, and was buried at Arlington's National Cemetery.)

Just when we thought that the only certainties in life are Death & Faxes, along comes Jack BRUSH to worm your apples and overturn their carts. When contacted by Jack, I immediately dispatched my ace stringer "Studs" to the Springs for corroboration. Jack had proclaimed that, after only seven years of training, he had earned his Black Belt in Karate! "I'm insufficiently smug about this, since my only other athletic ac­complishment was a 1960 turnout in handball, which I passed. I can now beat up 95 percent of teenagers, all girls, and lotsa guys over 40!" Wife, Jeanne, told us that Jack, when not tearing-up metropolitan telephone directories or breaking stacks of concrete blocks with his bare hands, is full-time selling Ginzu knives on late-night TV. (Scribe: since Jack now speaks only Korean and a variety of other oriental tongues, I had to sup­ply Studs with an interpreter in order to get this story.) And, on what was an otherwise beautiful Sunday morning in November, Karen and I en­countered Jack, Jeanne, and daughter at the Oriental Tombs of China ex­hibit in Denver, where Jack was busily deciphering the calligraphy off the catafalque of some third-century Chinese guard. Seriously: congratula­tions, Jack!

Doug REKENTHALER is involved with the purchase/sale of Euro­pean aircraft, traveling to Kiev, Prague, Budapest, Chernihiv, Bremerhaven, and other Slovakian-European destinations which specialize in bringing the cutting-edge of Serbo-Croatian technology (RC: for example, the Yugo roadster) to those of us still working on acquiring indoor plumbing. Doug can sell you a nifty L-39C Ukrainian (engine)/Czech (airframe) craft which flies 2.3 hours at 450 knots, is per­sonally flown by Chrysler President Bob Lutz, and sells for a mere quarter-mil. (Is that in rubles, korunas, or plain-old Bucks?) However, his more unique proposal is best stated in his own words: "For the past three years, I have had under contract and have sponsored a 14-year-old Ukrainian tennis player who will soon be entering the women's profes­sional tennis circuit. This girl has more skill and potential (in the view of the top professional trainers with whom she trains six hours each day) than any of the leading stars on the women's circuit today. If anyone is in­terested in cosponsoring her, I will send them a summary of her qualifica­tions, video of her tennis skills, and a business proposal." Takers?

Child sumo star Tony BURSHNICK writes: "Still consulting for Na­tional Communications Integration Company, and spent time in Seoul trying to convince the Korean government to hire ARINC to do the com­munications integration for their new international airport at Inchon." Our Lt Gen Emeritus also attended the AOG luncheon for their D.C. chapter prior to the Army game (lest we forget that debacle), along with QUERRY, DE LA CRUZ, BADGER, SEXTON, HIGGINS, ELSEA, and ALNWICK. In a subsequent note from wife, Karen, she mentioned a gathering at their residence in December: Al JOHNSON won the ice tossing contest, and Bob BADGER took the bread maker award. (RC: do those guys know how to have fun, or what?) Karen also said that Tony and Mike LOH have been selected to serve on the Air Force Board of Science and Technology under the auspices of the National Academy of Science (Mike A. CLARKE and Norm HALLER work for the NAS, and are also on the AFSTB).

Frank and Eve MAYBERRY left Alice Springs Way-Down-Under last May and have been traveling ever since, and by now must have more stamps on their passports than Phila-, er, stamp-collector Bob ODENWELLER. After retiring from TRW, their incredible journey thus far includes four continents and maybe a few undiscovered islands. I'm just gonna wait 'til the Sheriff of MAYBERRY and Eve have completed their adventure, to tell you the whole story.

Op. Ed. The LOH/YATES presidential candidacy achieved a single electoral vote from Delaware (State Moto: We Is Clams); but, a recount discovered some irregularities. An article in the Dover Daily Draconian sent in by alert column-reader George FRIES disclosed that the one elec­toral vote was cast by a one-armed retarded cretin from Cameroon without a green card. That significantly reduces the vote count for Roach and Ron, actually down to zero.

POTPOURRI. Steve BISHOP’s now a flight engineer with United: P.O. Box 3500-306, Princeville, HI 96722 ... Dave REED left January 10th for New Zealand to skipper his 40' sailboat on a five-month adventure throughout the Pacific ... Georgia (Judo) PUPICH’s son Alex played in the Blue-Gray contest Christmas Day, and may be a serious suspect for the NFL ... John MACARTNEY and wife, Lorna, spent Christmas in New Hampshire, and then went "Down and Out in Paris and London" over New Year's ... Joe and Susanne HIGGINS visited St. Thomas in December because "The water there is blue!" ... Andi BIANCUR's MiniSki VII March 2-9 included all of "the usual suspects" ... Our memorial at Doolittle Hall for deceased '60 grads was kicked off by a $1K contribution from Mike LOH ... SAD NOTES: Alan Sternberg, who left in our third-class year, died in Oregon 11/2/96. Bob DAVIS was buried at the Academy November 22, was MIA March '69.