At the Academy's first '98 football practice--held April Fool's Day (R: I swear I didn't make that up)--Coach DeBerry said: "We might not be as talented as some of our teams in the past." (Isn't that scary?) However, Spanky (and Our Gang) is back, and as you read this a new season is upon us. Academy football, with eternal hope for victory over Army and Navy, watching the old pigskin sail towards the end zone (hopefully theirs), the crunch of flesh against flesh, smelling the odors of barbecue and alcohol waft from Jim GLAZA's tailgates (Jims idea of a balanced diet is holding a double martini in both hands), while I endure the nightly sounds of Karen practicing over-and-over-again that pom-pom routine which she'll use after being dropped into Falcon Stadium from a T-3A (hopefully, with the use of a parachute). And knowing that our team will be small but compensate with lack of speed. Recall with me now those thundering cleat-beats of our legendary 1960 football greats (Polaris, p.204): Dan'l JOHNSON, PUPICH, BRONSON, KERR, WARACK, KUENZEL, WATERMAN, MCCAIN, and ZERSEN. Stalwarts all! As Hec­tor NEGRONI would say: Arriba, Falcones!

Four classmates were in the Springs the first week of June for a joint meeting of the Air Force Science and Technology Board and the Board on Army Science and Technology (all part of the National Academy of Sciences), which was a meeting on "space". Sciencenik Mike A. CLARKE is assistant director of Military Science and Technology on the NAS staff, Mike LOH and Tony BURSHNICK are board mem­bers, and Norm HALLER attended as consultant to NAS. (Mike and Norm are also working on another NAS study for the Air Force concerning hypersonic technol­ogy for missiles). R: pardon me while I go get my Eshbach.

Tanned from a holiday in Maui, Ron and Connie YATES seized this opportunity to give a party for these "movers and shakers" at their beautiful home anchored into the Colorado mountainside just east of Monument CO (that's a suburb of Palmer Lake). Their manse has an incredible view facing SSW by S with great look ­see of the Old School. Besides Mike A. CLARKE, Tony BURSHNICK, Norm and Liz HALLER, and the YATESes, attending were the SCHWANKs, KENDALLs, CLERs, WARACKs, PORTERS, PUPICHes, Jim GLAZA and friend Jeannette. Following a repast of cold collie sweetbreads, pickled parakeet, cockatiel kabob, and toasted tortoise tails--four basic animal food groups--we repaired to the living room. Ron--who keeps his weight down by eating only on even years--had to be forcibly restrained from entertaining us with his nightly javelin-throwing ritual, following which the real entertainment started: music from the Sonsa Scotland Marching Bagpipe Band, and tricks by their talented sled-schnauzer ("roll over, fetch"). Al­though our parties now include almost no tobacco and less alcohol than blasts of yesteryear, I did perceive hand-to-hand passing of Prozac (sanity), Clomid (viril­ity), Propelia (hair loss), Meridia (slimming-down), Gingko Bilabo (memory), and was subsequently informed that "ultra rapid opiate detoxification" was performed on two of every three attendees later that evening. When all the men started smil­ing, sweating profusely, taking turns dancing with Ron's dog, and gently caressing Connie's taller and more shapely plants, I realized that our cocktails had been spiked with Viagra, which is not exactly your "pursuit denial munition." Ron nar­rowly averted a full-blown YATES-Gate by bull horning this warning to the neigh­boring wives: "Full Red Alert! Do not go outside your homes! Keep your doors LOCKED!" Karen and I spent the night at the YATES' home, and knew our wel­come was over when S.S. guards and their Rhodesian Ridgebacks tossed us from our beds and rousted us through the front door, the moat's drawbridge lifted, and red lights indicated that the Claymore mines had been activated. (But--and don't tell Ron this--we got even. Having previously "cased the joint," we stole all their silverware!) PS.--I made some of this up.

"I'm the only pilot in our class to fly an F-104 across the Atlantic nonstop from France to Tennessee." That claim from Chris WARACK, who wins this quarter's What I am Famous For Award: "During the summer of 1962, a number of military units in Europe began re-deploying to CONUS. One was a Tennessee Air National Guard F-104 unit from Knoxville based at Phalsbourg Air Base, France. Needing skilled pilots to accomplish the hazardous mission of flying these aircraft entirely over water, I volunteered as an AFA-trained warrior. After weighing the many risks, we decided to go north over England and Ireland, close enough to Iceland for return to the Continent if necessary, then to Newfoundland and across the north­eastern states and on to Knoxville. Not known for endurance or range, it was nec­essary to conduct modifications to the F-104 in order to fit the mission profile. With flight plan filed, I began this historic attempt at securing my place in the annals of aviation history. After what seemed like days, and with only the occa­sional clanking sound of my St. Christopher's medal pounding against the cockpit to ward off my slumber, I found myself on GCA final coming into McGee-Tyson, having completed the mission nonstop. The excitement of those on the ground was much like that of the crowd which greeted Lindbergh when he landed at Orly Field. As soon as we were in the chocks and the engine shut down, the ground­ handling personnel climbed into my C-124 to roll out the F-104 that we MATS guys had flown from France to Tennessee nonstop!"

Bruce and Caryl MOSIER's daughter Valerie married Rick Reeder in Kansas City recently (both are MBAs from SMU). Bruce retired from TWA as captain and made his last flight on Sept. 4, 1998--accompanied by Caryl and his three daugh­ters--following which they partied with a play and dinner in Manhattan on the 5th (Bruce's 60th birthday).

This from Jim ALEXANDER down in Sumter SC (state motto: "Mint Juleps Iz Us!"): "I resigned as President & CEO of the Greater Sumter Chamber of Com­merce in June, since working with volunteers for almost nine years has caused my fun-meter to become permanently-pegged. I really don't plan on retiring; faced with cleaning out a garage and attic, I have to find a job. Wife, Martha, also re­signed as a teacher at Sumter High School the end of this school year after teach­ing remedial reading and basic English for 13 years. I believe her fun-meter was also pegged. She hopes to find work outside the classroom, but may just keep the road open to Simpsonville, SC visiting our two fantastic grandchildren. Our old­est son, Andy, is in an environmental engineering business in Greenville, and our youngest son, Doug, is an "Air Personality" with his own television show out of Myrtle Beach that tells tourists what is happening. Looking forward to the 2000 reunion!"

Great to get Jerry Lewis CASKEY's update: "Debbie and I had dinner with Tony and Karen BURSHNICK and George and Evey ELSEA April 11th in Austin, TX. Did serious investigation into the flagrant display of flesh on the part of one wing com­mander (Antoine) displayed in the last column. According to Karen, there are many photos taken at a better angle of the Can of Twan. Tony confirmed that he got hired away from Japan in the nick of time, thereby escaping the wrath of one higher-echelon commander who was seriously deficient in sense of humor. George and Evey just had their first grand-curtain-climber by son Roy and wife, Shannon, who were celebrating the christening in Lampasas, TX. George is look­ing into moving this way from Burke, VA. Debbie and I moved into a new home on the golf course June 12s': 108 Keith Foster Drive, New Braunfels, TX 78130, (830) 606-2366. I have been phasing out of the real estate management business, since I feel the strong urge to play more golf. We have spare bedrooms open to any of our classmates."

Potpourri. Our classmates attending Dean Randy CUBERO's ('61) retirement events 9 and 10 June were George and Diana PUPICH, Greg BOYINGTON and friend June, Deke JOHNSON, Jim and Linda GLAZA, Connie YATES, Jock SCHWANK, Chris WARACK, Wayne and Barb KENDALL (George and Deke did the "roast") ...

Can you identify the men in this photo? Send your answers to: ME. 1st Prize: free subscription to Checkpoints, 2nd Prize: two subscriptions ... Sid NEWCOMB's new address: 3707 Roseberry Drive, LaPorte, TX 77571, (281) 470-0981 ... Trivia-60: the youngest in our class are Fred WALKER-4 May 39; Charlie SANDS-4 Dec 38; Ron YATES-3 Oct 38. Jack SHIRA's next, I think. [Ed. J.T. SMITH-11 Sep 38 is in there somewhere] ... Dean BRISTOW PCSed from Pope to Alaska in June ... Now that Pakistan has a nuclear arsenal, why shouldn't the Class of 1960 have an atomic bomb? Maybe a small one, in case the Class of'59 attacks us? Your thoughts? Chris and Pat WARACK were representatives to the Republi­can State Assembly of Colorado at the end of May ... in an article which appeared in the Newport News (VA) Daily Press on 19 May 98 (and sent in by alert column ­reader George FRIES), Mike LOH was featured: "FAA Too Lax on Safety, LOH says." ... Sad Note: Bill HALES' wife, Joan, passed away in June.

I hate to imprison an immortal sentiment in mere words; but, GOODBYE FROM THE ROSE.