Gordy Flygare does some really cool things, like going to the "Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Jazz Festival" in Davenport, IA for the legendary jazz cornetist's 100th birthday. Attending AAA Oklahoma Redhawks ballgames at that beautiful new SBC Bricktown Ballpark in downtown Oklahoma City. Riding to our 45th Reunion on a motorcycle - and then racing bare-grey headed on his 2004 BMW RI150RT cycle for 3700+ miles in 10 days from Oklahoma thru Minnesota to Canada's Lake Superior.

And now he's into border security: "You have my assurance that the Northern Border is safe," writes Gordy. "I plan to conduct similar inspection tours for Homeland Security in the coming years to insure that no swimmers sneak across the lake."

GGGG--that's Gary Gunnar (Goose) Gulbransen--was Captain at Pan Am with 26 years in the air and then flew Delta as Captain for 10 years, so his 36 years with the airlines provides free transport wherever he and Susan care to roam. At least that's the theory. "Well, after three days shuttling between Atlanta and New York looking for two empty seats to Europe and with my new car waiting in Stuttgart at the factory, we bit the bullet and bought FULL FARE one ­way seats-$8,700 (ouch!)." But they got their 2006 Mercedes Benz CLS500 four-door w/ coupe styling, V-8 w/ air suspension. Goose drove it for three weeks in Germany, Austria and Slovenia and on the Autobahn at 230+ km/hr (Susan: "the faster you go, the faster I knit") and on the way back stopped in Toronto to visit Bill and Nancy Siebecker and their neat yacht--a 56' Neptunus with twin 460-HP Caterpillar turbo diesels; it cruises at 26 mph and burns 50 gallons an hour; it has two staterooms with bathrooms and a 120-HP Yamaha jet boat tender that does 46 mph. And although the cost of that MB was disclosed only as "almost twice to the dollar what we paid for our first house," it's no secret that the Krauts built up their foreign currency war chests and Gulbransen dras­tically contributed to the bulging U.S. trade deficit. Zoom, ZOOM, Zoom

Return with me now for a legend regarding our classmates from that price­less chunk of real estate called Brooklyn (a.k.a. "Flatbush") - long ago home to Ebbets Field for the Brooklyn Dodgers and Betty Smith's novel "ATree Grows in Brooklyn." Fred Walker, Denis Haney, George Fries--the trio forming "The Boys Grew ln Brooklyn."

Frederick Thomas Walker (Fishing Club 3, Forensic Society 4,3,2,1, Gun Club 1, Model Engineering Society 3) writes: "Raised with four siblings in a two-bedroom apartment off Flatbush Av­enue, I attended St. John's Prep. That's where I met Denny Haney. He was a classmate and our long public bus routes to school intersected, so we sometimes rode on the same bus. We also worked at the same fast-food place for awhile. My family couldn't afford college, so I needed free education. My older brother attended West Point, so that was my goal. I applied to the congressman who appointed my brother. He chose his nominees by competitive exam. I didn't do well enough for West Point, but I was high enough to be a candidate for USAFA. I'd never heard of the Air Force Academy, but free is free. I was very fat and lost 40 lbs in 30 days to pass the physical.

'After I had been accepted, I was astonished to learn that Denny was too. We flew out to Colorado together and showed up at the Academy way late. Turned out I was the youngest in our class, and I think Denny was the 2nd youngest [R: Actually, Dave Luce is second youngest, born 27 March 1939, and Denis Haney third, born 20 March 1939].

"We spent 1961 with Frank and Eve Mayberry at Keesler AFB and came across them several times thereafter, and during four years at Clark AB (1962-66) we encountered many classmates - those stationed there and those going to and from Southeast Asia. In the early 80s, I was traveling with some JSOC brass (I was J6) and Bill Kornitzer was our pilot. Later he was commander of the 1st SOW, a JSOC affiliate.

"At Clark AB I was responsible for coordinating the arrival of our new com­mander (06 replacing an 05). Until then, I had no thought of an Air Force career. My thoughts changed when I saw how that 06 was treated--traveled to Clark with his family; met at plane by car and driver; delivered directly to fully ­furnished on-base quarters with refrigerator and cupboards stocked; driven to and from work, morning, noon and night; all processing done at his desk; his choice of any secretary working for someone junior to him; etc. I thought, 'wow, if I stay in and keep my nose clean, maybe some day I'll be an 06, and I'll be treated that way.' I did stay in, and I did make 06 (1st in the class and young­est in the Regular AF at the time), but I never got treated that way.

"After five years at JSOC, all other AF opportunities seemed mundane, espe­cially since the AF wouldn't consider me for an 07 position until I had been 'reblued.' So, I retired and went to work for General Electric. After several mergers, my employer is now Lockheed Martin, but I'm in the same business and the same building since 1985. My wife of 44 years, the former Marie (Ree) Fuller of Binghamton, NY, graduated from the University of the Philippines, and has a Master's Degree from Westchester University and her Doctorate from Nova Southeastern. She is an elementary school principal. Our son Tom is a poet; and our daughter Nicole is a lawyer." They live in Malvern, PA, and Rick's e-mail is: Frederick.twalker@lmco.com.

Caryl Mosier arrived in Houston as a volunteer nurse helping Katrina evacu­ees in the George Brown Convention Center--a "gigantic place transformed into a block-long three-story M A.S.H. unit," she writes. "I started in pediatric triage identifying kids' medical needs, then moved to 'Crisis Support Counsel­ing.' I heard so many traumatic stories, but some wonderful reunions as well. Had everything from a 5-day-old `preemie' to a displaced l2-year-old, the bravest person I have ever met. It was amazing to see how so many strangers had banded together during the flood to help each other, and the `Operation Compassion' people were incredible. There were 1,700 evacuees when I ar­rived 2 weeks after the storm, and 350 without destinations or homes when I left." (Caryl went back a second time, all at her own expense). Husband Bruce Mosier and Andi Biancur responded to a call for volunteer pilots, and flew into Pascagoula, MS at "O-Dark-Thirty" one morning in Andi's Beech Bonanza V35B loaded with relief supplies and returned with a church volunteer/medi­cal type on board after their 13-1/2 hour flight.

And some are still cleaning up from Hurricane Ivan--remember Him? Michael J Clarke and wife, Emma, continue to complete repairs to their home following their move to North Florida from Southbury, CT. For a look at some of the 100+ digital photos he took of the damages, email Mike at: F1yMike55@aol.com.

MiniSkiXVI is 26 February through 4 March 2006. Go to Salt Lake City for some snow fun.

"Patricia and I still spend 6 months in New Zealand each year--December through May," writes Dave Reed. "I'm presently involved in updating oxygen mandates in light civilian aircraft and gliders. FAA mandates are woefully out of date. Hoping to interest AFA departments in a research project to be pub­lished in a professional journal if you pilots have got some ideas regarding this project, contact me: neptune@ecentral.com."

Karen and I wish you all a very Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.