Yo! Today's assignment is to send Les Querry your pictures of us taken during our resplendent cadet years--he's expanding the CD prepared in 2005 for presentation at our 50th in 2010 ... more later.

The last week in February (2006) brought good weather to the Wasatch Front and Salt Lake City, along with several members of the Class to test their waning skills on the nearby slopes in MiniSki XVI. Several classmates were joined by sons, daughters, and one granddaughter (that's a good thing): Al Johnson; Howie Bronson; Les Hobgood; Earl and Pat Van Inwegen, son Curt and wife Martha; Andi and Carole Biancur; Ralph Lalime and son Jay; George and Diana Pupich and son Alex; Greg Boyington and June Colgan, daughter Tiffany and daughter Amanda's husband Jeff; Jerry de la Cruz with daughter Annemarie and granddaughter Anna Sophie; Jim Boyle and daughter Shayne (USNA'81); and Jim and Judy Gallagher ('62). On Monday they were joined at dinner by Roy &and Barbara Jolly and Bob and Jan Brickey ('61).

UCLA-MBA; U.S. Air Force Academy, BS in Engineering. Seaman Recruit/ US Navy through Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force. USAF/ FAA Instructor Pi­lot. Policy Development for the Department of Defense. Director 105 engi­neers/scientists with 30 aerospace firms. Chief-Management Information Sys­tems, Cost/ Schedule Accounting Division. Policy-Advanced Programming Officer for 130,000 person organization. Met Life-Personal/Business Finan­cial Services. SBA-Client Counselor (San Diego Union-Tribune, November 12, 2005).

Would you vote for that candidate? I would. That's the bio-piece for Phil Meinhardt, who ran as a Republican for the San Diego City Council in Novem­ber 2005 and finished 9th of 17 candidates, spending a meager $500 while the winner spent $600K! "I initially understated the expenses of the winner for City Council, 2nd District, San Diego, Kevin Faulconer," writes Phil. 'According to the Union-Tribune he actually spent $829K, not counting Republican Party expenses. The Party can spend unlimited funds as long it is directed to regis­tered Republicans. With the Party expenses, the cost of the seat, which pays only $75K per annum, was well over $1M. Do you think he owes anyone?"

Now back to "The Boys Grew in Brooklyn." Last time it was memoirist Denis Haney's autobiographical contribution--following that, I received a superb letter from wife, Liz, who wished to add a more-human touch to that which Denis had submitted with his piece. (For her full letter, go to the class website).

Now comes Brooklyn-native George Joseph Charles Fries (Forum l, Gun Club 1, Lacrosse Club 3,2,1-Secretary-Treasurer, Rally Committee 2, 1, Ski Club 2,1,Yearbook 3,2,1-Business Manager): "Born in a Brooklyn hospital, bap­tized in a Catholic Church in Brooklyn, lived first few years in a German com­munity in Brooklyn! Subsequently moved to an Irish com­munity in Queens, went to elementary school in Brooklyn, attended Mass every Sunday at St. Matthias and graduated from Bishop Loughlin Memorial High School in Brooklyn.

"My assignment to Little Rock AFB as a Refueling Squadron Navigator was my first and only operational, peacetime fly­ing assignment over a 28-year career. But, thanks to Young Tiger, I did get to see some combat stuff refueling fighters and B-52s on their way to various targets. More importantly, I got to be one of the last few classmates to have a drink (or two) with Sam Waters, one of my roomies, before he was shot down, captured and incarcerated up North, and ended up dying as a POW. He had just come back to Okinawa after a stint down South and was celebrating coming back to Kadena unscathed. Unfortunately, a short time later he went back in-country, flying `route packages' up North. Wasn't quite as lucky there.

"I had been stationed at SOS for a couple of years when who should show up as a Section Commander but Denis >b>Haney, the second Academy Grad to be assigned to the SOS faculty (it was only fitting that Denis should be the first grad I worked with, since he and I had been riding back to the East Coast for three years on General Sweeney's bird, and my dad would drive Denis to his home in Brooklyn after a beer and a belt).

"Left SOS and did a combat flying assignment/tour in RVN with the 'electric goons (ED-47s)'. Spent some time in that outfit with George Collier, then left Pleiku in the summer of'70, starting my hopscotch career in HQ assignments in the Data Automation/Computer Resources/Information Management/ Communications career fields: SAC, PACAF, TAC, US Forces Korea, USEUCOM, HQ ADTAC, Combined Forces Command (Korea)-can hon­estly say that I always had a great job or a great location, sometimes both.

"Interfaced with Tom Seebode while assigned to Korea the first time. He was the J-1, and I was running a Navy-funded organization with joint manning. Tom helped me with my manning problems and tried to keep me in shape by jogging with me most mornings before work. While at ADTAC, Mike Loh was running the TAC Requirements Directorate, and picked up his second star the same time I was getting Eagles.

"Retirement from the military in 1988 has been great, although I did enjoy wearing the Eagles [R: See photo of George caught executing his management style].

"Our daughter Jennifer graduated from BYU-Idaho in December 2005, and Stefanie graduated from high school in June 2005. Our three older children-- Chemical Engineer Matthew, 41, went to the U. of Arkansas, as did 40-year- old Suzanne, Veterinarian; and Nicole, 39, graduated from Little Rock College and is a schoolteacher.

"Becke and I look forward to being empty-nesters so we can do more travel. I belong to a group that sets up 10-K walks in the Tidewater area, the Volksmarche Club. And I'll have the freedom to go to Virginia Beach, the Outer Banks, and NYC. We recently visited LA. for 10 days, Malibu Beach, Santa Barbara, and up to Napa Valley."

So those are "The Boys (Who) Grew in Brooklyn." This three-headed diorama focused on the lives of Rick Walker, Denis Haney, and George Fries--they watched those `Brooklyn Bums' as kids, then made their hardscrabble trajectory from Flatbush to fame and fortune, with these stories framing their histories as both gripping vignette and gritty experience.

Jerry Mason was diagnosed with ALS (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, better known as Lou Gehrig's disease) almost 20 months ago, and Washington State neighbor Chuck Diver gave us an update: "Jerry is doing well, though he is get­ting weaker and weaker, down to 152 pounds. Still drives, gets his nourishment through a tube in his stomach since last September. His family of four children nearby and the kids see him almost daily, along with a host of grandkids. His mind is just as good as it always was; his sense of humor is very fine. He does have quite a bit of difficulty talking, but gets his thoughts out given the opportunity." Jerry's ability to speak is 95% gone so don't contact him by telephone--Email jerbob@ncplus.net. Jim O'Rourke recently visited Jerry.

MINI-REUNION 2006. Once again we embark on another quixotic quest for bliss around the AFA-Navy Football Game Friday and Saturday, October 6 & 7, beginning with a social Friday from 5:30 p.m. at the Academy Hotel followed by dinner at 7 p.m. Next morning it's the Glaza Gate before the game, then lunch with the Quarterback Club. For rooms, call the Academy Hotel (for­merly the Radisson) at 1-800-760-8524. For game tickets and meal reserva­tions, contact Andi Biancur at 2Biancurs@Adelphia.net.

And after you've mailed off your cadet photos taken from 1956-1960 plus pictures taken at our five-year reunions and other post-graduation gatherings to lesquerry@wildblue.net, go to the class website at www.usafa.net/1960 and give Ace Holman your current address, phone number and email... You’ll be glad you did!

(Editor's note: The AOG has distributed an important survey. The purpose of the survey is to hear from you. Your participation is very important to us. We earnestly want to know what AOG services you do and do not value. The survey is an organized way to give voice to your views and will guide future strategic planning by the AOG. Your views matter and we want to hear from as many members as possible. Results will be reported in the fall of 2006.)