RG Head and wife Carole "retired to Southern California, where we live on the Bay in Coronado (San Diego). My latest passion is sailboat racing, where we crew with speedsters every Wednesday in 'Beer Can Races,' which is almost as exciting as flying. I also have a new retirement car, a BMW Z-4 which IS as exciting as flying--it's a great life if you don't weaken: Great weather, great food and great wine," said our retired Brigadier General (RG's new address is listed on the class website).

Topping our aviation segment of the news was the 10th anniversary of the maiden flight of an aircraft made by another retired Brigadier General, Denis Walsh 's home-built RV-6A (both he and the aircraft are still flying), which he built in his Denver garage back in 1996. And fly he did (doing things which few can still do at "72-and-counting"), celebrating with the pilots of two other RV-homebuilt aircraft--an RV-8A, which led the formation, and another RV-6A--all the way up to the Arctic Circle in Alaska, where they stared salaciously into the Midnight Sun. Always the savvy aviator, Denis said that "I stayed in the middle of the pack, since it was my first trip. The number three aircraft had been trained a little by me, so he was safe trailing behind me." After visiting Fairbanks, Anchorage and Seward, they returned to Denver from the 11-day tour. The brave flyer said they wanted to go further, but he needed to be back in time to fly his RV-6A to Plattsburgh, NY for a reunion of his former FB-111A group (R: if you're interested in seeing the actual 111-bomber which Denis flew on active duty, go to the Wings Over the Rockies Museum out at the old Lowry Air Base, as it's on display there).

It was a "champagne sort of day" for the Memorialization of Jack and Elaine Brush's mountainside home west of Colorado Springs on Memorial Day weekend. Amongst those seventy attending were our own Dick and Sally Sexton , Bruce Mosier , Duck and Mary Waddle, Ron and Connie Yates , Wayne and Barbara Kendall, Denis Walsh , Ed and Lucia Montgomery ('59), Max and Trix Miller ( '59)--(Glazas and McCulloughs previewed the manse a week earlier, then left for a cruise to Turkey). You'd love the "his and her" bathrooms, wraparound deck topside, Jacuzzi in the greenhouse, T-29 propeller blade by the 10' tree at entry planter, T-33 horizontal stabilizer as bar-drop ceiling and triple-level walk around the stone observation deck overlooking the city of Colorado Springs below. General critiques from those Generals present had Brigadier General Walsh proclaiming the magnificent earth lodge "a triumph of architectural art and marvel of engineering," while General Yates called "the views absolutely show-stopping!" Ah, yes, it's "The House That Jack Built."

Lew Price is one of the foremost designers and makers of flutes--in the whole wide world--and was one of the organizers for the Spring Flute Festival in Georgetown, CA, April 21, 2007, presented by the NoNahme Clan of the Northern California Flute Circle. Seven of the top Native American style flute makers in the world sold flutes at the festival (all but one flute maker present uses Lew's books and software for flute design). Lew was one of the contributing flutists on-stage at the concert following the festival (in the photo, Lew's at the left).

"Vic Yoakum and I went fishing in Canada June 26 th , coming back on July 3rd ," said Bill Zersen. Their location was the Burnt Wood Lake Lodge some 500 miles north of Winnipeg. "We flew in on a float plane, and on the second day, the guide took us to one of his favorite Walleye fishing spots. Finding the spot, we dropped our lines. We quit fishing for Walleyes about an hour and a half after we'd started--I actually got tired of pulling in Walleyes! I estimate that in that time span we pulled in 50-60 Walleyes. We also caught some Northerns. I've sent some pictures of Vic and I reelin' in the fish."

Dave Sweigart writes that "Camille and I were out walking and stopped around the corner from our house to admire a neighbor's 1957 Thunderbird. Turns out, he was one of our classmates who left the Academy and returned to the Army National Guard as a career helicopter pilot--Lawrence Chiappino." (R: Jock Schwank told me "Lawrence indeed did enter with us, turned back to '61 and then left in June '59." Confirming that was Bill Taylor , who said that "Les Hobgood and I wound up piling into Larry Chiappino's hotel room in Denver shortly after midnight on the morning of July 9th, the day we reported to Lowry II in 1956. I remember very little of what happened during the rest of the day!") In another Sweigart story, Dave's wife Camille was elected to the Meadowlakes, TX City Council--voter turnout was 49.17%! (R: Camille has also been Vice President of the Burnett County Republican Women, and could be catapulted into a prominent role in politics in Texas, perhaps, the Governorship in 2010?).

Friendly Fire. Leon Goodson can't stop working and is back consulting for his old firm--says that's the only way he can ensure his retirement pay ... Ralph Lalime , Space-A expert, just finished up a nice three week vacation in Hawaii, transport gratis of USAF ... Bob Fischer still works at the Willow Grove Air Museum in PA, and is also writing aviation newsletters ... Ken Alnwick's book on John McLucas is now finished, and he'll be working for Homeland Defense after finishing up with the Office of Naval Research ... Al Johnson is "rebuilding our cottage in Maine, it will take until the end of 2007 to complete before moving from Virginia" ... Don Almanzar says "he's 'Seen it all,' but I'm still doing fine here in Southern Cal!" ... Doug Rekenthaler moved from Morgantown, WV to Sioux City, IA ... Joe Higgins moved to a condo in Charlottesville, VA, after spending the last few years in Nellysford, VA (he still takes care of Jefferson's home in Monticello) ... Deke and Sally Johnson left July 26 th from their home in Boise, Idaho, for two weeks in Russia (R: It's hush-hush. Is our troublous and wily "Moorhead (MN) Mudcat" acting as an agent provocateur for the CIA?)

"Attached is a picture of Gary (Van Singel) preparing to do battle out of Seattle all the way up to, and back from, Alaska on the Fighting Ship--Sun Princess. In case he neglects to notify you of this escapade when he gets back, you might drop him a note suggesting 'the word on the street is he's been traveling'," wrote friend Chuck Diver . "He would probably, also, have pictures riding a Harley in Ketchikan, or conquering a glacier in Juneau? (R: Chuck said that this was a trip Gary and wife Marilyn had planned before her death last November)."

"Mary and I (Duck Waddle ) went to Atlanta to the Gideons' International Convention in July, then dinner with daughter-in-law Patti's sister, and on to Warner Robins, Georgia and Panama City to visit old Air Force friends. From there to Paris, TX to visit Mary's brother John (the pro golfer) and his family plus brother James, then Midland to visit third brother Craig and family before coming home. (The photo was taken during our Eastern European trip while in Budapest--we're on the Fisherman's Bastion, with the Danube River and the Hungarian Parliament Building in the background)."

"Jane and I went to St. Petersburg, Russia, over the 'white nights' from 18 to 26 June, where I judged the international philatelic exhibition," wrote Bob Odenweller. "On the way home we stopped four days in London, at the request of the president of the Royal Philatelic Society London, to attend the Annual General Meeting. Seems they decided to make me an Honorary Fellow of the Society, the first ever for someone from the U.S. There have never been more than seven, which is their current number, and the other six are all Brits, with four of them being former presidents of the Society." On August 8th, Bob went to Portland, Oregon, to be chief judge at the big annual stamp show, entitled "StampShow," and also to perform final duties as chairman of the Luff Award Committee (the highest honor given by the American Philatelic Society), since he had recently been elected a director of the APS. This is about as high an honor that the RPSL can bestow, although the RDP (Roll of Distinguished Philatelists) Bob was elected to sign in 1991 is the highest in the world. (R: Heady stuff, indeed, as Bob continues immersion into the slipstream of time, without unnecessary flapdoodle).

If anyone can actually remember any of the events at the Roman Blast some 49 years ago, you may wish to go back in (our) time and read The Real Animal House (A Mostly Lucid Memoir)--Little, Brown, and written by Chris Miller, for some totally-tasteless shades of our Roman Blast at the Denver Turnverein in Spring 1959, as well as how monikers like Seal, Rat, Bear, Wedge, Whale, Roach, Gnome, Hawk and Dolphin and numerous other animalistic-related names developed, as well as infantile hazing ceremonies, and much more. Saturday, 21 February, 1959 was, truly, a "Date Which Will Live in Infamy," as President Roosevelt would later say about that eye-popping, lustful, momentous, thrilling, destructive, wistful, and most unfathomable blast of a time, which he deftly proclaimed "The Roman Blast."

Revelations. Bob Badger makes so much $$ with his legal/aviation consulting that he had to stop work on his novel, Nulli-Secundus, Attack of the Brotherhood. ... Ed Leonard had surgery, and has a new left hip--both legs are now the same length ... Paul and Kay Vallerie visited Kohl's Ranch and Lake Havasu in Arizona, then spent some time with Ralph and Loretta Miller in Tucson ... Walt Futch and wife Elaine moved from Walt's house in Lompoc, CA to Georgia ... Steve Bishop now lives at 4948 Sundance Square, Boulder, CO 80301-3739.

Before a week at Ghost Ranch in Abiquiu, NM in July, where Jim took another class on silversmithing, Jim Clark and wife Jean came through ABQ, and Karen and I dined with them at the Range, that old New Mexican eatery. The Clarks had just had "a fun few days in San Antonio with the 59th Fighter Squadron reunion (Jim was in this Air Defense unit in Goose Bay Labrador for two years). We toured San Antonio, Randolph AFB, visited the Admiral Nimitz Museum and the WWII Pacific Museum in Fredericksburg and had a surprise stop at Luckenbach TX, piling out of the bus for a long neck beer and a little country music. Jim, who still makes weathervanes in his shop at home, had an artist show at Classics on Main, the shop in Salado, TX that carries his folk art. And, Jim's son James got married September 2nd in New York." (In the photo, that's daughter Aaron (Jim's daughter Rachel's boyfriend), Rachel, Jean and Jim).

"We spent a week at a time-share resort on the Riviera Maya in Quintana Roo," writes JT Smith. "Accompanying us were Nell Drake (Diane's college roommate) and Nicole Hooper (granddaughter, 14, lives near Tampa). Our hotel was south of Cancun between Puerto Morelos and Playa del Carmen. We did day trips to Isla Mujeres, Xcaret, and the Mayan archaeological sites at Chichen-Itza and Tulum. Next was Merida in Yucatan, seeing the Mayan sites at Uxmal and Kabah, and an introduction to a local beverage called a 'Chaya Shake,' which looks a lot like pond scum, but tastes really good. Next we flew to Villahermosa in Tabasco where we stopped at the La Venta Olmic Museum, and at Palenque we visited yet another Mayan site before heading south to San Christobal de las Casas where we visited some modern-day Mayan towns. From there, via Tuxtla Gutierrez, on to Mexico City where we made day trips to Teotihuachan, Taxco, and the (no-longer-) Floating Gardens at Xochimilco."

Another grisly reminder of our mortality? Or, simply an opportunity to get our next free drink! But whatever it is, for you guys who are both long-living and thirsty, here are two things which will be of interest: (1) Carole Biancur bought a bottle of exceptional brandy and placed it in the display case at Doolittle Hall in the Library Lounge. It included two crystal glasses with our Class crest and a plaque, which, among other things, says that we two last classmates---Andi says that's going to be he and Jock--raise a toast to our Class; and, (2) Ted Hopkins brought a case of very good wine to our 30th reunion, which is to be opened on our 50th reunion. Wayne Kendall's keeping it (R: Can you really trust a doctor? Especially one named "Killer?"), and promised not to drink it until we all do on 2010. Go figure.

Upcoming Class Events: Our Mini-Reunion will be around the AFA-Army game November 3rd, 2007--Embassy Suites HQ, Friday evening Happy Hour, Saturday night buffet after the football game. Contact Bruce Mosier. Jim Glaza 's 70th Birthday Cruise will be August 11-23, 2008, "Eastern Europe to the Black Sea"--contact Jim. Looking ahead, MiniSki XVIII will be held in February/March, 2008, contact Andi Biancur. And, our 50th Reunion is scheduled for September, 2010 in Colorado Springs.

Final Roll Call. James Earl Peel died July 1, 2007 and was buried at the Delaware Memorial Veterans Cemetery in Dover.