"Beware the Ides of March," the soothsayer said, and his prophecy has come back to haunt us as we face the onslaught of COVID-19. Wayne Kendall says, "This too shall pass," and I second that. All I know right now is that the clock is ticking, and I need to touch base with our classmates.

Another titan falls! Gary Gulbransen reports that Greg Boyington took 25 years of companionship to decide to marry his beloved Junie Colgan this past January in a civil ceremony in Oakland, CA. He now joins Deke Johnson and Phil Meinhardt in newly wedded bliss.

Jack Brush got his second, and last, world airplane speed record less than a year ago. His category was, "Class C1d, reciprocating aircraft less than 6800 lbs." Flying 1000 km out and back, Jack averaged 318 mph, 20 mph faster than standard Aerostars can fly with the same fuel flow. Now the airplane is primarily used for visiting grand kids. Jack recently wrote an aero paper on analytical deriving off-standard speed corrections and is currently seeking a publisher. At the same time his son, Jeffery, won a best paper award at an American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics conference, and he is one of nine finalists for the Collier Award from the National Aeronautic Association. This summer Jack plans a very low-level flight along the Lewis and Clark route from St Louis to the Pacific.

RG Head and Carol have continued their tour to promote his highly regarded biography of Oswald Boelcke. In January they spoke at Daedalians Flights at March ARB and Edwards AFB. In addition, RG was awarded a Certificate of Achievement by noted author Judy Reeves, at the San Diego Library’s 54th Annual Local Author Showcase on 31 January. This was their 104th public presentation of the book.

While we are in the book mode, you might enjoy Ken Werrell’s , The F-86 and the Battle for Air Superiority in KoreaSabres over Mig Alley, Naval Institute Press (2005) and now in paperback. As the title implies, this is the story of the first jet-versus-jet war and how the F-86 was introduced to the USAF and evolved. It tells how an outnumbered force of American F-86 Sabres, limited by range and restricted by the rules of engagement, decidedly defeated its foe. Ken also revives the debate over whether or not triple-ace George Welsh’s XP-86 broke the "sound barrier’" prior to Chuck Yeager’s epic flight in the Bell X-1. Jerry Farquar’s book, In the Sky, introduced in the March issue, is also a great read, particularly for anyone who has time in the left seat. Fighter pilots may need a translator.

Working with Amazon, Gordon Savage has relaunched two of his science fiction novels, Telaportal and Telaportal Damage Control, which explore the ramifications of a technology that would allow instantaneous transportation, effectively eliminating borders. Bill Zersen has produced two e-books, God is Alive and Well (1993) and Crying in the Wilderness (2020). They memorialize his deep faith and describe the visions and dreams that have enriched his life. He would be pleased to share them with friends and classmates at t33kw89@comline.com.

In addition to our mates enjoying the mountain views at the Springs, we have other classmates who have chosen retirement areas with beautiful vistas: Staying in the Colorado area is Gerry Gammill at Pagosa Springs, a town in southwest Colorado known for its hot springs and being surrounded by the rugged San Juan Mountains and vast areas of national forests. The San Juan River, with its abundant trout, runs through the town. Chuck Diver resides in the lovely town of Sedro-Woolley, Washington, the home of North Cascades National Park. In addition to views of Puget Sound, Chuck looks down on the Skagit river and valley, where he sees herds of elk and other wild game. On the East Coast, Les Querry lives on a mountain top in the Blue Ridge. The Appalachian Trail is only yards from his home where he enjoys the scenery of the Shenandoah Valley and a view of four states. There, too, wild game is plentiful. Les regularly sees bears looking into his windows and deer enjoying a meal in his garden.

Don Stevens has begun a major rebuilding of his 1920s vintage "camp" in Dedham, Maine, as a tribute to his beloved Joannie. And to serve as a living repository for the memories of the summer camp that has been a constant in his family’s life for over half a century. Designed by his architect daughter, Kay, the rebuilding project is well underway. As seen in the picture below, the new building’s 24 rafters remind Don of the USAFA’s Chapel with its 17 spires, plus two for him and Joannie, plus the other five for their kids.

Joe Higgins is happily ensconced in Greenville, SC where the city fathers have wisely allowed residents to continue playing golf under austere ground rules. Last year he was fortunate to embark on two trips to Europe. The first trip was a Greek isle cruise which began and ended in Venice, and the second was a unique Catholic Church-sponsored heritage tour featuring the Women Saints of France. This tour brought the group to the environs of famous saints, such as Joan of Arc and St. Teresa, as well as side trips to Omaha Beach and San Michelle. Joe avers that he has seen enough cathedrals to span two lifetimes.

After some 18 months bouncing from one medical facility to another in the Panama City area, Frank Gorham is finally back home with his family and grandchildren. Despite being surrounded by medical bits and pieces and occasional visits from part-time nurses, he says he is "enjoying a new world."

Andi Biancur’s interim report on the status of our class reunion: