The west coast branch of the Class of ’60 held a mini-5eunion in Santa Barbara, CA from 14-16 September 2022. Co-hosts for the event were Gary Gulbransen and Bill Zersen. Fourteen souls attended in person, one being two days early and another one day late, and ten participated via Zoom. (see photo’s below) The program consisted of four events over three days. One event, hosted by the Gulbransens was a Virtual Cocktail Party which provided the evening’s unique entertainment. At one event, RG Head entertained the group with excerpts from his soon-to-be-published US Attack Aviation, Air Force/Navy Light Attack, 1916 to the Present. Zoom attendees were Ron and Carolyn Deep, Norm Haller, John Kuenzel, Les Querry, J.T. Smith, Paul Sullivan, Dale and Ina Thompson and Aaron Thrush.

Gary Gulbransen, Greg Boyington, RG Head, Phil Meinhardt, Bill Zersen, Charley Thompson, Vic Yoakum
Nancy Meinhardt, Susanne Yoakum, Carole Head, Judy Boyington, Susan Gulbransen

D Reece Williams and his wife, Nancy, have resided in Colombia, SC for over 60 years. Reese is an active senior lawyer/litigator who focuses on trial work and has a long history of working to enhance the legal profession. He has served as the National President of the American Board of Trial Associates. Reece has also been a leader in the Columbia community as a board member of organizations including the Colombia Ballet, South Carolina Nature Society, and the Columbia Housing Board to name just a few.

Ed Haerter and Nancy Ann are happily recovered from being hospitalized for COVID in Madison Wisconsin, their hometown. As you may recall, Ed and Bill Ouellette are our only two ANG flag officers. Ed and his son and grandson will soon travel to the Wisconsin hinterlands (for the third time) to compete for muskie fishing trophies. Taking his children into the hills, reminds Ed of the time when he and Mike Love would legally hunt for mountain lions in the hills overlooking the Academy, sometimes encountering rattle snakes in the process.

From Polson Montana, “overlooking the largest natural lake west of the Mississippi,” Jock Schwank, who is battling peripheral neuropathy, uses three different three-wheel scooters and a scooter-accessible van to get around. Jock can’t chance using a walker, because he would have to call 911 to get him back on his feet in the event of a fall. Polson is a small town that has an aquatic center and a saltwater therapy pool that he uses about five days a week. Jock maintains weekly contact with his family via Zoom.

Bruce and Caryl Mosier sold their home in Georgetown TX and moving to The Rose at Round Rock, an assisted living facility in Round Rock TX. I know they would like to hear from classmates. The Glazas visited them to help celebrate their 60th wedding anniversary while prepping for the Air Force/Army “Commanders Classic” football game.

RG Head’s latest book US Attack Aviation, Air Force/Navy Light Attack, 1916 to the Present, is now in publication (Schiffer Military). It is a masterful treatise on the subject that includes first person narratives and a marvelous photo section depicting many of the aircraft classmates have flown. Check our website for more details.

Ron Yates and Jim Glaza attended the Cornerstone dedication of the new Hosmer Visitors’ Center, an impressive structure just east of the North Gate entrance. The Academy and the Class of 59, led by their new Class President, Max Miller, spent many months ushering the naming request through the Pentagon and Congress. It was not an easy task, as Brad is, thankfully, still alive. The choice of Brad for memorialization speaks for all graduates: he graduated first in his class; was our first Rhodes Scholar and our first graduate superintendent, among several other outstanding accomplishments. Ground has also been broken across the road from the Center for a four-star Academy-themed hotel, which will later be surrounded by several other business and entertainment structures. The Center and Hotel are being constructed on a fast track and should be finished in early 2024. Add the Chapel’s reconstruction to be finished sometime in 2025 and the Academy may be a desirable site for our 65th or 66th Reunion.

Jim Glaza, Brad Hosmer, Ron Yates

Speaking of which, Jim informs us that there is still time to join our 63rd Reunion by reserving your cabin on the American West paddle-wheeler on the Snake and Columbia Rivers, starting 9 June. Jim is hoping that those who expressed interest will carry through with their reservations. (See Class Website).

Have you checked in to the class website lately? JT Smith and Les Querry have done a complete rework of the site making it easier to navigate and more informative. There are eight categories of information plus pictures and obituaries for each of our departed classmates (one can spend hours there visiting old friends). Indeed, if you go to the 50-year reunion section, you can locate your own biography and update the information there and send it to Les or JT so that they can update the Registry. I have learned that this can be a valuable resource for friends and family when it comes time to create an obituary for a deceased classmate. This information can also be used to update the AOG’s Class History website.

Also, be sure to check out Ralph Lalime’s story, RVing Isn’t For Everyone, in the NOTAMS section.