Jim Glaza reports that the "First Four" inaugural Mini-reunion during the Army game weekend was a terrific success in every way--except the game!! Our hotel-room block of 46 was sold out, and well over 125 game tickets sold in our block at Mile High stadium. Our dual hospitality suite at the Hilton was jammed both Friday and Saturday. Given all the positive comments, during and after, we should all be sensitive to future events that would allow us to bring the First Four together again.

Jim recently received a surprise call from Kathleen Gillis. She said Bill is living at a VA facility just five miles from their home in Panama City. Bill is in the advanced stages of Parkinson's disease, is able to barely use his right arm, and requires significant support services. He is, unfortunately, often unable to communicate intelligibly. Despite all that, she says he remains in good spirits and is able to spend some weekends at home, which he thoroughly enjoys. Jim tells us that Kath is as effervescent as ever and clearly has not lost a step over the years.

Dave Reed recently got a (free) pair of rechargeable hearing aids (worth $4000 - $5000 “on the street”) after a hearing check at the VA. Dave had no idea of how much audio he was missing until the VA tested him. Dave says, “I was honestly amazed! So, if you [have] some apparent hearing loss, go to the VA and have the test. Mention the T-37 or fighter-squadron mobile control duty ... .”

Phil and Nancy Meinhardt are on the home stretch of a 157-day trip around the world. “So far, we have hit Brisbane, Bali, Singapore, Japan, Thailand, Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia, Sri Lanka, Mumbai, Dubai, Abu Dhabi, Barcelona, and Costa Brava. On the trip, I turned 89. It was quite interesting to see Saigon (Ho Chi Minh City) and Phnom Penh 50 years after I served there. Saigon was 2 million people in 1973 and is now 10 million,“ says Phil.

Gordon Flygare and Ann have accepted that their traveling days are long past. For them the high point of 2024 will be the acceptance by the IRS of their tax return. Fortunately having the money is not a problem for them; however, for Gordy, remembering passwords is an ever-present problem. Gordy says that his Air Force career was dominated by the Service’s need to close bases. When he got to Oklahoma, he chose to stay put and has been there since 1973.

Recently, with his grandchild’s connection and expertise, Norm Haller found and talked with Marty Richert (Marty was in Norm’s wedding after graduation). Marty is in a senior-living facility in New Mexico. He's been out of touch for many years. His wife died years ago. He has trouble hearing and has sight in only one eye, but he was glad to talk after so many years. It would make Marty’s day if some of us called him from time to time. Reach out to J. T. Smith (see contact box at end of article) to get Marty’s contact info.

Marty has no internet connection, but he'd like to receive written materials and pics.

Now that Jack Brush doesn’t fly anymore, and the Aerostar has passed along to other hands, Jack has found a wonderfully fun thing to do. He volunteers at the World War II Aviation Museum as a flight-simulator instructor. For five dollars you get 15 minutes “flying” a WWII Navy N3N primary trainer (built 1935 to 1945). He can fly it when nobody wants a "ride." One day, he “flew” up the Royal Gorge at 100 feet, way under the bridge. Then, it was on to San Diego and touch-and-go landings on a docked carrier at 60 mph pattern speed. Jack says, “we have a place in Palm Desert from January through May. Perhaps we might find something to do at the Palm Springs Air Museum.”

Les Hobgood reports, “The Big Bend Open Road Race Military Service Award was presented to me at [the awards banquet] for the race in April of this year. The guy that read the citation opened it with, ‘this guy is a real bad ass, makes Chuck Norris look like a pussy.’ I didn't catch on that I was the subject of this discourse until he read off the exact number of combat missions (508) I posted during the year I was in Viet Nam. It was a real surprise, and I received a standing ovation that sounded like the crowd meant it.”

Marlene “Myke” Atwater informs us that Harrison E. King, IV--following in the footsteps of his grandfather Harrison “Pete” King--has been appointed to USAFA. “Harry” graduates as “Cadet Colonel” from Benedictine Military Academy in May 2024; then, he’s off to Colorado Springs. The Long, Blue Line continues.

Recently, Joe Higgins attended two weddings in California. The first, on a dock at Lake Tahoe, was grandson Peter Bertelsen’s. A week later, it was granddaughter Priya Dwann’s turn for her wedding in Winter, CA.

Frank Gorham reports that a search of Checkpoints news reveals that the Class of 60 (Nulli Secundus) has the highest percentage of AOG membership.