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IN MEMORIAM
This month is the anniversary
of these Classmates joining
the Ghostly Assemblage
in the Long Gray Line
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David L. Ackerman, E-1
2 Feb 1938 - 6 Feb 1963
Gordon S. Bounds, B-2
27 Mar 1939 - 19 Feb 1987
Robert W. Bunton, G-1
2 Aug 1939 - 24 Feb 2004
Charles P. Burns, I-1
27 Jul 1938 - 25 Feb 2016
Richard O. Cullum, B-1
17 Aug 1939 - 15 Feb 1994
Holland B. Coulter, D-2
10 Jan 1938 - 2 Feb 2018
Frederick D. Daniloff, C-2
12 Mar 1938 - 22 Feb 1974
John A. Eielson, C-2
19 Jun 1939 - 7 Feb 1991
Robert H. Guerzenich, B-2
20 Feb 1939 - 3 Feb 1964
Ronald M. Gutt, K-1
7 Feb 1938 - 26 Feb 2008
Edward G. Haislop III, H-2
17 Jun 1936 - 28 Feb 1969
Marshall E. Harrington, F-2
28 May 1939 - 19 Feb 2002
Frank L. Hedstrom, Jr., L-2
10 Aug 1938 - 27 Feb 2013
William R. Maples, E-1
7 Aug 1937 - 27 Feb 1997
Arthur B. Marion, A-2
25 Oct 1938 - 15 Feb 2008
Daniel B. Redner, L-1
19 Aug 1936 - 14 Feb 2009
James E. Schall Jr., E-1
27 Aug 1936 - 4 Feb 1999
Edgar D. Smith, G-1
17 Jun 1938 - 8 Feb 2017
"Well done; Be thou at peace."
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Click on underlined names
to go their Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Class Business
Class Leaders
Profiles
Halls of Fame Inductees
Prior Features
55th Reunion
13-18 May 2016
50th Reunion
14-18 May 2011
50 Year Affiliation Program
45th Reunion
28 Sep - 1 Oct 2006
40th Reunion
4 - 7 Oct 2001
10th Reunion
Cadet Days
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Welcome to the
USMA Class of 1961
Web Site
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Lawrence E. Welsh "Larry"
Company C-1
11 May 1939 - 6 Feb 2019
Place of Death:
Charlotte, NC
Inurrment: West Point
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 It is
with great regret and sorrow that I must inform you of the death of our
Classmates, Larry Welsh, on February 6, 2019, in Charlotte, NC.
Larry
is survived by his wife, Rosemary, their three children, five grandchildren, and
three great grandchildren.
Funeral services are pending.
Larry
will be inurned at West Point at a date to be determined.
Condolences may be sent to Rosemary at 2855 Crescent View Drive, Charlotte, NC
28269-1434.
Well done, Larry. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Larry's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Time
To Start The Planning For The 60th Reunion With A Survey
The purpose of this initial
survey is to begin the process for collecting your preferences for the 60th
Reunion. We need to know now whether you plan to attend.
Based on the surveys and
feedback for the 55th we are sure about many of your preferences. Returning to
West Point versus some other city was the clear preference and Graduation Week
was the preferred time to come to West Point for the reunion. So we will plan
on those.
Please click here to go to the survey.
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George and Michele Kopcsak Plan a Pig Roast on 5 October 2019
 George
and Michele Kopcsak have asked that a warning order be sent that they plan
on having a pig roast
on Saturday, 5
October 2019, to celebrate the renovation of their home after the
devastating February 2018 fire.
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Dick Clarke's Son Confirmed for Fourth Star
and Comdr USSOCOM
 LTG Richard Clarke, the son of our
classmate, Dick,
and his wife, Gail, has been confirmed by the senate for a fourth star and
assignment as commander of the United States Special Operations Command (USSOCOM)
based in Tampa, Florida. His promotion is scheduled for sometime in March and
the change of command is scheduled in late March.
LTG Clarke graduated from West Point in 1984 and
entered the Army as an infantry officer. His first assignment was as a rifle
platoon leader with the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry, 3rd Armored Division. He
commanded the 3rd Battalion, 504th Parachute Infantry Regiment, 82nd Airborne
Division. He would later command the 82nd Airborne Division. His other unit
assignments include time with the 173rd Airborne Brigade, 10th Mountain
Division, and as Commandant, USMA. In addition, he has served in numerous staff
positions at service and joint level.
LTG Clarke served with the 75th Ranger Regiment as a
company and battalion commander. He also commanded the regiment from
2007-2009. He also served
as operations officer for the Joint Special Operations Command (JSOC). He has a
strong background in airborne and infantry divisions as well. He is currently
serving as Director for Strategic Plans and Policy, J5, Joint Staff at the
Pentagon. He has deployed on numerous tours
overseas in conflicts to include Desert Shield / Desert Storm, Operation
Enduring Freedom, Operation Iraqi Freedom, and Operation Inherent Resolve.
He holds a Bachelor of Science degree from West Point
and a Master of Business Administration from Benedictine College. He is also a
graduate of the National War College with a Master’s degree in Security and
Strategic Studies.
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Alan H. Lubke
"Al"
Company D-1
29 Oct 1939 - 7 Dec2018
Place of Death: Daly
City, CA
Interment:
Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, Dixon, CA |
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Al
Lubke, on December 7, 2018, in Daly City, CA.
Al was predeceased in death by his wife, Ursula. He is survived by his
stepson, Michael (Sigrid); step-grandchildren, Janina and Kevin-Alan. He also survived by his
brother, Norman (Barbara); sister, Mary; nephew, Theodore (Anne-Marie); nieces,
Shawn (Marlon) Allison (Vincent), Mary (John), Theresa (Dean); five
great-nephews; and two great-nieces.
Burial will be at 11:00 a.m. on Friday, December 21, 2018, at Sacramento Valley National Cemetery, 5810 Midway Road, Dixon, CA.
Condolences may be sent to Theo Lubke at 85 Briarwood Drive West, Warren, NJ 07059. In lieu of
flowers, contributions in Al's memory may be made to The Mission Continues,
a nonprofit supporting veterans “who are adjusting to life at home to find
purpose through community impact,” at 1141 South 7th Street, St. Louis, MO
63104.
Well done, Al. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Al's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Charles T. Randolph, Jr. "Chuck"
Company I-2
31 Jul 1938 - 29 Nov 2018
Place of Death: Newport
Beach, CA
Interment:
Burial will be at sea with the Neptune Society
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It is with great regret and sorry
that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Chuck Randolph, on
November 29, 2018, in Newport Beach, CA.
Chuck is survived by his wife,
Marilyn; daughter, Arrington Chereskin and her husband, David; sons, Powell and
his wife, Robin, and Jeffrey and his wife, Dani; step-daughters, Christen and
Lauren von Kleinsmid; and grandchildren, Michael Chereskin, Altson Chereskin,
Logan Randolph, Hunter Randolph, Jacob Randolph, Eva Randolph, and Alauna
Randolph.
Burial will be at sea with the
Neptune Society at a later date.
Condolences may be sent to Marilyn
at 133 Turquoise Avenue, Newport Beach, CA 92662-1036.
In lieu of flowers, contributions
in Chuck’s memory may be made to the
Long Gray Line Endowment, West Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills
Road, West Point, NY 10966.
Well done, Chuck. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Chuck's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Kenneth L. Quinn
"Ken"
Company G-2
7 Dec 1937 - 2 Dec2018
Place of Death: Louisville, KY
Interment: Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central, Radcliff, KY
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It is with great
regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Ken
Quinn, on December 2, 2018, in Louisville, KY.
Ken is survived by
his wife, Barbara; their children, Holly Anne Ruth and her husband Douglas,
Susanne Wittmann, and Kenneth L. Quinn, Jr. and his wife Karen; and their
grandchildren, Chloe Haffley and her husband Jordan, and Amina Wittmann.
Ken was buried
with Military Honors on December 6, 2018 at Kentucky Veterans Cemetery Central,
Radcliff, KY.
Condolences may be
sent to Barbara at 14014 Hickory Ridge Road, Louisville, KY 40245-5175.
In lieu of
flowers, contributions in Ken’s memory may be made to Harbor House of
Louisville, 2231 Lower Hunters Trace, Louisville, KY 40216.
Well done, Ken. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Ken's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Jim Nicholson Receives the Hiring Our Heroes Presidential Award
 8th Annual Lee Anderson Hiring Our Heroes Awards Gala, presented by USAA,
on November 14, 2018 presented the Hiring Our Heroes Presidential Award to the Honorable R.
Jim Nicholson for a lifetime of commitment and service to veterans and
military families. A graduate of the United States Military Academy,
Nicholson's reputation of caring for those in need spans decades public
and private service dedicated to our country as well as our service
members and their families.
The Lifetime Achievement Award is in recognition of Nicholson's
sustained support of our nation's veterans and military families. As
U.S. Ambassador to the Holy See, and significantly, as secretary of
Veterans Affairs, both in the George W. Bush administration, Nicholson
has always been keenly aware of the hardships and sacrifices made by
America's service members and their families and is committed to helping
them.
The Hiring Our Heroes program, which he co-founded, facilitates the
hiring of veterans and military spouses by private industry. The program
has helped more than 30,000 veterans and military spouses find jobs.
"The best thing the private sector can do for veterans is to hire them,"
said Nicholson. "There is nothing more fulfilling than being able to
take care of yourself and your family. And, it's a great opportunity for
employers: young veterans are all volunteers who are self-disciplined,
mission-focused, have an excellent esprit de corps, and offer many
valuable tangible and intangible skills."
"I'm proud to be a part of this effort," he noted.
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Thomas J. Moore
"Tom"
Company C-1
4 Jul 1938 - 28 Sep 2018
Place of Death:
Flower Mound, TX
Inurment:
West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY
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Tom died Friday about 5 pm
after a 19 month struggle with first colon cancer and then liver cancer.
He will be cremated and have a
Mass here.
Funeral service will be on Saturday,
6 October at 12:00 PM at St. Philip Catholic Church, 1897 W. Main
Street, Lewisville, TX 75067-3250. Tom Moore's funeral is at
1000, 17 Oct, at the West Point Cemetery.
Well done, Tom. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Tom's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Harold M. Hannon
"Ron"
Company I-2
29 Nov 1938 - 21 Sep 2018
Place of Death: Cocoa Beach, FL
Interment:
West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY
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 It is with great regret and sorrow that
we must notify you of the death of our
Classmate, Ron Hannon, on September 21, 2018, in Cocoa Beach, FL
Ron was predeceased by his wife, Neuzy. He is survived by sons Mark and
Michael; Mark's wife, Michelle; three grandchildren, Peyton, Brooke,
Christian; and one great grandson, Ezekiel (Zeke)
The funeral service will at 10:30 am, Tuesday, 25 September, at Church of Our
Saviour, 5301 N Atlantic Ave, Cocoa Beach, FL.
Burial will be at 1:30 pm, Tuesday, 30 Oct 2018, at the West Point
Cemetery with a
reception to follow at Herbert Hall. Full military honors
will be rendered outside the Old Cadet Chapel.
Condolences may be sent to Mark at 1537 Via Buena, La Verne, CA 91750 or at
mhannon1989@gmail.com.
In lieu of flowers,
contributions in Ron’s memory may be made to any
Alzheimer's Association.
Well done, Ron. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Ron's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Charles T. Westpheling "Chuck"
Company I-2
24 Sep 1938 - 15 Sep 2018
Place of Death:
Grand-Leez, Belgium
Interment: TBD
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 It is with great regret
and sorrow that we must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Chuck Westpheling,
on Sep 15, 2018, in Grand-Leez, Belgium.
Chuck is survived by his
wife, Patricia; his children,
Charles, Eric, Deborah, and Edward; and 7 grandchildren.
Funeral information
will be provided as it becomes available.
Condolences may be sent to
Patricia at
Rue Taille-Antoine 6, 5031 Grand-Leez, Belgium.
Well done, Chuck. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Chuck's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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John R. Nevins "Jack"
Company C-2
16 Oct 1938 - 4 Aug 2018
Place of Death:
Riverside. CA
Interment: TBD
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 It
is with great regret and sorrow that we must notify you of the death of our
Classmate, Jack Nevins, on August 4, 2018, in Riverside, CA.
Jack is survived by
daughters, Suzanne and Elizabeth; nine grandchildren; and his brother, Bruce (USMA
'60). He was predeceased by his wife, Barbara.
No services are scheduled at this time.
Well done, Joe. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Jack's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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MARK YOUR CALENDAR
The annual Orlando Mini-Reunion is on!!!
THUR 24 - TUE 28 January 2019
We have a great venue for informal get-togethers with max time to
visit with old friends
· Best hotel for casual social activities we have had
anywhere
· Hospitality room available 24 hours with all you care to
eat or drink
· Three lakeside, sunset cocktail hours and dinner
· Loads of things to do in the local area
· If you want to golf - excellent courses,
Join us for a fun
time in Orlando in January 2019
DETAILS ARE HERE...
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Peter D. Burgess
"Pete"
Company F-2
23 Oct 1939 - 12 Jul 2018
Place of Death: Leavenworth, KS
Interment: Leavenworth National Cemetery
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It is with great
regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Pete
Burgess, on July 12, 2018, in Leavenworth, KS, after a courageous three year
battle with cancer.
Pete is survived by his wife,
Debby; their daughter, Elizabeth; son-in-law Justin; and granddaughter, Camille.
A funeral service will be held
at Leavenworth National
Cemetery at 11 AM, July 25, 2018. A memorial service officiated by Chaplain
Johnathon Secrest will follow at the Burgess’s residence. A dinner for guests
will follow the memorial service.
Condolences may be
sent to Debby at 922 S 5th Street, Leavenworth, KS 66048-3322.
Well done, Pete. Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Pete's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Jack E. Dopler
Company
G-1
2 Aug 1939 - 13 Jun 2018
Place of Death:
Brandon, FL
Interment:
Arlington National Cemetery
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It is with great regret and
sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Jack Dopler, on
June 13, 2018, in Brandon, FL, after a courageous battle with chronic
lymphocytic leukemia
Jack is survived
by his wife, Kathy, 7 children, 15 grandchildren, 7 great grandchildren.
Jack will be
buried at Arlington National Cemetery 9 AM, October 30, 2018.
Condolences may be
sent to Kathy at 1312 Ivywood Drive, Brandon, FL 33510-2254.
In lieu of
flowers, contributions in Jack’s memory may be made to
New Testament
Church-Brandon, 913 Dew Bloom Road, Brandon, FL 33511
Well done, Jack.
Be thou at peace.
Click here to go to
Jack's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Army Breaks Ground for Anderson Athletic Center
Army West Point Director of Athletics
Boo Corrigan has announced that construction is set to begin on the
Anderson Athletic Center, which will be the new state-of-the-art home for the
Black Knights' sprint football, softball and volleyball teams.
"We have an incredible opportunity to offer top-level support for many of our
cadet-athletes thanks to the Anderson Athletic Center," said Corrigan. "Lee
and Penny Anderson have been transformational for the Academy and the Athletic
Department. Not only have the Anderson's been instrumental in developing our
men's and women's rugby programs, but have endowed head coaching positions and
contributed their time and mentorship. The building timeline would not have
been met without the significant support of Bill Sandbrook, John and Ellen
Drew, and Bill and Diane Spurgeon and the Class of 1981."
Read full
story of opening.
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Jim Nicholson ’61 Appointed to West Point Board of Visitors
 R.
James “Jim” Nicholson ’61 has been appointed by President Trump to the West
Point Board of Visitors (BOV). The mission of the BOV is to inquire and advise
the President as to the morale, discipline, academic standing, and general state
of excellence of USMA and the Corps of Cadets. Nicholson, himself a
Distinguished Graduate of West Point
and a retired Army colonel, said, “Going to West Point and serving in the Army
changed my life. I am very grateful to play a role in the development of our
future generations of military leaders by serving on the Board of Visitors of my
beloved Alma Mater.”
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Sept 2019 River Cruise Viking Elegant
Elbe River Cruise Berlin to Prague Plus Optional Extention to Warsaw & Krakow
 Great
Air fare pricing. $500 pp booking. Final payment March 2019!!
See attached for
pricing and more details.
Budge, Hansel, Harmon and Bradfield signed on!!
For more info: Connie Budge--
clb615@aol.com or Lois Bradfield--
lois.lbtours@comcast.net
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AOG Announces The Rockbound Highland
Home Program Welcoming Grads Home
 Who
says you can’t go home again? For 47 months, West Point was
your home—through Beast Barracks, Mess Hall meals, clubs and team experiences,
competitions on the fields of friendly strife, the Indoor Obstacle Course,
graduation, and even the gloom period.
Most alumni love to visit their alma maters, and West Point
graduates are certainly no exception. However, because the Academy is on an
active-duty Army post, gaining access and touring West Point present unique
challenges.
To enhance services for the Long Gray Line, the West Point
Association of Graduates has launched The Rockbound Highland Home
Program, a new program ensuring that every graduate coming back
home to the Academy is welcomed in the special way that family should be.
The Rockbound Highland Home Program was
created exclusively for USMA graduates and is designed to assist you in
navigating post security procedures, offer special access to select MWR (Morale,
Welfare, and Recreation) facilities and services, and provide “insider” tours
for you and your guests. For information on how to support the Rockbound
Highland Home Program and other WPAOG initiatives,
click here.
For more information on each aspect of this program, please
click below or contact:
Program Coordinator: Lindsey Eisenlohr,
Phone: 845.446.1622
Email at
RockboundHighlandHome@wpaog.org
  
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Should You Be Enrolled Into The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor - Consider
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor, located in New
Windsor NY, commemorates Purple Heart recipients through its Roll of Honor, a
database of Purple Heart recipients representing all wars for which the award
has been available. All enrollments are done voluntarily and are made by
recipients, their families or friends. There is no comprehensive list of
recipients maintained by the US Government.
The Roll of Honor is viewable both in the Hall of Honor and
on-line. The version that is viewable in the Hall allows for a total of six
screens per recipient. Profiles can contain pictures as well as written
narratives of the experience of the recipient. The on-line version is an
abbreviated, single page commemoration for each recipient and can be viewed from
any computer via the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website,
www.thepurpleheart.com.
According to information gathered from the 2010 Register of
Graduates and the 50th Anniversary Yearbook questionnaires, at least 50
classmates have received 64 awards of the Purple Heart. I have compared this
information with that on the National Purple Heart Hall of Honor website and
believe that only 5 classmates are included in the current Roll of Honor.
If you are a Purple Heart recipient, I encourage you to
complete and submit the necessary enrollment information that can be found at
www.thepurpleheart.com/enrollment.
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Donations Requested to Name Defenders Lodge Room
in Honor of Class of 1961
Frank Gibson is
asking for donations to raise $50,000 to name a guest room at the Lee and Penny
Anderson Defenders Lodge, Palo Alto, CA, in honor of the West Point Class of
1961.
Placing our Class
of 1961 on a Defenders Lodge guest room will contribute to eliminating the
mortgage on the building that offers a free safe haven for Veterans and their
Caregivers while they undergo medical treatment at the Palo Alto VA.
The details for
donating are in the
attachment here.
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50th Reunion Class Gift Presentation Given to
the Center for Oral History
The West Point Center for Oral History is dedicated to
archiving the story of the American soldier, in both war and peace. It will
record the professional experiences of West Point graduates and other
accomplished soldiers, along with others who have had a prominent role in
shaping history, such as former Secretaries of Defense and State, Congressmen,
and Senators.
>Established in Spring 2005 and supported by leadership
funding from the Francis Sehn Family and the Class of 1961 and Class of 1967.
During the Class of 1961 50th Reunion in 2011 the Center for Oral History was
presented a gift of $1,000,000.
Visit the COH website to watch
some remarkable videos.
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40th Reunion Class Gift of Reconciliation Plaza
at West Point Described on Web Site
 The Historical Marker Database is a web site
providing information about many national monuments. Reconciliation
Plaza, our Class Gift to West Point, is described in great detail. The
web site is well worth viewing at:www.hmdb.org/marker.asp marker=35359
Click here for pictures of Reconciliation
Plaza.
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June Week 1961 and Related Activities from July
1961 Assembly Now Available Online
The USMA Library Archives office is putting ASSEMBLY Magazine and
various other historical reports on a web site that allows you to access and download articles and information. Copies of
ASSEMBLY from 1942-1993 are currently available.
Click here for the archived issues of
Assembly .
Click here for the Summer 1961 issue. You will find it very interesting. There may be a problem for some as the huge file is 72MB.
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Memorial & Family Planning
Documents
The Class of 1961 Memorial Article Project has now made the appropriate AOG Forms available for your use.
Click here to go to the Class Web Site article that explains what is available and has links to the documents.
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In Remembrance:
Classmates can send their remembrances, comments, pictures to Sam Weiss
and they will be edited for inclusion
with the Last Roll Call Tribute for that person.
Current Profiles
In order to create a “Current Profile”
for every member of the class, graduates and former members of 1961, we
need your input. If you are interested in participating, email your
“vita” information to Sam Weiss
with photos in "jpg" format, if you can. If that is not possible,
then send actual photo to: John Neiger at 4011 Lakeview Parkway, Lake of the
Woods, VA 22408. All photos will be returned after we scan
them into cyberspace.
If your profile is already online,
check to make sure it is up-to-date and send us any changes or additions.
Prior Features
In order to keep this page more current with items
of interest to the Class, after a reasonable length of time items will be moved to the
PRIOR FEATURES Page (click here to go to them).
Panoramic Photo of USMA
The panoramic photo of the
Plain and surrounding buildings of West Point at the top of this page
was created by G. W. 'Casey' Kenaston, USNA '56. To view the panoramic
photo in full size with more detail,
please click here. To
further increase the size of that picture, please do a mouse button click
on the picture to get the picture enlarge icon. Arrangements
are being made for individuals to purchase copies. Detail will be
published as soon as available.
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If you have any announcements of interest to other Classmates, comments, questions, or suggestions, please
e-mail them to Sam Weiss.
Number of times this page has been accessed since counter added on 4 April 2008
DISCLAIMER: This
private organization is a non-Federal entity organized by graduates of the
United States Military Academy. Non-Federal entities may not be endorsed by
the United States Army or the Department of Defense. As such, the views of
this private organization are not to be considered as the official views of
the United States Military Academy.
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WEST POINT
Long
ago when this Country was new
Our forefathers said here’s what we must do.
We must
find a place where young men can be
Trained to serve this great country.
West
Point was chosen as the place
Where they learned to serve with honor and grace.
They
were taught to serve, and only then
Were they sent to become leaders of men.
Duty,
Honor, Country for all time
The world is encircled by The Long Gray Line.
By Joan
Seibert
in honor of the Class of 1961 50th Reunion
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