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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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"Well done; Be thou at peace." |
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Click on underlined names
to go their Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Recollections from
the ladies of
the Class of 1961
60th Reunion
Part I 27 Jan - 1 Feb 2022
Part II 19-23 Jan 2023
55th Reunion
13-18 May 2016
50th Reunion
14-18 May 2011
Class of 2011 Affiliation
Program
45th Reunion
28 Sep - 1 Oct 2006
40th Reunion
4 - 7 Oct 2001
Cadet Days
Welcome to the
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Click here for Latest Class
Notes in Sallyport Send Class Notes to Class Scribe Martin L. Ganderson at margan6@yahoo.com |
Upcoming Class ActivitiesFor more information or to add an event, contact Ed Brown or Sam Weiss |
Class of '61 Attended Founder’s Day at Heritage Hunt, Gainesville, VA.
Class of '61 attended Founder’s Day on 12 March 2023 at Heritage Hunt, Gainesville, VA. We had 17 classmates, 15 wives, 2 surviving spouses, and 2 guests — more than any other class at the event. We are Second to None! |
LT Gen. Robert D. Chelberg, Class of 1961, Inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame
For more information click here.
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LT General (retired) Robert D. Chelberg was
inducted into the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame in February 2022 for his work as
volunteer chairman of the Wounded Veterans Relief
of Florida established the Florida Veterans Hall of Fame in 2013 to recognize
and honor those military veterans who through their works and lives during or
after military service, have made a significant contribution to the state of
Florida.
Videos From 60th Reunion Part II Now AvailableVideos of the 60th Reunion Part II Sing-a-Long and Memorial Service are now available here. |
Army vs. Air Force Game Gathering 4 Nov 23
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Jim Scott Inducted into the Army Aviation Association Hall of Fame on 27 April 2023Our classmate, Jim Scott, was inducted into the Army Aviation Association Hall of Fame at 6 PM on 27 April 2023 at the Gaylord Opryland Resort in Nashville, TN. All classmates are invited to join Kelly and her family at this ceremony. This is a black tie, ticketed event requiring reservations. |
Clarence G. Matsuda
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It is with great regret and sorrow that we must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Clancy Matsuda, on February 11, 2023, in Sioux Falls, SD. Clancy is survived by his wife; Connie, their son Matt; their daughter Leilani Komatsubara and her husband Takeshi; and their grandchildren Kohta and Kay Komatsubara. Visitation will be at 4:30–6:30 PM, Saturday, February 18, 2023, at Spirit of Truth Lutheran Church, 112 E Annabelle Street, Brandon, SD 57005. Memorial Services will be at 2 PM, Sunday, February 19, 2023, at Spirit of Truth Lutheran Church. Burial will be at 2 PM, Tuesday, February 22, 2023, at the South Dakota State Veteran’s Cemetery, 25965 477th Avenue, Sioux Falls, SD 57104 with Full Military Honors. Condolences may be sent to Connie at 1517 Custer Parkway, Brandon, SD 57005-1533. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Clancy's memory be sent to the charty of your choice. Click here to go to Clancy's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
John O. Turnage
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Jack is survived by his wife Helen; his son John Jr. (USAFA ’88) and his wife Deann (USAFA '88); his daughter Annalyle Andrews and her husband Chris; his daughter Emilie McCombs and her husband William (USAFA '94); and his grandchildren Adelaide Turnage, John Turnage III, Bennett McCombs, Calvin McCombs, Dunn Andrews, Annie Andrews, and Isaac Turnage. He was predeceased by his son Taylor. Visitation will be at 11:30 AM - 12:00 PM, February 20, 2023 at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church, 1420 Monte Sano Avenue, Augusta, GA 30904. The funeral Mass will be celebrated at 12:00 PM, February 20, 2023 at St. Mary on the Hill Catholic Church. Inurnment will follow in the church columbarium. Condolences may be sent to Helen at 1120 Glenn Avenue, Augusta, GA 30904-4614. In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations in Jack's memory be sent to St Mary on the Hill Catholic School: 1220 Monte Sano Avenue, Augusta, GA 30904 or Aquinas High School, 1920 Highland Avenue, Augusta, GA 30904. Well done, Jack. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Jack's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
It is with great regret and sorrow that we must notify you of the death of our
Classmate, Jack Turnage, on February 16, 2023, in Augusta, GA.
Additional Oral Histories PublishedNew Oral History Interviews by Kathy Boylan, Peter Boylan, Channing Greene, George Kopcsak, Phil Mallory, Paul Vallely and Jack Veatch have been published 13 January 2023. |
Impact of West Point Prep School (USMAPS) on Class of 1961December 2022 Jim Oaks would like our ZOOM sessions to be built around the members of our class who reported to the Man in the Red Sash on July 2, 1957 who had been at Stewart Air Field in Newburgh, NY at the USMA Prep School.. Ed Brown, who was one of the 90 new cadets who reported from the Prep School that day, tells me that 38 of them graduated in 1961, two more in 1962 and one actually graduated from the Naval Academy in 1964. Ed and Art Downey will lead the session and they will try to contact as many of that group as possible to join in. |
Football at West Point 1957 - 1960The following was prepared by Jim Oaks in preparing for some Class ZOOM Meetings… Here are some things to consider when thinking about Army football when we were cadets. |
Patrick J. Murphy
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Pat is survived by his wife, Willa; their daughter Loreen; son Bryan and his wife Patricia; granddaughters Megan and Bonnie Anderson; and grandson Sean Murphy. He was predeceased by their son, Patrick James. Visitation will be from 4-7 PM, November 11, 2022 at Phillips Memorial Home, 64 Andrews Street, Massena, NY 13662. A Mass of Christian Burial will be at 10 AM, November 12, 2022 at St. Lawrence Church, 5472 Willard Street, Louisville, NY 13662. Burial will follow in the parish cemetery. Condolences may be sent to Willa at 85 West Hatfield Street, Massena, NY 13662-2510. In lieu of flowers, donations in Pat’s memory may be sent to Massena Rescue Squad, 371 E. Orvis Street. Massena, NY 13662. Well done, Pat. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Pat's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, Pat Murphy, on 24 October 2022 in Rochester, NY.
Kenneth H. Geiger
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Ken Geiger, on 28 August 2022 in Raleigh, NC from natural causes. Ken is survived by his wife, Joan; son Roy Blakey and his wife Rebecca, daughters Megan King and her husband Steve, Mechele Peterson and her husband Richard Croushorn, Melisa Allen and her husband Tommy, Corinn Lanzone and her husband Tommy, 14 grandchildren, and 9 great grandchildren. Funeral services will be at Arlington National Cemetery on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Joan at 2204 Effingham Circle, Raleigh, NC 27615-3826. In lieu of flowers, donations in Ken's memory may be sent to the Superintendent's Endowment Fund. Make checks payable to West Point Association of Graduates and mail to Gift Operations, West Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Road, West Point, New York 10996. In the check's memo section, please designate Superintendent’s Endowment Fund. Well done, Ken. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Ken's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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James A. Scott III
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Jim is survived by his wife, Kelly; their daughter Schell; their son James IV and his wife Kathie; their daughter Lacy and her husband Michael Wyant; and their son Rusty and his wife Brette; their grandchildren Alicsha, John, Madison, Katherine, Landyn, and Lincoln; and their great grandchildren John and Alaina. Jim's funeral will be at 10 AM, 12 June, at the West Point Cemetery. A reception will follow. Condolences may be sent to Kelly at 5303 Churubusco Drive, San Antonio, TX 78239-3071. In lieu of flowers, donations in Jim’s memory may be sent to the Gary Sinise Foundation, PO Box 40726, Nashville, TN 37204. Well done, Jim. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Jims Last Roll Call Tribute.
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our
classmate, Jim Scott, on August 18, 2022, in San Antonio, TX, as a result of
complications related to Agent Orange exposure.
Classmates Took 2 Weeks Mediterranean Cruise from Istanbul 6 May thru 20 May 2022
John & Donna Java, Jim & Dollie Stokes, Gene Witherspoon, Pat Shroyer, John & Teri Grisoni, Mike & Chan Eiland and Mick & Coralinn Maus spent 2 weeks cruising from Istanbul to various Turkish, Israeli, Greek, Maltese, Italian and Spanish ports. Our ship was terrific and the crew was very attentive to our every wish, plus the evening entertainment was superb, in my opinion. The excursions were the highlights; Ephesus, the Holy Land, Istanbul and many Roman & Greco ruins were once in a lifetime treats. Highlights probably differ from couple to couple, but most would agree that both Istanbul and Barcelona were impressive cities. Istanbul, of course had Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque. Hagia Sophia was originally built as a Christian church and converted to a mosque after the Muslims conquered what had been Constantinople. Barcelona has the Sagrada Familia by Antonia Gaudi, as I recall it was started in 1883 and is still under construction. It is indescribable, I would say that it rivals St. Peter’s basilica. If you would like to visit, one needn’t worry, it will be under construction for many more years (decades?) I was impressed by the number of fortifications we saw built by the Knights at the time of the crusades. The Knights ruled in Rhodes Greece from 1309 until 1522. Our guides were generally very good. Some of the outings were very strenuous for octogenarians, but worth the effort. Covid took a toll on some of our fellow cruisers, but the class had only one Covid casualty for a few days. Confinement to one’s cabin on a cruise with food delivered to your room and you having to police your cabin is not what most think of when cruising. This was another outing arranged by Lois Bradfield, LB Tours LLC. Perversely, both Lois and Bill Bradfield were Covid causalities for a good portion of the time. Mick Maus
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Darlington F. Andrews
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you I have learned of the death of our classmate, Dart Andrews, on November 2, 2019, in Boulder, CO. Dart is survived by his wife, Pat; his sons, Jay and Jason; daughters-in-law, Kimberly and Jessica; grandchildren, Sydney, Camryn and Paloma; step children, James Kacsmari and Kathleen Saffelle; and step granddaughter Courtney North. Dart was predeceased by his wife, Doris. Burial was in Arlington National Cemetery on May 17, 2021. Condolences may be sent to Pat at 1935 Ute Creek Drive, Longmont, CO 80504-2368. Well done, Dart. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Dart's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Gary R. LordCompany K-1 22 Jul 1939- 15 Jul 2022 Place of Death: Portland, OR Interment: Body donated to science. |
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our classmate, Gary Lord, on July 15, 2022, in Portland, OR.
Gary is survived by his wife, Ruth; their son, Bradford and his wife Jana; their daughter, Kristin Gundersen and her husband Joel; their daughter, Kelleen Deboni; their son, Reese and his wife Jennifer; and grandchildren James, Gabrielle, Alice, Collin, Lucy, Ryan, and Penelope.
A memorial mass will be celebrated at 10 AM, July 29, 2022 at Saint Elizabeth of Hungary Catholic Church, 4112 SW 6th Avenue Dr, Portland, OR 97239.
Gary donated his body to science research.
Condolences may be sent to Ruth at 841 SW Gaines Street, # 103, Portland, OR 97239-3062.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gary’s memory may be sent to Knight Cancer Research Center, South Waterfront Campus, 3485 S Bond Avenue, Portland, OR 97239.
Well done, Gary. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Gary's Last Roll Call Tribute.
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Gary L. FlackCompany C-2 27 Jul 1939- 6 Jun 2022 Place of Death: St. Augustine, FL Interment: Arlington National Cemetery |
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It is with great regret an sorrow that I must notify you of the death of our Classmate, Gary Flack, on June 6, 2022 in St. Augustine, FL, following a long, courageous battle with kidney failure and heart disease.
Gary is survived by his wife, Eloise; sons, Sean (Stephanie) and Bary (Tina); Nikki Holm (Michael) who he loved and considered his daughter; and grandchildren, Emily, Shannon and Braydon Flack, and Shaelyn, Chris, Caitlyn, and Emilia Holm.
Funeral services at Arlington National Cemetery are pending.
Condolences may be sent to Eloise at 1220 Springhealth Court, St. Augustine, FL 32092-2460.
In lieu of flowers, donations in Gary’s memory may be sent to the Superintendent's Endowment Fund. Make checks payable to West Point Association of Graduates and mail to Gift Operations, West Point Association of Graduates, 698 Mills Road, West Point, New York 10996. In the check's memo section, please designate Superintendent’s Endowment Fund. Well done, Gary. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Gary's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Darwin L. Richards
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify of the death of our classmate, Darwin “Punky” Richards, on June 13, 2022 in Greenville, NC, after a courageous battle with Parkinson's Disease. Punky is survived by his wife, Dolly; their children, Darla Rhea Richards (Angie Slade) of Nashville, TN, Brett Richards of Seattle, WA, Bartt Richards (Angela) of Plano, TX, Randa Richards Scott (Simon/Abby Willow) of Goldsboro, NC, Sharla Richards Lincoln (Duffy) of Greenville, NC, Bryan Richards of Tallahassee, FL, Brandon Richards (Faii) of Bangkok, and Kristal Richards Gauthier (Thomas) of Greenville, NC; thirteen grandchildren, Austin, Melissa (Stephen), Zachary, Bennett, Sarah, Samantha (Jesus), Sadie, Darwin, Maia, Roman, Chandler, Dillon and Lillie; one great-grandchild, Laini Parker; his sister, Gloria Fields of Winston Salem, NC, and her children, Richard and Wendy and their spouses and children. His Celebration of Life will take place on Friday, June 17, 2022 at St. James United Methodist Church, 2000 E. 6th Street, Greenville, NC 27858. Visitation will begin at 10 a.m., followed by the service at 11 a.m., immediately followed by a military graveside service at Pinewood Memorial Park, 4150 E. 10th Street, Greenville, NC 27858. A reception will be held following the graveside service at St. James United Methodist Church. Condolences may be sent to Dolly at 1953 Cherry Stone Lane, Greenville, NC 27858-9415. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Punky's memory may be made to St. James United Methodist Church, 2000 E. 6th Street, Greenville, NC 27858. Well done, Darwin. Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Darwin's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Mike Urette & Karen’s Recent AdventureMike Urette tells us about the most recent adventure for Karen and him. Given the following description of their visit to one of the WW II final resting place for America’s honored dead, publication of his report is timely at this time of year, the observance of Memorial Day and Independence Day. Mike Sends: “Sixty
Years! When we graduated in June of ’61 we could hardly imagine what
the next sixty years would
Photo Left: The Oise-Aisne American Cemetery and Memorial—-one of eight WW II military cemeteries on foreign soil
To read more of the Recent Adventure click here. |
bring let alone what we might be doing.
So, to celebrate sixty years and our sixtieth wedding anniversary,
Karen and I embarked on a two-week trip to northern France.
Donald A. Dreesbach
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It is with great regret and sorrow that I must notify of the death of our classmate, Don Dreesbach, on May 11, 2022 in Orlando, FL of natural causes. Don is survived by his wife, Cathy; their son Scott and his wife Amy; their daughter Tracy Dillon and her husband Mark; and grandchildren Connor Dreesbach, Tristan Anstadt, Hunter Anstadt, Madison Anstadt, Griffin Dreesbach, and Olivia Anstadt. Funeral services will be at West Point on a date to be determined. Condolences may be sent to Cathy at 8741 Hildreth Avenue. Orlando, FL 32832. In lieu of flowers, donations in memory of Don may be sent to the charity of your choice. Well done, Don, Be thou at peace. Click here to go to Don's Last Roll Call Tribute. |
Michie Stadium Preservation Project Spotlight: Class of 1961
A $5 million gift has been anonymously awarded to the Michie Stadium Preservation Project in honor of the United States Military Academy Class of 1961, providing substantial momentum to the most ambitious gift-funded construction project in the history of the Academy. Since its official launch last month, West Point Association of Graduates (WPAOG) and Army West Point Athletics Association (AWPAA) have raised a significant amount of the proposed $95 million that will support the Academy’s vision to reconstruct the East Stands of Michie Stadium. “This has been a great week for the Michie Stadium Preservation Project,” Director of Athletics Mike Buddie said. “We have been so fortunate to receive the support that we have from our community in the short time since we launched this effort. It’s been really exciting to see our people come together to support Michie Stadium and help us as we push to establish it as one of the finest facilities that college athletics has to offer.” Michie Stadium, built in 1924, has become a West Point icon and serves as the gateway to the Academy for many Americans. Whether seen on a nationally televised game or experienced in- person, Michie Stadium is an established avenue for visitors to engage with, learn about and immerse themselves in West Point culture. The proposed reconstruction of the East Stands has integrated cadet feedback into the reimagination process to reflect the Corps’ ideals of “Duty, Honor, Country”. The upgrades, which include all-new premium areas for guests with the addition of suite, loge, ledge and club- level seating, will put into action what has already been established as one of the Superintendent’s top priorities at the Academy. See more about the Michie Stadium Preservation Project. |
New Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 Feature HereLadies and Gentlemen of the Class of 1961: What you may how read in our Class Website are responses to a pursuit in the making over the past few years. Aided by several of our ‘mates and Ladies, we now will include the Recollections from the Ladies or click on the Recollections from the Ladies of the Class of 1961 tab in the left column of this page. |
Time to Focus on Preparing Memorial Articles for the 2023 TAPSNow that the suspense for the 2022 edition of TAPS has passed, it is time focus on preparing memorial articles for the 2023 edition. As of today, memorial articles have been published for 115 of our 227 deceased graduate classmates. Attached is the list of the 112 without articles. The suspense for submission of articles for the 2023 edition of TAPS is 28 February 2023. If you would like to write a memorial article, please review the Guidelines for Writers of Memorial Articles. Note that the article’s author is required to obtain the next of kin’s written approval of the article. Without approval, the article cannot be published. However, if no relatives are found after a reasonable, good faith search, the author may obtain approval from the graduate’s class president. I have next-of-kin contact information for 97 of the 112. You could also write your own memorial article to save the burden on your survivors. At a minimum, you should complete the Autobiographical Data in Support of Future Memorial Articles and send it to the AOG to assist the person who will write your memorial article. This is a list of our Classmates that do not yet have a published TAPS article. |
AOG Announces The Rockbound Highland Home Program Welcoming Grads Home
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: |
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.
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. |
50th Reunion Class Gift Presentation Given to the Center for Oral History
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. |
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.
40th Reunion Class Gift of Reconciliation Plaza at West Point Described on Web Site
Click here for pictures of Reconciliation Plaza. |
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:
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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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 your profile is already online, check to make sure it is up-to-date and send us any changes or additions. Prior
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). |
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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 1/01/2020
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
We must find a place where young men can be
West Point was chosen as the place
They were taught to serve, and only then
Duty, Honor, Country for all time
By Joan Seibert
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