WWII Alumni Reunion and Personal Histories Interviews/Recordings WWII Alumni – We Need Your Votes and Feedback
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UT NROTC ALUMNI FOUNDATION P.O. Box 143562 Austin, TX 78714-3562 Forwarding Service Requested The official message board of the University of Texas NROTC Alumni Foundation Volume 12, Issue 3 August 2007 WWII Alumni Reunion and Personal Histories Interviews/Recordings WWII Alumni – We Need Your Votes and Feedback The 2007 WWII Alumni Reunion will bring us a giant step closer to capturing the individual personal experiences of our UTN- ROTC shipmates during World War Two. For the first time, this reunion will offer individual video recorded interviews of WWII alumni on their wartime experiences. (You will remember that during last year’s reunion we had a group recording of 18 WWII alumni who attended a special record- ing session.) And for the first time, the UT Institute for Military History Studies, part of the University’s Center for American History Stud- ies, will conduct the interviews. We’re having video recording. The Institute will then archive them, along with last year’s audio and other official record data, to make them available for future research and to use excerpts eventually in a web-based historical presentation. The Institute hopes to make this the first chapter in a book about UT ROTC members who have served their country in time of war. Wow!! And that is on top of an expanded plan of casual, purely social settings where alumni can visit prior to the traditional Friday dinner social at the Austin Country Club. Saturday the Board and General Membership will meet, as in past years, followed by a BarBQ. In This Issue The Drury Inn & Suites will be the Alumni Reunion hotel for all alumni from WWII classes to the present. (See the Reunion Activities article on page X for details) We have reserved the same room we used for the group interview session last year for WWII ALUMNI REUNION . 1 gathering in a casual social setting with refreshments – a hospitality room. We have also reserved two smaller meeting rooms 2007 UT NROTC Alumni Foundation Reunion Activities . 2 in which personal interview sessions will be conducted. President’s Corner. 3 From the Desk of the President of the Midshipmans Foundation . 4 (continued on page 3) 2007 Alumni Reunion Registration Form . 5 Operating/Midshipmans Foundation Scholarhip Fund Donation Forms . 6 Distinquished Speaker Series Dinner . 7 A Special Thank-You Notice Corner Quote Alumni Operating Fund Income and Expense Statement. 7 Highlights from the July 21, 2007 Alumni Foundation Board Meeting. 7 We would like to take this opportunity to thank some of “The Marines I have seen around the world Vice President’s Corner . 8 our loyal compadres for their help in getting the last have the cleanest bodies, Directions to Texas Military forces Museum/Camp Mabry . 8 newsletter finished up and put in the mail. Their effort the filthiest minds, Crow’s Nest Update . 8 was needed desperately, as time was running out. the highest morale, Talk About Scholarships . 8 and the lowest morals In Memoriam . 9 Many thanks to the following Newsletter Party partici- of any group of animals I have ever seen.” pants: Dennis Olson, Jim and Vicki Kuch, and Ray Adams stepped up to the plate at "crisis time" to help “Thank God for the United States Marine Corps!” "save the day." – Eleanor Roosevelt Many thanks to all of you from your grateful compa- dres! 8 Volume 12, Issue 3 August 2007 Volume 12, Issue 3 August 2007 2007 UT NROTC Alumni Foundation Reunion Activities Alumni Foundation Officers In Memoriam Fred Moon (1970) (Reunion hotel info at the bottom) President Edwin W. “Ed” Mergele (1975) Thursday 27 September Vice President Navy League Dinner and Program – Distinguished guest speaker: Dr. Thomas Hatfield, Director of Spencer Smith (1973) the Institute for Studies of American Military History, UT Center for American History. Topic: WWII Francis Charles Tormollan VIII Secretary Dan O’Neil (1980) Personal Histories Interviews. Held at the Austin Woman’s Club on San Antonio St between 7th and 8th Treasurer Streets. Enter from Nueces St at the rear. Parking is free. Social Hour: 1815, Dinner: 1915, Program: Francis Charles Tormollan VIII was born in 1918 in Norfolk, Virginia. He grew up in Baltimore, Maryland, where he Robert W. “Bob” Looney (1962) 2015: Adjourn NLT 2115. $25 per person. Reservations by 1600 Tue 25 Sep to Glenn Looney (’61) at attended City College. Working toward his life-long goal of being a Naval officer, he entered Severn Preparatory Academy. Editor/Publisher [email protected] and (512) 327-7413. His tenure there was short-lived, as a football injury requiring lengthy hospitalization had him side-lined the length of his James D. Brotherton (1968) Historian plebe year. He was too old to restart and could not continue. Friday 28 September Golf Outing – Once again, we’ll compete with one another (Navy team vs Marine Corps team) in a “golf Alumni Foundation However, the lure of the Navy drew him to the University of Texas, where he joined the founding class of the Naval ROTC. Board of Directors gathering” at the Circle C Golf Course in south Austin (7401 State Highway 45). Participants should be James D. Brotherton (1968) there by 0900 – Tee times will start at 0910. Cost is $68 (green fee, cart & range balls) – a discount! Be Pearl Harbor intervened his tour at UT, and he received his Naval Commission in 1943 without receiving his graduation. W. Robert Brown (1952) there or be square! Directions from Austin: go south on MOPAC (Loop 1) across the river, past 290. Off Tormollan served in the U.S. Navy until 1953, with tours of duty in the Atlantic and Pacific. Following various medical R. Glenn Looney (1961) problems, he opted to take medical retirement and returned to Austin, Texas, where he resumed his studies in Electrical Robert W. “Bob” Looney (1962) and right (west) at Highway 45. Go about a mile and Circle C will be on your left. Contact Jim Brother- Edwin W. “Ed” Mergele (1975) ton by Mon 24 Sep to reserve a spot – email [email protected] or phone 512-394-9381. Engineering, earning both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees. Fred Moon (1970) UT NROTC Alumni Dinner – This year’s UT NROTC Alumni Dinner will be a joint event, with our Dennis Olson (1969) guests of honor, WWII veterans and the Class of 1957. As always, dinner will be at the Austin Country From 1963 to 1981 he served as Associate Professor of Marine Engineering at Texas A&M University in Galveston, Texas. Dan O’Neil (1980) Club with cocktails at 1830, followed by dinner at 1900. The cost is $35. Dress will be “business casual”, Spencer Smith (Secretary) (1973) Retiring to Austin, Texas, he continued to teach at ACC until 1990. Following a long bout with Alzheimers, he died in Michael Waldron (1967) i.e., dress shirt/slacks. Contact Bob Gartner at 512-312-0976 or at [email protected] for details and August 2007. He is survived by his wife, two daughters, and three grand-daughters. David Wells (1969) last-minute changes. Directions: Go one mile south of the Loop 360 bridge over Lake Austin and take Westlake Dr. east. Go about 200 meters and turn left onto Long Champ Dr. and go to 4408 at the end. Ex-Officio Members Call 512-328-0090 if you get lost. Reservations should be made on the Registration Form (page 5). CAPT Gabriel R. Salazar, USN Informal Gathering – All year-group class members may also gather at Scholz’s Garden at 1900 for (1979) In Memorian Professor of Naval Science socializing. Be advised that Scholz’s may close early on Friday evening. Jack Ritter (1955) Navy League Liaison Saturday 29 September John Luke Hill, Jr. Board of Directors Meeting – 0900 in the Library, 1st deck of the RAS ROTC Building. Regional Directors Alumni Reunion Business Meeting – 1000, Location Room 2.304, Welch Hall, to the west-north-west Ray Adams (1980) of the ROTC Bldg across the parking lot & Speedway. Check the website or call the unit at 512-471- John Luke Hill, Jr. passed away on 9 July of this year. He was a Texas-Ex, where he was a member of the Texas Cowboys, DFW (H) 972-596-7188 the Friar Society, and the Sigma Alpha Epsilon fraternity. During WWII, he served with the U.S. Navy in the Pacific. After Keys Curry (1958) 7653 for detailed directions. A Unit van shuttle will provide transport to the meeting site from Scholz’s Houston (H) 713-783-8185 starting at 0830. The morning business meeting is the main reunion event, and it will provide an opportu- the war, he returned to the University of Texas School of Law, where he graduated in 1947. Robert Hancock (1967) nity to learn of all the latest unit activities, plans, achievements, etc., and also that of the Midshipmans West (H) 619-586-0036 Foundation. It is a great opportunity to meet with Midshipmen, staff, and alumni. Tickets that have been Judge Hill practiced law for over 60 years. During his career, he was also active in politics and was appointed Secretary of K.J. Moore (1964) Eastern (H) 703-759-3327 ordered for the Kansas State/Texas football game will also be distributed at the meeting. State by Gov. John Connally. In 1972, he was elected Attorney General of Texas, where he took office in 1973 and served Rudy Kruger (1963) Football Game – Kansas State vs. Texas. Start time is TBD. Tickets are $75.You can reserve your until 1979. In 1984, he was elected Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of Texas, where he served until 1988.