Wives and Widows Memories 60th Reunion of the Great Class of 1958 West Point, New York April, 2018 Presented by The Widows Outreach Team Celebrating Wives and Widows We are called to reflect on the amazing lives of our men and their families — the complexity of lives well-lived. We all know what the “military Life” was and the demands of our time, and how we women rose to the occasion, raised families, and created lives worth sharing! Today, we are still vital to our families and communities. We’re indebted to Sue Kernan who compiled and edited this remembrance on the occasion of 58’s 60th. The Widows Outreach Team Betsy Hall Audrey Webb Margie Downing PHYLLIS BAILEY Everyone’s life is full of challenges and people who have commit- ted their lives to the Military face more than most. The things that stand out the most for me are the two overseas assignments Clark had over there with two six month old twins on a propeller Mats plane was withthe start me accompanying.of a challenging The 2 years. first Ourin Thailand, home forin those 1960, years traveling had It was a nice house by Thai standards, but it consisted of overlapping boards,no air conditioning, nicely painted no but hot the water inside and was sometimes the outside. no No water sheetrock at all. etc. Consequently ants and lizards had access had a wash girl and a baby Ayah. They split betweenthe cleaning the betweengaps, and them.also two It meantsnakes. we There had awere built maids’ in baby quarters sitter when in the we back, wanted and towe go out. We were the youngest American couple over there. We associat- ed with JUSMAG people who mostly had teen agers or grown chil- and I missed having someone my age to talk babies. We struck up a friendship with Aurora and Pete dren, just a little younger than ours so she and I had some nice afternoons together. Kulavani, Class of 58. They had a baby, Pitchet, The second overseas assignment was three years at Elmendorf Alaska. We lived on Ft Richardson and Clark commuted to work. differentAFB, sets of quarters while being stationed in one place. aThe temporary army was apartment notorious building for all the where moves Clark’s we made, shaving but cream we lived froze in 3 in the medicine cabinet! After 2 months we moved to Brown quarFirst,- ters. We had heard they might be turned into enlisted housing later we were uprooted and moved to Green quarters. That wasn’t allbut bad they assured as us we that were wouldn’t right next happen. to a ski Well, slope sorry, with one a rope year tow. From the top I could see the school buses lining up at the end though, walk home in time to greet the boys. We loved Alaska and Clark put it at the top of histhe preferenceday, and I would statement ski down, from thenand on. Guess they thought we despite the cold, liked cold weather so they sent us to Potsdam, NY, at the very top of New York State. Clark spent 5 years with in the a place ROTC we group grew there, to really and love.we just We eased traded right downhill into retirement, skiing for withcross Clark country becoming and loved Assistant it as muchto the ifPresident not more. of Clarkson University, for the winters. We took up golf at this time and regretted not doing itIn sooner. 1993, ClarkWe traded retired in andthe condowe bought for a a house condo in in 2001 Boca and Raton, maintained Florida when we moved full time to Florida. twoMy life homes became until very 2005, lonely and changed forever house and moved into a CCRC. in July of 2010, when Clark joined the Ghostly Assembly. After a year and a half, I sold It the was I live in the independent section of a 3 usedstep facility, to give sosupport there toare Clark places for for in mehis ifparticipation. I deteriorate as I age. a great move and I suddenly find myself involved with things that I Life is good! Phyllis Bailey JANICE BOND When I met Charlie he was a lieutenant pilot at Columbus AFB, MS, in my hometown. It was “Love at first sight” and we married 6 months later. Typically, the Air Force had a small impactbombers on and our tankers wedding were day. ordered Charlie towas start on enginesalert, scheduled and taxi to tothe get runway off on for our a weddinglaunch on morning. their wartime About missions 4:30 am inthe response alert to an indication of a Soviet missile attack on the U.S. It was a false warning and we were married later that day. - Six years and 3 kids later we departed Columbus for New Hampshire on the first of our 13 moves. This was the begin ning of an adventure that took our family to many wonderful places and assignments including New Hampshire, Texas, - Florida, Charlie’s Vietnam helicopter flying experience, Florida again, Maryland/Pennsylvania, Alabama, Kansas, Louisiana, Ar kansas, Washington/Pentagon and finally home to Mississippi. times for the whole family. Our kids all went to three different Therehigh schools were great and alltimes, went stressful to a new times, school and for really their wonderfulsenior years and all appear to be better and more rounded people for the experience. We have great memories and had great experiences such as getting involved in horses and rodeos in Kansas; living near Campthe DC David, area withjust downits many the advantages mountain from and opportunitiesthe Appalachian and Trail,making and lifetime ice skating friends on atthe each small new lake place on Forthas beenRitchie; a real living priv in- ilege and adventure. There have been a few downsides such as the good times greatly outweigh the bad. the sometimes prolonged and frequent absences of Charlie, but God has been good to us. Our 56+ years of marriage, almost 30- yearskids has in thebeen Air a lifeForce, of dreams.and over We 30 areyears blessed of retirement beyond ourin my homefondest town, dreams. close to our 3 kids, 6 grandkids and 2 great grand Janice Bond JANICE BRINTNALL P - er eteto be and known Janice as met the in Bay 1960, of Pigs. and Theirswere married is a very in moving Bronxville, story NY –pun in 1962.intended. The honeymoon had to be canceled for an unknown cause, lat Our first move was to Tampa where Pete was in Strike Command. Barely settled, the next move was to Monterrey and the language school. He studied Portuguese anticipating an assignment in Brasil. Next on to Tucson and the University of Arizona, for an MA in Latin- American Studies.. Next move, was to Rio de Janeiro to learn and study as an FAS student in 1964. Pete graduated from Praia Vermel ha, the Brazilian Command and General Staff College. worked shifts at Quarry Heights and Janice taught school at Fort Next we found themselves in the tropics, living in Panama. Pete - Clayton. Always gifted with a wonderful voice, Pete starred in musi cals put on by Pan Canal personnel (My Fair Lady, Showboat etc.). Upon returning to the U.S., we welcomed daughter, Julie, while at - Fort Holibird in Maryland. Pete’s next move was to Vietnam and we stayedArmy Attache’ in Florida. at the After Embassy this, we in went Rio; toWe D. saw C. and a lot he of toiled Brasil in and the Latin Pen tagon. In 1974, we joyfully returned to Brazil. Pete was the Assistant- guese and immersed ourselves in the beautiful culture and people. America, sometimes traveling in a sturdy jeep. We all spoke Portu Nextsturdy assignment, enough to holdwas the22 inchesWar College of snow in PA,on thewhere roof we during found the a 150 plus aged house off base in Boiling Springs and, it was somehow blizzarda beach inof sight.1978. PeteBack wasto D.C. promoted ,we settled to Brigadier down and General. again received He served ordersas the Defense for Brasil, Attache’. this time Julie to wasBrasilia in high a new school and withmodern the diplomaticcity without childrenback to the from U.S. all when over Petethe world. became We the had Deputy plenty Assistant of visitors, for including In- a brief tour by Rosalyn and Jimmy Carter. Following this, a return ter-Americancould join him Affairs. on these As international Deputy Director adventures of Attaches in diplomacy. and Operations, he supervised 96 countries. Frequently he traveled, and sometimes, I he kept working to improve relations with Latin America. He helped Pete retired in 1988 to serve on the National Security Council. Later Pete helped to found the Wounded Warrior Mentor Program. He Harvardloved singing Medical with complete The West a planPoint to Glee benefit Club the Alumni poor Chorusof Sao Paulo. and worked within the Red Cross to clear land mines in Mozambique. - Unforgettable Moments: Traveling up the Sao Francisco River, in a 150 year-old paddle wheeler to the future site of the Paulo Alfon so Dam. Our group included: Mrs Lincoln Gordon, General Vernon Walters,from the FreddieDam. Driving and “Abe” from LincolnPanama of to the the West United Point States. Faculty. Trip Boat fea- was fueled by wood, really scarce in the parched land now benefiting- tured an unexpected road block by armed troops, an erupting vol cano and finally mysterious illness in Mexico City! Visits to Iguacu’ Falls, the Amazon, Peru and Argentina, Paraguay, Uruguay, Columbia. Flyingwe received. in a small Getting plane through to Quartels riots in Brazil,Panama unreachable and Brasil.