77/78 CLASS NEWS Later, Hunter and Marty had the M Twice in our life it’s been our good has been a tough fighter since chance to get up close and personal fortune to have a Navy classmate/ birth- and even while still in his with Bill the Goat. fellow grad at the controls on a ’78 mom’s womb. At the 20-week commercial flight, and both were on Life Membership: 80% ultrasound they diagnosed a American from DFW to BWI. The Donor Participation: 26.32% hypoplastic left heart syndrome. first was Keith Champion, one of Pres: Glen Woods That means the left side of his heart the few, the proud...you know, a rare Sec’y: Vince Balderrama cannot effectively pump blood to member of ‘76 never featured on a 1320 Homewood Ln., Annapolis, MD 21401 his body, so only half of his heart Massengill box. The second was e: [email protected] is fully formed. A risky in-utero Bill White, and therein lies a tale. Website: usna1978.org operation during his mom’s, In June, we were headed back Mea culpa, mea culpa, mead Niccole’s, 28th week of pregnancy from a memorial service in L.A. maxima culpa! First, I’d like to kick wasn’t successful, and Noah’s for the mother of Chris Wilson, a off the column with a BIG apology left ventricle remained underdevel- close friend whose son Jack (USNA to the two “MACs”- 6th Company’s oped. A veteran of multiple heart Class of ‘14) we sponsored and is Pat J. “PJ” McCormick and 29th surgeries, in August, his parents, currently an SH-60M driver based Company’s Brian J. “Bull” McCormack Sean and Niccole brought Noah at NAS North Island. After three Bill the Goat, Hunter and Marty for erroneously mislabeling the from Orange County, CA to gate changes and two posted delays photos and commentary of PJ with Boston for another potentially M for our DFW connection, we were Robin, Harpo, Marty and their the WWII paratrooper as being life-changing operation. The beginning to wonder whether we’d families met in Coronado for The that of Bull. My bust for copying operation would be a biventricular be spending the night with Mrs. McKee Game after another recent get-to- and pasting without editing repair heart surgery, to give him in Maryland or in a Dallas hotel. gether in Phoenix to celebrate properly. That was a “below in two working ventricles. Unfortu- Imagine our surprise when, Harpo’s daughter’s 30th Birthday. headwork as flight instructors nately, just before they left, they upon seeing the flight crew walking Marty also attended the 100th would say. I sent PJ and Bull personal got word that their insurance up to the gate, we realized the pilot Army-Navy lacrosse game in April. apologies when I (and many of you) company Anthem Blue Cross of was Bill White. We hugged (in a Here’s hoping Hunter, who’s an caught the error. I know the difference California would not preauthorize very MANLY fashion!), talked for up-and-coming stickman, elects between the two and publicly the million-dollar surgery. Appeals a while, and then Bill went off to to help Navy turn its lacrosse offer them a drink - or drinks - of were also disapproved. With a find out what was ailing his aircraft. fortunes around. apology whenever we get together. GoFundMe me page, hope and Emerging from the jetway some determination, they went ahead Next, we recognize the retirements Will the real Delta Pilot, please minutes later, he walked directly to Boston anyway. Before the of two more classmates from the stand up! Here is the pic again with over to us and detailed how one of surgery could proceed there cockpit, Bill White (32nd Co.)... “PJ” and the veteran! the engines had experienced an were a few tests that had to be overtemp climbing out of San completed. Unfortunately, the Diego, that this was by no means tests by the hospital revealed an unusual event and we’d be Noah was not a candidate for the departing shortly. surgery. His heart was too badly He then left, at which point deteriorated on the one side to two fellow passengers who’d move forward. The surgery was overheard the conversation canceled. Buck reported that the approached and asked who we money in the GoFundMe page were, obviously curious as to why may be able to cover the cost Bill White the pilot would discuss an aircraft of all the testing- as this goes to issue with some guy sporting a Buck Connally’s (36th Co) print, their insurance still hasn’t ...and Hal Garrigues (32nd Co.): t-shirt and golf shorts. After three-year old grandson, Noah, said they would cover it. If they explaining our connection with Bill, we told them, “You can be certain of two things: first, you’re in the best of hands. And second, if there’s anyway that airplane can get to BWI, it will, because the captain lives an hour north of the airport.” In keeping with the highest standards of the Class of ’77, Captain White didn’t disappoint! We know you join us in wishing both former 32nd Company roommates Bill and Hal long and happy retirements. Hal Garrigues Magoo ’78: The Connally Family 80 SHIPMATE • OCTOBER 2019 78/80 CLASS NEWS do, or there is money left in the fund Thanks, Stephen, for the update and Sean and Niccole will use it to the great photos! “pay it forward for other HLHS ’79 Punahou School, a college prep ’80 (Hypoplastic left heart syndrome) Life Membership: 91% school in Hawaii, made the news a Life Membership: 96% kids”. For now, they will have an- few years ago when one of its Donor Participation: 30.49% Donor Participation: 16.61% other procedure done back home in Pres: LCDR Sean Cate, USN (Ret.) alumni, Barack Obama, was elected Pres: Tim Kobosko California to help Noah continue e: [email protected] President. Well now I find out that Sec’y: CAPT Joseph A. Grace Jr., USNR with his one ventricle until his Sec’y: LCDR John “Wiz” Withers, USN (Ret.) there are two even MORE famous 15 Allard Blvd., New Orleans, LA 70119 42498 Regal Wood Dr., Ashburn, VA 20148 prospects are better for the opera- alumni: Tom McLernon and Mac p: 504-915-6711; e: [email protected] tion or a new heart; or as Buck said, p: 240-556-0637; e: [email protected] Silvester. Last summer the Punahou Website: www.USNA1980.org “until medical science catches up Social Network Links: Mid-Atlantic Alumni Assn. held its and prints him a 3D heart with his http://www.linkedin.com/in/wizwithers family picnic, where Mac enter- Greetings Classmates! It’s August! Kids (grandkids), heart tissue. They are working Facebook Group: USNA Class of 1979 tained the crowd with his perform- families all gearing up for the school on that I know...” You can read and Website: www.usna79.com ance with the ukulele band. Tom hear more about Noah from Buck’s just focused on the food. Thanks, year, vacations, family gatherings Greetings, 79ers! links on our Class Facebook page. Tom, for the note and the pics. and lots going on. Whenever it’s Just a couple of things to report Thank you for all your prayers and really hot – it brings back memories on this month. contributions to Noah’s GoFundMe of Plebe Summer and no air Stephen Maloney ’78 sent in a page and support of one of the little conditioning in Bancroft Hall. couple of photos of Kevin “Duke” Sweating and tossing and turning members of our ’78 family. Reilly, Chairman of the Board of the and worrying about the day to Dave Babcock (6th Co) had JW Danforth Company. Duke was come. Does it get any better…? posted to social media that it was in Annapolis last spring attending Thinking about that heat during “Great to host Karen Yeager (Bill / the 2019 Brigade Boxing Champi- Plebe summer had me reflect 10th Co.) who helped present our onship. Accompanying him were his during one of my emails about command’s inaugural CAPT brother Dennis Reilly ’78 and the cool quiet of the Chapel and William E. Yeager, USN Award for Chaplain Alan “Blues” Baker ’78. the serenity of Sunday mornings Excellence in Security Cooperation.” From Stephen: in the Yard. As a result, I received The event was conducted during M Being the “humble” man that he a heartfelt note from Mike Wallace, yesterday’s Change of Command Mac Silvester, Tom McLernon at the Punahou is, Duke does not seek adulation, School Family Picnic [email protected], for outgoing CO, CAPT Andy Truluck, but does want his classmates to 30th company with a great memory: USN at the Naval Education and know that he is doing well in Buffalo, M Training Security Assistance Field Joe, and his door is “always” open! He Activity (NETSAFA). “Yeags” [Bill] You struck a nerve when you has been attending and supporting was serving as NETSAFA’s 10th mentioned quiet Sundays. Boy, the Brigade Boxing Finals for over Commanding Officer at the time of did you hit that one out of the park! twenty years and rarely misses an his passing. The first recipient of I recall walking to Chapel for the opportunity to be photographed Bill’s award is Mr. Bryan McKernan. 9AM mass. In church, in that with his classmates, friends from As Dave put it, the award is “Fitting large building, I had the over- Philadelphia or Buffalo, family, co- recognition of a fine classmate, whelming sense that I was safe, workers, business associates, or Mac Silvester channeling “Tiny Tim” on leader and friend.