BRAVO ZULU!  Thanks to your purchases through Amazon.com via our Web site, I’ve forwarded a check for over a $100 to our Class fund.  An excellent reminder that we get a small percentage of purchases...and Christmas buying isn’t far away.  While you start putting that shopping list together, the Court will come to order.

RALPH LEWIS just returned from a 10 day visit to Honolulu.  “Captain DOMBECK is standing in as chief of staff while the incumbent and his relief swap jobs.  Since DEB was going to be out there for a few weeks and I scratched up some frequent flyer miles, I felt it a perfect opportunity for a boondoggle.  It was a great visit.  I noticed a lot of changes in the eighteen years since I left my assignment at CGAS Barbers Point.  Mostly there are a lot more people and a lot fewer cane fields.  One of the real highlights of the trip was dinner with CHARLIE and GEORGE ANN WURSTER at Diamond Head Lighthouse.  We were warmly received and thoroughly enjoyed socializing and recalling the adventures of our younger days.  CHARLIE and GEORGE ANN truly know the meaning of the "Aloha Spirit."   Of course DEB sees the Admiral daily at work, but I got to see them both again briefly a couple of days later at the USCGC WALNUT change of command at Sand Island.  You can report to the rest of the class that the Fourteenth District is in extremely capable hands under CHARLIE's leadership!  DEB is hearing the call of extended active duty again.  She has a new job at USTRANSCOM practically in the bag.  She is tapped as Deputy to the directorate of the reserve components (all services) at Transportation Command at Scott AFB.  Of course we have mixed feelings about the impending geographic separation.  We will spend more time apart, but it is a great opportunity for her.  Fortunately (or unfortunately), I will likely not be continuing my teaching job this fall.  This is not due to any dissatisfaction with teaching, but rather it has to do with disillusionment with the administration and bureaucracy made intolerable by a new superintendent.  (Ask any public school teacher and you will likely get a similar explanation).  The good news is that I am eligible for early retirement.  At any rate, it will make it easier for me to go on extended and frequent visits to Scott during DEB’s active duty tenure.  If all the details fall into place, she should be on-line before the beginning of October.  The only other news I have is that next week my daughter is getting married in Mystic, CT.  We will spend the week there, and hopefully I will have a couple of more photos to pass along to you.”

RON LOOMIS sends in a “small world” update: “My son (a Navy rescue swimmer stationed in Guam) recently forwarded me an email congratulating his unit on a SAR operation.  It was signed by RADM WURSTER.  I thought that sounded familiar, so I got to snooping around the class web page, and sure enough there he was.  Go 71!  After looking over a few "scuttlebutt" pages I got to thinking about how many of us old farts are still kicking around after all these years. I didn't know that DON GILBERT had "crossed the bar."  When did that happen?  I confess I haven't kept up with the scuttlebutt (NO EXCUSE SIR!)  I guess I should provide an update after 30+ years.  After working as a mining engineer for the gub'ment, and completing stints as a stockbroker and realtor later on, I discovered that what I REALLY liked was to buy trashed out houses and renovate them. When I get lucky I buy them for cash and then carry paper when I sell them.  I probably make about 5 cents an hour if I count my labor, but what the heck!  I sold my last bikes when I moved to Tucson (too much traffic) but I noticed from an old scuttlebutt that ROBIN is still putting around on a bike.  Know what he means about the kids going so fast. My old Norton did 0-60 in 4.8 seconds and the new stuff does 0-60 (a friend calls it 0-death!) in about 2 seconds. Talk about feeling like a dinosaur!  Reminds me of years ago when PETE TEBEAU told me he was thinking about getting another Norton until he saw a guy pushing one down the road and it brought back the memories.  Both my son and daughter are doing better than I have any right to expect  (I tried to steer them but they went straight!)  and I'll probably be a grandpa within a couple years.  If any of you old farts get down to this area, I expect to hear from you.  Do any of you ever get over to Davis Monthan Air Base here in Tucson?  A few months ago, while my boy was stationed in San Diego, he got on a training flight to DM and the crew was nice enough to give Sandra and me a tour of the Blackhawk they flew in on.”  Good question RON...does anyone know when DON died?

STAN NORMAN missed the Seattle Alumni reception because he was serving as pastor of a little church in Elma this summer.  “The appointment in Elma is for real, for only for the summer.  We were offered the church as a long-term appointment that would continue following completion of seminary next June.  But, we have decided to move eastward and get closer to our families.  We may only get as far as Eastern Washington or Idaho, but we're shooting for Florida, where we now own a home.  I completed my first nine month internship as Associate Pastor at Browns Point United Methodist Church (NE Tacoma) in June.  I'll be returning there in the fall for nine more months as Associate.  It has been a long haul.  After four years of seminary, 118 of 144 credits and 31 of 38 courses completed.  The best part is that all of my remaining courses are in English!  I've completed all of my Greek and Hebrew requirements.  Our oldest son and his family now live in Houston.  Derek got out of the Navy last spring and quickly landed a job as an information systems instructor for a real estate investment firm.  Our youngest son is back at home, but finally finishing his Associate's Degree.”

A few of our President’s Distinguished Advisors met for dinner in DC.  RON FRAZIER reports around: “On July 7th, nine members of the Class of 1971 met in Falls Church, Virginia, for dinner and drinks at the Peking Gourmet Restaurant.  Although we couldn’t find any of our pictures on the wall (THAD’s is on the wall somewhere, but we couldn’t find it), we had a great time.  THAD was very familiar with the restaurant and ordered the bonanza for everyone – some of us had to be rolled to our cars.  Everyone was on their best behavior because we were supervised by DEAN PAM ALLEN.  We were sorry that everyone living in the DC area could not make it, but we plan to have more events in the future.”  Both RON and MARY CORNELL sent in the same photo of the Advisors “in session.”  MARY added that the next meeting will include the Advisors much better halves.  If you’re in the DC area and interested in participating in the future, please contact RON FRAZIER.  MARY also reported that daughter Cate pulled into Cape Town after 2 months way down South.  They had some rough weather and lots of ice (makes your heart beat faster doesn’t it?) and once over her initial seasickness did fine.  Check out some great pictures on the  <www.icefish.neu.edu> web site.

NORM DUFOUR sent in an update after correcting a small E-mail problem. “Here it is the middle of July and everything in the BIG EASY is hot!!  Not just the Jazz!!  To bring every one up to speed, I am in my 28th year as a commercial hull and machinery surveyor and appraiser here in New Orleans.  I started working for a fellow here in New Orleans in 1977, took over the business after his early passing in 1988 and have grown the business to 12 surveyors in offices in New Orleans, Houston and Tampa.  I have 4 "partners" who provide lots of help.  I stay very busy and travel worldwide mostly for business, but occasionally for pleasure.  In December 1999/January 2000, DOLORES and I made our 20-50-OHOH trip celebrating 20 years of marriage, my 50th Birthday and the Millennium.  The trip took us to Tunisia to visit some friends, Sicily to search for information on DOLORES’ Grandparents, and then Sardinia and Rome.  Hard to believe that was 5 years ago.  This fall we are spending 3 weeks in Maine to celebrate our 25th Anniversary.  Business travel has taken me pretty much all over the world including most of West Africa, Southeast Asia, the Middle East, and South Pacific.  Still haven't made it to Japan and China, other than flight stopovers, but in this business I never know who is on the other end of the phone when it rings.  DOLORES and I bought an 1834 built home in the French Quarter about 10 years ago and I spend much of the little free time I have as Mr. FIXIT.  Some day when I hit the lottery, we may even be able to renovate the lower floor which has 2500 sqft of raw space.  Until then, we live comfortably upstairs,  with no need to worry about flooding despite the majority of New Orleans being below sea level.  We have two children, grown and married and three Grandchildren.  They all live close and I am enjoying the Grandfather role.  I'm known to the children as "Pepere."  DOLORES works hard as an Au Pair and is more of an extra Grandmother to 4 or 5 regular customers including about 12 children.  I like to think all these kids, not to mention regular strenuous outside work as a surveyor, help to keep me young at heart at least.  Looking forward to a visit with JACK and JEANNETTE ORCHARD in August for an EDISTO ship reunion.  Will try to send a couple of photos after I get back.”  Looking forward to getting those photos...and how ‘bout one of the grand kids?

If STAN didn’t make the Seattle Alumni reception, who did?  JIM & PEG SYLVESTER arrived on Thursday and we had a great dinner together at the Newcastle Country Club overlooking Seattle and the Olympic mountains.  Nice view?  An understatement...come for a visit and check it out yourselves.  MARY JANE played hookey on Friday and she and PEG took the ferry up to Victoria for a day at Butchart Gardens and High Tea at the Empress Hotel.  Arriving back in Seattle just in time for the reception, we had a great evening with BERT and SUSIE KINGHORN and AL JOENS.  JOHN ROBERTS was in California that weekend, but where were our other local Classmates?

Didn’t RALPH say his daughter was getting married?  “As promised, here’s a photo from my daughter's wedding on 7/23 in Connecticut, a proud father dancing with his daughter.  We had a great week in New England.  The weather was beautiful, though we Texans were mystified by all the complaints about the heat!  It was in the mid 80's most of the time, which is like an early spring day to us.  There were plenty of activities in addition to the traditional wedding preparations.  We went to Boston just in time to beat out the DNC convention crowd to attend the retirement of a U.S. Army friend at Faneiul Hall.  Went to a Doobie Brothers concert back in New London that night, had a great lobster dinner at my daughter's house the next night.  Then of course, there was rehearsal and the wedding.  I stopped by CGA to collect some stuff from the admissions office for some prospects I am trying to recruit.  I did manage to get one of my former students to apply recently, and I'm proud to say, she got an appointment.  She is now at the Naval Prep school at Newport, RI, and will attend CGA starting next summer!  The last weekend saw New London hosting a gathering of the tall ships, including EAGLE.  Got lots of great photos.  We even managed to squeeze in a couple of evenings at one of the local casinos. I decided to forego hauling all my winnings back home, and left the cash in some of the little change machines scattered here and there.”  Great photo RALPH, but how about some more details on the new Mr. and Mrs. Chad Fleming?

BARNEY went on an eventful road trip.  “On Coast Guard day 2004, LINDA and I made a trip from Maine to Ohio to visit with our son Eric and his lovely bride Emily.  I thought I was far enough away from Maine, but the locals recognized me as "that obnoxious DJ from WMHB radio" and I was immediately sent to jail -- do not pass GO, do not collect 200 Heinekens.  Actually, LINDA and I had a nice trip to the Mansfield, Ohio area for a 4-day visit.  The four of us visited the Ohio State Reformatory which was the site for several films including "The Shawshank Redemption" and "Air Force One."  It was also the site of my incarceration.  We did a little Ohio hiking as well although we did NOT bring our recently-purchased kayaks.  We're still in beginner mode with those and have yet to tip one of them over... but the day is young.  We also took a ride to Cleveland to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.  And on the way back from Ohio to Maine, we made a side-trip to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY.  For some reason, I didn't get arrested there.”  Maybe credit for time served?

Not to be outdone, CHARLIE HARRIS sent in an all too short report about a trip to Italy. “MARLAYNE and I got back from a week in Italy (work and fun). Attached is a picture from Bellagio near the Swiss border on Lake Cuomo.   Great people, beautiful scenery, wonderful food.  Can’t top BARNEY’s visit to the Ohio State Reformatory, though.  That’s one International Tourist Mecca I haven’t seen…yet.”

NORM’s going to send us a photo of his grand kids, but we don’t have to wait for one from new grandparents KEN and JAN ROTHHAAR.  “KEN and JAN ROTHHAAR are proud to announce the birth of their first grandchild.  Brandon Paul Rothhaar was born to Michelle and Ken Jr. on Oct. 6, 2003.  We are very fortunate that they live only 10 minutes away, which keeps us busy and happy with our new grandparent role.  Son Ken graduated from Georgia Tech and is a network engineer with Carnival Cruise Lines in Miami.  Michelle is a CPA with Deloitte and Touche in Ft. Lauderdale. Younger son Mark graduated in May from the Univ. of FL with a degree in IT and will be getting married in April 2005.”

Before we adjourn, have you signed up for your Alumni Center Plaza brick yet?  KELLY CALLISON provides an update: “As you know, we have committed to the Alumni Association that the Class of 1971 will donate $50,000 for the Alumni Center as a Founders Club gift.  While we recognized that we have sufficient funds in the class fund to cover the donation, we undertook to fund the donation by asking our classmates for specific donations to go toward the in the $50,000.   Every donation is important to the effort and will entitle the donor to have his name on the Class of 1971 Founders Club Plaque.  Donations of $1,000 make the donor eligible for the Plaza Brick Donation Program.  We will have the bricks of the Class of 71 grouped together on the Plaza.  As of the Fourth of July, we have commitments totaling $23,120.  Of that, $1,570 (of a needed $4,000) is dedicated to purchasing the bricks for our deceased classmates.  WAYNE VERRY has suggested a relatively painless way to make a donation.  He noted that by increasing an existing allotment by $35 per month, over three years, that's $1,260 - which is $1,000 for a personal donation and $260 for our deceased classmates.”  You can change your allotment with a call to the Retired Pay section at 1-800-772-8724.   If you have any questions about Alumni membership or making your Alumni Center Class of 1971 Gift, contact the Alumni Association at (860) 444-8237 or by E-mail at cgaalumni@cgaalumni.org.  And don’t forget about Amazon.com for that Christmas list shopping via our Web site...we’re adjourned!