CLASS
of 1953 SHIPMATE June 2021
Coronavirus Pandemic
Our last Class activities was the Dark Ages Brunch at
the Army-Navy Country Club February 9, 2020 Valentine Day. Since March a year ago we have been in a true Dark Ages
coronavirus Pandemic and wonder when it will finish. Chuck Fellows (20)
had to cancel the rescheduled Dark Ages Brunch of 25 April 2021. The good news
is that most of us have been vaccinated and summer may open for some activities.
Our 68th Reunion 28-31 July at Annapolis is on track according to Chris
Zirps (5) with a total of 90 attendees, and
possible a June picnic in Annapolis. Also, remember the Memorial Service for Carl
Trost (22) 1100 September 20 at the USNA
Chapel.
Passing’s
Gordon Lee Aker (non-grad)
died July 31, 2003 in Laredo, TX. Gordon left USNA in 1954 to work with his
father in Ignacio, TX. He later served as a Senior Patrol Agent in the U.S.
Border Patrol from 1961-1981, retiring as a Supervisory Patrol Agent. His wife Jeanne
E Aker died in April
20, 2012. Survivors include 6 children, 15 grandchildren, and 5
great-grandchildren.
Roland R. Ketchum (non-grad)
died December 26, 2020 in Kansas City, MO. “Randy”
made his career at Corn Products/ National Starch in North Kansas City. His
wife Martha Mae preceded him in death July 24, 2012. Survivors included
5 children, 11 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren.
Arthur H. Gilmore,
CAPT, USN (Ret) (10), died March 6, 2021 in Gainesville, VA. Art served in five
submarines including Commanding Officer of the USS Cobbler (SS-344). He
served key roles in two national underwater search and recovery operations.
First was the operation in 1963 for the USS Thresher Search Team and
made two dives in the Atlantic Ocean in the bathyscaphe Trieste. The
second dive resulted recovering a large piece of the submarine. In 1966 Art was
assigned to the task force to locate and recover an H-bomb that was lost in the
Mediterranean Sea after an Air Force B-52 refueling accident over the coast of
Spain. The weapon was recovered after a three-month search and recover effort.
Art’s shore assignments included Submarine Development Group in New London
working state of the art sonar systems and undersea warfare tactics. Art also
did a pentagon tour in Deep Submergence Systems and at the Naval Sea Systems
Command and the Office of Naval Research. After 30 years of Navy service he retired. Decorations included the Meritorious
Service Medal (2), and Merit Unit Commendation. After retirement he consulted
in the field of underwater acoustics and sonar design. Art was active in the
Naval Submarine League and important part of Art and Nell’s life was their USNA
classmates and their families. Survivors Include his wife Nell, three
children, five grandchildren, and seven great-grandchildren….*
Lillian C. Campbell, widow
of William N. Campbell, CAPT, USN (Ret) (8), died March 11, 2021 in
Virginia Beach, VA. She was born in New York in 1929 and raised in Oldenburg,
Germany. At age 17 she was shipped to USA. In early 1953, while touring the
USNA, she met midshipman William Campbell and they married later that year. As
a Navy Wife she, Bill, and their children moved frequently in USA and Europe,
including American Embassies in Finland, Germany, Belgium, and the family
settled in Virginia Beach. Along the way she worked as a dental hygienist and
as a tour guide in Washington, DC and Williamsburg, VA. Lillian also earned her
college degree at the age of 75. Her husband Bill preceded her in death in
1999. Survivors include five children, one granddaughter, and one
great-grandson….*
Donald A. Vogt, BGen,
USAF (Ret) (19) died March 12, 2021 in Alexandria, VA. Don’s Air Force career
spanned a wide range of assignments. He was a fighter pilot and later earned a Master’s Degree in Aeronautical Engineering. He worked in
missile site activation, magneto-hydrodynamic wind tunnel design and construction
in Tennessee, and served in Vietnam as a C-47 pilot.
He then worked in the Space Defense field. Commanded a site in Clear, Alaska,
and a Satellite operations site near Denver. He was promoted to Brigadier
General and assigned to OSD in the R&D of Strategic Systems. Don retired
after 30 years in USAF he worked as Director of Manufacturing, building
instrumentation radars used in design of stealth systems. Survivors include 3
children, 4 grandchildren, and 6 great-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his
wife Norma and grandson Brian Cochrane….*
*See 50th Year Legacy Book
Holly Powers, a
Research Fellowship at the USNA Museum has asked for personal experiences
as midshipmen during important historical stories for this project. Many of you
have already provided stories of this nature. Please send stories to hipowers@comcast.net.
In the May 2021 SHIPMATE, my Story 1 by Art Bivens -
“Yawl Sailing Races – Holloway Trophy 1952.” The Holloway trophy is for the
winner of a series of yawl sailing races in the Chesapeake Bay named after Vice
Admiral Jim Holloway who was the Superintendent during our plebe year. He initiated
this series of yawl races to promote seamanship and competitive sailing and to
award the winning midshipman skipper.”
Here's another
story for Holly Powers:
STORY 2 by Art Bivens – Yawl Sailing Races –
Holloway Trophy 1953
It’ll
be the same as last year 1952, with eight boats in the finals and three races.
Trouble is, this year the guys who have been on my
crew in the past have become proficient enough to win in the prelims too. Andy
Anderson and Bill Gideon both won in the prelims. Together we have done very
well. I’m wondering how we’ll split up and racing
against each other.
I had to recruit a new crew for the finals. And with Andy and Bill both in the 22nd company, there weren’t enough experienced crewmen to share. So, I ended up with an “All Plebe” crew. I must have treated them well because they performed magnificently. We came in 3rd in the in the first two races and 1st in the final race. The final race is the one I will always remember. Several boats including the one skippered by Bob Schaller, who was leading with the series points, chose to sail across the bay on one long tack. I opted for a series of shorter tacks on the last leg of the race. A squall suddenly hit us on this leg and blew out our jib, but the plebes on the bow were up to the task; they replaced that sail like pros and we came in first across the finish line. Schaller’s boat came in fifth which gave us the series by half a point. That was a great thrill and one of my proudest moments at the Academy. Admiral Holloway was in Annapolis sometime later and personally congratulated me.
It is a large bowl with the names
inscribed on it. It is displayed in the Robert Crown Sailing Center for
many years. I have a miniature of the trophy. The 22nd Company
plebes who were on my crew deserve for their outstanding performance…..ACB