CLASS of 1953 SHIPMATE Mar-Apr 2021

CLASS PRESIDENT CORNER

A reminder that our 68^th reunion is on track for 28-31 July 2021. We have about 85 people planning to attend. If you are interested in attending and have not so to date please let me know. The more the merrier.

Our Class Memorial Plaza Maintenance Endowment Fund is doing well. Against our $500,000 goal we have collected $402,000 to date. We are happy for any donations to the fund to the Alumni Foundation.

Because of the COVID-19 restrictions we have rescheduled our Dark Ages Brunch at the Army-Navy Country Club to 25 April 2021. If restrictions are lifted at the Academy, we may also try for a Summer picnic in June.

New information for Carl Trost memorial service at the Main Chapel will be at 1100 on 20 September. Please add the date to your calendar and let Art Bivens know if you plan to attend.

In the meantime, please keep well and keep in touch. We are always happy to hear from you. On that note Holly Powers at the Alumni Association is working on a project for the Academy Museum to collect stories and experiences from our midshipmen days. So far, she has only heard from three of us. You can email them to Holly at hollypowers@comcast.net. ….Best regards, Chris

PASSING’S

The obituary’s for Carl Trost (22) were in the SHIPMATE Jan-Feb 2021, but there is more information. Carl was buried October 5, 2020 in the Naval Academy Cemetery. There were full honors including a flyover, remarks by the CNO, USNA Superintendent, and the Chaplin, a friend of the family. Regarding the memorial service 11:00 am in the USNA Main Chapel September 20, 2021 there will be a reception to follow after the service.

Clarence E. Brunson III, Col USAF (Ret) (16) died June 16, 2020 in Santa Fe, NM. Thanks to Our SHIPMATE obit person, Timothy Woodbury, found grave listings for both Clarence and his wife Gloria, who died May 2, 2020. No obit or info of family.

Margaret “Peggy” Bicknell, wife of Robert S. Bicknell (19), died October 14, 2020 in Lexington, MA. She was a graduate New Jersey College for Women, now Douglas College of Rutgers U. Peggy was an avid volunteer, for many years working with aspiring ministers in training. Survivors include her husband of 67 years, two children, and five grandchildren….*

Hazel Tiede, wife of COL Herbert R. Tiede USMC (Ret) (3), died October 18, 2020 in Woodbridge, VA. Hazel was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1931. Hazel was working in the South Africa Embassy in London, England where she met Herb. They married in 1958 that lasted 62 years with stops all over the world as a Marine Corp wife. She volunteered with Navy Relief, local Hospital Auxiliary, and International Wives Clubs. Before social media she maintained a network extending around the globe and across generations. Survivors include Herb, three children and Four grandchildren. Her daughter Jan Swicord married a West Pointer and “Hazel suffered one day [Army-Navy Football Game] wearing blue and gold, and black and gray”….*

James F. Chesley, CDR USN (Ret) (1) died November 30, 2020 in Leonardtown, MD. Jim came to USNA via NAPS as a PFC, USMC. He graduated from USNA to USN and earned his Navy Wings in 1954 and completed a successful career as a Naval Aviator. He flew various aircrafts during his 27 years of active duty. In 1964 he attended foreign language school and served two terms in the diplomatic service as the U.S. Naval Attache in Singapore and later moved to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, served as Naval Attache for Air for two years. Returning to Aviation he became a flight instructor. Jim also graduated from the Naval War College. His last tour was at the Air Facility in Washington, DC, as a pilot for the Secretary of the Navy. Decorations included Joint Service Commendation Medal and Navy Commendation Medal. Survivors include his wife, Cecilia of 67 years, two children, three grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Mercade A. (Mac) Cramer Jr. (21) died January 5, 2021 in Annapolis, MD. Mac at 6’4” was a stalwart member of the ’52-’53 basketball team that won 16 of the 20 regular season games and was invited to NCAA tournament. See Basketball in our “Lucky Bag.”

Mac opted and served in the USAF for 8 years resigning as a LT. He then entered the business world, first with General Electric for 23 years moving through various executive management positions to serve as General Manager of the Military and Data Systems Operations. After three years with Perkin Elmer Corporation in Danbury, CT, Mac joined Vitro Corporation as President and CEO until he retired in 1993.

Mac’s civic service began as Vice Chair of the Navy Research Advisory Committee. For that he received the Navy Meritorious Award for Public Service. Mac served in other Defense and Air Force Associations and was honored with several awards. And, he served on the Naval Academy Foundation Trustees Executive Committee.

Mac’s first wife, Barbara, preceded him in death. Their three children are surviving. Other survivors include his second wife, Nancy, her three Children, and a mix of 11 grandchildren, and 8 great-grandchildren….*

Allen B. (AL) Higginbotham, CAPT, USN (Ret) (21), died January 5, 2021 in Sarasota. FL AL served twenty years of sea duty in cruisers, destroyers, and twelve years in submarines including CO of USS Requin (SS-481). In his surface assignments he was CO of USS Trippe (FF-1075), two Destroyer Squadrons, an ASW Task Group in the Mediterranean, and served as Chief of Staff for Commander Surface Forces Atlantic. Al served in three Pentagon tours before retiring from the Navy. Al’s honors included two Legion of Merit Medals and the Meritorious Service Medal. After Navy retiring Al worked at United Technologies as the Director of the Undersea Warfare Program, and then at Vitro Corporation as Director of Navy Business Development. Among Al’s civic volunteer time included “Habit for Humanity.’ Al’s son, CDR Allen B. Higginbotham Jr. USN (Ret), preceded death in 2009, and his daughter, Ann Adair, preceded in death in 2016. Survivors include Al’s wife Linda of 66 years, two sons, eight grandchildren, and three great-grandchildren….*

Bernard M. (Bud) Kauderer, VADM, USN (Ret) (8), died January 19, 2021 in Carlsbad, CA. Bud’s superb Navy service started in the destroyer USS The Sullivans (DD -537) and Exec in the coastal minesweeper USS Hummingbird (MSC-192). He decided submarines and after submarine school his first sub was USS Raton (SSR-270). A year of Nuclear Power Training led to successful to assignments in the USS Robert E. Lee (SSBN-601), the USS Skipjack (SSN-585), and the USS Grant (SSBN-631). Four years of command of the USS Barb (SSN-596), then three years in command of the Nuclear Power Training Unit, Idaho Falls, and command o the submarine tender USS Dixon (AS-37).

From Chief of Staff at COMSUBLANT, Bud’s first flag assignment was Commander Sub Group Five in San Diego, followed a Washington tour as Deputy Director of the Navy’s Research and Development Office. He returned back to Hawaii as Commander Submarine Force, Pacific Fleet. In 1983 he was selected for Vice Admiral and moved to Norfolk as Commander as Submarine Force Atlantic Fleet. Bud retired from the Navy in 1986 Honors Included the Distinguished Service Medal, three Legions of Merit, and the Meritorious Medal

In retirement Bud as a consultant, served 15 years as Chair of the annual Submarine Technology Symposium at the Johns Hopkins Applied Physics Laboratory, five years as National President of the Naval Submarine League. Survivors include his wife of almost 67 years, Myra (Mickey), Two daughters, eight grandchildren, and 16 great-grandchildren. Their son CAPT H. Todd Kauderer was pre-deceased….*

*See 50^th Year Legacy Book

Mail Bag

Louis Schlaufman (9) sent a letter, November 23, 2020 from Hillsborough, NC. I was curious about two things; first, I graduated from Hillsborough High School in Tampa, Fla (Hillsborough County); and second, Lou went to NAPS in 1948 and I went to NAPS in 1949. How was that? I called Lou. He was in the USMC Reserves at Brown University and was admitted to NAPS in 1948. Alternate appointments to USNA came late and he spent time waiting in Quantico in 1949 until he came in with us ‘53ers. Part of our phone call was our age, Lou 92 and me 91. Lou ordered and sent a cap to me with the caption “IT TOOK ME 91 YEARS TO LOOK THIS GOOD!.....ACB