Call to Quarters - Fork Union Military Academy

Call to QuartersFork Union Military AcademyAlumni MagazineSpring/Summer 2011Changing the Faceof the Academy“For every house is built by someone,but the builder of all things is God.”Hebrews 3:4

contentsOn The CoverLt. General John E. Jackson, Jr., the Academy’s 9th President,lays the first blocks of Jacobson Hall.FeaturesCover StoryThe Groundbreaking Presidency of General Jackson 10A look back at the man and his mission.A Day in the Life of General Jackson 16Middle School cadets offer their take on what it’s like.Welcoming the Academy’s 10th President 22FUMA announces the selection of its 10th president.The Changing Face of the Academy Campus 24A timeline of campus change through the decades.The Retan Rifles: Happy 50th Anniversary 44Remembering Retan 48Shuford and The Chief 58The Gold Record Career of Ron Oates 64Vinyl Treasure 66In Memory of Coach Jim Hazlett 68New School Song Makes Its Debut 83DepartmentsGenerally Speaking...................................................................................................4Development Desk...................................................................................................6Alumni Association...................................................................................................8Taps......................................................................................................................72Class Notes............................................................................................................81Wish List...............................................................................................................84Our Promises to Our Donors...................................................................................87

generally speakingLT GEN JOHN E. JACKSON, JR.Lt. Gen. John E.Jackson, Jr. is thePresident ofFork UnionMilitary Academy.Dear Friends:Over the course of my life I’ve been a member of three families. I had no sayin joining the first one - the Jacksons, and I chose to join the second one - theUnited States Air Force - as a new college graduate recently married to themost Godly woman I have ever known. I am convinced that God called me tothe third one - the FUMA Family - which has provided Barbara and me with17 of the most satisfying years we have ever lived. With this being my finalgreeting from the Call to Quarters, I wanted to share some heartfelt thoughtsabout this place and the things I have learned here.FUMA is not just a school. It’s a way of life for the Corps of Cadets butalso for those who serve on the faculty and staff. Though working here cansometimes require long and difficult hours, we are greatly rewarded for oureffort. Each Cadet represents a piece of the next generation, and it is ourprivilege to invest in them. Some of us get to facilitate academic achievementin the classroom. Others get to teach lifelong leadership principles in thebarracks. A few get to coach boys to the next level on the athletic field. Buteach of us plays a part in teaching and modeling the Biblical truths thattransform lives. I don’t think I’ve ever found a better reward than this.In Ecclesiastes 5:18 Solomon tells us “Here is what I have seen to be good andfitting: to eat, to drink, and enjoy oneself in one’s labor in which he toils underthe sun during the few years of his life which God has given him; for this ishis reward.” Truly I can tell you that my years as President of FUMA haverewarded me greatly, and I have enjoyed every day of my time here.The FUMA Family is poised to welcome my successor, Rear Admiral ScottBurhoe, and his wife, Betsy, to take the baton of leadership. I’m sure he willrun with it to places as yet unimagined, and I look forward to seeing how Godwill use him during his own tenure as President. He is fortunate to be joiningsuch a wonderful family as this one.Now the time has come for Barbara and me to begin our new lives in SanAntonio. We will miss you, and I thank you for giving me the opportunity todo my part at FUMA. By God’s grace I have done my best, and I pray thatFUMA has improved on my watch. May God bless the FUMA Family.4 Call to Quarters

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development deskLTC Bobby Cobb ‘71As most of you know (and many ofyou have pointed out to me), this isour first Call To Quarters magazineto be published in a while. Thoughwe generally try to print our magazine at leastonce each academic year, we did not publish anedition in the 2009-2010 academic year. We arevery pleased to be publishing this edition now atthe close of a successful 2010-2011 school year.Tough DecisionsThe decision to withhold publication of ourmagazine last year was just one of many toughbudgetary decisions that had to be made afterour nation’s economic downturn in late 2008.Although we have made great strides in buildingthe Academy’s endowment, we are still a tuitiondriveninstitution and must rely on our annualenrollment to fund our operating budget. Eventhough we froze our 2009-2010 tuition at theprevious year’s rate, our opening enrollment inSeptember 2009 was significantly lower than wehad hoped, and substantial financial aid grantswere required by many more families than inprevious years.Our budget, already lean and fat-free, neededto be cut by nearly $3 million. Every decisionwould hurt, but our primary focus was tocontinue to provide a high quality educationalexperience for the cadets we serve by reducingexpenditures in all other areas. We reduced staff,we froze pay, we cut retirement benefits. Wesacrificed mightily so that we could continue toserve the needs of the young men who come tous for an education.Following Dr. Hatcher’s ExampleThe Academy’s founder, Dr. William Hatcher,was a Baptist preacher in much demand as aguest speaker at revivals and events all across thecountry. In the last year of his life, he was travelingthrough South Carolina by train to severalspeaking engagements. A traveling companionsuggested he take a sleeper car so he could reston the train overnight. Dr. Hatcher refused,saying, “I curtail every expense possible, for youknow there are several boys looking to me forhelp.” At seventy-eight years of age, he wouldstill sit up all night on a train so his money couldgo to help the students at his Academy.“Fork Union has a way of finding gifted andaspiring boys and helping them to get their education,”Dr. Hatcher wrote. “It has come to passthat Fork Union is known to be a place wherebright and clever boys love to come because itis known that we try to make it easier for thosewho have nothing and nobody to help them instarting.”Success Is Worth the SacrificeDr. Hatcher’s words remain true today, a centurylater. Let me call your attention to one ofour most special cadets, a senior by the name ofBlake Sundel. Blake came to the Academy as asophomore in 2008. He was a good student, a“bright and clever boy” as Dr. Hatcher would say.He was also a valuable member of the growingswim team. In short, he was just the type ofcadet we wanted to keep enrolled.By holding down tuition, greatly increasing ourfinancial aid budget, and focusing our spendingon the needs of our students, we were able toincrease our opening enrollment in September2010 and retain outstanding students like Blake.This year, Blake’s third as a cadet, he graduateswith the highest GPA in memory at FUMA:4.7 on a 4-point scale. Blake has taken everyhonors and advanced placement course we offer.He has received college acceptances from Yale,Princeton, Harvard, Williams, and Washington& Lee. He has decided to attend Harvard onscholarship. Blake also served as captain of theswim team and helped lead the team this year totheir second state championship victory in a row.Blake is not the only champion at FUMA. Ourfootball team captured the state championship,as did our rifle team. Our debate teamsent a number of cadets to the state meet,our orienteering team placed in the nationalchampionships.Our students are succeeding in the classroomand on the athletic fields. Our sacrifices onbehalf of our students have been well worth theresult.LTC Bobby Cobb(FUMA ‘71) is theExecutive Directorof Developmentwww.forkunion.com 7

Jeff Weatherspoon‘73 is the Presidentof the AlumniAssociation.alumni associationJEFF WEATHERSPOON ‘73Transitions are inevitable and 2011 presentsseveral transitions for Fork Union MilitaryAcademy. I have faith that God will lead ForkUnion into the future as He has in the past. Aswe march into the next academic year, I havea few thoughts and comments about 2010, inretrospect, and 2011.Alumni Weekend & 50th ReunionClassesI am amazed each year at the amount of effortand dedication the 50th reunion classesput into their return to FUMA. It is such aspecial time and every class that comes to theAlumni Weekend events is a true blessing to theAlumni board, and to each other. It is wonderfulto see the spirit of FUMA alive in these menwhen they march on Sunday during the parade.I am always very moved by their pride andenthusiasm.Friday BBQ at Zion CrossroadsI must say without a doubt this event is very specialto me. It is a great time of fellowship withboth staff and alumni. The food is fantastic andthe spirit is so strong. Our fellow alumni cross alllines of age and experience and provide a senseof unity to the Academy. I remember numerousconversations with alumni from every decadegoing back 60 years, as well as with returningcoaches and teachers.The CadetsAs Alumni Board members, we are blessed tohave various opportunities to interact with thecadets. Past Alumni Board Presidents have madeit a point to have cadets come and speak to theboard. I have the privilege to serve on the CadetAwards’ Committee. This year Kent Carter ‘66,Mike Whitmore ‘83, Matt Carson ’85 and I hadthe difficult, but rewarding, job of selecting threecadets for the Gus Lacy Spirit and CharacterAward, the Charles Goodall Snead Award andthe Greenbrier Award. This committee takes thisresponsibility seriously and the choices were extremelydifficult. All of the cadets selected werefine examples of the FUMA spirit, but in theend we could only pick three. They are the bestof the best and should truly be commended forall they have done while at the Academy.The Staff & FacultyFUMA is blessed to have the caliber of facultyand staff that have been the tradition ofthe Academy from the beginning. They do theimpossible every day. The amount of time andcare that go into all that makes Fork Union whatit is comes from the character of these men andwomen. They need our economic support, butthey also need our spiritual support. We shouldpray for them, encourage them and do whateverwe can to help them. I realized something aftermany years that I will never forget - as an alumnusof FUMA the staff is as interested in my lifenow as they were when I was a cadet. They wantto know of the success of our alumni and wantyou to stay involved. I have yet to meet a facultyor staff member that I didn’t feel was in mycorner encouraging me in some way. Reach outand encourage them and you will get back muchmore than you can imagine.The Alumni Board and our AlumniFUMA is blessed to have a loving, supportiveAlumni Board. It is such a privilege to serve withthese men. In our hearts we really are about afew basic desires - we want to see an overflowingcrowd of alumni return and experience thefull Alumni Weekend; we would love to havealumni engaged and involved on any level possible;and we encourage all alumni to promotethe Academy, and spread the word of FUMA’ssuccess with young men. As a member of variousboards over the years there have been twoprinciples that are very evident. First is the giveor get principle. If I didn’t have money to give,I would get others involved. Second, is tellingyour story and giving your testimony. If you canhelp send a young man to FUMA imagine thelong term impact it will have on his life, as wellas yours. Some of our largest supporters neverattended FUMA, but saw that the Academywas a special place and it planted a seed in theirheart. Never underestimate the power of onesmall conversation or a visit. Many don’t evenknow that a place like FUMA exists and oncethey visit they are moved by the experience. Giveothers a chance to have this experience.8 Call to Quarters

Lt. General John E. JacksonIt has been a privilege to work with,learn from, and be involved with thistruly great man. I always found hisintellect and humor of the most uniquekind. If you just look around you can seehis impact on the Academy physically.The new Barracks will be a crowningjewel in General Jackson’s tenure. As weall know the General gives all the gloryto God, but his patience, discernment,faith and deep spirituality have beenthe foundation of his success. This wasnever out of focus and was always at theforefront of his discussions and decisions.He felt all the bricks and mortardidn’t compare to the saving of onecadet’s soul or multiple scholarships offeredto our graduating cadets. GeneralJackson is a life changing person. Hechanged my life 30 years after I graduated.The alumni salute him and wanthim to know he will be sorely missedand forever remembered.Rear Admiral J. Scott BurhoeIt is with a great sense of honor I welcomeAdmiral Burhoe to Fork UnionMilitary Academy. I think I speak forall alumni in this heartfelt welcome.We look forward to a wonderful newopportunity to help in any way we canto advance the mission of FUMA intothe future.My thankfulness for what FUMAhas done for me is paramount in mymind. God’s hand in making FUMAour destiny is evident and undeniable.Thank you so much for your support ofFork Union Military Academy. Pleaseknow that the success of the Academyrests with each and every one of us. Ilook forward to serving as your AlumniAssociation President for the next twoyears. It is a true blessing to be a part ofthe FUMA family.Sincerely,Jeff Weatherspoon, Class of 1973Alumni Association PresidentMembers of FUMA’s Class of 1961 passin review at the Alumni Weekend Parade.www.forkunion.com 9

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GroundbreakingThePresidency of Lt. Gen. John E. Jackson, Jr.The Academy’s ninth president, Lt.General John E. Jackson, Jr., arrivedon campus in 1994 and quickly beganbreaking new ground. He had amodern new dining hall to build. In the seventeenyears since his arrival, General Jackson hascontinued breaking new ground for the school,and the roar of backhoes and the ring of mason’strowels has become the familiar backgroundmusic of his tenure as president of the Academy.To hear him tell it, he has done little more thanspend his time walking around, drinking coffeeand looking concerned, his brow appropriatelyfurrowed. Given the opportunity to accept creditfor any accomplishment of his presidency, largeor small, he is quick to defer, explaining that “theLord has done it all and the credit goes to Him.”West Virginia Born and RaisedThis outwardly humble man rose from equallyhumble roots to become the highest-rankingmilitary officer to serve as president in theAcademy’s history.John E. Jackson, Jr. was born in SouthCharleston, West Virginia in 1939 and wasraised in St. Albans, West Virginia, a small communityof about 10,000 located in the KanawhaValley at the confluence of the Kanawhaand Coal Rivers. The famous James River &Kanawha Turnpike passed through St. Albans,helping connect the Ohio River with the JamesRiver and Kanawha Canal system during the19th century, fueling the growth of towns suchas Fork Union, located along this importanttrade route.Following his graduation from Alderson-Broaddus College in 1961 with a B. S. degreein natural science, Jackson married BarbaraQuisenberry. Fifty years later, he still refers toher as “my bride” and describes her as “my betterseven-eighths.”Into the Wild Blue YonderIn May, 1963, Jackson entered the U. S. AirForce through the Officer Training School atLackland Air Force Base in Texas. The youngSecond Lieutenant began rising through theranks as an organizational maintenance officer.By 1967, he was a pilot with the rank of Captainco-piloting KC-135 tankers on refueling missionsout of Loring Air Force Base in Maine.www.forkunion.com 11

John Jackson (second from left) standing with members of his crew and a fellow FAC pilot in front of the lightairplane he piloted in Vietnam in 398 combat missions as a Forward Air Controller.The Summer of ‘69Soon it was the summer of 1969. The Beatleswere broken up, John Lennon and Yoko Onorecorded “Give Peace a Chance” from their “bedin”at the Queen Elizabeth hotel in Montreal,and a young Captain Jackson headed off to dutyin Vietnam with the 22nd Tactical Air SupportSquadron. As Neil Armstrong walked on themoon and 400,000 young people gathered atWoodstock, Captain Jackson piloted a smallCessna O-1 “Bird Dog” airplane over hostile territoryas a Forward Air Controller flying out ofSoc Trang Air Base in the Republic of Vietnam.The duties of an FAC typically involved flyinglow and slow over enemy-held territory, markingtargets for the tactical fighter-bombers to hit anddirecting their strikes, all while dodging groundfire and avoiding missiles in a vulnerable lightairplane.Jackson is characteristically reticent on thesubject of his service in Vietnam and reluctantto speak of those days, but the record shows thatthen Captain Jackson, call sign “David Three-One,” flew 398 combat missions during hismonths in Vietnam.He performed the duties required of him ina manner that earned him the DistinguishedFlying Cross, the Bronze Star Medal, and theAir Medal with 14 oak leaf clusters (indicatingthis medal was earned a total of fifteen times),among other awards.The Distinguished Flying Cross is awardedfor individual acts of heroism or extraordinaryachievement in aerial flight above and beyondthe call of duty.With typical self-deprecating humor, Jacksonremarks that these medals were awarded for “beingshot at -- a lot.”12 Call to Quarters

Onwards and UpwardsJackson returned from Vietnam in April 1970and was stationed at Fairchild Air Force Base inthe state of Washington. Because of his hours offlight time in combat, he moved to the left seatof the KC-135 tankers he was assigned to fly,becoming the aircraft commander instead of theco-pilot.His Air Force career became almost a blur ofmovement, education, and activity as Jacksonwas moved from new responsibility to newresponsibility, adding experience and rank as hewent.Promoted to Major in 1972, Jackson spenttime as an instructor pilot at Moody Air ForceBase in Georgia. He graduated with distinctionfrom the Armed Forces Staff College inNorfolk, VA and soon added a Master’s Degreein business and personnel management fromCentral Michigan University. Promoted to Lt.Colonel in 1976 and Colonel in 1980, Jacksoncontinued growing through a variety of staff andleadership positions, both at the U. S. Air ForceHeadquarters in Washington, DC and at a varietyof bases throughout the United States. Hewas selected to attend the National War Collegein 1980.In the early 1980s, then Colonel Jackson servedas the Director of Operations, commander of the82nd Air Group, and then commander of the82nd Flying Wing at Williams Air Force Basein Arizona.Jackson was promoted to Brigadier Generalin November 1986 and served as director ofmanpower and organization, and then directorof personnel programs for the Air Force. Therank of Major General came in September 1989.General Jackson was elevated to commanderof the Air Force Military Personnel Center atRandolph Air Force Base. He then was namedcommander of the 15th Air Force and waspromoted to Lieutenant General. Lt. GeneralJackson finished his Air Force career as the ViceCommander of the Air Mobility Command atScott Air Force Base.During his military career, in additionto his combat medals awarded for valor,General Jackson was twice awarded both theDistinguished Service Medal and the Legion ofMerit.In all, the Jacksons moved 34 times during his31-year military career, raising a son and daughteralong the way.Christian EmbassyAmid the hustle and bustle of his active dutycareer, General Jackson still committed timeto Christian service. In addition to serving inhis local church, he became active with theChristian Embassy and the Jesus Film Projectof the Campus Crusade for Christ. GeneralJackson made mission trips to Moscow,Mongolia and elsewhere to help spread theJesus film and tell the story of the Gospel.General Jackson remains an active board memberof the Christian Embassy, headquartered inWashington, DC.A Call to FUMAIn the summer of 1994, General Jackson retiredfrom service in the U. S. Air Force and answeredthe call to serve as the ninth president of ForkUnion Military Academy.A quote from one of General Jackson’s firstletters to FUMA’s alumni, parents and friends,states, “The 1994-95 academic session has seenmany changes. New faces may greet you at thedoor. A new look on campus may surprise you.”This has been the theme of General Jackson’stime spent as president of Fork Union MilitaryAcademy over the past seventeen years.Tremendous change in the face of the Academyhas taken place including transformation of thePerkins Technology Center, a wastewater treatmentplant, faculty quarters renovations, buildingthe Estes Dining Hall, expanding the BeattyLibrary, renovation of the Wicker Chapel, a newaquatic center, the Bronson Commons, and currentconstruction of Jacobson Hall.The industrious fundraising campaigns for capitalimprovements and endowment growth havecontinued to meet with success as FUMA calledupon its constituents - alumni, board, family andfriends - to donate each year to the much neededprojects on campus.Under the direction of General Jackson, theAcademy also celebrated many historical tradiwww.forkunion.com13

tions, including the 100th year anniversary in1998. There were also several Sports Hall ofFame banquets, Alumni Weekend activities,graduation exercises, Veterans Memorial services,military balls, and Parents Weekends, all wherethe family at FUMA and the Cadet Corps cametogether to uphold tradition and carry out themission of the school.Over the years, however, the Academy has notbeen immune to the many events that havealso shaped our nation. Included in these areSeptember 11th, the Iraq War, the tragedies atVirginia Tech and Columbine High School,Hurricane Katrina, the Recession, and other majorevents. However, in the face of all the tragedyand sadness, Fork Union Military Academycame together as a family and continued tomarch on without disruption or incident.RetirementOn June 30, 2011 General Jackson will retire asthe 9th President of the Academy. His service toFUMA has been one of commitment, dedication,endless hours, and most of all, faith. Whenhe came to the Academy in 1994 he was soughtby the Board of Trustees to continue with theschool’s mission as a Christian college preparatoryschool. His task was to engage faculty, staff,alumni, parents and friends in this same mission.During his leadership the school has seenan increase each year in alumni participationin supporting the school through annual giving,participation in many of the events held oncampus, and helping spread the word to othersabout the Academy. In addition, building growthon campus has provided the Cadet Corps withbetter classroom, living and athletic facilities.However, growth has not come without assistance.In one of his earlier letters to familiesand alumni General Jackson states, “Fork Unioncontinues to be your home whether you are analumnus, parent or friend. This Academy familycares for each of you unconditionally, is proudof your accomplishments, accepting of unavoidableshortcomings, and cheering you on at everygoal of life. I hope that you, too, will make everyeffort to cheer us on in our continuing efforts toserve young men and their families. I hope thatevery year you will be sure that you have ‘donesomething for Fork Union.’”In observing the changing face of the Academycampus, it is not hard to recognize the manybuildings that have been built or renovatedunder the direction of Lt.General Jackson. Inaddition, the growth in the endowment to over$24 million and in planned giving to over $85million has helped sustain the Academy andprovide an opportunity for many young men tobecome FUMA cadets that may not have otherwisehad the chance.In General Jackson’s final letter to the Board ofTrustees announcing his retirement last May hestated, “The Lord did it all, and He did so in amanner that befits His method of lavishly blessingthe effort and wonderfully leading what Heis doing here with the young men entrusted toour care. I take no credit for any of this...none.To do otherwise would be laughable. He did itand we honor and praise Him for it. Words can’texpress how deeply Barbara and I feel aboutleaving Fork Union. The Academy has been ourlife, and we are excited to see who the Lord hasin mind to take it to the next level. We will helphowever you wish in the process. In the meantime,I’ll do what I do best...drink coffee andlook concerned.”As he retires to be with his family in Texas,General Jackson will continue to carry in hisheart a strong devotion to Fork Union MilitaryAcademy and its family, but hopefully he willnow be able to drink his coffee and not look soconcerned.Lt. General John E. Jackson, Jr. preparesto head out from his office and give thecommencement address to his final class ofgraduates, the Class of 2011.14 Call to Quarters

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“He gets in his Suburban and drives through the front gatewith a smile on his face so wide the corner of his lips aretouching his earlobes. He walks into his office with a cup ofcoffee and the newspaper. As he sits at his desk he rotateshis chair so that he is facing the campus, and he watches cadetsfrom his window. The General constantly looks out hiswindow to make sure no cadets are messing around.”“The General sits at his desk and drinks gallons of coffee.”“He sits in his chair at his desk until someone comes to talkto him about school issues. Then he walks around campus andtalks to visitors. After that he probably takes a nap for aboutan hour...dreaming about what he is going to do when he getshome. Then he wakes up and works on his computer to searchfor important stuff.”“The General comes to work, says ‘hello’ to everyone in HatcherHall. Then he goes to his desk and checks his email. Then hepays all the bills for the new barracks. Then he walks aroundoutside to see what’s happening on campus.”“A typical day in the life of Gen. Jackson: He gets here andgoes to his office and just sits there. He comes out for foodand to go to the bathroom. Then he does some paperwork andthen goes to sleep. Then he wakes up and leaves. ‘Bye!’ hesays.”“He goes to work, drinks coffee, and eats donuts. Then hewalks around campus looking like a boss.”“I think Gen. Jackson sits in his office and waits until someonecalls him or needs him. He also strolls around campus trying tocatch people red-handed or making sure everyone is doing whatthey are supposed to do.”“Arrives at work is the first thing he does. He goes to his computerand sends all the faculty an email about the day’s schedule.The he looks out at campus from his window for a littlewhile. Then he asks his secretary to help him with his work.Then he goes to lunch and then goes back to his office wherehe plays a few games online. Maybe he checks Facebook. Thenhe has a couple meetings and then he goes home.”www.forkunion.com 17

“Gen. Jackson probably wakes up in themorning with a smile on his face becausehe is always happy. He drives to campus,goes to his office, and does the things heneeds to do to help us cadets. If a kidneeds to see him, he gives him ‘the talk.’Then he walks around greeting cadets andtaking pride in what a great school he hasbeen running. Then he does his paperwork.He probably fits some exercise into hisschedule.”“Gen. Jackson is a hard-working man. He’salways a good guy and nice to the cadets.He takes care of everybody. He takesgood care of the school. I’m so proud ofhim. He is just a great, great President,and we all love him.”“Gen. Jackson loves working with youngpeople everyday so he can be a part ofshaping them into wonderful, presentable,mature cadets. As he gets ready to retire,I think all the good memories of FUMAwill stay with him forever...and he will missFork Union.”18 Call to Quarters

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20 Call to Quarters

Lt. General John E. Jackson, Jr., the Academy’sninth president, welcomes Rear Admiral J. ScottBurhoe who will take the helm as the Academy’stenth president in July 2011.www.forkunion.com 21

Welcome!Current Coast Guard Academy Superintendentselected to be the 10th President of FUMAFork Union Military Academy is pleased to announcethe selection of Rear Admiral J. ScottBurhoe to serve as the 10th Academy Presidenteffective July 18, 2011. Admiral Burhoe succeedsLt. Gen. John Jackson, Jr., USAF, Retired, whowill retire July 1, 2011 after serving 17 years asPresident.Admiral Burhoe is uniquely qualified for thePresident’s job at FUMA. For the last four yearsAdmiral Burhoe has served as Superintendentof the United States Coast Guard Academy, the1,000-cadet Service Academy located in NewLondon, CT. The United States Coast GuardAcademy was recently ranked the number onebaccalaureate college in the North by U. S. Newsand World Reports.Admiral Burhoe was raised in the Tidewaterarea, and is the son of a career Army officer. Hegraduated from Virginia Tech and received hisMaster’s Degree in Public Administration fromThe American University. After a distinguished34-year career in the Coast Guard, AdmiralBurhoe will be retiring from the Service to takeon his new role at the Academy.“Educating young people is the key to America’sfuture,” said Admiral Burhoe. “Here at the CoastGuard Academy I’ve witnessed the power of aholistic education that incorporates the mind,body, and spirit. It is important to educate, develop,and inspire the next generation so they canreach their full potential. Fork Union MilitaryAcademy changes lives, one student at a time, byhelping them make the most out of their lives. Iam very excited at the challenges ahead, and lookforward to leading this fine school.”Mr. Jim Cerza, a member of the Academy’s Boardof Trustees and the Chairman of the PresidentialSearch Committee, expressed his deep confidencein their selection, saying, “Admiral Burhoe andhis wife Betsy exude their strong Christian faith,which is critical in fulfilling our mission of Body,Mind, and Spirit. The Lord led them to our door.We welcome them in.”Do You Know?Which FUMA president...1. Was born in Fork Union, VA?2. Started the “One Subject Plan” curriculum?3. Designed the “Body, Mind, Sprit” crest?4. Stepped down as president and continued toserve as Headmaster, Dean, and Instructor foranother 18 years?5. As a pilot in wartime flew 398 combat missionsagainst the enemy?6. Began the tradition of Military Balls?7. Started the Junior School / Middle School?Answers:Rear Admiral J. Scott Burhoe1. Dr. Eldrige B. Hatcher2. Col. James C. Wicker3. Col. Clayton E. Crossland4. Col. Nathaniel J. Perkins5. Lt. Gen. John E. Jackson, Jr.6. Col. Kenneth T. Whitescarver7. Dr. John J. Wicker22 Call to Quarters

Lt. Gen. John E. Jackson, Jr.1994 - 2011Col. Charles T. Clanton1991 - 1993Col. Kenneth T. Whitescarver1968 - 1990Col. James C. Wicker1945 - 1968Dr. John J. Wicker1930 - 1945Col. Nathaniel J. Perkins1917 - 1930Col. Clayton E. Crosland1914 - 1917Dr. Eldridge B. Hatcher1912 - 1914Dr. William E. Hatcher1898 - 1912www.forkunion.com 23

The Changing Face of theAcademy CampusFrom little more than an idea in the mind of Dr. WilliamHatcher, the campus of Fork Union Military Academyhas grown to more than 1,000 acres and dozens ofbuildings.1898Dr. William Hatcher eyes a patch of woods and suggests to afriend, “Wouldn’t that beautiful oak grove be a splendid place fora school?”Dr. Hatcher’s Fork Union Academy opens that same fall in amodest wood frame house in the village of Fork Union, therooms rented for $5 a month.Snead Hall was the first Academy building, started in1900 and completed in 1902. Originally called AcademyHall it was renamed in honor of Charles Goodall Snead.The Armory was built between 1902 and 1905 and was amulti-purpose building with classrooms and drill space.1900Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Snead, two of the Academy’s OriginalGuarantors, donate six acres of land to the school, and constructionof Academy Hall, later renamed Snead Hall, begins. Theconstruction was carried out slowly, as money was available. Theinterior of the building was not completed until 1902.1902An additional eleven acres of land is donated by Mr. and Mrs.W. P. Snead, and construction begins on the Armory, which iscompleted in 1905.1912The Academy’s first president, Dr. William Hatcher, dies August24, 1912. His son, Dr. Eldridge B. Hatcher is selected to succeedhim as the school’s second president.1914Col. Clayton E. Crosland is named the Academy’s thirdpresident.1916Hatcher Hall begins construction.24 Call to Quarters

Seen here in this photo from the 1910 Skirmisher, Snead Hall (at left) and the Armory werelocated on the outside edges of the current Fraley Circle, near the current Middle SchoolGym and Snead Hall barracks, respectively.Hatcher Hall, shown hereunder construction in a 1916photograph, was designed byPresident Crosland to be thepicture postcard image of theAcademy. It was completedover several years as moneywas available.The photo at right is one of thefew showing the location of theAcademy’s original three buildings inrelation to each other. This campusconfiguration was short-lived, asSnead Hall and the Armory weredestroyed by fire in January of 1923.www.forkunion.com 25

1917Col. Nathaniel J. Perkins is named acting president. He is namedthe Academy’s fourth president in 1918.The Armory burned to the ground in January 1923.1923In January 1923, two separate fires destroy Snead Hall and theArmory. Arson is suspected. The only building standing on campusis Hatcher Hall.The decision is made to rebuild rather than close the school.Construction begins on a new barracks building to be namedSnead Hall, and the Alumni Gymnasium, now known as theMiddle School Gymnasium. Both buildings are completed intime for the 1923-1924 academic year.The original Snead Hall wasdestroyed by fire in January 1923within days of the Armory burning.Arson was suspected. In the photobelow, the woman in the foregroundis believed to be Mrs. W. P. Snead.Hatcher Hall is visible behind her.1926A well is sunk near the campus, adjacent to Careby Hall, andstrikes a stream of artesian water at 306 feet. The Academybecame one of the few boarding schools at the time to boast ofhaving hot and cold water in the barracks drawn from pure artesianwell waters. The well remains today, and was tapped during arecent drought year to provide additional fresh water for the ForkUnion community at large.26 Call to Quarters

Snead Hall barracks (above) and the Alumni Gymnasium (below, now called the Middle School Gym),shown in these photographs from 1924, were completed between January 1923 and the opening of the1923-1924 school year in the fall of 1923.www.forkunion.com 27

This 1927 photograph shows the view from the main gatelooking toward the Alumni Gymnasium, Hatcher Hall,and Snead Hall barracks. The entrance road is lined withyoung saplings that would become the towering oaks wesee today.28 Call to Quarters

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The familiar layout of the Fork Union Military Academy campus began to take shape in this aerial photograph from the mid-1930s.In the lower left foreground can be seen the residence that now serves as the Alumni House Museum. Fraley Circle began to takeits modern form and accommodates the motor vehicles that can be seen parked on its perimeter. At left can be seen the AlumniGymnasium with the junior school building located directly behind it. Behind that can be seen the D Annex barracks. Just visiblebetween the Gym and Hatcher Hall is the Junior School recitation hall. Hatcher Hall commands the center of the campus, with SneadHall barracks dominating the right side of the circle.The D Annex barracks (below) was added in 1935 in thespace behind the Alumni Gymasium now occupied by theSabre Shop. D Annex housed approximately 100 studentsand the quartermaster.The Junior School building (above) was added in about 1930directly behind the Alumni Gymasium and provided classrooms,activity space, and faculty lounge area for the new junior school.This building was later used for faculty apartments before beingdemolished in recent years. The Bronson Commons now occupiesthis area of campus.30 Call to Quarters

1930Dr. John J. Wicker becomes the school’s fifth president and leadsthe school during a period of remarkable growth.Dr. Wicker founds the junior school of the Academy. A newbuilding is constructed for the junior school directly behind theAlumni Gymnasium.1935A new barracks, D Annex, is built in time for the 1935-1936academic year to house about 100 students, as well as two facultymembers, a lounge, and the quartermaster’s shop. The building islocated behind the Alumni Gymnasium.1937The John J. Wicker Chapel is built and dedicated on November6, 1937.The Social Center Building was added in 1938 and hasserved a number of functions through the years. Initiallya center of student activities, the building now known asVaughan Hall houses the Commandant’s Office.1938The Social Center Building is constructed, now in use as theCommandant’s Office.Wicker Chapel (below) was dedicated in 1937 and hasbeen the heart of the campus ever since, as thousands ofcadets have occupied its rows of wooden seats. The buildingwas recently restored to near original condition.www.forkunion.com 31

This 1941 photograph shows Perkins Hall, built in 1940.1940The late 1930s and 1940s was a time of tremendous growth oncampus as burgeoning student enrollment had FUMA facilitiesnearly bursting at the seams.Perkins Hall is built beside Hatcher Hall. Originally usedfor science classrooms and labs, Perkins Hall now houses theAcademy’s technology center.The Junior School Barracks is also built in 1940, but is originallyconstructed with only one wing of dorm rooms on three floors.The building is expanded in 1942 to its current size, adding the BCompany wing.1941Memorial Barracks is built to house additional Upper Schoolstudents.1942The President’s House is built on campus just off the front ofFraley Circle.The infirmary is moved out of Hatcher Hall and into a structureknown as The Maples south of Snead Hall.Memorial Hall, shown here in a 1945 photograph, was builtin 1941 to provide barracks space for Upper School cadets.1943The Junior School Barracks is expanded to its current size.The Junior School Academic Building is constructed.1944Annexes are completed at the back of Snead Hall for each companyto provide extra housing space1945Col. James C. Wicker is named the Academy’s sixth president,replacing his father upon the elder Wicker’s retirement.The Stadium is built to provide permanent seating for the footballfield and parade grounds.The President’s House was built in the early part of the1940s. This photograph was taken in 1945.1946The Central Heating Plant with its distinctive brick smokestackis built.32 Call to Quarters

The 1940s saw the expansion of the Junior School,with the construction of the barracks in 1940. Thebuilding was originally built with just a single threestorywing of dorm rooms.By 1943, the Junior School barracks had beenexpanded to its current size with the addition ofanother wing, doubling the capacity of the building.The Junior School academic building was addedin 1943 to provide classrooms, study hall, andadministrative offices for the growing Junior Schoolprogram.By 1942, the infirmary had been movedfrom inside Hatcher Hall to the woodenstructure south of Snead Hall known asThe Maples.www.forkunion.com 33

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An aerial view of the Academy in 1948.www.forkunion.com 35

The Retan Library was built in 1946-1947 and dedicated in 1947 in honor ofGeorge Owen Retan, a FUMA alumnuswho was killed in World War II. Thisbuilding is now known as Flag Hall andprovides space for the band and musicprograms of the Academy.The M. C. Thomas Gymnasiumwas completed in 1949.The Sabre Shop wasbuilt in 1955 in thearea behind the AlumniGymnasium formerlyoccupied by D Annex.36 Call to Quarters

1947The Retan Library is dedicated in the fall of 1947 in memory ofa FUMA alumnus, George Owen Retan, killed in World WarII. This former library building is now known as Flag Hall andserves as the band room.1949The M. C. Thomas Gymnasium is completed.1953D Annex is destroyed by fire.1955The Sabre Shop is built in the area of the destroyed D Annex.The main entrance gate and arch were built in 1962.1958The swimming pool is added behind the Thomas Gymnasium.1962The campus Entrance Gate and Arch are built.The Fork Union Motor Lodge and Restaurant are completed.1966Underground tunnels are constructed connecting most of thecentral campus’ main buildings to the central heating plant.The swimming pool was added to the ThomasGymnasium in 1958.The Fork Union Motor Lodge was built in 1962. Still in use as a motel facility owned by the Academy, the restaurant iscurrently named The Cadet Diner and is privately owned and operated.www.forkunion.com 37

1968Col. Kenneth T. Whitescarver becomes the Academy’s seventhpresident.1969The illuminated fountain is built at the southwest corner of thegrounds.The fountain was added in 1969 and Wicker ScienceBuilding followed in 1970.1970The J. Caldwell Wicker Science Building is completed and dedicatedin October of 1970.1974Hoffman Supply Center and the Rifle Range are constructed.1978Yeatman Infirmary is built.Yeatman Infirmary was built in 1978.An aerial view of the campus in 1978 showing the back side of the campus. HoffmanSupply Center is at lower left, between the smokestack and a storage building.38 Call to Quarters

1982Memorial Hall addition is completed.1983Beatty Library is constructed beginning in the spring of 1983,and completed in January, 1984.1989The Estes Athletic Center is completed and opens on October27, 1989.Beatty Library was added in 1983.1991Renovations are made to Snead Hall barracks in the summer of1991.Col. Charles T. Clanton is named the Academy’s eighthpresident.1992Moretz Academic Center, a second-story addition to the WickerScience Building containing twelve classrooms, is completed.The Estes Athletic Center opened in 1989.In 1992, the Moretz Academic Center was added atop the Wicker Science Building.www.forkunion.com 39

1994Lt. Gen. John E. Jackson, Jr. becomes the Academy’s ninthpresident.Construction of the dining hall gets underway.1995Pruitt Lake and Pavilion are completed and dedicated.1998The Veterans Memorial is constructed near the main entrance tothe campus.The Dorothy Thomasson Estes Dining Hall is dedicated on May,1, 1998.General Jackson began to oversee construction of thedining hall soon after his arrival as president.1999The Academic Center, a complete renovation and transformationof the lower levels of Hatcher Hall, is completed.2000The E. H. Lacy Track is completed.The Veterans Memorial was completed in 1998.The Pruitt Lake and Pavilion facility was among the firstcampus improvements made by General Jackson.40 Call to Quarters

General Jackson and Chairman BillVakos look on as Ed Estes and membersof his family cut the ribbon opening theDorothy Thomasson Estes Dining Hall inMay 1998.The Academic Center,opened in 1998, added moreclassroom space to thelower levels of Hatcher Hall.The Gus Lacy Track hashosted many top trackathletes in major meetssince its opening in 2000.www.forkunion.com 41

2003The Sarah Alice Bronson Commons is dedicated in May 2003, offeringa quiet spot on campus for relaxation and reflection.2004A new wastewater treatment plant is constructed, a vital part ofthe Academy’s infrastructure, though unlikely to appear on picturepostcards.Bronson Commons was dedicated in May 2003.2006A major addition to the Beatty Library is finished, nearly doublingthe size of the library and adding classrooms, a computer lab, andmeeting space.The Caruthers Tennis Courts are completed.The Aquatic Center is constructed at the back side of the EstesAthletic Center.2008Major renovations are completed on the John J. Wicker Chapel,restoring the building to its original interior appearance.The watewater treatment plant was added in 2004providing a critically-needed infrastructure improvement.2009A new press box is constructed at the football stadium. The twostorybuilding has a third level observation deck and facilities for asnack bar.2010The Academy breaks ground on the new barracks building,Jacobson Hall.A major addition to the Beatty Library doubled its size in2006 and added classroom and meeting space.The new tennis courts were opened in 2006.42 Call to Quarters

The Aquatic Center was completed in 2006. Since then, FUMA’s swim teamhas become a nationally-ranked powerhouse, winning the state championshipthe past two years.Major renovations to the exterior and interior ofWicker Chapel were made in 2008, restoringand improving the chapel facility.A new press box, a two-story structure with two balconies and athird-level observation deck, was added in 2009 atop the footballstadium. The ground floor houses facilities for a snack bar.www.forkunion.com 43

One of our favorite recent photographs of theRetan Rifles on parade, taken in May, 2005.44 Call to Quarters

Happy 50th Anniversary toThe Retan RiflesThe drill team of Fork Union Military Academy was first establishedin 1956 and became known as The Hatcher Rifles. In 1961,the unit was renamed The Retan Rifles, to honor the memoryof George Owen Retan, a former cadet who was killed in action duringWorld War II.As we mark this 50th Anniversary of The Retan Rifles, it seems appropriateto tell the story of the young man in whose memory they are named.We invite you to read “Remembering Retan” on the following pages.Alumni members of the Retan Rifles have created a page on Facebookto share memories, post photos, and promote the Retan Rifles as an eliteunit of Fork Union Military Academy. Just go to:http://www.facebook.com/RetanRifleswww.forkunion.com 45

The Hatcher Rifles, seen here in1957, were formed in the mid-1950sand were the forerunners of theRetan Rifles.The drill team wasrenamed the RetanRifles in 1961, andcan be seen hereperforming on theAcademy’s paradegrounds in that year.Through the years theRetan Rifles becameknown for putting onelaborate and deathdefyingperformancesspinning and throwingheavy military rifleswith sharp bayonetsaffixed, as in thisphoto from 2005.46 Call to Quarters

It is fair to say that the Retan Rifleunits of the mid-1980s were legendaryfor their precision and skill. Theunit is seen here in about 1982,marching in a community parade.The Retan Rifles have regularlyappeared at the Dogwood Festivaland Apple Blossom Parades, oftentaking home awards.Led by Constantine Wilson in 1982, theRetan Rifles traveled to Massanutten fora competition against rival teams on theeast coast and won every single trophyto be awarded that day.Wilson continues to be involved in drillteams as founder of the New GuardAmerica, performing exhibitions, competing,and training drill teams. Checkhim out at newguardusa.comThe Retan Rifles would travel to Orlandoin 1984 to compete in Nationals, wherethey placed third in the nation.Even the Silent Drill Teamof the U. S. Marine Corpsshowed the Retan Riflesa high level of respect,seen here stopping by theirquarters to ask Cadet R. C.Schrom to teach them someof his tricks.www.forkunion.com 47

RememberingRetanby Dan Thompson“A nation reveals itself not only by the men it producesbut also by the men it remembers, the men it honors.”John F. KennedyThe 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment jumped intoHolland on September 17, 1944 as part of the largestairborne invasion ever made to that time.48 Call to Quarters

He stood erect and strong, his postureand sure step belying his age of almosteighty-nine years.“Can we stop here a moment?” he’d asked. “I’dlike to see that up close.” He remained for a longquiet minute or two, just reading the words ofthe plaque, taking it all in.IN HONORED MEMORY OFLT. GEORGE OWEN RETANGRADUATED FORK UNION MILITARY ACADEMYJUNE 2, 1941KILLED IN ACTION HOLLANDSEPTEMBER 17, 1944Colonel Ed Shames walked slowly back to thegolf cart and sat down heavily. Not a word wasspoken as we rolled away to our next stop. Forthe first time during his visit on May 20, 2011,the open and engaging Colonel Shames seemedat a loss for words.“That really makes you think, “ Shames said finally.“Why him? Why not me? Why did I makeit through and not George?”It’s a BoyOn February 1, 1923, a son was born to Dr.George Matthew Retan and his wife Emilie.After fathering two daughters, Geraldineand Lucille, there’s no doubt that Dr. Retanwas proud to have a son, but he was not to benamed George Matthew Retan, Jr. It seemsthat Dr. Retan, an avid outdoorsman but verypoor swimmer, had been on a fishing trip in theAdirondacks when he somehow managed tofall out of his canoe and found himself in deeptrouble. His friend and fishing companion, aman named Owen, saved Dr. Retan’s life thatday. And so it was decided that Dr. Retan’s sonwould carry the name George Owen Retan.Dr. Retan served as a professor of pediatrics atSyracuse University, and he maintained a privatepractice out of the family’s home on JamesStreet in Syracuse, New York. Dr. Retan wassomething of a pioneer and researcher in medicineand his name remains a footnote in today’smedical journals. He owned one of the first x-raywww.forkunion.com 49

George Owen Retanentered FUMA in 1937as a freshman.Retan graduated as asenior in 1941.machines in private practice in New York. Hisearly research on the treatment of a dangeroustype of childhood intestinal blockage (knownas intussusception) using a barium enema whileobserving the process by x-ray fluoroscopy waspublished and helped popularize this form oftreatment. He also researched innovative treatmentsfor childhood polio, and a chapter isdedicated to his efforts in a 1939 book entitled“Modern Miracle Men.” His controversial treatmentmethods became outdated, however, oncethe polio vaccine was developed.Cadet RetanGeorge Owen Retan seemed to have inheritedhis father’s intelligence, and he began to distinguishhimself as a student when he enrolled as afreshman at Fork Union MilitaryAcademy in September of 1937and was assigned to C Company.His freshman year he earned a reportcard filled with mostly A’s andonly the occasional grade of B.The society pages of the Syracusenewspapers often carried newsof Dr. George Retan, the wellknownphysician, and his family.Dr. Retan and his wife earnedfrequent mentions in the localpress for their participation in various culturaland charitable activities in Syracuse, so whenyoung George Owen Retan made the honorroll at Fork Union Military Academy, that newswas prominently reported in the hometownnewspaper.Cadet Retan earned officer’s rank during his fouryears of high school at the Academy and servedas part of the editorial staff for the “Skirmisher”(the Academy’s yearbook) and as an officer inthe AthenianLiterary Society.His senior photographshows aclear-eyed youngman in an officer’scoatee with twostars at his collar.These starswere worn on theuniform at thattime as “academic stars” indicating outstandingperformance in the classroom, and the officer’srank was worn on the sleeve. Retan’s academicachievement earned him admission to one of thenation’s top Ivy League institutions. He enrolledin the prestigious Cornell University followinghis graduation from Fork Union MilitaryAcademy on June 2, 1941.Winds of WarAs George Owen Retan embarked on his collegecareer as a freshman at Cornell, the UnitedStates was facing the likelihood of greaterinvolvement in the war that had been buildingon the European continent and stretchinginto Africa and Asia. Hitler in Germany andHirohito in Japan were spreading turmoil acrossmuch of the world and the Americans would notbe able to stand on the sidelines much longer.On December 7, 1941, the Japanese launcheda surprise raid on Pearl Harbor, sinking manyships of the U. S. Navy and guaranteeing theAmericans’ entry into World War II. The verynext day, George Retan left the campus ofCornell University to visit his father in the officeof his medical practice. He declared to hisfather his intention to leave college and join themilitary.Retan finished out his freshman year, even joiningthe Phi Delta Theta fraternity, but he madegood on his plans to join the war effort in thesummer of 1942.You’re In the Army NowOn August 25, 1942, George Owen Retanenlisted in the United States Army. When heasked the recruiter where they needed men themost, he was told they needed paratroopers, sothat’s where Retan volunteered to serve.The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment was tobe a new “super unit” of elite fighters, kind of aprecursor to today’s Delta Force or Seal TeamSix. The 506th PIR recruited only men of betterthan average intelligence and physical condition,and sent them to Camp Toccoa in a remote partof Georgia to undergo the most rigorous trainingschedule any military unit to that time hadbeen required to complete.Ed Shames recalls that he and Retan musthave arrived at Camp Toccoa on the same train,50 Call to Quarters

as they ultimately were assigned together toCompany I in the Third Battalion of the 506th.Shames describes the training they went throughas “almost inhumane” as the men were winnowedfrom almost 7,000 recruits down to about 2,500tough, hardened fighting men. Anyone whostopped running on the regular morning runs3-1/2 miles up (and 3-1/2 miles down) CurraheeMountain was removed from the unit. Anyonewho was unable to qualify at the “expert” levelwith their rifle, machine gun, or mortar waseliminated. When the regiment was sent to thelarge rifle ranges at Clemson University to finishperfecting their marksmanship skills, no truckswere on hand to transport them. They marchedthe 48 miles from Toccoa to Clemson. Anyonewho fell out during the long march was removedfrom the unit.During this arduous training, a strong bondwas formed between five friends in I Company,Shames reports. Joe Madona, Joe Beyerle, JamesRecruiting posters like this one encouragedmen between the ages of 18 and 32 to join theArmy paratroopers.Japhet, Ed Shames, and George Retan becamefast friends, with George as kind of their leader.Retan seemed to know the ropes and helpedthem all through the training regimen, Shamesrecalls, displaying a level of leadership andexperience that Shames now credits to Retan’sbackground as a FUMA cadet. “He must havelearned that here,”Shames says. “I justtried to follow hislead.”Retan’s leadershipabilities were noticedby his commandingofficers, and Retanwas soon promotedto Sergeant andplaced in charge of asquad.In December of1942, the regimentwas to travel to FortBenning for parachutejump school.First Battalion traveledby train fromToccoa to Benning.Second Battalionmarched 102 milesto Atlanta in three days and then took a train toBenning. Third Battalion, Retan’s battalion, tookthe train to Atlanta, and then marched 136 milesin four days to arrive at Fort Benning, smashinga record for long distance marching previouslyset by the Imperial Japanese Army. The 506thPIR was attracting attention as an elite airborneunit like none before.More specialized training continued for the regimentand by February of 1943, Ed Shames hadalso been promoted to Staff Sergeant and movedto Headquarters Staff, but he still remained closewith his buddies in I Company.On September 5, 1943, the regiment boardedthe troop ship Samaria and sailed for England.The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment wassoon to become one of the most renowned unitsof the 101st Airborne Division. George Retanand his buddies were going to war.Retan was promotedto Sergeant withinmonths of his enlistmentin the 506thParachute InfantryRegiment.www.forkunion.com 51

D-Day: The Normandy InvasionAs the landing craft hit the beaches at OmahaBeach and Utah Beach at dawn on June 6, 1944,George Retan and his comrades had alreadybeen in combat for several hours.The 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment was oneof a number of airborne units that jumped intoGerman-held territory in the hours past midnight.The Third Battalion of the 506th was tosecure two bridges across the Douve River eastof the town of Carentan, France. The Germanshad built these bridges in recent months so theycould quickly move reinforcements to the beachto meet the expected invasion. It was criticalthat these bridges be seized and controlled if thebeach landings were to succeed.In the darkness, amid a hail of anti-aircraft fire,the transport planes bucked and swerved, tryingto find their drop zones. Paratroopers jumpedinto uncertainty on that black night, very fewlanding anywhere close to their targets, mostlanding miles away from their objective.Retan’s buddy, James Japhet, never made it intothe fight. His plane was hit and the right engineand wing caught on fire. The paratroopers wereunable to jump and the plane crashed, killing allaboard.Joe Beyerle landed on a church in Saint-Cômedu-Montand slid down the roof to the groundbelow. Alone, Beyerle tried to make his waytoward his objective but was captured by theGermans and spent months in POW campsbefore escaping and joining up with SovietArmy forces with whom he fought through theremainder of the war.Joe Madona’s plane dropped him far from hisintended drop zone and into the area of operationsfor the 82nd Airborne. He landed in a fieldflooded by the Germans to hinder paratroopersand had to act quickly to save himself anda nearby comrade from drowning on landing.Madona would survive Normandy but was killedin action at Bastogne in January of 1945.Ed Shames landed on the grounds of theCarnation Milk factory near Carentan, all alone.He quickly set about finding other paratroopersand leading the way, many miles, to the bridgesthat were their objective.Like his buddies, George Retan was droppedfar away from his intended target, and withinthe first five minutes was wounded in the leg byshrapnel. He met up with Colonel Sink’s headquartersoutfit and continued fighting for thenext three days despite his wounds, until unitsfrom Utah Beach broke through and joined withthem in the days following D-Day.Retan was awarded the Bronze Star and thePurple Heart, though he evidently never spokeof the deeds that earned his medal for valorwith his good friend Ed Shames. Shames recallsthat Retan didn’t talk much about his injury orD-Day experiences, just wearing a patch on hisleg. But then, most of the paratroopers landingbehind enemy lines, including Shames, hadwounds to show for their first experience incombat.In the weeks following the Normandy Invasion,Retan’s wounds were treated but not all theshrapnel could be removed. He was offered theoppportunity to return to the United States forfurther treatment, but he elected to remain withhis unit.In the confusion and fog of war, Retan andShames had each, separately, distinguishedthemselves in combat and demonstrated thespecial kind of leadership needed to commandfighting men. They were both selected to receivebattlefield commissions following Normandyand were promoted from Staff Sergeant to 2ndLieutenant rank, two of only three men in theregiment to receive this recognition.Ed Shames was transferred to E Company inthe 2nd Battalion of the 506th and placed incommand of the company’s “patrol platoon.”George Retan was moved to A Company inthe 1st Battalion of the 506th as the AssistantPlatoon Leader of the 2nd Platoon.A Quiet and Humble LeaderBill Chivvis was a young soldier assigned to ICompany as a replacement in the days followingNormandy. As the Normandy veterans beganreturning to Ramsbury, England, Bill Chivvisand his fellow replacements got to see Retan inaction.“After a time we became aware of Retan visitingthe Company ‘I’ area to greet his returningfriends. On each visit he would stop and talkto the ‘know nothing’ replacements and try to52 Call to Quarters

answer our stupid questions. There is no greatergulf than that which exists between combatantsand non-combatants but this did not affectRetan.”Retan’s behavior made an impact on this freshyoung recruit. “From these brief visits, I learneda lesson which would follow me through theHolland and Belgium campaigns: I always tookthe time to talk to incoming replacements.”These few encounters with George Retan madea lifelong impression on Chivvis, who spoke ofRetan in a 1995 letter to researcher and authorPeter Hendrikx. “I will describe Retan as a quiet,humble young man, but very intelligent, veryalert, and very focused. He was a natural leaderwho inspired confidence without even trying. Hewas a man of the highest character.”Operation Market GardenIn just a few short weeks, the 506th was headedback into combat, part of the largest airborneinvasion ever undertaken to that time. The planwas for American and British forces to capturea number of bridges in Holland, giving theAllies an access route into Germany around theSiegfried Line defenses.The 506th jumped in clear skies on the afternoonof September 17, 1944 into a large fieldnear the town of Son. The daylight jump, madepossible by Allied air superiority, was a big improvementon the confusion seen at Normandy.The regiment landed almost in formation andmet little resistance as they left the drop zone.Company A was to capture the main bridgeacross the Wilhelmina Canal at Son. Almosthalf of 1st Platoon had been dropped somedistance from the rest of the company, so 2ndPlatoon was placed in the lead. Platoon Leader1st Lieutenant Galarneau had broken his ankleon the jump, so it was up to 2nd LieutenantGeorge Retan to lead the regiment through theSon Forest toward their target.About 400 yards into their advance, the companyengaged a number of German riflemen,suppressing their fire and continuing to pushtoward the bridge.When the company reached a point in thewoods about 200 yards from the bridge, all of asudden one of the three 88mm artillery piecesguarding the bridge opened fire into the trees.Sgt. Joe Powers of 2nd Platoon was hit by shrapneland wounded almost immediately. Soon theother two large 88mm guns had lowered theirbarrels and begun firing into the woods. The88mm gun is designed to shoot planes from thesky, but the Germans had found it to be a terribleand terrifying anti-infantry gun as well. The88s were soon joined by the thump of 81mmmortars.“Men were being killed,” recalls Donald R.Burgett, a soldier in A Company. “We had to dosomething.”Company A faced only one choice. They hadto attack headlong into the massed fire of threefearsome cannons.The soldiers raced through the woods and thenacross the grass straight into the muzzle blastsof the massive artillery pieces. After overwhelmingthe Germans at the guns and silencing theRetan and A Companyof the 506th PIR ledthe attack on thebridge at Son, into theface of three 88mmartillery guns.www.forkunion.com 53

In this remarkable photo taken near the Son bridge on that afternoon of September 17, 1944, an Americantrooper stands at one of the 88mm gun emplacements captured by the Americans, one of the three gunsthat killed Retan and killed or wounded so many of his men, its barrel still lowered toward the woods..artillery, the paratroopers then stormed theremaining yards toward the bridge to seize theirobjective, but the Germans set off pre-placedexplosives just before the Americans set foot onthe structure, blowing it up in their faces.As the smoke cleared and A Company regrouped,the costs of the short fierce battle wereplain to see.“Our company lost nearly 30 percent of ourofficers and men in the Son Forest. LieutenantRetan was among the first of our men to bekilled in the woods,” recalls Don Burgett.“Within hours of our landing in Holland, ACompany had been battered in battle and bathedin blood.”‘Til the Boys Come HomeDon Burgett would continue fighting throughEurope with A Company of the 506th and returnhome from the war to write several grippingbooks about his experiences, each widely hailedfor their first-person vividness.Ed Shames (who was just a quarter-mile or soaway at Son and learned quickly of his closefriend’s death) would continue to lead hisplatoon of Easy Company soldiers on throughBelgium, Bastogne, Berlin, and into the pages ofhistory as Stephen Ambrose’s famed “Band ofBrothers.” Shames earned the distinction of returningmore soldiers home, safe and alive, thanany other platoon leader in the 101st AirborneDivision. This despite the fact that his platoonwas often called on to undertake dangerouspatrols and assignments.For George Owen Retan, however, his warended on September 17, 1944 in the Son Forestof Holland. He lies in Plot A, Row 4, Grave8 of the Netherlands American Cemetery atMargraten. His resting place is attended toregularly by citizens of that country who haveadopted the graves of the American fallen. Hisbright white headstone is cleaned regularly andflowers placed by these grateful citizens whoinsure that the sacrifice for freedom he made ontheir soil will not be soon forgotten.54 Call to Quarters

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FUMA RemembersGeorge Retan was not forgotten on the campusof Fork Union Military Academy. As a four-yearcadet and a high-performing student, Retanhad made quite an impression on the staff andfaculty as well. It is clear that the affection wasmutual, as George Retan had expressly requested,before heading overseas, that if anythinghappened to him, his savings should be donatedto Fork Union Military Academy.Dr. George M. Retan was devastated by hisson’s death. He closed his private practice andspent much of his time building a log lodge ona remote lake in Canada, a kind of refuge forhim. But Dr. Retan and his wife honored theirson’s wishes, and his savings were donated to theAcademy, where they helped fund the constructionof the school’s new library.On October 11, 1949, Dr. and Mrs. GeorgeM. Retan came to the campus of Fork UnionMilitary Academy for the dedication of theRetan Library.The Retan RiflesIn the fall of 1960, another young freshmanentered the Academy, the son of Lucille RetanRamseyer, George Retan’s beloved sister.“From the moment I was born, I was destinedto be a cadet at Fork Union Military Academy,”jokes George Owen Ramseyer.The arrival of George Retan’s nephew andnamesake on campus apparently awakened fondmemories among the faculty and staff who recalledhis uncle’s arrival more than twenty yearsearlier. Early in 1961 it wasdecided that the Academy’scrack drill team, then calledthe Hatcher Rifles, would berenamed to honor GeorgeOwen Retan. In a specialceremony, a Retan Rifles bannerwas presented to youngGeorge Owen Ramseyer.The Retan Rifles carry thatname to this day, and eachyear, a number of outstandingyoung cadets carry his name on their sleeves,a living memorial to honor his service andsacrifice.Recalling a Fallen FriendStanding beside the brass plaque on the walldedicating the building to the memory of hisfriend, Ed Shames felt the memories comeflooding back, these nearly 67 years later.“It’s incredible,” he said, of learning that hisyoung comrade was one of FUMA’s most honoredalumni. “It’s just indescribable.”Now a Colonel, though retired from his serviceto the nation, Shames had volunteered to cometo FUMA to talk to cadets about his fallenfriend.Standing in front of the entire upper schoolCorps of Cadets, Shames wore a bright yellowjacket covered in patches honoring the506th Parachute Infantry Regiment, the 101stAirborne Division of which they were a part,and Easy Company, his own band of brothers.The jacket was a gift from the HBO producersof the mini-series about his famed unit. “Theymade $190 million telling our story, “ quippedShames. “All I got was this jacket.”Shames shared stories of the training that he andGeorge Retan had endured together at CurraheeMountain. He answered questions aboutBastogne, the daring rescue of British paratroopersacross the Rhine River, and many otherexploits with Easy Company. Current membersof the Retan Rifles crowded around after histalk, and Shames autographed copies of the book“Tonight We Die As Men” for which he hadauthored the foreward. Shames had brought thebooks, which tell the story of the Third Battalionof the 506th, as a special gift to the Retan cadetsand the school’s library.Although he only lived a short twenty-one years,the lessons to draw from Retan’s life seem clear.Study hard, volunteer where you are needed, doyour best, accept responsibility, lead from thefront, be kind and gracious to all.When asked how the young men of FUMAcould best honor the memory of George OwenRetan, Shames offered the following simple advice:“Work hard. Try to be great at something.If you can’t be great, be good. If you can’t be agood leader, be a good follower. But be good.George was no angel, but he was good hearted.George Retan was a good man.”56 Call to Quarters

Colonel Ed Shames visited thecampus recently to speak with cadetsabout Retan and World War II. Afterhis talk he signed books as gifts forcurrent Retan Rifle members.Donald Burgett returned to Holland a few yearsago to revisit the ground where he and hiscomrades in A Company had battled in 1944. Hetook time to visit Margraten Cemetery and takethis photo beside the grave of George O. Retan,one of the lieutenants in his company.Recommended ReadingTonight We Die As Men:The Untold Story of the ThirdBattalion 506 Parachute InfantryRegiment from Toccoa to D-DayBy Ian Gardner and Roger DayForeward by Ed ShamesCurrahee!The Road to ArnhemBy Donald R. BurgettThe article on the followingpages (“Shuford and theChief ”) is a chapter reprintedby permission of Flying PointPress from this book:Invasion: The Story of D-DayBy Bruce Bliven, Jr.All these books are availableat Amazon.com and Barnes& Noble.www.forkunion.com 57

Shuford andThe ChiefA story of duty, integrity, and courageIn the early hours of June 6, 1944, the 29th Infantry Divisionassaulted Omaha Beach in the Normandy Invasion of World War II.The 111th Field Artillery from Richmond, Virginia planned to landtheir 105mm howitzers under direction of their commander, Lt. Col.T. L. Mullins, and his advance party already on the beach.But those plans weren’t working out very well.One man, Captain Louis Shuford, FUMA Class of 1939, wasdetermined that his mission would be completed.58 Call to Quarters

It was just as well that Colonel Mullins,before he was killed, and the others in theadvance party of the 111th Field ArtilleryBattalion didn’t know what was happeningto the battalion’s 12 howitzers. The news was allbad.The forward observers and liaison officers on thebeach assumed that the guns would be ready tocome ashore as soon as their gunners were told,by radio, that the beach exits were clear. It nevercrossed their minds - not, at least, until hourslater - that the artillery was in almost as muchtrouble as the infantry.Each of the guns was loaded on an amphibioustruck, a combination boat and automobile calleda Duck. The Ducks were supposed to sail inunder their own power, drive out of the surf ontothe sand on their wheels, and then go to the firstgun positions. If the weather had been slightlybetter and the sea a little less choppy, they mighthave been able to do so.The battalion filled 13 Ducks. There was onefor each howitzer and an extra one for battalionheadquarters. Things had begun to go wronghours before H-Hour, as soon as the Duckswere launched from the big LST’s (LandingShip, Tank) that had brought them across theChannel. The LST’s were anchored some sevenmiles off the beach. At 2:00 AM, when it wasvery dark, the first Duck had rolled out of itsLST’s open bow and down a steel ramp towardthe water. It had slid off the ramp into the sea,burying its nose in a wave. Its stern had settleddown with a clumsy squish. Right away it wasclear that the Duck was overloaded. The choppy,four-foot waves, slapping against its sides, weresloshing a dangerous amount of water aboard.The weight of the howitzer, by itself, was considerable.And, in addition, the Duck was carrying13 artillery-men, 50 shells and other equipmenta gun crew uses: a radio, telephones and wire,picks and shovels, a camouflage net with its 12steel support poles, sandbags, K-rations (packagesof concentrated food that can be eatenwithout cooking), and the cannoneers’ knapsacks,called musette bags, filled with their personalbelongings.www.forkunion.com 59

than the automatic pumps could get rid of it.Two more went down as they tried to circle,waiting to hear from the advance party. Thatleft only six guns. Half the 111th’s fire powerwas lost, and the long run into Omaha beachwas still to come. The situation was so bad thatthe artillerymen in the six Ducks that were stillafloat couldn’t quite believe it. Their whole effortfor a year had been devoted to getting ready forthis action. No one had dreamed that half thebattalion’s guns would wind up on the bottom ofthe Channel seven miles from shore.After a long wait for word from the beach,which didn’t come, the six Ducks started in. Anavy LCVP, acting as guide and navigator, ledthe procession. They had gone only a few hundredyards, moving at full speed ahead, when thewaves swamped two more of the Ducks.The other four Ducks kept going toward LesMoulins. Each Duck contained one gun.Captain Louis Shuford was 25 years old, goodnatured and quiet in manner. He had been bornand brought up in Virginia and had been a trackstar at Fork Union Military Academy and atRichmond University. The men in his batteryThe DUKW utilityvehicle, known asa “duck” used bythe military in WorldWar II was parttruck, part boat.The duck picturedabove is loaded witha howitzer. Oncethe 13-member guncrew, ammunition,and other cargo wereloaded, the ducksrode very low in thewater.Two of the 13 Ducks sank minutes after theywere launched. One of them, caught by the current,was washed back against the LST’s ramp,crashed heavily against it, and went down like astone. The cannoneers, in their inflated life belts,were picked up, but the howitzer was gone forever.The second Duck stayed afloat only a littlelonger. Then a wave hit it at a bad angle. TheDuck rolled partly over, took more water aboardand went down.The remaining ten along with the HeadquartersDuck headed for a stretch of water about 600yards from the LST. They were supposed to waitthere, moving slowly around in a large circle,until they got word from the beach that it wastime to come ashore. Three more of the Ducks,including the Headquarters Duck, sank on theway to this rendezvous area. Their story wasmuch the same: they took water aboard fasterLouis Alfred Shuford, FUMA Class of 193960 Call to Quarters

The 105mm HowitzerThe 105mm howitzer was the standard light fieldhowitzer for the United States during World WarII and continued in service throughout the KoreanWar and Vietnam as well.Nearly 20 feet in length and weighing 5,000pounds, the 105mm howitzer blasted a 42-poundhigh explosive projectile of more than 4 inches indiameter to a target up to seven miles away.The 29th Infantry Division had three battalions of105mm howitzers (the 110th, the 111th, and the224th Field Artillery Battalions).The 105mm howitzer pictured at left is seen inaction during the Korean War.had nicknamed him “Boobytrap” because he wasfascinated by explosives and spent a lot of timeexperimenting with them as a hobby. Shuford’ssuperior officers rated him as a good but notperfect battery commander. He hated the paperwork his job required, and he had often been introuble with Colonel Mullins because his recordswere not up to date. It is safe to say that no one,including Shuford, expected that he was going tobe a hero.While the four guns were still several thousandyards away from Omaha beach, the second Duckin line, behind Shuford’s, began to sink. Shufordthought he might be able to save it by lighteningits load. He signaled to the coxswain in the navyguide boat, and the LCVP took off 12 of the 13artillerymen. The Duck was still pretty low in thewater, but with about 2,000 pounds less to carry,it stopped going down.The navy LCVP headed back out to sea, lookingfor a larger boat or a rhino-ferry (one of thehuge rafts that were bringing in heavy equipment)on which it might deposit the cannoneers.The four Ducks kept on going without theirguide boat. At about 1,000 yards from theshore, where the boat traffic was fairly heavywith LCA’s, LCVP’s and other small boats, theylost each other for a while. The crewless Duck,with just its gun, one artilleryman and its driveraboard, developed engine trouble. While it wasstalled, a splatter of long-range machine-gun firefrom the bluff tore open one of its sides. Thatfinished it. More water poured into the hold, anddown it went. A few minutes later the last Duckin the procession, B Battery’s, filled and sank.It was about nine o’clock, and the 11th FieldArtillery Battalion had only two howtizers (andtwo Ducks) left. Shuford and Captain JackWilson maneuvered their Ducks next to eachother, and lashed them together with rope. Thenthe two battery commanders had a conference.They were desperate. They were five or six hundredyards offshore and they could see that theDucks couldn’t get any closer. They didn’t knowwhat had happened to the first waves of theinfantry, or to their own battalion’s advance party,but they could see bursts of German mortarand artillery shells exploding on the sand flats.Knowing that they were all that remained of the111th, and realizing that the attack was hoursbehind schedule, the two captains couldn’t helpfeeling that the great assault had turned into adisaster.While they talked, the other men in the Duckscrouched low. German bullets and shell fragmentswere whining past. The hulls of theDucks, though thin, offered some protection.The men were drenched with spray and theywere cold, even though the sun was beginning tocome through the haze and smoke that lay overwww.forkunion.com 61

the seascape. And, after six hours of riding inrough waters, they were seasick.Shuford and Wilson agreed that even thoughthe invasion looked hopeless, they ought to tryto get ashore.They thought they could roll onto the beach andstart shooting. They would use the hoisting deviceon Shuford’s Duck to lift Wilson’s howitzerout of the hold of its Duck. Then Wilson’s hoistwould be used to lift Shuford’s gun.“We might as well try it,” Captain Wilson said.“We ought to be able to knock out at least onepillbox.”But even this simple plan was too ambitious.A burst of machinegunfire pepperedthe two Ducks withlead and cut therope holding themtogether. Shuford’spulled ahead, tryingto get out of range.But one of thebullets had hit theengine of Wilson’sDuck, disablingit. While the craftdrifted helplessly,a second flurry ofbullets hit it, wounding several of the men. Thena light artillery shell hit the breech block ofthe howitzer, putting it out of commission forgood. The shell fragments killed one man andwounded a few more. Finally the Duck caughtfire. Wilson ordered his men to jump overboardand jumped with them.The gun crew in Shuford’s Duckhad named their gun the “Chief,”and had painted a handsomepicture of an Indian chief on itsshield. The Chief was the onlygun the 111th Field ArtilleryBattalion had left.When Shuford realized that Wilson’s Duckhad been hit, he started back to help, but a largeassault boat, an LCI (Landing Craft, Infantry),blocked his way. By the time it passed, Shufordcouldn’t see what had become of Wilson, theDuck or the gun crew. Suddenly a German gunbegan shooting at Shuford’s Duck. One shellsent up a geyser of water just ahead of it. Thenext landed just behind. Shuford ordered hisDuck driver to head out to sea at full speed.The gun crew in Shuford’s Duck had namedtheir gun the “Chief,” and had painted a handsomepicture of an Indian chief on its shield. TheChief was the only gun the 111th Field ArtilleryBattalion had left. It represented the last chancefor the battalion to play a part in the assault. Thisfact strengthened Shuford’s determination to getthe gun ashore. Without Wilson’s hoist, though,he did not know how he would go about unloadingit.But he had several problems to solve before hecould unload. His Duck was now leaking prettybadly from the holes the machine-gun fire haddrilled in its hull. It looked as if it couldn’t stayafloat much longer. But Shuford had no informationabout where he could land.He thought the navy might give him some advice.It was supposedto be in touch by radiowith the artillery’s advanceparties and withits own shore partieswhich directed navalgunfire.Shuford headed forthe nearest large ship,an LCI like the onethat had cut him offwhen he had beensearching for Wilson.As his Duck camealongside the LCI, hisdriver said, “You’d better hurry, Captain. I don’tthink this thing is going to hold together muchlonger.”Shuford scrambled aboard the LCI.The navy’s radio network was working, just asShuford hoped, but the news from the beachwas bad. Lieutenant Brush, who was still nearthe Les Moulins draw, reported that the beachthere, called Easy Green, was not yet clear. Hismessage suggested that Shuford try Fox, the nextbeach section to the east of Les Moulins.The radio operator called the forward observerson Fox. Things were just as bad there. “Don’tcome to Fox,” Fox warned. “Go to Easy Green.”That left Shuford no better off than he hadbeen, except that he knew two places where hecouldn’t get ashore. By now it was nearly eleveno’clock, and much warmer, but the men in the62 Call to Quarters

Duck were too numb with discouragement tonotice the improvement. Everyone was quietmostunusual for 12 cannoneers. The Duckdriver was the only one with much to say. Hekept repeating what was clearly true: it wouldn’tbe long before the Duck would sink. For a timethe Duck circled aimlessly while the men tookturns at the hand pump. Shuford again tried tocall the shore with the navy radio, but the newsremained bad. None of the beaches was open.Shuford got back in the Duck. He decided thatthe only way he could keep afloat was by tyingup to one of the rhino-ferries that were waiting,like him, for a place to go ashore. By luck,the one he picked carried some of the 111th’ sjeeps and trucks and the men of the battalionwho made up part of its reserve. They didn’tknow what had happened to the other 11 guns,or realize that the first waves of infantry werestill battling for the beach exits. And Shufordand his men were too exhausted to tell them.They lashed the Duck to the raft, leaving onlyits driver on board. Then they crawled onto theferry’s flat deck, stretched out wherever theycould find space, and fell asleep.It was more like a collapse than ordinary sleep.And it didn’t last long. Shuford was awakened bythe Duck driver, shaking him awake and shoutingthat the Duck was sinking.The Duck was filling faster than ever. The waterwas slapping around the Chief ’s big rubber tires.There was no way of getting the gun out of theDuck and onto the rhino-ferry without a goodsizedcrane.Shuford spotted just such a crane on anotherrhino-ferry five or six hundred yards away. Hedoubted the Duck could get that far. But he wasgoing to lose the Chief anyhow, so it seemedworth a try. All hands pitched in to unload theequipment-everything except the Chief-fromthe Duck, cutting the weight down to a minimum.Shuford decided that one man, besidesthe driver and himself, would be needed on theshort run, to help bail water. Off they set, withthe Duck riding so low in the water that a singlewave sloshing aboard could have sent it to thebottom.But the Duck made it. Shuford jumped onto thesecond rhino-ferry, shouting for help. A lieutenantcolonel was in charge. He thought Shufordwas out of his mind. What was so important, hewanted to know, about one stray howitzer? Anda howitzer without a gun crew, at that.It was a question Shuford couldn’t really answer.Instead of trying, he lost his temper and yelled atthe lieutenant colonel.The lieutenant colonel was horrified. He didn’thave the faintest idea what the Chief meant toShuford. Still, he was impressed by Shuford’swild insistence, and he himself operated thecrane. The Chief was swung up out of the Duckand deposited on the deck of the ferry.After the Chief was safely abroad, Shuforddiscovered that the ferry was bringing in partsof the 7th Field Artillery Battalion. The 7th’s jobexactly matched the 111th’s. It was supposed tobe supporting the 16th Infrantry, and, like the111th, it had been having a hard time. Six of its12 guns had already gone down.At last Shuford had the answer to his problem.The 7th Battalion needed the Chief, so he presentedhis gun to one of the 7th’s officers. Latein the afternoon, the Chief went ashore with a7th Battalion battery. Before midnight the Chiefwas in firing position, pouring high explosivesinto Normandy in support of the infantry’s slowbut all-important advance.Shuford’s wish had come true. Part of the 111th- even if only one gun, and a gun that anotheroutfit had to operate - was helping the assaultsucceed.In this photo takenon June 11, 1944, anunidentified unit pours105mm howitzer fire ontoretreating German unitsin the days followingD-Day.Could this be “The Chief“hard at work?www.forkunion.com 63

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TheGold RecordCareerof Ron Oates, FUMA ‘59You’ve listened to Ron Oates play the piano for manyyears, perhaps without realizing it. One of the most indemandstudio musicians on the Nashville scene since1969, Ron Oates has played, written, or arranged dozens ofgold, platinum, and multi-platinum albums for artists like DollyParton, the Oak Ridge Boys, Lynn Anderson, Olivia Newton-John, Gladys Knight, Englebert Humperdinck, and many more.When the Oak Ridge Boys sang “Elvira,” it was Ron Oates atthe piano. When Dolly Parton recorded “I Will Always LoveYou,” it was Ron playing the keyboards. Cristy Lane’s memorable“One Day at a Time,” and Vern Gosdin’s classic “Chiseled inStone” both featured Ron Oates’ fingers tinkling the ivories. Inall, Ron has been a player and arranger on about forty gold andplatinum award-winning albums. It’s hard to keep count.When the Country Hall of Fame opened their new museumin Nashville in 2001, they set up a special exhibit honoring thelegendary studio musicians who created “the Nashville sound.”Included in the display is Ron’s massive Yamaha GS-2 synthesizeras well as two of his “charts,” the music he arrangedfor Earl Thomas Conley’s hit singles “Angel in Disguise” and“Under Control” (a song Ron co-wrote with Earl and NelsonLarkin).Ron has played, composed, and arranged music for countlesssongs and albums recorded by hundreds of artists during hisdecades in Nashville since he played his first session recording“Watching Scotty Grow” with Bobby Goldsboro. In some yearshe played on as many as 500 sessions per year. In his more than40 years in the business, he estimates he has played between13,000 and 15,000 recording sessions in Nashville. And he’s stillat it.The next time you listen to a country song on the radio, listenout for the piano. The odds are good you’ll be hearing the workof FUMA alumnus, Ron Oates.www.forkunion.com 65

Vinyl TreasureThis original Asylum album, one of only 500 made, could fetchmore than $1,000 in some auction markets today as collectorsof such vinyl albums consider this a rare gem.66 Call to Quarters

In the early 1970s, the upstairs room in the band building rang with the sound ofdrums and electric guitars as a band made up of FUMA cadets and singer ElaineLaZizza (the daughter of band director Anthony LaZizza) played and practicedtogether. This space was the band’s escape from the routine of military school life.And thus the band came to be known as “Asylum” in honor of this place of refuge.The band learned and played a variety of songs popular at that time, from bands likeGrand Funk Railroad, Led Zeppelin, Jefferson Airplane, Three Dog Night, and TheCarpenters. They also wrote some of their own songs.Elaine LaZizza sang and played piano. Buddy Williamson playedkeyboard, Bob King played bass, Ken Ward sang and playedthe drums, Dan Dinkins sang and played lead guitar. “Mac”McNamara added some special effects and percussion andKen Willis added some special effects and helped managethe equipment.By 1973, the senior years for Ken Ward and BobKing, the band scraped together the moneythey’d made playing for dances and other gigsand came up with enough money to pay forthe use of a professional recording studio foreight hours.At the American Star Recording Studiosin Fairfax, Virginia, the band laid downnine tunes, mostly original songs, andpressed 500 vinyl albums. They namedthe album “First and Last” because theyknew that’s what it was, Asylum’s firstand last album.Skip ahead to 2004, and the recordlabel World In Sound from Germany,picks up the album and re-releases anew pressing. The album begins to pickup new fans among those who like andcollect early 1960s and 1970s “psychedelicprogressive rock” on vinyl.It turns out that Asylum has a hit record ontheir hands, at least in some collectors’ circles.This “hippie album” as some reviewers dubbedit, is lauded as an outstanding example of “WestCoast psychedelic, garage, folk stuff ” reminiscent ofearly Jefferson Airplane.Several of the original 500 vinyl albums pressed in 1973have sold at auction on ebay.com in recent years for pricesranging from $710 to $1,331.Check out our website at http://www.forkunion.com/asylum forsample cuts from this album and a link to where you can buy the new reissuevinyl albums.www.forkunion.com 67

In Memory ofCoachJim HazlettJanuary 13, 1926 to August 4, 2010A Half Century of CoachingA Lifetime of ExperienceJim Hazlett can be remembered most forhis enthusiasm and dedication to thesports of football and baseball. He beganhis career in football playing underthe legendary Coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, Sr.at Susquehanna University in Pennsylvania in1949. It was under the mentorship of CoachStagg that Hazlett’s true passion for the sportbegan. While at Susquehanna, he earnedAssociated Press Little All-America honors inhis position as center. He helped the team average30.8 points per game and win each game byan average of 15 points. During Hazlett’s playingcareer at SU, the Crusaders compiled a 10-2-1record.However, he didn’t stop there. Hazlett begancoaching at Springdale High School at age27 where he had an undefeated 10-0 seasonin 1959. Over the course of fifty years Hazlettcontinued coaching and was still involved withreviewing game tapes from his retirement homeuntil 2009. His long time career as a coach cameto an end on August 4, 2010 when he passedaway peacefully in his home in Richmond, VA.He is fondly remembered most by his friendsand colleagues as being well-respected, intelligent,a good athlete, and most of all, dedicatedto football.In a newsletter article in the SusquehannaCurrents after his death, Bob Pitello, AssistantSU Football Coach, said “Anyone who played forJim or coached with him loved him. He was sodedicated to football, and that is what made himgreat. He’d do anything for the game.” Pitelloand Hazlett played together at Susquehannawhen Hazlett was the Crusaders’ center andPitello was left guard. The two men also coachedtogether for twelve years. Pitello also shared inthe article that Hazlett transferred to SU justto play for Coach Amos Alonzo Stagg, Sr. “Jimloved him so much. If Coach Stagg Sr. hadwanted him to dive over the bleachers, he wouldhave. And Coach loved Jim, too, as a player andan individual.”68 Call to Quarters

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Hazlett was born January 13, 1926 in Tarentum,PA and grew up during the Great Depressionwhere his family had to scrape by to live. Aftergraduating high school, Hazlett entered theArmy Air Force in 1944. He planned on a careeras a bombardier/navigator, but was released afterWorld War II when the military began reducingits numbers. Upon his discharge, he attendedKiski Prep School for one year before going toWestminster College and then transferring toSusquehanna. His education also included aMaster’s degree from Pittsburgh College in 1958and he also continued with graduate courses at“We, players and coaches, were all blessed to have theopportunity to be around such a fine man and I hopethat we can all be the men he wanted us to be.”the University of Virginia in 1980.Hazlett not only had a love for football andbaseball, but also a strong devotion to education.In his own words, Hazlett said, “I believethe purposes of education are to train, mentally,physically and spiritually, as many individuals aspossible so that each may become a well-roundedperson with high ideals and integrity....I mayalways strive to bring out the best qualities in thepeople, and especially the athletes with whomI come in contact.” This was not only Hazlett’sphilosophy, but also his way of life.His educational and coaching career spannedacross five different colleges and schools for overfifty years. He joined Springdale High Schoolin 1952 teaching mathematics and then becameHead Football Coach in 1953 until 1960. Hethen became Assistant Professor of Mathematicsin 1961 at Edinboro State College and servedas Head Football Coach from 1962-1966.His experience then blossomed as a coach atSusquehanna University where he guided the SUfootball team to a 39-69-3 record over 12 seasons.In 1970 the Crusaders posted a 7-3 record,won the Middle Atlantic Conference NorthDivision, and defeated Georgetown Universityin an NCAA playoff game. Hazlett was inductedinto the Susquehanna University Hall of Famein 1974 for his accomplishments in coaching. Healso received similar honors into athletic halls offame at both Alleghany Kiski Valley (1987) andEdinboro State College (1992).It was in 1979 that Fork Union MilitaryAcademy received Hazlett as an assistant footballand baseball coach. He left after one year tojoin Kean College of New Jersey where he spentseven years as Assistant Athletic Director andHead football and baseball coach.Hazlett returned to Fork Union to teach mathematicsin 1987 and also assist as football coachfor the Prep Team and serve as head baseballcoach.Hazlett’s return to Fork Union was notonly to continue his passion of coachingand teaching, but to maintain hiscareer under the legacy of his mentor,Coach Stagg. Stagg was always aman in Hazlett’s words, “dedicated tosportsmanship and character-building.”Hazlett had begun to grow tired of the distractionsand temptations that his players wereencountering in the atmosphere of public educationin the late 80s and early 90s.An article in Charlottesville’s Daily Progress in1993, quoted Hazlett, “Today, kids are exposedto the drug, alcohol and sexual scene. When Istarted coaching, that was unheard of. The onlything you had to worry about was some kidsneaking off to puff on a cigarette. I always saidto the kids who played for me that I was a conservativecoach in a liberal situation. The reasonI like Fork Union so much is that the kids aredisciplined when they are here.”Head Athletic Director, Coach Micky Sullivan,agreed at the time that Hazlett was the right fitfor the Academy. When he returned to FUMAin 1987, Sullivan recalled, “Hazlett doesn’t forgetanything. He has taught us (the coaches andstaff ) more about athletics - especially football -more than we have ever learned before.”During his twenty years at Fork Union MilitaryAcademy, Hazlett helped lead the team to nineVirginia Prep League Championships and sevenVISAA state championships. Hazlett evenmentored former Heisman Trophy winner andFUMA alumnus, Eddie George, during his timeas a FUMA cadet and player. Hazlett never gaveup the game and remained at the Academy until70 Call to Quarters

2008 when he could no longer coach on thesidelines.Coach Sullivan affectionately reflected onHazlett’s influence at the Academy noting thathe was nicknamed “The Professor” by both theathletes and fellow coaches. His knowledgeof football and unbelievable memory are whatmade him such a success in his career.“There is something that many people do notknow about Jim,” Coach Sullivan remembers,“He played for Alonzo Stagg in college. Staggplayed football as an end at Yale Universityand was selected to the first College FootballAll-America Team in 1889. Jim coached EddieGeorge who was the All-American runningback on the All-America Team in 1990. This 100year connection was one that Jim was very proudof and one that will probably never happenagain. We, players and coaches, were all blessedto have the opportunity to be around such a fineman and I hope that we can all be the men hewanted us to be.”Who’s Who: Amos Alonzo Stagg, Sr.Amos Alonzo Stagg (August 16, 1862 - March17, 1965) was an American athlete and a pioneeringcollege coach in multiple sports, primarilyfootball. He served as the head footballcoach at Springfield College (1890-1891), theUniversity of Chicago (1892-1932), and theCollege of the Pacific (1933-1946), compilinga career college football record of 314-199-35.His Chicago Maroons teams of 1905 and 1913have been recognized as national champions. Hewas also the head basketball coach for one seasonat the University of Chicago (1920-1921),and the head baseball coach there for 19 seasons(1893-1905, 1907-1913).Stagg played football as an end at YaleUniversity and was selected to the first CollegeFootball All-America Team in 1889. He wasinducted into the College Football Hall of Fameas both a player and a coach in the charter classof 1951 and was the only individual honored inboth roles until the 1990s. Influential in othersports, Stagg developed basketball as a five-playersport and was elected to the Basketball Hallof Fame in its first group of inductees in 1959.Coach Weatherly PassesDr. Mark G. Weatherly passed away on November 11,2009. He was a highly respected businessman, educator,marriage counselor, philanthropist and supporter ofa great many charitable and civic causes. He was bornin Alcoa, LA on March 12, 1923 to Obie and LillaWeatherly and soon afterwards, his family returned toCrestview where he attended school.He graduated fromStetson Universityand received a doctoraldegree in educationand psychologyfrom the University ofVirginia.He served as aninstructor and footballcoach at Fork UnionMilitary Academyand Sewanee MilitaryInstitute. Includedduring that time was astint at ownership of aprivate summer campin Tennessee.After a distinguished career in teaching and serving asheadmaster of a private military and public school, hewas appointed Professor of Education at LongwoodCollege, a position held until his retirement as head ofthe guidance department.During the early part of WWII, Dr. Weatherly wasa student at the University of Florida, but joined thearmy. He was involved in the Pacific Theatre, andproved to be an uncommon soldier whose personalbravery, dedication and intelligence led to rapid promotion,and finally a spot on the elite personal securityguard detail of General Douglas MacArthur.The position was personal guard to the famed general,but in reality Weatherly was Mrs. Jean MacArthur’s,and her son’s, personal chaperone and guard. This ledto a lifelong friendship with Mrs. MacArthur.During his career, Dr. Weatherly also operated a numberof private schools and marriage counselor clinicsfrom Tennessee to Virginia, culminating in a highlyrespected practice in Appomattox,VA. He was also activein many civic organizations and charitable efforts.He is survived by his wife, Ann Hagood Weatherly, asister, three children, three grandchildren, and a numberof nieces and nephews.www.forkunion.com 71

TapsClass of 1929Raymond C. Aylor of Charlottesville,VA passed away on June 1, 2009 inBrockport, NY. He was born October11, 1910 in Halifax the son of LateReverend Robert Edward Lee Aylorand Mrs. Ella Katherine Vaden Aylor.He was predeceased by his wife andhis brothers. He is survived by hissister, son and daughter, grandson,and great-grandsons. He graduatedfrom University of Virginia and was aveteran of World War II. He taught inthe Albemarle County School systembefore taking a supervisory positionwith Occidental Life InsuranceCompany in Southwest Virginia. Hebecame a partner and co-owner withhis brother in the Aylor InsuranceCompany in Gretna, Virginia. He wasa member of the First Baptist Churchin Charlottesville.Class of 1936Haywood Blount Hyman, Sr. ofRichmond, VA, a trustee of ForkUnion Military Academy, died peacefullysurrounded by his family onMarch 4, 2011 at the age of 93. He issurvived by his wife, Frances ClarkeHyman; four daughters; two sons; 20grandchildren; 19 great-grandchildren;three great-great-grandchildren; andhis sister-in-law and her children. Hewas preceded in death by his belovedbrother, Edward Wheatley Hyman,who was his best friend and businesspartner. Mr. Hyman was bornon February 13, 1918 in ScotlandNeck, N.C. to Henry Haywood andStella Blount Hyman. He attendedFork Union Military Academy as apostgraduate in 1935-36 where heplayed on the varsity football team.He attended the University of NorthCarolina at Chapel Hill. After servingin the U.S. Navy during WorldWar II, he and his brother moved toRichmond and started their automobilebusiness.For 40 years he was the much lovedand respected vice-president of HymanBrothers Pontiac. He was a memberof the Optimist Club and St. BridgetCatholic Church and was a longtimesupporter of the Virginia Homefor Boys and Girls and BenedictineHigh School. He served on the Boardof Trustees at Fork Union MilitaryAcademy.Class of 1940Lindley B. Hill of Henrico, VA passedaway on December 8, 2010. He waspreceded in death by his parents,William Roland Hill, Sr. and ElizabethLanier Hill, in addition to a son andbrother and sister. He is survived byhis wife of 51 years, Louise WoodwardHill; his daughter and her family;and his sister, in addition to manynieces and nephews. Mr. Hill grewup in Richmond and served in theU.S. Air Force during World War II.He attended Richmond ProfessionalInstitute (VCU) and later establishedNational Service Company, a businessin television repairs, sales andrentals, for over 30 years. He was amember of the American Legion Post361 for 46 years, where he served asPost Commander for many years andworked on sending young men to BoysState. He was a longtime member andactive in his church, Grace CovenantPresbyterian.Linville Franklin Young ofGainesville, Florida passed awayNovember 29, 2009. He was bornto Cabell and Eva Martin Young onMarch 12, 1921, in Salisbury, NorthCarolina, and grew up in Charlotte,North Carolina. He attended ForkUnion Military Academy on a trackscholarship and then set out to workhis way around the world, beginningin Panama. After the attack on PearlHarbor, he achieved the rank of staffsergeant in the U.S. Army Air Corpsand served as an aerial gunner with the9th Air Force (410th Bomb Group,644th Squadron) in the Europeantheater. He flew 65 missions in theDouglas A-20 Havoc in support of theD-Day Normandy invasion and theBattle of the Bulge. He was awardedthe Distinguished Flying Cross, amongnumerous other medals and citations.After World War II, he enrolled atDuke University. Upon graduation in1950, he found his career in journalism.He was a reporter for the SalisburyEvening Post until 1958, when hemoved his family to Atlantic Beachand joined the staff of the FloridaTimes Union. His long career at theTimes Union included coverage of thecivil rights movement, Hurricane Dora,the Mariel boatlift, and the consolidationof city and county governmentsas well as serving as the newspaper’sReader Advocate. After his retirementin 1986, he enjoyed the beach life inAtlantic Beach. He was the historianand newsletter editor for the 410thBomb Group, attending their annualreunions and reconnecting withthe other members of the “GreatestGeneration” to assure that their storieswere told and remembered. Hewas also a proud member of theAmerican Legion. In 2008 he movedto Gainesville with his wife, daughterand son-in-law. He was predeceasedby his mother, father, sister, Eva YoungSatterfield, and brother, Cabell Young,Jr. He is survived by his wife of 62years, Marian Tiller Young, his son, hisdaughter, his brother-in-law and niecesand nephews.Charles C. Bearoff of Wayne, PApassed away in June 2009. He attended72 Call to Quarters

Bridgeport High School, Fork UnionMilitary Academy, and the Collegeof William Mary and played football.He served in the Army with the 34thInfantry Division during World WarII. After the war, he played footballwith the Washington Redskins organizationsfor two seasons. He then joinedBearoff Brothers, a trucking companyin Bridgeport his family foundedin 1918. He took over the firm andexpanded it to include scrap-metalrecovery and recycling operations andestablished an environmental business,cleaning up toxic sites in Europe. Hewas inducted into the Bridgeport Hallof Fame in 2004. An avid fishermanand boater, Mr. Bearoff was a foundingmember of the Cape May Marlinand Tuna Club. He is survived by hiswife of 27 years, a sister and grandson.He was preceded in death by his sons,daughter, and former wife.Class of 1941Jack Philip Bain of Wakefield, VA,passed away on August 25, 2010. Hewas born in Salem, VA in May 1923,the son of the late Robert FranklinBain and Marion Thomason Bain. Heis survived by his wife, a son, a daughterand four grandchildren.He attended VCU and in 1943 enlistedin the U.S. Army and served forthree years in WWII including toursin England, France and Germany. Hereceived his Honorable Discharge in1946 and returned to VCU. In 1947he entered the family business of T.L.Bain Estate of Ivor. He also held positionsin various community organizationsover the years. He was a 32nddegree Masaon with the WakefieldLodge and was a Shriner. He wasan active member of the WakefieldRurtian Club, The B&B Hunt Cluband a valued member of the TidewaterAcademy Board of Directors for 25years. A lifetime members of WakefieldUnited Methodist Church, Mr. Bainspent many years as Sunday Schooltreasurer and as Chairman of theAdministrative Board and Board ofTrustees.Edward Frank Rowe of Winston-Salem, NC passed away on July 8,2010. He was born October 9, 1923 inNewport News, VA the son of the lateHenry Edward and Alice Rowe. He attendedFork Union Military Academyas a postgraduate and also attendedVirginia Polytechnic Institute studyingto be a mechanical engineer. He servedin the U.S. Navy studying to be anaviator and was honorably dischargedon May 17, 1946. He worked forNACA at Langley Field, VA and BellLabs where he retired. He is survivedby his wife, Burnell Langford Rowe,five daughters, one son, seven grandchildren,and two great grandchildren.Class of 1942Ike Andrews a North CarolinaDemocrat who served six terms in theU.S. House of Representatives andbecame known for his legislative effortson behalf of education and the elderly,died May 10, 2010 at an assisted livingcenter in Carrboro, N.C.Mr. Andrews was a North Carolinalawyer and member of the stateGeneral Assembly when he won electionto the U.S. House in 1972 to representa district that included Raleigh.He served on the House Educationand Labor Committee and was chairmanof its human resources subcommittee.He also worked on issuesrelated to aging and long-term care.After leaving Congress, Mr. Andrewspracticed law in Raleigh and SilerCity. Mr. Andrews was born in Bonlee,NC, on Sept. 2, 1925. After attendingVirginia’s Fork Union MilitaryAcademy, he served in the Army inEurope during World War II. Hisdecorations included the Bronze StarMedal and the Purple Heart.He graduated from UNC-ChapelHill in 1950 and from its law schoolin 1952. He served in the state Senatefrom 1959 to 1961 and the state Housefrom 1961 to 1963 and 1967 to 1972.Class of 1943Frayser Francis “F.F.” White II ofBremo Bluff, VA passed away onJanuary 31, 2011. He was predeceasedby his parents, Francis Salmon Whiteand Lottie Norvell White and his wifeof 63 years, Gertrude Ranson White.He is survived by his daughters, theirhusbands, and five grandchildren. Mr.White joined the Merchant Marinesduring World War II and saw duty inthe North Atlantic, the Mediterraneanand at the Invasion of Normandy. Hewas Post Master of Bremo Bluff forover 20 years and in 1953 built theFork Union Drive In Theater in ForkUnion, VA which is still operationaltoday. He also founded the VirginiaOil Company in Charlottesville, VA.He was a member of the GraceEpiscopal Church where he served ateam as treasurer; he was a Trustee atFork Union Military Academy and wasa Shriner and member of Stone WallLodge in Arvonia and Fork UnionLodge 127. Even though he had beenlegally blind for the past ten years,he enjoyed collecting and restoringvintage cars.Irvin Bernstein, of Boynton Beach,FL passed away on July 19, 2010. Mr.Bernstein was a retired businessman,professional boxer, Golden GlovesChampion and a U.S. Marine Corpswww.forkunion.com 73

veteran who served in the Pacificduring World War II. He was a freemason and former Commander ofAmerican Legion 366. An inductee ofthe Richmond Jewish Athletic Hallof Fame, Bernstein knocked out 15of his first 19 opponents after turningprofessional.Mr. Bernstein graduated from theUniversity of Miami with a degree inindustrial management, coached on theschool’s boxing team, and was a memberof Pi Lambda Phi Fraternity.Bob McBride, 84, who began a longjournalism career in Washington asa teenager and went on to anchorthe news in the 1980s on WRC-TV (Channel 4) , passed away onFebruary 1, 2011 at a nursing facility inAlexandria, VA.Mr. McBride was 16 when he becamea copy boy at U.S. News & WorldReport. He later worked in Washingtonfor an independent news agency,preparing reports on governmentactivities for 40 radio stations acrossthe nation. After that, he worked for aradio station in Alexandria. In the late1940s, while working for WOIC-TV,the CBS affiliate in Washington at thetime, Mr. McBride was the host of oneof the earliest television home-repairshows.After anchor jobs in Detroit andChicago, Mr. McBride came back toWashington in 1982 to anchor the 6and 11 p.m. news shows. Four yearslater, Mr. McBride went to Clevelandand another NBC station, WKYC,where his co-anchor was DoreenGentzler.Robert James McBride Jr. was bornin Chicago on Sept. 8, 1926, andhe moved to Washington in 1940.He graduated from the Fork UnionMilitary Academy in Virginia in1943. After working in his teensfor U.S. News, he spent a year atCornell University before returning toWashington, where he graduated fromGeorge Washington University.From 1950 to 1954, he worked inNewport News, VA, for the Daily Pressand WGH Radio. In 1955, he movedto Detroit and went to work for theDetroit Free Press. He soon begandelivering daily editorials for the CBS-TV affiliate there, ending each with thequestion, “What do you think?”After working in Washington andCleveland, he retired in 1990 anddivided his time between Bethesda andLongboat Key, Fla. He is preceded indeath by his wife of 59 years, CynthiaMartin McBride. Survivors includetwo daughters and a grandson.Class of 1944Edward A. Kritzer of Lexington, VA,passed away on December 31, 2010.He was a native of Newport Newsand the only child of the late JohnEdward Kritzer and Edna AndertonKritzer. After graduating from ForkUnion Military Academy, he attendedVirginia Military Institute and was agraduate of the U.S. Military Academyat West Point and the Air ForceInstitute of Technology. Followinggraduation from West Point, he wascommissioned in the Air Force andserved on active duty for 20 years,retiring in the grade of Lt.Colonel. Hiscareer was in nuclear energy programsfor the Department of Defense, andincluded assignments at the LosAlamos and Lawrence LivermoreNational Laboratories. He served asspecial weapons officer of the 49th AirDivision in England at the time whena U.S. tactical atomic capability wasfirst introduced to NATO. Followinghis retirement from the Air Force,he served as an official of the U.S.Department of Commerce for 12 years.At that time he headed the groupthat evaluated export license applicationsfor digital computers and relatedproducts intended for sale to the SovietUnion and other communist countries.Following his retirement from theCommerce Department, he served as aconsultant to the U.S. computer industryin international trade matters.He is survived by his wife, PeggyKritzer, of Lexington, three daughters,one son, eight grandchildren, and threegreat-grandchildren.Class of 1946R. George Hubbard of NewportNews, VA passed away on October21, 2009. Mr. Hubbard was born andraised in South Hill, VA and attendedHampden-Sydney College for a yearawaiting his appointment to theNaval Academy from which he graduatedin 1952. He was commissionedEnsign in the Line and ordered toUSS Trathen DD 530 which saw warservice off Korea during the war’s finalmonths. He was honorably dischargedin December 1953, and started workingfor Newport News Shipbuildingin January 1954. He served as a ShiftTest Engineer during the constructionof USSS Enterprise CVN65. He alsoworked in submarine work on the machinerydivision staff. He also served 15years in Contracts and retired in 1989.Mr. Hubbard then sold real estate,both commercial and residential, foreleven years. He was a Life Member ofthe U.S. Naval Institute and the NavalAcademy Alumni Association.Mr. Hubbard is survived by his wifeof 57 years, four children and sevengrandchildren.Frederick Albert Bowers of Salisbury,MD passed away on September 1,2010. He was a graduate of FUMA74 Call to Quarters

and received a B.S. degree fromUniversity of Maryland, College Parkin civil engineering. He was a veteranof the U.S. Army during the KoreanWar and received the Korean ServiceMedal with 3 bronze stars, the UnitedNations Service Medal, the Republic ofKorea Presidential Unit Citation andthe Merit Unit Commendation.From 1965 to 1976 he served asPresident of Linganore Contracting.From 1981 to 1997 he was employedby the City of Salisbury, where hewas division manager of water/sewermaintenance, and from 1997 to presenthe was Vice President of Bowersconsulting. He is survived by his wife,sons and grandchildren.Class of 1948Sidney M. Oman of Chesapeake,VA passed away on April 27, 2009.Mr. Oman was the former mayor ofChesapeake and Elizabeth City, NC.He was also co-founder of OmanFuneral Home.Mr. Oman hosted a weekly televisionshow “The Sounding Board” onWCTV, Channel 48 in Chesapeakeas well as radio host for “The VantagePoint” on VFOS-FM 88.7.He was born in Trenton, NJ and issurvived by his wife, son and daughter.He graduated from Fork UnionMilitary Academy and Eckels College/Temple University in Philadelphia.He attended Virginia CommonwealthUniversity/MCV in Richmond, VAand the Virginia Institute of FuneralProfessionals. Honors include: 1984Distinguished Alumnus at FUMA;Fellow in the British Institute ofEmbalmers, 1996; MBIE from BritishInstitute of Embalmers, December2001; and recipient of two honorarydoctorate degrees.Mr. Oman was a Marine Corps veteranof World War II and member of OakGrove United Methodist Church inChesapeake. He held numerous appointments,was a member of manyfraternal organizations, and his civicactivities were unsurpassed. He isfondly remembered by many as “Mr.Chesapeake” and as quoted by Rep. J.Randy Forbes in a news article afterhis death, “America lost a political iconwith the death of Sid Oman...His lovefor people and his city will not be forgottenor easily replaced, and his contributionsto our lives in Chesapeakewill live on for generations.”S. Harold Copeland of Richmond,VA passed away on July 15, 2010. Heis survived by his wife of 57 years,three sons, a brother, and four grandchildren.He was preceded in death bytwo grandsons. Born in Waverly, VA,Mr. Copeland moved to Richmond atage 14 to serve as a page for SenatorGarland Gray. After graduating fromFUMA he graduated RPI (known asVirginia Commonwealth University)in 1953. He retired in 1994 fromFidelity Bankers Life after 38 years ofservice.Class of 1952Mr. Ralph Stewart Smith, Jr. ofWinston Salem, NC passed away onAugust 25, 2009. He was born onJanuary 22, 1932 in Charlotte, NC toRalph Stewart Smith and ConstanceFerguson Smith.After graduating from Fork UnionMilitary Academy he received hiscollege education at the Citadel, theUniversity of South Carolina, andAmerican University in Washington,DC.He served in the U.S. Army, 82ndAirborne Division, as a paratrooperand was stationed in Stuttgart,Germany. He was a NATO observer inAlgeria with U.S. Special Forces duringthe Algerian War for independence.While in service he wrote for the Starsand Stripes Newspaper.Mr. Smith was a skilled writer andcommunicator and worked for theCharlotte News, White Plains JournalNews, Washington Star, and Winston-Salem Journal-Sentinel. He waspresident of the 1974 NC EditorialWriters Association and won theAmerican Institute of Architects PressAward in 1968. In 1971 at the WallStreet Journal he co-wrote a series thatwon a Pulitzer Prize for Public Service.Also during his career, he wrote severalscripts for documentaries, producedand filmed by David Solomon andPBS. He also worked in later years forPiedmont Airlines (U.S. Airways).Mr. Smith was predeceased by his parentsand brother and is survived by hiswife, three children, four grandchildrenand a step-brother.Class of 1953Thomas Bernard Harris, Sr. ofKenbridge, VA passed away June 5,2009. He was a lifelong farmer andan avid hunter and outdoorsman. Heis survived by two sisters and predeceasedby one sister and one brother.He is survived by his former wife,four children and three grandchildren.After graduating from Fork UnionMilitary Academy, he spent a year atthe University of Virginia on baseballscholarship.Class of 1955Charles Gilbert Waller of NewportNews, VA passed away on April 10,2010. He was a native of Hamptonand had been a resident of NewportNews for 50 years. He retired from theSup-Ship Newport News as a Supplywww.forkunion.com 75

Coordinator and served his countryin the U.S. Navy. He was a member ofthe Lions Club in Newport News andserved as Host-President from 1993-1994. He was preceded in death by hisparents and is survived by his wife, adaughter, two sons, five grandchildrenand one great-grandchild.Class of 1958Delegate Douglas Page Elmore, 71,of Salisbury, MD passed away June 26,2010, at Peninsula Regional MedicalCenter with his wife, family andfriends by his side. Born on May 31,1939, in Nassawadox, he was a son ofCharles T. Elmore Sr. and MargaretJohnson Elmore of Painter.He graduated from Fork UnionMilitary Academy in 1958, where hewas the battalion commander andpresident of his graduating class. Heattended the University of Richmond.A political science major, he internedwith two Virginia governors. Del.Elmore served as the treasurer ofAccomack County from 1968-76, theyoungest person ever elected a Virginiacounty treasurer.A retired businessman, Del. Elmorebuilt Shore Disposal Inc. from aone-truck local operation in Painterto more than 40 trucks encompassingthree states. He also owned HartmanTrucking in Pocomoke City and ShoreFreight Line in Painter. In 1998, hesold his refuse business to WasteManagement Inc.Elected in 2002, Del. Elmore servedas a delegate in the Maryland GeneralAssembly (38A-Somerset/Wicomico,R) from 2003 until his death. He wasa strong voice for watermen, farmers,firefighters, educators and health carepersonnel. His legislative membershipsincluded the Ways and MeansCommittee and the Joint Commissionfor the Management of Public Funds.He was chairman of the Eastern ShoreDelegation for seven years, chairmanof the Somerset Delegation, chairmanof the Rural Caucus in 2005 and2008 and a member of the MarylandLegislative Sportsmen’s Caucus, theBlue Crab Task Force, the Citizen’sAdvisory Board for Holly Center,the Lower Eastern Shore Children’sCenter Advisory Board, the Tri-County Council for the Lower EasternShore of Maryland and the Alcoholand Drug Council of Somerset County.In 2006, he received the LegislativeAward for leadership on behalf ofsenior citizens from the MarylandAssociation on Aging. He was appointedto the Maryland Business TaxReform Commission in 2008.He held memberships in the SalisburyRotary Club, the Salisbury/WicomicoChamber of Commerce, the PrincessAnne Chamber of Commerce andthe Crisfield Chamber of Commerce.Past memberships include the GreaterSalisbury Committee, the EasternShore Home Builders Association,the ABC Contractors Association andthe National Solid Waste Association.He was honored in 1995 by the boardof governors of NSWA for SpecialContribution to the Solid WasteIndustry.Elmore is survived by his wife, adaughter, a stepdaughter, a stepson,six grandchildren, an aunt, and severalnieces, nephews and cousins.Jack Leon Metcalfe, Jr. of Roanoke,VA passed away on July 1, 2010.He was born on March 25, 1940 inBluefield, WV the son of the late JackLeon and Eva Pasley Metcalfe. He issurvived by his wife, two daughters, hisson, sisters, nieces, nephews and fourgrandchildren. Mr. Metcalfe served hiscountry as a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S.Marine Corps during the Bay of Pigscampaign. In the late 1960s he movedto the Roanoke Valley.Class of 1959Juan Cros of Richmond, VA passedaway June 3, 2011. He was the lovinghusband of Lillian Zehmer Cros. Bornin Ponce, Puerto Rico, he was a son ofthe late Juan Buenaventura Cros andAdela Coll de Cros. Juan attended TheUniversity of Ponce, The Universityof Colorado, at Boulder, and VCU.Mr. Cros’ pride was attending ForkUnion Military Academy where hebecame second in command, as Majorof the Battalion Staff, class of 1959.He was employed by Nation’s Bank ofRichmond, where he became the vicepresident of International Bankingand letters of credit. Mr. Cros servedon the Board of Visitors for MaryBaldwin College, Staunton, Virginia.In addition to his wife, he is survivedby two children; two grandchildren;a sister-in-law; a nephew; and twogreat-nephews.Class of 1960William Keith Moser of Graham, NCpassed away on November 25, 2010 atAlamance Regional Medical Center.Mr. Moser, a native of AlamanceCounty, was the son of Cecil EdwardMoser, Sr. and Doris Evans Moser,both deceased. He attended GrahamHigh School and was a graduate ofFork Union Military Academy wherehe was a Cadet Colonel and BattalionCommander. He attended AuburnUniversity on a football scholarship.Mr. Moser retired from County Ford,Graham, NC after many years withModern Woodmen. He served as theproprietor of “Ye Old Gun Shoppe”and was a former history teacher withRivermill Academy.Survivors include two sons and their76 Call to Quarters

wives; one daughter; two stepdaughtersand their spouses; a stepson and wife;one sister; three brothers; seven grandchildren;and eight step-grandchildren.Hudnall H. Haynie Jr. of Reedville,VA passed away November 8, 2009.Born in Reedville on September 23,1940, he was the only child of the lateCapt. Hudnall Haynie Sr. and IrisW. Haynie. He attended Fork UnionMilitary Academy in 1956, graduatingin 1960. Mr. Haynie was a well-knownlocal waterman, published in numerousmagazine and newspaper articleson fishing and trapping, most recentlyin National Fisherman. He servedas president of the Virginia TrappersAssociation, was a Webelos DenLeader, and active with the ReedvilleFishermen’s Museum and RoselandCemetery Board. Hudnall Jr. enjoyedgardening, fishing and spending timewith his children and grandchildren, allof whom will sorely miss his infectiouslaugh, generous spirit and even temperament.He is survived by his wife of48 years, Marie B. Haynie; three sons,a daughter, eight loving grandchildren,and one great- grandchild.Class of 1961Gordon Baillie Brown Jr. passed awayon Sunday, March 27, 2011 at theAnMed Health Medical Center. Hewas born May 20, 1942 in Pittsburgh,PA, the son of the late Gordon BaillieBrown, Sr. and Josephine ElizabethSilance Brown. Mr. Brown was a graduateof Fork Union Military Academyand the University of Richmond- while there he attained the highestrank in the ROTC. He served inthe U.S. Army during the Vietnamera and was a Disabled AmericanVeteran. Additionally, he was a memberof the American Legion where heserved in various capacities includingCommanding Officer roles. Mr. Brownwas a former Scout Leader as well aslongtime active member of the PowerSquadron, having also served in variousleadership capacities. A lifelongEpiscopalian, Mr. Brown had activelyserved as altar boy, member of thevestry, lay reader, choir member, chalicebearer, as well as lector. He was an activecommunicant at Grace EpiscopalChurch in Anderson, SC. Mr. Brownwas passionate about music and hadserved in numerous choral societies.He was an active Mason having been amember of the Hiram Masonic Lodge,as well as the York Rite Bodies and theScottish Rite Bodies.Survivors include his wife, Lynn SmithBrown; his two children and twograndchildren.Class of 1965James B. Sydnor of Pensacola, FLpassed away on July 20, 2010. He was anative of Jefferson City, TN and raisedin Sandston, VA. Upon retiring fromIBM, he settled in Pensacola, FL. Hewas preceded in death by his fatherand mother. He is survived by his son,daughter, brother, sister and 5 grandchildren.He is also survived by severalaunts, uncles, cousins, nieces and nephews,and companion, Linda Liggon ofPensacola, FL.Class of 1976Mark Scott Braden of Richmond, VApassed away on April 5, 2009. He attendedFork Union Military Academyfrom 1974-75 and graduated fromMidlothian High School. He also attendedRadford University. He residedfor several years in Slidell, LA. He issurvived by his mother and stepfather;two brothers; and a daughter and anextended family of nieces and nephews.Class of 1978Major Craig Moon, USAF, ofAlexandria, VA passed away suddenlyon March 29, 2009. He wasa retired U.S. Air Force pilot andlater, President of Convention FreightServices. Major Moon was the Chief,Combat and Intelligence, Surveillanceand Reconnaissance Plans, Air NationGuard Readiness Center, AndrewsAFB, MD. He earned his commissionas a graduate of the University ofMaryland ROTC program in 1982and earned his MBA from EasternNew Mexico University in 1994. Hewas a command pilot with approximately2,700 hours in fighter, cargo,and trainer aircraft. Major Moon hadserved on the board of directors forNetTalon; was a member of the OldDominion Boat Club and memberof the Messiah United MethodistChurch. He is survived by his wife,Sheri Moon; two sons; his father andstep-mother; his brother; his grandmother;and his mother, MarionMoon, including numerous uncles andaunts. Marion Moon became a memberof the FUMA Board of Trusteesin May 2010 as Major Moon wasmember-elect to the Board prior to hisdeath.Class of 1979Benjamin Lee Stipes of Hartwood,VA passed away in March 2009. Hewas a graduate of James MadisonUniversity and received a Master’s degreein public administration from theUniversity of Guam in 1993. He servedas a government employee, includingsenior manager for the Director ofNational Intelligence and the CentralIntelligence Agency. He traveled theworld extensively in service to hiscountry. He is survived by his wife oftwenty-five years and two children.www.forkunion.com 77

Class of 1980Melvin Turpin, an All-Americancenter at the University of Kentucky,passed away on July 8, 2010. Mr.Turpin, a Lexington native, was anall-state player at Bryan Station HighSchool. He played a year at FUMA beforeheading to University of Kentucky,where he played center from 1980-81to 1983-84.Turpin, dubbed “The Big Dipper” atKentucky, was an All-SoutheasternConference player for the Wildcatsfrom 1980-84. He helped lead theWildcats to three consecutive regularseasonSEC titles. He led Kentucky tothe SEC championship in 1984.Turpin was drafted sixth in the 1984NBA Draft by the Washington Bulletsand then sent to the Cavaliers thesame day in a pre-arranged trade.That draft included Michael Jordan,Hakeem Olajuwon, John Stockton andCharles Barkley. Turpin averaged 10.6points, shooting 51 percent from thefield, and 5.7 rebounds as a rookie forthe 1984-85 Cavaliers team. The nextseason, he averaged 13.7 points andseven rebounds, shooting 54 percent.He was traded to Utah Jazz in 1986-87 and finished his career back withWashington, retiring in 1990.He was inducted into the FUMASports Hall of Fame in 2000.Class of 1993John B. Hydrick of Richmond,VA passed away on December 27,2009. He was a graduate of VirginiaCommonwealth University with aBachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Hewas a disabled veteran of the UnitedStates Marine Corps, and was servingas a Federal Law Enforcement Officerprior to his death. He is survived byhis mother, stepfather, his father, sisterand two nieces. He is also survived by agrandfather, aunts, uncles, and cousins.Class of 2000Kyle Farr of Hamilton, Virginia passedaway in March 2009. He served as amember of the U.S. Army in Iraq. Heis survived by parents; stepmother;three siblings and his grandfather. Healso leaves behind a large extendedfamily and friends from Baghdad toVirginia to Seattle.Class of 2002Gaines Adams, a native of Greenwood,SC, passed away January 17, 2010 ofsudden cardiac arrest. He was a formerCambridge Academy and ClemsonUniversity football star and spent threeseasons in the NFL, two with theBuccaneers and part of the 2010 seasonwith the Bears.Adams was selected fourth overall inthe 2007 draft by Tampa Bay. He hadnot been able to live up to expectationsthat he would revive the Buccaneers’once-feared pass rush, and had just 17tackles and one sack in 15 games - 10with Chicago - this season. He wastraded to the Bears in October for asecond-round pick in the 2010 draft.“He was a true team player and apositive influence to everyone he met,”Buccaneers coach Raheem Morris said.“Gaines was a quiet, humble kid and isfar too young to be gone,” Buccaneerscornerback Ronde Barber said. “Hehad so much potential that had yet tobe achieved.”Clemson fans recall Adams’ performancein a 2006 victory over WakeForest in which he broke up a fieldgoal try and returned it for a touchdown.Tommy Bowden, Adams’ coachat Clemson, was jolted by news of hisdeath. “I just couldn’t believe it wasGaines,” he said. “I will always rememberthe smile he had on his face and Iwill always remember his patience.”He was survived by his son, longtimegirlfriend, parents and sister.Class of 2007Ni’keem “Malik” Banana ofPoolesville passed away in July 12,2009 as the result of a car accident. Hewas born June 8, 1989 in Washington,DC the son of Jeffrey Banana and LisaBanana. He was the stepson of AbenetBanana, also of Poolesville.Mr. Banana was a 2007 graduateof Poolesville High School. He attendedFUMA from 8th grade until11th grade and played football for theAcademy and Poolesville High School.He was attending MontgomeryCollege, where he studied biotechnology,and was scheduled to finish bythe end of the year. He was a memberof the Fork Union Military Academytrack team and band. His hobbiesincluded playing video games andwatching sports and movies. Survivorsin addition to his parents and stepmotherinclude a sister, a stepsister,several grandparents, aunts, uncles andcousins.Class of 2008Christopher C. Mills of White Plains,Virginia passed away on May 10, 2009at his residence. Mr. Mills was a nativeof Newport News, born to Samueland Wendy Fields Mills. He was aN.A.U.I. certified Master Scuba Diver,a 2008 Honor Graduate from ForkUnion Military Academy, a member ofthe National Honor Society, a freshmanat UNCW, and a member of LakeGaston Baptist Church. In addition tohis parents, Mr. Mills is survived by hissister, his grandparents, and many otherextended family members and friends.78 Call to Quarters

FUMA Track Team Event Honors Ben Sells“He was always out in front.”Those were the words of Susie Sells Hodgsonabout her brother Ben Sells, FUMA Class of1961. And she was right. As legend has it, Sellslost only once in his last two years at FUMAand that was on purpose. Sells was part of thegolden Gus Lacy generation of track athletes atFUMA, and Fork Union is proud to honor hismemory with the event that bears his coach’sname. Ben Sells was remembered at the annualGus Lacy Invitational Track Meet this April2011.Ben’s resume in track and field is extensive. Inan era of cinder tracks and weighty competitionspikes, Sells ran times that would be competitivetoday. He left FUMA a multiple StateChampion in the 100-yard dash and the 220.His career best in the 100 at FUMA was 9.8and his best in the 220 was an incredible 21.8.Sells came close to breaking FUMA legendSonny Randle’s school record in the 100 andheld the 220 record for an amazing 22 years aftersetting it in 1960. His performances still rank inthe FUMA All-Time Top Five.Born in 1942, Sells came to FUMA as a strugglingstudent. At Fork Union he would find thestructure and focus needed to not just get by butto thrive. He played football for FUMA all fouryears and was on the varsity his senior year. Herose to the rank of Cadet Colonel and in 1961was the Senior Class President. His time atFUMA was not one-dimensional. Ben was presidentof the Cadet Christian Association andwas also the president of the Music AppreciationClub. In those years at FUMA one constant remained:his mentor, coach and friend, Gus Lacy.According to Lynne Sells, Ben’s widow, “Theonly thing Ben loved as much as his family wasFork Union and Gus Lacy. Gus Lacy was Ben’scatalyst for success on and off the field.”Ben left FUMA for the University of Houstonon full athletic scholarship for Track and Field.He would star for the Cougars for two years beforesuffering from mononucleosis. Ben returnedto his hometown in Arlington, Virginia wherehe entered the car business, another one of hispassions. He and his wife Lynne had one child,Katie. Sadly, Ben passed away in 1990. He isremembered best by his family and friends as acaring, loving person who never knew a stranger.As Barbara Lacy once said, “He lit up the room.”His teammates and competitors would attestthat he lit up the cinders as well.The FUMA Track Team proudly honored thequintessential cadet, Ben Sells, at this year’s runningof the Gus Lacy Invitational Track Meet.FUMA RemembersMarianne LaZizzaMarianne LaZizza, of Huntington, N.Y., formerlyof West Point, New York, Fork Union andRichmond, Virginia, departed life in her 90thyear,on September 5, 2010. She was the wifeof the late Anthony N. LaZizza for 53 years.Survivors include 2 daughters; 4 grandchildren;and one great-granchild; and brothers andsisters. She is also survived by brother-in-lawand sisters-in-law. She was predeceased by herdevoted companion of 10 years, Enzio Antonelli.Marianne was a member of the Giuseppe VerdiLodge, the Fluvanna Garden Club, the ClubCanadien Francais and a charter member ofthe Friends of the Fluvanna County Library.She was also an avid football and baseball fan,lifelong follower of Montreal Canadian’s hockeyand designer of fantastic gingerbread houses forover 50 years. She was a Girl Scout Leader whotook the “be prepared” motto to heart, givingspecific instructions daily during her last weeks.Not only was she amazingly organized, but alsoquietly strong and especially sensitive to theneeds and feelings of all others. Marianne was atruly beautiful mother, sister, grandmother andgreat-grandmother. Philosophically, her glasswas always half full. She gave more than anyonecould ever ask for. Her everlasting love will radiatein all who knew and loved her. She will becarried in our hearts forever.An outstanding trackathlete from the Classof 1961, the late BenSells was rememberedat this year’s Gus LacyInvitational Track Meet.Marianne LaZizza wasthe wife of longtimeFUMA band directorAnthony LaZizza andopened her home andheart to many cadetsthrough the years.www.forkunion.com 79

FUMA RemembersWe have also been advised of the passingof the alumni named below:Russell Darden, Class of 1954, ofCourtland, Virginia.Joseph Cranks, Class of 1968, ofPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania.Julius Rosenfield, Class of 1949, passedaway January 2010.Arnold Peer, Class of 1951, passedaway February 2009.Zachary Shepard, Class of 2003, passedaway September 2009.Warren Joseph Alexander, Class of1995, passed away May 2009.Carl T. Foley, Class of 1945, passedaway June 2009.Chet Hall, Class of 1958, ofMidlothian, Virginia.James Maynard, Class of 1939, ofMurfreesboro, TN.Thomas F. Schuyler, Class of 1951, ofSomerville, NJ passed away on May 26,2011.This past Alumni Weekend, Fork Union Military Academy added threenames to the wall of the Veterans Memorial. These were men killed in combatin World War II and Vietnam, but whose names had not been placed onthe wall previously due to a lack of information and confirmation of the circumstancesof their deaths. Many thanks are due to the efforts of Granville Craddock(FUMA Class of 1953) whose research led to these confirmations which allow us tohonor their service and to bring these names and memory home to this Academy.George Henry (Gus) AlbrechtGeorge Henry (Gus) Albrecht attended FUMA as a Postgraduate cadet and a memberof the Varsity Football team for 1949-50. He had the reputation for being a friendly,easygoing person in class and in the barracks – and a fierce warrior on the football field.From FUMA he went to the University of Maryland on a football scholarship, graduatingwith a degree in Sociology and a Commission of 2nd Lt. in the US Air ForceReserves.Gus subsequently achieved the rank of Captain in the Air Force and become a pilotand a fighter pilot instructor, seeing service in Vietnam and Laos with the elite AirCommandos unit. Gus Albrecht died on November 19, 1964, when the plane he waspiloting crashed after being engaged by enemy ground fire.Robert John WilliamsRobert John Williams, FUMA Class of 1961, died when the Huey Cobra AH-1Gattack helicopter he was piloting was shot down by a surface-to-air missile on May 11,1972. Although his body was never recovered, he was officially declared deceased sixyears and four months later. His name is listed on the Vietnam Veterans’ MemorialWall in Washington, D.C.Among the postings on his page at the Vietnam Memorial website is one from oneof his Fork Union classmates, Dusty Hall, who notes: “I had the wonderful opportunityto meet Robert when we attended Fork Union Military Academy [where] webecame fast friends….I was terribly shocked to learn of Robert’s death. [My motherand I] always reminisced about [Robert] and how we knew that [he] would [amountto] something great.…I know if they’ll let me in upstairs I’ll meet you again becauseI know that you would have been very welcome in Heaven. In the meantime, Loveabounds for you [my friend.]”Harold John LoveHarold John Love graduated from Fork Union Military Academy in 1938 and fromDuke University in 1942. In World War II he joined the American 299th CombatEngineers Battalion; and it was his nephew, Frank Love, FUMA PG Class of ‘54, whoshared with us the details of his uncle’s service and sacrifice.On March 7, 1945, in their retreat from the allied forces, the Germans attempted toblow up the Ludendorff Bridge at Remagen, Germany, to halt the Allied advance. Thefirst attempt damaged the bridge, but did not cause it to fall. A furious battle ensuedwhen the Germans made a second attempt to demolish the bridge at Remagen, and theAmericans moved to stop them.With the battle underway, the American 299th worked under deadly fire from GermanMG42 machine guns to remove the unexploded demolition charges and to repair theprevious damage. During the course of that battle, Capt. Harold John Love, who volunteeredto work on the bridge, was fatally struck by the ensuing machine gun fire.80 Call to Quarters

class notesClass of 1962John T. Scott was inducted intothe Lynchburg Area Sports Hall ofFame in June 2009. He started thewrestling program at E.C. Glass, thesoftball program at Heritage, officiatedwrestling for 37 years, startingthe wrestling referee officials associationin the Lynchburg area, and theHeritage Invitational Golf Tournamentfor high schools around the state ofVirginia. The driving force behind theLynchburg Area Sports Hall of Famestarted in 1995 by Calvin Porter, inorder to “honor and recognize thosepeople who have contributed to sportsin Central Virginia area.Class of 1966George Speedy Skinner won twosilver medals at the National VeteransGolden Age Olympic Games held inBirmingham, Alabama in the Summer2009. In his age group 60-64 he wonsilver medal (second place) in golf(shooting a three round tournamentscore of four over par) and won a silvermedal in shuffleboard. Based on his2009 achievement, he received automaticseeding at the 2010 NationalGolden Age Olympic Games playedat Des Moines, Iowa in June and theNational Senior Olympic Gamesplayed in Houston, Texas in August.Mr. Skinner is a retired PhysicalTherapist and works part time atKingsmill Resort and Spa golf proshop in Williamsburg, VA.Class of 1978Scott Storick of Storick andAssociates, an office of MetLife, hasjoined the company’s prestigious groupof financial services representativesas an inductee into MetLife’s Hall ofFame for 2009.MetLife founded its Hall of Fame in1977 to pay tribute to the company’stop financial services representatives.Since then, a mere one percent of themembers of the MetLife field forcehave been honored with this esteemedrecognition. Only those individualswho have represented MetLife withpride and professionalism, distinguishedthemselves as true leaders insales and service, and earned their clients’trust and appreciation throughouttheir careers are recognized.Class of 1985Gerald Franklin Hemphill ofRichmond, VA was installed as2010-2011 President of ProfessionalInsurance Agents Association ofVirginia and DC at the 74th AnnualConvention and Trade Fair held June27-29, 2010 in Williamsburg, VA. Heis the President of GFH InsuranceAgency in Richmond, VA and holdsCIC and LUTCF designations. Hiswife, Lori Britts Hemphill, works withhim as agent-account manager. Theyhave two daughters.Class of 1986Will Blair of New York, NY wasnamed Senior Vice President ofSponsorship and Sales at TurnerSports. He is the son of CoachWilliam (Class of 1949) and MaryHelen Blair. Blair will oversee custombranded promotional opportunities foradvertising clients around the NBA,NASCAR, MLB, professional golf, andthe NCAA Division I Men’s BasketballTournament. Mr. Blair’s marketingexpertise includes extensive sportsexperience. He launched his career 15years ago with Turner Broadcasting inAtlanta, GA, working within varioussales and network marketing teams,including the role of director of sportsand entertainment marketing. Healso held positions at MomentumWorldwide, a leading global sportsmarketing firm, and Time WarnerGlobal Media Group. As vice presidentof divisional partnerships withinTime Warner Global Media Group,he served as the primary corporatelead for relationships between TimeWarner’s integrated sales and marketingteam and key entertainment divisions,including Turner Broadcasting,HBO, Warner Brothers and TIME,including Sports Illustrated. Heco-developed Time Warner multiassetprograms and strategic alliancesfor such clients as Unilever, GeneralMotors, American Express, Johnson& Johnson, Ford Motor Company andHome Depot. He played football as afreshman for Wake Forest Universityof the ACC and graduated with a BAdegree in Communications.Class of 1987Buddy Ryland of Charlotte, NC wasnamed Director of Digital BusinessDevelopment for the KiplingerWashington Editors in Washington,DC. He joins the group from HyperLocalized Media, LLC, wherehe launched the flagship productBestofNorthCarolina.com and servedas Interim President.Mr. Ryland is an experienced mediaexecutive and entrepreneur who hasworked in traditional print, online, mobileand social platforms. He previouslyserved as Executive Vice President atEvryx Technologies, Vice Preisdent ateFinancial Careers, and Vice Presidentof Sales and Business Developmentat ChildrenFirst. He is a native ofArlington, VA and a graduate of TheUniversity of Texas at Austin. He andhis wife, Hillary, have two children,Will and Hannah.Class of 1988MAJ Timothy M. Baer attended Forkwww.forkunion.com 81

Union Military Academy for threeyears in the 1980s. Following graduationfrom high school in 1990, heenlisted in the Army and served inthe Honor Guard at Fort Myer, VAfor two years. Upon the completionof his enlistment in 1992, he attendedthe University of Pittsburgh. Hegraduated as a Distinguished MilitaryGraduate with a Bachelor of Arts inArchitectural Studies and received aRegular Army commission in Armorin June 1996. His assignments includeFort Stewart GA, Fort Drum NY, FortKnox KY and Fort Riley KS. He hasserved both in Afghanistan and Iraq.In July 2009, MAJ Baer was reassignedto Fort Leavenworth, KS where he is astudent in the Intermediate LeadershipEducation Course at the Commandand General Staff College. He is alsoattending Kansas State Universitywhere he is pursuing a Master’s Degreein Adult Education. Following graduation,MAJ Baer will be assigned tothe 16th Cavalry Regiment at FortKnox KY where he will assist withthe movement of the Armor Schoolto Fort Benning GA. MAJ Baer’smost recent assignment was as theSquadron Operations Officer for the1st Squadron, 4th Cavalry at Fort,Riley, Kansas.Class of 1989The National Law EnforcementOfficers Memorial Fund has announcedthe selection of OfficerMichael A. Riley of the United StatesCapitol Police as its Officer of theMonth for February 2011.In the midst of a paralyzing snowstormthat blanketed Washington,DC in February 2010, United StatesCapitol Police Officer Michael Rileyvolunteered for an extra Saturday shift.Shortly after reporting for duty, heresponded to an “officer down” radiomedical alert. According to the officerwho radioed for medical assistance,Officer Bryan Nickelson had slippedon the ice, slammed his head on thepavement and fallen unconscious,blood dripping from his head and nose,while en route to his post. As a trainedEMT, Officer Riley responded to thecall immediately, expecting to find hiscolleague with a minor head injury.When Officer Riley arrived at thescene, he realized Officer Nickelson’sinjuries were far more serious than hehad anticipated. While waiting forDC Emergency Services to arrive,Officer Nickelson stopped breathing,despite Officer Riley’s desperateattempts to open his airways. Soon,Officer Nickelson’s pupils became fixedand his pulse stopped, at which timeOfficer Riley performed vigorous CPR,causing Officer Nickelson to take a fewdeep gasps of air, before ceasing breathonce again. Officer Riley knew he hadto fight to keep Officer Nickelson alive,and he refused to give up.Additional officers and the emergencycrew members were devastated whenthey saw Officer Nickelson, one oftheir own, fighting for his life. OfficerNickelson, a well-respected 20-yearveteranof the United States CapitolPolice Department, was rushed to thehospital, followed closely behind byOfficer Riley in a patrol car. Knowingshe would be too upset to drive herself,Officer Riley radioed the dispatcherand arranged for a local sheriff ’s officeto bring Officer Nickelson’s wife, also apublic servant working for the Districtof Columbia Fire Department, to thehospital to be with her husband.Once at the hospital, doctors performedemergency quadruple bypasssurgery on Officer Nickelson, whoremained heavily sedated for severalweeks following the procedure.Medical officials considered OfficerRiley’s quick response and continuousCPR efforts imperative in keepingOfficer Nickelson alive and credited hisefforts for ensuring that he suffered nobrain damage, a common consequenceof massive cardiac trauma.For his efforts that day, Officer Rileyreceived the 2010 Officer of the Yearaward from the Capitol Hill ExecutiveService Club/National Exchange Club,as well as a Lifesaving award from theUnited States Capitol Police. OfficerRiley, a 14-year law enforcementveteran, continues to serve with theUnited States Capitol Police.Officer Riley, along with the otherOfficers of the Month for 2011, will behonored at a special awards luncheonin Washington, DC, in May 2012 duringNational Police Week. In addition,their stories of heroism and service willbe featured in the Memorial Fund’s2013 calendar.Class of 1999Chester “Doug” McFarland is up forselection to Maj USAF and enjoyssatellite engineering at Kirtland AFB,Albuquerque, NM.Class of 2003Jason McFarland graduated fromAdam State College in May 2010 witha degree in Math. He took a positionwith a High School near Alamosa, COand has been helping coach football aswell.82 Call to Quarters

NewSchool SongMakes its DebutSeveral months ago the Headmaster of the Middle School, LTC Rob Feathers, wrote words andmusic to a song to honor F.U.M.A. cadets, both past and present. The song, “F.U.M.A. MenAre We”, encourages pride among those cadets who entered the Academy’s campus as boysand who have traveled beyond these gates as men, lives changed for the better owing to theirF.U.M.A. experience. This song made its public debut in March at a variety show, sung by the MiddleSchool cadets to honor Gen. Jackson, to whom the song is dedicated. It was sung at this year’sMiddle School graduation, as well. Hopefully the song will become part of the F.U.M.A. tradition inyears to come.Raise your voices, lift them high:A call for all to hear.Here’s to thee, our Academy.Your hist’ry we revere.(You are)(We are)Fearless in pursuing truth,Uniting one and all,Marching as a band of brothers,Answering Your call!Chorus:Fork Union men, we stand as oneFor our Academy.All Cadets, both past and present...F.U.M.A .men are we!We salute the men who’ve passedThrough these gates before,Who’ve lived their lives victoriously,A tribute to their Corps.As we take our place in line,And at attention stand,We raise our hands in one saluteTo this School so grand.Chorus:Fork Union men, we stand as oneFor our Academy.All Cadets, both past and present...F.U.M.A .men are we!And when we leave these hallowed groundsTo venture on our own,May “Body, Mind, and Spirit” guide us‘Til our days are done.(Repeat Chorus twice)www.forkunion.com 83

Wish ListFrom time to time the faculty and staff at Fork Union Military Academyput together a “wish list” of items that would be beneficial to the schoolfor academic and extracurricular purposes. Often, a gift-in-kind will fill aspecific need that can help the Academy accomplish an important goal. Thesegifts are fully tax-deductible and help support our cadets and teachers. For moreinformation on how you can contribute any of the items below, please contact theDevelopment Office at 434-842-4370. Your contribution is gratefully appreciated.Academic Requests:•Epson Brightlink interactive projectors•Classroom chairs•DVD playersChemistry Department•Portable dishwasher to clean glasswareMiddle School•Activity Bus•Five steel park benchesCommunications Department•Professional-quality Nikon camera body•Nikon wide angle and telephoto lenses, f2.8 speed•Small, compact, point-and-shoot digital camerasWoodworking Club•Sawstop Table Saw (approximate value, $3,800)Boy Scout Troop•Enclosed storage/equipment trailer•2 or 4 man tents•Sleeping bags•Backpacks•Boy Scout Merit Badge Handbooks

Feedback FormPlease cut out and return this feedback form. We’d love to have yourphone number and e-mail address in our records. Thank you for yoursupport of Fork Union Military Academy!Do we haveyour e-mailaddress?Name:_________________________________________________________Address:______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________City:__________________________ State:__________ Zip:_____________Home Phone:___________________ Work Phone:_____________________E-Mail:________________________________________________________ Please update my e-mail, phone, and address. I would like to donate $____________ to the Academy’sAnnual Giving Fund. My check is enclosed, payable to Fork Union Military Academy. Send me a pledge statement to pay this amount in: One Annual Payment Quarterly Installments Monthly Installments Charge to my credit card: Visa Mastercard Amex DiscoverCard Number:_____________________________________Exp:__________ My company has a matching gift program and I am sending you the form.Don’t know if your company offers matching gifts? Check online at FUMA’s Web site:http://www.forkunion.com/development I would like information on including FUMA in my will,and other planned giving options. I would like information about FUMA’s CapitalCampaign projects. I would like a package with admissions information anda school video that I can share with potential cadet familiesin my area, church, or civic organization.

Comments:Please place in envelope and mail to:Fork Union Military AcademyDevelopment OfficePost Office Box 278Fork Union, VA 23055

Our Promises to Our DonorsI’ve thought for some time that I should listour promises to all of our donors past, present,and future. I want you to know exactlywhere we are coming from and preciselyhow we operate our fund-raising program. It’svery important to us that we be straight shooterswith you and upfront in our approach andphilosophy. Here are our promises to you:1First and foremost, the Academy belongs tothe Lord. It is His place and He is in thelife-changing business here. It is not a monumentto its President, the Board of Trustees, orthe Development Office. All of us are simplyservants of the Lord in this place.2Since our founding in 1898, the Lord hasput his mantle of approval on the work beingdone here. What the Lord blesses, He can alsotake away. There have been times over the centurythat they were close to shutting down, butthe Lord chose to provide the finances to keepit going. If He chooses to close the gate, we willaccept His leading and yield the outcome toHim. Until then, we will work with every ounceof energy to accomplish the task at hand.3We seek God’s approval in our mission.One of the ways to discern His approval isthrough the support He sends (or doesn’t send)from His people. During lean times, we willmake our needs known to our friends-but wewill not squirm, scratch, or claw for contributions.We will never resort to what we considerto be disrespectful and dishonorable methods offund-raising, even when the needs are serious.4We will ask people not to support ForkUnion Military Academy until their obligationsto the local church have been met.5We will not operate the Academy at a deficit.6We consider the contributions we receive tobe “sacrificial giving”-sent from loving peoplewho have sacrificed to make their gifts possible.Our obligation, therefore, is to spend wisely incontinuing to preserve the Academy and its mission.We have no limousines, expense accounts,or condos in Hawaii. Every penny raised is usedto sustain the Academy. Not one cent is paid tothe Development Officers or myself in the formof fund-raising incentive bonuses or salaries.7We will receipt all donations showing the fairmarket value of any materials sent in order tohelp contributors determine the tax-deductibleportion of their gifts. (The Internal RevenueCode permits donors to deduct the amountgiven to the Academy in excess of the value ofmaterials received from the organization.)8We will have an annual audit conducted byan external audit firm.9We will not try to raise more money than weneed.When you designate a specific intendeduse of your donation, your wishes will be10honored.The President along with the11 Development Officers are the primaryfundraisers. It is our job to solicit funds to sustainthe Academy. We want to be respectful inour approach, but make no excuses for doing ourjob of asking for funds. Since tuition and feescover 70% of the annual budget, we must raise30% more to sustain the school. If we don’t makethe Academy’s needs known, who will?Our spiritual mission is to have every12 young man who comes our way hear thegospel. Over 400 young men do receive theLord every year while here at the Academy.Our promise to you is that we will stay focusedon that mission and the funds you provide willsustain that mission, God willing.We will not sell or release our mailing13 lists to anyone.We will maintain confidentiality of the14amount of your donations; and if youchose to remain anonymous, we will honor thatrequest.We want only the best for the young men15 entrusted to our care. We promise to doour best to be God’s servants and good stewardsof His money.It’s that simple. Our prayer is that you will helpus. Please.Lt. Gen. John E. Jackson, Jr., Presidentwww.forkunion.com 87

Fork UnionMilitary Academy4744 James Madison HighwayPost Office Box 278Fork Union, Virginia 23055Non-Profit OrganizationU. S. PostagePAIDPPCOSuccess stories begin here.Welcome Aboard!Fork Union Military Academy welcomesour 10th President, Rear Admiral J. ScottBurhoe and his wife Betsy, to the FUMAFamily.Admiral Burhoe will take command onJuly 18, 2011.He has our prayers and our gratitude ashe joins with us to continue the missionwe’ve been on since 1898, and to leadus to new heights of success we’ve nevereven imagined.Godspeed, Admiral Burhoe!