United States Army Infantry Officer Candidate School

Class 14-67; 52^nd Company

42^nd Anniversary Reunion and

Memorial Re-Dedication Ceremony

Columbus, GA and Ft. Benning, GA

6 - 8 March 2009

After Action Report

Over the weekend of March 6^th to March 8^th, 22 of our classmates and two Tac Officers gathered in Columbus, Georgia to remember the 42^nd anniversary of our commissioning and again to honor our fallen brothers. This was the fifth time since being commissioned on March 7, 1967 that we’ve reunited and this year there were two classmates and one Tac participating in their very first reunion (Steve Cox, 2^nd Platoon, and Warren Lindberg, 4^th Platoon and Mike Tooke (1^st Platoon), as well as six (Bulthaus, Holt, Hunsaker, Smith, Usher & White) who continue to have a perfect attendance record. While the number participating this year was lower than normal, the quality of the event and our time together scored high on everyone’s “applause meter.” We were also accompanied by 17 wives (including Frankie Tooke and Patty Longgrear), 2 grown children, and 3 special guests – Claudia Zimmerman (widow of Bill Zimmerman [6^th Platoon] – KIA in Vietnam) and Chuck Zimmerman (brother of Bill Zimmerman) who joined us for the plaque re-dedication ceremony on March 7^th and Mike Bolduc (Gretchen Bulthaus’s friend and a Navy Seaman). Welcome back Claudia and Chuck and a fresh new welcome, along with a big “thank you for your service to our country” to Seaman Mike Bolduc.

We again used the Columbus Marriott Hotel as the “Tactical Operations Center” for all our activities. Our Hospitality Suite was filled with wonderful discussion, quite a few hugs, many smiles and yes, some tears. There was much heavy-duty storytelling as usual – accompanied by those wonderful snacks provided by Jack Hogg, 3^rd Platoon, which were washed down with soft drinks and beer made available in our “field expedient” cooler, better known as the bath tub. (Where would we be without Jack Hogg!!! Thanks, Jack.) Plenty of memorabilia were also available, from the Class Book, to a Biography Book prepared by Bob Usher, 6^th Platoon, telling “all” about our found classmates who have submitted “bios” for publication to a book (designed by Brian Smith, 6^th Platoon) dedicated to all of our KIAs.

Name tags with our original Class Book pictures were again provided by Bob Usher’s wife, Jean, who deserves much more credit than she receives. As our former Company clerk – remember Jean Fox? – she helps to keep Bob on the straight and narrow, which as we all know is a massive challenge.

While the Hospitality Suite opened at noon on Friday, March 6^th, and many of us were in full swing in the early afternoon, our official “get together” began Friday evening with a reception (better known as “Meet ‘n’ Greet”) in one of the private dining rooms just off the lobby of the hotel. This was where we all got our first glimpse of Mike Tooke, 1^st Platoon Tac Officer, after over 40 years. And guess what – he had his pipe but he wasn’t carrying his famous briefcase!!! He did have with him, however, his delightful wife, Frankie. We trust that she enjoyed the time she spent with us as much as we think Mike did. For all participating class members, we want to say “Thanks, Mike” for deciding to join us after all these years and also for the good training you, Paul Longgrear and the other Tac Officers provided us so long ago. Now that we have 2 of the Tac Officers in our pocket, we’re all going to work on getting more to come the next time.

On Saturday morning, we used our tried and true method of moving from the hotel to Ft. Benning – yes, the car pool caravan. Nobody suggested the old “cattle cars” so we upgraded to privately owned vehicles – as Bob Usher keeps saying, POVs!!!

Upon arriving at Ft. Benning, we gathered at the old 5^th Battalion area, now part of what is called the 3^rd Battalion of the 11^th Infantry Regiment, which is responsible for OCS. .

We began the morning with coffee and pastries (they sure looked suspiciously like they came from the “Pogey Wagon”) provided by and set up by the 3/11^th Infantry Regiment in Wigle Hall, now the OCS Hall of Fame. (Thank you to our hosts, LTC John Shattuck, OCS Battalion Commander, MAJ Matt Morgan, XO and CPT Gustavo Flores, OCS Platoon Trainer.) You’ll all remember that our classmates Preston Funkhouser (2nd Platoon), Jules Lloyd (4^th Platoon) and Rick White (6^th Platoon) – as well as Paul Longgrear (3^rd Platoon Tac Officer) – are honored in the OCS Hall of Fame for their distinguished Army careers.

Remember back to 2002, 7 years ago, when our plaque was designed and fabrication was commissioned and supervised by Bob Usher in Alabama. Paid for by the contributions of the majority of our fellow classmates, this monument belongs to all of us and to those whose names are there inscribed and to their families near and far. Now, walking the sidewalk in the “Company area” outside Wigle Hall we cannot help but notice about a dozen plaques that have been installed since we placed the first one there in 2002. It’s good for all, most particularly the young Officer Candidates of today, to remember the sacrifices of those who have passed under the OCS arches.

On the occasion of our 42^nd anniversary of being commissioned we came to re-dedicate our class plaque in honor of our 10 classmates and 2 Tactical Officers who were killed in action in Vietnam. We all gathered under a canopy erected for our comfort by CPT Flores’s team and the official ceremony began, of course, at 9:30am – the exact time on March 7, 1967 we took our oaths as “officers and gentlemen.” The ceremony began with an invocation by Paul Longgrear and the “colors” were posted by a student Honor Guard.

This was followed by Bob Holt (3rd Platoon) who read very moving excerpts of messages placed on the Vietnam Wall web site for each of our fallen brothers. Remarks were also made by Mike Tooke, Paul Longgrear and LTC John Shattuck. Hector Colon (our incoming Commanding Officer) re-dedicated the plaque with a poem penned in a letter home by MAJ Michael O’Donnell just prior to being killed in action at Dakto, Vietnam in 1970.

Six of our classmates read the roll of our brothers whose names are engraved on the plaque and the names and dates of death of all of our deceased classmates.

TAPs was then played in the background by a lone bugler and each of the attendees placed a rose on the plaque as we remembered our brothers in our own way. We were joined in the rose laying ceremony by a platoon of OCS candidates in recognition of those who went before them and made the ultimate sacrifice. The ceremony was concluded with Paul Longgrear’s benediction.

Guests at our ceremony – LTC John Shattuck and CPT Gustavo Flores – were each presented with one of our class challenge coins as a memento of March 7, 2009. Thanks to these gentlemen for helping to make it happen.

After the ceremony, most of us made a tour of our old barracks and we all had lunch in the OCS Mess Hall – you should have seen what they served for $4.20!!! The different selections were unbelievable.

Upon returning to the hotel, we cleaned up, dressed up and headed back to the Benning Club for dinner and music. Our guests included LTC Shattuck, CPT Flores and his wife (yes, also CPT Flores) along with five Officer Candidates who were strategically placed at different tables. We think that having these candidates share their evening with us was one of the highlights of the weekend. Two of the young men had served previous tours in Iraq and Afghanistan with one of them being awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross as a Combat Medic. What do you think – does he sound qualified?

In between songs of the 50s and 60s the microphone was “open” and several classmates made remarks sharing their thoughts about the reunion. Rick White provided us with an emotional update on his son, CPT Graham White, who is on his 7^th combat deployment in Afghanistan, and Mike Murray’s wife, Claudia, spoke eloquently to us about what this reunion meant to her.

We also placed a call to Ted and Gail Mathis in Michigan who were scheduled to join us, but had to cancel at the last minute to be with their son who was returning from a tour in Iraq. Thanks Ted and Gail; we wish your son all the best. We also tried to call brother Carl Jones who “forgot” to make his plane reservations and missed our soiree. The “head hog” himself (Longgrear) will be calling on OC Jones later for pushups. It appeared OC Jones conveniently left his phone off the hook Saturday night. Just kidding Carl. It can happen to anyone your age.

After dinner, more time at the Hospitality Suite capped off the evening with our parting the next morning approaching more quickly than we liked.

Concluding the reunion on Sunday, March 8^th, was a common table breakfast at the hotel (the table kept growing and growing until it took up the entire one side of the dining room). Then we all had our good-byes in the hotel lobby and parking lots with wonderful memories to take with us on our travels home.

Other Thoughts

As you all know, we’ve accounted for 167 of the 169 graduates of our class and all the Company Cadre. This continues to leave only 2 graduates still to be accounted for (Ed O’Brien and John O’Connor – both 5^th Platoon). Any assistance locating these two lost brothers and any of the other classmates we located but have since become “lost again” would be greatly appreciated. Please call or email Bob Usher to learn more about who may be “missing in action” and how you can help.

A short business meeting in the Hospitality Suite on Saturday, March 7^th came up with four suggestions for our next reunion, planned for 2012 – Ft. Benning, GA; Washington, DC; Branson, MO; and San Antonio, TX. We are planning to wait a year or two to re-visit this decision so that we pick a place that’s appropriate for all. As time goes on, fewer brothers will be around for these gatherings as we’ve seen this year – we’ve lost five more classmates since our 2007 gathering. It behooves each of us to reunite while we can.

Special thanks to our eight brothers who couldn’t make the Reunion this time around, but who made contributions to the class treasury to help cover expenses. Because we had been operating at a cumulative surplus after the first four reunions we lowered the Registration Fee this year. While the 2009 reunion posted a cash deficit due to the lower attendance, our classmates’ donations help to keep our organization strong and prepared to pay for any up-front costs associated with future reunions.

The final financial figures are complete and our treasury remains in good shape. A separate email providing you a full accounting of the funds received, expended and still remaining will be sent out in a short while.

End Note: Honor platoon (most attendees) this reunion goes to the Fourth Platoon with 6 participants.

Respectfully submitted:

Hector Colon Bob Holt Brian Smith Bob Usher

Incoming CO Outgoing CO Treasurer XO and 1SG

Those attending the 2009 Reunion of Infantry OCS Class 14-67 (52^nd Company) were as follows (first time reunion attendees are noted in “blue”):

First Platoon

Ray and Kudie Able - Van Wert, Ohio

Doug and Mary Bulthaus - St. Anthony, Minnesota

Paul and Melisa Carter - Erie, Colorado

Mike and Frankie Tooke (Tac) - Palm Harbor, Florida

Second Platoon

Hector Colon - East Moline, Illinois

Steve Cox - Greenville, South Carolina

Mike and Holly Day - Evans, Georgia

Jeff Fleuren - Southbury, Connecticut

Third Platoon

Henry and Betty Gold - Lipan, Texas

Bob and Margarite Holt - Georgetown, Texas

George and Karen Hunsaker - Lauderdale by the Sea, Florida

Paul and Patty Longgrear (Tac) - Pine Mountain, Georgia

Fourth Platoon

Jim and Margaret Kennedy - Fayetteville, North Carolina

Jerry and Yvonne Latta - Columbus, Georgia

Howard LeFebore - Hollywood, Florida

Jim and Barbara Lemmond - Gretna, Louisiana

Warren and Mary Jane Lindberg - Lockport, Illinois

Don and Terry Magness - Bois d’Arc, Missouri

Fifth Platoon

Mike and Claudia Murray - Manlius, New York

Jim O’Leary - Austin, Texas

Sixth Platoon

Brian Smith - Santa Barbara, California

Bob and Jean Usher - Lacey’s Spring, Alabama

Rick White - Johns Creek, Georgia

Pat and Kathy Wing - Ft. Wayne, Indiana

Relatives and Friends

Seaman Mike Bolduc (friend of Gretchen Bulthaus) - Minneapolis, Minnesota

Gretchen Bulthaus (daughter of Doug Bulthaus) - St. Anthony, Minnesota

Leah Bulthaus (daughter of Doug Bulthaus) - St. Anthony, Minnesota

Chuck Zimmerman (brother of Bill Zimmerman) - Decatur, Georgia

Claudia Zimmerman Jackson (widow of Bill Zimmerman) - Atlanta, Georgia