When I discovered that Cal Christman specializes in U.S. military history, I wondered if he'd been inspired by the "Battle Nights" lectures that Lew Stillwell used to deliver (actually, Cal had to remind me of the title and Prof. Stillwell's name), but his interest in military history went back long before, perhaps to when he was three years old and his Dad returned from Okinawa. "It is a memory I still hold dear to me." Cal is Professor of History at Cedar Valley College in Lancaster (near Dallas). This summer he will lead his fifth tour to American World War II battlefields in Europe. This time they'll visit Belgium, Luxembourg, and France.

Doug Montgomery wrote that he's working in audit at the Portland-based Bonneville Power Administration, a government agency, where he's been since 1983 (see his essay on the West Coast power sales crisis on our class discussion page: www.alum.dartmouth.org/~classtlk/). Doug also teaches part-time in the public administration program at Portland State University and is a volunteer consultant with two non-profits and the county.

The mini-reunion at the end of March was very successful. It was hosted by Ed Gingras and his wife Jennifer Iams at their home, which is right on the golf course at the Monterey Country Club in Palm Springs. Thad and Polly Seymour were honored guests from Rollins College in Winter Park, Florida. They were asked if their late arrival was due to the fact that the old 1929 Packard Roadster won't do over 60 mph. Also attending were Carl DuRei and Amy (Carl has retired from Arthur Andersen and now spends his time sharpening his golf and tennis games and skippering two boats: one in Florida and one in New Hampshire); Chris Palmer and Suzanne (Chris has mostly retired from his CPA practice, but keeps a few things going. He has three grandchildren but isn't ready to be called "Gramps," yet); Larry Mitchell and Denise (Larry has retired from Hewlett Packard and divides his time between homes in Palm Springs and up in the Sierra Nevada mountains north of Lake Tahoe. His new passion is learning to fly gliders, which should be an inspiration to those of us who are afraid of becoming stagnant after retirement.); Lynn Bates and Paula (Lynn has retired from a large private winery business, continuing to serve on their board. He has started to acquire and refurbish condominiums in and around San Diego); Chip Noecker and Carlee (living in Sarasota, FL, though Chip continues to manage television stations in various parts of the country), Bob Reidy and Kathy (Bob is an eye surgeon - and a competitive athlete, as was revealed at the '99 reunion and confirmed in tennis competitions during the mini); Walt (Huston) Lillard and Patty (Huston runs his own real estate development business around L.A.); and Steve Blecher and Amy (Steve has retired from the Investment Banking business and, when not carrying out his presidential duties, spends his time traveling around finding places to go sailing).