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| Army-Navy Game for 2020: Report from Annapolis |
Annapolis, Maryland Dear Classmates, Family and Friends of the Class of 1963,
9 December 2020 It is overcast, clear and cold here in Annapolis. The weather report calls for a trace of snow. Winter has arrived. We are close to the winter solstice and the shortest day of the year. It is Army-Navy game time. This year the game is being played in Miche Stadium at the U.S.Military Academy at West Point. This is the first time the game has been played at West Point since 1943. The City of Philadelphia declined to host the game due to COVID 19 virus restrictions. West Point, this year's host, agreed to have the game there. There will be no open admission to the game. Only the Corps of Cadets and the Brigade of Midshipmen, along with support personnel and select officers, will be in the stands. Attendees will be seated four feet apart. West Point will provide meals for all. The Brigade of Midshipmen will begin boarding 170 busses at 0400 for the four and a half hour trip to West Point. The first contingent will arrive about 0830. The busses will have a police escort all the way to West Point and for the return trip immediately after the game. The "march on" is scheduled for 1200 or so. Game time is three PM (1500} EST. The game will be televised on CBS. ESPN will air a pregame program from 0900-1200. CBS will pick up at noon. This could vary in some areas. There will be only 25 midshipmen per bus to allow social spacing. The cost of busing the Brigade to West Point and back is estimated at $600,000. As sponsor for the game, USAA has generously volunteered to pay the expense of moving the Brigade to West Point and back. This is exam week at the Naval Academy. The last exam will be administered on Friday afternoon. After returning from West Point, the Brigade will get a good night's rest and depart on five weeks of leave on Sunday afternoon, returning on 5 January. The COVID Bubble The Naval Academy has done a fantastic job of creating a virus deterring bubble in the Yard. Based on an Air Force Academy operations research model, 15% of the Brigade, faculty and staff are tested every week. That accounts for 60% of the whole each month, which allows for the identification of "hot spots" and appropriate isolation procedures to be effected. It is working well. Varsity athletes are tested three times a week. There have been no positive tests on the Navy or Army football teams recently. There has been no liberty granted in the last five weeks. The Academy is closed to all but faculty, staff and midshipmen. The result has been an Academy positive testing rate of 0.5 percent as compared to what is now almost 8.0 percent in the Annapolis area. On returning from leave in groups, all midshipmen will be tested, enter a quarantine period, and be tested again. Classes begin on the 19th of January and will be virtual initially, shifting to personal classes or a hybrid as conditions permit. There will be no midshipmen quartered at St John's in the Spring semester. St. John's hopes to be bringing its own students back next semester. Since the first wing will still be required as a COVID isolation area, three hundred midshipmen comprising all classes will reside with family and sponsors in the local area and commute from there for classes and activities. The Superintendent is planning for a normal graduation week, circumstances permitting. The Naval Academy is high on the priority list for COVID vacine distribution. The Brigade is expected to receive the vacine in February and March so they can join the fleet at the end of the semester for much needed training that had to be cancelled last summer. At least one cruise aboard ship is now required for graduation. The Game Chet Gladcchuck said today that this year's game will be decided on toughness. Navy enters with a 3-6 season and army with a 17-1 season. The Army record has been against relatively weak teams---but that's the "fearless Army way". There is really no favored team going into the game on Saturday. We can expect anything to happen as is usual in an Army-Navy game. The Navy team is said to be ready, even though exam week this week and a game last Saturday has left little traditional practice time to focus solely on Army. I know we will all be cheering for a great Navy victory on Saturday. This team can do it. Expect to win!!! The President is announced as attending the game. He will sit on one side and shift sides at halftime . Tecumseh. A major differance this year is that Tecumseh will not be wearing his traditional war paint. On suggestions from members of the Brigade, faculty, and staff, Tecumseh is no longer painted for major events. The two cannon pedestals to either side of the entrance to Tecumseh Court are approporiately painted instead. Tecumseh is still, however, receiving left handed salutes and pennies (or larger coins depending on going in GPAs) from mishipmen enroute exams. I was a silver dollar man for some courses. The Midshipman Action Group Last year about this time the Midshipmen Action Group collected 60,000 pounds (30 tons) of foodstuffs for local food banks. This year, with the restrictions imposed by the COVID 19 virus, they had to rely primarily on internet on-line appeals. The result is that they have gathered 70,000 pounds (35 tons ) of food to meet expanding needs. With a spirit and accomplishments like that, how could we lose to anyone? That's all the news from Crabtown. Stay warm and stay safe. Quality 63 Spencer Johnson '63 |
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| Congratulations
to Navy Men's Basketball in their historic defeat of Georgetown
University (yes, that Georgetown) 78-71 on Tuesday evening, 1 Dec 2020,
McDonough Field House. Historic? First time over Georgetown since winning, 56-55, on Jan. 12, 1977, in Washington, D.C.. Our own alum George Corbalis (shown above in short pants) was impressed also: That
is a really big win! Georgetown is always strong. The only time
we played them while I was playing plebe B-ball, lost in a tough one by
a few points. But I’m my varsity time we beat Florida and Georgia
Tech for the 1961 Gator Bowl Holiday Classic championship. Played
guard, scored 6 pts (I think) in the championship game. We were
rewarded by then traveling to Miami (stayed at the Fontenbleau Fred
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| Happy 100th Birthday Maury! |
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 It's
not often that a Chapter gets to celebrate the 100th Birthday of an
Alumnus. Like, maybe, never! The Academy's recent 175th Birthday (10 Oct 1845) led the way to Maury Hartle's 100th (20 Nov 1920). Maury Hartle Class of 1944, and USNA founded 1845 - Two fine honorable institutions that have stood the test of time! Because of that crazy Covid-19 thing, Maury and Family will be celebrating on his 101st birthday in 2021, and you are all invited! Meanwhile: The Bernalillo County Sheriff's Office conducted a special siren parade and honorary presentation for Maury on his birthday, 20 Nov 2020. The video is on YouTube. [at left] This portrait of Maury was done as a tribute by a friend and presented to Maury in recogition of his 100th birthday. [above] CAPT Maury Hartle, USN, and Mid'n Maury Hartle, USNA. Maury hasn't changed that much since his Lucky Bag photo, 1944 - the smart money says he could still row crew or get back on the gridiron. |
| Sports Note: Air Force's football game at Army, originally scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at 11:30 a.m. ET was postponed due to upward trends of COVID-19 cases at the Air Force Academy, the football program and in the surrounding community. The schools will work to reschedule if possible. |
- For Graduation and Commissioning of the Class of 2020, see the information posted above
- For Navy Spirit video, "Naptown Funk," view here. [An all-mid take-off on the Mark Ronson/Bruno Mars video "Uptown Funk" which can be seen here.]
- For briefing (PowerPoint as PDF) on USNA Cyber Warfare program (and new building), view here.
- For International Chapter Officers Forum (see right hand side for assorted briefings) at USNA, view here. .
- Here is the latest USNA Newsletter and Parent Event Calendar (for Chapters, Parents Clubs, Blue & Gold Officers)
| 2020 Chapter Officers | 2020 Chapter
Events (what a mess!) | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Profiles of Chapter Officers are linked at right:
Contact Officers
with your requests or suggestions
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Contact Webmaster with any questions re the web site. Chapter Corporation Report with Secretary of State, New Mexico [May 2014] |
The American Athletic Conference Navy's 2020 football schedule (all times shown in Mountain Time Zone)
www.sailorbob.com - USNI sponsored SWO-centric blog
http://bubbleheads.blogspot.
http://cdrsalamander.blogspot.
http://navycaptain-TheRealNavy.blogspot.com/ - Otherwise known as "I like the cut of his jib." Musings, leadership tidbits and quotes posted by a retired Navy Captain (really just a high performing 2nd Class Petty Officer) who hung up his uniform a bit too early (even at 30 years).
The former Prez suggests: "Take a look at all four websites, especially after something hits the press. Sailor Bob is particularily insightful and usually someone within two degrees of separation from the incident can shed some light. I haven't found a good aviation blog since Neptunus Lex's passing. You can try http://www.airwarriors.com/
The Duffel Blog, www.duffelblog.com is a satirical news website that has been catching the eyes of Pentagon leaders lately."
Wounded Warriors Project: A legal scam. See story here.
Air Warrior Courage Foundation: Getting the $$$ directly to projects for the wounded. See story here.
