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| Volume 65, Issue 8 | Rota-Scribe: Randy McFarland | |||||||||||
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The new “eat when you arrive” method is working well…. No more lunch line choreography with its consequential congestion complimented by the constant concern of being fined for being first in the food line. This week we were serenaded by the keyboard stylings of Mike Oakes at the piano, who wore his musician’s hat… and later resisted the temptation to even crack a joke, much to the disappointment of someone, I’m sure. President Joyce Capelle invited Bill Hite to summon the group to honor the flag of our great nation after which Howard Wood let us in the singing of “Daisy Daisy” and “Smile”. David Schoen gave the invocation in gratitude of our fortune to live in the USA. IntroductionsBill Mathy, convinced he no longer had any responsibilities this year, had a rude awakening when asked to introduced visitors, but he performed well with only seconds to prepare. Bob Savage brought Tim Campbell, Buck Catlin brought his wife, Bobbie, Chris Meyer brought Janny (one of Buck’s daughters) and he also brought Wolf Knabe, Fullerton’s new fire chief. “Record setting” (setting records on turntables) Fred Johnson brought Margo Jordan. AnnouncementsMaryalyce Jeremiah had the crowd worked up into a frenzy about our “Newest Nine” members, who dominated one table at this meeting, but next week, she warned us, they will be evenly distributed around the room, each gracing a table with their presence! Mike Oates shared that on Sept. 10 we have a rare opportunity to enter a non-profit golf tournament for only $200. at the Yorba Linda Country Club, organized and benefiting Crittenton Services for Children and Families. RecognitionsJim Williams delegated the honors this week to Chief Pat McKinley, who finessed fines from four fellow who found themselves in the front as he asked them trick questions, like, “What’s your wife’s nick name?, “What’s your favorite thing?”, “What’s your favorite song?” and “How many years have you been married?”. Al Triay, Dick Daybell and Allyn Lean held up well despite the grilling as the Chief played “good cop” and “bad cop” mercilessly. He saved a long overdue payback to Ray Ashcroft who cast the chief as “himself” in the barbershop concert at Plummer Auditorium last spring. Unable to describe what transpired on stage in 20 seconds or less, Ray was fined heavily. |
RaffleJoyce took over the honors, giving Allyn Lean another grilling, but again, Allyn came through, naming three of our board members. Senior Craft Talk
Without any connections to put him on the fast track into the Naval Academy, Buck ultimately go in by enlisting, and becoming one of only100 sailors to get in with a letter of recommendation from soon to be Admiral Chester Nimintz.
More interesting stories followed including facts about the German U-Boats and the job of collecting operational Japanese Subs. Buck closed with a relatively recent photo of himself, Harry Brown and another gentleman, all of whom had commanded the same submarine at different times and all have applied to live in Morningside. Thanks, Buck for a very interesting and entertaining presentation! Joyce concluded the meeting with the thought, “in a full heart there’s room for everything… in an empty heart there’s room for nothing.”
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We were fortunate to be present as Buck Catlin indulged
us with “Sea Stories” as was suggested to him
by Pat McKinley. Buck enhanced his stories with sides of
his handsome self in his Navy days as well as pictures of
battleships and naval bases and an unusual photos of submarines “popping
wheelies” up out of the water, a stunt that surely
produced an exciting sensation for those on board!
Graduating in the Class of 42 within two weeks of the Pearl
Harbor bombing, he found that his designated ship was sunk,
so when assigned to a submarine, he said, “Why not?” (MOVIE
TIP) Buck recommended a couple of movies that most accurately
portrayed the submarine story in World War II, “Das
Boot” and “Hell Cats of the Navy” in which
Ronald Regan , the actor, appeared.