Dickinson State University - Prairie Smoke Yearbook (Dickinson, ND)

Page 14 text:

Back Row: A. Madsen, John Nalond, Robert Naas, Carl Dahlstrom, A. Martin, Ross Mangum, Max Swain. Center Row: Norman Ambrose, G. Norris, C. Donkin, Elton Mills, Victor Larson, Wilson Hamilton, David Mock. Merton Jones. Front Row: Max Rennie, Irwin Meshbesher, Allen Thompson, M. Gibbs, Alan Godfrey, Max Renick, Jack Phillips, Robert Vowles. — Not in picture, Keith Miller, Orville Camp. SIXTH PLATOON The ogre in the realms of the mystic un- known uttered a command—the billet jarred violently—blue haze—pen and paper were thrust before me—a hearty, “I know you can do it,” rang out. This is it. D Day, H hour. The Sixth passes in review. Starting with the biggest things, “Gauleiter” Jones is in the lineup. Jones is the man who gives the orders for the platoon and then makes siu-e that they are carried out. Along down in 167 Meshbesher is convinced that the train was re-routed through Minneapolis just to get him to Dickinson. “Golden Boy” Thompson spends long weary hours studying physics and related subjects. Glenn Morris is the first man in our platoon to be wounded in action. At least that is the impression that you receive after listening to one of the tall tales produced by this Sixth platooner. Orv Camp, California trumpeter, performs on the Dance Band and gives out with a few bars of jive at the slightest provocation. Room- ing with Camp is Vic Larsen, who deserves bushels of credit for just doing that. Dave Mock, resident of Palo Alto, California, and former student at San Jose State College, is a good athlete, and, what is a little rarer, a demon for math, including calculus. C. Ross Mangum has traveled extensively but still yearns for Memphis and the land from which he derives his nickname, Tennessee. May McCourry, from northern California, teaches a little mechanical drawing to students in his spare time, also studies a little calculus. “Azuza Weepus” Donkin tries and tries to educate Sanger’s number one juvenile delinquent by his own admission, A1 Madsen, also known as the “kid with the heart of gold.” “Navy Will” Hamilton sits quietly in the corner, re-writing the Bluejacket’s Manual, with a marlinspike clenched between his teeth. Amie Martin is a home-bred North Dakotan, who formerly participated against DSTC on the athletic field, now does his bit for, the school. John Nalond is the platoon’s expert on things musical and the like. “Body Beautiful” identifies Robert Vowles, the lad with the musical sneeze. Fresno has contributed Norm Ambrose to the platoon. Busi- ness manager of the college paper, Norm is scheduled to leave DSTC in June. Scotty Rennie and Ray Phillips hang their hats in the same billet and recall the times they had back in Washington. Gung ho! The platform deck is up to bat. “Shay Al” Godfrey hails from San Francisco State and is also a traveler, having been to Canada, Los Angeles and assorted rendezvous. Rooming with Al is Kirk Gibbs, another of those boys who wake us up in the morning with that confounded bugle. Also claiming billet 2 as his home is Bob “Junior” Naas. Junior has relatives in candy factories, it is claimed, so should make anyone a good roommate. And then in Billet 6 we have Keith Miller, veteran from the first expeditionary force to land in Dickinson; Max Renick, who has been an ROTC officer previously to V-12; and Carl Dahl- strom. the only trainee here who missed the train back from California, because of an over- due ferry on which he was “making like a sailor.”

Page 13 text:

Back Row: Robert Cooney, James Barkley, Fred Bazlen, Alfred Adolph, Lawrence Pleasant, Douglas Middleton, William Branch. Center Row: Duane Wamsley, Ralph Blunt, Robert Porter, McKinley Bates, Alan Sanford, Harry Owens, Tom Hed- den, Vincent Bonora. Front Row: Jerry Child, D. Banks, Ernest Johnson, Donald Payton, Hugh Rinta, Robert Barger, John Elkins. — Not in picture, Wallace Rich. FIFTH PLATOON The fifth platoon has been active in many fields this past semester. Perhaps the most notable activity was basketball, where the Fifth came within one basket of tying the champs. We have three members of the dance band in our platoon. They are Wamsley, Adolph, and Blunt. Bill Branch, the cell-mate of Bedient, is ready, willing, and able to accept challenges for horseshoe games from any and all comers. We next take a look into 117. There we find Bob Porter, the star of many performances of the Cue Club, writing a play of his own. Porter has really turned in some good work on the stage, and we look forward to hearing of his further successes as an actor. Another oc- cupant of 117 is A1 “Sparks” Sanford. Blunt can be found in here any Saturday morning on his hands and knees waxing the deck. Across the hall in 116 we find Adolph and Bazlen. We have already heard about Adolph, so now we’ll hear about Bazlen. His favorite sports are hunting and fishing, and he is ex- pecting to give the pheasants a bad time. Vince Bonora is another fellow from the state of California. Everybody likes his swell personality, which is a part of the reason for his getting letters from a certain girl back home. Vince’s roommate in 116 is Duane Wamsley, who hails from Clovis, California. Everyone saw' his tumbling on Senior Day, and we really liked it. As we open the door to 114 w'e see Cooney, Child, and Elkins. Elkins led a sheltered life before being exposed to the hardships of this navy unit. By way of recuperation he spends 15 hours a day in his bunk sleeping or reading “Esquire.” Child works hard at his studies and concentrates on physics. Cooney is the boy who really likes to sleep. Across from 111 we find Hedden, Middleton, and Banks in room 112. Hedden likes to put out the effort when leading calisthenics, and we really enjoy (?) getting a good workout. The Fifth needs only one like him. Middleton comes and goes as usual, and is always finding his “full” pack of cigarettes empty. Banks is usually seen running around always trying to get nowhere fast and usually succeeding. The quietest room in the platoon is 108 where Larry Pleasant, Ernie Johnson, and Bob Barkley hang out. Barkley hails from Nevada where “the climate is better than in California.” Pleasant is another one of those quiet guys who w’ants to revisit Bismarck. Maybe that’s the place where they take a vacation from being so quiet. Johnson comes from Sacramento, and is very active in sports. Owens, Barger, and Rich are the devoted roommates in 105. Owens played a good game of basketball on our “B” team. Barger recently got a haircut that’s a honey. When he told the barber to cut it short, he didn’t think he would be taken so seriously. Boy! wras it short. He is happy because, as he says, “Now I won’t have to comb it.” Rich was an inmate of the sick bay for quite a while, and now says that he will have to make up for lost time. Rinta, Bates, and Payton are going strong in 106. Rinta is a good basketball player when he gets going. Bates, a prospective RPO for next term, was quite active on our basketball team and is now the captain of our unbeaten softball team. Payton is the man the whole platoon likes.

Page 15 text:

Back Row: Floyd Le Baron, William Janssen, Merton Jones, Richard Morsman. Center Row: Leo Phillips, Joseph Kmiec, Lemoyne Bedient, Vincent Bonora, Tom Hedden. Front Row: Lt. Comdr. H. R. Johnson, Lt. G. C. Bradley, Lt. C. E. Highlen. REGIMENTAL STAFF The regimental staff of the V-12 Unit for the semester was led by Lemoyne Bedient, regimental commander. Under Bedient as company com- manders were Floyd “Lefty” LeBaron, first com- pany, and Vince Ronora, second company. Platoon leaders for the term were Dick Morsman, “Lefty” Jannsen, Joe Kmiec, Leo Phillips, Tom Iledden, and Mert Jones. NAVY DANCE BAND Under the capable leadership of Phil O’Neil, the dance band was the highlight of many of the college and DSO dances during the spring semest- er. In addition to Maestro Phil, the trumpet sec- tion included Dick McKenna, Orv Camp, and Ken Jones. Will Hamilton and Carl Decker were trombonists while Mack Swain held down the po- sition of clarinetist. A1 Gi’ay, Paul Hedden, and Dee Williams composed the saxophone section. Duane Wamsley played the bass horn and is also noted for his vocal rendition of “Pistol Packin’ Mamma.” Pianists were John Painter and Ralph Blunt, and A1 Adolf kept tune on the drums. Vocals were handled nicely by McKenna.