University of Massachusetts Amherst - Index Yearbook (Amherst, MA)

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Al umni In January, 1945, records in the Alumni Office showed the names of 2004 Alumni and undergraduates on the service roster. Of this number, 51 were women. These men and women were — and are — dispersed literally all over the world. Some, of course, are still at training camps at various points within the United States, many are at the very front in every theatre of action. Many wear the Purple Heart. There have been 38 known fatal casualties. Wherever these men and women are stationed — either sweating out a train- ing period or official assignment at a post within the United States, or in the midst of combat — on land, on sea, or in the air — they carry on valiantly — to the great honor of their country, their College, and themselves. Hundreds of letters come to the Alumni Office from these men and women with the United States armed forces. Notes based on typical letters are these. Pfc. Edward Oppenheim ' 40 wrote from Italy, When two Massachusetts State Alumni meet over here, it ' s quite an event. Imagine how surprised I was to meet Captain Lou Bush ' 34 in Florence on New Year ' s Day! Lou ' s coaching pro- duced results, and the Fifth Army team was victorious. Lou was my basketball and football coach back in the ' 36 season, and just watching him talking to his Fifth Army Official Photograph Capt. Lou Bush ' 34, coaches the Fifth Army football team players sure brought back fond mem- ories. When Captain Bush was an under- graduate at the College, he made an out- standing record as an athlete — in football, basketball, baseball. In the fall of 1932 he was the Nation ' s leading football scorer. After graduation, Lou continued in athletics both as player and as coach. When war broke out, he entered the Army. At the time of the Allies ' invasion of Africa he was in command of an armored unit, spear-heading an Allied attack against the Germans. Lou fought through- out the African-Tunisian campaign on up into Sicily and Italy. After his unit had landed in Italy, Bush was assigned to a special service outfit; he served as coach of the Fifth Army ' s celebrated Kraut Clouters football team which, on New Year ' s Day, 1945, won the first.

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These two orators were dressed in the customary Indian costumes. This year the costuming was unique in that one of the Indians was of necessity a squaw. This hilarious satire on college life was followed by the dignified campus and class orations given by Ruth Murray and Pat Andersen. Ruth Ewing, chosen as class poet, recited the long ode which she had composed for her class. After the Ivy oration by Catherine Dellea, the scene of the class day exercises soon shifted to Old Chapel. Here Beatrice Alpert and Anne Brown planted the ivy which commemorates the class of ' 45. The President ' s Reception, held in the rhododendron garden, took place on Saturday afternoon from three-thirty to five. After this reception, there was a half hour concert on the chimes in Old Chapel. At six o ' clock, the sorority and class reunions took place. These informal gatherings of old friends, arranged by the groups themselves, have always served to remind the students of the pleasant days spent at Massachusetts State College. At nine on Saturday evening, the graduating class was entertained in Bowker Audi- torium with the annual Roister Bolster play. This event is anticipated with pleas- ure each year by all who are acquainted with the work of this organization. Actually, the graduation festivities began on Thursday, May seventeenth, at the Senior Convocation. Walter Goehr- ing, the senior orator for the class of ' 45, was the main convocation speaker. His speech summarized the four years spent at State by his class, and also told of the contributions of this class made to the college. The senior class gift committee also presented the class gift to the college at this convocation. After this, Isogon, the women ' s honor society, tapped its new members. The size of the graduating class this year was approximately one hundred and twenty-eight students, most of whom were women. However, several men now in the armed forces were graduated at the commencement exercises. The graduating class of ' 44 also awarded diplomas to numbers of its students in absentia. It has been proposed that this be the last accelerated commencement. Here- after, the regular four year course will lead to the Bachelor ' s degree. Next year, commencement will take place later in the spring — the first week in June instead of the last week of May. This will be the result of observing various holidays, unobserved during the operation of the war program, which, in turn, will lengthen the college year. On Sunday morning at ten, graduation exercises were held in Bowker Auditori- um. After the Baccalaureate service, the class of ' 45 set forth upon a new venture in life. It took with it memories of four wonderful years spent in learning and living at Massachusetts State College. It brought to the world outside men and women who possessed eager minds and physically well-equipped bodies. Upon such as these will rest the decisions to be made for a lasting peace after this world conflict has ended, and the construction of a secure post-war world. 21 ]

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last and only Spaghetti Bowl game in Florence, Italy. Lieut. Colonel Al Gricius ' 37 has served, on special assignment, in almost every theatre of operations throughout the world. Now, in China, he has written, I ' ve gone to several Chinese parties and am quite an expert in my manipulation of chop sticks. I have only fifty grease spots on the front of my blouse from food that didn ' t stick to the sticks. Lieut, (j.g.) Herbie Click ' 39, USNR (son of Professor Click), wrote from an island in the Pacific, I wish you could have been here on Christmas Eve (1944). You would have seen Massachusetts State men assemble: Lieut, (j.g.) Herbie Howes ' 39, Ensign Johnny Bemben ' 39, and Lieut, (j.g.) Frank Stanne w ' 40. We had a grand old time talking of college days. Lieut. Bob Allen ' 35 is in France. At Thanksgiving time (1944) he and his men invited all the kids in their village to share Thanksgiving dinner with them. Each youngster had all he could eat of turkey, and a candy bar to carry home. Bob thought it was a wonderful Thanks- giving. T Sgt. Dick Smith ' 45 is overseas. His father, Dr. C. A. Smith ' 11, has written that Doric Alviani would get a kick out of learning that Dick was a member of an Army choir and glee club organized from the personnel within his particular outfit. Major Al Irzyk ' 40 received a battle- field promotion to a lieutenant colonelcy early in 1945. Al ' s justified pleasure in the promotion was completely overshadowed by his joy when on the very day of the promotion his younger brother, Lieut. Arthur Irzyk w ' 44, was assigned to his Al ' s, outfit. The brothers had not seen each other for nearly two years. Lieut. Nancy Luce ' 40, WAC, has been overseas for more than year — on opera- tional assignment in the Army Air Corps. She has written, I don ' t believe I will ever forget the day of our Men ' s first trip to the big ' B ' — none other than Berlin, nor the day they flew the ' double- header, ' the occasion when our bombers went over enemy territory, dropped their loads, returned to the base, reloaded and were off again on their second mission of the day. Lieut. Gil Santin ' 43 who was co- captain elect of the football team at College before he left State to join the Marine Air Corps has flown more than 90 missions against the Japanese. He is a member of what has been called a very hot Marine squadron, the famed Fight- ing Corsairs. 23