Doug Ullman shares his status:
Barbara and I purchased a brand new home in Clemmons, NC (just west of Winston-Salem, and moved in February. I’m still with GDIT as a Business Process Analyst, Senior Advisor/Master Scheduler, and head their Program Controls Center of Excellence in addition to leading the EVM & Scheduling Group for one of GDIT’s major clients, the Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services. We have two grandsons: George (coming up 6) and Charlie (2-1/2).

Lee Forsgren (former Deputy Assistant Administrator for Water at EPA and Assistant Administrator for Legislative Affairs at NASA) contributes:
Sean Connaughton and I have gotten through the election season. In doing so we did several fundraising events for several candidates. One event we did at Sean Connaughton’s house were fortunate enough to do one for a Kings Pointer Sang Ye ‘01. Attached is a picture of all the Kings Pointers at the event.  Photo includes Melissa Mejias ‘06 (worked with me at EPA), Sean Connaughton – Former Maritime Administrator, Secretary of Transportation in Virginia, Steve Blust ‘71 (former Chairman of the Federal Maritime Commission), Sang Ye ‘01, Lee Forsgen, Wes Sterns ‘93 (Real Estate entrepreneur)

A.J. Murphy sends news:

Had a good outing beginning of OCT, while over in New Orleans.   Put together a T/M for my brother Jim Murphy ‘73 and me to go over to Stennis Space Center in MS.  Met with the G.M. for Aerojet Rocketdyne – Mike McDaniel.  He hooked us up with a great tour of the NASA rocket test stands, where we were able to go up on the largest one. Which is 300’ tall.  As an aside, Mike Booth informed me that the huge crane at the top was installed by his former company American Hoist & Derrick. These stands have tested rocket engines from Apollo to the current Artemis moon programs. We met some true rocket scientists that explained what they do there.  We were lucky as there was a rocket engine in place for testing, making it even more interesting.

We also visited the production facility where the rocket engines are assembled.  It was interesting to see the technicians putting these together.  They even found that it was easier on the personnel to build them upside down!  In one of the photos with the Artemis engine, you see us putting our thumb prints on the nozzle.  This will send our DNA into space!

The second stop was Special Boat Team Two Two.  The civilian operations officer and former boat unit senior chief welcomed us “old timers” for a great tour of their facilities.  My brother Jim was in Coastal River Division Two Two in New Orleans as a reservist commanding Swift Boats after graduating in the seventies. I popped into the next generation, Special Boat Unit Two Two as a reservist in the late ‘80’s.  This unit is now an active unit for supporting SPECWAR and features the SOC-R riverine waterjet craft.  It makes you realize how the years have flown by when we looked at the C.O.’s listed in the quarterdeck area and we looked back who we served under.  Riverine Special Warfare years hold a lot of good operational stories from our reserve lives!

While in town, Gretchen and I were able to meet up with Jim & Anne Quern.  Had a lot of catching up to do with them and all the activities going on.

Bumper Kunkle shares:
Maria and I are settling in nicely here in Monterey, TN.  We met Tom and Sue Bodman in Nashville back in October (photo is attached).  They were on their way back to Florida from Montana.    Tom and Sue having fun traveling in their RV seeing our great country.
I got to see Steve Dear (KP’85) and Pete Brennan back in New Jersey in early November.  Unfortunately, the circumstance was sad, it was a memorial for Steve’s dad.  Mr. Dear was a great guy, friend, mentor, brother-in-law, and father to many KPers.  Klaus Rohr (’62), Gene Mattioni (‘62), and John Mattioni (’57) were the other Kings Pointer present.
Pete is living in NC with his wife Ella.   He is still the funny, witty guy we knew back in college.

Ted & Marie Hercamp vacationed with Tom & Martha Teefey at the Oasis at Death Valley. What an amazing place! We also spent some time in Las Vegas enjoying Miranda Lambert, High Tea at the Waldorf Astoria and dinner at the Prime at the Bellagio.   Of course not everything could stay in Vegas. Here is a picture of the guys with their new “fancy friends”. Fun times!

Ronda Cobb adds:
For National Wreaths Across America day on Dec. 17, 2022 I have been selected to represent the US Merchant Marine and our Academy Battle Standard at my local ceremony.  If anyone has not gone to one of these events, they are truly touching and inspiring.

Mickey Cunningham and our Reunion Team continue to reach out for contact info from many “missing classmates”. Please see that list at home page of kp83.org so we have a shot at seeing them at Homecoming. All will be informed as soon as date is set!

Jeff Kalb and Ed Fairbairn start us rolling:
We spent the week in Hilton Head biking, beach, pool and pickleball in mid-May. A great week to catch up along with our wives, Joanne Kalb and Mary Fairbairn. A chance to show off the awesome KP bike jersey on the trails of Hilton Head. Jeff and Joanne are in Cleveland Tennessee, Jeff is retired engineer at Whirlpool. I am still a support contractor at CACI, supporting MSC N71. I’ve been working with Mike Palmer from our class the past few years who was at MSC N71 and now retired working for Emprise Corporation on the same contract as CACI.

Phil Muller is also riding:
Becky and I went on a bike trip to the Algarve in Portugal and met up with Kirsten Wolfe McGonagle ‘85 and Peter McGonagle ‘84. We had a terrific time and enjoyed catching up since we had last seen each other on or around 1983!

Michael Donnelly reported from a small alumni gathering in Rhode Island on March 16th. Rex Brewer ‘82 was kind enough to host us at the Wickford Yacht Club. It was a nice event and there were even 2 people older than me there!

Lifted this Facebook photo of Rex Gundle & Mike Curtiss.

Susan Pawlukiewicz submitted “a great photo from the May Kings Point DC area golf outing at Westfields.” Brian Foy and Chris Thayer joined her.

Within the same week, Brian texted that “literally within one hour of your email, I run into Kevin Brofford going through security at JAX airport.” Kevin is a corporate pilot.

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Al Reeves celebrated his daughter’s wedding and made the day even more special by adding a class reunion to the festivities:

Well Ray I just completed the happiest day of my life with the help of my buddies from Kings Point! My daughter Allison was married to the love of her life in the northern part of Houston and I was blessed to have 7 KP classmates join me in that celebration. I want to say a few words about each in no particular order.

Scott McCauley honored me by flying in from Australia – we sailed together and have always been friends but I had not seen him since graduation!! What a treat he gave me by making the trip.

Tom Heberle and I also did a sea year and he came from Hawaii to help me celebrate. Is there a better man than Tom on the planet? If there is please point him out!

Chris Nixon came and as always made it a better experience just by his presence. His glass is always half full and I envy his outlook on life. He is the guy you always want around!

Jim Goulden honored me with his appearance. I have always looked up to Jim (no pun intended) and I am so proud to have him as a friend. He also somehow saved half my relatives from missing the ceremony but I’ll let him tell that tale!

Kent Morton was there and he is another classmate I look up to in so many ways it is hard to imagine. As I get older I grow in admiration for wonderful classmates like Kent! A gentleman in every way.

Stu Mill arrived and he is yet another terrific man. I always remember how smart Stu was as an Engineer at KP and it drove my career decision to never be a line Engineer for a career and have to compete with guys like him and Surratt😎. So I went into Operations at GE and things worked out!

Craig Ellixson was there and I knew him the least but I believe he and I will become much closer for reasons I won’t get into here. What a great guy to have for a wedding and party!!! He brought so much fun and joy that it was really incredible.

Well Ray the guys will be sending some more pics and maybe some words but I want to tell you that the words Kings Point Spirit live on my friend!!!!

Kent Morton adds:
Al said he was going to send you a note on his daughter’s wedding and KP attendance. I’ll add a few comments that Al might have missed as he was doing dad chores both before and after the event. Tom Heberle, Chris Nixon, Stu Mill, Craig Ellixson, Scott McCauley, and myself hung out on Monday. Unfortunately, Jim Goulden had to leave that morning. Great day on Lake Conroe in a pontoon boat. I note that as much as we tried to impress the young man who provided the orientation with the qualifications of this particular crew, he barely stifled a yawn. Water sports were followed by a fine steak dinner hosted by Al at a local restaurant. And no trip to Texas would be complete without a stop for brisket, which we made on our way to all our flights on Tuesday. Congrats to Allison, Jake, and Al for the special day.
        

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See more photos at the online version of this column at www.kp83.org Speaking of websites, here’s one I recently built that is transportation-related: AmericanTransport.com
Our 40th Reunion is next year. If you’d like to assist in any way, please contact Mickey Cunningham directly or thru Ray at