Sean Connaughton sends a happy report:
On February 18, 2023, I had the honor to attend the wedding of Lee Forsgren’s son Chris at the Ritz Carlton, Pentagon City in Virginia. Attached is a photo of Lee, his wife Janet, son Chris and new daughter in law Sarah. See you in September!

We had the PLEASURE this morning of joining CAPT. Mark Coynes out on one of Jacobsen Pilots new boats “Orion” for a ride.  Always enjoyable spending time with Mark, especially on the water.!!!

Bruce Garrott sent photos of a couple of his 2022 trips:
We became Pilgrims on the Camino de Santiago (Way of St. James) last May, at the end of an eleven-day bike trip.  The cathedral in Santiago de Compostela is in the background.  Debbie and I rode significantly more than the 200 Km minimum, as we started near the French border, north of Pamplona.  The other photo was taken at Omaha Beach, in late August.  We were on a Backroads bike tour of Normandy and Brittany.  That is a beautiful part of France, and they still remember what our nation did for them, 79 years ago.  If anyone is interested in that KP bike jersey, please reach out to me at .  I intend to place another order this summer.

Craig Ellixson posted photo to our Facebook group, “Representing whilst day trippin a coupla local parks. Pre big game meant little-to-no bodies on the trails or traffic on the roads.”

Speaking of Facebook, a wonderful classic photo was posted of an unofficial senior year event!

Mickey C reports that our September Reunion plans are moving forward, thanks to great participation. Reminder for you to check our KP83.org website for updates and to confirm and pay for Friday icebreaker and other activities as soon as possible. As of this column time, details still being worked out for our Saturday tailgating and dinner on Academy grounds.

Ray Christensen thanks you as always for your column contributions and I look forward to seeing most of you in September. I wonder if a certain famous painting might still be hanging in the Elliot M. See room while we are partying in Wiley Hall?

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:

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 C 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!