The message forum is an ongoing dialogue between classmates. There are no items, topics, subtopics, etc.

Forums work when people participate - so don't be bashful! Click the "Post Message" button to add your entry to the forum.

Janie Albright (Blank)

u

Janie Albright (Blank)

Kathy Wintering suggests some libraries have old phone books where you could look up the address of the barbershop but I think just calling Eddie is best bet. He's 68. Larry Foster said he used to live in Cincy so stands to reason he could be living in Kentucky. 

That area across High Street on West side was called Sharon Springs.  Besides Ridolfos, I think Larry Rieger and Karen Schirtzinger (two others who did not go on to Watterson) lived there.  Also Fr. Byrne lived there until about 1964 when the new rectory was completed.  

Alan Standish

Hey guys-  Janie, you're right- It was spelled with an i.  I didn't think it looked right with a u!  Also- Mark, I don't remember much about playing football at St. Mike's- just baseball.  I do remember that Chips Gelpi of Swan Cleaners sponsored a team about then and we all went out  to his house on Olentagy River Road and the Gelpi family provided uniforms and a field to play on.  I can't remember who our competition was, but think Dick Ambrose coached us.  Does that sound right, Jodelle?

David Fredericks

Janie...my original mistake on the spelling of Ridolpho.  Thanks for the correction!  (I believe that's a two stroke penalty.)

Janie Albright (Blank)

Ok so who is going to call him? Our August 26 get together is ostensibly to celebrate our 55th reunion from grade school and Larry asked if we could also invite those from grade school who didn't go on to or stay at Watterson. This is a great opportunity. I'd call Eddie but he wouldn't remember me. It needs to be one of you who went to the barbershop. 

Dave, I really hope you and Teresa can come that night and couple it with a trip to visit your little granddaughters. We all missed you at the 50th.     

Michael McLeod

Thanks for that link Mark. Just watching it made my hands start shaking. 

Lawrence Foster

The conversations about Ed Rudolpho/Ridolpho made me think back of a photo I sort of remembered in the 1963 Aquinas yearbook, our freshman year.  Fortunately Joe McCarthy had one and scanned this for me. Included in the pic are also Steve Roach, Brian Doyle and Jim Croyle who all went to IC.  I can't remember where Redmond and O'Brien went to grade school - might have been St. Catherine's.  As you might guess from his face Redmond was a funny guy.  

One other thing of interest is the spelling of "Rudolpho" which conflicts with what Janie has found and others have noted.  Even back then it was confusing!

Tim LaVelle  - I think I remember reading on one of the posts you mentioing Jim Croyle's name.  Do you have any contact with him or know about his goings on? 

David Mitchell

Mike,

I will be curious to see if the new Ken Burns series will include anything about the "Scout" pilots who flew the "Loach" helicopter in what we called "hunter-killer", or "pink"  teams. Almost nobody knows a thing about us, and almost no historical documentation. A couple of so-so books, and one very weak episode on the History Channel. I've spoken to several large groups of Vietnam Vets and only found about 4 or 5 guys in my whole life who have ever heard of us. I was directed by friends to contact Burns through my local PBS station 2 years ago, but was unable to penetrate that level of contact. Part of the mystery is that so few of us actually did it to tell the story, and many who have heard the story simply don't beleive us. My dad had difficulty grasping it until he met the rest of my platoon coming in off the flightline one afternoon on a visit from up country.  He was sort of dumfounded as it began to sink in. My daughter wrote a paper in a post graduate writing class in California about one of my episodes and received a reduced grade with the written comment, "This is ridiculous. This could never have happened."  Needless to say, I was livid!

I will also be curous to see how they treat the Cambodian incursion. Being there for that gives me a rather different point of view than what your newspapers were concocting.

*** Not yours specifically, but most American newspapers.

Janie Albright (Blank)

Dave Fredericks it looks like you have been vindicated on your spelling of Rudolpho! If that's the case though there's not a single listing in the US for an Edward Rudolpho. Only 13 total. 

Jodelle Sims

Alan, the Gelpi's lived off Riverside Drive on the Scioto River.  I don't remember the baseball team but the first Turkey bowl  (football game) was sponsored by the Gelpi's and played on their property.  The Gelpi's and Amorose's were cousins.  First came the Amorose house, then the Gelpi's and then my street, River Knolls.

Timothy Lavelle

Larry F. Sent you a private massage about Croyle. But I have sent many stalking type private e-mails to girls in our class and no one answers so maybe this machine just doesn't work???? Or maybe....no, couldn't be...

Everyone else except Larry...Larry is specifically excluded from this...Larry you cannot read this....stop NOW Larry!!!: check this out   http://landoflarry.com/

David Mitchell

I almost forgot to mention that my recent road trip "down east" included a stop over in the burgeoning metopolis of Pennington N.J, (pop. 2,000) home of the "Jackson Manor House", as fine of a country inn as I have ever stayed in. My host and I enjoyed a wonderful dinner at a local historic inn on the site of Washington's crossing of the Delaware. The host (a gentleman by the name of John)  was also very well and said to say hellow to all of you.

(only got to see Carol for a few minutes but she said to say Hi to Beth.)

My passion for travel has led me to some quaint places this past year or so. I also stayed in a quaint little country inn in the village of Upper Arlingon last fall and enjoyed a visit to the "Groff Inn" - run by a recently retired Doctor of Letters, and also a great place to stay.  

The one thing that was so refreshing about both of these places is the terrific "staff". They treat you like old friends of the family. 

Alan Standish

Thanks, Jodelle.  It was the Scioto River Road (not Olentangy), Dick Amorose(not Ambrose), and football(not baseball).  I'm losing more brain cells then I can afford to- not that I had that many to begin with!  Anybody  remember the circumstances,participants, or competition of the Turkey Bowls at the Gelpi's?

Michael McLeod

Thanks for the response, Dave.

And I bet Ken would have been very interested had you been able to work your way through to his team. One thing to be aware of it that his project will certainly open up a fresh dialogue, and there may be a place in there, somewhere, for the story you mention.

I have no doubt that many such stories slipped through the net -- that war had its particular challenges for the war correspondents of the day. 

Mark Schweickart

Dave,

I agree completely with Mike, and urge you to write up your recollections of those events. At the very least you have a captive audience here among your classmates, but I would guess there would be a much much larger audience interested in hearing what you have to say.

Joseph Donahue

Dave, I agree with Mark and Mike. You have a story that should be told. Write it down in diary form. I suspect that there will be significant interest in the Vietnam War as the documentary unfolds. Much of the story has been told but yours is a story that isn't widely known and/or understood. I think your experience could generate a good deal of interest.  If nothing else, I think we would be interested in your experience. Go for it!

Jodelle Sims

Alan, I don't think anyone on this forum would remember the Turkey Bowl.  It started on Thanksgiving when we were in grade school.  The boys would get together for a game of football, the Amorose's, Gelpi's, my brother Eddie and some of their friends.  I remember the Roebuck brothers playing,  The only ones in our age group were Jim Schultheis and Tom Fitzpatrick.  The game got bigger and moved to Worthington.

You were right about softball games, but it was at Scioto Park next to my old house.  

Daniel Cody

Dave. You have a compelling story to tell. Please do so

Michael McLeod

It seems to be unanimous that people want to hear your story, Dave. I'd be happy to help in any way. I'm sure Mark feels the same.

David Mitchell

Mike, Mark, Joe, Dan, et al,

Actually, I have sort of thought about it. But I have a few concerns:

A) I don't want it to take over this whole Forum conversation. I personally am having so damn much fun with all the different people and topics ranging from "light" to "heavy", that I dont want to spoil that.

AND IT'S ALL JANIE'S FAULT - SHE DID THIS TO US!

(In fact I wouldn't mind if we went back to the "Whetstone casting ponds".  LOL)

and, 

B) I recognize there are some who would find it distastefull or offfesive.

C) I also don't want to disturb sensitive memories of family members. We have a couple of those in our class.

But I promise I would limit it to just now and then, and also keep you safe from some of the really gruesone stuff. I have wanted to tell this story to people for 48 years, but had to keep it to myself - not for any security reason (our mission was NOT secret or covert) - but due to the lasting effect of negativity and some bitter insults about being a part of it. I organized a small reunion at a hotel out on Hilton Head a few years ago. We had not been together in 45 years and we all shared that no one had ever heard of us and our bizarre mission. I sort of resolved there and then to log some of this (if I had time, I'd do a book) and share it with anyone interested. Funny, it was despertely unpopular back then, but now people seem to find it quite intersting. Maybe that is the way with all history.

David Mitchell

Before I forget, Larry,

Both of your "colors" are beautiful!  You do as well with the words as you do with the paints.

Mark Schweickart

Dave,

You are no doubt right that your story may be inappropriate for the forum. In the first place it will be much too long for this format, but the important thing is to get it written. It may very well turn into a book length endeavor, who knows? Secondly, you do not want to have to self-censor the piece because you feel it too intense or graphic for something like this forum space. I suggest you just write it for yourself, first, and then for those out there who will be interested in this piece of history, which could be a considerably large audience. Then, when you have it ready, you can just send copies to the personal emails of those on the forum who are interested,  like I did recently with one of my plays. (By the way, did you ever take a look at that Jessie Frémont play I sent you?)  Or if it turns out to be more of a book length, it is fairly easy to self-publish it on Amazon as a book or e-book. Another thing to think about is possibly writng it as a screenplay. From the hints you have given, it sounds as if it could possibly make for a very taut drama, and knowig you, no doubt a fair amount of absurd humor as well.

Daniel Cody

There are few if any if our classmates who were not touched by the war. Whether we served, protested or defied the powers at that time we were all part of that conflict. I do remember Dave's conversation about the short life span of helicopter pilots.  That was a chilling revelation. Tell your story please regardless of where you choose to do so

Timothy Lavelle

Janie,

Just for me....please lie to me and tell me what I would likely rather hear! C'mon, be a pal!

I just discovered the "Where they live" geographic display on the main page of this website. I started looking at the map and saw someone lives in Washington! "Cool", I thought, "maybe someone to have a beer with." It turned out to be me. But having multiple personalities allows me to always have someone different to have a beer with, right? So, be a pal and tell me that this geo display has only been there for weeks and not seven years which is more likely. I was saddened to see the number 25 regarding those of our mates who have passed on. Hard to believe.

Also, Jane, since we can post pictures to this site, is it also possible to write a piece and post it as an attachment in case someone out there doesn't care to hear the ongoing adventures of "Big Phooey?" Further research has shown that he did not die when I thought he did, nor his idiot-in-chief Kerry Ahn. I also found out that Kerry Ahn was actually the very first half-Irish and half-Vietnamese convert to Phooeyism AND that she was named after a small piece of lost luggage. Strange world, what?

Janie Albright (Blank)

Tim- no need to fib! I added this feature the other day! I hope that makes you feel better. And you can always add a link to your blog on a post on the message forum. Upper right  second row down icon of chain link on messsage form. Hope you didn't think I was messing with you. Lol