On November 11, 2020, the Class of 1960 Website honored veterans by publishing “Tributes” to classmates who served in the military. Our classmate-veterans wrote stories about all kinds of experiences in the armed services – tragic, comic, inspirational, mundane, horrific, educational, filled with loyalty to fellow soldiers, and patriotic. All of these articles are still available on this site.
This year, our coverage honoring veterans is expanding to include stories about family members who served the nation during World War II, Korea, Vietnam, Middle East, Afghanistan, and other armed conflicts. If you have already written about your own military service for this site, please feel free to write more or to write about family members.
Military action also impacts the lives of people on the home front, so we anticipate hearing from women in the class and from men, whether they served or not. World War II as well as Vietnam occupy a large area in our imaginations, both because so many of our relatives served all over the world but also because we lived through a part of these wars and, especially, the aftermath. Similarly, many of us have consumed dozens of books and movies plus explored war museums and monuments. Writing about these experiences can help us to understand them.
Send your stories to Marilyn (mbellert@niu.edu), Diane (ddzinn@aol.com) or Fred (elder@engr.wisc.edu). We are happy to assist those of you who prefer to deliver your story by telephone or by mail.
How do you find stories written over the past year by and about veterans? Here are three ways –
- Click on the links below.
- Select the Veterans Category on the Community page and see four pages of stories.
- Type a name into the Search Spyglass box in the website menu.
The “Tributes” listed below include photos and brief descriptions when available about each of the 62 veterans identified so far.
Popular Veterans Stories in 2020
- Floyd Watson – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/floyd-watson-looking-back-on-military-service/
- Jim Hamilton – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2021/01/sailor-airedale-jim-hamilton-1962-1966/
- Jim Lew – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/jim-lew-the-meaning-of-military-service/
- Ron Haun – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/ron-haun-serving-on-the-home-front/
- Tribute to Army Veterans – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/tribute-to-army-veterans/
- Tribute to Navy Veterans – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/tribute-to-navy-veterans/
- Tribute to Marine Veterans – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/tribute-to-marine-veterans/
- Tribute to Air Force Veterans – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/tribute-to-navy-veterans/
- Tribute to Army National Guard and Air National Guard Veterans – https://wichitaeastclassof1960.com/2020/11/tribute-to-air-national-guard-army-national-guard/
Following is a working list of veterans in the Class of 1960. Additions and corrections are very welcome!
- Lee Ayres – Army
- John Bailey – Navy
- Gerald Black – Marines
- Jim Brammer – Army, Judge Advocates Corps
- Larry A. Bryan – Army
- Gerald Burton – Army
- Dick Carlock – Army
- Bill Coombs – Marines
- Joe Cowan – Marines
- Ron Cuda – Navy
- Bob Dallas – Army
- Earl Dalrymple – Marines
- Jim Davidson – Navy
- Doug Denny – Air National Guard and Air Force
- Jack Dunham – Navy
- Ted Frieze – Navy
- Ron Gooden – Navy
- Jim Hamilton – Navy, 1962-66
- Chet Harris – Marines
- Ron Haun – Air National Guard
- John Herrington – Marines
- Tom Hickey – Army
- Ron Hillig – Navy
- Gerald “Jake” Jacobs – Army
- Ron Jeffries – Air Force
- Jerry Jones – Air Force
- Monte Johnson – Army
- Ric Knorr – Air Force
- David Kroenlein – Navy
- Chuck Lawrence – Army
- James Lew – Army
- Don Lowe – Army
- Virgil Masolfe – Navy
- David Miller – Army
- Rick Mittelstadt – Marines
- Dick Neal – Navy
- Allan Lynn Nelson – Air Force
- Bill “Pinky” Nelson – Army
- Duane Nelson – Marines
- Mike Pace – Army National Guard
- George Palmer – Navy
- Ed Pearson – Marines
- Bill Pinkerton – Air Force
- Tom Propps – Army
- Melvyn Richardson – Army
- David Robinson – Army
- Wayne Sellers – Navy
- Phil Shehi – Air Force
- Pat Stevens – Air Force
- Mick Sullivan – California Army National Guard
- Bill Thompson – Army National Guard
- Dan Tontz – Army
- Don Trees – Navy
- Ron Troy – Air Force
- John Van Slyke – Navy
- Tom Vosper – Army
- Gary Wagner – Navy
- Bob Wallick – Air Force
- Floyd Watson – Army
- Wesley Wellborn – Navy
- Gary West – Navy
- Dennis Whitcomb – Army
- Diana Woodward Hagle – Army National Guard, Army Reserves, Judge Advocates Corps
- John Wright – Army National Guard
It is very interesting that Diana Woodward is the only female on this list. During the draft at the time we graduated from school, I felt it was unfair to require males to serve and not have national requirements for women. I felt a little bit guilty when I studied art and did not do anything in the way of national service. I believe that national support should come from all Americans. I congratulate Diana Woodward for her thoughtful service.
I salute all of the veterans want to add my name. I served in the army in 1964-66 and spent most of the time in Danang Vietnam.