Barbara Wilkerson Donnelly, Joy Rubins Morris, Rainer Klauss, Bobby Cochran, Collins (CE) Wynn, Eddie Sykes, Don Wynn, Paula Spencer Kephart, Cherri Polly Massey
Contributors: The Members of Lee High School Classes of 64-65-66 and Others
These night football games are really making it tough on me trying to get the Traveller done. It is especially bad when you go to the game and your team looses!
Please include your class year with your e-mails.
T. Tommy
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Last Week's
Mystery Photo
Current Open Topics
Do you have any memories of a special something that you were given, but may not still have? Send in any graduation present memories you would like to share with your classmates.
Do you have a story about the first big thing you bought with money earned from your first real job, either during or after Lee?
What did you do or do you have planned for your 60th Birthday?
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This Week's
Mystery Photo
Another one of the classmates who attended the Birthday Bash has missed many get-togethers in the past. Who is he?
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Lee's Traveller Editor
Publishes Fourth Book -
Vows to Do Better on Traveller Now
by Tommy Towery
Class of '64
For the past year almost, I have been two-timing my Lee High School Classmates. Though most of you thought that all of my spare time was spent putting out this paper, in fact, many hours were dedicated to collecting and editing stories for and about my Air Force B-52 friends.
This latest project was completed a few weeks ago and with the delivery of the finished product last week, many hours of spare time will be freed up in my life once more.
With the same dedication that I give to my Classmates, I approached my Air Force buddies in mid-summer of last year and suggested that they write a story or two about the time they spent as a B-52 crewmember in the Air Force and I would take all the stories and combine them into a book and get it published. I figured everyone had at least one story to tell, but few had the training and skills to get those stories published. I volunteered to do that, if they would just write their stories Well, my friends told their fiends and the word spread and before I knew it I had 17 contributing authors and a 197 page book project in my hands. With a lot of work I completed that job, got it printed, and have so far delivered or sold almost 500 books. "We Were Crewdogs - The B-52 Collection" was quite a success in our small circle of friends, and their are less than 75 left from the second printing.
Many of the people who did not get their stories in on time for one reason or another wanted a shot at doing something for a second book. So, I agreed to edit and publish a volume II of the book if people would cooperated and started collecting stories in February of 2006. Well, friends told friends who told friends again, and for this book, I collect 58 stories from 30 authors. The edited project turned out to be a 339 page book, almost 1/3 again bigger than the first one.
My concept was that I would edit it and have it printed and each author could buy as many copies as he wanted at cost and then do whatever he wanted to do with them. No one would receive any royalty payments on the books, since they would not be sold in stores. Most of the first volume ended up as gifts for family, friends and old crewmates. Many went to the 8th Air Force Museum's giftshop at Barksdale AFB, LA.
When the order was made to print volume II, almost 400 were pre-sold to the authors and I bought a bunch to sell on eBay.
"We Were Crewdogs II - More B-52 Crewdog Tales" includes a story by a crewmember shot down in a B-52 over New Mexico in the early Sixties by a New Mexico Air National Guard fighter, a guy who ejected from a B-52 in a typhoon and was rescued by a submarine in the Pacific, and a fellow who watched a B-52 crash after taking battle damage during the Hanoi bombing campaign called Linebacker II.
It was a very interesting project and already people are begging for volume III, but that is not being planned yet. Right now I am happy to get back to where I only have to worry about writing enough stuff to put out the Traveller each week.
I did create a website for the B-52 crewdogs and if you are interested it is located at http://www.wewerecrewdogs.com.
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From Our
Mailbox
Subject:Reunion Picnic
Rose “Sharon Towery” Linsky
Class of '65 (not '64)
The photos of the picnic are great – thank you so much for sharing them with us (as usual, I forgot my camera). Although we arrived a little late, we still enjoyed ourselves very much and, indeed, will try not to miss any more reunions. By the way, I was a member of the class of “65 – so I will get to help celebrate again next year!!!!
I had forgotten how very beautiful and scenic Monte Sano is – I remember Brownie scout day camp outings there as a child, as well as family reunions spent in the pavilion area. My brother, Bryan, remembers trekking down the mountainside and exploring the old ruins of a previous resort area that was once located there.
In any event, the atmosphere was collegial and very enjoyable. Judging from the expressions on everyone’s faces, I dare say a great time was had by all! Thanks to all of you who made it possible!
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Subject:Birthday Party
Linda Taylor
Class of '64
Hi Tommy and All that were at the weekend 60th Birthday Party. I really hated to have missed the 60th Birthday Bash! …..and the Saturday night party. The long-time missed classmate is Gordon Maynard and wife Annalee. The photos were so much fun looking over and enjoyed seeing photos of those that haven’t been before or lately. Barbara Seely Cooper and I have celebrated a “few” birthdays together over the years, some really fun special ones since our birthdays are one day apart, but we were both struck by the very real event of it being our 60th!! I don’t think either of us have moved passed this yet!! It could take a couple of years!!
It was a tough decision, but I opted for a week with friends at one of my highly listed places to visit, Zion National Park and hiking The Narrows and Angel’s Landing. I also got my first view of the Grand Canyon (saw the 2nd largest in Namibia before ever getting to see ours) from the North Rim and then to Albuquerque for the Hot-air Balloon Fiesta.
“The longer the time it takes you to get there, the more you appreciate the experience.”
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Bobby Cochran, Class of '64 -That has to be Gordon Maynard!!!
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Carolyn Taylor, Class of '64 - I believe that is Gordon Maynard. I stopped by the picnic and he was one of the few people I recognized. It was good to see you again and the ones I knew. Redstone won't let me go to the photos, sorry I didn't get to see them.
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Gale Thompson, Class of '64 - Gordon Maynard. We had a long talk on the mountain. He has a beauiful wife.
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FOR THOSE WHO TAKE LIFE TOO SERIOUSLY
Submitted by Bob Walker, Class of '64
1. Save the whales. Collect the whole set.
2. A day without sunshine is like...night.
3. On the other hand, you have different fingers.
4. 42.7 percent of all statistics are made up on the spot.
5. 99 percent of lawyers give the rest a bad name.
6. Remember, half the people you know are below average.
7. He who laughs last thinks slowest.
8. Depression is merely anger without enthusiasm.
9. The early bird may get the worm, but the 2nd mouse gets the cheese in the trap.
10. Support bacteria. They're the only culture some people have.
11. A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
12. Change is inevitable, except from vending machines.
13. If you think nobody cares, try missing a couple of payments.
14. How many of you believe in psycho-kinesis? Raise my hand.
15. OK, so what's the speed of dark?
16. When everything is coming your way, you're in the wrong lane.
17. Hard work pays off in the future. Laziness pays off now.
18. Everyone has a photographic memory. Some just don't have film.
19. How much deeper would the ocean be without sponges?
20. Eagles may soar, but weasels don't get sucked into jet engines.
21. What happens if you get scared half to death twice?
22. I couldn't repair your brakes, so I made your horn louder.
23. Why do psychics have to ask you for your name?
24. Inside every older person is a younger person wondering what happened.
25. Just remember - if the world didn't suck, we would all fall off.
26. Light travels faster than sound. That is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
27. Life isn't like a box of chocolates... it's more like a jar of jalapenos, What you do today might burn your butt tomorrow.
