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POLARIS MISSILE FACILITY, ATLANTIC29 March 1960 - 05 January 1995 |
The POMFLANT Alumni, organized 8 years ago, is the only time most of us see each other during the year and the newsletters provide us information about our members. I feel strongly that the alumni should continue, however, after 8 years, I believe someone else should be head of the alumni. This is my last newsletter. I appreciate all the people who have helped and encouraged me over the years. However, it is time for a change. I know that there is someone else who would be perfect at planning the get-togethers and developing the newsletter. Volunteers should call me (873-4596) or e-mail me ( madams1202@aol.com) quickly so there can be an orderly turnover. I will distribute the names of all who volunteer so that all the alumni can vote for our next leader.
Jeyne Dixon (Bill Dixon's widow) has moved. After her mother died last July, she moved to a little town just out of Augusta, GA where her son and his family live. She enjoys being near family and especially grandchildren. Her granddaughter is 5 years old and takes ballet so she takes her for her lesson sometimes. They have great fun together. She would like us to keep in touch with her (Cjeyne@aol.com). Her address is Carolyn F. Dixon, PO Box 22, Blythe, GA 30805.
They joined a “Shagging on the Strand” (SOS) club with close friends from Little River, SC and traveled to North Myrtle Beach for the SOS Club dance and social outing for a week in May. Although rusty, and much less flexible than in their younger years, Shirley and Jim had a marvelous time dancing at Harold's Club and Duck's across the street. Staying over on Sunday, they and friends enjoyed the morning church services held on the boardwalk across from the Spanish Galleon. Everyone was so gracious and well behaved, and had such a grand time, they plan to return in September for the Fall Migration SOS event.
In July, Shirley and Jim spent a few days with Shirley's 84 year old mother in the Charlottesville VA area as well as some time with Shirley's sister and brother-in-law who live next door. Mom and family appear to be doing well. Upon departing VA, Shirley and Jim drove to Hockessin DE for a short visit with Jim's Citadel classmate and his wife, who are in the antique music box business. Jim's friend and his wife are originally from Williston SC and have visited Charleston a few times, staying in Jim and Shirley's Isle of Palms beach house when traveling through the area. The friend insisted that Jim and Shirley stay in their family lake home in Delaware, a short drive from the E.I. Dupont estate. After a whirlwind driving tour of much of the Delaware area and some of Pennsylvania, Jim and Shirley settled down in Hockessin for a half a day of examining and listening to rare self playing musical instruments in their friend's home. They viewed and heard most of the friend's $6 million instrument collection, and finally purchased a Pell “Showmans” Organ the friend had for sale. The organ plays music via air driven across wooden pipes, and has a self playing selection of 50 songs. It sounds much like a circus calliope their friend has, but not as loud. After packing their instrument in watertight protective wrapping they loaded the instrument into their truck and drove it back to Charleston to enjoy. Their next outing is a week cruise to Bermuda which is planned for the near future. Their children sort of take control and move in with the grandchildren to enjoy Charleston during their absence.
Jim and Shirley were guests of Shirley's childhood girlfriend and her husband in Vero Beach upon their friend's retirement, sale of his computer corporation in Washington DC and 3 year world tour on their 72' yacht. The couples' new $4 million Italian style home in a gated community on front beach is a lavish site to behold, as friends and guests were provided the grand tour. Guests, business associates, and their families from nearly every state were invited in for a combination New Year's party and house warming with full catering service, band, singer, evening dresses, tux and all. Jim and Shirley got a brief “taste” of the big money crowd, got to meet the owner of an aircraft company and a tour of his facility.
Jim and Shirley both are doing genealogy study of their ancestry, British and German. Being a seventh generation South Carolinian from the upstate, Jim has found his ancestors fought against the British in the American Revolution, as well as against the Union Army in the un-Civil War Between the States. A family grave site of his Mother's side (German and member of the DAAR) was discovered in Laurens county when discussing ancestry with an old family member, Robert Hand, from that area. The first Robert Hand from NC settled in June 1788 in Durbin Creek near Fountain Inn, SC following muster from the Revolutionary Army. The original Robert developed a very large plantation in Laurens County, slaves and all, but lost it during the period of Reconstruction. Both sides of Jim's family are long time residents of upstate SC, and Shirley's from Virginia.
Ron and Nancy Thomas write: Many of you have probably read this, but it speaks the truth and it is worth repeating. On behalf of my family and friends, we send our prayers out to all those victims, families, and friends of the 11 September 2001 acts of War committed against our great country.
Open Letter to those Terrorists:
Well, you hit the World Trade Center, but you missed America. You hit the Pentagon, but you missed America. You used helpless American bodies to take out other American bodies, but like a poor marksman, you still missed America.
Why? Because of something you will never understand. America isn't about a building or two, not about financial centers, not about military centers, America isn't about a place, and America isn't even about a bunch of bodies. America is about an idea. An idea, that you can go some place where you can earn as much as you can figure out how to; live, for the most part,
like you envisioned living, and pursue Happiness. (No guarantees that you'll reach it, but you can sure try!)
Go ahead and whine your terrorist whine, and chant your terrorist litany: "If you can not see my point, then feel my pain." This concept is alien to Americans. We live in a country where we don't have to see your point. But you're free to have one. We don't have to listen to your speech. But you're free to say one. Don't know where you got the strange idea that everyone has to agree with you. We don't agree with each other in this country, almost as a matter of pride. We're a collection of guys that don't agree, called States. We united our individual states to protect ourselves from tyranny in the world. Another idea, we made up on the spot. You can make it up as you go, when it's your country, if you're free enough.
Yes, we may be fat, sloppy, easy-going goofs most of the time. That's an unfortunate image to project to the world, but it comes of feeling free and easy about the world you live in. It's unfortunate too, because people start to forget that when you attack Americans, they tend to fight like a cornered badger. The first we knew of the War of 1812, was when England burned
Washington D.C. to the ground. Didn't turn out like England thought it was going to, and it's not going to turn out like you think either. Sorry, but you're not the first bully on our shores, just the most recent. No Marquis of Queensbury rules for Americans, either. We were the first and so far, the only country in the world to use nuclear weapons in anger.
A horrific idea, nowadays isn't it? News for you, it was back then too, but we used it anyway. Only had two of them in the whole world and we used them both. Many worked on the Manhattan Project. They once said, that right up until they threw the switch, the physicists were still arguing over whether the Uranium alone would fission, or whether it would start a
fission chain reaction that would eat everything. But they threw the switch anyway, because we had a War to win.
Does that tell you something about American Resolve? So who just declared War on us? It would be nice to point to some real estate, like the good old days. Unfortunately, we're probably at war with random camps, in far-flung places that think they're safe. Just like the Barbary Pirates did, urgh. Better start sleeping with one eye open. There's a spirit that tends to take over people who come to this country, looking for opportunity, looking for
liberty, looking for freedom, even if they misuse it. The Marielistas that Castro emptied out of his prisons were overjoyed to find out how much freedom there was. First thing they did when they hit our shores was to run out and buy guns. The ones that didn't end up dead, ended up in prisons. It was a big pita then (especially in south Florida), but you're only the
newest pita, not the first.
You guys seem to be incapable of understanding that we don't live in America; America lives in all of us! American Spirit is what it's called. And killing a few thousand of us, or a few million of us, won't change it. Most of the time, it's a pretty happy go lucky kind of Spirit. Until we're crossed in a cowardly manner, then it becomes an entirely different kind of
Spirit.
Wait until you see what we do with that Spirit, this time. Sleep tight, if
you can. We're coming.
God Bless This Country - UNITED WE STAND!
Since our last newsletter, I have received information that the following have died:
Bob Durden - died in April 2001. He was employed while at POMFLANT in the Planning Department. He was 72 years old.
Nancy Tenney (wife of Jerry Tenney) - died in May 2001. She was 63 years old. Jerry was employed with civil service at POMFLANT.
Jake Lemacks - died in June 2001. He was 68 years old. He was employed with Lockheed Missiles and Space Corporation.
Bill Alge - died in March 2001. He was killed in an accident cutting a tree. He was employed with Lockheed Missiles and Space Corporation.
Ellaree Hartman (wife of Bill Hartman) - died in October 2000. Bill was employed in the Planning Department.
Mary Detwiler (wife of Don Detwiler) - died in June 2001. Don is retired military and served at POMFLANT.
Lavera Byrd (widow of Ken Byrd - died in May 2001. Ken was in the Safety Department at POMFLANT.
Jimmie Price (wife of Mardis Price) - died in August 2001. Mardis worked in the Planning Department while at POMFLANT.
Pat Mathis - died in June 2001. He worked in the Supply Department.
Nate Logan - died in May 2001. He was a Lockheed employee working as a missile mechanic and planner.
Josh Ladson - died in May 2001. He was a missile inspector.
Jack Gignilliat - died in December 2000. He worked in the Accounting Division of Comptroller as Timekeeper. He was 77 years old.
Please keep us informed of any news about our POMFLANT family.
Please keep Ron Thomas and John Maney up to date on your e-mail addresses and or your current snail mail address and telephone number changes.
Keep Mary Adams informed of your address & telephone changes.
PLEASE SEND US INFORMATION FOR THE NEXT NEWSLETTER WITHOUT YOUR INPUT, I HAVE NOTHING TO WRITE ABOUT. Mary
