West Point Class of 1969
It does not seem possible that it has been ten years since The Days Forward started. Hearing all the stories from Ernie’s classmates has been wonderful – some are funny, others more nostalgic and yet they all remind us of a time
in our lives which was filled with so much promise. Since I lost Ernie 1 1/2 years ago, it has helped me retain a connection with West Point and a lifetime of good memories which started there. I eagerly look forward to each article and treasure them.
Days Forward has enabled me to stay in contact with West Point, the class of ’69 and all the memories I cherish and garnered during the years I dated Mike (Taylor) and after we were married. The highlights of his 11 years of active service (followed by reserves) were three years in Europe and four years back on faculty. The experiences and people we encountered were incredible and only other classmates can appreciate the magnitude of that life. We continued to travel with the class years later and I’ll never forget these tremendous friends. When Mike passed in 2013 after a 5-year battle with cancer, I felt part of my world left with him but Days Forward has reminded me of the grandeur of West Point and the character and amazing feats of the Long Grey Line – especially the class of 1969.
I have been reflecting on what the days forward has meant to all of us. Not only has the website given everyone in our class the chance to read and enjoy memories of the experiences we have shared, but it has developed into an important archive of the collective experiences of our class during our unique point in history. Many people have written of the West Point experience and have had to do significant research to support their work. You are putting it all in one place, not only for our benefit but also for anyone who comes after us and wants to know what it was like and all the places we went. At the 55th reunion I just happened to be sitting with a classmate for dinner and realized that we had a common experience with the same general officer in two separate places, halfway around the world from each other. Those experiences should not be forgotten. Some of us made big contributions to history, others of us made small ones. All of them should be remembered. I appreciate your efforts to draw them out and memorialize them.
When I first heard about the concept for “The Days Forward”, I could actually feel the potential. I was raised in a Military family, one surrounded by relocations, separations, and the risks of flying. I knew my life was different from most kids and the feelings that came with it were different. I expected to be reintroduced to some of those feelings through “The Days Forward”, and I was not disappointed.
Not surprising for me, it was the classmate’s wife who talked about the beauty and importance of her friendships with other class wives, especially when their husbands were TDY or out in the field for days. Or worse. The wives knew there was danger, and we could feel it in the house. The bonds created by the wives were so important for all of us, regardless of our age. The friendships that carried over through the classmates, their spouses, and their children were real. They had our backs. We had theirs. It was real and it was a gift.
So, what seemed like the most tepid story was actually the memory that meant the most to me in my “Days Forward” readings.”
“The Days Forward” has been a great way to understand what my Army classmates experienced in their military journey. I went into the Air Force and saw only one classmate, who also went into the Air Force, during my military journey. I did not have the opportunity to re-connect directly with my classmates until I moved to Maryland in 1978. The Days Forward was a welcome journal of my classmates’ experiences once it was opened. It has also provided a vehicle for me to share with my classmates’ snippets of my Air Force Journey. We have a great class, and The Days Forward is an excellent vehicle to chronicle our accomplishments and experiences for classmates and our loved ones now and into the future.