When the floating survivors were finally spotted on Aug. 2, only 316 were rescued out of a crew of 1199. Morgan said that another of the crew was also a Kuay graduate, but did not survive.

According to Neal Vonada, '45, about 30 men were at the lunch on the 27th. Cliff Skelton, '46, organizes the lunches which began about 1956. They are based, though not exclusively, on the fellowship of those who went to the YMCA's Camp Orkila during the '40s. Among those present were Lowell Knudsen, '47, Dick McGee, '44, Bill Sears, '47, Lynn Gaston, '46, Gene Morgan, '39, Bill Tobin, 45, Robert Johnson, '45, Tony Munko, '46, Bob Johnston, '47, Dean Perterson, '47, Jack Perreault, '43, Al Miller, '47, and Dick Kraabel, '49.

The next of these quarter luncheons is on Thursday, June 19. Between e-mail group listing and the internet, more attendance is anticipated. To be reminded each time, send your e-mail, name, and year of graduating to Neal Vonada at grandpatime@comcast.net or call 206-365-4340.

Finally we've learned of QA women having lunch together regularly. According to Carolyn F. Smith Black, "There is a group of us who get together every month for lunch from our class. We number anywhere from 4 to16. I am the scribe, and anyone who wishes to join, please email for directions."

That's all the detail we have for the present. You can e-mail Carolyn at cblack@gnrac.net to find out where and when the next get-together will be.

A Queen Anne student for whom we had no records has been identified as a Vietnam causualty by classmate Bob Balder, 68, who informed us that Craig, a helicopter pilot, died in 1970. According to the Faces From the Wall website, Craig was an Army Chief Warrant Officer, who died on May 5, 1970, in South Vietnam. We have received further information about Craig from his widow, Beverly Davis Allen, '68. Craig did not pose for a Senior photo, but Beverly will be sending us a photo of Craig from Army basic training. Click here for the new Craig Fox page.

Relatives of Rolf Jorgensen, '63, and Jack O'Brien, '64, have contacted us or Darilee Bednar of Faces on the Wall recently, and we will soon be adding information supplied by them. Jack's sister, Kathy O'Brien Dennis (a '66 graduate of Holy Angels in Ballard), told us that Jack earned the Silver Star in Vietnam and that their mother is now 91.

We will also be adding to Robert Leisy's page. We now have the text of his Medal of Honor citation and other information about the award.

1/15/03: Long-time Alumni Board Member John Hennes, '51, has supplied us with more information about Queen Anne High's Viet Nam casualties. Below are two stories from past editions of the KUAY, one focusing on Medal of Honor recipient Robert Leisy and other '63 casualties, the second telling of certain graves in Mt. Pleasant cemetery. Hennes points out that the Reserve Center at Ft. Lawton is named for Leisy, and there are tiles at the Center provided by the Class of '63 to recognize their classmates, but entrance to the Center is more difficult these days because of the increased security. The other '63 casualties honored at the Center are Gary Eddy, Rolf Jorgenson, and John Stewart. (There is some confusionabout the spelling of Rolf Jorgenson's name. On the plaque at Blaine Junior High, it is Jorgensen, but it is Jorgenson in the '63 yearbook and in the alumni database. Gary Eddy is on the Blaine plaque but does not show up in the '63 yearbook nor the alumni database.)

In addition to the graves of Eric Herold, '65, and John Stewart '63, Mt. Pleasant Cemetery is the gravesite of George Hightower, '60, though only Herold and Stewart are described in the second story below.

Following are the two previously published stories.

Class of '63 Honors Fallen Warriors

The Vietnam War affected Queen Anne grads of every generation. It cost lives in many classes in the '60s and early '70s. The Queen Anne Class of '63 last year chose to honor their fallen classmates by arranging for a grouping of commemorative tiles at the Leisy Army Reserve Center at Fort
Lawton.

The Leisy Center is named after 1963 grad, Robert R. Leisy, a Magnolia native who died in Vietnam and subsequently was awarded the Medal of Honor. [Hennes notes that Leisy was one of two Queen Anne grads to win the Medal of Honor. He died in 1969, "taking a grenade intended for his squad but enabling them to withdraw."] During their preparations for the 35th anniversary reunion of their class, Rick Malsed proposed that the class recognize Bob Leisy and the three other classmates who fell in the war. The tiles were enthusiastically supported by the class and honor Gary Eddy, Rolf Jorgenson and John Stewart, along with Leisy. In a ceremony last September, attended by classmates and military representatives, the tiles were unveiled and can be seen daily in the lobby. Malsed noted that, curiously enough, all four deceased grew up on Magnolia.

Two Vietnam Vets at Mt. Pleasant

Mt. Pleasant is the final home of many veterans of American wars, from the Civil War to today. In this location are two of our community's young men who died on duty in Vietnam. Part of the host of America's youth who perished in that most troubling conflict, the Vietnam War. Both of these young men grew up on Magnolia, attended Catharine Blaine junior high school and Queen Anne high school.

Capt. Eric G. Herold was born in 1947, graduated from Queen Anne in 1965. In high school he ran cross-country and was in the science club. He was in the Sea Scouts, reaching the rank of Quartermaster (equivalent of Eagle Scout) for which he won a trip to Japan. At the University of Washington he studied oceanography and was in the ROTC, graduating in 1969 with his army commission. In Vietnam he was a "pathfinder" leading Vietnamese troops into battle. His medals include the Vietnamese medal of honor equivalent. He never told his parents of his various wounds until, in
November of 1971, in the Mekong Delta, he was critically burned while helping soak the bush with gasoline and it ignited from a spark. In a telegram from the hospital he wrote, "I am fine. Please don't worry. I love you. I'll be okay. Love, Eric". Two days later, at age 24, he died. His parents still live on Magnolia. His grave marker shows he was in Vietnam, won the Army Achievement Medal (AM), 3 Oak Leaf Clusters (OLC) and the Army Commendation (ARCOM).

PFC John L. Stewart was born in 1945, graduated from Queen Anne in 1963. In high school he sang in the choir and was on the Kuay newspaper staff. He attended Broadway Edison after high school. He began his tour of duty in Vietnam in January of 1968, and one month later was dead, age 23 years and two months. His grave marker shows he was in the 3rd Infantry, 11th Light Infantry Brigade in Vietnam, where he won the Purple Heart (PH).

A small memorial to these veterans and six other Catharine Blaine graduates who died in Vietnam is located in front of the school in Magnolia. The memorial has been updated and refurbished by Eagle Scout Tom Wall of Troop 80. It is easy to view military markers as long ago and far away. These two sites remind us that every war involves our own neighbors and possibly our own children. A long line of Americans who have given their lives for freedom and peace.