The annual newsletter of the O\u27Callahan Society includes articles about Holy Cross\u27 commitment to a new GI Bill/Yellow Ribbon Program, updates for the HC NROTC Unit, summary of remarks by Vice Admiral Peter H. Daly USN, Deputy Commander Fleet Forces Command and announcement of change from O\u27Callahan Committee to O\u27Callahan Society

O\u27Callahan Society, College of the Holy Cross

English

College of the Holy Cross: CrossWorks

College of the Holy CrossCrossWorksO'Callahan Society Newsletters The O'Callahan SocietySpring 2010O’Callahan Society NewsletterO'Callahan Society, College of the Holy CrossFollow this and additional works at: http://crossworks.holycross.edu/ocs_newsletterPart of the Military Studies Commons, Social History Commons, and the United States HistoryCommonsThis Article is brought to you for free and open access by the The O'Callahan Society at CrossWorks. It has been accepted for inclusion in O'CallahanSociety Newsletters by an authorized administrator of CrossWorks.Recommended CitationO'Callahan Society, College of the Holy Cross, "O’Callahan Society Newsletter" (2010). O'Callahan Society Newsletters. Paper 5.http://crossworks.holycross.edu/ocs_newsletter/5News From the Unit & the Midshipmen Battalion  The HC NROTC Unit enthusiastically started the 2009-2010 academic year  with 60 Midshipmen, Officer Candidates, and Marine Enlisted Commissioning  Education Program (MECEP) students from 15 states.  The Midshipmen  Battalion consisted of 28 students from the College of the Holy Cross,  25 students from Worcester Polytechnic Institute, and 7 students from Worcester State College.  This year, the NROTC Unit was proud to have two Holy Cross freshman scholarship recipients  selected for the new Language Skills, Regional Expertise, and Cultural Awareness (LREC)         Program.  The successful fall semester included many annual events for the Battalion including the Military Excellence Competition, the Reach-The-Beach Relay Race in New Hampshire, and culminated in the 68th annual Navy and Marine Corps Birthday Ball.  The fall also included 14 members from the Battalion and Unit Staff participating in the 34th Marine Corps Marathon in Washington D.C.  The battalion won noteworthy praise for raising almost $11,000 for Wounded Marine Semper Fi Fund, the most by any single unit participating.  This is the second year in a row in which the NROTC Marathoners have attained that noteworthy distinction.  (Continued on page 3) O’Callahan Society  Spring 2010 Newsletter   Holy Cross Commits to New GI Bill/Yellow Ribbon Program  In August 2009, the College announced its commitment to assist veterans. It will provide $18,000 in scholarship aid to 10 veterans (or their dependents) that are eligible for education benefits pro-vided by the New GI Bill.  To be eligible, a service member must have been on active duty after Sept. 11, 2001.  If he or she served for at least six years, education benefits can be transferred to his or her dependents.   The law covers full in-state tuition and fees at any public college or university.  Benefits may vary due to the member‟s personal situation, including the educational institution  involved and the state in which it is located.    The College has agreed to participate with the Veterans Administration in the “Yellow Ribbon GI Education Enhancement Program”. This program is part of the New GI Bill.  It helps bridge the benefit gap for eligible students who chose private colleges. Under the agreement the VA matches, dollar for dollar, scholarship aid provided by the private college to the student.  The first students under this new program will enroll this fall.    For Holy Cross this gap is between$36,000 and $37,000 based on approximately $38,725 for      tuition and fees at the College versus $2000 at UMass Amherst, the highest in state tuition.  In    addition to the $20,000 in education benefits from the VA the eligible student would receive a housing allowance, a stipend for books and payment of fees provided by the VA.      For a veteran‟s perspective of the benefits to the College of having veterans in the student body  listen Michael Lockhead on National Public Radio (listen to what he had to say by visiting NPR‟s web page at http://www.npr.org/templates/player/mediaPlayer.html?action=1&t=1&islist=false&id=111511139&m=111511713).  Mr. Lockhead is Vice President for Administration Finance at the College.  After serving overseas in Army Intelligence, he used an earlier version of the GI Bill to earn his undergraduate degree and MBA from Boston College.  VADM Peter Daly ’77 Addresses Annual Dinner  The Society held its 9th Annual Dinner on Saturday evening of Fall     Homecoming Weekend. More than fifty members, midshipmen, special guests and friends attended. Board member Lester Paquin emceed the     program.   Vice Admiral Peter H. Daly USN, Deputy Commander Fleet Forces     Command was our speaker. He is the fourth in succession of active duty flag  officers to speak at the annual dinner.    In his remarks, Admiral Daly addressed the responsibilities of his role as Deputy Commander,    especially as they affect the men and women under his command.  He described a multi-hour     mission of a young Naval Aviator attached to an attack squadron on a carrier in the Persian Gulf.    She begins her day with a pre-dawn briefing and launch of her aircraft. On her long and demanding flight she must execute the intricacies of navigation and in flight refueling as well as complete of her mission culminating in a precision landing aboard ship.  The admiral conclude that she       represents the skill, professionalism, dedication and commitment of those who serve in our Fleet Forces.   Take a Mid to Dinner – Due to the generosity of individual members, the admiral enjoyed an      opportunity to meet with ten midshipmen who were guests of the Society.    Other special guests included Dr. Timothy Austin, Vice President and Academic Dean of the     College. Michael Perry, Vice President for Development, Suzanne Morrissey, Editor HC Magazine, Rev. Earle Markey S.J., College Liaison to NROTC Unit and Rev. John E. Brooks S.J., President Emeritus, Rev. Charles Dunn S.J., Vice President Emeritus, Mark Savolis, Head, Special             Collections and Archives, and Paul Covino, Associate Chaplain and Director of Liturgy.    Earlier that day Admiral Daly, his son John and his flag assistant LCDR Joel Lang attended the football game. They were the guests of Rev. Michael MacFarland S.J., President of the College. Calendar of Events  Commissioning May 28, 2010 8:00 a.m.  Hogan Campus Center   Reunion Open House June 12, 2010 9:30 – 11:30 a.m. Lower Carlin O‟Callahan Ward Room    Society‟s Annual Meeting October 2, 2010  10:00 – 11:30 a.m. 2010 Homecoming Weekend Hogan Campus Center  10th Annual Dinner  October 2, 2010  6:00 – 9:00 p.m. 2010 Homecoming Weekend Hogan Campus Center  Committee Becomes Society  The Joseph T. O‟ Callahan NROTC Fund Committee became a membership organization, now the O‟Callahan NROTC Society on October 17, 2009.    Approximately thirty people witnessed the formation of the Society on Saturday of Homecoming weekend. They included members of the original Committee, alumni of the Navy, Marine and Air Force ROTC programs dating from the 1990s to the 1950s and others.    An Interim Charter was adopted.  A Board that included an Executive Committee was installed. William Dempsey ‟63 and William McCarthy ‟76 were named Co – Chairs of the Board. Mr. Dempsey was also named Chair of the Executive Committee. The charter and a list of Board mem-bers can be seen on the Society‟s web page www.holycross.edu/alumni/services/ocallahan.    Liberal Arts and ROTC – Before taking the above actions, the Society sponsored a panel discussion titled “Liberal Arts and ROTC at Holy Cross”. The panelists were Rev. John E. Brooks SJ, Presi-dent of the College1970 -1995; MAJ Patrick Townsend USMC (Ret), Marine Instructor, Holy Cross 1978 -1981 and CDR William Dempsey ‟63 USNR (Ret) Naval Science Instructor, UCLA 1968 -1971.  In his prepared remarks Fr. Brooks notes the contribution of CAPT Harry Moore USN, Professor of Naval Science at the College 1970 -1972. Captain Moore (now deceased) led the Navy‟s effort to retain its unit at Holy Cross when ROTC programs were being banished from campuses in New England and else where. Fr. Brooks also describes his discussions with Air Force authorities regard-ing the value to the nation of military officers educated in the liberal arts. The full text of the panel-ists prepared remarks and additional material can be seen on the Society‟s web page www.holycross.edu/alumni/services/ocallahan.  News From the Unit & the Midshipmen Battalion (continued from Page 1)  With the warmer weather arriving on Mount Saint James, Spring is just around the corner and so is the 59th Annual Presidents' Review, the Joint Military Cotillion, graduation, and commissioning.    Commissioning- On May 28, the Holy Cross NROTC Unit will be bidding a fond farewell to the 10 members of the graduating/commissioning class of 2010.  The future Ensigns and Second Lieutenants of the US Navy and US Marine Corps include three Aviators, one Surface  Warfare Officers, one Surface Warfare Nuclear Program Officer, two Submarine Nuclear Program Officers, and three Marines.  Change of Command– This summer CAPT Ronald Harrell USN will assume command of the NROTC Unit from CDR John Bishop USN, Acting Commanding Officer.  CAPT Harrell will also assume his duties as the College‟s 24th Professor of Naval Sciences.  The new Executive Officer, CDR James Godwin USN will also report aboard before the fall term begins.    After three years as Executive Officer and one year as Acting Commanding Officer at the College, CDR Bishop is retiring this summer.  The O‟Callahan Society is very grateful for his efforts as the Unit‟s Liason to the Society.  We, in the Society, wish him fair winds and following seas.  Remembrances  LTJG John Patrick Connors WPI and NROTC ‟88  - LTJG Connors was killed in action leading a SEAL team in the December 1989 invasion of Panama. For more see Mark Stanovich HC „86 blog http://blog.usni.org/2009/12/19/ltjg-john-connors-usn.  USS Thresher- In early April, in Kittery Maine across the river from the Portsmouth Naval Shipyard, a ceremony was held honor-ing the duty and sacrifice of 129 men who lost their lives aboard USS Thresher (SSN-593) in the waters off Cape Cod.  LT JG Frank Malinski ‟61 had joined the ship‟s crew days before it sailed on April 10, 1963.  Society Co-Chairman William Dempsey and board member Lester Paquin attended the ceremony on our behalf.  LT JG Malinski has no surviving family members.  For more information on the USS Thresher, please visit http://www.oneternalpatrol.com/uss-thresher-593.htm  Attack on the USS Franklin - March 19, 2010 marked the 65th           anniversary of the attack on the USS Franklin (CV 13) off the coast of Japan. On that day, LCDR Joseph T. O‟Callahan performed his heroic deeds.  CDR Ernest F. Passero, S.J., Chaplin Corps USN (Ret.) has  recently authored and  published brief biography, “Joseph T.        O‟Callahan SJ, A Priestly Profile of the First Navy Chaplin to Receive the Medal of Honor” For more on Father O‟Callahan see www.holycross.edu/alumni/ocallahan.   First NROTC Class- Dr John R. Kilsheimer ‟45 of Edgewater, FL is a member of the original class commissioned from the College‟s NROTC Unit. He has published a book, “How the Navy and I Survived Each Other During WWII”.  In it he describes his experiences during two invasions in the Pacific.  He also details the strict regimen at Holy Cross when he was a student. The book is avail-able for purchase at www.amazon.com.   O’Callahan Executive Committee Members   Chair: William Dempsey‟63, CDR, USNR (Ret)       Rev. Richard T. Burton „81   Thomas P. O‟Keefe „75    James F. Delehaunty „67   Lester Paquin    Donald Fitzpatrick, CAPT, USN (Ret) John Tata, CAPT, USNR (Ret)    Alan Jackson, MSGT, USA (Ret)   Patrick Townsend, MAJ, USMC (Ret)    John T. Nugent ‟68, CAPT, USNR (Ret)  Richard J. Walsh ‟64, CAPT, USNR SC (Ret)     Sean P. O‟Neal ‟76, CAPT, USNR (Ret)  For the full listing of Board members, please visit our web page at  www.holycross.edu/alumni/services/ocallahan.html.  O’Callahan Society Online  Update your e-mail address by e-mailing the Society at ocallahan@holycross.edu to receive future communications form the Society including the newsletter and invitation to the annual dinner.  In your e-mail, state that you wish to be on the O‟Callahan Society e-mail list.  Visit our webpage at www.holycross.edu/alumni/services/ocallahan.html.   

2010 O’Callahan Society Newsletter

https://crossworks.holycross.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1001&context=ocs_newsletter

2010 O’Callahan Society Newsletter

Abstract

Similar works

Full text

Available Versions

College of the Holy Cross: CrossWorks