August 18, 2005

Like we always said..."Our officers were just too serious".

rollie

Hi Rolly,
I've enjoyed the new postings and photos on the site. The e-mail from Robin Best mentioned Doug McMasters. His name was Dan. Also not sure of spelling of last name - McMasters or MacMasters. Everyone called him Mac. I sent Robin an e-mail about that and also asking him about the name he mentioned - Rosy from East St. Louis. Anyway Dan and I and some civilians formed a folk group and played around town. Even after I was discharged from the army, I came back and did a gig with these people at a local bar that was run by the mafia. Dan Crary also was with us for a short time - he was the only one that went on to become somewhat famous as Deacon Dan Crary. He was a divinity student at the time - maybe I corrupted him. I would love to know what happened to Mac - he was from an eastern state is all I remember. The other people were Emily Goetz, Jo Ward and Larry Solter. I'd love to get in contact with them as well.

I've looked at those photos of myself, guitar and Lynn and I can't remember the situations at all - looks like an army party tho'. The one with the guy playing the piano I remember a little.  He was a very good player. Sitting on the couch is Bettie Wiley (did you remember that she was a professional singer as well as a AHTNC employee?), not sure of the middle person and Lynn.

Lon Gilbert

Letter from Phil Sturholm - Monday, 20 December 2004

 

Janet and Phil with grandkids Travis, Jessica and Aaron

Dear Rollie and Carol:

What a treat it was to get your Christmas card - - -I enjoyed your web site immensely and I have to say it was one of the most delightful surprises of the year. It really was. More important, I saw a number of your photographs on the web and I was most impressed. I'm certainly not surprised, Rollie, just impressed.

I remember vividly you working in the AHTNC darkroom - - - Bart sitting at his desk reading his newspaper or magazine - - - the wet photo prints beings pushed out of that little hole in the wall.

While I didn't know any better, I did worry some about you and the others as you processed the prints - - - with all the vapors coming from the developer, acetic acid, etc. It always seemed to me the vapors were strongest in the morning when you first started your day. I do recall that you guys occasionally wore gas masks when you made up new chemicals - - - but I always wondered if the chemicals were harmful any way? I certainly hope not. Running the 16-mm film processor didn't seem to have any effect on us - - - but wait a minute ... I'm a bit overweight. Maybe I walked too close to the photo chemicals.

You know, Rollie, I finally gave up my Hassleblad and my 645 Mamya and traded them in for a digital camera - Nikon. Not the big expensive one but the $1000 model. To be perfectly honest, I never was good at still photos - - -I did OK shooting motion picture film and then videotape.   But with all my travels, I always carried a 2 1/4 Rollei. When we switched to videotape, I stored my larger format cameras and bought three 35-mms. Again - I used them for fun not for business. I'd have died trying to make a living as a freelance still photographer.

You'll find this a bit strange, but I made sure all twenty-five of our motion picture photogs also carried 35-mm still cameras. We did use them a bit for promotions and trips overseas ... but I figured we all needed to carry a still camera in the event we didn't have our movie camera handy.  With our helicopter on top of our TV station, I probably shot and dropped off more than a few hundred roils of 35-mm film of fires, accidents and the like — and allowed the local newspaper to use the photo if they credited our newsroom.

Now I'm looking at this digital Nikon - - - wondering what in the world I'm going to do with that? My wife has a digital and she's absolutely phenomenal using it. I get more than my share of "blurry photos" because I'm too accustomed to the click of the shutter. Click and move is not the way of the digital. Maybe the cameras you guys use can capture the image immediately - - - but on my camera, there's a "lag" between pushing the button and when the photo shows up on the camera's TV screen.

I prattle on - old people tend to do that - but I was so impressed and delighted receiving yours and Carol's card, I at least wanted to extend my sincere thanks. Thanks for remembering me - better still, thanks for the memories of the AHTNC. I'm glad I decided not to make a career in the Army - - - but extremely happy I served in the Army and worked with people such as you and the others. I think of you guys often and I'll continue to do so as long as I live. Thank you Rollie, it truly was a pleasure to hear from you and to share memories. Good luck and-God bless.

Letter from Kenn Kerstetter - December 26, 2004

Hello Rollie,

What a surprise to get a Christmas card from you. At first, your name did not register, but then the spared part of my long-term memory kicked in.

My brother had told me that there were works underway to restore connections—at least informational ones—with those of us from AHTNC days. Although most of those days have faded far beyond my retrieval ability, I still do have some of my all-time favorite memories still ready to call up. For me, those were some of the most enjoyable days of my life—in spite of the fact that Uncle Sam thought we were waiting for a call to real Army duty.

I would be very pleased to hear about your life since those seeming-prehistoric days at Independence and Hardesty. If you have time and the desire, drop me a line.. ..or even much better a long letter.

I'm going to take the easy route by enclosing our annual Christmas letter. Although most of it will mean little to you—and some of it you may find unbearably corny—it will give you a glimpse of my present.

In a nutshell (which probably is an apt expression for my life now that I think of it), I started teaching English at Olympia (WA) High School in the fall of 1962 and retired after 31 years in 1993. During about 25 of those years, I served as chairman of the department as well as teaching. I was prompted to retire when I found out I had bladder cancer. Fortunately, the cancer decided to retire as well. I go for annual checkups (nasty camera invasions) once a year, but so far there has been no return of the pesky tumors. In 1983,1 had a scary bout with melanoma so cancer is not my favorite mental image.

After I retired, I started working with incarcerated youth in a group home. There are 16 young men housed there ranging in age from 14-21. They are serving out the final phase of their juvenile sentences (from a few months to more than two years). Although the young men have been convicted of anything from theft to murder, we are able to get them in school and/or work in the community. My official title is case manager/administrator; however, my main function is counselor and loving grandfather. (Have you been able to adjust better than I have to apply such a hoary-headed, wrinkled image to yourself?) Time is a terrible thief. I wonder sometimes if I remain with the young just to fool myself. After all, vicarious experience can certainly be more satisfying at times that reality itself.

I'll sign off before you reach the point that you will wish you hadn't been so thoughtful as to drop a card of introduction to me.   Thanks again, friend.

In renewed friendship,

e-mail from Glen Elsasser - 12/19/2004

 

 

             Glen and Kay Elsasser at son Dan’s graduation

 

Great to get your Xmas card. Let me update you on myself during a year spent too muchly  with doctors. Retired from the Chicago Tribune full time in 2002 after nearly 40 years. Most of my  career was spent in the Washington Bureau, where I covered the Supreme Court but still write  features.  I left the AHTNC three months early in 1960 to attend the Columbia Journalism School Worked briefly Indianapolis before going to the Tribune in February 1963. Transferred to the  New York Bureau (got my picture on pg.1 of the NY Daily News). I won the ABA’s Silver Gavel  award in 1979 for a story on the Supreme Court.  A mini bio in Who’s Who provides a rundown. My work is also available on Goggle, Lexis-Nexus  and Infotrac.
My wife, Katharine Macy Kersting  (Kay)  was a romance language specialist at the Library of  Congress.  Last year on our 30th anniversary we traveled to Cuba, a fabulous trip. Our son, Dan,  graduated from college in Connecticut this summer and is scouting for work on Capitol Hill.  Always  have kept up with Robins; have small parcel of stuff from AHTNC which will share. Used to  see RO Woods when he was in town for GM (his daughter came here after gradating from  Michigan.  Xmas cards began to be returned so lost track of him. Visited Bob Baldwin years ago  at the Fire Academy  in 1994 was in Chicago and called Evelyn who told me about his death. She  was still  living at the old homestead on S Union St. near Archer; proud of two sons and a  daughter all  grown up and some married. While walking down the street in New York in the  mid-sixties, ran into  Dick Stevens who was sent to Korea in 1959.  Does anyone remember Bob  Pinto from the  Bronx who was sent to West Germany in ‘59; he mourned the AHTNC, but he  visited Truman at  his new Library, who said it would be good for him.  Do you remember when we  used to see  Truman around KC?  

I loved KC, I remember seeing Maria Callas in concert there and  such old  Theater names as Katharine Cornell and Miriam Hopkins  all for now  will send you a  picture of the Elsassers at son’s graduation.

 

Glen

P.S.  I have had a mustache since 1972.

 

Glen...

We all loved Kansas City...I returned in July this year and took my grandson around with me to some of the great places...the fountains...the zoo...Starlite theater...the KC museum...the Plaza...that hillside that overlooks the airport downtown....and the now Mc Donalds that is just down the street from the corner of Independence and Hardesty....My grandson, Josh, is only 4 and probably won't remember to much about the trip, but we had fun and the real plus was we met up with Dixie and Durward for an afternoon.  KC has changed, but there are still many reflections of the time when we were there and good memories. 

rollie

e-mail from Joe Huzl - 12/16/2004

 

CHRISTMAS GREETINGS TO ALL STATIONED AT THE AHTNC!!!

ROBIN, I DO BELIEVE THAT THE SNOW STORM WAS IN 1961 AND I REMEMBER HAVING
SOME PICTURES OF THE CARS IN THE PARKING LOT COVERED WITH SNOW.  I'LL KEEP
LOOKING FOR THEM.  I NOW HAVE 15 DAYS BEFORE RETIREMENT (that is equal to
360 hours).  Can't wait.  

 

AGAIN, TO ALL HAVE A SAFE AND MERRY HOLIDAYS.

JOE HUZL

e-mail from Robins Best  - 12/12/2004

 

Merry Christmas to all!

Does anyone remember the Xmas Kansas City had a blizzard?  All the eating places closed.  The electricity went off.   Someone put a pool cue throught the TV set, (black and white those days, we were saving up for a colored one).  We were cold and hungry with only half a bottle of scotch to drink (and nothing to eat) all day.  Probably 1961?

Some names--Sgt..... Stemper,  Bob? Mattison,  Don or maybe Doug Mcmasters (he was into folk songs)  and who was Rosy from East St. Louis?

 

Robins

 

Note: I have added these names to our list of personnel ...if you have any thoughts on these names please let me know.                                                                                                                                                                  rs                                                                      

Will Nicoll, Jr. reporting for duty:

Shortly before my discharge in Dec. 1960 I met a girl. Nicole was born in Paris , France in 1939 and came to this country in1946. In Kansas City her name was changed to Nicole Nicoll Sep. 1961.

I was employed by TWA administrative offices for 35 years, retiring as a Senior Accountant in 1996 at the age of 61. We live in Prairie Village , KS . We have three children:

Will - he lives in Iola , KS , recruiter for Kansas Army National Guard, 2 children,

Nancy - she lives in Paris , France with her husband and 3 children, they are involved with Campus Crusade For Christ,

I’m sure I can dig up a few old photos.

Signing off,

SP4 Nicoll

Nicoll@PlanetKC.com