Vol. VII, No. 3                                                                                            Dec, 2004

    SEASON'S GREETINGS
          

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                        About the 33^rd Army Band Alumni Association

   The 33rd Army Band Alumni Association is a not-for-profit organization that has been developed to provide a means for former members of the USAREUR Band to be in contact with one another via the quarterly newsletter Passing In Review and through periodic reunions.

    33rd ABAA CEO:  Frank Schlatter, 3111 Futura, Roswell, NM 88201.  E-mail: obfusa@rt66.com  Telephone number: 505-622-6898.  Fax: 505-622-1611.

    Webmaster for the 33rd ABAA internet site: Dee Tonning, 2265 Tawny Woods Pl., Boise, ID 83706.  E-mail: dtonning@aol.com

    Local Coordinator for 2006 reunion in Denver the third weekend in June: Greg Miller. 5252 Golf Course Dr., Morrison, CO 80465-2104. E-mail: greg-miller@comcast.net

   The organization's web site:     http://www.rt66.com/~obfusa/33rd.

   Persons who are not former members of the 33rd Army Band but who are interested in participating in the activities of the alumni association are welcome as associate members.  Annual dues for all members:  $15, payable to the 33rd ABAA and sent to the CEO. The normal dues cycle is from January to January.  

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YES, 'TIS THE SEASON...

   It's clear that the months of November and December for most Americans are the remembering time of the year.  Such is certainly the case for the editor of Passing In Review, and it is surmised that such is the case for those who read this newsletter.  The first page of this issue has been devoted to a song which is familiar to us all, whether we know the German words or not.  O Tannenbaum is a Christmas carol that, in some version, all of us probably sang when we were growing up, and if your childhood experiences during the holiday season were anything like those I had, you thoroughly enjoyed all the festivities.  You savored the odors that wafted from the kitchen and the delightful aroma of the Christmas tree.  You enjoyed the shopping bustle; the sounds of carols and songs like "Here Comes Santa Clause" and "Rudolph the Red-Nosed Reindeer" and "Silver Bells" on loudspeakers outside the stores; ringing of the Salvation Army bells; the decorated storefronts.

  And if you were like me, you gravitated to the department stores that carried a full range of toys.  In our town--- Peoria, Illinois--that was Block and Kuhl's, where the fifth floor was entirely devoted to what Santa could bring us for Christmas.  Of particular interest to me were the Lionel and American Flyer train layouts which featured trains whizzing around on those big 3-rail tracks, train stations that announced the stops, the crossing gates, the searchlights, and all the other train-related items that I hoped would somehow appear under our Christmas tree when Santa performed his annual miracle of putting several trains on a white platform on the floor that took up half our living room.

  Obviously, when Uncle Sam sent me to Heidelberg, Germany, in 1956, it was a real joy to be in the land where so many Christmas traditions had their start, and I admit to being mesmerized by the sights and sounds along the Hauptstrasse, the romance of the castle overlooking the city, and the charm of the Alten Brucke spanning the Nekar.  And when attending church service -- or even when the band was transposed into a chorus (as we were in the late 50's) -- how natural and wonderful it was to be singing such songs as O Tannenbaum in the land where they were composed.

  It is my hope that all former USAREUR Headquarters Band members have some delightful reminiscences of the holiday season(s)  you were with the 33rd!  I also hope you will feel free to share them with the rest of us who take pleasure in traveling down memory lane.   --Frank

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In Memoriam

George Heller, Tuba and Arranger with the band (Jun 67-Dec 68). Passed away in July
Richard Steinkoenig, Trombone (69-71) Passed away last year.

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    *Carmen Youra, daughter of Doug Youra (57-58) wrote to express her thanks for the "wonderful time we had at the Band Reunion!"  She expressed her appreciation for the organizing of the event, saying that the reunion was "magical."  She also said that "The hotel was grand, location spectacular, and the reuniting very moving!  I was so proud of my dad, oom-pah-pah-ing after all these years!"

    *Rick McFerron (75-78) also wrote to express his sentiments regarding the reunion and our projections for 2006.  He stated that he "thought our New Orleans gathering was great," and added "You can see that we voted you in as all-time, permanent coordinator/leader, etc. and I know I can express the appreciation of all of us for the work and energy you put into this organization.  It was good to see you and Carole and all the others."

    He then said the following :  I finally feel I have a few minutes to relax and reflect.  After the weekend, we returned to IUP where the campus was bustling with activity.  Nothing like Bourbon St., but still an interesting contrast to our relatively quiet summer.

    "I'll look forward to hearing what the plans are for the next reunion.  When we left Sunday, you were talking about a time of the year.  In our case, this weekend before classes is probably one of the worst times--perhaps this week would even be a worse time to travel.  But we made it, and we're glad we did.  For those of us who are still working and associated with higher ed. that's something to keep in mind.  However, many of us would be free to travel by late May and certainly early June.  Once we have some idea of the next gathering, we'll try to get some more participation from some of our 33rd colleagues from our era.  The Denver location will certainly pick up some that are local to the area and my hope is that others will find air travel to Denver fairly convenient.  Regardless of what happens, I'm sure we can have an enjoyable time--I just hope we keep the numbers high enough to continue to convene the 33rd Alumni Band!"  [Ed Note: We are projecting the third weekend in June for the Denver reunion.]

    *Jean Van Effen, currently with the USAREUR Band and Chorus, wrote to provide details of her current status.  She is a Master Sergeant, U.S. Army Chief, Plan, Operations and Training, and can be reached via e-mail at the following address:
           "Van Effen, Jean MSG (USAREUR-BAND)" <Jean.VanEffen@hq.1perscom.army.mil>

    *Dee Tonning (56-57) wrote to provide a picture of "a picturesque little cabin that we immediately fell in love with.  We are thinking about buying it and using it as our summer home.  The owner is somewhat reluctant to sell, but I think I can make him an offer that he can't refuse.  The cabin sits on the bank of the beautiful Pearl River and is an ideal location for boating and fishing.  The river and the surrounding area is teeming with wildlife, making it a true paradise."

    *Joe McGillis (74-76) wrote to indicate that he had "recently rediscovered the 33rd Army Band Alumni website and am interested in joining the Alumni Association."  Joe is an associate professor whose address is the Department of Microbiology, Immunology and Molecular Genetics, MS401, University of Kentucky College of Medicine, Lexington, KY 40536=0084.  His e-mail is jpmci01@uky.edu.  He has a webpage at www.mc.uky.edu/microbiology/mcgillis.asp

    Even though he was unable to attend the New Orleans reunion, Scott Phoenix (73-75) wrote to extend his congratulations to those who organized the event, saying that it sounded to him to have been "a roaring success--well, as roaring as folks in their 50's through 80's can make it!  The photos make it appear as though everyone stayed cool as a cucumber in the heat and humidity.  Some year I am hopeful of being able to attend a reunion but will probably have to wait until retirement, which is a few years down the road.  I do personally hope to thank you for all your efforts.

    *Tom Kerkman (57-58) provided us with his new address: 15863 Western Avenue, Omaha, NE 68118.  His new phone number is 402 614-3080.  He expressed his regret at having missed the New Orleans reunion, noting that they had moved the week prior to the occasion.  He said he was "Happy to hear the next reunion is in Denver!"

    Subsequent to the New Orleans gig, we learned that Roger Dickerson (58-59), who lives in New Orleans, was unable to attend the reunion because he had just undergone surgery.  [We hope Roger is now on the mend and will be able to attend the next reunion.]

    *Dick Prestage (57-59) wrote in mid-September to inform us that he was with the Tommy Dorsey Band and that later in the month the band would be playing at nearby Ruidoso, New Mexico.  As a consequence, Carole and Frank Schlatter (56-58) took in the gig, thoroughly enjoying the concert.  The three later drove to a local restaurant, where they had the opportunity to do some reminiscing.

    *The aggressive lymphoma assault on Marvin Schatz (56-57) has prompted numerous communications between the Schatz family and those of us who had been in the band at the same time as Marv.  Melissa Schatz, who had attended the Washington D.C. reunion, has been the point of contact for the Schatz family, and in her numerous communications she has noted how much Marvin's 33rd Army Band experience meant to him and how appreciative he has been in getting cards and communications from band members.  Marv was at Memorial Sloan Kettering Hospital but he is now at the following address: Marvin Schatz, Care One - Room #100, 68 Passaic Ave., Livingston, NJ 07039.

    By the way, if you happen to have any "Marvin stories", Melissa would very much like to have them.  Her e-mail address is: Mschatz10@aol.com .  In the meantime, Melissa shared some pictures that were taken during the Thanksgiving holiday, when Marv was able to accompany the family to a local restaurant.

    *Daniel Rickard (72-75) wrote to announce a website that 33rd ABAAers would be interested in seeing.  The address for the site is homepage.mac.com/dwrsax/33ABAAReunion'04/

    *Greg Miller (57-59) wrote to provide his new e-mail address: greg-miller@comcast.net.  Greg said to take note of the hyphen between his first and last names.

    *Frank Gomes (55-56) and his wife are now back in Florida, having returned from New Hampshire.  Frank wrote saying: "The Florida we left in June is not the same one we came home to.  We saw much damage to both homes and to foliage as we traveled south on I-95.  What we saw most was houses with blue tarps covering the roofs and trees and bushes that were leaning.  Outside many homes was carpeting, furniture and other items all damaged by the water entering the home.  It was easy to tell that the wind had blown across I-95 because of the way the trees and other foliage were tilting.  Many billboards were laying on the ground, others were damaged beyond repair.  Trips around the area were heartbreaking when we saw so much damage.  Going out to Hutchinson Island to visit was very depressing what with all the appliances, home furnishings and all kinds of garbage along the boulevard.  The Holiday Inn was completely gutted because it had received so much damage.  You could see right through the building.

    "We are so thankful that we walked into a house that didn't suffer any damage inside.  Everything was as we left it.  We thought maybe the TV and furniture on the lanai would have gotten blown around and that maybe the pulldown shutters and screens would have suffered some damage.  Everything was in perfect condition.  Outside, a number of roof tiles broke off the roof and were all over the yard.  That was the extent of our damage."

    * In his biographical sketch sent to the newsletter editor, Wilfred Mellers (81-82), a drummer/percussionist, wrote that he arrived in Frankfurt, Germany in April of 1981.  He said that he was at Rhein-Main Air Base for a week before the band even knew that he was in Germany.  When he left Rhein-Main via bus, he went first to Tompkins Barracks before he was transported to Heidelberg's Patton Barracks.

    Following his 18 months stint with the 33rd, he was reassigned to the 283rd Army Band at Fort Benning, Georgia, where he spent his last 7 months in the army.  After leaving the army he attended college at Norwalk State Technical College where he graduated with an associate degree in Electro-Mechanical Engineering Technology.  After college he had jobs with IBM and Eastman and subsequently pursued a career in music, playing with Sister Carol and the Antem Band.  He has since studied networking technology at Gibbs College in Norwalk, Conn, graduating at the top of his class in 1998.

    Following technical work with Silicon Valley Group Lithography, he says he "went back to playing the drums for the band Anthem.  We toured the continental United States, Canada, and Bermuda. The band recorded 2 independent albums, "Serious" in 1998 "Good to be There" in 2002.  The band was formerly signed with Mack Avenue Records in Detroit, Michigan for a year in 2003.  The record company produced only 1 CD "Are You Ready?" which was released on February 18th 2004.  The CD is currently on the market, and it is at present on the short list of nominees for the 2005 Reggae Grammy Awards.  The band went on a short tour of Florida in 2004 where we performed alongside Dionne Warwick.  Due to the fact that the record company was a jazz label and never knew how to handle a mainstream act, they never lived up to their contractual obligations and we parted ways.  The band is now under new management and currently shopping a new record deal.

    Wilfred is married and has five children.  His address is 20 Springview Avenue, Stratford, CT 06614.  Telephone: (203) 380-2337.  His e-mail address is melamani@oponline.net.

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Marvin's "Improv" 

An anecdote sent to Melissa Schatz from Doug Youra regarding short-timer Marvin Schatz

    Back in our "Heidelberg" days, our regular "work" clothes were called fatigues.  The trousers and shirt were forest green in color.  Today's fatigues are "camouflage" in color.  I don't remember exactly, but I think we had about 3 changes of fatigues.  Consequently, one or two pairs were always in the laundry.

    Regulations decreed that a "Name Tag" be displayed above the right breast pocket on the shirt.  This name tag was a white strip of cloth upon which our Surname was stenciled in black ink, and sewn directly above the pocket.  

    It was getting toward the end of his hitch when, lo and behold, one of his name tags became quite "washed out", almost illegible from three years' washing in harsh detergent soap.  And, he was "ordered" to replace the name tag.

    Well, that seemed unreasonable to Marv, seeing as how he was almost at the end of his tour of duty.  The expense and hastle of replacing his name tag seemed more effort than what it was worth.

    I mentioned that there were several of us who were roommates with your dad.  Frank Schlatter, Gene Karjala, and Dick Hayes occupied one half of the room.  The middle of the room was separated by our wall lockers.  On our side of the room were: your dad, me, and a fellow by the name of Ken Tschanz.

    And, guess what?  Ken Tschanz had a few extra, unused name tags.

    Your dad "borrowed" a few of Ken's unused tags and went to work.  With a cut and a snip, and needle and thread he solved his problem.

    T S C H A N Z

    Cut out and discard the "N".  Transfer the "T" to the space  previously occupied by the "N" and voila...TSCHANZ became SCHATZ and, suddenly, Marv had his new Name Tags.

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An "Enlisted Concert"

At the Patton Service Club on Monday, 20 Nov. 72

[Ed. Note: It was our thought that members of the 33rd ABAA might be interested in the details of the enlisted concert that was held during Thanksgiving week some 32 years ago.  So what follows are those details, courtesy of R. S. Holmes.]

The National Anthem... (John Stafford Smith)                                Directed by MSG James A. Taylor

We Set the Standard....(Jasper Bowman)                                      Directed by MSG James A. Taylor

            The march "We Set the Standard" was composed and copyrighted by  Mr. Jasper Bowman, a former member of the 33rd Army Band. 

            The march was written specifically for USAREUR and Seventh Army and has been submitted for approval as the official march of 

            USAREUR and Seventh Army.

William Byrd Suite........(Gordon Jacob)                                         Directed by SP5 Gary R. Maki

Last Spring...................(Edvard Grieg)                                           Directed by SSG Mack LeFevers - arranged by Robert J. Bardeen

Porgy and Bess............(George Gershwin)                                     Directed by SFC James McCullough - arranged by Wm. Meynier       

                                                                                                      -Intermission-

The Crosley March.......(Henry Fillmore)                                         Directed by SP4 Robert S. Holmes

Conquest......................(Alfred Newman)                                       Directed by SSG Jesse Wheeler - arranged by Alfred Reed

Serenade for Band........(Vincent Perichetti)                                     Directed by SP5 Dennis S. Stone

First Suite in Eb for

   Military Band.............(Gustav Holst)                                            Directed by SSG Thomas A. Hartman

Egmont Overture..........(L. V. Beethoven)                                       Directed by MSG James A. Taylor - arranged by Moses-Tobani

The Army Goes Rolling

   Along........................(H.W. Arberg)                                            Directed by MSG James A. Taylor - arranged by Paul Yoder

The program carried the following note and roster:

During the intermission, "Keep the Beat" buttons were sold for one dollar apiece.  The proceeds from the sale of these buttons will be used to purchase badly needed uniforms for the Heidelberg High School Music Department.  Your generosity and cooperation will be greatly appreciated.

The 33rd US Army Band

           Commanding Officer:   CW3 John D. Field

           Enlisted Bandleader:    MSG James A. Taylor

GUEST ARTISTS

Suzanne Floyd.  Mrs. Floyd is the former solo clarinetist for the US Army WAC Band at Ft. McClellen.

Donna House.  Miss House is a flutist with the High School Band, Heidelberg.

Beryl Plummer.  Miss Plummer is the former first oboist from the Wollongong Symphony Orchestra in Sydney, Australia.

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DUES FOR 2005

   Dues-paying members of the 33rd ABAA are hereby reminded that if they have not paid dues for one or more years in advance, your $15 dues payment for 2005 is now solicited.  Make checks payable to 33rd ABAA and send them to Frank Schlatter, 3111 Futura, Roswell, NM 88201.

  When making your dues payment, it would be appreciated if each member would supply the name of your spouse.  The membership chair would like to include that information in the organization's database.  Updates are also requested for any changes in address(es) and telephone numbers.  (We'd like to make the next 33rd ABAA directory as accurate as possible.)

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33drers in pictures from 1957-8

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German Cookies - Now Frank's Holiday Job

  When I was growing up, Mom baked Christmas cookies during the Thanksgiving holidays or early in December.  Along with sugar cookies, I vividly remember tray upon tray of pfeffernusse, lebkuchen, and springerles that got stashed in our cookie jars--- and that rapidly disappeared prior to the New Year.

  Even when I was in Heidelberg, Mom went through the routine, only in those days shw developed care packages to send to me.  Some might say it was "Coals to Newcastle" since I was in the land of pfeffernusse, lebkuchen, and springerles, but neither I or my roommates rejected her offerings.

  Now that Mom is no longer here, and since my wife Carole is busy with her real estate, it is my lot to bake the German cookies.  Since this is the holiday issue of Passing In Review, I thought I'd share a recipe or two that I've found for the cookie season.  The source of my recipes is the book Recipes on Parade --Foreign Foods, "1000 World Wide Favorites of Military Officers' Wives", printed in 1970.  Don't ask me where I found it; I don't remember.

  Of the three kinds of German cookies that I made this year, my favorites are the springerles.  Here's the recipe I used:

Springerles

• 4 1/2 c/sifted flour

• 1 tsp. Baking Powder

• 4 eggs, beaten until light

• 1 lb. confectioners' sugar

• 1 tbsp. grated lemon rind

• 1/2 tsp. anise oil

  Sift flour and baking powder together.  Combine eggs and sugar; beat thoroughly.  Add lemon rind, anise oil and flour mixture; mix thoroughly.  Chill for 1 hour.  Roll to 1/2 inch thickness.. Cut out picture designs , made with springerle rolling pin.  Arrange on cookie sheets; cover.  Let stand for several hours or overnight.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes.  Yield: 3-4 dozen.

  This particular recipe was provided by a Mrs. Loren L. Fink of Norfolk, Virginia

Lekuchen

• 3 c. molasses

• 1 c. brown sugar

• 1/2 c. butter

• 1 c. sour milk or buttermilk

• 8 c. flour

• 3 tsp. soda

• 1/2 tsp. ginger

• 1/2 tsp. pepper

• 1/2 tsp. nutmeg

• 1 tsp. cloves

• 1 c. nuts, chopped

• 1 c. raisins

• Confectioners' sugar frosting (1 cup powdered sugar and 2 tbsp. milk)

  Combine all ingredients except frosting; chill for 24 hours.  Roll: cut into 1 X 3-inch rectangles.  Bake at 350 degrees for 15 minutes.  Store for 24 hours; frost with confectioners' sugar frosting. 
 [For a decorative touch, I put a split blanched almond in the center of each cookie---copying Mom.]

  The pfeffernusse recipe that I employed this year is not one that my mother used.  When baked, Mom's pfeffernusse was a lightly browned white cookie with "feet" like those on the springerles.  As I recall, she used citron in them.  Mom's pfeffernusse were better than mine, so I am looking for a recipe that will duplicate what Mom baked.  Anyone with a good pfeffernusse recipe is requested to forward it to me.

--Frank Schlatter

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