Perry Martini, Class President
Class President’s 55th Reunion Class Meeting Remarks
I appreciated Dave Miller reminding me of my horrible plebe year where I eventually became a member of the graduating dirty dozen of old tiger 29! He also mentioned the tower jump in Macdonough Hall – for me it was a horrifying experience. I climbed back down during the regular class section. Coach Belichick took me over to the pool for a solo jump. I made the jump, surfaced and to my disappointment got a thumbs down. It was easy the second time and I survived.
So, welcome back to Annapolis – it was over 59 years ago we took the oath of office in T-court – June 28th, 1967.
We learned a lot that evening including the words to Blue and Gold but also the response to the following question – so I want to hear you loud and clear – what’s still the best class?
I plan to break down my remarks into three categories – –recognition / accomplishments / legacy.
1 – Recognition:
First, I want to recognize our attending widows by name:
Rosemarie Archizel, Rosemary Barry, Connie Bruce, Dale Carter, Beth Ector, Cindy Griffiths, Kay Hermeling, Melinda Raphael, Coral Rychner, Diane Theis, Joyce Waterman / plus 8 family members — Carrie Waterman-daughter – Brett’s two sons and 3 grandkids, and Jane Wilhelm.
It is imperative that I recognize 55th reunion committee members:
Jim &/Kathi Hergenroeder / Bob & Meg wagoner / Cass and Karen young/ Dave and Patty Miller / Craig and Carter welling / Mike and Sandra Hallahan / Jeff and Beth Albright / Denny and Margo Walsh / Walt and Judy Havenstein / Jane Wilhelm. A special shout out to our reunion chairman – “Hergy” Hergenroeder – for he could not be with us today, but he has been the driving force behind our past three reunions, the 45th, and 50th and 55th…I believe his efforts have made this reunion our best ever!!
I also would be remiss by not recognizing our core leadership team – our Class Executive Board comprised of Class Officers and Board of Trustee Members:
VP, Jim Bryant, who singlehandedly got onboard after our 50th legacy gift was presented and helped raise nearly $500k towards the new alumni center on King George Street right outside the yard and across from the baseball complex.
Treasurer Dave Laws who has been with me now for 36 years since our election and kept the books straight and healthy for our class treasury.
Duke Longworth – our Class Secretary – who has not missed a single column in Shipmate since his assumption of office in January 2002!
Board members: Frank Culbertson / Peter de Vos / Steve Dmetruk / Pat Doyle / Tom Gross / Mike Hallahan / Walt Havenstein / Mike Hecomovich / Jim Hergenroeder / Bill Hoover / Tom Hammons / Tom Laboon / Tom Ledvina / Dave Miller / JT Morris / Steve Pelstring / Alan Ptak / Bob Wagoner / Bill Williams / Cass young / Roger Young.
Webmaster – Phil Williams / Craig Welling. Phil has been our class webmaster these past dozen years and just completed a turnover to Craig Welling. Craig plans to continue Phil’s work these past years in adding more current information to the class link– we encourage you to use the link to review the Fallen Shipmates tab and to know that one of the tabs includes the past 3-4 years copies of Shipmate magazine.
And we are one of the very few classes who has a complete complement of 36 company reps! I cannot imagine having the communication link with all of you on a frequent basis without the company reps. They are the glue that keeps our class in touch with everything that occurs within their respective company. Some days that is unfortunately bad news about a very ill or fallen classmate.
2 – Class Accomplishments:
Before I forget – one announcement regarding yesterday’s class of 71 55th reunion golf outing – the winning team was comprised of Bob Annis, Bob Wagoner and Paul Lingren who scored a 6 under par 65 – second place was a tie between the team of Fretz, Doug Conklin, Bobby Walter and Charlie Keating and between the team of Wally Poleshaj, Don Olsen and Troy Piles for shooting a 5 under par 66! However, second place went to the team of Fretz/Conklin/Walter and Keating for making a birdie on the tiebreaking hole and handicap hole. Congratulations on some great golf scores!
If you get a chance to walk around the yard or the stadium you will notice a number of class projects that are brick/mortar.
We are one of the few classmates with 4 or more DGA’s – Bob Cabana, Tim Keating, Walt Havenstein, and Peter de Vos.
We have 4 astronauts – most of any class at USNA or for that matter any other university in the country. – Bob Cabana – Bill Shepherd – Frank Culbertson – Dave Leetsma.
As you know we have 13 flags and general officers.
3 – Our Class Legacy:
Fundraising: over $25.5m since 1976 – Peter de Vos and Mike Hecomovich led multiple fundraisers – over $3M for our class Distinguished Military Professor (DMP) in Leadership, Ethics and Law.
In 2021 in addition to the A Link in the Chain – 50th reunion legacy gift – class of 1971 Distinguished Military Professor in Leadership, Ethics, and Law.
We lost our Distinguished Military Professor due to health reasons at the end of academic year 23-24. The billet was gapped until end of academic year 24-25 and we now have new DMP onboard who just started teaching Ethics and Law classes last month. Good news — this billet will be funded through approximately 2033.
Speaking of class legacy – the navy two-legged goat – ’71 – since 1996 – we plan to turn over to class of 2021 – our link in the Chain in 2031 at our 60th reunion – we will have held the 71 mascot for 35 years!
Our executive board meets every year except during the quintennial reunions – class website – class obits – goal is to continue to keep meeting as long as we can.
My Final Thoughts:
In my neighborhood there are a dozen men that meet once a month to discuss a book – The Fourth Quarter of Life: Embracing What Matters Most. In one of the chapters, it states that the 4th quarter is not 75-100 years of age but rather 60-80!
Many do not live past 90 years of age, and a small handful get to 100…that being said, many of us are approaching 80 and once past that milestone we are in overtime! It’s a blessing that the good Lord has given us and such a gift – a present – for none of us can predict our future nor go back and repeat the past – but we can certainly accept this “present” which we have been blessed to enjoy; and more importantly to embrace what matters.
I remind you of my final comments at our 50th reunion: “be ready and be prepared for we never know when we will be called to our eternal home”!
Hope to see you all at the Supt’s presentation this afternoon. I believe you will find our first Marine Supt to have loads of energy and give us a great update on the events, projects and yard happenings please be in your seats no later than 1345.
May God bless you all and let’s enjoy our weekend together and celebrate “the present.”
Go Navy beat Tulsa!
©2013-2026 United States Naval Academy Alumni Association
Class of 1971