Alumni News
2014 NROTC Alumni killed in EA-18G crash
LCDR Lyndsay “Miley” Evans, USN, USC NROTC class of 2014, tragically lost her life during a training flight near Mount Rainier Washington on 15 October 2024 along with LT Serena “Dug” Wileman, USN. Click here for more information.
Blockbuster NROTC Alumni Weekend 11-13 October
The Alumni League developed a blockbuster weekend of activities around the USC vs. Penn State football game for all of our members. Friday was the Fall Board of Directors meeting and a TopGolf outing in the evening. Saturday there was a tailgate in front of the PE Bldg. in advance of the 1230 kickoff at the Coliseum. Sunday we joined the Navy Yacht Club Long Beach for a Funday Sail followed by a BBQ for all.
Sunday was a beautiful fall day. Three 40’ sailboats from NYCLB were on hand and ready to board at 1030 to take us on a 2.5 hour sail around Long Beach Harbor and Alamitos Bay. Dan Ogar ’85 and his family joined us for the after sail BBQ.
Be sure to watch your email for your invitation to the NROTC Alumni weekend next fall! It was a great opportunity to connect with classmates and fellow NROTC alumni across the decades.
Paul Alwine ’62
Paul Alwine and his wife Binnie were featured on the cover of the Fall 2024 edition of the Trojan Legacy newsletter. The couple endowed two scholarships from their estate: the CAPT Paul Alwine Memorial Scholarship and the Binnie Alwine Endowed Scholarship Fund. Paul said, “We want to make it easier for future students to take advantage of all the opportunities and experiences we enjoyed at USC.”
Bravo Zulu CAPT and Mrs. Alwine!
League Funday Sail with NYCLB – July 2024
The League held its first joint event with the Navy Yacht Club of Long Beach (NYCLB) on Sunday 14 July.
We sailed around the Long Beach area on “Brizo”, “Raptor” and “Siren Song” followed by a BBQ next to NYCLB’s clubhouse. It was a great kickoff to our sailing program partnership with NYCLB which is outlined on the Programs page. This new partnership gives USC and UCLA NROTC midshipmen multiple opportunities to schedule sailing events with NYCLB skippers to build experience in the waters off of SoCal.
Several of the new Class of 2024 Ensigns along with LT Galli from USC NROTC and LT Laredo from UCLA NROTC attended along with Jerry Vieau, Jim Hull and their significant others (Gwen and Lisa respectively). We are looking forward to scheduling another one of these alumni / staff outings in the near future in conjunction with one of NYCLB’s monthly Sunday Funday sailing events. Check the Events page on the website for the date and join us!
Spring 2024
Vic Gulliver ’57: Hello to the class of ’57 and all other ancient mariners. I retired from the Navy in 1987 after 30 years of flying and desk work. The last five years of service were spend as CO/PNS of the Northwestern University NROTC unit. After retirement, I helped to form (and served as president of) a scholarship assistance fund to provide financial help to Northwestern midshipmen. In 2023, we surpassed the million dollar mark in total aid we’ve awarded to midshipmen. One of my former NU students has been nominated to be the next CNO!
Paul Alwine ’62: My wife, Binnie, and I are enjoying our “new life” at a retirement community in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego). We also had a great expedition cruise to Antarctica, along with a fun cruise of the Great Lakes! Will miss having season tickets for Trojan football for the first time in 60 years! To all my Class of ’62 classmates – “Keep Fighting On!”
David Todd ’67: Retired. Advisor at UCI.
R.C. Allen ’68: My wife, Gail, and I spend about half the year at our home in Northern Virginia near our three adult kids and eight grand kids. The other half of the year, we are either traveling or in San Di-ego. Life is good! Go Trojans!
David Troutman ’68: This is to report the passing of Leslie John Berkes ’68 on Oct 21, 2023. I married his sister in 1973. After graduation, Leslie served on a DD in Long Beach before earning his Master’s from the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey. Then he served at the NAVEDCOM in Schenectady, NY. He then earned a Ph.D. Organizational Psychology from UC Irvine. He taught at Ohio State University and the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey before working in numerous corporations, most notably, Hewlett Packard and Sutter Health. For most of his life, he and his wife Cheryl, their three children and six grandchildren lived in Moraga, CA, outside of San Francisco. Fair winds and Following seas brother!
Jerry Vieau ’68: My wife, Gwen, and I are enjoying the best that Southern California has to offer. Lots of outdoor activities, travel and friends. This year, we traveled to Savannah, GA and Charleston, SC. My wife was able to do a girls trip to Amsterdam and Italy while I trained for my yearly Pacific Coast Triathlon and Swim/run coveathlon local races. My age group is 75-100 (ha!) and it is sometimes embarrassing to be the only person in that group (or the only one to finish). I’m looking forward to another six day, 430 miles “Ride the Rockies” bike ride in Colorado with 2,000 of my best friends in June. I’d like to hear from more of my silent 60’s classmates in “Decade Doings”
Ronald Gerber ’69: Retired from Bank of America in 2000 as Senior Vice President. Positions included Regional Credit Administrator. Retired from Wells Fargo Bank in 2018 (18 years) as a Senior Vice President. Positions included Credit Review Examiner, Sr. Credit Examiner and QA Credit Exams, including Consumer and Commercial. Now retired.
John Uldrich ’73: Retired after 30 years in aero-space/Defence Contracts/Subcontracts/Offset Management (B-2, F-16, Apache Longbow, and others). Reside in Maryland and 19 years sponsoring Mid-shipmen at USNA.
Todd Porter ’87: Enjoying Solomons, MD, working at NAS Patuxent River supporting Air Combat Electronics, PMA-207, NAVAIR. Fight On!
Fall 2023
John J. Gobbell ’60: My tenth novel will be released in December 2023: Danger’s Ebb (A Todd Ingram Novel).
Paul Alwine ’62: Recently moved to a Senior Retirement Community in Rancho Bernardo (San Diego County). I met one of the residents, who said “Paul Alwine – I’ve been reading about you for years!” I said, “What?” Turns out he is Bob Lange – USC NROTC Class of ’66 !!! He has lived here for years – his wife passed away some time ago. He is a retired Marine Col, was a pilot during his career – maybe 30 years. He knew me from LOG articles!!! How bout that!!!
Mark Buxton ’74: Retired from AT&T in May 2018. Busy with USSV (US Submarine Veterans), Veterans Memorial and Support Foundation, Lions Club and VFW. Just celebrated 42 years of marriage!
Frances Annarella ’81: Football season was a little disappointing but there’s always next year. This year went to Colorado, Notre Dame and Cal. Excited about going to different B1G stadiums (as long as it’s early in the season before the snow).
Brad Kratovil ’82: Surviving the summer ’23 heat in Oro Valley, AZ (it’s a dry heat. . .very). Was looking forward to coming back for the Utah home game, all was great except the game. My wife Paige (USC class of ’85) and I are not sure of what to make of the move to the BIG 10 (or is it 20 now?). Regardless, wherever the Trojans play, we are behind them 100%. Fight On from AZ!
Spring 2023
Don Maher III ’55: I made it to 90, even with pancreatic cancer for over a year! Still staying active. Retired from Navy/Naval Reserve; have five successful kids and ten successful grand kids (all with at least one degree); retired from Aerospace, active in church; traveled to 52 countries. What else could I wish for? Oh yes, bachelor’s and master’s from USC. Thank God.
John Gobbell ’60: New novel released in April 2022 – “Somewhere in the South Pacific”
Bob Mahan ’61: Marty and I celebrated our 60th anniversary recently. I was in the Navy for 6 years on Nuclear Subs. Afterwards, in Property and Casualty Insurance for many years before retiring. Now living full time in Palm Desert – enjoying cruising, playing bridge and golf.
John LaFrano ’63: My son, Michael, is doing bio-research at the University of Illinois. He is now the director of their Metabolomics Center.
Mike McDevitt ’63: In Oct, 2020, the Naval Institute Press published my book “China as a Twenty First Century Naval Power.” I was pleased to learn that last spring, the CNO added my book to his recommended reading list. It is now available in paperback and on “audio” on the USNI website and on Amazon.
Dale Synnes ’66: Now retired from civil service as an engineer for the Naval Facilities Command, Port Hueneme, CA. Total of 40 years service on active duty (USMC) and Navy Civil Engineer. Still work part time as a science instructor at Ventura Community College.
Val Daigle ’69: Our travels during 2022 were limited. This year (2023) will bring a Hell’s Canyon jet boat trip! Great football season last year – what a first year for Coach Riley! Had to get blood pressure meds for the last two games! Not many USC Alumni in SW Idaho, but two is a party. Fight On!
Gene Talmadge ’70: In 2022, completed term as Planning Commissioner, City of Camarillo, CA.
Don Davis ’71: Retired for 20+ years. Where does the time go? Enjoying staying connected to USC where my wife is a professor of Education. I re cently digitized the 1969 – 1971 Seahorse books. Anyone wanting a .pdf copy, please email me: ddavis90064@gmail.com.
Mike Hedin ’72: My wife, Dorinda, and I are enjoying retirement in the Denver area. We have one daughter, husband and grand dogs in Boulder. The other daughter, husband and grandson live in Savannah, GA. I am in contact with Willie Baltazar and Steve Case; and of course, my brother Dick – he graduated with the unit in January 1969. Frank Mease and I represented our class at the unit’s 75th anniversary Reunion. I am so bad at golf – I do not keep score. I still have fun though. Semper Fi!
Steve Kennedy ’73: Taps for CAPT Ron Kennedy ’52), holder of US Navy record for Straight Deck Night Carrier Traps (landings), which will presumably never be broken. He passed in March 2022, a month short of his 92nd birthday. My dad made his first angle deck carrier landing (USS CORAL SEA) in 1964 saying “I knew the challenge of carrier aviation was gone forever.”
Frances Annarella ’81: My husband, Dan, and I finally made it to the Holy Land – something we’ve talked about for years! Going to Israel and seeing all the Biblical sites really strengthened our faith – It was truly an awe inspring and life changing trip.
Jim Cooke ’85: Robin and I have lived in Northern Virginia since 2002. We raised four boys, all of them out of the house. My youngest graduated from the USAF Academy in 2021 and is awaiting flight school. I am a 787 Captain for United with three years left until retirement. Fight On!
Steve (Randy) Hales ’85: Living the dream with my wife Kim on our small ranch in east San Diego county surrounded by our chickens, goats, dogs and whatever other animals come around. I used the G.I. bill to attend Law School online during the pandemic, graduating last summer with highest honors. Currently serving as San Diego Chapter President of the Reserve Organization of America (ROA), formerly known as the Reserve Officers’ Association.
Todd Porter ’87: After retiring from active duty (Naval Flight Officer), with 21.5 years of service, currently supporting Naval Aviation Systems Command (NavAir) as the Logistics Manager for Combat Electronics. If in the NAS Patuxent River area, give me a shout if you want to go sailing on the Chesapeake bay – portertodda@gmail.com