Alumni News
Successful Alumni Meetup in Washington, DC
25 JAN 25: On a chilly Saturday evening, 30+ NROTC Alumni made the trek to the new USC Capital Campus in Washington, DC. The program included:
- Update on USC Athletics, Assistant Athletic Director Rashaad Moore
- State of the Trojan Battalion, Col Tracy Perry, CO
- Overview of the Capital Campus, Alyse Levine, Executive Director
- USC SHIELD Executive Education program and USC ROTC, Professor Frank Zerunyan
- Alumni League programs and MIDN support, Jim Hull, President
The new USC Capital Campus is a beautiful facility and we packed our event space to the max. Many thanks to all the alumni that showed up to meet and mingle and get the latest gouge. There was plenty of food and drink to go around, thanks to Frank Zerunyan.
The Board of Directors is planning to host more alumni outreach events in 2025 in locations where we have a concentration of members. Contact Jim Hull if you have suggestions for similar meetups.
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RV in Washington, DC on 25 JAN 2025
Jack Seymour ’61: Hello from a far place. My wife, Yen, and I are spending the winter in Vietnam with family. Home plate is Anchorage, AK. After graduation from USC, I was commissioned an Officer of Marines and went to Basic Infantry School at Quantico, VA, then to Aviation Training at Pensacola, FL, and on to Advanced Flight Training in Texas. I ended up as an attack pilot, qualified in conventional and special weapons delivery in the A-4 Skyhawk. I was assigned to VMA-224 (Top Guns) and later VMA-214 (Black Sheep) at Chu Lai Air Base in Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam. We flew off WWII Marsden Matting and lived in tents. 181 missions and 13 months later, I was transferred to NAS Alameda and trained Marine Reservists. It was great duty and I enjoyed it. After a few years, I transferred to the Marine Reserves and enjoyed a career with assignments in both aviation and infantry, all rewarding experiences. I retired at 25 years as an O-5. The Marine Corps was great and a crucible of learning. In civilian life, I flew with Northwest Airlines (now Delta) and at age 60 joined the FAA as an ASI (Aviation Safety Inspector) and served there for 12 years. It was a great job for having a direct influence on safety. I have often reflected on the chapters of my life wondering if the influence of the Marines made me who I was or if they just molded what they found in me. I tend to lean towards the theory that the Marines molded what they found. I am a first generation American and am so proud to have had the many opportunities that blessed me and my family. Jack “DERHOOK” Seymour.
19 December 2024: the Trojan Battalion commissioned six Naval Officers. The ceremony was conducted at the front entrance of the PE Building. This was a full circle moment as they were sworn in as Naval Officers on the very steps where they took their oath of office as Midshipmen in 2019.
Visit the COMMISSIONING web page for all the details.
5 December 2024: the Alumni League awarded $2,000 scholarships to five USC Midshipmen. Visit the AWARDS page to see the recipients of the Alumni League Scholarships for the Fall 2024 semester.
Fall 2024 Decade Doings
George McMichael ’57: I have maintained contact with some of my 1957 classmates and have just become aware of the passing of Donald F. Walter, a 1957 graduate in Industrial Engineering. His wife, Erdine, remains in their Springfield, VA home. My wife of 57 years, Patricia “Paddy” McBride, also passed away last year.
George Weller ’58: I spent five years active and then two years in the reserves as a SWO (on Amphibs). I then taught high school for two years and completed my MS at USC. Following that, I went to IBM and spent the next 26 years in the early days of the computer industry, retiring from IBM in 1991. All my time with IBM was spent in Los Angeles. On retirement, my wife and I moved to northwest Arkansas (Beaver Lake). Following that, we moved to Minden, Nevada and that is where I am today. During those retirement years, we traveled a lot, including many cruises and visits to foreign countries. Our son, Scott, was commissioned in the Navy in 1983, attended flight school and spent 26 years as a Naval aviator. He retired in 2010 as an O-6 and will be retiring from his post Naval career this year.
Paul Alwine ’62: Life is good at our new senior retirement community in Rancho Bernardo (northern San Diego), CA! Quite a change for us after 60+ years in Orange County! Managed to get some good travel in, even with my wife’s total knee replacement surgery in the summer. Made another expedition cruise to Antarctica in March, then a Great Lakes cruise in May. Then in November a great cruise in the Galapagos Islands off Ecuador. Jerry Vieau – ’68, and his wife Gwen, joined us for this fun trip. To my ’62 classmates and other NROTC alums – have a great holiday season and a Happy 2025!
Alan Gaines ’66: Alice Gaines reports that her husband, Alan, passed away in July, 2024. He was a proud USC Trojan who flew the F8 Crusader from the USS HANCOCK (CVA-19) during two WESTPAC deployments. Alan transitioned to flying the F4 Phantom in the Naval Reserve. He completed his Navy career after 22 years, retiring as a CDR. His civilian career was as a pilot for Western and Delta Airlines. Alan retired as a Delta 767 Captain in 2004 after a 31 year career. He always felt that his education at USC and training as a Naval Aviator were instrumental in his success in commercial aviation.
Walter Hindenlang ’66: I retired in June after more than 50 years of employment since leaving the Navy. I worked for over 20 years for the Hughes Electronics Space & Communications Group. My favorite assignments included managing international sub- contracts as part of a global satellite network, serving as VP of a non-profit educational technology company developing programs being broadcast by DirecTV to pilot schools in 25 states, and working with the management team to implement DirecTV for Latin America. After opting for early retirement from Hughes, I worked for 21 years as a Trust and Estate attorney in the South Bay. My wife, PJ, and I celebrated our mutual retirement with a dinner party for friends and family at the Tin Roof Wine Cellar in Manhattan Beach. Our celebration concluded with a Viking Christmas cruise down the Rhine River from Amsterdam to Basel, Switzerland.
David Todd ’67: Retired partner, Pricewaterhouse Coopers.
R.C. Allen ’68: Gail and I continue to spend time at our home in Virginia and our second home in San Diego (especially in winter!). BZ to Tom Offutt for his outstanding work developing the USC NROTC Alumni website! Long overdue! Hopefully, we will hear more from our USC NROTC Classmates.
John Bingham, Jr. ’68: It has been 60 years since I first walked upon the USC campus. My dad (a WWII Navy pilot) drove me down from our home in Bakersfield on that August day to begin my adult life. He dropped me off with my suitcase at the Bar- racks on Jefferson Blvd, across the street from the 901. My roommates for the next year were Clay Geilfuss, Les Berkes, and Tom Ford. As an aside, Tom was from Louisiana, got homesick for the bayou and after the first semester, transferred, I think to LSU. During the first semester, through the help of an alumnus, we all got union wage jobs with Standard Oil as gas jockeys in gas stations in south LA. What I remember most vividly was that we worked hard and played hard. To paraphrase Chico Escuala, from a 1970s SNL skit “NROTC and the Navy was very, very, good for me.” I thank the institution, and the men and women of the Navy I met and worked with during my years at USC, while on active duty, and in the reserves, for the experience has guided me throughout my professional and personal life, as a police officer, and later, as a bankruptcy attorney. As to current events, my wife Leesa, and I live in McAllister, MO, a small rural post office town 60 miles outside of Yellowstone National Park. I hunt, fish and drive our Corvettes.
David Troutman ’68: My daughter, Michele, was born 3 months early in 1977 while we were stationed in Hawaii. Disabled by Cerebral Palsy, she uses a wheelchair but still graduated with Honors from San Jose state University. When my wife died in 2014, I became a sole full-time caregiver. What an honor and joy! In 2021, my mother died leaving me her house in La Jolla. Immediately, my children said “We are not selling the San Jose house (where they were raised and their mother is buried), so we have two houses. One in Silicon Valley and one in La Jolla. Michele and I switched houses every two weeks or so, turning the La Jolla house into the ”beach house.” The house motto is: If it is too hot or too cold, wherever you are, come to San Diego, it’s always perfect. The rent is zero, and we have fish tacos.” We know I-5 very, very well! God has given me marvelous gifts and we are enjoying them to the fullest.
Dave Watson ’79: Valerie and I are enjoying life in Northern California, living in the East Bay just south of Walnut Creek. Our boys, Jack and Finn, are wrapping up college this coming year so we’re planning for our empty nester period. Still working in health- care but retirement planning has begun!
Bob Cowing ’80: “Retired” but “employed” supporting a local bicycle repair team for Clay County’s needy, supporting Atlanta’s BRAG Dream Team (an inner-city bicycle leadership organization) and a local children’s home. Welcomed 3rd grandchild in June!
Maureen Alexander ’81: I started a new YouTube channel! It’s called Ambicurious. I talk about living the night-owl, multi-passionate life in a dark world intent on forcing us to focus!”
Dave Thompson ’81: Sherry and I are celebrating our 45th anniversary this year! Fully retired, coaching high school soccer with my youngest son, Jordan. Spending wonderful times with our 7 grandchildren and enjoying traveling with Sherry.
Derek Robins ’82: Still working at Marine Well Containment Company in Houston. Was able to attend an SC game in October. Out oldest is in law school and youngest just graduated from Texas Tech. We enjoy game watches with the Houston Alumni group. Fight On!
Stephen Beck von Peccoz ’83: I am the Deputy for Force Readiness and the Special Access Programs (SAP). All the Time (SATT) Team Lead at Commander, Naval Air Forces in San Diego. I led the effort to update Naval Aviation policy to require eligibility for access to SAP and Sensitive Compartmented Information (SCI) for all student Naval Aviators and student Naval Flight Officers, as is now the case for fleet aviators.
Thomas Dixon ’94: I retired in 2019 as an O-6. Since that time, I have been working as a United Airlines First Officer and living in Maryland.
Darryl Sol ’97: Executive Officer, Navy Medicine Readiness and Training Command, Quantico, CA 2023 – present. See quantico.tricare.mil/about-us/executive-officer.
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.
During the Fall Alumni League Board of Directors meeting, Col Perry discussed the current National Defense Strategy along with a review of the CNO’s “Navigation Plan” for the US Navy and the USMC Commandant’s Planning Guidance. Col Perry also outlined the NROTC program on the national level and gave the Board an update of Unit staff transfers, Battalion events and requests for 2025 League support. You can view the entire presentation by clicking on the title slide to the left.
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 Decade Doings
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 Decade Doings
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 Decade Doings
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