Going into the Marines after graduation seemed to make sense to me not only because roommate John Lowry III bullied me into dropping out of Army ROTC, but also because during my time at Princeton three of President Reagan’s cabinet members were Marines, and two were Princetonians (i.e. James Baker III ’52 and George Shultz ’42).
During a party as Tiger Inn social chair and as a politics major I certainly recognized then Secretary of State Shultz who showed up with two very large security guards.
I said, “Welcome, Mr. …?”
To which he responded, “Smith.”
I then said, “Welcome, Mr. Smith. By the way, how is that tiger tattoo on Mr. Smith’s ass?” He laughed.
So, always thinking Marine Corps, I saw PAW’s teaser for the Online Exclusive regarding Tom Chestnut ’70’s article on the 1962 pairing of subsequently Sen. Bill Bradley ’65 and basketball coach Butch van Breda Kolff ’45.
Your teaser said that van Breda Kolff was disdainful of authority despite his Marine training, and this got me thinking of a constant interaction I have with my wife Jacqueline, aka “the Marine Corps Colonel’s daughter.”
When we make the bed together, she says, “I thought you were in the Marine Corps — where are those hospital corners?”
To which I, disdainful to authority respond, “Honey, I don’t do hospital corners and will never again because I was in the Marine Corps!”
By the way, when people ask how long I served in the Marine Corps, I say, “Four years active duty plus 35 years and counting of marriage.”
Going into the Marines after graduation seemed to make sense to me not only because roommate John Lowry III bullied me into dropping out of Army ROTC, but also because during my time at Princeton three of President Reagan’s cabinet members were Marines, and two were Princetonians (i.e. James Baker III ’52 and George Shultz ’42).
During a party as Tiger Inn social chair and as a politics major I certainly recognized then Secretary of State Shultz who showed up with two very large security guards.
I said, “Welcome, Mr. …?”
To which he responded, “Smith.”
I then said, “Welcome, Mr. Smith. By the way, how is that tiger tattoo on Mr. Smith’s ass?” He laughed.
So, always thinking Marine Corps, I saw PAW’s teaser for the Online Exclusive regarding Tom Chestnut ’70’s article on the 1962 pairing of subsequently Sen. Bill Bradley ’65 and basketball coach Butch van Breda Kolff ’45.
Your teaser said that van Breda Kolff was disdainful of authority despite his Marine training, and this got me thinking of a constant interaction I have with my wife Jacqueline, aka “the Marine Corps Colonel’s daughter.”
When we make the bed together, she says, “I thought you were in the Marine Corps — where are those hospital corners?”
To which I, disdainful to authority respond, “Honey, I don’t do hospital corners and will never again because I was in the Marine Corps!”
By the way, when people ask how long I served in the Marine Corps, I say, “Four years active duty plus 35 years and counting of marriage.”
Semper Fidelis!