Thursday, April 15, 2010

Alumni Football Game May 8, 2010



Received this message via Facebook today:

I coach at Burbank High and we are having an Alumni Football game on Saturday May 8th 2010 from 6:00 PM to 10:00 PM!

People can e-mail me at ginobarragan@burbankusd.org!!!

Thank you Andre for continuing to support Burbank High School!!!

Coach Gino B.
Go Bulldogs!!!

WEBSITE: burbankfootball.org

Wednesday, April 14, 2010

The Virtual Wall - Vietnam Veterans Memorial

Today, received this email from Luana Scott (BHS '67) which has a link to an amazing website. It gives ALL the names and info of those we lost in Viet Nam by last name and by city. Thanks so much Luana.

Quite impressive... God rest their souls.... Thought you might like to post this on your blog. I did look up Bill Bric. Someone really put a lot of work into this.
Cheers, ^jj^ ;o)) Luana

First click on a state. When it opens, scroll down to the city and the names will appear. Then click on their names. It should show you a picture of the person, or at least their bio and medals. Be sure to click on the “Profile” or “Data Base” link. This really is an amazing web site. Someone spent a lot of time and effort to create it. I hope that everyone who receives this appreciates what those who served in Vietnam sacrificed for our country. The link below is a virtual wall of all those lost during the Vietnam war with the names, bio's and other information on our lost heroes. Those who remember that timeframe, or perhaps lost friends or family can look them up on this site. Pass the link on to others if you like: virtualwall.org

We lost way too many from Burbank:
SSGT JAMES MARVIN BALL
SP4 STEVEN PAUL BARNETT
PH2 CHRISTOPHER PAUL BATTAGLIA
LCDR JAMES ALVIN BEENE
SP4 EDWARD ALLEN BELL
PFC WILLIAM HENRY BRIC III
SGT FELIX ANTONIO CALDERON
SP4 ROBERT JOHN CAMPBELL
CPT DONALD EDWARD CLOSE
SGT MICHAEL JOSEPH CORRIGAN
SP4 JOHN ALBERT DE ROO
LTC FRANK ANTHONY DI FIGLIA
SP4 REESE CURRENTI ELIA Jr
PFC TERRY MICHAEL ENRIQUEZ
SP4 JAMES HERBERT FLICKINGER
PFC STEVEN DAVID FRANCIS
CPL JOHN ANTHONY GERO
LCPL WAYNE EDWIN HALSTEAD
MAJ STEPHEN PAUL HANSON
CPL SCOTT WARREN IGGULDEN
PFC DOUGLAS RAY JOHNSON
SP4 GEORGE FREDERICK KEIPER
CPL RONALD REED KING
CPL HOWARD LEE KLENSKE
SGT EDWARD L KRAUSMAN
CAPT VON MILES LIEBERNECHT
PFC STEPHEN DONALD PLEASANT
PFC WILLIAM C PROCTOR Jr
PFC PAUL VINCENZO QUAGLIERI
LCPL CHARLES PETER SEARLES
SGT GUENTER ROBERT THONUES
SP4 JACK PYEATT WILSON Jr

Los Angeles
PFC DOUGLAS LOUIS DISPENSIERO

Glendale
CPL LARRY LEONARD MAXAM

CLICK HERE and scroll down to see more names at the Burbank Memoriam.

But speaking of Larry Maxam, this Saturday, April 17, 2010, will be the dedication of the Larry Maxam Park in Burbank (details), so please attend if in town.

This photo is from the 1965 Ceralbus when Larry was in 11th grade.


This was Larry's home when he lived in Burbank growing up.


And today there was this Burbank Leader news article:

Vice President Spiro Agnew presents the Maxam family with a posthumous Medal of Honor for Marine Cpl. Larry L. Maxam on April 20, 1970. From left are Cpl. Maxam's mother Alice Maxam, brother Robin Maxam and in-law Sophie Ryan. (Courtesy of the Maxam family)

Ceremony honors slain Marine

Pacific Park will be renamed to commend Medal of Honor recipient, who was killed in the Vietnam War.

By Christopher Cadelago
Burbank Leader
Published: Last Updated Wednesday, April 14, 2010 11:38 AM PDT
source

WEST BURBANK — Forty-two years after Marine Cpl. Larry L. Maxam made the ultimate sacrifice, Burbank officials are preparing to dedicate a public park in recognition of the city’s only Medal of Honor recipient.

Dignitaries at 11 a.m. Saturday will rename Pacific Park at 3715 Pacific Ave. in honor of Maxam, who was posthumously awarded the medal by President Nixon for “conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty” in the Vietnam War.

The Medal of Honor is the nation’s highest military award. And while Maxam died in a war many tried to forget, one veteran, Mickey DePalo, has made it his mission over the last 1 1/2 years to give the hero — and other troops — their due.

“There’s one school of thought that says this should have been done a long time ago. My opinion is it’s never too late,” said DePalo, chairman of the city’s Veterans Commemorative Committee, which recommended the dedication to city and parks officials. “We’re able to live today because of people like him.”

Born in Glendale, Maxam attended Burbank schools before enlisting in the Marine Corps in 1965 . He arrived in Vietnam two years later and served as a rifleman, radioman and squad leader with Company D, 1st Battalion 4th Marines, 3rd Marine Division.

On Feb. 2, 1968, four months after Maxam was promoted to corporal, Cam Lo District Headquarters came under heavy artillery and gun fire. Wounded by fragments of exploding grenades, he ran to an abandoned machine gun and fired on advancing forces.

“As the enemy directed maximum firepower against the determined Marine, Cpl. Maxam’s position received a direct hit from a rocket-propelled grenade, knocking him backwards and inflicting severe fragmentation wounds to his face and right eye,” according to the citation that accompanied the medal.

Maxam returned to his feet and kept firing.

He was hit again with small-arms fire but kept firing, causing the enemy to retreat.

Then, in an attempt to silence his weapon, North Vietnamese inflicted two more wounds with hand grenades and rifle fire.

“Too weak to reload his machine gun, Cpl. Maxam fell to a prone position and valiantly continued to deliver effective fire with his rifle. After 1 1/2 hours, during which he was hit repeatedly by fragments from exploding grenades and concentrated small-arms fire, he succumbed to his wounds, having successfully defended nearly half of the perimeter single-handedly,” according to the citation.

“He just did what was right, but for him to size up the situation and do what he had to do to protect his fellow Marines was extraordinary,” said his first cousin, Gary Saldutti.

“I don’t know that a lot of people would do what he did.”

Saldutti plans to reunite with Maxam’s brother and sister, who live in Australia, for the first time in 40 years. Their mother, Alice Maxam, was not about to lose another son to battle in Vietnam, so the family moved as far away from the U.S. as possible, Saldutti said.

Alice Maxam died in 2008.

In Burbank, dozens of Marines, including a handful who fought alongside Larry Maxam, will watch as the family is presented with an American flag. The dedication will include park signage and a bronze plaque containing the full citation.

The event speaks to the city’s long-standing commitment to honoring veterans through annual celebrations, personalized banners and a program that has delivered more than 40 tons of health and comfort items to troops in Afghanistan and Iraq, said Burbank Mayor Gary Bric, whose brother, William, died in Vietnam the same year as Larry Maxam.

Saldutti said he began to dig deeper into the story of Larry Maxam’s sacrifice after connecting with Sherman Fleek, historian for the U.S. Military Academy at West Point. Fleek was researching Medal of Honor recipients for a 40-page chapter in his book tentatively titled: “Corporal Larry Maxam, the Lionheart: And the Defense of Cam Lo.”

Three years ago, when Saldutti and his wife were expecting a son, they began to ponder possible names. Leafing through documents provided by the family, Saldutti said they came upon a letter that alluded to troops and commanders referring to Larry Maxam as “Max.”

“That kind of stuck,” Saldutti said. “My wife said, ‘There it is. Let’s name him Max.’ He has a lot to live up to.”

More Parade Pics from Trudie

Here are some great closeups of the BHS/JBHS Alumni Band and Drill Team sent in by Trudie Lombard Hentze ('65), sister of Denny Lombard ('67). Thanks Trudie!



Cathy,
My friend took these photos at the parade last Saturday. #2 - the leader of the band is Bill Kuzma, BHS 65. The solo drummer is Richard Dean, BHS 65. I think you'll see Cathy Coyle. The drill team girl with shoulder length red hair is Joyce Rudolph, BHS 73 and writer for the Burbank Leader. You might know some of the others.

Trudie


Bob Gaston & Sharon Kuzma


Bill Kuzma ('65)










Richard Dean ('65)


Jennifer Tutterrow Todd ('70)


Linda Lee Durkee Johnson ('59)


Lee Mulkey Bell Passinger ('52) was a cheerleader in school and has marched in every Burbank on Parade since the early 80's. She told me her skirt is the same one from high school - WOW!


Joyce Rudolph ('73)


Cathy Nicholls Coyle ('67)


On left is Vernise "Nisee" Yocum Pelzel ('60) who is sister of Ray Yocum ('66) and on right is Lee Mulkey Bell Passinger ('52)


Cathy (blue hair!) Palmer ('67)


Bev Heinemann (JBHS '59)


Linda Lee Durkee Johnson ('59)






Jennifer Tutterrow





Tuesday, April 13, 2010

You Know You're From Burbank If...

Ray Lackey (BHS '67) sent this fun list - thanks Ray!



Hey Cathy;

Just a little Burbank history....Ray


YOU KNOW YOU'RE FROM BURBANK IF................

...you've ever made out in the parking lot of the Mormon church or the Starlight Bowl
...you've ever ridden that funicular railway between DeBell and the Castaways - or wished you could
...you think AutoBooks-Aerobooks on Magnolia is the coolest bookstore, ever
...you saw "The Ghost and Mister Chicken" at the California Theater
...you know what Smoke House garlic bread tastes like
...you know you can also get it at the DeBell Clubhouse
...you recall that "TEXAS" was stamped under the brown plastic Shakey's pizza glasses
...you revere the Martino's teacake
...you watch Tim Burton films merely because he's a homie
...you know the Blarney Stone wasn't just in Ireland
...you know that The Ramp isn't merely a way to get on I-5
...like Jed Clampett you've crossed the Los Angeles River at Barham and thought, "Pathetic"
...you liked to see the films Warner Brothers was promoting on the side of the studio buildings
...you know where the Popeye weathervane was
...you know Cabrini isn't a pasta sauce
...you admire the airplane art on the wall at Pinocchio's
...you know where to find a really, really nice old car show for free every Friday night
...you have an insufferable sense of superiority when somebody says he's from North Hollywood
...you wondered why the King Swede Jell-O had no taste at all
...you used to buy pants at Miller's Outpost
...you know what two colors the Borrmann Steel sign is
…you wondered what academic subjects were taught at the Kovats Academy
...you ever tried making sense of the Sargent's menu
...you drove down Glenoaks and pondered the names of Drs. Penix and Penix
...you know that with doughnuts the only thing missing is "u."
...you never took the Burbank Studios Tour
...you bought tubes from Electronic City
...you associate the words "Stelling-Hellings" with a handlebar mustache
...you get the joke about "Beautiful Downtown Burbank"
...you made gimp keyfobs at one of the parks in the summer
...you know what rotting eucalyptus leaves smell like
...you know that traffic light near the Home Savings didn't stay green long
...you went swimming at "Pickwick Pool" in the summer
...you trick or treated in Toluca Lake
...when desperate you bought gas at the 24 hour gas station on Buena Vista and San Fernando
...you loudly insist that it's San Fernando Road and not Boulevard
...you went to the LERC gem show
...you had food at the Albin's drug store counter then shopped for toys at Albin's toys
...you had pie at the House of Pi across from Akron
...you bought a TV from Bar's
...you cruised Bob's Big Boy drive in on the weekends
...you remember Unimart
...you liked the neon-lined revolving windmill at the Van deKamp restaurant
...you ordered "Green Rivers" at the food counter of Thrifty Drug Store.
...you took swimming lessons at the Burroughs or Burbank High School pools
...you walked around in The Akron and wondered, "Who buys this stuff?"
...you know better than to expect Chili John's to be open every day 9 to 5.
…you've ever eaten a real Breakfast Burrito at a little shack called “Corner Cottage”
…your parents and grandparents went to Burroughs or Burbank, and so did your kids
…you have heard gossip about someone from the other side of town on the same day, nay, same hour, it happened
…it's perfectly normal to have a gardener, poolman, and cleaning lady.
…one of the biggest events is either the Homecoming game or the Pop Show.
…your teachers call you by your brothers/sister's name.
…you can't go anywhere without seeing someone you know (usually someone you don't like)
…you have three theatres in less than 1/2 mile radius and that's perfectly okay
…you have adjusted to the planes overhead, either by installing the free noise-proof windows, or by just talking louder
…your school parking lot looks like a high class car dealership
…you refer to yourself as a Burbankian or a Burbanker
…you and or most of your friends were born at St. Joseph's or Burbank Hospital
…you’re a Bulldog or Indian for life and won't wear the other school's color
…you love Santoro's, Martino's, Pinocchio's, Giamela's, or some other Italian-named business
…you know someone in show choir
...you watched them build the "Golden State Freeway"
...you went to school with a "Mouseketeer"
…you see an actor on the street and aren't surprised... in fact you're kind of annoyed that they took your parking spot
…you know someone who has an agent
…you know someone who works for Disney
…you can always tell when you're leaving the city because the road starts to get crappy
…the Burbank Leader is your newspaper of choice
…you hear about crimes in Burbank... about five years after they happened
…after Prom/Homecoming/competition/game, you go to either BJ's, Macaroni Grill, Bob's or the Coral Cafe
…school fundraisers actually raise A LOT of money
…your teachers went to your school
…you refer to the other side of Burbank as "past the bridge" or "the flatland"
...you referred to the town as "up town" or "down town"
…you know you'll end up coming back to Burbank when you grow old
…you see someone on Facebook that you've never met before, but you still know their face from "around town"
…you stopped hanging out at the mall the moment the carousel and the Gap went away
…you've never seen Jay Leno ride around in the same car twice
…every party gets broken up before 11:00 pm, usually because of nosy neighbors
…your mom got pulled over because she took too long to drop you off at school
....you remember playing all day at Summer playground at your elementary school
…you only know of Bob Hope because he's the name of every street, airport and post office in the city
…TV6 is your favorite channel
…you get annoyed because you can’t cross Chandler Blvd. because of the bike path
…your neighbors know more about your private life than you do
…you talk incessantly about leaving the bubble, but something always draws you back
…we have white picket fences and people actually care about the environment... and we're proud of it!

Monday, April 12, 2010

Update on Burdette House (BHS '66)



Received the following emails on Friday while traveling, so I am sorry for the late post. Please keep Burdett in your thoughts and prayers and if possible, give him a visit.

I just sent this to my '66 classmates:

Linda

I was out of town last week when Pam Zipfel Kirkwood '64 sent me this:

Hi All,
I just thought I would send this note out to some of you who are friends of Burdette Houser's '66...
I was just over to see Burdette Houser today, I had made him some chocolate chip cookies that he loves so much. Unfortunately, I waited a little too long to get them to him...He's not good. He is down to 107 lbs. He can no longer swallow. They are nourishing him with IV fluids. They have stopped all of the chemo treatments and a hospice doctor was supposed to come by today to assess him today...
He is such a "Brave Little Bulldog". God Bless Him...

Although Burdette has defied all odds so far, if you have been thinking about calling or visiting Burdette, I think maybe you better do it fairly soon. He looks pretty frail. He has a large tumor in his stomach now...I guess, that is what has affected the swallowing reflex... Pam


I never knew Burdette in high school. Spoke to him for the first time at the 40th at the Castaway. The last time I saw him was the our 42nd Reunion 1 1/2 years ago during the BHS Centennial, when he was wheelchaired in by an LVN friend to join us under the tent.

So I was nervous about going to see him. And I was totally unprepared for what 107 lbs looks like when I visited him Friday afternoon: like an Auschwitz survivor. He has good hearing, still enjoyed listening to the Dodgers game, but difficulty talking, and his eyes were closed most of the time. He's being kept "comfortable".

As Pam says, if you have been thinking about visiting him (calling him probably wouldn't be a good idea any more), don't procrastinate. He wants visitors. He was very appreciative.

I've definitely revised my thinking about visiting people who are "terminal": stop being reluctant and give the gift of a little time to just sit and BE with them. Small talk unnecessary.

You know you're getting old when something like this makes you wonder who's going to come visit YOU.

Sorry for my down tone. I didn't expect this visit to affect me the way it did.

In case you need it, Burdette's info is:
Chandler Convalescent 818-240-1610
525 S. Central, Rm 26-A
Glendale, CA 91204
Burdette's telephone 818-312-7053

Sadly,

Linda (Schuster) Mazur
Pasadena, CA

Last Day with the Bruckners & Burbank Nostalgia

Yesterday, Sunday, my gracious hosts and wonderful friends, Scott and Dona Foy Bruckner (BHS '66 & '67) took me to Olvera Street in Los Angeles before dropping me off at the Burbank airport.

We parked at Union Station which is where Scott comes when he takes the train to work. What a cool building!












Across the street is the lively and fun Olvera Street.






We had a delcious Mexican lunch...


... followed by yummy sweet churros!


We then drove around to look at some of the LA architecture








This is where Scott works


He has a great view of the city


Check out the jazzy Walt Disney Concert Hall






Los Angeles City Hall


Los Angeles River


LA Central High School


My mother went to LA High but it sure didn't look like this - lol!






Then we hopped on the freeway to head back to Burbank


Joaquin Miller Elementary School - my alma mater!


The same auditorium building!


Miller's playground




Sara (BHS '67) and Carol (BHS '68) Marino lived across the street from the school


Two doors up lived Johnny Marie Solomon (BHS '68). Dona has reconnected with Johnny who now lives in Arizona.


Jeanne Barron's (BHS '67) former house on the corner of Providencia and Kenneth Road.


My former house on Tujunga near Bel Aire


Amazing house on Ninth and Verdugo




House on Angeleno and Ninth where they gave Hershey candy bars on Halloween which Dona and I both remember. They also had a giant parrot when we were kids.


Two unique houses made of stone on Olive Avenue and Ninth Street


The Nicholls family home on Olive Avenue just below Bel Aire where I enjoyed visiting twins Carol and Cathy


Larry Maxam's house when he was in high school. April 17, 2010 is the Larry Maxam Park Dedication (info)


'The Little Store' - one of the few remaining left in Burbank!


Ralph Waldo Emerson Elementary School - both Scott and Dona went here


Looks the same!


The Emerson playground


John Muir Junior High (now John Muir Middle School)


Burbank High School






Thanks so much Scott and Dona. Good-bye for now... but I will be back!