Bruce Wilson

JIM: I played trumpet, but I liked to get back into the drum section and bang {espcially} the big bass drum.  Mr. P fired that baton across the room on many occasions.

Appears that the colony was doomed in about 1980

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1980/apr/03/colony/

https://www.sandiegoreader.com/news/1980/apr/03/colony/

Bruce Wilson

BurgerLand? Sunset, Mission Hills 1927

Bruce Wilson

Terry: I have no recollection of Burger's bike, though Roger Schmidt does recall it very well.

Jerry: See below, but he did have an early fascination (that persisted) with cars. His first was a 1932 Ford sedan built in Colorado when he lived there. BTW, he played football in Limom (population about 2000).

William Frankliin Burger, Jr had a number of occupations in life, apparently his last was "@storyteller".

I have seen no formal notice of his passing, but:

There was a memorial in March.

Everyone at Cafe Moto and our Barrio Logan community is deeply saddened by the passing of our great friend Billy Burger.

Jim Hawes

Just some additional links to Mr. Burger! 

Cafe Moto | San Diego CA | Facebook

Gary William Baldwin

It was interesting to learn that Bill was a part of the Barrio Logan community.  I spent many weekends and school holidays at my Grandmother's home just off of Caesar Chavez Parkway (then known as Crosby Street).  I continued visiting the Barrio throughout the years including joining the Don Diego VFW Post as a lifetime member and five years volunteering at the Monarch School after retiring.  My most recent visit was to participate in the dia de los Muertos celebration.  To bad our paths didn't cross.

Terry Lee Maple

Baldy-I believe you trace your Hispanic heritage through your mother, as I do. With Gringo surnames honoring our fathers, we were mixed race kids. My grandmother, Carmen Martina Salazar, lived with us for awhile on Carla Avenue. She was a wonderful influence on me. Thinking back on your skills, I recall that you were one of a few guys that could tackle me. You were a superb tackler and defender. What was your secret? I also remember your rendition of "the dog". No one could do it like you did. I assume you were a teacher before you retired and became a mentor. Congratulations on helping others to reach their full potential. 

Bruce Wilson

Well Satchel Paige and Bob Dylan apparently were onto something when they commented on the advisability of not looking back. Mr. Burger, like me, was subject to the influences of others, his full story (and mine) will never see the light of day.

Be that as it may:

Satchel followed up with How old would you be if you didn't know how old you are?

Bob, hardly ever at a loss for words said:

Sick man lookin' for the doctor's cure

Lookin' at his hands for the lines that were

Patrick Borunda

Hello Lancers

Well, I’ve been following with great interest Kay Ochi’s much needed lessons regarding the 442^nd Regimental Combat Team (“Go for Broke”). Though there are many people whom I admire greatly, I have had few heroes in my lifetime.  Daniel Inouye (MOH), 2^nd Lt. Army Infantry, has been one of the few. George C. Marshall GOA and Secretary of State is another.

During my long career as a management consultant, one of my long-term national clients was Bank of America.

At one point, they asked me to do an early version of management training in diversity for their up-and-coming executives. A principal element in my head-slap opening was jumping dead into the common American mythology of mid-Western corn-fed farm boys and Iron Range steelworkers having won WWII.

It was important to wake the participants up from their conviction that diversity was irrelevant. I discussed the 442^nd RCT at some length. I also talked about the 332^nd Fighter Group (Tuskegee Airmen, Black Fighter pilots with spectacular performance in combat), the 400 Native Code Talkers from 30 tribes (Assiniboine, Cheyenne, Comanche, Kiowa and many others, as well as the best-known Navajo), the Red Ball Express who were the mostly Black truckers responsible for keeping Patton’s 3^rd Army moving across France.

To a quiet room, I discussed the role of the WASPs (female pilots who wrestled the biggest military bombers and flew our fastest fighters to keep aircraft moving to the fronts) and the Arlington Hall Code Breakers (the mixed race corps of women responsible for breaking Japanese and German military codes on this side of the Atlantic).

There were other WWII examples that I wanted to use (e.g., Mexican-Americans and Puerto Ricans),  but effective pedagogy required that I make my point and move on.  Still, as a set-up, it really worked.

I wouldn’t say that Southern California was entirely color-blind in the 60s.  Compared to other places I’ve lived; it was pretty good.

Jim Hawes

Very sad day. Tom Rice has passed away at the age of 101 years. It was an honor to have known him and to have met up with him a couple of years ago. It was a pleasure to thank him for his service, salute him, and share memories of the our experiences in France in the US Army.

 Adieu mon ami, tu as été une source d’inspiration pour tous ceux dont tu as touché la vie.

Kay Kozuye Ochi

Thank you, Mr. Rice, for your service to this country and to your students. May you rest in peace.

Kay Kozuye Ochi

Wow. Pat Borunda! It has been a while. I enjoyed hearing about your career and lessons to the executives. If I haven't encouraged this earlier, please check out "Facing the Mountain" by Daniel James Brown. It takes a deep dive into four of the heroic 442 veterans - what made them heroes. I had the privilege of meeting Daniel Inouye when the community lobbied for reparations in WDC. On one lobbying trip was 442 vet Rudy Tokiwa who is featured in Brown's book. Rudy was a little guy, but he was a fast runner. He ran back and forth through mine fields and snipers to deliver communique to the front and he lived to tell about it. Before he joined the 442 he was a cook at Poston (Arizona) camp/prison. Picture that: his family and upwards of 125,000 JAs incarcerated by their government for imagined treachery, yet the U.S. government recruits them to the European front. And, I really appreciate your inclusion of the segregated military units in your teaching. Thank you, Patrick.

Terry Lee Maple

It was my good fortune to work with Pat in Key Club and ASB activities. He was elected VP based on his rousing speech to our classmates. He was and likely still is a riveting public speaker. Our classmates admired you Pat, and that says a lot about them and you. Good to hear from you and learn more about your extraordinary career. 

Bruce Wilson

Sad to hear of Tom Rice's, untimely death.  As I recall it, I had three teachers in high school, Mr. Rice was one of them.

Keep a fire for the human race

-Clyde Browne

sad

Laurel Lucille (Laurie) Webster (Holmes)

Jim - very nice words regarding Tom Rice, spot on and I agree.   I have two other memories of Mr Rice - 1. He was the Starter for our Track Meets and after one race he approached me with some race advice.  I was unaware that he had a successful collegiate career as a half-miler at SDSU and I don't think I showed him the respect that was due.  I wasn't disrespectful, just a typical clueless teenager   2. I have often told the story of how he taught us all a lesson in truthfulness and honesty while in his Civics Class.  He called each one of us, one at a time, to the front of the room to confess if we had cheated (he had the evidence from test results).  I was lucky that I was not clever enough to pick up on the cheating scheme so I was "not guilty", but I never forgot the lesson.  Mr Rice and Mr Fetter - two legends from our High School days.  God Bless and Rest in Peace.

Patrick Borunda

So terribly sorry to hear of Tom Rice's passing.   If ever there was a man who applied the adage:  "As the twig's inclined, so grows the tree."

He had an enormous influence on my life. I found his civics class to be determinant in a lifelong commitment to democratic values.   Who could not with him as a guide and role model?  I chuckle wryly when I hear people talk about "Well, just a school teacher."

It may seem frivous to note in his life of wide impact, but it was him telling a group of us about the Normandy jump that later led me to make my choice to become a paratrooper...and therein lies a tale, friends.
 

Patrick Borunda

Kay Ochi

Funny you should mention "Facing the Mountain."  It's actually on my Nook right now. I'll be starting it this weekend!

I haven't started it yet because I'm usually reading 3-4 books at a time and I'm just wrapping up Peter Frankopan's eye-opener The Silk Roads and Thomas Piketty's A Brief History of Equality.  Piketty is ordinarily a slog, but this one is surprisingly accessible.

I'm very much looking forward to the read.

Warmest wishes.

Bruce Wilson

Re: Mr. Rice:

Autographing newspaper in France June, 2022. 

Can't decide whether to elaborate on why I considered him one of three teachers. Maybe the candy bars are more approriate.

Jerry Olivas, EdD

Hi All,

I guess I was lucky to have had a bit of a conversation with Mr. Rice about a year ago in Coronado at his 100 years old parachute jump. I did speak with his wife too, who I thought was his daughter, but that’s none of my beeswax. She was very nice and friendly. Regarding Mr. Rice and our discussion, I could definitely feel his strong patriotism, but I couldn’t share any military stories with him, and I don’t think he wanted to hear how I avoided the draft or was on my way to help with the Mozambique revolution in the early 70s. I bailed on the Mozambique plan after meeting a lovely young lady in London who I felt compelled to show around Europe.

Jerry

P.S. Picks for World Cup 2022 are: France gets the cup, second will be England, third will be Argentina, and fourth will be Hilltop High 1964.

Bruce Wilson

Just one man's opinion, but I do not think any of the HHS-64 class will duplicate Mr. Rice's feat of aging. 

My mom my died at 90, but none of my nuclear family (exepting me of course - last check I was 75) made it past 62.

Tom Rice was a fair and funny man. He really did not know what he was getting into, but he handled it all well.

Bruce Wilson

Mr. Burger's date on the ill-fated charter bus to Disneyland Trip. I seem to recall Bif was on the bus and he could choose either the front of the back, since in those days the world was color blind. However, check with Joe Adame, Dennis Morinaka, and Xavier Urbina to be sure.

Patrick Borunda

Hello, again, Lancers.

Well, this is an important week at our house.   I’ll be turning 75 on Friday (DOB 11-25-47)!  I was born on Thanksgiving Day, 1947.

When we graduated in June 1964, I was 16 years old.  One month later, I was an “emancipated minor” in the State of California.  I was responsible for feeding myself, any dependents and paying my own taxes.  I needed a work permit when I went to work for a bank in Los Angeles in July 1964; same thing a year later since I still wasn’t 18. In October 1964, I was off to an eventful four years at Lewis & Clark College in Portland, OR, where I majored in International Affairs. 

Being an International Affairs major, I learned quite a bit about European colonialism and the history of South East Asia. Needless to say, I was dead set against the War. Wrong cause, wrong place…fatal misunderstanding of the people and their history.

So, I was one of the original organizers of the anti-war movement on my campus. Between my activism and survival instincts (certainly informed by self-interest), it was rough sledding. As the Vietnam War heated up, I knew that if I lost my scholarship or lost my job(s), I would be drafted without a degree.

There is a whole complicated story here.  But, when I was drafted, I split for Canada.  Mere hours later, I was on the same train tracks coming back south.  As a Native American, I wasn’t going to let my effin’ government drive me out of my own country!  I made my draft physical on time. Suffice to say that in March 1969, I was drafted and slotted to enlisted Infantry.  A college graduate, my tests led the Army to eventually send me to Officer Candidate School at Ft., Benning, GA.

I was commissioned a 2^nd Lt., Infantry in March 1970. The Infantry School let me earn my wings as a paratrooper but didn’t let me take a Basic Company for my “troop time.”  Troop time is when newly commissioned officers are assigned to learn the ropes having command (usually a 30-person platoon) and managing through NCOs.  The School I’d just graduated immediately assigned me to be an instructor on the faculty of the Leadership Committee.  I was teaching three classes: Leadership and Methods of Instruction to Officer Candidates, same class (different class notes) to NCO Academy Candidates and Staff Study Writing to Advanced Class Officers (Captains and Majors).  I was managing classrooms of up to 200 bone-tired students at a time.

It was a good set-up for my tour in Vietnam.  In 1971, after intensive training I was a MACV Advisor for the Vietnamese 401^st Regional Forces Bn.  It was the Province Reaction Force in Kien Hoa Province, Mekong Delta.  At full-strength we were 5 Americans advising 600 Vietnamese; we were never full-strength, often there were just two of us Americans. Our Force role was being the 911 responders for the Province; when some unit got in combat over their heads, we were tasked to go bail them out. We did air assaults, riverine landings and a lot of just wading up to our chests in warm muddy water…hoping against hope we weren’t going to trip a booby trap.

When I got home in November 1971, I was the oldest 23-year-old you’ve ever met.  An officer and decorated combat veteran, I had a reserve obligation.  But I was ready to begin life as a civilian.

Jerry Pedrotti

Thanks Patrick for sharing some early life memories.  I don't think we really ever interacted with each other at school but I wish I had known you better back then.  I commend your anti war efforts in the 60's and your eventural military service. during a very chotic time.  Wishing you a very Happy Thanksgiving and birthday!!

Jerry Olivas, EdD

Hi All,

Pat, good to see you are still kicking; me too. What’s a little odd is that not too long ago I was chatting with my brother Jim, and he mentioned you. I was in a positive light, certainly. Something like “I bet Pat Borunda did really well in life because he was smart and had a great personality.” Brother Jim is doing fine and has done very well in life—that guy could sell anything. I like to kid with Jim that they erected a statue of him at Hilltop because of his popularity and that a lot of people in CV look like him 😊.

I do find it a little strange that you ended up in the service and in Vietnam, given your earlier anti war sentiments. I’ve been anti all US wars from Vietnam right up through Afghanistan. In my humble opinion those wars have had very little to do with freedom, liberty, and caring about others—and more to do with making money for the US defense industry. And the US defense industry continues to do quite well supporting the Ukraine war and continuing to sell arms everywhere including to Vietnam. And there is talk of US bases in Vietnam soon too—which will add to the 800+ US military bases around the world now. Yep, it’s a goofy world!@#$%^&*()_+. I hope Ye fixes everything when he becomes President (((:::

Bruce, you mentioned the Disneyland fiasco. I do remember the big bust in the parking lot at Disneyland, I think around our 8^th or 9^th grades. It’s been a while but mainly I remember how easy it was to steal (shoplift) everything at Disneyland, and I did take my share. I guess this was one of my many stupid indiscretions—duh, certainly Mickey Mouse knew we were stealing sh*t but Mickey and Mini didn’t want to create a scene. My vague memory is that as I walked to the bus in the parking lot there was a big table with a lot of ‘stolen’ stuff on it, so I started to pull my tikis off (I did love those tikis) and empty my pockets, just throwing stuff everywhere. Well, that didn’t work to well and soon I was giving up my name and information on how to contact my parents. Can’t remember, but the bus may have taken us to the Anaheim Police Station (maybe it was later at the CV Police Station) for a booking or … Anyway, we did get back to CV and my parents were pretty pissed off, but it was easy to blame the shoplifting on my ‘bad’ friends, not me—yep, the old peer pressure excuse and others were a bad influence on me. The odd thing was that I remember somehow a few kids were able to hold on to some of the things they stole by I guess hiding them somewhere. These were kind of trophies, of “see I’m smarter than the system”. Oh yea, ‘the system’, but as we know, no one beats the system.

Not sure but I think the Hilltop Classes of 1963/64/65 have had some very interesting, exciting, and crazy, real crazy, experiences in the mid and late 60s. It seemed like everyone was trying to outdo everyone else with something that was ‘wild and crazy’, and often dangerous.

Ciao,

Jerry

Gail Eileen Dillon (Boone)

I find myself  thinking often lately about Tom Rice...I am so glad that I had the chance to tell him at one of the reunions he attended that no teacher did more to prepare me for college than he did. (Martha Hassler was a very close second.)

Those of you who had him for Civics will remember that he gave us "blue books" (actually at least one was pink) in which to write our essay exams.  I have kept one all these years, partly because of how carefully and thoughtfully it was graded. He took the time to fill the inside of the cover with comments and wrote several comments throughout my essay, at least one on every page.  The topic was the relationship between the states and the federal government, and he asked us to develop the themes of "confusion, convulsion, and coma."

As a teacher who took seriously the grading of my students' essays, I am so impressed by the time he put in. He even added comments just sharing his own thoughts to add to points I had made.

He ended by saying, "Appears to be your best work yet!" He gave me an A minus, suggesting things I had missed and saying it needed some diagrams as illustrations. No clue as to what I could have diagrammed.

Gotta admit, I don't think I could write anything like this today. I kept thinking, "I wrote this??" Mr. Rice was apparently my muse and for that and so many other things, I am grateful.

Gail Eileen Dillon (Boone)

Just remembered something else. He made us take copious notes, again as prep for college.  One set that he graded was a B because he said it was messy.  He had a funny rubber stamp with a stick figure and the word "Messy."  Not sure, but I think I was more careful after that.