Letters

To the editor

Remembering The Great War

I sincerely enjoyed reading the article about World War I in the summer edition of Virginia Tech Magazine. I attended VT from 1956 through 1958 but did not graduate as I joined the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. I earned my Navy Pilot Wings on Feb. 1, 1960. I spent 30 years in the Navy and flew from four different aircraft carriers. The Navy sent me to college in California to complete my degree. I retired in 1986. I worked for Anteon/General Dynamics for 24 years and have been a substitute teacher in Fairfax, Virginia for eight years.

My father and his brother were 1915 graduates of VPI. My dad was an instructor in the Army at Fort Jackson, South Carolina. His brother worked for General Electric in Richmond, Virginia as a chemist during the war. Neither was sent overseas to fight; they were preparing to go when the war ended. Most of my dad’s memorabilia is in the army museum at Fort Jackson. I have some of the items as well.

I hope this information is not boring, but I wanted to share some World War I, Virginia Tech history. I am sure there were many other Hokies who served in that great war also.

Rowlett H. Bruce Jr.

Fairfax, Virginia

An Honorable Mention

I read with interest the story in the summer issue of Virginia Tech Magazine that covered alumni who fought in World War I, and in particular about Capt. Lloyd W. Williams, Class of 1907.

Lloyd Williams was from Berryville, Virginia, where I also grew up some many years later. His name and fame are well known there. The local armory and National Guard Headquarters was named for him.

The companion story about The Rock brought back memories of the many times I saluted it on my way to and from Thomas Hall.

Thanks for keeping the memory of a fine Hokie alive.

J.D. Berlin ’57

Winchester, Virginia

Correction: Laura Belmonte, dean of the College of Liberal Arts and Human Sciences, was incorrectly referred to as Laura Delamonte in a headline on p. 13 of the summer edition of Virginia Tech Magazine.