Al Peffley

"Japan’s surprise attack on Pearl Harbor would drive the United States out of isolation and into World War II, a conflict that would end with Japan’s surrender after the devastating atomic bombing of Hiroshima and Nagasaki in August 1945.

At first, however, the Pearl Harbor attack looked like a success for Japan. Its bombers hit all eight U.S. battleships, sinking four and damaging four others, destroyed or damaged more than 300 aircraft and killed some 2,400 Americans at Pearl Harbor.

Japanese forces went on to capture a string of current and former Western colonial possessions by early 1942—including Burma (now Myanmar), British Malaya (Malaysia and Singapore), the Dutch East Indies (Indonesia) and the Philippines—giving them access to these islands’ plentiful natural resources, including oil and rubber.

But the Pearl Harbor attack had failed in its objective to completely destroy the Pacific Fleet. The Japanese bombers missed oil tanks, ammunition sites and repair facilities, and not a single U.S. aircraft carrier was present during the attack. In June 1942, this failure came to haunt the Japanese, as U.S. forces scored a major victory in the Battle of Midway, decisively turning the tide of war in the Pacific."

https://www.history.com/news/why-did-japan-attack-pearl-harbor

By mid-year 1942, we were united to defeat the Asian bullies that became the third member of the axis of evil that was warring on humanity. The acts of 9/11/2001, 2019 Covid bioweapons release, and WEF tyrants have replaced the bombing and death camps of WWII. We need to relive that 1942 spirit of American faith in freedom granted by our common Creator [read "Bill of Rights"], not any human being.

United must we stand against the tyrants of today. It's the same evil using different information and terrorist attack [asymmetric] tools of war -- Reference: WAR AND ANTIWAR by futurists Alvin & Heidi Toffler. We are at war against the Khazarian Mafia (AZOV Nazis), corrupt bankers, technology billionaires, and southern Americas' Cartel warlords. We have been financially enslaved by the WCB, FED, and the CCP. Your words are power. Pray for the power of justice to prevail. Rebuke the tyrants being exposed and their attempts to enslave our world. Ascend, don't cower in fear or spend money to enable evil acts of division...be focused on He who never changes.

https://tofflerassociates.com/

Gregg Wilson

Show me the candy first. Then I'll get in the van. I'm not stupid!

Bill Engelhardt

Summer 1962 -- A break in filming "It Happened At The World's Fair" 
Pat O'Day, Elvis, Lan Roberts, Lee Perkins. 

Al Peffley

The 1963-released Elvis musical movie, if you believe the report I read, made $2,250,00* at the box office [with mixed reviews]. Kurt Russell (no credit) was the "kid" who kicks Elvis (Mike) in the shin.

One of my bosses at Boeing owned a Boeing Stearman Model 75 (see Stearman photo below - not the same plane) and flew it to work at the Kent Space Center in the 1960's before the FAA nixed the landing at a private Kent field runway. Dick Truly lived up north on a farm next to I-405 and SR522 in Bothell. He had his own runway on his Bothell ranch property and an old transfer car at his friend's Kent farm.

Note* If you use the urban Consumer Price Index as an inflation factor table, compounded, then $2.25 million in 1963 USD would be about $22.3 million in Biden economics USD today. (See calculator link below.)

The photo Bill posted is noteable to me because Lan Roberts (in sunglasses with a big smile) appears to rob Elvis of the PR camera shot movie star's focus... LOL! I never was an Elvis fan, but my mother thought that he was hot. I was a Lan Roberts radio show fan in the day. Roberts passed in 2006 (Watch Robert's Wake at Andy's Diner video on youtube below.)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdiG4UAK7CQ

https://www.calculator.net/inflation-calculator.html?cstartingamount1=2%2C250%2C000&cinmonth1=13&cinyear1=1963&coutmonth1=5&coutyear1=2023&calctype=1&x=Calculate#uscpi.

Al Peffley

I encourage you all to go see "The Sound of Freedom" movie. Jim Caviezel does another excellent film presentation as an inspired actor. The movie depicts a real life US DHS agent's true story of conducting an international child trafficking rescue operation. Disney tried to unsuccessfully suppress the release of this movie after they purchased the production company. SAVE THE KIDNAPPED CHILDREN.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8o9ufZTItE

Bill Engelhardt

Graduation time 1964

Bill Engelhardt

What a life he had.....

Al Peffley

Tony Bennett had blessed but a rough life, if you read about it in the hyperlink below. He overcame divorces, depression, drugs, and at the end Alzheimers,... but he did have a beauiful singing voice and a warm stage presence with his audiences. He was very open about his personal life and health issues. RIP, Tony.

https://www.today.com/health/tony-bennett-health-problems-rcna95522.

Bill Engelhardt

Frank to Tony....

Ted Comstock (Briggs-Comstock)

For those of you who remember Green Satin and the Upper U Dist Singers, Alice Stuart just died a couple of days ago. After the U Dist group, she moved to CA and was (briefly) a founding member of the Mothers of Invention. She had a good career mostly as a blues performer. I got a chance to talk to her at a Seattle Folklore concert and confessed my crush on her from the '62 World's Fair, which she thought was hilarious. She was the last of the U Dist Singers. 

Al Peffley

WOW! That's quite a switch from Tony Bennett to Frank Zappa and the Mothers. Sorry to hear about the loss of your lady friend, Ted.

Al Peffley

Urban America is being destroyed from within. This is disturbing and sad, to say the least. A person feels the need to conceal carry when going downtown any more to defend themslves and their loved ones when the dangerous violence breaks out. Car jacking is becoming more common as well as blatant shoplifting in retail stores. We avoid the known "combat zone" areas if we have to go downtown (seldom, any more.) The anarchist criminal chaos and homeless male predators' invasion from Portland are destroying both downtown Vancouver and Longview, WA. If you no longer live in the Seattle or Portland metroplex areas, then you made the right choice [according to this article passed on to me by a classmate who still lives in the southend near Burien.]:

https://www.westernjournal.com/veteran-seattle-cop-signs-off-23-years-instead-routine-exit-form-files-brutal-15-page-resignation-letter/

Joanne Rothe (Williams)

Per comment on the urban chaos... this is a 'case-in-point' link to a video of recent Nordstrom looting in downtown LA(!)

https://x.com/byronyork/status/1690691170404360192?s=42&t=REg4dYk9O1zKtf13aoUPlA

Al Peffley

Something for you "GEAR HEADS" out there (TURN THE SOUND UP):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?app=desktop&v=2SIcDntF4mo&feature=youtu.be

Alan Green's former driver Gary Gove reunites with the #64 1966 HD 427 Stngray Corvette coupe that he drove at Riverside for the 1966 SCCA class TITLE. This car is fully restored and it is being offered at the Monterey MECUM(sp?) Auto Auction this week. I worked part time for the AG Race Team while going to HHS and my first two years of college. This car's livery was much more conservative than the Bill Thomas 'Nova fastback or the three Cheetahs the Alan Green (AG) Race Team also operated at US racetracks like SIR, Riverside, and Leguna Seca.

Gregg Wilson

Been watching cowboy western movies. Trying to get things straight. What is the difference between a sod buster and a clod hopper?

Bill Engelhardt

Summer 1964

Al Peffley

CLODHOPPER - Noun; "A clumsy, coarse person; a bumpkin."

SODBUSTER - Noun; "An oldtime disparaging word for farmer often used by cattle ranchers, range cowboys, or buffalo hunters."

Are you sure about the year of that Space Needle photo, Bill? The two pickup trucks in the photo are newer than 1968, but the first generation red Jeep Wagoneer could be an early 60's model.The Chevy El Cameno in the photo looks like a '68 or '69 vintage car. The shape of the roof is the clue. I owned a '72 at one time. Here is a photo of a '68 with an aftermarket grill and five-spoke mags:

Gregg Wilson

Gee, Thanks, Al,

Having worked on farms, I think I have been both. However, when my cousin and I were whacking away sprouts at the base of filbert trees, we were very high tech. We talked about B52s and hydrogen bombs. And UFOs, of course. The late 1950s were a wonderful time.

Al Peffley

You're wlecome, Gregg. Cattle ranchers had a ranch of owned acreage and lease agreements to graze their cattle on designated open range areas managed by state government, other large land owners, or in some cases federal agencies (BLM works on contract for the US Department of Interior.) The hay market was small and only used for winter emergency feed before 1900. Sodbusters applied for farming homesteads and reduced the open range land availability to the cattle ranchers and the local tribes. Cowboys made their living herding the cattle back to the ranch areas from the open range grazing areas for veterinary treatments, branding, breeding, cattle auctions, milking for dairy operations, and slaughter. Competing lifestyles. My father was an Eastern Washington cowboy raised in a sodbuster family who came from Missouri by wagon in the 1890's to settle in Wiber, WA. He was born in 1906 at Govan, WA. He could ride a horse and roll a handmade smoke with one hand. My dad also broke in and trained wild horses. I am somewhat of a clodhopper with horses, but I can saddle one and also ride bareback with a well-mannered "steed".  There are a  lot of cattle ranchers over around Enterprise in the Wallowa Valley, Oregon. Most of the "sodbuster" grain farmers are located around La Grande, Elgin, and Pendleton, Oregon. The Nez Perse indians were excellent horsemen and brave warriors. Chief Joseph is burried near Lake Wallowa (their historic summer camp), and our annual Rodeo is named after him..; o)
 

Larry Ohrt

It’s always nice to be able to meet up with one of your classmates for lunch.  No need to wait for a class reunion.  Larry Ohrt and Howard Jenks Aug. 16, 2023

Bob Beveridge

Bill:  (Pardon if repeat; not proficient in the technology!).   I was pleased to see the photo of the electric trolley at the Space Needle.

I grewup in Rainier Valley and used to ride the trolley south on Rainier Ave. to visit my Gramdmother or go to Sharples jr. High (before moving to Burien in 9th Grade).  ."Somethings never change!"

Al Peffley

Hey Bob,

I also have good memories about riding the 1940's Pullman Coach trolly busses downtown with my mother in the 1950's. The drive motor had a unique sound as it spooled up when the bus moved out. Bus drivers had an insulated pole to remount the connecting rods on top of the bus if contact was lost with the overhead power wires. The Ambaum segment of the old trolly train from Seattle to Seahurst was dissolved in 1929, but the rail segments down Ambaum and out 152nd to Seahurst were not totally removed until the early 1950's, if my memory serves me correctly. Seatlle still has the overhead, 600 volt trolly bus cable wires in various areas of downtown that supply modern day trolly busses, standard bus length and articulated. It is hard to beat the electric trolly system because we have a cheap hydroelectric power grid and the electric bus motors are so simple to maintain and  replace. Litium battery systems are still not practical like the wire systems (overhead-supplied) or narrow guage rail ground rail-supplied systems like the Max System in Portland. Electric cars and trolly tram systems have been around since the early 1900's. We had lots of clean energy solutions here, long before the Climate Change cult was established for the Great "RESET"; follow the money... They want you to limit your urban travel to no more than 15 minute trips. Don't "fix it" if it isn't broken.

1970's trolly buses at a Downtown to Capitol Hill Transfer Terminal yesterday. I once worked for Pay 'n Save Corp.

Metro trolly buses in Seattle today. A good return on your tax investment as long as the urban terrain stays safe, and desireable/essential  businesses can remain viable in the city.

Bill Engelhardt

Back when Seattle was still a colorful port town....

Linda Pompeo (Worden)

Thanks for posting pictures that bring back good memories of good times.

Paul Simonyi

Has there been any talk of a class reunion for 2024?