John Clark has a new book out, Ray Banta’s War: A Combat Surgeon in World War II China. Drawing on letters, diaries, unit logs and documents from the National Archives, John describes the experience of the (American) portable surgical hospitals in China, specifically the 40th, commanded by Major Raymond E. Banta, U.S. Medical Corps. The book is available on Amazon.

The retirees among us spend time in a variety of ways. Alan Greenbaum retired a couple years ago from his career as a school psychologist. He now splits his time between Connecticut and Arizona, staying active with reading, hiking, swimming and that rapidly growing sport of pickleball. Jay Pierson lives in Hanover. After a career as a certified public accountant he enjoys life in Hanover indulging himself in all manner of “winter stuff.” Living in Etna, New Hampshire, is Jim Varnum. Jim retired 10 years ago as top administrator of Dartmouth-Hitchcock Medical Center. He successfully oversaw the massively complex 1991 move of the center from Hanover to its new Lebanon, New Hampshire, location. These days he enjoys volunteering with nonprofit organizations. Further north in New Hampshire is Dave Bishop. After a distinguished medical career including being named New Hampshire Family Physician of the Year in 2000 Dave lives in Franconia, staying in shape with tennis, skiing and climbing.

Let’s hear it for those classmates enjoying each other’s company at informal gatherings for lunch or dinner sometimes called micro-reunions. October saw such a micro in Ridgewood, New Jersey. In attendance were Jim Blair, Rusty Hayes, Tyko Kihlstedt, Frank Kehl and Irwin Kramer. Rusty (more formally Dr. Arthur P. Hayes) also was at the October mini-reunion in Hanover. He is a neuro-pathologist in Manhattan and lives in Demerest, New Jersey. He enjoys traveling, recently having toured Switzerland with his granddaughter. Rusty’s wife, Eugenia, is originally from the Philippines and they often travel there and elsewhere in Southeast Asia. As of this writing they were planning a December side trip to Vietnam and Cambodia.

Dick Bragaw, semi-retired from the public relations business he started in 1981, splits his time between a northern Illinois base and a golf community in Sarasota, Florida. He and wife Lenore enjoy the time in Chicagoland with their three sons and their families. Despite the ability to play golf year round now Dick admits it hasn’t much helped his handicap. He is active in church and conservation work. As this is being written he is overjoyed that his Cubs are in the World Series.

We are most fortunate to have dedicated and hardworking tripmeisters. Tom Komarek and Rog Usborne are planning to announce a new class trip at our 55th reunion in June. The trip will occur in the spring of 2018. It will be either a Mississippi River cruise starting or ending in New Orleans or a National Parks tour featuring Grand Canyon, Zion and Bryce National parks.

Check out your website: 1962.dartmouth.org. And join us on Facebook at “Dartmouth Class of 1962.”

—Paul Weinberg, 39 Abbott St., Beverly, MA 01915-5221; (978) 922-4963; pweinmass@aol.com