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On 04 April 2010 I received this message from Jack Bixler:

I was googling Bob Persing and came across your site with the pictures at LRAFB. I was stationed there from Oct 1955 until July 1956. I was friends with Persing, Nnat, Rusnak, Dellinger and Pitcavage..Also there was Jim Kinsey, Jim (Hank) Snow and Cerosky. Kinsey and Cerosky were married while there in a double ceremony. The last time I saw Persing was when I worked in Cleveland and he was attending Oberlin College. It was great coming across your website.

Jack Bixler

On 21 May 2014 I received this message from Herb Surom:

Frank!

W hile researching the name"William Argerie" my wife stumbled upon your most interesting web site describing the time you spent at LRAFB during a few of the years I also was stationed there. In fact, I am the unnamed airman standing behind Bill who is seated at a desk (on your expansive picture page). My name is Herbert (Herb) Surom, and I was at LRAFB from November 1955 until February 1958 when I was sent to Greenland for a year. I arrived at the base even before the new barracks were ready for us and spent some time at Camp Robinson. At the base I was assigned to the 70th Rec Tech SQ, and it was there that I met and became friends with Bill Argeri. We kept in touch for a time after we went our separate ways, but eventually I lost track. I have wondered about him over the years...now I wonder if you by any chance know anything regarding his whereabouts. If so, I would very much appreciate hearing from you.

It is most interesting reading all that you have entered on your web pages, and I am still reading and rereading. Very glad you have taken the trouble to do so. I will continue to check for changes as you have suggested.

Meanwhile, back at the LRAFB barracks ...

Here you can see the dislocated, homesick young Airmen escaping into activity.

In the Gary Player outfit is Menominee, Michigander Ronald J. Lupien. He was the only one of the four who had ever actually golfed on a links. Deep in a backswing, maybe his first ever, is Chuck McDaniel, Columbus, Ohio. Your OBedient Servant, wearing an icky 50s California shirt and an embarrassed grin, looks past Texan Jacky R. Smith, whose face is actually on the front of his head, and not pointed our way.

Lupien eventually dragged Conrad Ward and me to a local public course where we enjoyed the fine weather. Ward got an evil sunburn through his shirt. Lupien was very patient. I shot a memory-assisted 116.

A few weeks later the same trio hit the municipal course near War Memorial Stadium in Little Rock. Site of The Fighting Razorbacks' sentimental victories. One of the tees was above the stadium rim, and the green was down there at the bottom of a steep hill. Lupien recommended a seven iron. I think it was way too much club. I sliced that sucker up and into the concrete bowl, where it could be heard for what seemed like minutes, making that not-unpleasant whangg-whangg-whangg ringing sound you can sometimes find in tunnels and handball courts. I took another swing, and eventually scored 106.

I golfed once more, two years later, on the Base course at Barksdale. I carded a 96. Quit while I was ahead. For once.

Lupien was a rhythm man, a drummer. He bought bongos and played them with drumsticks. "Loop," he was called, or "Ronny-John," and he had some interesting things to say about Adolph Hitler. His musical idol was Barrett Deems, whom he saw when Louis Armstrong played near his place.

There was something loose he did with his wrists when he walked, and something Charlie Chaplin about his walk.

Another view of Lupien, with Bob Munns looking on.

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