Russell Ruhf
This is a repeat : I was Mel's first roommate , " bunkmate " as they say in the Navy " at Muhlenberg College in Allentown, Penna. in the spring/summer of 1943. We had enlisted in the Navy V-5 Flight Program, which required a couple semesters of college courses prior to actual flight training. Mel was much more mature and "worldly" than I was, and learned a lot about life from him.
He left the program after one semester because he didn't like " hitting the books ". He obviously changed his attitude about studying after completing his first enlistment. We never communicated with one another after 1943, but I did learn that he was in school in Alabama.
Then, about three years ago, after learning of my whereabouts through the Internet,he called me on the phone. That's the first I heard his voice since '43, about 70 years later !
We had a great chat. Subsequently, he e-mailed me steadily for 2-3 years - mostly dealing with politics, religion and Armed Forces stories.
At any rate, I am happy that I got to be Mel's friend for that brief interlude in Allentown.
Incidentally, I stayed with the program for the duration, since I was determined to become a pilot. Russ Ruhf



