An MHS grad's pivotal role in history

Talk about heritage. Talk about history. McCook was filled with it this past weekend, as hundreds of alumni came back to town for reunions and reminiscing.

I wish I could tell everyone's story. So many from here have accomplished so much. McCook is a breeding ground for greatness.

Let me give you one example.

In 1948, a young man named Jerry McIlmoyle graduated from McCook High School. He then went to McCook Junior College, earning his associate's degree in 1950.

Jerry was a smart kid, but there was little else to distinguish him from his classmates. At least there wasn't until he entered the military and began a meteoric rise to the top.

Facing the draft because of the Korean War, Jerry chose to enlist in the U.S. Air Force in 1951. His special abilities were soon recognized, and soon after joining the Air Force Jerry was chosen for the Aviation Cadet Program. Upon completing the program in Bryan, Texas, the new second lieutenant married his hometown sweetheart, Patsy McBrien, in December of 1952.

From that point forward, the McIlmoyles' lives have been packed with adventures. During Jerry's military career, he rose to the rank of Brigadier General and served as one of 400 members of the extended Joint Chiefs of Staff. He retired in 1981.

The history-making part of McIlmoyle's life took place in October of 1962. That's when the then Capt. McIlmoyle was chosen as one of 11 pilots to fly U-2 reconnaissance flights over Cuba. The flights started Oct. 14, 1962 and continued through Oct. 27, 1962.

Why do I say history-making? Because -- as a direct result of those flights -- the Cuban Missile Crisis was averted. Capt. McIlmoyle, who made four of the reconnaissance forays, was personally recognized by President John F. Kennedy for his role in halting the missile crisis.

The experience was the most memorable of McIlmoyle's life.

"President Kennedy was in a limousine with his entourage," McIlmoyle said. "His driver stopped right in front of me. The president got out of the car, walked up to me and extended his hand. I was at attention and saluting but the president wouldn't have any of that ceremonial stuff. He told me to stop saluting, then reached out and grabbed my hand. His voice was tinged with emotion. He patted my shoulder, and proceeded to tell me the U-2 flights over Cuba made the difference. They were what allowed him to negotiate a peaceful settlement with Premier Krushchev of the Soviet Union."

These many years later, Gen. McIlmoyle's mirrors the late president's emotions as he tells the story.

"I met four presidents during my years in the military. Eisenhower was the first, followed by Kennedy, Johnson and Reagan. All were special occasions, but none compares with the moments I shared with President Kennedy. The president was assassinated a year later, but my memories of our meeting will last as long as I live."

The Bearded President

What do you think President George W. Bush would look like with a beard?

If you're curious, you've come to the right place. Over the course of the past three years -- in the days since the 2004 general election -- the Gazette's news staff has received dozens of clippings of the president's pictures, each artistically embellished with an inked-on beard.

We don't know who the beard sketcher is. All we know is that the beard-penned pictures arrive in an envelope with a Cambridge postmark.

It's obvious that the sender doesn't have much use for President Bush. We know that because of the inked notations on the clippings, containing such monickers for Bush as "phony" and "imposter."

The anonymous sender also comments about those who pose with the president, calling former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales a "brownnoser" and judicial nomiee Michael Mukasey "another rubber stamp."

"In recent months, the sender of beard-added Bush pictures has economized," Gazette Editor Bruce Crosby said. "He or she used to send one picture at a time," Bruce said, "but now he or she will send four or five beard-altered pictures in a single envelope."

All the pictures are clipped from the Gazette's inside page coverage of national and international news.

We're baffled about what the beard drawer's purpose is. Obviously, his or her intent is not positive reinforcement. That's too bad, because if the suggestions were helpfully motivated, they could be models for President Bush's beard for America's 250th anniversary celebration in 2026.

Band Uniforms

Bought in 1989

The McCook High School band uniforms are not as old as I estimated in last week's "Happy days for band fans" column.

According to an anonymous e-mailer, who was in the McCook schools' band program from the sixth grade through graduation in 1992, the MHS band uniforms were purchased new in 1989. That was in the e-mailer's freshman year.

If that's true, and the e-mailer seemed certain it is, that would mean the uniforms are 18 years old. That's as old as most of this year's seniors, but it is not as old as was estimated in the story.

I'm still anxious to hear what the school board thinks about the uniforms' condition. We should know soon. The band's enthusiastic director, Donita Priebe, plans to show the board what the uniforms look like at their next meeting, scheduled Monday, Oct. 8.