That is a great picture of John. Thanks, Jim.

I wrote to a veteran who said that John died in his arms. Here is is account of what happened to John:

Thanks for remembering Lt. Bradman on this day. He was a very fine Officer and died at my side in a battlefield accident. The explosion that took his life lifted me in the air and tossed me backwards. Lt. Bradman, who was directly beside me, died instantly and I didn’t have a scratch. Before placing him in a body bag, I took his Ranger cap and inserted it in his trouser pocket, hoping the cap would make it home for his family. He was very fond of that cap and I knew it would be stolen once in the rear if it wasn’t hidden.
 
During my one year tour in Vietnam, my Company had over 45 men killed and probably a hundred+ wounded. On this day, I think about the ones killed and hope all are remembered.
 

Dan Johnson, President
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website: www.lililua.com <www.lililua.com>
e-mail: dcj@lililua.com <mailto:dcj@lililua.com>;

One of my colleagues (at No. Brunswick H.S.) had originally worked at the Bordentown Military Academy. John's dad (a career military guy) was the commandant there, and John the only son. Bordentown is a small town, and (at that time) the Academy was a big part of the town. John's funeral parade went through the town, with a great number of the townsfolk coming out to honor him. The Academy cadets lined the street at attention, and as he passed they ran to the far (front) end of the line so he would have an honor guard for the whole route. As the school is now long closed, I do hope that the memorial plaques were preserved by someone from the school.

I remember clearly a late night discussion while camping along the Johns Brook with John, Jack F., and me in 1966. He was at the Citadel at the time (yep, of The Lords of Discipline fame). Having grown up in a military family at a military school what went on there (the Citadel) just seemed to him like what needed to be done to prepare guys for the upcoming challenges they would have to face. It seemed pretty much "over the top" to those of us at "secular" colleges.

He was a warm and sensitive guy who probably cared for his soldiers just as he cared for the kids in his cabin. He was one of those you could always count on for help, and he smiled while he came through for you.

There was a delightful picture of him as a youngster (fishing, I think) in one of the early PX promotional brochures. Does anyone remember...have it?

Reading about John Bradman, who I think was my counselor or was in the "U" in my cabin, Immediately puts into perspective the sheltered and safe life we had at Camp - like nothing like Vietnam could ever intrude into our world, nothing bad seemed to get in our way in those 8 weeks. Bradmans death, of which I had no idea about till now, puts a new spin on Camp for me after all these years. I am glad you all posted it, and I admit to a deep feeling right now about him, and a thank you to him and all the rest that sacrificed for us.

TVA defined!

Edited by author 06-04-2009 12:49 PM
I got an email this morning from a "camper" who asked I send him the Paradox CD rather than his downloading it. While burning the CD for him, I dipped into the folders and looked and listened a bit.

Looking at a photograph from 1962, and reading the name key to recall who was who, I'm reminded of names I haven't heard in years - like Wally Sterling (Aquatics), Curt Williams (Riflery) -- and wondered where they are today and whether they lurk on this site, not posting. And I stared at the picture of Billy Rice and Norm Tracy. My, how they've changed in the almost 50 years since then!

I listened briefly to the singing of Amici and was struck by something that sounds so mundane written here (even if I could italicize it) -- "that's not just a song, that US singing, from back THEN... when we were kids, playing at Paradox." Somehow, being transported back in time, imagining us singing then was somewhat surreal.

On the CD is a document announcing the start of the 1965 Parathon. It appears (and this I vaguely remember) that the announcement (signed by Monroe Strongback of all people) was in the CC-award treasure chest. It must have been arranged that for this one award, a camper was slipped a key to it?

I can't recall how other Parathon's were started, except for something about how Eric's been in an accident and the ambulance came to pick up Ann who was in shock? Did they taper off on the theater a bit as years went by?

Finally, I went back to the original source documents to determine the etymology of the acronym "TVA." The results (confirming discussion recently occurring here) are below.

it's a good thing we've changed a bit since 1962... altho, back then i didn't have to shave at all... and now it's every day.

it's even stranger, that back then we couldn't wait to grow up... now i think we'd all like to slow things down a bit.

have a great summer!!

On Thu, Jun 4, 2009 at 12:49 PM, QT - Tom Field <
qtopic-39-ecqSvx6KPpmvC@quicktopic.com> wrote:

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--
Bill Rice, DC, LAc, DCBCN
Wholistic Health Center
Acupuncture, Chiropractic & Nutrition
In Practice Since 1977
< replied-to message removed by QT >

bill, you have to shave everyday too??? who knew? FYI, not a paradox thing, but dont have your email address...Lesley and Larry Rafes orgainized a PREAKNESS POOL REUNION this weekend...guess you won't be there, lots of names from our former life will be there....

Alan

Note to Alan: DrBill@writeme.com

our family was at Hickory Hill... so i really didn't have much to do with preakness pool. altho i do remember someone drowning there, getting hung up in the suction at the bottom or something.

haven't heard from larry & lesley in a while either. but i'm a bit far to pop in for the weekend

On Fri, Jun 12, 2009 at 8:15 AM, QT - alan shier <
qtopic-39-ecqSvx6KPpmvC@quicktopic.com> wrote:

>
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--
Bill Rice, DC, LAc, DCBCN
Wholistic Health Center
Acupuncture, Chiropractic & Nutrition
In Practice Since 1977
< replied-to message removed by QT >

As my eleven year old son leaves for his third season of eight weeks in Camp, I am reminded when he talks about looking forward to getting to the airport so he can sit with his friends on the plane just how long it's been since we all were at Paradox. When the bus rolled into Alexander's parking lot with someone following in the "Chaser", I still recall Joe Koplin and Tom Field on the bus when we were en route my first season telling me about camp and how much I will like it. Those guys from Philly knew all about camp! Seems like yesterday. One year I recall driving up in the "chaser" with Bob "Bo" Eldridge along with Alan Miller. Alan and I had our ideas about the Senior Sports Softball team which we discussed all winter.....Bo had other ideas which did not include me! It all worked out in the end but I remember how dissapointed I was when he had plans to put me on the "B" team. Thank goodness a counselor named Wayne Rowe, who helped him coach, had other ideas for me and I ended up playing on that "A" team. Are we due for another reunion down the road? Neushatz, if you are to be found give me a call. I know you moved to Central Florida but I only had your number when you lived in Lauderdale. Been trying to find you.....