Legends

Walter Reasor attended the Perkiomen School and became interested in all things military. This brought him to PMC. As a talented drummer, he became an integral part of HQ Company (the PMC Marching and Concert Band), which was his first passion. Walt was the Tenor Drum Section Head of the PMC Band’s Drum Line. In one traditional PMC Halloween (anything goes) Parade, Section Head Reasor had the Tenor Drummers wear tartan bathrobes (as makeshift kilts), Full Dress Alfa multi-brass-buttoned Cadet jackets, and Cadet overseas caps modified with Cadet neckties (as cap tails) as quasi-Pipe and Drum Band uniforms. He received high marks for his creativity that evening. Cadet Reasor met Elizabeth Carol Fry at a church social at the end of his 4th Class (Freshman year). From that meeting he became a member of the “Elizabeth Carol Fry Fraternity” and spent most of his time at PMC with her and, subsequently, twenty-five years of marriage. As a Cadet, the members of HQ Company considered him to be a man who took “Duty, Honor and Country” seriously.

After his graduation in 1964, LT Reasor joined the 197th Infantry Brigade and was then assigned to an experimental program where he did not go to basic training and was immediately assigned to the 3rd Armor Division in Germany. In 1967, he assumed command of F Company, an independent tank company. He converted this unit to H Troop, 17th Cavalry, which then was assigned to the 198th Infantry Brigade. The 198th Brigade was subsequently deployed to Vietnam and assigned to the Chu Lai area of operations. The AO was located 56 miles south of Da Nang. Its assignment was to conduct “Search and Destroy” missions. This was a region of dried open rice paddies and considered to be controlled by the Viet Cong. Specialist Michael George wrote that H Troop would rarely see the enemy, but knew they could be anywhere to ambush them.

On the evening of 26 May 1968, five armored assault vehicles of H Troop, 17th Cavalry, were bivouacked and arrayed in their night defensive perimeter. That evening, the Viet Cong began a rocket attack against the brigade and commenced a ground assault of H Troop. Captain Reasor’s unit engaged the Viet Cong with automatic weapons fire. The Viet Cong then responded by attacking H Troop’s night perimeter with small arms and anti-tank weapons. Almost immediately, one Troop vehicle exploded from a direct hit. Captain Reasor immediately left his Command vehicle and rushed to aid the wounded. He then climbed atop of crippled track, repaired a damaged 50-caliber machine gun and used it to return suppressing fire. Once the attack has been repelled and the wounded air lifted to safety, Captain Reasor organized H Troop into a blocking position. For his “Extraordinary Heroism in Close Combat against two Hostile Forces,” Captain Reasor was awarded the Silver Star Medal.

Captain Reasor’s final assignment was as an ROTC instructor at PMC in 1969. Although involved in student life, as the end of the Corps approached, he became disillusioned with changes in the school and resigned. In the early 1990’s, he succumbed to a terrible disease that may have been caused by exposure to Agent Orange.

Burt Mustin, the son of Sadie and William Mustin of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, matriculated at Pennsylvania Military College in 1899 and, by his senior year, he was the Cadet Lieutenant of “D” Company, the catcher as well as the first baseman of the P.M.C. baseball team, the goalie of the PMC hockey team, and a talented vocalist with the PMC chorale-group. When the Merit List (Honor Roll) was announced in 1903, his 88.7 academic average placed him sixth in his class. He later recalled that he was a quick learner, especially with a staff-officer on-duty in each corridor who could “…pop in….” to his room at any moment to ensure that his nose was buried in his books.

His classmate, Charles Spinney, kept dozens of photographs of young ladies that he knew in his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, on the wall of his room and one day, while viewing ‘Spinney’s Gallery,’ Mustin remarked, “There’s the prettiest girl in the room.” Mustin later traveled to Memphis where he met and married Robina Woods, to whom he referred as his darling ‘Bine,’ in 1915.

His career at his father’s brokerage firm ended before it began due to an economic collapse and, for the next 25 years, Mustin was a car salesman. With the advent of World War II, automobile-production was halted in the United States. For a time he was a salesman for hearing aids. At age 60, Mustin and his wife moved to the warmer-climate of Tucson, Arizona, because of her failing-health. There he resumed his passion for acting by performing in an assortment of roles at local theaters.

In 1951, Mustin was performing in a cameo role as “Willie,” the janitor, in Detective Story starring Kirk Douglas at the Sombrero Theater in Phoenix, Arizona. One night, William Wyler, a noted director, attended the play and was very impressed with Mustin’s performance as “Willie.” Wyler cast Mustin as “Willie” in Detective Story, together with fellow actor Kirk Douglas in the lead-role. Throughout his theatrical career, which spanned more than four decades, Mustin became a well known character actor who was noted for his dependability and versatility. Mustin appeared in more than 150 films and more than 400 television-productions, including roles as “Jud Crowley,” the barber shop patron, on The Andy Griffith Show, as “Gus,” the fireman, on Leave It To Beaver and as “The World’s Oldest Cat-Burglar” on Dragnet. He was a semi-frequent guest-star on the Dragnet television-series, both in the 1950’s and 1960’s, because he was a personal-friend of Jack Webb, the creator, director and producer of Dragnet. Mustin honored his alma mater by reprising his original (1951) film role as “Willie,” the janitor, in the theatre pmc student production of Detective Story in February 1970. Mustin’s campus visit was arranged by Cadet John E. N. Blair ’70, theatre pmc General Manager, who presented Mustin with a theatre pmc plaque and gray cadet-sweater following thunderous applause at the conclusion of the Opening Night performance of Detective Story, which was attended by numerous local dignitaries, including President and Mrs. Clarence R. Moll.

Throughout his entire life, Burt Mustin ’03 never swerved from his love of and loyalty to the PMC Corps of Cadets. Possibly, that ‘view’ was best expressed by General of the Army Douglas MacArthur who, during his final visit to his alma mater, the United States Military Academy, told the West Point Corps of Cadets, “As I cross the ‘River,’ my final-thoughts will be of The Corps, The Corps and The Corps. I bid you farewell!” It could be surmised that Burt Mustin had similar thoughts when he died on 28 January 1977.

Emanuel (Manie, pronounced “Manny”) Sacks was a life long supporter and friend of PMC. His association with the school began in the 1918, when he enrolled in the Pennsylvania Military Preparatory School (PMPS). In 1920, he became a Cadet at PMC, Class of 1924. While at PMC he played football and became friendly with Hugh McCaffery ’24. He left PMC and began working at WCAU in Philadelphia. An avid supporter of PMC football, he arranged for WCAU to broadcast some PMC football games and military exercises. In June of 1955, this giant of the entertainment industry became a member of the PMC Board of Trustees. He had always taken an active interest in the school and its activities and this continued.

During his career at Columbia Records, RCA Victor and NBC Sacks gave encouragement and confidence to many artists. Although he kept out of the public eye, he worked closely with Jack Benny, George Burns, Edgar Bergen, Harry James, Dinah Shore and many others. In 1942, Sacks helped Frank Sinatra start his solo career. An appreciative Sinatra said during a 1959 CBS television tribute to Sacks that “There’s a little bit of Manie in everything good that has ever happened to me … Whenever I was in trouble and needed help, I yelled for Manie.” Despite Sacks’ reputation for his warm and charming personality, he was a tough bargainer according to RCA President David Sarnoff.

Sacks learned that he had leukemia when he was 52 years old, but only told his family and Sinatra. Upon learning of Sacks death, then Vice-President Moll, stated, “The College was deeply shocked to learn about his death, expressed the sentiments of the entire faculty, administration and student body of PMC. Manie Sacks, had made his mark in life as a top figure in the entertainment world, and we are going to miss a very influential friend.”

Watch Part 1 of Some of Manie’s Friends, a TV special which was broadcast in 1959. Perry Como, Dinah Shore, Eddie Fisher, Jane Wyman, Frank Sinatra and others are featured in the show.

Charles Frederick Berthold Price was born in Germany of American parents. He and his parents returned to America when Price was six months old. His family settled in Wayne, PA. Price entered PMC in 1898. At PMC, he was a talented musician; particularly in his rendition of “Taps”. In his 2nd Class (Junior) Year, he was appointed Chief Musician, which meant he kept the PMC Bugle Corps in shape. As a First Classman (Senior), he commanded “B” Company as a Cadet Captain. The Porcupine Annual (then the PMC Yearbook) described Price as: “an advocate for the Extermination of Room Inspectors.” It was written that to avoid the “exertion” of making his bed every morning, he “nailed his sheets and blanket to the bed.” He slept on the floor with a spare blanket. Yet, his classmates considered him to be a “good fellow…and a kind officer.”

After graduation, Price was employed by the Pennsylvania Railroad and served in the Philadelphia City Cavalry of the Pennsylvania National Guard. In 1906, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the Marine Corps and ordered to Annapolis for training. During the Spanish-American War, President Theodore Roosevelt ordered Price and a Marine Expeditionary Force to “protect American lives and property” in Cuba. Price remained there until 1908. He retuned to the U.S., but after a few months, he joined the Central American Expeditionary Force. Later deployments included: Panama during the construction of the Panama Canal; Vera Cruz during the Mexican Intervention in 1914; France, shortly before and after the armistice ending WWI; and Nicaragua. In 1935, he joined the Fourth Marines at the American Legation in Shanghai, China. Price was promoted to Brigadier General in 1940 and assumed command of the Department of the Pacific in 1941. After the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbor, he was promoted to Major General and placed in command of the Second Marine Division. He assumed command of the Defense Force, Samoan Group, in 1942. His assignment was to secure the approaches to Samoa Islands. His efforts in occupying and developing the U.S. presence on the Ellice Islands made the seizure of the Gilbert Islands possible, thereby opening the Central Pacific. For his ability, perseverance and tact he was awarded the Legion of Merit Medal with the Combat “V” for heroism during direct participation in combat operations by Admiral Chester W. Nimitz, Commander in Chief, Pacific Ocean Areas (CinCPOA), for U.S. and Allied air, land, and sea forces during World War II.

Price returned to the San Diego area in 1944. The following year he retired. He continued to live in the San Diego area until his death in 1954.

William Stern had failed several attempts at boarding schools. While his parents were traveling Europe, they happened to meet a Cadet from Pennsylvania Military College. Impressed by the young man’s poise and manners, the Sterns decided that PMC was the place for Bill to receive discipline and an education. Bill Stern flourished at PMC; he played basketball, football, and polo, used his extensive skills on the saxophone to help start a jazz group, led the college orchestra, and was appointed Captain Adjutant. Bill’s page in the Sabre and Sash, however, pointed to his future. “Is every body happy? This is Bill Stern speaking from the Bowl of Roses way out here in Lieperville.” Bill is a Graham McNamee, Ted Lewis, and a Frank Carideo all rolled up into one little bundle of vitality.”

“For twenty years, Stern was a fixture in broadcasting, rising to become one of the most famous, successful, and recognizable announcers of his time. He hosted several shows, including Spotlight on Sports, Remember This Date, and the very popular Sports Newsreel, a prime-time radio show featuring sports stories, news, and interviews. Sports Newsreel was heard on NBC from October 1937 to September 1953, when it moved to ABC, ending in June 1956. He was the recipient of over 30 awards from various radio, movie, and television publications for broadcasting. These included: the Billboard poll 1948-1949, the Radio Mirror poll 1949, the Scripps Newspaper Award Contest for five consecutive years, the Hearst newspaper award for four consecutive years, and the Radio Daily poll for ten years. In addition, Motion Picture Daily’s annual radio poll announced Bill Stern as the ‘Best Sports Announcer’ in 1951 for the 13th consecutive year. Stern retired from broadcasting in 1956 after collapsing at a football game.”

“Bill Stern never forgot Pennsylvania Military College. He returned in 1944 to deliver a eulogy for the PMC cadets lost during World War II, addressed a PMC sports banquet in 1955 and narrated the film ‘The PMC Story’ in 1957. Bill Stern paid his highest tribute to the college in a letter to the PMC Alumni Bulletin in which he wrote, ‘Whatever I did, you can credit to PMC. I came there a young punk, and left a man. PMC taught me much, mainly that in this life you get what you put into it.’ “

On November 19, 1971, Bill Stern died of a heart attack at the age of 64. He was inducted into the National Sportswriters and Sportscasters Hall of Fame in March 1974 and the American Sportscasters Association Hall of Fame in 1984.

Reprinted with permission from the Widener University Archives.