On the wall behind me as I write this is a black-and-white photo of me and my staff during senior year in Army JROTC. I was fortunate to be the cadet battalion commander that year, and also fortunate to have some very good guys in the organization.

Dave is in that photo (as is Glenn Anderson, alas also deceased). We went through the program together, for 4 years. I remember Dave as unfailingly cheerful, idealistic, hardworking, and friendly. Nobody could shine shoes better, nor disassemble and reassemble an M1 rifle faster!

A couple of years later, when I was a plebe at the Naval Academy, he was nearby as an Air Force senior airman at Fort Meade, Maryland. Once when I had a rare weekend when I could get away, he reached out to me, came and got me on his motorcycle, and took me to his barracks at Fort Meade -- a really fun adventure and very nice of him to arrange. By the way, you got to love Air Force dining halls..

I regret to say I lost contact with him over the years, and I don't recall him coming to any previous reunions.

But, look at that cheerful face in that photo.....that's Dave, for sure.

Steve Maffeo