The Fake Pictures

From the 1970 University of Oklahoma Yearbook

I'm writing this top part large on purpose so people won't see the picture right off.  Go slow till you get to the picture for the desired effect for those who recognize the people involved.  After the picture, I'll give the complete story.

When I got my 1970 yearbook I was furious that someone could have put this picture in the yearbook and then labeled it completely wrong.  Over the years, I would look at it and be upset.  I even wrote the correct information in my yearbook.  I never scanned it for the same reason.  

But on January 4, 2010 I received a full page scan from 2LT Wesley Pipkin from the OU Army ROTC department along with some other pictures.  And this time when I saw it I realized that it really was a wonderful glimpse into CAPER history and really funny.

The caption in the yearbook said, "CAPER members surround Major James Larens as he donates blood during the annual Red Cross Blood Drive."

The picture was taken at the very end of the blood drive, on Friday, March 6, 1970 (I found the date on an on-line perpetual calendar) which was a very important date in CAPER history.  Are you beginning to realize some strange things in the picture?  

People really in the picture:

P/R BG James Condon, laying down.  Left to right:  Jerry Walker, Bill Callahan (our National Liaison), P/R MAJ James Radcliff, Becky Smith, Joanne Hendershot, Paulette (Kikugawa) Lum, Iris Rodriguez.  Outside of the camera range: Linda Grissette (me) and P/R COL Monte Fellingham.  I'm sure there were other CAPERS there, too.  

A week before, we received a call saying our annual inspection from Pershing Rifles National Headquarters and that we should make an appointment for them to talk with our PMS as soon as they arrived.  When they got to the Armory, P/R BG James Condon rushed to change into his uniform and then go into the PMS.  A few minutes later we were asked to go in.  We were really wondering what in the world was going on because this was not normal.  Then the PMS read an order from P/R MG Dennis Lambert (who was in Lincoln sick) promoting our commander, Iris Rodriguez to BG!  As we walked toward the Army bay (our office was on the other side of the Army bay and the blood drive was taking place there)   Iris told me I was now the Deputy Commander.  (She sure could think on her feet, even when it complete shock...because we all were.)  Then we went into the bay, we saw an empty bed and Jim Condon took off his uniform jacket and laid down as if he were donating blood and we all joined in on the joke....and a photographer took a picture!  I only with the photographer had gotten Iris' face.

This could also have been taken on Saturday, the day of the inspection because Jim Radcliff was in uniform.  But saying it was Friday is a lot more fun!

More Fake CAPER Pictures:

Michael Stuckert (the PR who was the editor of the "Proud American" newspaper) sent us these pictures from a CAPER recruitment brochure that he print the summer of 1968.  Very few CAPERS were in Norman for the summer, so they got some high school girls to pose in uniform as CAPERS.  Kathy Robinson (the pledge trainer) was the only CAPER I saw.  Mike thought maybe Barbara Jones was in, but he remembers that she went over to the SDS and drugs side of the world around that time and, obviously, dropped out of CAPERS.  I don't remember her at all. Mike is in one of the pictures, "dancing" with one of the high school girls in one of our uniforms.  If you look closely, you'll notice that the high school girls didn't have shoes one.  The pictures by the mirror were to try to make the group look larger.  Mike's going to look for a copy of the actual brochure.  I don't remember the brochure at all!  Maybe if I see it, I'll remember it!

The creator of this website, Linda Grissette (the 1970-71 CAPER National Commander) is not asking for any money to help support this project.  Her reward will be finding people she remembers and learning about other former members memories.  If you appreciate the effort, please use her for all of real estate needs.  If you aren't in the St. Louis area where she works, she can find a great agent in your area and will receive a small referral fee.  Contact Linda about real estate.  See Linda's main real estate website.