Delta Kappa Epsilon - University of Alabama

Sighs of Psi 7 FROM THE HISTORIAN 1 We are not certain of the exact year that Sighs of Psi originated, but we have traced it as far back as 1931. The 1941 DKE pledge class photo, probably taken just a couple of months prior to the attack on Pearl Harbor. Joe Courtney '45, who was the source of the "War Issue" Sighs of Psi, is pictured at top left. Top row, from left: Joe Courtney '45, Harry Carlos '45, John Sherrill '45, Jack Boykin '45, Toxey Haas '42, Sumpter McGowin '45, Dan Donald '45, James Inzer, Jr. '45, Earnest McCord, Joe McConnell '45. Bottom row, from left: Seamore Yates, Jack M. G. Parker '45, Brevard Hand '45, Jackie Oswalt '45, Mac Bargeron '45, Jim Marlow '45, Bob Boykin '45, Gordon Martin '49, Ray Stewart '45, Dewey Ray '45. Photo courtesy of Gordon Martin and Craig Inzer '75, whose fathers are both pictured. by Brother Will G. Caffey '40, while on duty in Hawaii on March 19, 1942. An article entitled "Psi in the War," states, "We have brothers on all fronts, in all branches of the service" and, in addition to those already named, lists the names of 30 other Psi brothers known to be serving in the armed forces. It then continues, "We who are in the chapter now will soon be at their side, and it is our wish that we can do our share in keeping up the splendid precedent which has been set by those who have gone before. We of Psi salute our 'brothers in arms.'" As do we, who are looking back at them three quarters of a century later. The editorial staff of Sighs of Psi seemed to have been sufficiently cognizant of the importance of that moment in history that they chose to publish this issue in the form of a 23-page booklet "rather than the traditional newspaper." 1 The number of men in the active Chapter was dwindling quickly, the future was quite uncertain, and there may have been an intuitive sense that this might be the last issue of the Chapter newsletter to be published for the foreseeable future, and this appears to have indeed been the last Sighs published until after the war ended in 1945. There seems to have been a conscious effort to record all aspects of this moment in DKE history for posterity. We feel certain that many Sighs of Psi readers will find familiar names in the "War Issue" on our website, of fathers, grandfathers, uncles, cousins, and family friends. As we did in commemorating the 150th anniversary of the Civil War from 2011-15 by writing about Psi brethren who were veterans of that conflict, we plan to devote much of this column over the next four years to commemorating the 75th anniversary of World War II by telling the stories of our brethren who served in that conflict, and who were thus members of what has been called the "Greatest Generation" of Americans. So, if you can tell us of someone from the Psi Chapter who served in World War II, please e-mail me at the address below. Unlike the Civil War period, we have good Chapter records from the World War II era, so expect to learn more from those records in upcoming issues. Also, 2017 will mark the centennial of America's entry into World War I, so we would like to honor those veterans over the next two years as well. The entire Psi Chapter owes a huge debt of gratitude to Mrs. Joseph M. Courtney of Mobile, whose late husband, Joe Courtney '45, was a Psi Deke. Brother Courtney is named in the "War Issue" Sighs as one who had "made studying in the house difficult" and who was "given to pranking and noise making." This sounds remarkably like certain other Courtneys we know. Joe's legacy to the Psi Chapter includes three sons, Joseph M. Courtney, Jr. '81, a/k/a "The Mystic Mongoloid," Frank Courtney '86, and James "Jim" Courtney '88; three grandsons, Manning Courtney '15, Lyon Courtney '17, and Jack Jones '20; and a nephew, Michael "Vick" Vickers '83. Mrs. Courtney recently found a copy of the "War Issue" Sighs among Joe Sr.'s possessions and made it available to us, for which we are eternally grateful. Thank you, Liz! Thanks also to Joe Courtney, Jr., Sumpter McGowin '45, Mints McGowin '80 and Mary Courtney Cane for additional information. (Continued on page 8)

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