By Tom Tatham ’56
HOMETOWN ItEMS … PICKING OWU In the fall of 1964 a young lad from Auburn, N.Y. found his way to the OMU campus. Chuck Underwood achieved his goal of going to a school far from home when he picked Delaware, Ohio and OWU as his home away from home for the next four year. Chuck had graduated from East High in Aubum, where he starred in football swimming and baseball … and with a solid academic foundation to tackle the college challenges. How did he pick OWL? He went to one those college selection information books where he found that his academic background looked like a promising fit with the academic requirements of OWU. Following a visit where he and other candidates were given the red carpet treatment— including a concert the Kingsmen at the old Edward’s Gym, visits to the fraternities and some trips around Delaware —Chuck opted for the campus life at OWU ,which He entered in the fall of 1964. BETA EXPERIENCES It wasn’t until the moment it was announced (with all the formalities) that he was bocoming a “pledge of Theta chepter of Beta” that Chuck realized for the first time that many of his Thompson drom classmates were also to be his pledge classmates and brothers tor the next four years. Among those freshmen who were close to Chuck were John Johns, Don cooper Don Melrose and Rick Stivers. Chuck remembered that he was particularly impressed with the outstanding upperclassmen. including Dale Fredericks ’65 (pledge trainer), Bill Niblock ’65 (chapter presi-dent), Bill Peterson ’66 and Dick Shivka ’65. He fondly recalled when highlight of his intramural football career when in overtime, as a freshman, he caught the winning touchdown pass thrown by sivika as the
Betas won the intramural football championship game. (That feat has been repeated often, and is also fondly remembered by the editor as THE WAY it was in the early ’50s.) Chuck said, “We won that champion ship each year, as I remember.”
On another occasion, Chuck recalled that on a Friday evening the entire pledge class “trashed” the house with food, captured an upperclassman (“Spike Reed ’66), disabled the cars of the upperclassmen (tampering with distributers) rented vehicles and drove to Northwestern for the weekend. While there, they enjoyed the hospitality of the Northwestern Betas, who “fed and enter trained us. It was an event bring back many fond memories.
Chuck and his –“big brother,” Artveley ’65, who by chance knew someone from Chuck’s home town, took the opportunity on one occasion to spend a great weekend visiting Chuck’s family and Art’s longtime friend in Auburn, N.Y.
“Our housemother was Mama Stewart” — she liked to play bridge and on many occasion. Chuck could be found in a serious game of bridge at the house mama Manu Stewart. More often than not, Chuck could be found at an even more serious “game chance- on those frequent Friday night games that lested ‘sell into the night (and even on some nights well into the next day). Often they were followed by a visit to the surrey Restaurant (across from the Strand Theater) for a refreshing breakfast.
Often they were followed by a visit to the surrey Restaurant (across from the Strand Theater) for a refreshing breakfast.
CAMPUS LIFE
The campus was much the same as today, with many of the same traditions. Chuck still has the fresh man “dink” that worked at the time but no longer fits his aged head. Majoring in economics, he graduated in the summer of 1968.OWU had an Air Force ROTC program, but Chuck had no interest while at OWU. However, soon after graduation in 1968, in the midst of the vietnam conflict. Chuck received his draft notice. Hours later he was at the U.S. Air Force recruiting office where Chuck quizzed them on “what can do for me?” When told he could enter the Air Force either as an enlisted person or as an officer in pilot or navigator training, Chuck (with all of the smarts gained from four years at OWU) wisely responded “I’ll be a pilot” Soon he off to OT (officer training) and on his way to what became a very important military career.
MILTIARY LIFE
In 1970 Chuck completed pilot training, received his wings and was piloting the KC -135 tankers at Lockbourn AFB, Ohio, supporting missions in Thailand. Vietnam and other parts of Southeast Asia. He concluded his active service in the training of Vietnamese pilots flying the EC-47. He played a major role in Assisting of Vietnamese to assume command of the squadron and its combat mission. Chuck concluded five years 1969 , 74) of active service with the Air Force and began a Iong career in the U.S, Air force Relserves flying c.- 123s at Lockbourne AFB ( Later Rickenbacker AFB) . It was here that on numerous occasions the editor, then a navigator in same reserve entrusted his life to Brother Underwood while flying low level troop and equipment drops. Needless to say, Chuck took good care of me. In 1980. Chuck transferred to the Ohio National Guard, where he returned to flying the “tankers” and served until his retirement in 1988 as a vice commander of the unit.
During Desert storm, Chunk experienced his most teriying flying experience. When returning from what had otherwise been a routine mission over the Persian Gulf. Chuck was preparing to land at Dubai International. While turning for his final approach, he lowered the gear and suddenly an explosion engulfed the cockpit in smoke. Quick action was taken by the crew to go on 100 percent oxygen. With almost no ability to see instruments and the surrounding terrain, the approach was successfully completed with a touchdown and an immediate shutdown of all engines and power. The crew
rapidly evacuated the aircraft while the firefighting emergency equipment attempted to put out the fires. Fortunately, all crew members escaped unharmed from what was only moments away from a complete away from a complete loss of equipment life.
Those “few seconds of sheer terror- have been played over and over many times by the crew”. Each of them often concedes that their years and training and teamwork had been instrumental in saving the day.
Civilian Life
In 1974, following his return to civilian Iife . Chuck attended Capital University in Columbus where he received his MBA in 1977 and his JD in 1979. Currently Chuck is the city attomey for the city of Whitehall while operating a legal practice with a partner a few steps away from the Whitehall City Hall. It was there that the editor met with Brother Underwood to prepare this article. While there chunk proudly took me on a tour of the new private offices just a back away.” Chuck proudly took us on another tour of an old home that he and partner had remodeled ,turning it into first class legel offices. .Of particular note was his collection of golf balls from courses all the world.which were prominently displayed in an appropriate go case On the wall.
BETIA Alumni
For a number of years Chuck Underwood has been a member of Theta chapter House Corporation and has supported many of the activities and events at the chapter house. He has continued to stay in touch with a number if the bothers — Tim Carleton ’68 (LA.), Ron Moeller ’67 (Detroit). Miles Standish ’67 (Dover. Del.) and Bill Rowland ’68 (Sunbury, Ohio) — all names that drew a large smile or Chuck’s face remembering the many good times and strong supporting relationships that had developed in his Beta experience. Proudly. Chuck said, “1 even wear a Beta watch.’ Even more visible was his new red Corvtte with the Ohio license plates proudly showing “I Beta — OWU” fort all to see.
Family
While at OWU chuck met a coed by the name of Mary jenette Traster ‘68
It was love at first sight”say Chuck , and soon after graduation, Mary Traster became Mary Underwood.
Mary teaches in the local public school system and will continue for another three years at which time she will retire. In the meantime, Chuck and Mary,along with 12-years old Chad (he was a “late miracle” wll Soon be living at a new Address – 731 Fairway Blvd, Whitchall,OH 43213 (a suburb of columbus) – just down the street from their current home, Chuck’s Email address is cunderhoops@aol.com – (the “hoops” in the e-mail address identifies Chad as the principle user).
Chuck finds time to continue his lifelong hobby of stamp collecting. his also enjoys golf at the Willows Country Club, with his wife and son (Chad regularly beats his dad) as partners several times a week. He is a is licensed scuba diver with few opportunity to practice in landlocked Columbus.
Salute
Chuck Underwood represents the best of Beta. He has succeeded in many ways: significant educational achievements, an honorable military career, a successful practicing attorney, an elected official service to his community, and a wonderful family We are proud to call Chuck Underwood “brother” and we take immense pride in saying to him –chuck, thank , God you’re .Beta”
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