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Contact BenBachrach@gmail.com if you would like to be added to this honor roll.
TUESDAY JANUARY 18 2022 at 730 pm via ZOOM
“From WNEB to Network TV” – a talk by Jim Laurie
Classmate Jim Laurie talked about his new book, a career in network news, and his lifelong passion for global travel.
Does anybody remember Worcester’s “HI-FI station” W-N-E-B?
In Spring 1964, Jim went on the radio reading the news. He was one of the worst newscasters in radio history.
The only person to be honest about his performance was the marvelously inspirational English teacher, Anna Shaughnessy (Classical High 1921 to 1966.) Taking the 16-year-old aside, she suggested he might want to work much harder – first on his writing – and develop his broadcast skills later.
Six years later, Jim was on the air again – this time from Vietnam and Cambodia. He plunged into war, developed his obsession with global adventure, and landed his first network job at NBC News.
Jim will talk about his early years in Asia – as detailed in his memoir “The Last Helicopter: Two Lives in Indochina” (2020). The book, available at Amazon.com, is a story of war, love and survival. TV broadcaster Ted Koppel describes it as “a love story on so many different levels… memories of a young war correspondent learning his craft and falling in love. Cambodia and Viet Nam are, first the backdrop and ultimately the essence of the story. A wonderful book.”
It was the beginning of an exciting career – later reporting from Beijing, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Moscow, London, Sarajevo, Beirut, Belgrade, Berlin, Baghdad, Kabul, Jerusalem, Johannesburg, Mogadishu and dozens of other datelines.
Jim showed video and sound from his earliest adventures. Hope you can join us!
Jerry Morse was the moderator for the evening, while Ben handled the technical issues.
Classical ’65 Zoom Committee
Rick Sandler – rick@insgrp.com
Ben Bachrach – benbachrach@gmail.com
Mike Backer – salitube@aol.com
Look what Jerry Morse found
Here is a picture of an earlier reunion that was sent to encourage attendance at our 25th
Mark Blazis passed away 11/17/2021.
Obituary from the Worcester Telegram
Here are some news articles
29 Bruce Bindman
34 Stanley Greenberg 36 Robert Bloom 3A Ronald Swidler
If you recognize anyone else, please send name and number to benbachrach@gmail.com
Ben Bachrach grabbed this image off the internet
Please thank Cynthia Drougen Cohen for providing photos of the Argus Magazine.
Robert A. Bloom, 72, died on Tuesday, November 25, 2019 at UMass Memorial Health Alliance Clinton Hospital.
He leaves his wife of 49 years, Sharon A. (Daigle) Bloom; a son, Seth A. Bloom and his partner, Patrick Hurley of Sterling; a daughter, Amy B. and her husband, Matthew Erich of Westford; three brothers, James E. Bloom and his wife, Marcia of Richmond, VA., Paul M. Bloom and his wife, Marieanne of Hudson and Richard J. Bloom and his wife, Candace of Menlo Park, CA.; and two grandchildren Amelia and Aiden.
He was born in Worcester, a son of William and Anne (Sclar) Bloom and had lived in Sterling for 42 years. He graduated Classical High School in 1965 and Quinsigamond Community College in 1971. He graduated from Fitchburg State College with a Bachelor of Science in Industrial Arts, and later from Lowell State College receiving both a Masters Degree in Education and a Masters Degree in Computer Science. He first was an industrial arts teacher at Tahanto Regional High School for several years and later became a software engineer working for several computer manufacturers for many years.
During the Vietnam War, he served in the Air Force Military Police while stationed in the Philippines.
He was a member of Sterling Democratic Committee, Sterling Cable Committee and Sterling Building Committee for the Senior Center. Bob was a member and Past Master of both the Montacute and Guiding Lights Masonic Lodges now affiliated with Boylston Lodge of Masons in West Boylston. As a 32nd Degree Mason, Bob was a member of the Scottish Rite Valley of Worcester, Boston Consistory and Aleppo Temple Shrine in Wilmington.
