One of the most unpleasant tasks in editing this magazine is writing the obituaries of alumni and faculty. There is so much that could be said, and so little space available to say it. Now that war has erupted in the Middle East, I dread future issues of this magazine, which may have to devote a separate column to those who have fallen in battle.
For the University of Washington, there has already been a death in the family due to the Middle East conflict. One UW alumnus, First Lieutenant Michael N. Monroe of the U.S. Marine Corps, died in Saudi Arabia prior to the start of the war. The 1986 graduate was killed in a jeep accident last October while on active duty. Monroe, 27, majored in history and played tuba in the Husky Marching Band. A state resident, he graduated from Auburn High School in 1982.
When news of the war reverberated throughout the campus last January, many UW students and alumni saw their everyday lives dramatically altered. There have been protests in favor of and opposing the war effort. The registrar’s office reports that there have been 37 “military withdrawals” through the end of January, which means that a student in the reserves has been called to active duty and must leave immediately. We know of several faculty and alumni physicians who have left their local practices for a tour of duty in the reserves.
Since one of the goals of Columns is to keep alumni “in touch” with each other and their University, we thought a list of UW alumni who are en route or serving in the Gulf might be a service to our readers. We only had a few days to throw this list together, drawing on the good services of the campus ROTC. units, so we know that it is incomplete and probably has some errors. Your corrections and additions are greatly encouraged. Those who wish to write to these alumni should seal their letters in an envelope, put a 29-cent stamp on it and write only the person’s name on that envelope. Put this first envelope into a second envelope addressed to “Mail Forwarding Service,” UW Alumni Association, 1415 N.E. 45th Street, Seattle, WA 98105. We’ll forward the mail to the correct address.
Though the war broke out after this issue was written, our cover story traces the discovery of a potential drug that someday could save many victims on the battlefield, as well as those injured on the highway. Researchers at the UW and other local institutions have manufactured a molecule that may prevent the body from going into severe shock following blood loss. Other articles in this issue include a look at the ethnic studies requirement debate, an interview with historian Richard White and a fresh view of graffiti. There are also quite a few letters about topics covered in the December Columns, especially on the war between loggers and environmentalists covered in that issue’s “Trouble in Timber Town” article. But that’s enough war talk for this issue. I hope and pray that in June we can speak of peace instead.