Troop 64 History Page
Part IV

1972 saw major changes in the Scouting program on the national and local level. On the national level; the 8th Edition Scout Handbook was instituted. Gone was "tracking", "trailing", "signaling" and "edible plants." Skill Awards were added to the landscape and Scouts at all levels were required to start earning merit badges. Troop 64 called this the "new program" for it demonstrated radical changes in advancement. The outdoor, wilderness flavor was replaced with an urban twist.

On the council level; Pomperaug Council was merged with the Alfred W. Dater Council and Mauwehu Council to form Fairfield County Council #68. A uniform transitional change began. The red and white Trumbull, Conn. shoulder strips were being replaced by a Fairfield County Council patch. Most older Scouts held on to the traditional strips while the younger Scouts were intrigued by the fully embroider red, white, blue and yellow design.

Summer of 1972 the troop vacationed at Camp Pomperaug for the 34th season. Eight of the older Scouts ventured on a week long wilderness canoe trip in Algonquin Provincial Park, Canada. This was the third canoe trip of this type in troop history. Robert "Bob" Guertin lead the four canoe expedition. The route was to begin at Brent Station, canoe to Kiosk Station, then follow the Nippissing River into Cedar Lake. Unbeknownst to the group, a slight misfortune would turn adversity into legendary folklore that would prompt the troop to follow this route in the future thus instituting annual troop canoe trips. When the campers reached the mosquito infested Nippissing River, they moved down stream. When they reached the Allen Rapids, there was a two mile portage around this roaring white blanket of water. To this day it is still not quite known who made the decision to "Shoot! the Rapids!". Right or wrong, all four canoes plummeted down a riverway of rocks, falling water, all enhanced by gravity. The canoe that Brandon Woolley and Jeff Adzima were in, capsized. The "Trail Chef", the groups only cooking collection was not tied down. It was lost! Lost!, beneath a cascading mile and a half of river thrashing currents. From that point on, they were unable to cook meals. They ate peanut butter and jelly crackers with raw spaghetti, powdered eggs and powdered pancake mix along with cold-hot chocolate. The mistake lasted only seconds, the legend lasted for over a quarter of a century.

When the fall of 1972 commenced, Wayne Hobson became SPL as tales of the lost "trail chef" continued to circulate. Near the end of 1972, under the administration of Scoutmaster Ronald Henchcliffe, Project: "Mobilization" was instituted. Scouts began intense training in search-and-rescue procedures and protocols.

Each Scout was required to build their own "Mobilization Kit". A knapsack equipped with two days rescue supplies, to be kept packed and stocked, ready for immediate deployment in the event a mobilization is initiated. A telephone communications was established. A single phone call from the police to the Scoutmaster of Troop 64 would call the mobilization team into action.

The Mobilization Project was first tested on March 10th, 1973. Nine AM, a cool, clear Saturday morning. Scoutmaster Ron Henchcliffe was contacted by Trumbull Police for a lost child in the woods of the old Tungsten mining site. A ubiquitous barrage of phone calls bombard the local telephone lines. Within half an hour, the Scouts and TPD were assembled at the old Housatonic Railroad bed at Whitney Avenue.

I was a new Troop 64 member at this juncture after transferring from Troop 161. Craig and I were on the undermost section of the phone list. The message disseminated to us last! By the time we reached the location, there was no mobilization team present. They moved north toward Old Mine Park under the direction of the Trumbull Police Department. We surmised that the team would have traveled south, so we proceeded south along the railroad grade toward Trumbull Center. Fifty-fifty chance of being correct. Fortunately we came upon Albert and Robert Feliu traveling northward. They were unable to be dropped off by car so they hiked from Trumbull Center. The four of us then proceeded north to find the team.

On Whitney Avenue, Robert spotted a house and commanded me to accompany him. We ran up to the porch with full backpacks on as Robert rang the doorbell. A woman answered the door, immediately and stoutly Robert introduced ourselves "Mam! I am 1st Class Scout Robert Feliu and this is 2nd Class Scout Wayne Sakal, we are Scouts on a very important rescue mission, may we please use your phone to call the police!" said Robert as we were instantly escorted to the home phone. Robert swiftly dialed 2-6-1-2-5-0-1. Next auditory que was "This is 1st Class Scout Robert Feliu, we need to know where we may join the mobilization team" said Robert. A few seconds later "Old Mine Park" quoted Robert as he thanked the dispatcher and the woman who let us use her phone. We then ran toward Albert and Craig who were roadside.

I envisioned a quarter mile hike into Old Mine Park. Instead, Robert hailed the first car he saw traveling down Whitney Avenue. Next dialogue was the introduction of each of our names, ranks along with the statement that we are Scouts on the most important rescue mission. The car just happened to be driven by the Town Clerk Helen Plumb. She drove us to Old Mine Park to join the team. By the time the four of us arrived the rescue was over. We found that it was only a drill, but it felt real to us. The time of our appearance did enable us to be in a group photograph that ran in the Trumbull Times on March 22nd, 1973. The newspaper article was posted on the troop bulletin board next to the Eagle Scout list. over the years as we grew older, the newspaper clipping yellowed with age.

In the spring of 1973 Wayne Hobson became Troop 64's 16th Eagle Scout, while David Ambrose became the 11th Scoutmaster as Ronald Henchcliffe became the Troop Committee Chairman. The summer of 1973, Troop 64 attended summer camp at Pomperaug, while Jeff Adzima attended the 8th National Scout Jamboree. This was the 5th consecutive time Troop 64 was represented at a national jamboree. It was the only time two jamorees were held together. West-Farragut State Park, Idaho and East-Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania.

A small group assembled for the "2nd Brotherhood Campout" in the spring of 1974. Two patrols; Rattlesnake and Dragon were present. Each patrol pitched a baker style tent. The two adult leaders: Scoutmaster Dave Ambrose and Assistant Scoutmaster Bob Guertin were veterans of the "1st Brotherhood Campout" at this loction seven years ago. The Scouts enjoyed a weekend of fishing, hiking, cooking, eating and exploring the woodland of Monroe, Connecticut. Even had time for a scavenger hunt and a "Yukon Pete" cooking contest.

After sunset on the shores of Copper Mill Brook at the base of a stone foundation, the "2nd Brotherhood Campfire" was rekindled. Before taps, Scoutmaster David Ambrose presented each Scout with a yellow neckerchief.

  "Many years from now, when you have grown older, you might find this
   neckerchief in the back of your closet"
        expressed Dave under a pulsating fire light.
  "I hope you will then remember back to this evening, and I hope you
   will never forget this "Brotherhood Campfire"."
        said Dave as the fire was reduced to burt embers.
  "I hope to see you in 7 years"
        concluded Dave.

The summer of 1974, Troop 64 attended Camp Pomperaug for the 37th consecutive excursion. At the conclusion of camp, Troop 64 was informed that it was to be their last visit as the council closed down the camp.

Robert Guertin became the 12th Scoutmaster of Troop 64. Early in 1975 the troop's sponsor: The Trumbull Lions Club made a major infusion of funding to enable new equipment to be procured. The green seaweed colored "baker" style tents were replaced by blue and orange "trailblazer" style tents. New tarps, stakes, poles and cooking supplies were added to the quartermaster's manifest. Summer, 1975 the venue changes to attending Camp Mauhew in Sherman, Connecticut, USA. The small group of Scouts found that it was just not the same as Pomperaug.

At this juncture in the chronicles of Troop 64 history. A decision was made to replace summer camp, with a week long wilderness canoe trip in Canada for the entire troop. Scoutmaster Robert Guertin who had experience with leading the older Scouts on voyages would lead the excursions to Canada and Maine. In 1976 twenty Scouts followed the route last explored in 1972; Brent-Kiosk-Nippissing loop in the northwestern section of Algonquin Provincial Park. This excursion became the impetuous for the epic journey documented in the Algonquin Journals. Thus!, a new tradition was instituted each summer. The annual summer canoe hikes would include Maine, Ontario and Quebec. The trips would become a new source of adventure and folklore for the next decade.

Troop 64 was bestowed with six Eagle Scouts in 1976 as the country celebrated it's Bicentennial. First was Allen Przybyiski in April became the 16th Eagle Scout. A June Court of Honor issued in four more Eagle Scouts; Albert and Robert Feliu, Paul Fenick and James Palumberi. Three quarters of the way through the calendar year, it was my turn to become an Eagle Scout.

When do you actually become an Eagle Scout? Is it when you were first inspired as Cub Scout, each board of review, completion of your service project, mailing off the completed application or is it at your Eagle Board of Review? Maybe you can call it when the letter from national is received. For me it was a letter dated September 24, 1976, with a redand black ink letter-head stationary reading "National Office-Boy Scouts of America". This is the confirmation memorandum that you have attained the highest rank in Scouting---the Eagle Award. Signed by Arch Monson Jr.,President and Harvey L. Price, Acting Chief Scout Executive. Upon receipt of this document, I immediately phoned my Scoutmaster. He subsequently setup an Eagle Court of Honor.

November 5th, St. Catherine Siena Church Hall, my family, friends, along with the active members of Troop 64 all dressed in their formal attire. I saw the Troop 64 Eagle Scout Honor Roll displayed upon an easel next to a cake with the Eagle Award sculpted out of icing. Richard Bielfield, District Scout Executive, presented the award to me. I wathched him flip open the black box, as he lifted up the Eagle Medal, camera flashes filled the room as it was pinned above my heart, covering the heart on the Life Scout Badge.

The ceremony concluded when Mr. Bielfield instructed the Scouts to come forward and shake the hand of the newest Eagle Scout. As I stood at the podium, the Scouts of Troop 64 flowed toward me, hands reaching out as a mass of humanity surrounded me. I reached out to touch as many hands as possible enabling the Scouting Spirit to traverse time, space and personage. I felt what the twenty-one Eagles who took flight before me felt as the testimonial candescence of your soul ignites in a barrage of spirit.

Richard Thompson shook my hand to bestow congradulations as he is destined to be the next Eagle Scout in the flow of Troop 64 history. The lights dimmed, taps were sounded as I became the 22nd Eagle Scout of Troop 64.

By 1977, Troop 64 was unable to use the Helen Plumb Building after 17 years. The town had other allocations for the use of this building. The new meeting hall was the basement of the Congregational Church on White Plains Road. Equipment, files, bookcases, flags were all moved one spring day. By summer the troop continued its meetings along with the weekly 7 PM baseball games at Center School. The new tradition of taking the entire troop on a canoe hike continued. The troop ventured to Maine for a week long canoeing excursion. Paul Fenick and myself decided to venture into one of Scoutings most prominent junctures. The 9th National Scout Jamboree at Moraine State Park, Pennsylvania. August 3rd to 9th, 1977 Paul and I experienced the vision of Baden-Powell. As a Scouting phenomenon of world brotherhood took hold. Sharing this conjecture with 28,000 Scouts from 23 different countries around the globe. The rains came upon that week as a deluge, but it was unable to extinguish the blazing luminosity of the Scouting spirit. We wanted to perpetuate this essence as we picked up applications for the World Jamboree two years from now. 1979-Iran. Only a twist of fate would prevent us from this anticipated juncture. I was off to Texas as Troop 64 was preparing for their 50th (Golden) Anniversary. SPL Richard Thompson became the 23rd Eagle Scout of Troop 64.