Posted by Rob Herb on June 24, 2004:

On 22 July 2003, my wife, older granddaughter, and I took off for Redstone, Montana, to visit with Mike's family and present one of the wood burnings of our class crest to Mike's mother. I can't begin to relate all the things the Nathe family shared with us during our brief stay but Pete Economos, Ray Winkel, Gerry Misurek, Mike Hood, and Glynn Hale, among others, are etched in Mrs. Nathe's memories. Before we sat down for supper, we watched a copy of Carl Savory's reunion video so that we could pay tribute to our fallen comrades. After supper we sat around the table and talked for several hours about many things, one of which was Ray Winkel's first visit to the ranch. Saralda said that they taught Ray how to ride a horse and drive a car so that he'd have a few necessary skills when he ventured out into the real world. Kent also shared a wonderful story about the Army/Notre Dame football game in 1966. Kent was a freshman at Notre Dame and his big brother Mike made sure that he was aware of Army's 3-0 record. The Nathes decided to go to the game in South Bend that year since they had sons attending both schools. When Kent tried to line up a hotel room before his folks arrived, he found out that most of the hotels were booked well in advance, but he finally found a place that had rooms available. After Kent told us that he'd booked a room in what he found out later was a "house of ill repute", we were laughing so hard that I don't know to this day if the Nathes stayed there or found another place after they arrived. The next morning we awoke to a hearty breakfast and several comments from grandkids about how wonderful it was that we were able to visit while John and Diane (Mike's sister) Larkins were there. After breakfast, Kent took Judy and me on a guided four wheel drive tour of the ranch. For folks who live in a big city, a tour of the Nathe ranch would warm your heart. The coyote that ran in front of the truck and headed over the ridge, the two white tail deer that we saw heading for cover, and the eagle that soared overhead, following us for nearly a mile, clearly showed that we can live in concert with nature. Even though we almost got stuck in a draw just below the ranch house, the smell of fresh sagebrush was very refreshing. After dinner that evening, we sat down with Saralda and looked at the albums of letters, pictures, newspaper articles, and Mike's Silver Star citation as well as the shadow box of his awards, decorations, and the West Point crest from Mike's hat. Even after nearly 40 years, she was able to recall details about every letter, article, and picture in those albums, including several photos from Mike's funeral. She also said that the local American Legion flies a flag at half staff on the hill overlooking Redstone in honor of Mike every Federal holiday. I'm sorry that I didn't know Mike very well while we were cadets. His family clearly reflect America's values and I'm humbled by their willingness to share some time with me and my family after all these years. My sincere thanks to the Nathe family for your hospitality. Mike - Be Thou at Peace!

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