Stories alleging homosexuality involving a senior cadet in Fifteenth Squadron began to circulate around the Air Force Academy in late winter and early spring of 1979.
The Latin phrase Plus Oultre was his squadron's motto: Best of the best, I believe it means.
But now some fellow cadets were sarcastically referring to that squadron as "Queen" Fifteen. This cadet was also rumored to have at least two gay friends, one each in two other squadrons. So, one was now referred to as "Rebel Eleven, homo heaven". I no longer remember the squadron number and name for the third cadet, but its new nickname was equally scurrilous and mean spirited.
The late Randy Shilts would interview Dan Stratford for his book CONDUCT UNBECOMING about homosexuality in the military. A sub chapter would be about Dan. I would also be interviewed and a my story, although not my name, would be included in Dan's passages.
When I learned the truth about what had happened and how Dan had been exposed, I was livid. Two proselytizing Christian cadets, the kind who would have prayer meetings in their dorm rooms and have other cadets on their knees, praying in their rooms, became convinced that Dan, a fellow senior, was gay.
While he was away on leave at Christmas, I believe, they went through his personal belongings for any evidence they could find, proving that he was, in fact, gay. Now, of course, going through a fellow cadet's belongings without permission was not authorized. They would further compound their misdeeds and lie during the investigation, claiming that they had only been looking for a physics paper that Dan had written and that they needed.
When Dan's attorney questioned them as to why they believed Dan was gay, their evidence was that he traveled to large cities such as New York and Dallas whenever he was on leave. That Dan also dressed stylishly.
What they did find was a letter, written by a Canadian attache to Dan. It was obvious that the letter was written by a homosexual man to Dan. With this evidence in their hands, the OSI began its investigation of Dan Stratford and his two friends. For, you see, associating with "known homosexuals" could also be in violation of Academy regulations regarding bringing discredit upon the Academy. Presumably, if you were cavorting with "known communists," that could also get a cadet expelled.
And what of the two, lying, deceitful Christian cadets who had found the evidence? They were no longer bothered. They'd found evidence of homosexuals at the Academy. Time for a witch hunt.
Dan had been dating an older man (Dan was 21 and his BF in Denver, Dick Tuttle, was 42) at the time. Dick would eventually help Dan financially with the investigation. His name would also come up during the investigation and he was approached, at work, by the OSI about what he knew about Dan. He would throw them out of his office at the famous construction firm Stearns-Rogers.
Dan would go on seeing Dick, but they would have to meet surreptitiously. Dan would drive to Denver and park his car in a mutual friends' garage. They'd close the garage door. Dan would get out of his car and then crawl onto the backseat or flooring of the passenger's side. They would pull out of their garage and drive to Dick's townhouse on Pennsylvania Street in Denver, driving into Dick's garage and parking. Down the door would go and out Dan would crawl, spending the rest of the weekend with Dick.
I wrote a poem about Dan and his experience at the Academy
Plus Oultre (Spring 1979)
For Dan Stratford
Backed against the eastern slope
to revive the remaining fear,
we cast him outward,
at once graduated and then expelled,
with no resurrection.
Where bound decisions
always bind us to misjudgment.
Washing with the past
without compassion;
absolving ourselves in precedent,
in committee.
Secretly unable to swerve
from practicing precision.
No courage to tolerate now
what will be accepted
in the months when we debated,
when we cared.
So we turn now in farewell,
knowing when we'll each forget.
Who were those before?
Who after?
Ignoring strength,
advancing on one.
In one of the vicious twists that life produces, "Who after?" was going to be me, in just a few weeks.
I always wondered if Dan would have stayed had he been able to. Had he been at the Academy now, with DADT overturned, would he have graduated rather than move in with Dick, if either choice was possible? Or would he have returned to the Air Force, had he been able to? He was supposed to head to pilot training after the Academy, as his friend George Gordy would.
Dick Tuttle once thought I was being way too optimistic that the ban on gays would be overturned in the next 5-10 years. DADT was at least a minor change, but that occurred in 14 years. So I was off by a few years. And I wonder, had they both lived, would they have felt some kind of vindication that DADT was overturned and gays could serve openly starting in 2011? I think Dick did not believe it would occur in our lifetimes. I certainly did not in his.
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