James Potter:
CLASS OF 1961
Capuchino High SchoolClass of 1961
San bruno, CA
Saint Rita SchoolClass of 1957
Alexandria, VA
The Depot SchoolClass of 1957
Beaufort, SC
Santa Fe Elementary SchoolClass of 1955
Vista, CA
Francis Scott Key Elementary SchoolClass of 1955
San francisco, CA
James's Story
I AM NO LONGER A GOLD MEMBER OF CLASSMATES, SO I CAN NO LONGER BE REACHED THROUGH THIS SITE, OTHER THAN ON THE BULLETIN BOARD. I'm also not able to see the names of anyone who checked that they visited my profile. For those who are not currently listed in our Capuchino Class Directory, please contact me at 9 two, 5 six, 3 four, 7 two, 6 one. The updated directory can be emailed to only our classmates.
I find it strange that Classmates keeps sending me messages stating that several people remember me from Vista High School. I never attended Vista High School, even though I did list it as one of my schools. I did that so I could try to locate my best buddy from the 4th grade. After the 4th grade, the Marines moved our family to So. Carolina, and I never returned to Vista, until 1983, just to see how it had changed. I did eventually find Gene McIntyre, thanks to his sister being in Classmates.
Our 50 year Reunion on September 16th, and 17th, 2011 at the Embassy Suites Hotel in Burlingame according to those in attendance was a success.
Vicki and I got married in 66. Vicki was born and raised in San Francisco. I was fortunate to meet her at the Marin Town and Country Club through mutual friends in 1964. I was drafted into the Army in Dec. of 64, and we got married while I was still in the Army.
We're fortunate that our son and daughter are able to live close to us here in Brentwood, CA. We get to see our two granddaughters almost daily.
After I retired from the Burlingame P.D. we moved from Foster City (23 yrs) to Concord (4 yrs) and we're now in Brentwood (18 yrs). Finally I'm only 15 minutes from where I launch the boat for water skiing near Discovery Bay. I've been water skiing here since 1985.
I had been on the San Bruno Police Dept. 10 years before going to the Burlingame P.D. I really enjoyed the job, that had it's moments from time to time, but I'm finding that I don't miss it. In 2001 after 9-11, I was asked to come out of retirement for a year. With the 60 mile commute from Concord, I was glad when the year was over.
In 2004 I packed up the car and took a 7,500 mile trip around this beautiful country. I got to check out my old homes on the East Coast where I grew up in the Marine Corps before my dad retired to San Bruno in 1957. I got to see friends and find relatives that I never knew, along with visiting sever...Expand for more
al National Parks. It took me 5 weeks, and it was a great experience.
Military:
I was drafted Dec. 1, 1964 when Ft. Ord was closed due to an outbreak of spinal meningitis. We were sent to Ft. Polk, LA. for basic training. After a few weeks, they sent us home for Christmas Leave. I'd caught a cold as we had to sleep in freezing temperatures with the windows wide open so we wouldn't catch meningitis. On the three day bus trip home, I got worse. By New Years Eve, I was in Letterman Hospital for 10 days, and listed as AWOL at Ft. Polk. They recycled me to another company where my squad leader and fellow trainee was Ralph Arellano, a friend of mine from High School. After Basic, I went to Ft. Sill, OK for training on the 105 Howitzer. I was there 2 weeks before training started, so our small group was assigned to various work details at our company. I painted some murals for the mess hall, that some Colonel liked. Supposedly, the Colonel was going to have me stationed at Ft. Sill after training instead of going over seas, so I could do more art work in his Batallion. It didn't work out, and I was sent to Korea. I was assigned as the Captains driver, which wasn't a bad deal as I never had to do guard duty. Our compound in Korea was not far from the DMZ. It wasn't anywhere as bad as Viet Nam, but it was freezing in the winter, and boiling hot in the summer, with mosquitos. It was very boring, and at times, some of us wished we were in Viet Nam with something to do. When I was transfered to Ft. Bliss. TX. I was a "short timer" with only 5 months left in the Army. I was an Assistant Platoon Sgt. in a Basic Training Company for recruits that were definitely going to Viet Nam. With 2 weeks left in the Army, I was given orders to report to Ft. Hood, TX so I could be sent to Viet Nam. I eventually got those orders cancelled. When my 2 years of inactive/active reserve duty was almost over, they found me for one Summer Camp for two weeks. That was a joke, but when it was over, I was done with my military commitment.
My experience in the Army convinced me that we were able to win wars because the enemy could never figure out what the U.S.A. was planning. That's only because we didn't know either. We were just lucky to be the first generation to be raised by the "Greatest Generation" of WWII soldiers, who gave their all, to save the world.
Register for Free to view all details!
Yearbooks
Register for Free to view all yearbooks!
Reunions
Register for Free to view all events!
Photos
Register for Free to view all photos!