Heroes’ Welcome at Marine Scholarship Ball

The Persian Gulf victory escalated the Marine Corps Scholarship Foundation Ball at the Century Plaza into the most patriotic affair anyone could remember. Every Marine was a hero.

Gov. Pete Wilson--a former Marine--wore a yellow ribbon pin and received the Semper Fidelis Award, with wife Gayle in bright red lace close by. Business magnate and philanthropist Arnold Beckman came to rub elbows; he enlisted in the Marines in 1918 and served as a private in World War I.

Marine Commandant Gen. Al Gray was in the Far East, but the ball-goers had the pleasure of the company of the personable second-in-command, four-star Gen. John Dailey, a UCLA graduate, and his wife, Mimi.

Businessman Steve Wallace bought five extra tables so that Marines who served in the Gulf might attend. In from Twentynine Palms and smiling proudly were 1st Lt. Andrew Ludlum and his wife, Dana, and 1st Lt. Tom Sammel and his wife, Linda. The men served among the infiltration forces that cleared mine fields.

Northrop’s chairman Kent Kresa headed the ball. He and his wife, Joyce, were hopping from reception to reception, along with retired Marine Maj. John Dudash, who implemented the military details (including flying out the U. S. Marine Drum & Bugle Corps, which put on a superb rendition of “The Marine Hymn”), and Esther and Tom Wachtell. She was chairwoman of the Scarlet and Gold Committee, and key to raising the $150,000 that will go to scholarships for Marines’ children.

One of the nicest fillips of the evening was the suprise announcement from Kuwait’s Ambassador Sheik Saud al Nasir al Sabah, attending with his son Nawaf (a Princeton sophomore). He said Kuwait will give $250,000 to the foundation. “The Marines put their lives at risk--this is the least we can do.”

Among top brass in the crowd was Gen. Mike Myatt, the general in charge of forces that took the airport at Kuwait City. Awards also went to Johnny Grant and the late George Allen.

ROMANCE: Sally Keon and Richard F. Mogan III will be married May 11 in Montecito in the gardens of her mother, Mrs. Holmes (Virginia) Tuttle.

HIGHEST KUDOS: Dr. C. Everett Koop, leader in the anti-smoking revolution in America, and M. S. Swaminathan, scientific leader of the Green Revolution in India, shared the $150,000 Tyler Prize for Environmental Achievement.

The awards were presented at a black-tie gala at the Four Seasons. USC’s new president Steven Sample and his wife, Kathryn (who intends to work full time in the medical field), were in the crowd, along with Sally Ride, the first American woman in space and a member of the prize executive committee.

At the pre-party, Koop, the former U.S. surgeon general, lamented that cigarette manufacturers are making marketing strides in sales to Asian countries.

Swaminathan’s 43 years of work in genetics and applied botany has led to agricultural feats that have moved India from a country with the largest food deficit in the world to one producing enough grain to feed all its people. He noted that his early strategy was to “consistently choose the poorest farmer in the village to demonstrate new varieties of grain--because for poor farmers, seeing is believing.”

In the crowd: Julie and Herb Hutner, Virginia and Gerald Oppenheimer, Lloyd and Dorothy Bridges, Jean Trousdale and India’s Consul Pradeep K. Khanna, who flew in from San Francisco.

SPECIAL FRIENDS: Lorna Luft’s lilting voice, Donald O’Connor’s tap dance, Bill Conti’s gala orchestral opening and Roger Williams’ Chopin on the piano created some “Very Special Moments with Very Special Friends VII” at the French Foundation for Alzheimer Research gala Sunday at the Century Plaza.

In a recession year, the committee is boasting a $310,000 net. Getting the credit are Ronald J. Arnault, dinner chairman; Rosemary Willson, gala chairwoman; Elaine Smoots, president of the Founding Associates of the French Foundation; Art Linkletter, chairman of the foundation, and, of course, former Metropolitan Opera diva Dorothy Kirsten French, who launched the group. She registered some amazing high notes for the gala and promised a full performance next year. Linkletter told the audience that more than 4 million Americans suffer from the disease.

At the last moment, Gov. Pete and Gayle Wilson, in town the night before for the Marine Ball, sent their regrets. He had to return to Sacramento and attack the $12-billion state deficit.

Gala attendees: Ed and Hannah Carter, Father Maurice Chase, Roger and Billie Cosgrove, Bobbe Pagan, Gay and William Banowsky, Nancy Davis, Judy and John Bedrosian, Betty Resnick, Diane Downey and Eleanor Wasson.

CIRCLED: Florence Malouf, ARCS (Achievement Rewards for College Scientists) founder, was honored by ARCS Auxiliary Saturday evening at the Natural History Museum. She was encircled by nieces and nephews, including Gary Malouf and Marlene Hall and grandniece Jackie Hall, as well as her sister Marian Malouf and friends including ARCS president Penee Hull and Diane Liebenguth.

Charlotte Acret and Bibe Stockman headed the “Diamonds and Dinosaurs” affair with cocktails in the gem and mineral hall and dining amid the American and African wildlife exhibits.

BEST-DRESSED: The Mannequins of the Assistance League of Southern California have revealed their Eve Awards. To be honored at “Afternoon With Eve” at the Bel-Air Bay Club May 7 will be Joan Hotchkis, Patricia Hickey, Joanne Kozberg, Mildred O’Green and Joann Koll. The Golden Eve will go to Nanette Fabray MacDougall.

TRIBUTE: Jean Smith will be in Washington April 19 when U. S. Atty. Gen. Dick Thornburgh holds a memorial service in the Great Hall of the Justice Department for her late husband, former U.S. Atty. Gen. William French Smith.

THE TOWN: Keith Kieschnick entertained the President’s Circle of the YWCA at a luncheon in her Century Woods home. The group, founded by Caroline Ahmanson and Judith Murphy, has grown since 1987 to 90 members. The goal is 100 members and $60,000 this year to finance teen parenting services and rape counseling . . . .

Richard Eamer pledged $1 million to the Senior Health and Peer Counseling Center at its gala at the Ritz-Carlton, Marina del Rey . . . .

The crowd at the Wilshire Country Club for the Irving Walker Auxiliary Travelers Aid Society benefit heard bridge columnist Alfred Sheinwold, then couldn’t wait to get through lunch and try the plays. Planning it all were Helen Mollett and Margaret Thompson . . . .

Monsieur Thierry Gautier of Boucheron will be at Sannelli-Beverly Hills, 328 N. Rodeo Drive, for the premiere show of the Boucheron Jewelry Collection next Wednesday.