Harvey Anderson made one of the greatest journeys of
his life surrounded by friends with funny sounding names.
Ozzie, Low Gear, Wonder Woman, Bleep, Passenger, and
Sir Mix-a-lot were all with him when he climbed to the top of
Mount Katahdin, Maine, officially ending a 165-day hike and
distinguishing himself as an Appalachian Trail Thru-Hiker.
He celebrated his 67th birthday along the trail, he said,
enjoyed incredible scenery as he passed through 14 states
and made a multitude of friends that he still refers to by their
chosen trail names. His only regret, he said, is that he didn’t
discover hiking sooner. But then again, he’s had a busy life.
Harvey grew up in Greenwood, S.C., and admits he was
well into his senior year before he began thinking about
life after high school. Many of his friends had already been
accepted to four-year universities and were mapping out
careers before a late-night rerun of an old movie called “The
Long Grey Line” sparked Harvey’s interest. The next day, he
shared his ambitious plan with his father.
“I told him I wanted to go to West Point,” Harvey recalled.
“He asked me if I liked sleeping on the ground or sleeping
in a bed. I told him I liked sleeping in a bed, so he told me I
needed to consider the Navy’s version of West Point.”
He approached a high school guidance counselor, who
informed him he had waited too long to apply and – despite
his stellar grades - had virtually no chance of getting the
necessary congressional appointment needed for admission to
the U.S. Naval Academy. Undeterred, Harvey walked into the
district office of Congressman Bryan Dorn and, with the help of
a kind assistant, completed the necessary application. Within a
few months, he received a congratulatory telegram with orders
to report to the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, Md., in late
June.
As a new cadet – commonly called a “plebe” on campus
– he began a rigorous schedule that included academic
courses in subjects like oceanography, thermal dynamics, and
electrical engineering, plus training in Naval Leadership, Naval
Law and other courses that prepared him for a military career.
There were numerous physical fitness programs, too, with
strict requirements to master one skill before advancing to the
next. It was during a gymnastics class that he received his first
substandard mark, Harvey said, admitting that he couldn’t then
– and still can’t today – complete a cartwheel.
Weekends often included off-campus trips and it was while
visiting a classmate’s girlfriend that he spotted a young lady
that took his breath away. He still gets a twinkle in his eye
when he recalls that long-ago night, noting that although she
refused to dance with him the first few times he asked, he and
Brenda will soon celebrate their 49th wedding anniversary.
“I’ve lived a very blessed life,” he said.
Following graduation Harvey began a Naval career that
continued for more than two decades. He was trained as a
pilot, served many years as a flight instructor, and visited 60
countries before he received orders that would take him away
from his family – his daughters were just 2 and 4 at the time –
for more than a year. After evaluating his options, Commander
Harvey Anderson retired from the U.S. Navy with 22 years of
service.
And although he planned to transition into a career as a
commercial pilot, officials from Sullivan County schools soon
began calling. They needed someone to lead a new Navy
JROTC program at Sullivan East High School and urged him to
consider the job. Atter several persistent calls, he reluctantly
agreed to try it for one year, but ultimately continued leading
the program for more than 20 years before deciding to retire
from that position.
“I just loved the kids and loved being in the schools,” he
said.
Retirement provided the opportunity to try something new,
so he enthusiastically agreed to accompany a friend from
church on a short hike. One hike led to another. He enjoyed the
adventure so much, in fact, that he soon began making plans
for his journey along the Appalachian Trail. He prepared with a
quick shopping spree to a sporting goods store, then randomly
chose a date to begin. Funny, he said, recalling those
childhood conversations with his father, that he eventually
ended up sleeping on the ground after all.
Harvey –widely known now as “The Commander” for his
military service and the trail name he adopted - isn’t ruling
out another Appalachian Trail hike. Most days, however, he’s
content to stay closer to home, leading hikes through Steele
Creek Park for interested community members. He also
recently took a job driving Steele Creek Express, the tiny train
that has been making its rounds through Steele Creek since
the mid-1960s. He and his fellow Civitan Club members are
sharing the duties and donating their City paychecks back to
the club to support its charitable projects.
With spring on the way, he and Brenda will likely spend
many days in the woods, taking leisurely hikes and enjoying
the wildflowers that she is skilled at identifying. They look
forward to visiting their daughters, who are now grown, and
spoiling their two grandchildren. And The Commander will
continue to keep in touch with a close group of lifelong friends
– many of whom recently joined him in Florida for MLB Spring
Training and a week of shared memories from their time
together at the U.S. Naval Academy some 50 years ago.
Shout out to Harvey Anderson, The Commander, for his
distinguished Naval career, his many contributions to the
young people of Sullivan County as a JROTC instructor, and
his love for the scenic beauty of the Appalachian region. He’s
another great example of #BristolatWork.
Harvey Anderson
