The Beginnings of an Adventure 

Bro. Lawrence Syriac, S.M., with time on his hands, a willingness to trail blaze, and the help of his fellow Marianist brothers, initiated Chaminade’s first USA trip in 1973. With only a few brothers as moderators and nearly 20 students to manage, it was quite the task to make the USA trip happen each year. The purpose of the trip was to experience the United States for what it was: a place of breathtaking and majestic wilderness. Over the course of 50 days, a group of Flyers would travel over 10,000 miles, zig-zagging across the United States, from Mineola to the Bay Area. The travelers spent each night in a campground at national and state parks, embracing the nature of the sites they took in. Adaptability was essential for the trip with an ever-changing environment and close living quarters, all while traveling in a van without air conditioning. The shared experiences of travel, living, and handling responsibilities helped form a lasting brotherhood amongst the travelers that would last for years to come. 

The Year was 1976

The 1976 edition of the USA trip followed the structure of the trip as created by Bro. Lawrence a few years earlier and was moderated by Bro. Mario Pariante, Bro. Gary Eck, Bro. Robert Fachet, and Bro. David Bruner. Rising senior and soon-to-be Marianist brother Ryszard Decowski ’77, together with 17 other students, embarked on the trip in America’s Bicentennial summer. Bro. Ryszard remembers that he wanted to join the trip because of the recommendations of friends who had previously attended, and as anyone who knows Bro. Ryszard knows his love of nature was a clear driving force. 

1976 was a time without the internet, cellular devices, or navigational aids. With a compass and map, students and their moderators had to be resourceful and skilled in navigation. The students were also responsible for keeping the trip on schedule, as the program was jam-packed with adventures. One of the biggest challenges for the students on the trip was learning to live with one another. Though difficult at times, with tightly-packed vans and infrequent showers, the students ultimately formed deep friendships that would last a lifetime.

The cross-country nature of the trip ensured that the students took in countless breathtaking views of various sites throughout the country. As Bro. Ryszard recounts, “You would see in those 50 days more than most Americans would see in a lifetime.” The students who were afforded this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to explore the United States’ beauty clearly did not take it for granted. The students had the chance to encounter much wildlife throughout the country, as well as many iconic parks and tourist sites. Notable locations included Mammoth Cave, St. Louis Arch, Rocky Mountains, Yosemite, Crater Lake, Gettysburg, the Alamo, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and the Grand Canyon. Bro. Rysz added, “As a teenager, it was the most memorable thing I have ever done.” What made this trip so memorable was the distance that was covered, the conditions overcome, and most importantly, the enduring friendship and brotherhood that developed because of the trip.

50 Years Later

This past spring, the students, now grown and with families of their own across the US, began to reconnect with one another and plan a celebration for their 50th anniversary of their remarkable trip. Different locations were suggested for a reunion, which even included one of the national parks that the Flyers had visited 50 years prior, but ultimately they came to the natural conclusion that they should reconvene at the place where it all started, their alma mater. The travelers, together with their wives and families, descended upon Chaminade’s campus, which has expanded greatly since their time as students, for Mass and a reception. Despite having not seen some of their fellow travelers since their time in high school, they were able to reconnect and laugh over memories from their trip without skipping a beat. They brought photo albums, postcards, and memorabilia from their trip which nearly all the men had kept to remember the trip throughout the years. 

The USA trip was such a formidable memory that when he became a Marianist and began to teach at Chaminade, Bro. Ryszard would go on to help lead six more trips. Not all trips were the same, one stretched all the way to the southern tip of Alaska, and some of the later trips were shortened, but regardless of the destinations, the lasting memories and the brotherhood that was formed would be the greatest legacy of the Chaminade USA Trip.

By Aidan McGirr ’28