LT DAVID M. LUMSDEN, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. David Lumsden '69, USN was lost on November 20, 1974 when the A-6 Intruder he was piloting crashed during nighttime landing practice near Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington. David was a graduate of Encinal High in Alameda, California.

From the Lucky Bag:

A Navy Junior, Dave hails from just about everywhere but calls San Francisco his home. Dave came straight from Encinal High in Alameda, eager to make his mark at the Academy. Not one for numbers, Dave was a management minor in the truest sense of the word. Far more active outside the academic departments, he attended Jump school and became a qualified Scuba instructor. He was just as active in sports, trying his hand at everything from varsity sailing to company handball. His willingness to help, to work, and above all to have a good time will add materially to Dave’s future success as an officer.

Following graduation he served in USS Eversole off Vietnam. After returning to the United States, he enrolled in flight training and received his wings in 1971 at Pensacola. He was then assigned to Glynco, Georgia. While there, he received his MA in Business Administration from the University of Georgia. David was transferred to Attack Squadron (VA) 95 last June.

He was survived by his parents and brother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://v2.usnamemorialhall.org/honorees/lt-david-m-lumsden-usn/

LT NILE R. KRAFT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Nile Kraft '69, USN was lost on February 22, 1977 when the A-4 Skyhawk he was piloting crashed near El Centro, California. He was a member of the Blue Angels. Nile was a native of Gilman, Illinois, where he was a member the band, dance band, student council, French club, basketball, football -- where he was also captain -- class president, national honor society, and in the senior play.

Following flight training, he flew 223 combat missions over Vietnam and recorded 333 carrier-arrested landings. His decorations included two Distinguished Flying Crosses, 26 Air Medals (three of which were for individual action), 8 Navy Commendation Medals with Combat V, 2 Navy Unit Commendations, the Meritorious Unit Commendation, the Vietnam Cross of Gallantry, the Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, and service and campaign medals.

Nile was survived by his wife and parents.

To Honor! ⚓

https://v2.usnamemorialhall.org/honorees/lt-nile-r-kraft-usn/

CAPT THOMAS D. PASQUALE, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Capt. Thomas Pasquale '69, USMC was lost on July 18, 1979 when the Harrier jet he was piloting crashed in Wettenberg, Germany. He was an exchange officer with the Royal Air Force’s No. 4 Squadron.

From the Lucky Bag:

Tom reported to Canoe U. from Perkasie, Pennsylvania, only to find out that his charcoal curls and his picnic basket would not be tolerated. His intense pursuit of an Aero major at Navy left little time for Tom to practice his soccer or guitar during the week; but always time on the weekends for a party with the fellas or an occasional trip home. His goodnatured personality coupled with common sense, lack of pettiness and a very mature and professional outlook to the future will inevitably lead Tom to a rewarding life in the Navy.

Tom married on July 4, 1970. In August 1978, he was chosen to represent the Marine Corps in an exchange program with the Royal Air Force of the United Kingdom. As a Harrier pilot, he joined an English AV-8 Harrier Squadron in Whittering for eight months and then transferred to Gutersloh, a UK base in northern Germany for two years. He was accompanied by his wife Jennifer and daughter Samantha.

Tom was survived by his wife, daughter, mother, and sister.

To Honor! ⚓

https://v2.usnamemorialhall.org/honorees/capt-thomas-d-pasquale-usmc/

LCDR GERALD W. JENKINS, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Cmdr. Gerald Jenkins '69, USN was lost on March 16, 1981 in some kind of incident aboard USS America (CVA 66). He was a member of Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 33, but it does not appear it was the result of an aircraft crash.

From the 1969 Lucky Bag:

Jenks opted for Canoe U. straight from high school fighting off offers from the other Academies and many universities. Quickly establishing a reputation as the best crammer in Mother B, he managed to maintain himself on Supt’s List by studying only on odd-numbered alternate Tuesday, leaving his remaining time to concentrate on more important things, such as sleep, company sports and girls. A believer in leadership by example, Wondy was always distinguished by his healthy appearance and his expertly kept hair. With his keen mind, professional motivation and cheerful helpfulness, Jerry will be a resounding success in whatever field he chooses to follow.

Following graduation, he attended flight training and was qualified as a naval aviator in 1971; he simultaneously completed postgraduate school at the University of West Florida. He was initially assigned to a training squadron in 1973, then received training in the then-new S-3 Viking. After an operational tour he served as an aide to Commander Naval Air Test Center and then at the Naval War College. He had been at VS-33 since March 1980, where he was the squadron's maintenance officer.

Gerald was survived by his wife, daughter, parents, sister, and two brothers.

To Honor! ⚓

https://v2.usnamemorialhall.org/honorees/lcdr-gerald-w-jenkins-usn/

MAJ THOMAS W. TYLER, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Maj. Thomas Tyler '69, USMC was lost on June 26, 1981 when the AV-8A Harrier he was piloting crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a demonstration flight near USS Tarawa (LHA 1). One of the witnesses was his fiancée.

Thomas came to the Naval Academy from Sparta, New Jersey via Admiral Farragut Academy; he was on the battalion boxing and company football teams. He initially qualified in helicopters, flew the CH-46 Sea Knight, and was an instructor pilot for several years before transitioning to jets.

In addition to his fiancée, he was survived by his seven-year-old daughter.

To Honor! ⚓

https://v2.usnamemorialhall.org/honorees/maj-thomas-w-tyler-usmc/

MAJ DAVID G. BUELL, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Maj David Buell '69, USMC, came to the Naval Academy from New Mexico Military Institute, following in his father’s footsteps. Classmates remembered him as an outstanding leader, a dedicated student, and someone known for his sense of humor, handstands in the hall, and ever-present puns. The 1969 Lucky Bag predicted that the Navy “couldn’t have asked for a finer officer.”

After graduation, David was commissioned in the Marine Corps and earned his wings as a naval aviator. His career included service in Vietnam, Hawaii, Quantico, and other assignments across the country. By 1983, he was serving as Executive Officer of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron (VMFA) 115.

On November 4, 1983, David was killed when his F-4 Phantom crashed into the Atlantic off the coast of North Carolina. He was 35 years old. The aircraft had been participating in a memorial service honoring the Marines lost in the Beirut barracks bombing just days earlier. Air Force Captain Donald Spearel, serving as an exchange officer, was also killed in the crash.

Major Buell left behind his wife, Kari, and their three children.

To Honor! ⚓

https://v2.usnamemorialhall.org/honorees/maj-david-g-buell-usmc/

ROBERT L. LEDBETTER, III, LT, USNR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Robert Ledbetter, III '69, USNR was a chaplain attached to the 26th Marine Amphibious Unit when the CH-53D he was riding in crashed immediately after taking off from USS Guadalcanal (LPH 7) on October 15, 1985. Fourteen Marines were killed and four survived; at the time it was the second-worst Marine Corps helicopter crash in history.

From Shipmate:

Born in Watseka, Illinois, he was raised in Norfolk where he graduated high school. He received an appointment to the Naval Academy with the Class of '69. Upon graduation and commissioning on 4 June 1969, Ensign Ledbetter reported to the oceangoing minesweeper USS Skill out of Charleston. He was next assigned to the recommissioning crew of USS Luce (DLG-38) in the yards at Philadelphia, but ultimately homeported in Newport. During 1973 and 1974 he assisted with the inception of the Navy's race relations program in Washington, D.C. After a year at the Pentagon, he resigned his commission.

During his hiatus from active duty, he worked as staff representative of the Officers' Christian Fellowship at the Naval Academy ('75-'77) and at the Coast Guard Academy ('77-'81), and subsequently as youth pastor of First Baptist Church of Wellsboro, Pa., while also serving on the staff of His Thousand Hills Youth Ranch ('81-'82). He earned a Masters of Theological Studies at Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary in South Hamilton, Mass., in 1979, and a Masters of Divinity from Eastern Baptist Theological Seminary in Philadelphia in 1984. While completing this later degree, he was awarded a fellowship to work in the Clinical Pastoral Education program at Presbyterian Hospital in Philadelphia.

In 1983 Mr. Ledbetter received his (conditional) commission as an ensign in the Theological Student Program and attended the Chaplains School Basic Course in Newport, R.I. during the summer. Upon completion, and ordination, he was commissioned as a Lt. (j.g.) CHC, USNR and was recalled to active duty in June 1984 to serve with 3/4 at Camp LeJeune.

Robert was survived by his wife, their three children, his parents and three sisters.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/ROBERT_L._LEDBETTER,_III,_LT,_USNR

RICHARD L. THOMAS, 2LT, USAFR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

2nd Lt. Richard Thomas '70, USAFR was lost on February 24, 1972 when his T-38 jet trainer crashed near Reese Air Force Base, Texas. He voluntarily resigned from the Naval Academy on October 4, 1968, which would have been near the beginning of his 2/c year. He was a few weeks from from receiving his wings.

Thomas was son of a Navy officer (class of '39) who was born in San Diego, California. He graduated the Air Force Officer's Training School in March 1971.

He was survived by his wife, Carol; a daughter, Deena; a son, Richard Lee, Jr., who was born six days after his father’s death; and his parents.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/RICHARD_L._THOMAS,_2LT,_USAFR

GABRIEL HERNANDEZ, LTJG, USNR

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. (j.g.) Gabriel Hernandez '70, USNR was lost on February 15, 1973 when the S-2 Tracker aircraft he was co-piloting crashed near Glynco, Georgia.

Gabriel was born and raised in Panama City, Panama. His Lucky Bag entry read:

Gabe attacked the Naval Academy flying the colors of his many flags. However, the executive department was unimpressed. Mr. Sunshine broke all records for good deals and was in top contention for the coveted bronze banana at graduation. Gabe was widely renowned for his ability to march, get out of step with himself, and start his own applause at the same time. He was a demon for physical fitness and when not sailing or squeezing them off at the rifle range, he worked out daily yawning. Never known as a slash, Gabe nevertheless always seemed to come up with sufficient gravy to keep away from the Green Table. Gabe's major personality trait was a sheathed sense of humor which, when revealed, could be devastatingly sarcastic.

His friends and classmates expected him to return to Panama following graduation, but he instead accepted a commission in the Naval Reserve and went to flight school in Pensacola, Florida.

Gabe was survived by his parents.

To Honor! ⚓

(The Alumni Association has lost contact with the family. If you know how to contact them please email memorial@runtohonor.com.)

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/GABRIEL_HERNANDEZ,_LTJG,_USNR

LOWELL F. VAN WAGENEN, 1LT, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

1st Lt. Lowell Van Wagenen '70, USMC was lost on August 2, 1973 when the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter he was co-piloting crashed near Futema Air Station, Okinawa, where he was stationed. The three other men aboard were also killed.

His wife wrote in the Class of 1970's 40th Reunion Book:

After high school graduation in 1964, Lowell Van Wagenen’s interests were in SCUBA diving off Palos Verdes, California, and fall hunting season in Utah. When the Army called, Van chose the Marines. Once a Marine, he realized he should have stayed in school; thus, NAPS and USNA became part of his future.

Van followed an unconventional path at the Academy, with his greatest interests beyond its walls. After graduation, with wife Madeline and son Lowell II in tow, Van attended The Basic School at Quantico. In March, 1971, he began flight training in Pensacola and received his wings a year later. In March, 1972, Van and family arrived in Orange County, California, where he reported to MAG 16, HMM 161, MCAS (H) Santa Ana to fly CH-46 helicopters. In June, 1973, Van was assigned to an unaccompanied tour on Okinawa for one year. Near midnight on August 1st, he phoned home. An hour later, he was called on to co-pilot a nighttime medevac of a fallen Marine in the mountains of the Northern Training Area in Okinawa; the medevac helo crashed and all aboard died. A young man’s dreams extinguished, another routine fatality to preserve the nation’s security.

The huge hangers at MCAS (H) Santa Ana are now surrounded by housing tracts; the runways of nearby MCAS El Toro have turned to weeds, one day to become a "Great Park." The Van Wagenen home is still there -- on the futile off-chance that Van might someday find his way back.

Looking back, forty years later, at the antics of the Class of 1970 still brings laughter and pure joy at the memories of youthful audacity. Lowell Van Wagenen, forever young in our memories, would still have a big smile across his face, and take this opportunity to say a heartfelt "thank you" to his wonderful friends, the steadfast classmates who conspired with him and supported him during those years by the Bay in order to make it through to graduation. Cheers! - Madeline Van Wagenen

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/LOWELL_F._VAN_WAGENEN,_1LT,_USMC

DAVID L. KING, CAPT, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Capt. David King '70, USMC was lost on September 23, 1974 when the A-4 Skyhawk he was piloting crashed during a training exercise near Marine Corps Air Station Yuma, Arizona.

From the Lucky Bag:

Dave came to USNA directly from high school in West Des Moines, Iowa. Plebe year presented an interesting contrast to the quiet life of the "Corn Belt," but Dave adjusted to the Naval Academy quickly. In between injuries, Dave participated in a wide range of sports at Navy, including lacrosse, wrestling, and crew. Dave was on the Dean's List until the Aero Department got ahold of him, but despite their efforts, Dave still ranks high in his class. His active social life was highlighted by his notorious trips with the Protestant Chapel Choir. While at USNA, Dave built up a reputation as a hard worker and a man to get things done. His sincere interest in the Naval Service will insure his success after leaving the Academy.

Dave graduated at the top of his flight school class and was pinned as a naval aviator in November 1972, and then went to Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, South Carolina. From a classmate: "Dave had always been a high performer. While at Beaufort he decided he wanted to become a medical doctor. He planned on completing his initial obligation and thereafter attend medical school under a Navy medical scholarship program. He had been accepted to both programs when he deployed, in September 1974, with VMA-331 to MCAS Yuma Arizona."

Dave was survived by his parents and two sisters.

To Honor! ⚓

(The Alumni Association has lost contact with the family. If you know how to contact them please email memorial@runtohonor.com.)

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAVID_L._KING,_CAPT,_USMC

PAUL V. DUNCAN, CAPT, USMC

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Capt. Paul Duncan '70, USMC was lost on November 3, 1974 when the F-4 Phantom he was flying stalled and crashed into the Pacific Ocean while attempting to land aboard USS Midway (CVA 41) southwest of Cubi Point, Philippines. His radar intercept officer survived the crash.

"Duncs," though he grew up near the Air Force Academy, "decided he liked the air salty, not thin, so he came ot the Severn Shore." He earned Academic stars his Plebe year, and continued to be successful at the Naval Academy. He played varsity 150-pound football as a defensive back. "Never one to sweat about the system, Duncs was an easygoing type once off the athletic field, and he could be counted on to inject some humor into any serious situation. His one true love was the hills of Colorado, and his flame-of-the-moment's picture shared his tackboard with Western scenery." Paul was remembered as "an outstanding person and Marine." He was survived by his parents and brother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/PAUL_V._DUNCAN,_CAPT,_USMC

JEFFREY D. STANLEY, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Jeffrey Stanley '70, USN was lost on November 19, 1974 when the A-4 Skyhawk he was piloting collided with another aircraft off the coast of San Diego, California. He was a member of Composite Squadron (VC) 7.

From the Lucky Bag:

Coming to the Severn Shores from somewhere in California called "Lemoore," Jeff never encountered problems in adapting to the rigors of military life ... he never adapted. During his four-year stay at Navy, his sporting activities varied from plebe swimming team, to varsity sailing, and finally to varsity pad-man and two-letter restrictee. Jeff was never one to ignore a female form of any description, a trait which was to cause considerable discussion among his numerous friends. His thirst for brew, likewise of any description, was equally insatiable. Jeff occasionally made the mistake of mixing wine and women, which led him on a fiery trail that was entertaining to all but equalled by none. With some aid from a condescending Commandant, and a liberal Academic Board, Jeff will travel to Pensacola to earn his wings of gold.

He was married to the former Sara Patrick on July 3, 1971. She was pregnant at the time of his death; he was also survived by two sisters.

To Honor! ⚓

(The Alumni Association has lost contact with the family. If you know how to contact them please email memorial@runtohonor.com.)

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/JEFFREY_D._STANLEY,_LT,_USN

LEO S. ROLEK, JR., LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Leo Rolek, Jr. '70, USN died on June 28, 1975 of injuries sustained from the June 4th, 1975 crash of the SH-3D SeaKing he was piloting. It crashed into the Pacific Ocean during a training flight; the entire crew was rescued.

From the Class of 1970 40th Reunion Book:

As a stellar student in high school, the discipline, quality education, and life opportunities of the Navy drew Lee to USNA from Chicago. At the Academy, Lee excelled as a student and as an athlete and relished the close friendships he made. He loved fieldball and lacrosse. His roommates fondly remember Lee noisily and incessantly searching for the perfect Aero pencil in his desk drawer – but all was forgiven as he pulled them through Wires and Thermo. As a roommate and a friend he was a special person, never to be forgotten.

Lee and his high school sweetheart, Marilyn, were married in Chicago and went directly to the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, where Lee earned a Master's degree in Aeronautical Engineering in June, 1971. It was then off to Pensacola where Lee earned his wings as a helicopter pilot in 1972. They returned to California and HS-10 for more training and to welcome their daughter Elizabeth, born in March, 1973. After the RAG, Lee joined HS-4 as an anti-submarine warfare pilot deploying to the Western Pacific and Indian Ocean.

In June 1975, Lee was conducting training in Helo 66, the aircraft used to recover Astronauts of five Apollo missions, when it was involved in an accident off the coast of San Diego. Lee was able to control the Helo so that all four crew members survived, but he suffered injuries that ended his life. Lee truly appreciated the opportunities the Naval Academy afforded him and with a humorous good spirit enjoyed the challenges of his career choice. He relished the friendships he made and spent his short life doing exactly what he loved.

Leeʼs greatest joy was his family. Nothing made him happier than a day at Disneyland with two-year-old Beth. Beth is now an Assistant Professor of cardiovascular sonography at the Kettering College of Medical Arts in Kettering, Ohio. Marilyn married Lee's squadron mate and classmate, Tom Fowler, and they had two more children, Carol and Rob. Tom and Marilyn have four grandchildren.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/LEO_S._ROLEK,_JR.,_LT,_USN

CHARLES P. JACKSON, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Charles Jackson '70, USN died on April 11, 1976 of injuries sustained following ejection from his aircraft on April 7th while off the coast of Florida.

From the Class of 1970 40th Reunion Book:

I met Pat sophomore year when he transferred from Abilene, Texas. He was tall, lanky, wore cowboy boots and a huge belt buckle!! Who could resist his determination and infectious sense of humor? Pat always wanted USNA. That was all he talked about. We were friends all through high school. When he visited me on his way to Plebe Summer we realized that we liked each other A LOT more than just friends.

After a four-year, long-distance relationship, graduation and marriage couldn’t come quickly enough. After Pat received his wings in Kingsville, Texas, we were “stashed” at NAS Oceana. The best of VF-43 was the “heart” of the squadron. Our son, Patrick Andrew Jackson, was born a little early and the whole squadron focused on getting Pat home from TDY in time for his birth at Portsmouth Naval Hospital. No dad could have been more proud of a son. Andy proved the genetic link was very strong when he chose to become an Air Force pilot.

After VR-43, Pat still longed to fly the F-4. He got his chance when he was ordered to VF11, The Red Rippers. Pat always dreamed of being a Blue Angel or a test pilot. We won’t ever really know if those hopes would have been realized because his plane crash-landed on the carrier during his “work ups” for the Rippers’ next deployment. And even though he never regained consciousness, I know that he never regretted his choice to fly Navy Air; it was what he was meant to do. His favorite saying for being shot off the carrier was “It’s the most fun I’ve ever had with my clothes on” and for hooking the wire to land, “… a piece of cake ... IF you're smooth.”

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/CHARLES_P._JACKSON,_LT,_USN

TIMOTHY R. COCOZZA, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Timothy Cocozza '70, USN was lost on May 15, 1976 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed during a cross-country training flight. He was an instructor with Training Squadron (VT) 2; the student pilot was also killed.

From the Class of 1970 40th Reunion Book:

Tim attended Naval Academy Prep School prior to USNA. His dream was to become a Naval aviator. Following graduation, Tim was assigned temporary duty at the Naval Air Development Center in Warminster, PA. Tim married his high school sweetheart, Mary Ellen Hewitt, known to their friends as Mime.

Tim attended flight school in 1971. Tim and Mime’s house was usually the social center for the Class of 1970 in Pensacola. Tim went multi-engine in flight school. After getting his wings, he was assigned to the Naval Research Laboratory flying the S-2 from Andrews AFB as a host platform for technology tests. Tim was then assigned as a flight instructor and standardization officer for VT-2 in Pensacola. Tim had orders to transition to an S-3 squadron in San Diego, California and was finally going to achieve his goal of flying carrier-based jet aircraft.

Tim was one of seven children and wanted to see his extended family before leaving for San Diego. On May 15, 1976, while on a cross-country training flight from Pensacola to Atlantic City with an Iranian student onboard, he encountered severe weather and clear air turbulence near Fort Gordon, Georgia. The aircraft broke apart and Tim and his student died in the crash. There was a celebration of his life in the Whiting Field Chapel. His ashes were later released into the Gulf of Mexico off Pensacola Beach, the site of many happy times. Tim and Mime had two sons, Timmy and TJ. TJ passed away nineteen months after Tim from a very rare genetic disease called Seidelberger’s syndrome. Mime later married William “Biff” Waltman, USNA Class of 1972. They returned to the Philadelphia area where they continue to live. Their daughter, Erin, and son, Timmy, are both married. They have two beautiful grandsons, Bryce and Blake.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/TIMOTHY_R._COCOZZA,_LT,_USN

CHARLES D. POTTER, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Charles Potter '70, USN was lost on December 23, 1976 when the RF-8G Crusader he was piloting crashed into Burnt Peak, California. He was 28 years old and a member of Light Photographic Squadron (VFP) 63‏‎.

"Chuck" was a native of Los Angeles, California, where in high school he played baseball and golf. At the Academy he was a member of the Scuba Club and the Public Relations Club, played squash, and quarterbacked the lightweight football team. He graduated with a degree in naval architecture.

Check was survived by his wife, four-month-old son, and his parents.

To Honor! ⚓

(The Alumni Association has lost contact with the family. If you know how to contact them please email memorial@runtohonor.com.)

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/CHARLES_D._POTTER,_LT,_USN

RICHARD A. CREIGHTON, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Richard Creighton '70, USN was lost on June 24, 1977 when the helicopter he was co-piloting crashed at Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland.

From his widow, Carol, in the Class of 1970's 40th Reunion Book:

Following graduation Rick went to Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, in the Master’s program in electrical engineering. In February 1971, Rick and I were married and moved to Pacific Grove. In the summer of 1971, Rick began flight school, receiving his wings in 1972. His first assignment was to HSL-33, Naval Air Station Imperial Beach, California. In 1975 Rick went to Patuxent River NAS to VX-1. In April 1977 Rick and I joyfully welcomed our son, Benjamin Vance Creighton, into the world and in June we lost Rick in a helicopter accident.

Ben, like his father, graduated from Wilson High School in Long Beach as both a scholar and athlete. Ben attended Yale University and graduated with both Bachelor’s and Master’s degrees in political science in 1999. … Although Rick and Ben had only two months of life together, there are expressions, nuances, and a grace that they strongly share. I know that Rick would be as proud as I am of the man who is our son.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/RICHARD_A._CREIGHTON,_LT,_USN

PATRICK W. O'NEIL, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Patrick O'Neil '70, USN was lost on June 13, 1978 when the plane he was aboard crashed while approaching Naval Air Station Patuxent River, Maryland. Lt. Cmdr. Clinton Farmer '66 was also killed.

From the Class of 1970's 40th Reunion Book:

Pat arrived at the Naval Academy from Alexandria, Virginia, son of Rear Admiral Warren O’Neil (USNA ’45) and younger brother of Mike (USNA ’68). He flourished at the Academy and quickly became a leader among his classmates, earning respect and admiration for the quality of his character, his intelligence, and athletic prowess. The last of which earned him the nickname, “Scooter,” for the way he moved about the field during competition. He was the company representative to the Honor Committee. He knew he was going to be a Naval Aviator and he wanted to fly the F-4 Phantom jet. He displayed a model of the supersonic jet, given to him by his father, on his desk.

While at the Academy, he met the love of his life, Linda. They later married and after graduation set out to Pensacola, Florida, on their Navy adventure. He achieved his first goal in 1972, when he was awarded the “Wings of Gold” as a Naval Aviator and subsequently went to the Replacement Air Group at Naval Air Station, Oceana, where Naval Aviators train on the specific aircraft they have been assigned to fly. In Scooter’s case, it was the F-4 Phantom. After the RAG, he deployed with a Carrier Battle Group to the Mediterranean Sea with his Oceana-based F-4 squadron and excelled. His talents were doubly honored when he was selected for Navy Test Pilot School and selected early for Lieutenant Commander.

Pat’s Navy adventure tragically ended on June 13, 1978, at Naval Air Station, Patuxent River, Maryland, when the plane he was flying crashed during landing. He left behind Linda and three young children; the oldest who was eight years old. The Navy lost one of its very best, but his family lost more. Going to the Academy, the bar for character is set high, but seldom comes along a man who was so pure, honest, loyal, and generous. He raised the bar for those who knew him. He was recognized as an exceptional Naval Aviator, but he was most proud of his role as a husband and father. He is missed.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/PATRICK_W._O%27NEIL,_LT,_USN

PAUL L. MELLOTT, JR., LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Lt. Paul Mellott, Jr. '70, USN was lost on May 20, 1979 when his helicopter crashed while en route to the Brunswick (Maine) Naval Air Station from Norfolk, Virginia. The four other men aboard were also killed; they were all members of Helicopter Anti-Submarine Squadron Light (HSL) 30. Paul was a native of Funkstown, Maryland, where in high school he played football, baseball, and track & field teams. He married his wife on June 7, 1970; he was survived by her, their daughter & son, two sisters, brother, and a paternal grandmother.

To Honor! ⚓

(We and the Alumni Association have lost contact with the family. If you know how to contact them please email memorial@runtohonor.com.)

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/PAUL_L._MELLOTT,_JR.,_LT,_USN