ARTHUR W. STAECKER, LTJG, USN & JAMES G. PROUT, III, RADM, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Arthur “Wayne” Staeker ‘66

Two of the Class of 1966's losses occurred on May 17, though they were separated by decades.

Arthur "Wayne" Staecker was a LTjg when he was lost in a mid-air collision in 1968. From the Lucky Bag: "Wayne comes from the city of Richardson, Texas, and stands tall and proud as most Texans do. No one knew Wayne when he reported to the Academy, but his friendly smile, mature attitude, and willingness to help others quickly made him a close and respected friend to all those who knew him these past few years. "Hook" did very well in academics and took a keen interest in Company and Battalion activities in sports such as basketball, cross-country, squash, and tennis. He also shared his interest on a Brigade level as he was a member of the Brigade Activities Committee as well as the Naval Academy Sailing Squadron. He always did his best to get the job done and often succeeded with outstanding results. Wayne's career in the Navy will surely prove to be rewarding as he has every attribute needed to be an outstanding and respected officer."

James Prout, III ‘66

His classmate, James Prout III was a Rear Admiral (the first of his class) and a surface warfare officer who was lost in a plane crash in 1995. The Lucky Bag: "The quiet youth who hails from Andover, Mass. blazed the clay many a Saturday afternoon to become one of the finest legmen the Naval Academy has seen. Jay was always a complacent individual never to let anyone or anything disturb him. This sometimes caused him trouble but he always managed to survive his punishment and come back for more." Jay was the first flag officer killed in the line of duty since WWII. He had begun his career as a SEAL, but left that community after being wounded by a rocket propelled grenade in Vietnam.

We remember both of these men today. To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/ARTHUR_W._STAECKER,_LTJG,_USN

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/JAMES_G._PROUT,_III,_RADM,_USN

DONALD G. DROZ, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT Donald Droz '66 was officer in charge of PCF-43, a "swift boat" on the Rach Guong Keo Canal, South Vietnam, when he was killed in action this date in 1969.

Written by Bill Perkey Published Thursday, April 17, 1969 in the Rich Hill Mining Review:

On September 29, 1943, the name Donald Glenn Droz became a reality, then a few days later a few more people had heard the name, then weeks turned into years and it seemed the name was one that was going to be known by a great number of people.

Don Droz was a perfectionist, but not stuffy with a magnetic personality that fit him into any group at any­time. Even in his younger years this was evident. As I remember in the springtime and up into the summer you could find most of the boys in town, playing sand lot baseball over at Don's house, not because his was the only lot in town, but because it was just a good place, to be.

As the years rolled along the name Don Droz became familiar to more and more people, in his school he excelled as an honor student, being valedictorian of his class. He was a talented musician, and he graduated from Rich Hill High as one of its better athletes. And then (as it should have been) Don was accepted into the Naval Academy at Annapolis, (to me Don was "the type of young man that should represent this country as America's finest). While Don was away studying and training at the Academy many people missed the pleasant blond-headed boy often seen in an old sweat shirt, cut off blue jeans fishing pole in hand and heading for the river for an afternoon of "just livin'."

Many people thought that Don, being away from the small town for so long and attending the academy, that when he came home he would be wearing a stuffed shirt. Well when he graduated from the academy and came home in his sparking clean and stiffly creased dress blue uniform he could indeed carry his head a little higher, but it didn't Lt. (jg) Donald G. Droz long to jump into that old sweat shirt and grab that old fishing pole and become just plain old "Don" again.

Don was indeed a brilliant and talented person that still knew how to hold the common touch. And it is for this reason that he will be loved and respected by many and many of us, and I am sure that many will join me in saying that Don will always be one of Rich Hill's favorite sons.

Don was the second Rich Hillian to give his life for his county in Vietnam. A year ago this April 18, Jerry Boyles gave his life that might maintain the cause of peace. I am sure that memory of these two patriots of peace will be held dearly in the future of all of us.

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Don was survived by his wife, young daughter, parents, brother, sister, and maternal grandparents.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DONALD_G._DROZ,_LT,_USN

VICTOR P. BUCKLEY, LT, USN

Victor "Pat" Buckley '66 arrived at the Naval Academy as a legacy — his father was '39 and his brother '64. "Pat has always faced life straightforwardly, except plebe year when he and his chin looked at the world with a 15° port list. One of the few men around that can see humor in almost anything, he has often dispelled tense moments with a quip that makes everyone forget the tension of the time."

Pat's A-7 Corsair II went missing on December 16, 1969, while returning to USS Hancock from a combat mission over North Vietnam. He was a Lieutenant serving with Light Photographic Squadron (VFP) 63. 

He is remembered: "I wish that I had the words to describe to you what a handsome, bright, dynamic individual he was. He just loved life and had so much to offer." Another friend: "A lifetime ago, when Pat was an Ensign in flight training at Meridian, MS, we were friends. Actually, we dated for a while. How he loved life, laughter, his TR3, his motorcycle, and flying jets! Time spent with Pat was time spent having fun."

Pat's family will be among those that is honored for their service and sacrifice at the annual Honor Our Fallen Heroes event in November. See https://www.usna.com/hofh for more information on the event.

To Honor! 

BENJAMIN TAPPAN, III, LCDR, USN

LCDR Benjamin Tappan, III, '66, was a third generation Naval Academy graduate. From the Lucky Bag: ""Academics" proved to be Ben's big obstacle at the Academy, where he always seemed to be far from the top of his class and not too far from the bottom. Despite this one little handicap, however, Ben was always able to nourish his love for SCUBA Diving through the USNA SCUBA Club. No matter how cold the water, or where the dive, Ben was always there. We feel this is the way he'll be as a Naval officer ... a man with an undying devotion to the service both he and his father love."

Ben was lost on June 2, 1980, when the A-7E Corsair II he was piloting crashed near Naval Air Station Cubi Point, Philippines.

We remember his service and sacrifice today and every day. To Honor!