GUY H. BROWN, LTJG, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LTjg Guy Brown '72, USN was lost on February 10, 1977 when the CH-46 Sea Knight helicopter he was piloting crashed during an at-sea replenishment in the Mediterranean Sea off the coast of Spain. Another crewman aboard was also lost. They were members of Helicopter Combat Support Squadron (HC) 6, stationed aboard USS San Diego (AFS 6), and were replenishing USS Suribachi (AE 21).

From the December 1977 issue of Shipmate:

Born in Texas, he was graduated with the Class of 1972 and proceeded to sea duty in the oiler Hassayampa in Southeast Asia. He was awarded the Vietnam Service Medal, Vietnam Campaign Medal and Civil Actions Ribbon with Palm for this tour. Upon his return to the United States he took flight training and was designated naval aviator in May 1974. He thereupon joined Helicopter Combat Support Squadron Six in Norfolk and was serving with this group at the time of his death. He was a helicopter aircraft commander and post-maintenance functional check pilot in the CH-46D aircraft in the squadron and he had been awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation Ribbon and the Navy Commendation Medal during this period.

He is survived by his widow, Susan L. Brown, a brother and a sister.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/GUY_H._BROWN,_LTJG,_USN

DENNIS P. O'MALLEY, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT Dennis O'Malley '72, USN was lost on May 15, 1977 when the F-4 Phantom II he was aboard crashed into the Mediterranean Sea while attempting to land aboard USS Independence (CV 62). The pilot, Brian Hurst '71, was also killed; they were members of Fighter Squadron (VF) 102, based at Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.

From the October 1977 issue of "Shipmate:"

Appointed to the Naval Academy from the State of New York, he was graduated with the Class of 1972. He was an excellent athlete in many company sports while a midshipman. Upon receiving his commission he reported to the fast combat support ship Detroit prior to taking training as a naval flight officer at Naval Air Station, Pensacola. Navigation and radar intercept training followed at Naval Air Station, Glynco, Georgia, and he received his wings in November 1973. He thereupon reported to Fighter Squadron One Hundred One for replacement training in the F-4 Phantom. Upon completion of training he joined Fighter Squadron One Hundred Two aboard Independence and was with this group when the fatal accident occurred.

He is survived by his widow, Joanne, a son, his parents, four brothers, and a sister.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DENNIS_P._O%27MALLEY,_LT,_USN

MICHAEL E. HAYES, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT Michael Hayes '72, USN was lost on April 26, 1978 when the P-3 Orion patrol pane he was aboard crashed in the Atlantic Ocean near the Azores. A native of Aberdeen, South Dakota, Michael graduated from Central high school in 1968. He was a member of several clubs and societies as well as Vice President of the Concert Band.

At the Naval Academy he was involved with the Brigade Hop Committee, Squash, SCUBA club, and Concert Band. Following graduation, he was stationed aboard a destroyer for two years and had a tour with Fighter Squadron (VF) 213 at Naval Air Station Miramar, California. In 1976 he was designated as a Naval Aviator and later assigned to Patrol Squadron (VP) 30, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. He was a member of Patrol Squadron (VP) 23, Naval Air Station Brunswick, Maine when he and his crew were killed.

Michael was survived by his wife, Karen, also of Aberdeen, South Dakota, and his parents.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/MICHAEL_E._HAYES,_LT,_USN

WILLIAM D. BLANTON, JR., LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT William Blanton, Jr. '72, USN was lost on November 2, 1978 when the S-3A Viking aircraft he was aboard crashed near Cubi Point Naval Air Station, Philippines shortly after takeoff. He was the co-pilot; the other three crew members, including Randy Mikal '74, were also killed.

William was born and raised in Wallingford, Pennsylvania. Following graduation from the Naval Academy he served aboard USS Turner Joy (DD 951) off the coast of Vietnam prior to flight training. After he was winged he served in the San Diego area with Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 37 for about three years.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/WILLIAM_D._BLANTON,_JR.,_LT,_USN

DAN A. DAVIS, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT Dan Davis '72, USN was lost on March 10, 1980 when the S-3 Viking jet he was aboard crashed into the ocean off San Clemente Island, California.

From Shipmate:

Appointed to the Naval Academy from the State of Pennsylvania, he had attended Indiana College in Pennsylvania prior to receiving his appointment, and he was president of the Masqueraders during his first class year. Upon graduation with the Class of 1972 he was ordered to flight training in Pensacola and designated naval aviator. He later was a flight instructor at the Kingsville, Texas, Air Station for three years, and he also earned a master's degree in business administration at Webster University in St. Louis, Missouri.

Prior to reporting to duty in California he was director of the drug and alcohol rehabilitation program at the Naval Air Center in Patuxent, then was assigned to Air Anti-Submarine Squadron FORTY-ONE at North Island, with which unit he was serving at the time of his death.

He is survived by his widow Jean, of Annapolis MD; a son and a daughter; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harry Davis, Lewisburg PA, and a brother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAN_A._DAVIS,_LT,_USN

KENNETH J. WESSEL, LCDR, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LCDR Kenneth Wessel '72, USN was lost on October 7, 1952 when the UH-1 Huey helicopter he was piloting crashed off the coast of Virginia Beach. Three others escaped. He was serving as the aircraft handling officer aboard USS Inchon (LPH 12) at the time of the crash.

A native of Alexandria, Virginia, he served on a surface ship for a time before attending flight training. He was survived by his wife, three children, parents, four brothers, and a sister.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/KENNETH_J._WESSEL,_LCDR,_USN

GREGORY B. LANE, LCDR, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LCDR Gregory Lane '72, USN was lost on June 3, 1985 when the A-7 Corsair II he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean off the coast of Florida. He was a member of Attack Squadron (VA) 83.

From the November 1985 issue of "Shipmate":

Born in Cairo, Georgia, he was appointed to the Naval Academy from the State of Georgia and graduated with the Class of 1972.

Upon graduation, he served in USS Biddle (DLG-34) in the Western Pacific. He underwent flight training and was qualified as a Naval Aviator and subsequently served with VA-174 and VA-87. His awards included the Navy Commendation Medal.

At some point he was also an exchange pilot with the United Kingdom, flying the AV-8A Harrier with the Royal Air Force.

He was survived by his wife, father, brother, sister, and maternal grandparents.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/GREGORY_B._LANE,_LCDR,_USN

DAVID R. VAUGHN, CDR, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

CDR David Vaughn '72, USN was lost on December 5, 1986 when the A-6E Intruder he was piloting crashed near the Boardman Navy Range in Oregon. The bombardier/navigator aboard was also killed. They were members of Attack Squadron (VA) 128, based at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island, Washington.

From the April 1987 issue of "Shipmate":

Cdr. Vaughn was born in Beckley, West Virginia on 5 June 1950. He entered the Naval Academy from the State of Ohio; he spent all four of his Academy years in the 11th Company. Upon graduation in June 1972, he was granted a BS in Aerospace Engineering and served in USS WAINWRIGHT (DLG-28) before reporting to Naval Aviation Schools Command at NAS Pensacola the following February.

Receiving his wings in February 1975, he remained in Kingsville, Texas, as a flight instructor until December 1976. He then proceeded to VA-128 at Whidbey Island and qualified in the A-6 Intruder. Cdr. Vaughn then reported to the Knightriders of VA-52, completing two deployments aboard USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63). In April 1980, he reported to Naval Programs, Grumman Aerospace Corporation in Bethpage, New York, where he served as a test and acceptance pilot for A-6 and EA-6B aircraft. In August 1983, he reported to the boomers of VA-165 and completed deployments aboard USS RANGER (CV-61) and USS KITTY HAWK (CV-63). In February 1986, he reported to the Golden Intruders of VA-128, where he headed A-6 maintenance training as Framp Officer.

Commander Vaughn is survived by his wife of fifteen years, Linda, and their four children, Jennifer (12), James (10), Jessica (6), and Jared (5), of Oak Harbor, Wash.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAVID_R._VAUGHN,_CDR,_USN

PHILIP F. PALMATIER, JR., CDR, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

CDR Philip Palmatier, Jr. '72, USN was lost on December 10, 1990 when the TA-4J jet he was piloting collided with another approximately 85 miles northwest of Key West, Florida. He was the commanding officer of Training Squadron (VT) 25.

Philip only wanted to fly; even in high school he was nicknamed "Jet." After earning his wings in 1974 he went on to accumulate more than 4,000 hours of flight time and more than 600 carrier landings, mostly in A-6 Intruders. Both his father and uncle were retired Naval Aviators.

The Commander Philip F. “Jet” Palmatier Jr. Memorial Bridge on Avenue A over the Allegheny River in Coudersport Borough, PA was dedicated on August 18, 2018.

He was survived by his parents.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/PHILIP_F._PALMATIER,_JR.,_CDR,_USN

SHELDON J. NORRIS, 2LT, USMC

Sheldon Norris '72 was a "true hulk of a man," according to the Lucky Bag. "Shelly's cheerfulness, sincerely and loyalty are sure to leave an impression as big as the man himself."

On March 27, 1974 he was lost when his TA-4J Skyhawk crashed near Yuma, Arizona while on a training flight. He was posthumously designated a Naval Aviator.

Sheldon was survived by his wife, Suzanne.

http://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/SHELDON_J._NORRIS,_2LT,_USMC

ROBERT P. VESSELY, LCDR, USN

LCDR Robert Vessely '72 was lost in a mid-air collision on August 31, 1983. He "always excelled, whether in the classroom, on the athletic field, or at a party." As a midshipman, he was active in the scuba and skydiving clubs; as an officer, he received the distinguished student award at the Naval Test Pilot School.

He was survived by his wife, daughter, and unborn son.

To Honor!