★★★ 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