★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★
LT William Daisley, Jr., USN '88 was lost on March 15, 1993 when the F-14B he was piloting for Fighter Squadron (VF) 101 crashed in the Atlantic Ocean, 20 miles east of Nags Head, NC. The radar intercept officer was also killed. They were flying from Naval Air Station Oceana, Virginia.
From the Star-Gazette of Elmira, New York:
Lt. Daisley was born Feb. 22, 1966, in Spangler, Pa., and moved to Coudersport with his family when he was 6 months old. He attended public schools, excelled in both academics and athletics.
He graduated as valedictorian from Coudersport High School in 1984 and earned an appointment to the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md. After graduating in the top 10 percent of the academy class in 1988, he attended flight schools in Pensacola, Fla., and Meridian, Miss., before receiving his pilot's wings in 1990.
"He was the type of young man everyone hopes they have for a son," said Lewis Schaub, his high school principal. "He was very humble and never gloated over the fact that he DAISLEY won so many awards and was so good academically and athletically."
Lt. Daisley competed in football, wrestling and track and won the Davies-Foy Scholar Athlete Award from the Olean Times Herald.
"Everyone who knew him knew he was a leader and someone special," Schaub said.
Military services for Lt. Daisley were conducted Tuesday in the Chapel of the Good Shepherd at Oceana Naval Base.
"It was a difficult day, but wonderful too, because of the honors given him, and the planes that conducted a fly-over in his honor," said his mother, Judy Daisley of Coudersport.
Although Lt. Daisley hadn't lived in Coudersport for a while, many in the community say they will never forget his friendliness and upbeat demeanor.
"To know Billy was to love (him). He was a friend whose fun-loving attitude touched all who knew him," said Kathy Fox of Coudersport, a friend.
Lt. Daisley also is survived by a sister, Brenda Whitman, and two brothers, Dax and Dana, all of Coudersport; his paternal grandparents, Wilda Houston and William Daisley, both of Spangler; three nephews and one niece; and several aunts, uncles and cousins.
To Honor! ⚓
https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/WILLIAM_E._DAISLEY,_JR.,_LT,_USN