CHARLES D. WITT, LT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

LT Charles "Don" Witt, USN '59, was killed in action with Viet Cong forces while leading a two-boat river patrol on this day in 1967.

A member of 20th Company, his entry in the Lucky Bag: "A true citizen of the Lone Star State, Don's many and varied experiences prior to, and after, entering the Academy gave him a collection of all tales which provided welcome entertainment at any time. His friendly personality won him a wealth of companions throughout the Brigade. Enthusiastic about everything he did, Don added much to the design of the class crest as a member of the Ring Committee. In athletics, Don devoted his talent to rowing with the varsity 150 pound crew team. A "tin can sailor" since Youngster cruise, he is looking forward to a long and successful Naval career."

Don was survived by his wife, Kayte, and two children, Lisa and Dexter, and his parents.

A sailor from his first ship, 40 years after Don's loss: "Mr. Witt was the best Naval Officer I ever met."

To Honor! ⚓

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

ROGER M. NETHERLAND, CAPT, USN

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

Roger Netherland '48A (graduated June 1947) was from Beaver, Pennsylvania. In the Lucky Bag: "The Nittany Lion vented forth a roar of pain as if something vital was being torn from him. In a sense it was, but Penn State's loss proved to be Navy's gain in the form of Dutch Netherland. From that time Dutch has never ceased to keep the boys in good spirits with his sarcastic wit. We admire him for his tenacity in sport and school, for his taste in the finer things of life . . . notably women, for his famous utterances, and mostly for his ability to smile when the chips are down. His future shipmates will be enlivened by his wit and will find in him a true friend."

Roger, a Navy Captain, was lost on this date in 1967 when his A-4C attack plane was shot down near Haiphong, Vietnam. He was commanding officer of Carrier Air Wing 5, operating from USS Hancock.

Several remembrances of Roger are on VMH, along with photographs.

Survived by his wife Gloria, she became lifelong friends with Sybil (and later James) Stockdale while Roger was listed as MIA until the end of the war.

To Honor! ⚓

http://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/ROGER_M._NETHERLAND,_CAPT,_USN

ALEXANDER MCIVER, JR., CAPT, USAF

★★★ Memorial Monday ★★★

CAPT Alexander McIver, Jr., USAF, was a non-graduate member of the Class of 1960. On this date (May 3) in 1972 he was killed in action in Binh Long Province, South Vietnam when his C-130E was shot down. "He left the Academy in June 1958 and entered the U of Colorado. After graduation he was commissioned in the Air Force and attended navigational training at James Connally AFB, TX. He received his Master’s degree from the U of Missouri in 1970."

A few years ago we received an email from Alex's sister in law. It read in part: "He was very precise about everything he did. I remember he helped my dad put up panelling in our family room. He nearly drove my dad crazy because he had to measure everything with his slide rule. Also, after every saw cut he had to make to get all the saw dust off his clothes. I know he was a good man that treated my sister and her boys well. I never heard him say anything bad about anyone.

"He was always very kind to us anytime we visited. I remember visiting them in Missouri for two weeks one summer. I remember that he was very smart with the family finances. He left my sister and her two boys well taken care of when he passed away. He had invested in the stock market mostly in Boeing. He also had multiple insurance policies for his family including one for his mother so that she was taken care of too. He was very thoughtful."

He was survived by his wife, Pat, two sons Jeffrey and Patrick, his mother, and his brother.

To Honor! ⚓

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/ALEXANDER_MCIVER,_JR.,_CAPT,_USAF

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.

=====

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

DAVID D. PEPPIN, JR., PFC, USMC

David Peppin, Jr., '69, was only a member of his class for a few months; he left the Naval Academy shortly after plebe summer when he contracted double pneumonia. Several years later he enlisted in the Marine Corps and on July 10, 1969 was killed during a fire fight with North Vietnamese forces. He was a PFC and member of Golf Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.

He was survived by his parents and at least one sister.

http://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAVID_D._PEPPIN,_JR.,_PFC,_USMC

GEOFFREY R. SHUMWAY, LCDR, USN

Geoff Shumway '64, from the finger lakes region of New York, was the son of a naval aviator. In the Lucky Bag: "…his talents and interests varied from reading and music to sports and a healthy interest in the opposite sex. His principal sports interests were pole vaulting and squash, but during leave he could often be found at a ski lodge or on the beach somewhere. When not occupied with maintaining his position on the Superintendent's List, his musical ability on the guitar oft provided amusement for everyone. Geoff should prove to be a very welcome addition to Naval Aviation."

On June 25, 1972, the A-7E Corsair he was piloting was shot down over North Vietnam. Initially declared mission in action, his remains were repatriated in 1993 and positively identified on June 12, 2002.

He was posthumously promoted to Lieutenant Commander and awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. Geoff was survived by his wife and a brother.

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/GEOFFREY_R._SHUMWAY,_LCDR,_USN

DONALD A. MOLLICONE, 1LT, USAF

Donald Mollicone '60 "came to the Naval Academy from Brooklyn, New York. His typical Brooklyn accent and wit make him a must at a party. Most of his spare time is spent dragging local talent from Crabtown. Don came South with two and a half years experience of college life, making him a well indoctrinated student. As such he managed to squeeze in a little time for card games. As one of the stalwart members of the varsity dinghy sailing team, Don gained valuable experience sailing on the salty Severn. Don plans on a flying career with the U. S. Air Force, along with his brother, a West Point graduate."

Don was lost on December 20, 1963, when the O1-E forward air control plane he was piloting crashed at Soc Trang Airfield, Vietnam.

In addition to his brother, also an Air Force officer, he was survived by his parents.

His classmates in the February 1964 issue of "Shipmate:" "To his family we offer our condolences — to his memory our humble praise."

http://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DONALD_A._MOLLICONE,_1LT,_USAF

DAVID I. WRIGHT, MAJ, USAF

Major David Wright, USAF '57 was killed in action against the North Vietnamese on November 13, 1970 when his plane was shot down during a photoreconnaissance mission. From the 1957 Lucky Bag: "When Dave was through defeating the academics for the afternoon, he could usually be found on his way to the golf course, where he usually defeated par. If love for the game means anything the Naval Academy has produced the successor to Ben Hogan. In addition to his success with the varsity golf team Dave has shown us what conscientious effort can bring in academics and social life. Neither the academic departments, the executive department, nor the "female department" have given him much trouble. Tennis, aviation, and hunting rival golf were his interests. Known on the golf course as "Davy Crockett," Dave will be remembered by everyone for his easy-going manner and personality."

Dave was survived by his wife, Mary Ann; three daughters, Sharon, Susan, and Michelle; his mother; and his sister.

His daughters were present at the Naval Academy for the Alumni Association's Honor Our Fallen Heroes event in 2016.

https://usnamemorialhall.org/index.php/DAVID_I._WRIGHT,_MAJ,_USAF

CARL J. PETERSON, LCDR, USN

LCDR Carl Peterson, USN '58, was a Navy junior "who decided to settle down and carry on the tradition of the family. A great sports fan, Carl played a mean attack on the lacrosse field and was a valuable member of the regular "Freedom" crew on her many races."

Carl served in various ships, on the Navy Staff, and on staff of the Commander, Mideast Force. He was operations officer aboard USS Ogden (LPD 5) from 1966-1968, participating in eight major assaults against Vietnam during this time. In December 1968 he volunteered for riverine duty and assumed command of Patrol River Boat Squadron 57.

On April 2, 1969, while embarked in an assault support patrol boat returning to his command center in USS Harnett County (LST 821), Carl was mortally wounded when an enemy rocket detonated against his vessel.

He was survived by his parents and two sisters; he is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

To Honor! 

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!