DAVID D. FORD, 2LT, USAF
David Ford '54
David Dean Ford was admitted to the Naval Academy from Iowa on June 28, 1950 at age 19 years 3 months.
He was honorably discharged on February 6, 1952.
Lucky Bag
David is listed on the page “Those We Leave Behind…”
Loss
David was lost on February 24, 1954 when the F-86 Sabrejet he was piloting crashed while landing at Nellis Air Force Base, Nevada. (Information from Ames Daily Tribune, February 27, 1954.)
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
David graduated from high school in 1949 where he had a high scholastic average and was active in band, orchestra, football, basketball, baseball, and a leader in school activities. As a junior, he was elected by the American Legion to the Boys State one-week program to learn civics leadership at Camp Dodge. He was also a member of his church choir.
Aa liberal arts student at Buena Vista College, he was a fullback on the football team and a guard on the basketball squad. David received his appointment to the Naval Academy by Rep. H. R. Gross when another midshipman withdrew from the academy.
In the summer of 1951, he was one of 2,000 midshipmen who went on a 5-week cruise to Denmark and Cuba.
In May 1953 he graduated from Malden Air Force Base in Missouri with 100 others in the Air Cadet division. He next went to Big Springs, Texas, for jet training. He received his commission as an air force lieutenant in November 1953.
David was survived by his father Worth, a railroad conductor, mother Cloa, sister Shirley, and brother Eddie.
Photographs
From the Globe Gazette on February 26, 1954. The accompanying article gave his hometown as Manly, Iowa. Located by Kathy Franz.
From Globe Gazette on January 13, 1950
David is one of 37 members of the Class of 1954 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
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