MITCHEL S. SOLTYS, LCDR, USN
Mitchel Soltys '54
Lucky Bag
From the 1954 Lucky Bag:
Mitchel Stanley Soltys
Thompsonville, Connecticut
In the early summer of 1950, Mitch gave up a promising career as a banker to bolster his education with a few courses from the Naval Academy. Much to his surprise no banking classes were in the curriculum. However, the upperclassmen were only too willing to help him when he would come to see them at their suggestion. Mitch has been a perennial member of the gymnastics team and even acknowledges having been associated with the '54 Lucky Bag Staff as Circulation Editor. Mitch also served as an assistant photographer for the '51 Bag. Of course he did not allow any of these activities to interfere with his favorite sports — liberty and leave. With his broad grin and winning manner Mitch has won a host of friends, here and in foreign countries.
TRACK—4.3,2. PISTOL—4,3,2,1. LUCKY BAG STAFF—4,3.2,1. PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE—4.3.2.1 . ENGINEERING CLUB—4,3. PHOTO CLUB—2.1. VARSITY N CLUB—1. VARSITY: GYMNASTICS—4,3,2,1.
Mitchel Stanley Soltys
Thompsonville, Connecticut
In the early summer of 1950, Mitch gave up a promising career as a banker to bolster his education with a few courses from the Naval Academy. Much to his surprise no banking classes were in the curriculum. However, the upperclassmen were only too willing to help him when he would come to see them at their suggestion. Mitch has been a perennial member of the gymnastics team and even acknowledges having been associated with the '54 Lucky Bag Staff as Circulation Editor. Mitch also served as an assistant photographer for the '51 Bag. Of course he did not allow any of these activities to interfere with his favorite sports — liberty and leave. With his broad grin and winning manner Mitch has won a host of friends, here and in foreign countries.
TRACK—4.3,2. PISTOL—4,3,2,1. LUCKY BAG STAFF—4,3.2,1. PUBLIC RELATIONS COMMITTEE—4.3.2.1 . ENGINEERING CLUB—4,3. PHOTO CLUB—2.1. VARSITY N CLUB—1. VARSITY: GYMNASTICS—4,3,2,1.
Loss
Mitchel was lost on July 12, 1967 when his aircraft crashed near Sigonella, Sicily, while on a routine flight. He was a pilot, but was serving as assistant combat information center officer aboard USS Saratoga (CVA 60).
Other Information
From the November 1967 issue of Shipmate:
LCdr. Soltys was born in Connecticut and attended the University of Connecticut for one year before entering the Naval Academy, from wherehewasgraduatedin1954.Hewasonthe Dean's List and was selected for Who's Who in American Colleges and Universities.
Following completion of flight training in 1956 he was assigned to Guided Missile Group Two, Chincoteague, Va., where he flew the FJ-3. He was transferred to VF-62 at Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Fla., serving in USS ESSEX. In 1961 he received a degree in aeronautical engineering at the Postgraduate School, Monterey, Calif., then served in the Helicopter Division of the Bureau of Weapons, Navy Department.
In 1963 LCdr. Soltys attended the U. S. Safety School at the University of Southern California, then completed training in the Replacement Air Group at Key West, Fla., where he qualified as pilot of the F4B (Phantom). He reported to VF-102 at Oceana, Va., in October 1963, serving as maintenance officer. The squadron made the first around the world cruise aboard the nuclear carrier ENTERPRISE, and a second cruise in USS AMERICA. Following CIC School at Brunswick, Ga., he reported to SARATOGA for duty in the Mediterranean; the carrier made another Mediterranean cruise on 2 May with LCdr. Soltys serving as assistant CIC officer.
He is survived by his widow, the former Carolyn Louise Walker of Gulf Breeze, who is now living at 111 Shoreline Drive, P. O. Box 367, in that city; three children, Mitchel Stanley, II, 6; Caroline Suzanne, 4, and Russel Scott, 2; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph J. Soltys, and a brother, Thaddeus J., of 9 Sunset Drive, Thompsonville. Conn.
The aircraft was a C-1A Trader; the crash occurred near Souda Bay, Greece. He is listed (with two others) on the In Memoriam page of the 1967 Saratoga cruise book.
He is buried in Florida.
(An earlier version of this page had a few errors; his daughter, Caroline, emailed corrections on May 18, 2017.)
Photographs
From the November 1967 issue of Shipmate.
Note
Carrier Onboard Delivery (COD) aircraft and their crews were a part of the ship's company at the time, not a detachment from a larger squadron as is currently the case.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
