RALPH E. JILLSON, MIDN, USN

Ralph Jillson '48

Date of birth: January 20, 1924

Date of death: August 12, 1944

Age: 20

Naval Academy Register

Ralph Eber Jillson was admitted to the Naval Academy with an At Large appointment on June 12, 1944 at age 20 years 5 months.

Lucky Bag

From the 1948-A Lucky Bag "In Memoriam" page:

Loss

Ralph was killed on August 12, 1944 on the Chesapeake Bay near Annapolis when a plane conducting a simulated strafing run crashed into the ship (an unidentified LCI) he was aboard. In addition to his classmate, the pilot and an observer (a WAVE) aboard the plane were killed.

Other Information

He was born in Thomaston, Connecticut, to a student at the university there.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Ralph attended Thomaston High School. He was treasurer of his 1942 senior class. He played infield on the baseball team, left fullback on the soccer team, and played basketball on the A Squad. He was a frequent player of ping-pong at noon time. As a junior, Ralph and another boy were bequeathed a senior’s collection of model airplanes in the Class Will.
His father was a service manager in a garage in 1930 and was owner of an auto parts store in 1940.

He is buried in Connecticut.