ALVIN F. SBISA, LT, USN
Alvin Sbisa '38
Lucky Bag
From the 1938 Lucky Bag:
ALVIN FRANCIS SBISA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Al, Spike
Our Al lays claim to being the best Navy material Louisiana ever produced. He wasn't born to be a "sea dog" but the essentials came by the path of least resistance. Behind a mask of jovial good nature is borne sharp wit and biting sarcasm, but he never fails to see the funny side. He has kept the academic departments guessing for four years and he wins the civil war at every turn of the road. He is a lover of the old school, a demon cribbage player and a true companion. His light shines on the baseball diamond and in the rough of "B" squad football. In short, he is a boy who throws his heart and soul into whatever he undertakes. If he has an enemy in this world it is because the enemy doesn't know Al. We are behind you to the man—Good luck.
Football 4, 3, 2, 1; Baseball 4, 3, 2, 1; Lieutenant (j.g.).
ALVIN FRANCIS SBISA
New Orleans, Louisiana
Al, Spike
Our Al lays claim to being the best Navy material Louisiana ever produced. He wasn't born to be a "sea dog" but the essentials came by the path of least resistance. Behind a mask of jovial good nature is borne sharp wit and biting sarcasm, but he never fails to see the funny side. He has kept the academic departments guessing for four years and he wins the civil war at every turn of the road. He is a lover of the old school, a demon cribbage player and a true companion. His light shines on the baseball diamond and in the rough of "B" squad football. In short, he is a boy who throws his heart and soul into whatever he undertakes. If he has an enemy in this world it is because the enemy doesn't know Al. We are behind you to the man—Good luck.
Football 4, 3, 2, 1; Baseball 4, 3, 2, 1; Lieutenant (j.g.).
Loss
Alvin lost when USS Grampus (SS 207) was sunk, likely on March 5, 1943, probably by Japanese destroyers. He was Executive Officer and Navigator.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Al graduated from Warren Easton High School in June 1933. “It is befitting that we mention first the splendid officers of our class. First among these esteemed gentlemen is Mr. Alvin Sbisa, Class President, and prominent athlete of Warren Easton. Mr. Sbisa has long been prominent in all school activities and it is because of this that he enjoys such great popularity. The educational career of our President will be continued at the Naval Academy at Annapolis. Al was voted Most Popular. Football ’31, ’32. Tennis ’33. Glee Club ’33. Hi Y Chapter B ’33. Intended Vocation – Undecided.
From the school’s 1934 February booklet in the section Applesauce, Alvin “alias” the Big Shot, says he has a chance of being President of the United States. At the Alumni Dance on December 8, 1933, Hal (Al) Sbisa was there in all of his glory (Clean neck and ears). And did he shine. (Woodbury’s Facial Soap endorsed by Morton Downy).
His parents were Mr. and Mrs. Edwin V. Sbisa of New Orleans. His father was a commercial trader of mill supplies. His sisters were Bernadine and Vera; brother was John.
Alvin survived a car accident in April 1939 in Washington, D.C. His comrade Richard Fincher (’38) also on board the U. S. S. Pennsylvania was killed. Jack Trethewey was driving.
His wife was listed as next of kin.
Unable to find the citation for the Bronze Star Medal he was awarded.
Photographs
From St. Louis Post Dispatch on June 13, 1943
The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.
The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
July 1938
January 1939
October 1939
June 1940
November 1940
April 1941
Note
Alvin is listed out of order of chronological loss from his classmates; seems likely that someone mistakenly mistook his actual loss date (March 1943) for his missing/declared-dead date, which is most often one year and a day from the loss date.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
