CHARLES K. MALLORY, JR., LTJG, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Charles Mallory, Jr. '32

Date of birth: December 9, 1909

Date of death: June 17, 1936

Age: 26

Lucky Bag

From the 1932 Lucky Bag:

1932 Mallory LB.jpg

CHARLES KING MALLORY, JR.

Washington, D.C.

"King"

When this tall, straight, and fairly blonde young man was at the tender age of two, he decided to come to the Naval Academy. It is quite natural, therefore, that we find him some sixteen years later, donning the unbleached white works—the symbol of a brand new Plebe.

From the very beginning, King has played the game in a one hundred percent way. His enthusiasm, energy and personality have made him active in many fields other than the academic. Tennis and the Hop Committee have each claimed large portions of his time.

King has three outstanding hobbies: tennis, beautiful ladies, and entertaining. Of the first, nothing need be said to anyone who has seen his eyes brighten at the sound of a smashing forehand drive. Of the second, we can do no more than ask you to go back with us to any Saturday night when escorting privileges were granted and to notice the charming company that he invariably kept. Of the third, we have only to refer you to any one of the multitude who have taken part in those house parties for which the Mallory home is justly famous.

Tennis Team, Class Bowling; Hop Committee; Ring Dance Committee; Farewell Ball Committee; Reception Committee: Lucky Bag Staff; Log Staff; 2 Stripes.

1932 Mallory LB.jpg

CHARLES KING MALLORY, JR.

Washington, D.C.

"King"

When this tall, straight, and fairly blonde young man was at the tender age of two, he decided to come to the Naval Academy. It is quite natural, therefore, that we find him some sixteen years later, donning the unbleached white works—the symbol of a brand new Plebe.

From the very beginning, King has played the game in a one hundred percent way. His enthusiasm, energy and personality have made him active in many fields other than the academic. Tennis and the Hop Committee have each claimed large portions of his time.

King has three outstanding hobbies: tennis, beautiful ladies, and entertaining. Of the first, nothing need be said to anyone who has seen his eyes brighten at the sound of a smashing forehand drive. Of the second, we can do no more than ask you to go back with us to any Saturday night when escorting privileges were granted and to notice the charming company that he invariably kept. Of the third, we have only to refer you to any one of the multitude who have taken part in those house parties for which the Mallory home is justly famous.

Tennis Team, Class Bowling; Hop Committee; Ring Dance Committee; Farewell Ball Committee; Reception Committee: Lucky Bag Staff; Log Staff; 2 Stripes.

Loss

Charles was lost on June 17, 1936 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed while taking off from Hampton Roads, Virginia.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Going by his middle name King, he attended several schools. In 1924, at Western high school in Washington, D. C., he was in the Radio Club. At Woodberry in Virginia in 1926, he was a member of the Cosmo Club. At Virginia Military Institute in 1928, he was a private Fourth Class in Company F.

Charles received his appointment to the Naval Academy from the Sixth Maryland Congressional district while the family was living in Bethesda, Maryland.

Charles was awarded his wings on April 2, 1936, as naval aviator #4195, and was detailed to USS Indianapolis. Charles was engaged in starting tests, and he and two other planes took off from Indianapolis on June 17. Charles’ plane was last, and it was presumed he was caught in the slip-stream of the other two. His plane apparently stalled at 100 feet and burst into flames upon crashing.

He was survived by his widow, Mrs. Dorothy Pratt Williams Mallory of New Orleans. They had married in early April 1936.

His mother and sister were both named Anne. His mother suffered a nervous breakdown after his death and was hospitalized.

Per the Daily News, New York City, June 18, 1936, Charles “was directly descended from George Wythe of Wytheville, Virginia, one of the signers of the Declaration of Independence.”

He was also survived by his father, Captain Charles K. Mallory, Sr., USN, and mother, Anne.

Photographs

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

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.

October 1932
Ensign, USS Chicago


Others at or embarked at this command:
ENS Harold MacFarlane '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
LTjg William Pennewill '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
January 1933
Ensign, USS Chicago


Others at or embarked at this command:
ENS Harold MacFarlane '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
LTjg William Pennewill '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
ENS Oliver White '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
April 1933
Ensign, USS Chicago


Others at or embarked at this command:
ENS Harold MacFarlane '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
LTjg William Pennewill '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
ENS Oliver White '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
July 1933
Ensign, USS Chicago


Others at or embarked at this command:
ENS Harold MacFarlane '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
LTjg William Pennewill '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
LTjg Oliver White '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
ENS Augustus Alston, Jr. '31 (Cruiser Division 5)
October 1933
Ensign, USS Chicago

Others at this command:

Others at or embarked at this command:
ENS Harold MacFarlane '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
LTjg William Pennewill '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
LTjg Oliver White '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 10S)
ENS Augustus Alston, Jr. '31 (Cruiser Division 5)
April 1934
Ensign, USS New Orleans
July 1934
Ensign, USS New Orleans
October 1934
Ensign, USS New Orleans
January 1935
Ensign, USS New Orleans

Others at this command:


Class of 1932

Charles is one of 53 members of the Class of 1932 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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