CLARENCE E. KASPAREK, LT, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Clarence Kasparek '32

Date of birth: November 28, 1909

Date of death: August 15, 1938

Age: 28

Lucky Bag

From the 1932 Lucky Bag:

1932 Kasparek LB.jpg

CLARENCE EMERY KASPAREK

Odell, Nebraska

"Gus" "Cowboy" "Kas"

Away out in the wilds of Nebraska, our big, handsome Bohemian first decided to cast his lot with "those who go down to the sea in ships" and came barging into Crabtown late one day in June, 1928. Since then we've watched his progress from a lowly plebe to a venerable first classman.

Gus is naturally fickle, no one girl ever having been able to hold his attention for more than a month. Witness, Second Class summer when he had six O. A. O.'s in three months. He is not a snake, but when he drags you can look for a 4.0.

Though not a star man, "Cowboy" stands high enough in his class to be assured of a commission in the "Gyrenes," a lifelong ambition.

A good nature, a keen sense of humor, and a cheerful disposition are bound to make a lot of friends for "Gus," no matter where he is—in the Marine Corps or digging ditches. And, no matter where he is, there will be lots of his classmates, scattered all over the globe, pulling for him.

Water Polo; Class Water Polo; Company Basketball; 2 P.O.

1932 Kasparek LB.jpg

CLARENCE EMERY KASPAREK

Odell, Nebraska

"Gus" "Cowboy" "Kas"

Away out in the wilds of Nebraska, our big, handsome Bohemian first decided to cast his lot with "those who go down to the sea in ships" and came barging into Crabtown late one day in June, 1928. Since then we've watched his progress from a lowly plebe to a venerable first classman.

Gus is naturally fickle, no one girl ever having been able to hold his attention for more than a month. Witness, Second Class summer when he had six O. A. O.'s in three months. He is not a snake, but when he drags you can look for a 4.0.

Though not a star man, "Cowboy" stands high enough in his class to be assured of a commission in the "Gyrenes," a lifelong ambition.

A good nature, a keen sense of humor, and a cheerful disposition are bound to make a lot of friends for "Gus," no matter where he is—in the Marine Corps or digging ditches. And, no matter where he is, there will be lots of his classmates, scattered all over the globe, pulling for him.

Water Polo; Class Water Polo; Company Basketball; 2 P.O.

Loss

Clarence was lost when the plane he was piloting crashed during night landing practice in San Diego, California on August 15, 1938. All aboard were killed.

That day, three naval bombing planes crashed within eight hours leaving six dead, one missing, and six injured. They were all practicing night landings in preparation for the August 31 massed flight to Coco Solo, Panama.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In January 1916, first-grader Clarence was on the honor roll and the "not absent" list for the previous quarter. His brother Frank also had a high average in the  seventh grade. In February 1918, Clarence had measles and missed school. In the summer of 1921, Clarence attended the Y. M. C. A. Boys Camp on the Blue five miles northwest of Beatrice.

At the football banquet on December 8, 1925, Capt-elect Clarence spoke on "Prospects." The next month, Clarence played Pat McNoodle, head of Professor's staff in "The Great Medical Dispensary" where diseases are cured mechanically.

Clarence graduated in 1927 from Odell high school. He and a classmate tied for class honors, and both were awarded scholarships.

In December 1934, in Pensacola, Clarence married Catherine Fleming of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania. Their daughter was named Catherine Jean.

He was survived by his mother was Anna, sister Kay, and brothers Everett and Vernon. His father Henry, who owned a furniture store, died in 1914. Clarence's brother Frank died in September 1937. His grandparents were Bohemians.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery with his wife, who survived him. (They were married sometime before January 1936.) He was also survived by "a baby daughter", his mother, and two brothers.

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 Concord

Others at or embarked at this command:
LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 6B)
January 1933
Ensign, USS Concord

Others at or embarked at this command:
LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 6B)
April 1933
Ensign, USS Concord

Others at or embarked at this command:
LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 6B)
July 1933
Ensign, USS Concord
October 1933
Ensign, USS Concord
April 1934
Ensign, USS Concord
July 1934
Ensign, USS Concord
January 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 4B, USS Langley

Others at or embarked at USS Langley:
LTjg Charles Crommelin '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Harrington Drake '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg William Thorn '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
April 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 4B, USS Langley

Others at or embarked at USS Langley:
LTjg Charles Crommelin '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Harrington Drake '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg William Thorn '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
July 1936
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 4B, USS Langley

Others at this command:

Others at or embarked at USS Langley:
LT Walter Dey '24 (USS Langley)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg John Riggs, Jr. '28 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg William Thorn '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
January 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 4B, USS Saratoga

Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LCDR Dixie Kiefer '19 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LCDR John Gillon '20 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT John Waldron '24 (USS Saratoga)
LT Richard Moss '24 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LT Gerald Dyson '27 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LTjg Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Pye, Jr. '28 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg John Collett '29 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Ford Wallace '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg George Bellinger '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Edwin Hurst '32 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35 (USS Saratoga)
April 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 4B, USS Saratoga

Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:
LCDR Dixie Kiefer '19 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LCDR John Gillon '20 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT John Waldron '24 (USS Saratoga)
LT Richard Moss '24 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LT Gerald Dyson '27 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LT Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Pye, Jr. '28 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg John Collett '29 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Ford Wallace '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg George Bellinger '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Edwin Hurst '32 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35 (USS Saratoga)
September 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), Patrol Squadron (VP) 9
January 1938
Lieutenant (j.g.), Patrol Squadron (VP) 9
July 1938
Lieutenant (j.g.), Patrol Squadron (VP) 5, Coco Solo, Canal Zone

Others at this command:


Class of 1932

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

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