USNA 19th Company

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall


The company is the most important unit in the Brigade of Midshipmen. Companies eat, sleep, study, drill, and compete together. Comprised of roughly 30-35 midshipmen from each of all four classes, they are led by 1/c Midshipmen. There are currently 30 companies in the Brigade, though this number has ranged from 8 in the late 1920s to 36 from the late 1940s to the late 1990s.

Some classes are in the same company for all four years; there is also "shotgunning" (all midshipmen in a class, usually following plebe year, are moved randomly to a different company) and "rifling" (again usually following plebe year, an entire group would move from one company to another). Even though many alumni were a part of more than one company during their four years at the Naval Academy, the list below is reflective of the company from which they graduated.


1943 Doane LB.jpg
Paul Doane
Class of 1943

Lieutenant, US Navy

Brockton, Massachusetts

October 3, 1944 (23 years old)

KIA, WWII, Pacific, USS Seawolf (SS 197), Fratricide, Submarine, USNA 19th Company


1943 Nock LB.jpg
Walter Nock, Jr.
Class of 1943

Ensign, US Navy

Salisbury, Maryland

August 9, 1942 (22 years old)

KIA, WWII, Battle of Savo Island, Pacific, USS Astoria (CA 34), Ship, USNA 19th Company


1944 Smith LB.jpg
Harold Smith
Class of 1944

Lieutenant, US Navy

Baltimore, Maryland

May 13, 1946 (24 years old)

Operational loss, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1945 Humes LB.jpg
Jo Humes
Class of 1945

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

Springfield, Massachusetts

April 12, 1956 (33 years old)

Operational loss, Fighter Squadron (VF) 21, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1945 Reynolds LB.jpg
Robert Reynolds
Class of 1945

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Cuylerville, New York

April 8, 1950 (28 years old)

Distinguished Flying Cross, KIA, Cold War, Patrol Squadron (VP) 26, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1946 Weigle LB.jpg
Howard Weigle
Class of 1946

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

New Castle, Pennsylvania

April 22, 1959 (37 years old)

Operational loss, Heavy Attack Squadron (VAH) 7, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1947 Switzer LB.jpg
John Switzer
Class of 1947

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

Pensacola, Florida

November 22, 1959 (34 years old)

Operational loss, Naval Air Test Center, Fixed Wing, Family, USNA 19th Company


1947 Sachse LB.jpg
Frederick Sachse, Jr.
Class of 1947

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

San Diego, California

April 25, 1952 (29 years old)

Operational loss, Patrol Squadron (VP) 11, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1947 Fantozzi LB.jpg
Donald Fantozzi
Class of 1947

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Oak Park, Illinois

July 12, 1950 (26 years old)

Operational loss, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1947 Guild LB.jpg
John Guild
Class of 1947

2nd Lieutenant, US Marine Corps

Glenwood Springs, Colorado

September 21, 1950 (25 years old)

Navy Cross, KIA, Korea, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, US Marine Corps, Ground, USNA 19th Company


1948 Rogers LB.jpg
William Rogers, Jr.
Class of 1948

Ensign, US Navy

Boston, Massachusetts

January 10, 1949 (22 years old)

Operational loss, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company



1952 Gooding LB.jpg
William Gooding, Jr.
Class of 1952

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Columbia, South Carolina

August 28, 1956 (25 years old)

Operational loss, Jet Transition Training Unit, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1953 Crawford LB.jpg
Glenn Crawford
Class of 1953

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Fallbrook, California

November 10, 1955 (25 years old)

Operational loss, Fighter Squadron (VF) 91, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1953 Krusi LB.jpg
Peter Krusi
Class of 1953

Commander, US Navy

Smithfield, Utah

November 3, 1967 (37 years old)

KIA, MIA, Vietnam, Heavy Attack Squadron (VAH) 8, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company



1953 Morse LB.jpg
Edward Morse
Class of 1953

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

Central Falls, Rhode Island

January 7, 1964 (33 years old)

Operational loss, Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VAW) 11, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1954 Lambert LB.jpg
Walker Lambert
Class of 1954

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

Holly Grove, Arkansas

April 10, 1967 (36 years old)

Operational loss, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1954 Niederlander LB.jpg
Louis Niederlander, Jr.
Class of 1954

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Warren, Pennsylvania

February 21, 1956 (25 years old)

Operational loss, Fighter Squadron (VF) 83, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1954 Wilson LB.jpg
Robert Wilson
Class of 1954

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

New York City, New York

December 28, 1956 (25 years old)

Operational loss, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1954 Biederman LB.jpg
Robert Biederman
Class of 1954

Lieutenant, US Navy

Hartford, Connecticut

April 10, 1963 (32 years old)

Operational loss, USS Thresher (SSN 593), Submarine, USNA 19th Company


1954 Steele LB.jpg
James Steele
Class of 1954

Lieutenant, US Navy

Springfield, Massachusetts

May 28, 1959 (28 years old)

Operational loss, Fighter Squadron (VF) 62, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1955 Litzenberg LB.jpg
Charles Litzenberg
Class of 1955

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

July 31, 1957 (24 years old)

Operational loss, Attack Squadron (VA) 115, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1957 Doby LB.jpg
Herbert Doby
Class of 1957

Lieutenant Colonel, US Air Force

Oregon City, Oregon

February 4, 1967 (35 years old)

KIA, Vietnam, 41st Tactical Reconnaissance Squadron, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1957 Peace LB.jpg
John Peace, III
Class of 1957

Commander, US Navy

Northumberland, Pennsylvania

December 31, 1967 (32 years old)

KIA, MIA, Vietnam, Attack Squadron (VA) 75, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company



1959 Ehlers LB.jpg
Ernest Ehlers
Class of 1959

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

Pottsville, Pennsylvania

April 3, 1969 (33 years old)

Operational loss, Attack Squadron (VA) 35, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1959 Smith LB.jpg
Badger Smith, III
Class of 1959

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Washington, D.C.

January 12, 1962 (25 years old)

Operational loss, Patrol Squadron (VP) 5, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1960 Bengston LB.jpg
Robert Bengston
Class of 1960

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Newport, Rhode Island

May 14, 1963 (25 years old)

Operational loss, Fighter Squadron (VF) 91, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company





1962 Tanger LB.jpg
Richard Tanger
Class of 1962

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Milwaukee, Wisconsin

June 26, 1964 (23 years old)

Operational loss, Utility Squadron (VU) 10, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company



1963 Farrin LB.jpg
George Farrin
Class of 1963

Lieutenant, US Navy

Battle Creek, Michigan

May 22, 1968 (27 years old)

Operational loss, USS Scorpion (SSN 589), Submarine, USNA 19th Company


1963 Trani LB.jpg
Frederick Trani
Class of 1963

Lieutenant, US Navy

Hyde Park, New York

September 26, 1968 (28 years old)

Silver Star, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star, KIA, Vietnam, SEAL, Ground, HOFH19, HOFH22, HOFH23, USNA 19th Company


1963 Palenscar LB.jpg
Alexander Palenscar, III
Class of 1963

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

New York City, New York

March 27, 1967 (25 years old)

KIA, Vietnam, Attack Squadron (VA) 112, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company


1966 Lineburg LB.jpg
George Lineburg, Jr.
Class of 1966

Lieutenant, US Navy

Hoopeston, Illinois

June 21, 1969 (24 years old)

Operational loss, Patrol Squadron (VP) 40, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company



1977 Conroy LB.jpg
Patrick Conroy
Class of 1977

Lieutenant (j.g.), US Navy

Missouri City, Texas

April 17, 1980 (26 years old)

Operational loss, Patrol Squadron (VP) 50, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company



1981 Matheny LB.jpg
Robert Matheny
Class of 1981

Lieutenant, US Navy

Bolivar, New York

June 20, 1988 (28 years old)

Operational loss, Fighter Squadron (VF) 43, Fixed Wing, HOFH22, USNA 19th Company


1983 Gahn LB.jpg
Brian Gahn
Class of 1983

Ensign, US Navy

Mamou, Louisiana

January 11, 1985 (26 years old)

Operational loss, Training Squadron (VT) 26, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company



2000 Patterson LB.jpg
Alan Patterson
Class of 2000

Lieutenant Commander, US Navy

Tullahoma, Tennessee

March 11, 2013 (34 years old)

Operational loss, Electronic Attack Squadron (VAQ) 129, Fixed Wing, USNA 19th Company