DON R. STEPHENS, ENS, USN
Don Stephens '48
Lucky Bag
From the 1948 Lucky Bag:
DON RICHARD STEPHENS
Painesville, Ohio
Steve . . . from the Cleveland—Lake Erie side of Ohio . . . known to all of us as running over with a quick wit and an incurable cheerfulness ... a ready hand for anything that promises of fun and frolic ... an indispensable part of the party. Athletically minded, Don's a natural on any sports field ... he arrived at Tech via an honor school appointment from Admiral Farragut Academy where he lettered in three sports ... he played around here at plebe track and basketball and settled for a steady sport as first string end on the championship varsity 150-pound football team. Don's sights are set on those gold wings, but if he could find a little more time might let hydraulic engineering run serious competition. Always one to look twice at a nice pair of eyes . . . mine's all right, yours isn't so sharp . . . Steve is capable when it comes to any sort of action . . . works best under pressure . . . doesn't like to wait for it to begin. A versatile guy with many likes and dislikes, few in-betweens ... a friend is either a good friend or it isn't hard to tell . . . Steve is known all over the Brigade. His baseball cap and pipe are a part of the picture . . . carries around an old mess kit too . . . muy sabrosa.
Don was on the 150 pound football team and was on the 2nd Battalion Staff in the winter. He graduated from the 6th Company with the class of 1948-B in June 1948. (The top half of the class academically, designated 1948-A, graduated in June 1947 as the last wartime-accelerated class.)
DON RICHARD STEPHENS
Painesville, Ohio
Steve . . . from the Cleveland—Lake Erie side of Ohio . . . known to all of us as running over with a quick wit and an incurable cheerfulness ... a ready hand for anything that promises of fun and frolic ... an indispensable part of the party. Athletically minded, Don's a natural on any sports field ... he arrived at Tech via an honor school appointment from Admiral Farragut Academy where he lettered in three sports ... he played around here at plebe track and basketball and settled for a steady sport as first string end on the championship varsity 150-pound football team. Don's sights are set on those gold wings, but if he could find a little more time might let hydraulic engineering run serious competition. Always one to look twice at a nice pair of eyes . . . mine's all right, yours isn't so sharp . . . Steve is capable when it comes to any sort of action . . . works best under pressure . . . doesn't like to wait for it to begin. A versatile guy with many likes and dislikes, few in-betweens ... a friend is either a good friend or it isn't hard to tell . . . Steve is known all over the Brigade. His baseball cap and pipe are a part of the picture . . . carries around an old mess kit too . . . muy sabrosa.
Don was on the 150 pound football team and was on the 2nd Battalion Staff in the winter. He graduated from the 6th Company with the class of 1948-B in June 1948. (The top half of the class academically, designated 1948-A, graduated in June 1947 as the last wartime-accelerated class.)
Loss
Don was lost on July 22, 1950 when the AD-4 he was piloting struck the ground and exploded while strafing near Kangnyon-ni. He was flying from USS Valley Forge (CV 45) as a member of Attack Squadron 55 (VA-55).
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
At Mentor High School, Don was on the student council and the scholarship club,
Per The Akron Beach Journal, December 27, 1950: His Air Medal was awarded posthumously at the Akron Naval Air Station. He was the pilot of an attack bomber of Attack Squadron 55 attached to the Carrier Valley Forge.
The flier was cited for his “bravery and meritorious achievement” in raids against North Korean forces in which he destroyed an air transport, railroad equipment, tank cars and helped destroy two airfields, bridges, gunboats and railroad yards.
From Find A Grave:
The Painesville Telegraph dated 24 Jul 1950 page 1
Ens. Stephens Killed At Korea
Navy Pilot Dies In Airplane CrashThe war in Korea was brought home when a telegram was received Sunday morning at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. William T. Stephens, Headlands Rd., Mentor Headlands, notifying them that their son, Ensign Donald R. Stephens, 23, had been killed in a plane crash.
The telegram was addressed to Mrs. Thalia Stephens, wife of the Navy officer and stated that Ensign Stephens lost his life on July 21 in a plane crash "in the Korean area." Other details would follow, it said.
He is the first Lake County casualty of the war and one of the first Navy aviators to die as a result of hostilities in the far east.
The tragedy of his death was heightened by the fact that the telegram followed by a few hours a letter to his wife in which he said:
"I know you're all disturbed about this whole affair, but try to take it in stride and don't worry, I'll be back, I'm sure of it, so take care of yourself and have this new baby with a minimum of anxiety. That's the one way you'll help me most and at the same time help yourself."
It is believed that the crash in which he was killed occurred near the carrier or in American territory.
Known to many as "Steve", the popular young officer was a graduate of Annapolis and the Pensacola Naval Air Station. He attended Mentor schools and the Admiral Farragut Academy at Pine Beach, N. J. before entering the Naval Academy.
He was a life long resident of this area, having lived in the Headlands most of his life. He entered Annapolis in 1944 after graduating from the Admiral Farragut School. While at the preparatory school, he was captain of the basketball team and a three-letter man in basketball, track and football. He graduated from Annapolis in 1948 and entered flight school at Pensacola in August of the same year. He won his wings in December, 1949 and since that time has been on duty with the fleet.
He was married on August 4, 1948.
At the time of his death he was flying off one of the Navy's large carriers and had flown a number of missions over enemy territory in Korea. He was quoted in a United Press dispatch from Korea last week, telling of one such raid. That was on Wednesday, two days before he was killed in the crash.
In addition to his parents, he is survived by a son, Paul Richard, 15 months, and a sister, Mrs. Patricia Stephens Phillips of Painesville, and his maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. G. S. Roderick of Madison,
Earlier in the month, on July 4, 1950, he survived the destruction of his plane by AAA. (It appears he parachuted and was rescued uninjured.)
Steve was survived by his wife, Thalia, and their son Paul Richard.
Photographs
1948-B 6th Company from the Lucky Bag
From The Marchion Star on July 26, 1950
From The Akron Beacon Journal on December 28, 1950
Related Articles
David Swenson, Jr. '48 and David Thornhill '48 were also in 6th Company.
Ian Fraser '48 was also on the 150 pound football team.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
