FREDERICK J. KIRBY, ENS, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Frederick Kirby '54

Date of birth: August 16, 1931

Date of death: October 27, 1955

Age: 24

Lucky Bag

From the 1954 Lucky Bag:

1954 Kirby LB.jpg

Frederick John Kirby

Youngstown, New York

Sailing was the hobby of this fellow; he enjoyed it with a pleasure that only a real enthusiast can comprehend. The ac's tackled our boy in a big way and each time they fell, but didn't overwhelm. Easy to know, determined, and at the same time nonchalant, he would take a chance on anything and invariably get away with it. An infectious grin and sense of surety marked him in everything he did—even in his sleep, talker that he was. Never in the background and maybe not always in the foreground, but you will always find him somewhere in the picture with something to add to the situation. His witty comments are always appropriate.

SAILING—4,3,2,1. FOOTBALL—3. FIELDBALL—2,1. BOAT CLUB—4,3,2,1. VARSITY: FENCING—4.


He was a member of the 5th Battalion staff for the fall set.

1954 Kirby LB.jpg

Frederick John Kirby

Youngstown, New York

Sailing was the hobby of this fellow; he enjoyed it with a pleasure that only a real enthusiast can comprehend. The ac's tackled our boy in a big way and each time they fell, but didn't overwhelm. Easy to know, determined, and at the same time nonchalant, he would take a chance on anything and invariably get away with it. An infectious grin and sense of surety marked him in everything he did—even in his sleep, talker that he was. Never in the background and maybe not always in the foreground, but you will always find him somewhere in the picture with something to add to the situation. His witty comments are always appropriate.

SAILING—4,3,2,1. FOOTBALL—3. FIELDBALL—2,1. BOAT CLUB—4,3,2,1. VARSITY: FENCING—4.


He was a member of the 5th Battalion staff for the fall set.

Loss

Frederick was lost during flight training in a crash “on one of his last flights before graduation” on October 27, 1955 near Pensacola, Florida. From researcher Kathy Franz: "Frederick was killed when his parachute did not have time to open after he bailed out of his disabled plane. His anther jet collided with another in a rendezvous maneuver from Forrest Sherman Field. The other plane made it safely back."

He was survived by his mother Neva and is buried in New York.

Related Articles

Louis Niederlander, Jr. '54 was also on the 5th Battalion staff in the fall.


Class of 1954

Frederick is one of 37 members of the Class of 1954 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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