HENRY E. BROSSY, LCDR, USN

Henry Brossy '31

Date of birth: July 27, 1908

Date of death: February 16, 1943

Age: 34

Lucky Bag

From the 1931 Lucky Bag:

Henry Earl Brossy

Brooklyn, New York

"Hank"

With a flair for exactness and precision—cultivated by a few years at Brooklyn Tech—Hank came to Annapolis, where he found no special difficulties. While the rest of us were struggling with our ups and downs, Hank kept on as usual, and his steadying influence will not soon be forgotten.

Who hasn't along towards the end of the term, or just before Christmas leave, wished he could transfer a few points of velvet from one subject to another? Brossy partly solved the problem by overworking his steam kit. Not being content with usually accepted limitations of that puzzle box, he made a name for himself by formulating and putting into practice some mighty and unique usages.

By the end of Youngster Year Hank has made a good start towards a record in hop-attendance, but he dropped far behind during second-class summer. The cause of his abrupt change was unknown for a time, as he gave no convincing reason. We soon found the cause—he had discovered that the creeks would float a canoe.

Track 4; Reception Committee 3, 2, 1; Boxing 4, 3, 2, 1; Boxing Manager 1; 2 P. O.

Henry Earl Brossy

Brooklyn, New York

"Hank"

With a flair for exactness and precision—cultivated by a few years at Brooklyn Tech—Hank came to Annapolis, where he found no special difficulties. While the rest of us were struggling with our ups and downs, Hank kept on as usual, and his steadying influence will not soon be forgotten.

Who hasn't along towards the end of the term, or just before Christmas leave, wished he could transfer a few points of velvet from one subject to another? Brossy partly solved the problem by overworking his steam kit. Not being content with usually accepted limitations of that puzzle box, he made a name for himself by formulating and putting into practice some mighty and unique usages.

By the end of Youngster Year Hank has made a good start towards a record in hop-attendance, but he dropped far behind during second-class summer. The cause of his abrupt change was unknown for a time, as he gave no convincing reason. We soon found the cause—he had discovered that the creeks would float a canoe.

Track 4; Reception Committee 3, 2, 1; Boxing 4, 3, 2, 1; Boxing Manager 1; 2 P. O.

Loss

Henry was lost when USS Amberjack (SS 219) was sunk by a patrol craft on February 16, 1943 near Rabaul. He was the boat's executive officer.

His wife was listed as next of kin.

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.

July 1931

Ensign, USS Gilmer

October 1931

Ensign, USS Gilmer

January 1932

Ensign, USS Gilmer

April 1932

Ensign, USS Gilmer

October 1932

Ensign, USS Gilmer

January 1933

Ensign, USS Gilmer

April 1933

Ensign, USS Gilmer

July 1933

Ensign, USS Chicago

Others at this command: 1LT Frederick Chappelle '20 and ENS Charles Mallory, Jr. '32.

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), and ENS Augustus Alston, Jr. '31 (Cruiser Division 5).

October 1933

Ensign, staff, Scouting Force, USS Indianapolis

Others at or embarked at USS Indianapolis: ENS Joseph Loughlin, Jr. '32 (USS Indianapolis).

April 1934

Ensign, staff, Scouting Force, USS Indianapolis

Others at or embarked at USS Indianapolis: ENS Joseph Loughlin, Jr. '32 (USS Indianapolis).

July 1934

Ensign, under instruction, Submarine Base New London, Connecticut

Others at this command: LTjg Samuel Dealey '30, ENS Willis Thomas '31, and ENS Charles Brindupke '32.

October 1934

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Submarine Base New London, Connecticut

Others at this command: LTjg Samuel Dealey '30, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, and ENS Charles Brindupke '32.

January 1935

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

April 1935

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

October 1935

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

January 1936

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

Others at this command: LTjg Samuel Dealey '30.

April 1936

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

Others at this command: LTjg Samuel Dealey '30.

July 1936

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

Others at this command: LTjg Samuel Dealey '30.

January 1937

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

April 1937

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS S-24

September 1937

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command: CDR Donald Godwin '11, LT Robert Bedilion '22, LT William Hobby, Jr. '23, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT Richard Gingras '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Ralph Hickox '27, LTjg Egbert Roth '29, LTjg John Bermingham '29, LTjg Roderick Rooney '29, LTjg Alfred Grove '30, LTjg Arthur Spring '30, LTjg James Kyes '30, LTjg James Coe '30, LTjg John Armstrong, Jr. '30, LTjg John Shaffer, III '30, LTjg John Bisson '30, LTjg Joshua Nix '30, LTjg Lynne Quiggle '30, LTjg Raymond Mayo '30, LTjg Robert Germany, Jr. '30, LTjg Russell Ross '30, LTjg Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Damon Cummings '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, and LTjg William Thorn '32.

Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).

January 1938

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command: CDR Donald Godwin '11, LT Robert Bedilion '22, LT William Hobby, Jr. '23, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT Richard Gingras '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Ralph Hickox '27, LT Egbert Roth '29, LT John Bermingham '29, LT Roderick Rooney '29, LTjg Alfred Grove '30, LTjg Arthur Spring '30, LTjg James Kyes '30, LTjg James Coe '30, LTjg John Armstrong, Jr. '30, LTjg John Shaffer, III '30, LTjg John Bisson '30, LTjg Joshua Nix '30, LT Lynne Quiggle '30, LTjg Raymond Mayo '30, LTjg Robert Germany, Jr. '30, LTjg Russell Ross '30, LT Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Damon Cummings '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, and LTjg William Thorn '32.

Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).

July 1938

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command: LCDR Robert Bedilion '22, LT William Hobby, Jr. '23, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Hilan Ebert '26, LT Egbert Roth '29, LT John Bermingham '29, LTjg James Kyes '30, LTjg James Coe '30, LTjg John Shaffer, III '30, LT John Bisson '30, LTjg Joshua Nix '30, LT Lynne Quiggle '30, LTjg Raymond Mayo '30, LTjg Russell Ross '30, LT Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Andrew Stewart '31, LTjg Benjamin Ghetzler '31, LTjg Clifford Janz '31, LTjg Damon Cummings '31, LTjg Elliott Marshall '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LTjg Howard Abbott '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Lion Miles '31, LTjg Ralph Elden '31, LTjg Seymour Owens '31, LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, LTjg Walter Bailey '31, LTjg Ward Bronson '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, LTjg Edwin Hurst '32, LTjg Ernest Hodge '32, and LTjg William Kane '33.

Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).

January 1939

Lieutenant, under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command: LCDR Raymond Hansen '22, LCDR Robert Bedilion '22, LCDR William Hobby, Jr. '23, LT Richard Baron '24, LT Andrew Harris '25, LT Harold Pound '25, LT William Graham, Jr. '25, LT Hilan Ebert '26, LT Egbert Roth '29, LT John Bermingham '29, LT James Kyes '30, LT James Coe '30, LT John Shaffer, III '30, LT John Bisson '30, LT Joshua Nix '30, LT Lynne Quiggle '30, LT Raymond Mayo '30, LT Russell Ross '30, LT Victor Gaulin '30, LTjg Andrew Stewart '31, LTjg Benjamin Ghetzler '31, LTjg Clifford Janz '31, LT Damon Cummings '31, LTjg Elliott Marshall '31, LTjg George Stone '31, LTjg Howard Abbott '31, LTjg Lee Pancake '31, LTjg Lion Miles '31, LTjg Ralph Elden '31, LTjg Seymour Owens '31, LT Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, LTjg Walter Bailey '31, LTjg Ward Bronson '31, LTjg Willis Thomas '31, LTjg Edwin Hurst '32, and LTjg Ernest Hodge '32.

Others at or embarked at this command: LT Earl Olsen '26 (Engineering Experiment Station, Naval Academy).

October 1939

Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Mustin

June 1940

Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Mustin

November 1940

Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Mustin

Others at this command: ENS John Shepherd, III '39.

April 1941

Lieutenant, engineering officer, USS Grayson

Class of 1931

Henry is one of 51 members of the Class of 1931 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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