HOWARD M. LAMMERS, CAPT, USN (RET.)

Howard Lammers '08

Date of birth: February 9, 1888

Date of death: July 24, 1942

Age: 54

Lucky Bag

From the 1908 Lucky Bag:

HOWARD MELVIN LAMMERS

Heron Lake, Minnesota

"Howard"

Possessor of a pleasing address and a winning smile, he is quite successful in the fussing line. His conscientious obedience to the regulations won him a buzzard in February of second class year. Disdaining the delays of the tailor shop, he stayed up all night to sew the bird on the sleeve of his dress jacket, in order to be ready for the next hop. His scrupulous neatness is his predominant characteristic, and many a Saturday afternoon the O. C. has taken visitors into his rooms to find even the lockers neatly stowed, much to the admiration of the "distinguished personages," who little knew that they were inspecting the rooms of a "Model Midshipman."

HOWARD MELVIN LAMMERS

Heron Lake, Minnesota

"Howard"

Possessor of a pleasing address and a winning smile, he is quite successful in the fussing line. His conscientious obedience to the regulations won him a buzzard in February of second class year. Disdaining the delays of the tailor shop, he stayed up all night to sew the bird on the sleeve of his dress jacket, in order to be ready for the next hop. His scrupulous neatness is his predominant characteristic, and many a Saturday afternoon the O. C. has taken visitors into his rooms to find even the lockers neatly stowed, much to the admiration of the "distinguished personages," who little knew that they were inspecting the rooms of a "Model Midshipman."

Loss

From Asbury Park Press (New Jersey) on July 25, 1942:

Naval Captain Killed
NEW DELHI. India. (Delayed) (UP) Capt. Howard M. Lammers, United States naval liaison officer at Colombo, Ceylon, was killed today in the crash of an R.A.F. plane [near Bangalore, India]. The United States commission here was informed the plane struck a hill upon flying out of a cloud formation. Captain Lammers was about 48 years old. He had served in Colombo 18 months.

Though retired on June 30, 1934 as a Commander, he had been on active duty (as a temporary Captain) for nearly 1 year and 5 months as of the July 1, 1942 Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps of 1942. He is not listed on the Navy overseas casualties of WWII.

Howard was survived by his wife and perhaps a daughter. He is buried in Hawaii.

Career

Howard was commanding officer of USS Brooks for a few months in mid-1922. He was mentioned as the "Naval observer" in this book. (He "was exceedingly helpful" and a "capable officer".)

Another book mentions him in Colombo, and also states that he was once executive officer of USS California (BB 44).

It appears that Howard was interviewed on a radio program in December 1939. He was "chief of the amusement committee" for the 1939 New York World's Fair.

Memorial Hall Error

Howard should be included in Memorial Hall with his classmates. (Another retired-on-active-duty officer, Joseph Murphy '09 is included with his classmates.)

He was identified through the diligent efforts of Leslie Poche, a volunteer who combed through Shipmate issues to find operational losses not accounted for in Memorial Hall.

Class of 1908

Howard is one of 7 members of the Class of 1908 on Virtual Memorial Hall.