JAMES C. STEELE, LT, USN
James Steele '54
Lucky Bag
From the 1954 Lucky Bag:
James Colburn Steele
Springfield, Massachusetts
Jim was just a nice guy. Never in a hurry, always composed and carefree, not a standout athlete, and not one too proud to wear his stars, he spent his four years here in less agony than most. Jim quickly got into the swing of things at the Academy after the first liberty in Baltimore, and except for a little last minute sweating before exams, he was completely undisturbed by the four year grind. Jim could always be depended on for a good sea story or a new idea on how to get the plebes' Army game tickets. Even though Jim never complained about the better competitions with the O.D.'s he happily tossed his cap in the air.
FOOTBALL—4. CROSS COUNTRY—3. STEEPLE CHASE—3,2. VOLLEYBALL—3,2. SOUND UNIT WRNV—1.
James Colburn Steele
Springfield, Massachusetts
Jim was just a nice guy. Never in a hurry, always composed and carefree, not a standout athlete, and not one too proud to wear his stars, he spent his four years here in less agony than most. Jim quickly got into the swing of things at the Academy after the first liberty in Baltimore, and except for a little last minute sweating before exams, he was completely undisturbed by the four year grind. Jim could always be depended on for a good sea story or a new idea on how to get the plebes' Army game tickets. Even though Jim never complained about the better competitions with the O.D.'s he happily tossed his cap in the air.
FOOTBALL—4. CROSS COUNTRY—3. STEEPLE CHASE—3,2. VOLLEYBALL—3,2. SOUND UNIT WRNV—1.
Loss
From Index-Journal of Greenwood South Carolina on May 29, 1959, via Gen Disasters:
Jacksonville, Fla. (AP) - Fire at sea followed the crash of a Navy jet plane aboard the aircraft carrier Essex on Thursday.
The pilot of the plane was killed, and an airman on the carrier deck burned to death.
Three men were critically injured and 18 hospitalized with minor burns or injuries.
It took nearly an hour to put out the flames that spread when the plane cartwheeled across the deck.
Six planes were destroyed or damaged. The carrier had considerable damage to its rear elevator, upper deck compartments and electrical wiring and equipment.
LT. JAMES C. STEELE, pilot of the jet, was waved off after a low approach but his right wing dipped, caught a parked aircraft and his plane then cartwheeled across the deck, followed by explosions and fire, the Navy reported.
STEELE and his plane went into the water and were lost. His widow is the former Wilma Moore of Harrodsburg, Ky., and his mother is Vera C. Steele of East Longmeadow, Mass.
The aircraft was a FJ-3M Fury of Fighter Squadron (VF) 62. He has a memory marker in Arlington National Cemetery.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
