JAMES G. SNYDER, LTJG, USN

James Snyder '47

Date of birth: December 17, 1925

Date of death: November 14, 1949

Age: 23

Lucky Bag

From the 1947 Lucky Bag:

James Gardner Snyder

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

With his king-size shoulders and swaggering gait Big Jim was recognized as one of the fourth battalion’s strongmen. Using this prowess on the football field plebe, youngster, and first class years, he emerged with nary a scratch. Those many mornings on the commando course and the long sessions in the wrestling loft probably had something to do with this physical immunity. Jim had a particular grievance against those little men of Nippon since he had so much trouble assimilating those complicated Japanese, “Kangi,” but ask him to identify a plane and he’d give an answer complete from the H.P. to the number of struts.

The Class of 1947 was graduated in June 1946 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

James Gardner Snyder

Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania

With his king-size shoulders and swaggering gait Big Jim was recognized as one of the fourth battalion’s strongmen. Using this prowess on the football field plebe, youngster, and first class years, he emerged with nary a scratch. Those many mornings on the commando course and the long sessions in the wrestling loft probably had something to do with this physical immunity. Jim had a particular grievance against those little men of Nippon since he had so much trouble assimilating those complicated Japanese, “Kangi,” but ask him to identify a plane and he’d give an answer complete from the H.P. to the number of struts.

The Class of 1947 was graduated in June 1946 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Biography & Loss

From researcher Kathy Franz:

James was on a routine check flight when his single-engine F6F Hellcat fighter crashed near Canal Field, 25 miles west of the Pensacola Naval Air Station. He had started his flight training in August and had just earned his wings in November. He was also a test pilot for the overhaul and repair department and was the touch football coach and boxing and wrestling coach for the Navy pre-flight school.
In high school, James played football and was a member of both the National Honor Society and the National Athletic Honorary Society. He received his appointment to the Naval Academy from Congressman-at-Large William L. Troutman of Shamokin, Pennsylvania. After graduation in 1947, he played two years as left end on the Pensacola Navy Gosling football team.
His father was Roy, a milk merchant in Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, and his mother was Ida. His brothers were Richard and Roy (Class of 1950). He was also survived by his sister Nancy Louise and two grandmothers.

James is buried in Pennsylvania.