JOSEPH S. MAYO, ENS, USNR
Joseph Mayo '45
Joseph Sherwood Mayo was admitted to the Naval Academy with an At Large appointment on July 16, 1941 at age 19 years 11 months.
He resigned on February 11, 1943. "Deficient in studies. Reexamined and again deficient. Recommended to be dropped. Permitted to resign."
Loss
Joseph was lost on December 21, 1945 when his plane crashed near Escondido, California in dense fog. He was returning home to Stockton, California on a furlough. He and his father were members of the Masonic Lodge in Stockton. The aircraft was a private plane with a non-military pilot and several civilian passengers; this was reported in the Oakland Tribune on January 4, 1946 and the San Pedro New Pilot on January 1, 1946.
Photographs
Midshipman 4/c Mayo in the 1943 Lucky Bag.
From his high school yearbook
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Father Frank, architect; mother Clara, sister Frances. Joe graduated from Stockton High School in 1939. Academic; Band Fall ’37.
The Ensign Joseph Sherwood Mayo DeMolay Loan Fund was established by Joseph's father in 1953 with $4,500; it provides no-interest loans to "worthy DeMolays, Job's Daughters, Rainbow Girls, members of appendant Masonic groups and Master Masons" to help with their education. Thanks to Mr. Jerry Saville, Secretary of the Ensign Mayo Loan Fund, for his help in correcting Joseph's page and providing additional information.
Memorial Hall Error
Joseph's loss was not operational, and he should not be included in Memorial Hall. The September 1946 issue of Shipmate, incorrectly, states he died in a plane crash near NAS Cecil Field, Jacksonville, Florida; perhaps this is how he was added?
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