MELVILLE S. BROWN, CDR, USN

Melville Brown '10

Date of birth: March 8, 1889

Date of death: November 2, 1936

Age: 47

Lucky Bag

From the 1910 Lucky Bag:

Melville Stuart Brown

Chicago, Illinois

"Chub" "Thug"

Our Chub likes to shoot all the day;
Loves to draw, if he feels in the way.
He's round, fat, and tubby,
Like a cherub so chubby,
And couldn't get made, so they say.

MOST of us come in like a lamb—but not Chub! Never bluffed for a day, he was one of the hardest plebes in 1910. Youngster year and during his Second Class stage he continued to tear along the same wild course, despite the soothing influence of the gentle Winfield. The sole patentee and proprietor of the Golliwog cast of countenance, the Thug nevertheless makes a large hit when he does cut loose on the floor of the Gym. Short and stocky, he was one of the stars of the Rifle Team, and has won his numerals on almost every kind of class team there is. His "M.S.B." on many of the best things between these covers show that his hand is artistic even though his temperament is not.

He usually kept pretty close to the head of the class with a negative amount of honing, and except when helping someone else out, could usually be found during study hours rapt in a bridge game with Cooke and Upty. But more than that, his is a hard, conscientious worker, gifted with infinite patience for the minutiae of detail which most of us are inclined to slur over, hut which make for success in its fullest sense. Endowed with much horse sense and a huge fund of humor. Chub is a sure cure for the blues in any stage, and an excellent counsellor on any question.

"Drop m' somew'ere in de Sevent' Fleet."

Melville Stuart Brown

Chicago, Illinois

"Chub" "Thug"

Our Chub likes to shoot all the day;
Loves to draw, if he feels in the way.
He's round, fat, and tubby,
Like a cherub so chubby,
And couldn't get made, so they say.

MOST of us come in like a lamb—but not Chub! Never bluffed for a day, he was one of the hardest plebes in 1910. Youngster year and during his Second Class stage he continued to tear along the same wild course, despite the soothing influence of the gentle Winfield. The sole patentee and proprietor of the Golliwog cast of countenance, the Thug nevertheless makes a large hit when he does cut loose on the floor of the Gym. Short and stocky, he was one of the stars of the Rifle Team, and has won his numerals on almost every kind of class team there is. His "M.S.B." on many of the best things between these covers show that his hand is artistic even though his temperament is not.

He usually kept pretty close to the head of the class with a negative amount of honing, and except when helping someone else out, could usually be found during study hours rapt in a bridge game with Cooke and Upty. But more than that, his is a hard, conscientious worker, gifted with infinite patience for the minutiae of detail which most of us are inclined to slur over, hut which make for success in its fullest sense. Endowed with much horse sense and a huge fund of humor. Chub is a sure cure for the blues in any stage, and an excellent counsellor on any question.

"Drop m' somew'ere in de Sevent' Fleet."

Loss

Melville was lost on November 2, 1936 when the aircraft he was aboard crashed. He was the executive officer of USS Lexington (CV 2) at the time.

He had only become a qualified naval aviator (#4171) a short while before, in 1935.

From Wikipedia:

CDR Brown was the Commanding Officer of the USS Truxtun (DD-229) when the ship was commissioned in 1921, and later was Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Lexington (CV-2).

Namesake

Brown Field Municipal Airport, near San Diego, is named for Melville.

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.

January 1911

Midshipman, Connecticut

January 1912

Midshipman, Montgomery

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Others at this command:

MIDN John Fletcher '11

January 1913

Ensign, Nebraska

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Others at this command:

LT John Rodgers '03

January 1914

Ensign, Nebraska

January 1915

Ensign, USS Nebraska

---

Others at this command:

ENS Henry Hoyt '14

January 1916

Lieutenant (j.g.), Birmingham

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

ENS Henry Tovey '15 (USS Birmingham)

January 1917

Lieutenant (j.g.), Bureau of Navigation

March 1918

Lieutenant, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

---

Others at this command:

LT Frank McCord '11

January 1919

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation

---

Others at this command:

LCDR Daniel Callaghan '11

January 1920

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Destroyer Force, Atlantic Fleet

January 1921

Lieutenant Commander, USS Truxton

January 1922

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

May 1923

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

July 1923

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

September 1923

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

November 1923

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

January 1924

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

March 1924

Lieutenant Commander, Bureau of Navigation, Washington, D.C.

May 1924

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS Marcus

July 1924

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

September 1924

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

November 1924

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

January 1925

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

March 1925

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

May 1925

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

July 1925

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

October 1925

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

January 1926

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

October 1926

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

January 1927

Lieutenant Commander, commanding officer, USS MacDonough

April 1927

Lieutenant Commander, USS Antares

October 1927

Lieutenant Commander, under instruction, Naval War College

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Others at this command:

CDR Howard Lammers '08

January 1928

Lieutenant Commander, under instruction, Naval War College

---

Others at this command:

CDR Howard Lammers '08

April 1928

Lieutenant Commander, under instruction, Naval War College

---

Others at this command:

CDR Howard Lammers '08

July 1928

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

October 1928

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

---

Others at this command:

LT Harold MacLellan '18

January 1929

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

---

Others at this command:

LT Harold MacLellan '18

April 1929

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

---

Others at this command:

LT Harold MacLellan '18

July 1929

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

October 1929

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

January 1930

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

April 1930

Lieutenant Commander, staff, Naval War College

October 1930

Commander, gunnery officer, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LT Van Moore '19
LT Dixie Kiefer '19
LTjg Warren Graf '27

ENS Jacob Britt '29
ENS Charles Hart '30
ENS James Clarkson '30

ENS Dudley Morton '30
ENS John Craig '30
ENS James Kyes '30

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Sample '19 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

LTjg Claude Haman '26 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

January 1931

Commander, gunnery officer, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LT Van Moore '19
LT Dixie Kiefer '19
LTjg Warren Graf '27

ENS Jacob Britt '29
ENS Charles Hart '30
ENS James Clarkson '30

ENS Dudley Morton '30
ENS John Craig '30
ENS James Kyes '30

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Sample '19 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

LTjg Claude Haman '26 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

April 1931

Commander, gunnery officer, USS Saratoga

---

Others at this command:

LT Van Moore '19
LT Dixie Kiefer '19

LTjg Warren Graf '27
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS James Kyes '30

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Sample '19 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

LTjg Claude Haman '26 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

July 1931

Commander, gunnery officer, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LT Van Moore '19
LTjg Claude Haman '26
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

October 1931

Commander, gunnery officer, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LT Van Moore '19
LTjg Claude Haman '26
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS Byron Newell '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LCDR Oscar Erickson '16 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

January 1932

Commander, gunnery officer, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LT Van Moore '19
LTjg Claude Haman '26
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS Byron Newell '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

April 1932

Commander, gunnery officer, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LT Van Moore '19
ENS Jacob Britt '29
ENS James Clarkson '30

ENS Byron Newell '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS Mathias Wyatt '29 (Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Force)
ENS William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

October 1932

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

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Others at this command:

CDR Howard Lammers '08

LTjg Willford Hyman '24

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Others at or embarked at this command:

CDR Donald Godwin '11 (Naval Examining Board, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.)

January 1933

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

---

Others at this command:

CDR Howard Lammers '08

LT Willford Hyman '24

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

CDR Donald Godwin '11 (Naval Examining Board, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.)

April 1933

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

---

Others at this command:

CDR Howard Lammers '08

LT Willford Hyman '24

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

CDR Donald Godwin '11 (Naval Examining Board, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.)

July 1933

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

October 1933

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

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Others at or embarked at this command:

1LT Edward Trumble '25 (Office of Judge Advocate General, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.)

April 1934

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

1LT Edward Trumble '25 (Office of Judge Advocate General, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.)

July 1934

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

---

Others at this command:

CDR Robert English '11

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

1LT Edward Trumble '25 (Office of Judge Advocate General, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.)

October 1934

Commander, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.

---

Others at this command:

CDR Robert English '11

LTjg Eugene Karpe '26

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Others at or embarked at this command:

1LT Edward Trumble '25 (Office of Judge Advocate General, Navy Department, Washington, D.C.)

January 1935

Commander, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

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Others at this command:

LT James Craig '22
LTjg John Duke '26
LTjg Ralph Smith '26
1LT Harold Bauer '30
LTjg Vernon Hain '31
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31
ENS Edward Allen '31
LTjg Robert Mackert '31

2LT Cleo Keen '32
ENS Truman Carpenter '32
ENS Clarence Kasparek '32
ENS George Hutchinson '32
ENS Edwin Hurst '32
ENS Robert Strickler '32
ENS James Kemper '32
ENS Archibald Greenlee '32

ENS John Speer '32
ENS Robert Goodgame, Jr. '32
ENS George Ottinger '32
ENS Frank Latta '32
ENS William Widhelm '32
ENS William Thorn '32
ENS Frank Fernald '33

April 1935

Commander, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

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Others at this command:

LT James Craig '22
LTjg John Duke '26
LTjg Ralph Smith '26
LTjg Robert Coates '30
1LT Nicholas Pusel '30
1LT Harold Bauer '30
LTjg Vernon Hain '31
LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31
ENS Edward Allen '31
LTjg Robert Mackert '31

ENS Charles Mallory, Jr. '32
2LT Cleo Keen '32
ENS Truman Carpenter '32
ENS Clarence Kasparek '32
ENS George Hutchinson '32
ENS George Bellinger '32
ENS Edwin Hurst '32
ENS Robert Strickler '32
ENS James Kemper '32
ENS Archibald Greenlee '32

ENS James Reilly '32
ENS John Speer '32
ENS William Townsend '32
ENS Robert Goodgame, Jr. '32
ENS George Ottinger '32
ENS Frank Latta '32
ENS Dewitt Shumway '32
ENS William Widhelm '32
ENS William Thorn '32

October 1935

Commander, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

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Others at this command:

LT James Craig '22
LT Richard Moss '24
LTjg John Duke '26
1LT Ernest Pollock '28
LTjg William Pennewill '29
LTjg Robert Coates '30
1LT Nicholas Pusel '30
LTjg Gilbert Carpenter '30
LTjg Lance Massey '30
1LT Harold Bauer '30
LTjg Robert Mackert '31

LTjg Charles Mallory, Jr. '32
1LT Cleo Keen '32
LTjg Joseph Loughlin, Jr. '32
LTjg Truman Carpenter '32
LTjg Clarence Kasparek '32
LTjg George Bellinger '32
LTjg Max Silverstein '32
LTjg Edwin Hurst '32
LTjg Robert Strickler '32
LTjg James Reilly '32
LTjg William Townsend '32

LTjg Robert Goodgame, Jr. '32
LTjg George Ottinger '32
LTjg Dewitt Shumway '32
ENS William Widhelm '32
LTjg Albert Major, Jr. '32
LTjg William Thorn '32
ENS Milton Stephens '33
ENS Ludwell Pickett, Jr. '33
ENS Bertram Prueher '33
ENS William Kane '33

January 1936

Commander, under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

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Others at this command:

LT James Craig '22
LTjg John Duke '26
1LT Ernest Pollock '28
LTjg William Pennewill '29
LTjg Gilbert Carpenter '30
LTjg Lance Massey '30
1LT Harold Bauer '30

LTjg Charles Mallory, Jr. '32
1LT Cleo Keen '32
LTjg Joseph Loughlin, Jr. '32
LTjg George Bellinger '32
LTjg Robert Strickler '32
LTjg James Reilly '32
LTjg William Townsend '32

LTjg Robert Goodgame, Jr. '32
LTjg Dewitt Shumway '32
LTjg Albert Major, Jr. '32
ENS Milton Stephens '33
ENS Ludwell Pickett, Jr. '33
ENS Bertram Prueher '33
ENS William Kane '33

April 1936

Commander, for assignment, Aircraft Squadrons, Base Force, USS Wright

July 1936

Commander, executive officer, USS Lexington

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Others at this command:

LCDR Lyman Swenson '16
LT William Eaton '21

ENS George Fuller '35
ENS John Eichmann '35

ENS Richard McGowan '35
ENS Webster Johnson '36

---

Others at or embarked at this command:

LTjg William Freshour '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 5B)
LTjg Vernon Hain '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 3B)
LTjg Philip Ashworth '31 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)

LTjg Joseph Loughlin, Jr. '32 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 3B)
LTjg Truman Carpenter '32 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 3B)
LTjg George Ottinger '32 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 5B)

Class of 1910

Melville is one of 15 members of the Class of 1910 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

• ← Henry Cecil '10
• Mervyn Bennion '10 →

The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of the alumni in Memorial Hall.