PERCY W. WILLIAMS, JR., LTJG, USN
Percy Williams, Jr. '55
Lucky Bag
From the 1955 Lucky Bag:
PERCY WILLIAM WILLIAMS, JR.
Plainfield, New Jersey
Willie arrived at Navy Tech and immediately saw that athletics were an equalizer for the Executive Department. Picking up a big N star Youngster year for an upset victory over Army in lacrosse, The Perc was also Brigade high scorer for a championship fieldball team. Never a star man, Percy, however, found that studies came easily enough so that he always had enough time for his second love — wooing the fairer sex. Willie's quick humor and broad smile, which have left a lasting impression on so many of us, will easily insure our future admiral a large group of friends wherever he may go.
He was also a member of the 17th Company winter semester leadership.
PERCY WILLIAM WILLIAMS, JR.
Plainfield, New Jersey
Willie arrived at Navy Tech and immediately saw that athletics were an equalizer for the Executive Department. Picking up a big N star Youngster year for an upset victory over Army in lacrosse, The Perc was also Brigade high scorer for a championship fieldball team. Never a star man, Percy, however, found that studies came easily enough so that he always had enough time for his second love — wooing the fairer sex. Willie's quick humor and broad smile, which have left a lasting impression on so many of us, will easily insure our future admiral a large group of friends wherever he may go.
He was also a member of the 17th Company winter semester leadership.
Loss
Percy was lost on February 21, 1959 when his "jet fighter plane" crashed into the Mediterranean immediately after launching from USS Intrepid (CV 11). He was piloting a Grumman F11F-1 Tiger (Bureau #141779) with Fighter Squadron (VF) 33.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
An Eagle scout, Percy attended the World Scout Jamboree in Paris, France, in 1947. He was also a Courier-News Little Merchant.
He graduated from North Plainfield High School and attended Columbian Preparatory School in Washington, D. C.
Percy received a Naval Reserve appointment after serving as a seaman recruit.
He participated in the North-South lacrosse game in Baltimore on June 10, 1955. He represented the South because of his location in Annapolis.
In December he attended a dinner honoring him as a member of the All-American Lacrosse team.
He made his first solo flight in January 1956, at Whiting Field Naval Auxiliary Air Station in Milton, Florida. He completed his flight training in Pensacola in November 1956.
Percy married Leontine Raby at St. Michael's Catholic Church on April 23, 1957, in Pensacola. At the time, he was stationed with VF-33, Oceana Naval Air Station, in Virginia Beach.
Percy was survived by his parents, "Mr. and Mrs. P.W. Williams" of Bridgeview, NJ, his wife, Jane Leontine Raby Williams, of Pensacola, FL, and his two children John Raby Williams and Marion Louise Williams Carlson. He has a memory marker in Arlington National Cemetery.
Photographs
From the Lucky Bag
From the Lucky Bag: "Percy Williams and Bob Pirie practice passing."
From The Courier News on May 23, 1955
From The Courier News on June 10, 1955
From The Courier News on June 4, 1956
Related Articles
Bill Litzenberg '55 was also on the lacrosse team.
Wilfred McNeil, Jr. '43 was lost in a plane crash later in Intrepid's 1959 deployment.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.