RALPH D. SMITH, LT, USN

Ralph Smith '26

Date of birth: October 11, 1905

Date of death: May 21, 1941

Age: 35

Lucky Bag

From the 1926 Lucky Bag:

Ralph Dempcy Smith

Elkins, West Virginia

"Ralph D." "Smitty" "Zeke"

RALPH, the fellow that would drag blind. When another fellow needed a friend for a week-end he knew the place to come and find one. Smitty would never tell whether or not he had been bricked but we found out every once in a while by going over to the hop.

He used to do his share of worrying about marks. Everyday we would hear, "I bet you that I hit the tree this week in Math." But when the weekly trees were posted his name was seldom found among the chosen few. Then when the monthly averages came up he usually had above a 3.0.

When the call was given for the candidates for Lacrosse manager one of the first to go out was Ralph and he stuck to it and followed the team every day. He lost more weight running back from drill and getting ready for lacrosse than he lost in the fireroom Youngster Cruise.

Just after he returned from Youngster September Leave his favorite Sunday afternoon pastime was to hunt up Plebes and show them his new Elgin watch. Ralph proved himself a shrewd fellow Second Class year. He stayed on the Sub-squad until he could get big odds, and won enough to buy a farm when he finally passed the test.

"I don't see how any lacrosse team in the country could score on us."

Lacrosse Squad, Assistant Manager (3, 2); Lucky Bag.

Ralph Dempcy Smith

Elkins, West Virginia

"Ralph D." "Smitty" "Zeke"

RALPH, the fellow that would drag blind. When another fellow needed a friend for a week-end he knew the place to come and find one. Smitty would never tell whether or not he had been bricked but we found out every once in a while by going over to the hop.

He used to do his share of worrying about marks. Everyday we would hear, "I bet you that I hit the tree this week in Math." But when the weekly trees were posted his name was seldom found among the chosen few. Then when the monthly averages came up he usually had above a 3.0.

When the call was given for the candidates for Lacrosse manager one of the first to go out was Ralph and he stuck to it and followed the team every day. He lost more weight running back from drill and getting ready for lacrosse than he lost in the fireroom Youngster Cruise.

Just after he returned from Youngster September Leave his favorite Sunday afternoon pastime was to hunt up Plebes and show them his new Elgin watch. Ralph proved himself a shrewd fellow Second Class year. He stayed on the Sub-squad until he could get big odds, and won enough to buy a farm when he finally passed the test.

"I don't see how any lacrosse team in the country could score on us."

Lacrosse Squad, Assistant Manager (3, 2); Lucky Bag.

Loss

From Abilene Reporter-News of Abilene, Texas on May 23, 1941:

WASHINGTON. May 23. The navy reported today the death of Lt. Ralph Dempsey Smith and Chief Radioman Clarence Widner Allen in the crash of a naval plane piloted by Smith. The plane came down in the waters of Pearl Harbor. Hawaii. Both men were attached to the aircraft carrier Enterprise. Allen is survived by his widow, Mrs. Nellie May Allen, San Diego, and his father, C. E. Allen, Mabanks, Tex.

Ralph had only been at Hawaii for two weeks, according to another report. He was survived by his wife, Marie, and two children, Ralph Jr. and Susanne; they were in San Diego at the time.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery. It's possible that he was commanding officer of Scouting Squadron (VS) 6, though he is not listed as such in the 1941 Navy Directory. His headstone gives his rank as LCDR, but all other reports and records are that he was a Lieutenant.

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.

October 1926

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Joseph Johnson '24, ENS Francis Black '26, and ENS John Gotjen, Jr. '26.

Others at or embarked at this command: LCDR Francis Maile, Jr. '15 (Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 1).

January 1927

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Joseph Johnson '24, ENS Francis Black '26, and ENS John Gotjen, Jr. '26.

April 1927

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Joseph Johnson '24, ENS Francis Black '26, and ENS John Gotjen, Jr. '26.

October 1927

Ensign, USS West Virginia

January 1928

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27, ENS Warren Graf '27, and ENS Wendell Osborn '27.

Others at or embarked at this command: LTjg Herbert Ballinger '24 (Observation Squadron (VO) 2B).

April 1928

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27, ENS Warren Graf '27, and ENS Wendell Osborn '27.

Others at or embarked at this command: LTjg Herbert Ballinger '24 (Observation Squadron (VO) 2B).

July 1928

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27 and ENS Wendell Osborn '27.

October 1928

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27, ENS Wendell Osborn '27, ENS Carl Lindgren '28, and ENS Weldon Hamilton '28.

January 1929

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27, ENS Wendell Osborn '27, ENS Carl Lindgren '28, and ENS Weldon Hamilton '28.

April 1929

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27, ENS Wendell Osborn '27, ENS Carl Lindgren '28, and ENS Weldon Hamilton '28.

Others at or embarked at this command: LT Stephen Cooke '21 (Observation Squadron (VO) 5B).

July 1929

Ensign, USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27, ENS Carl Lindgren '28, ENS Weldon Hamilton '28, and ENS Francis Jordan '29.

Others at or embarked at this command: LT Stephen Cooke '21 (Observation Squadron (VO) 5B).

October 1929

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS West Virginia

Others at this command: ENS Cyrus Clendening '27, ENS Carl Lindgren '28, and ENS Francis Jordan '29.

Others at or embarked at this command: LT Stephen Cooke '21 (Observation Squadron (VO) 5B).

January 1930

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

Others at this command: LT James Carney '21, LT John Jones '21, LT James Craig '22, LTjg William Davis '22, LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23, LTjg John Waldron '24, LTjg Ted Marshall '24, LTjg Walter Dey '24, LTjg Andrew Harris '25, ENS Charles Skelly '27, ENS Charles Hill, Jr. '27, ENS Dick Downer '27, ENS Elmer Cooper '27, ENS Eugene Davis '27, ENS Gerald Dyson '27, ENS Henry Dozier '27, ENS James McRoberts '27, ENS Oddle Anderson '27, ENS Oscar Pate, Jr. '27, ENS Renwick Calderhead '27, ENS Robert Symes '27, ENS Seymour Johnson '27, and 2LT Ernest Pollock '28.

April 1930

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

Others at this command: LCDR Henry Mullinnix '16, LT James Carney '21, LT John Jones '21, LT James Craig '22, LTjg William Davis '22, LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23, LTjg James McDonough '24, LTjg John Waldron '24, LTjg Ted Marshall '24, LTjg Walter Dey '24, LTjg Andrew Harris '25, ENS Charles Skelly '27, ENS Dick Downer '27, ENS Elmer Cooper '27, ENS Gerald Dyson '27, ENS Henry Dozier '27, ENS Renwick Calderhead '27, ENS Robert Symes '27, ENS Seymour Johnson '27, ENS Donald Lovelace '28, 2LT Ernest Pollock '28, ENS J. C. Riggs, Jr. '28, ENS John Nelson '28, ENS Weldon Hamilton '28, ENS William Pye, Jr. '28, ENS Finley Hall '29, ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29, and ENS William Arthur '29.

October 1930

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

January 1931

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

April 1931

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

July 1931

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

October 1931

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

January 1932

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

April 1932

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

October 1932

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

January 1933

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

April 1933

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Hovey

July 1933

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command: LCDR Albert Rooks '14, LCDR Charles Cecil '16, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Robert Smith '20, LT George Brooke '21, LT Paul Register '21, LT Howard Healy '22, 1LT Charles Kail '23, LT Hallsted Hopping '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Austin Behan '25, LTjg Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, LTjg James Smith, Jr. '25, LTjg Knowlton Williams '25, LTjg William Hank '25, LTjg August Lentz, Jr. '26, LTjg Earl Olsen '26, LTjg Eugene Karpe '26, LTjg Francis Black '26, LTjg Heywood Edwards '26, LTjg Hilan Ebert '26, LTjg Howard Gilmore '26, LTjg John Crane '26, LTjg John Reybold '26, LTjg John Graff '26, LTjg Louis LeHardy '26, LTjg Louis Shane, Jr. '26, LTjg Sidney Smith '26, LTjg William Myers '26, LTjg Loren Morris '27, and LTjg William Pye, Jr. '28.

October 1933

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command: LCDR Albert Rooks '14, LCDR Charles Cecil '16, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Robert Smith '20, LT George Brooke '21, LT Paul Register '21, LT Howard Healy '22, 1LT Charles Kail '23, LT Hallsted Hopping '24, LTjg Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Andrew Harris '25, LTjg Austin Behan '25, LTjg Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, LTjg James Smith, Jr. '25, LTjg Knowlton Williams '25, LTjg William Hank '25, LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25, LTjg August Lentz, Jr. '26, LTjg Earl Olsen '26, LTjg Eugene Karpe '26, LTjg Francis Black '26, LTjg Heywood Edwards '26, LTjg Hilan Ebert '26, LTjg Howard Gilmore '26, LTjg John Crane '26, LTjg John Reybold '26, LTjg John Graff '26, LTjg Louis LeHardy '26, LTjg Louis Shane, Jr. '26, LTjg Sidney Smith '26, LTjg William Myers '26, LTjg Loren Morris '27, and LTjg William Pye, Jr. '28.

April 1934

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Academy

Others at this command: LCDR Albert Rooks '14, LCDR Charles Cecil '16, LCDR Lyman Swenson '16, LT Robert Smith '20, LT George Brooke '21, LT Paul Register '21, LT William Gray '21, LT Howard Healy '22, 1LT Charles Kail '23, LT Hallsted Hopping '24, LT Lawrence McPeake '24, LTjg Andrew Harris '25, LTjg Austin Behan '25, LTjg Charles Tolman, Jr. '25, LTjg James Smith, Jr. '25, LTjg Knowlton Williams '25, LTjg William Hank '25, LTjg William Graham, Jr. '25, LTjg August Lentz, Jr. '26, LTjg Earl Olsen '26, LTjg Eugene Karpe '26, LTjg Francis Black '26, LTjg Heywood Edwards '26, LTjg Hilan Ebert '26, LTjg Howard Gilmore '26, LTjg John Crane '26, LTjg John Reybold '26, LTjg John Graff '26, LTjg Louis LeHardy '26, LTjg Louis Shane, Jr. '26, LTjg Sidney Smith '26, LTjg William Myers '26, LTjg Harry Hicks '27, LTjg Loren Morris '27, and LTjg William Pye, Jr. '28.

July 1934

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

Others at this command: CDR Walter Webster '11, LT James Craig '22, LTjg John Duke '26, LTjg Baylies Clark '30, ENS Alden Irons '31, ENS Charles Palmer, Sr. '31, ENS Edward Allen '31, ENS Edward Blessman '31, ENS Ford Wallace '31, ENS Lorenz Forbes '31, ENS Philip Ashworth '31, ENS Robert Mackert '31, ENS Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, ENS Vernon Hain '31, ENS William Freshour '31, ENS Albert Gates, Jr. '32, ENS Archibald Greenlee '32, ENS Edwin Hurst '32, ENS George Hutchinson '32, ENS George Ottinger '32, ENS William Thorn '32, ENS William Widhelm '32, and ENS Frank Fernald '33.

October 1934

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

Others at this command: LT James Craig '22, LTjg John Duke '26, ENS Edward Allen '31, LTjg Edward Blessman '31, LTjg Ford Wallace '31, LTjg Lorenz Forbes '31, LTjg Robert Mackert '31, LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, LTjg Vernon Hain '31, LTjg William Freshour '31, ENS Archibald Greenlee '32, ENS Clarence Kasparek '32, ENS Edwin Hurst '32, ENS Frank Latta '32, ENS George Hutchinson '32, ENS George Ottinger '32, ENS Robert Goodgame, Jr. '32, ENS Truman Carpenter '32, ENS William Thorn '32, ENS William Widhelm '32, and ENS Frank Fernald '33.

January 1935

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

Others at this command: CDR Melville Brown '10, LT James Craig '22, LTjg John Duke '26, 1LT Harold Bauer '30, ENS Edward Allen '31, LTjg Robert Mackert '31, LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, LTjg Vernon Hain '31, ENS Archibald Greenlee '32, ENS Clarence Kasparek '32, 2LT Cleo Keen '32, ENS Edwin Hurst '32, ENS Frank Latta '32, ENS George Hutchinson '32, ENS George Ottinger '32, ENS James Kemper '32, ENS John Speer '32, ENS Robert Goodgame, Jr. '32, ENS Robert Strickler '32, ENS Truman Carpenter '32, ENS William Thorn '32, ENS William Widhelm '32, and ENS Frank Fernald '33.

April 1935

Lieutenant (j.g.), under instruction, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

Others at this command: CDR Melville Brown '10, LT James Craig '22, LTjg John Duke '26, 1LT Harold Bauer '30, 1LT Nicholas Pusel '30, LTjg Robert Coates '30, ENS Edward Allen '31, LTjg Robert Mackert '31, LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31, LTjg Vernon Hain '31, ENS Archibald Greenlee '32, ENS Charles Mallory, Jr. '32, ENS Clarence Kasparek '32, 2LT Cleo Keen '32, ENS Dewitt Shumway '32, ENS Edwin Hurst '32, ENS Frank Latta '32, ENS George Bellinger '32, ENS George Hutchinson '32, ENS George Ottinger '32, ENS James Kemper '32, ENS James Reilly '32, ENS John Speer '32, ENS Robert Goodgame, Jr. '32, ENS Robert Strickler '32, ENS Truman Carpenter '32, ENS William Thorn '32, ENS William Townsend '32, and ENS William Widhelm '32.

October 1935

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Saratoga

Others at this command: LTjg Alfred Tucker, III '31, LTjg Albert Gates, Jr. '32, ENS Paul Burton '33, ENS Wendell Froling '34, and ENS Maurice Fitzgerald '35.

Others at or embarked at this command: CDR Walter Webster '11 (Aircraft Squadrons), LT John Gillon '20 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B), LT Arnold Isbell '21 (Aircraft Squadrons), LT Charles McDonald '24 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B), LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B), LTjg Elmer Cooper '27 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B), LTjg Harold Richards '27 (Aircraft Squadrons), LTjg Leonard Southerland '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B), LTjg Loren Morris '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B), LTjg Oliver White '30 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B), LTjg Edward Blessman '31 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B), LTjg Ford Wallace '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B), LTjg James Murphy '31 (Torpedo Plane Squadron (VT) 2B), and LTjg Thomas Ashworth, Jr. '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B).

January 1936

Lieutenant (j.g.), Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 1B, USS Ranger

Others at this command: LTjg Baylies Clark '30 and LTjg Alfred Tucker, III '31.

Others at or embarked at USS Ranger: LT Robert Bedilion '22 (USS Ranger), LT Hallsted Hopping '24 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LT James McDonough '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LT Walter Dey '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg James McRoberts '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Seymour Johnson '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Alden Irons '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Lorenz Forbes '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 3B), LTjg William Sisko '31 (USS Ranger), LTjg William Freshour '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 5B), ENS William Widhelm '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), ENS Earle Schneider '33 (USS Ranger), and ENS Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Ranger).

April 1936

Lieutenant (j.g.), Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 1B, USS Ranger

Others at this command: LTjg Baylies Clark '30 and LTjg Alfred Tucker, III '31.

Others at or embarked at USS Ranger: LT Robert Bedilion '22 (USS Ranger), LT Hallsted Hopping '24 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LT James McDonough '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LT Walter Dey '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg James McRoberts '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Seymour Johnson '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Alden Irons '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Lorenz Forbes '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 3B), LTjg William Freshour '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 5B), LTjg William Widhelm '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), ENS Earle Schneider '33 (USS Ranger), and ENS Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Ranger).

July 1936

Lieutenant (j.g.), Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 1B, USS Ranger

Others at this command: LTjg Albert Gray '31 and LTjg Alfred Tucker, III '31.

Others at or embarked at USS Ranger: LT Robert Bedilion '22 (USS Ranger), LTjg James McRoberts '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Seymour Johnson '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Donald Lovelace '28 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Leo Crane '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg Lorenz Forbes '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 3B), LTjg Dewitt Shumway '32 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Robert Strickler '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg William Widhelm '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), ENS Earle Schneider '33 (USS Ranger), ENS Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Ranger), and ENS John Daub, Jr. '36 (USS Ranger).

January 1937

Lieutenant, Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 1B, USS Ranger

Others at this command: LTjg Albert Gray '31 and LTjg Alfred Tucker, III '31.

Others at or embarked at USS Ranger: LT Robert Bedilion '22 (USS Ranger), LT Seymour Johnson '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Donald Lovelace '28 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Finley Hall '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Leo Crane '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg Lorenz Forbes '31 (Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 3B), LTjg Dewitt Shumway '32 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Robert Strickler '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg William Widhelm '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg Earle Schneider '33 (USS Ranger), ENS Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Ranger), and ENS John Daub, Jr. '36 (USS Ranger).

April 1937

Lieutenant, Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 1B, USS Ranger

Others at this command: LTjg Albert Gray '31.

Others at or embarked at USS Ranger: LT Robert Bedilion '22 (USS Ranger), LT Seymour Johnson '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 3B), LTjg Donald Lovelace '28 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Finley Hall '29 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Leo Crane '31 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg Archibald Greenlee '32 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Dewitt Shumway '32 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 1B), LTjg Robert Strickler '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg William Townsend '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg William Widhelm '32 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 5B), LTjg Earle Schneider '33 (USS Ranger), ENS John Daub, Jr. '36 (USS Ranger), and ENS William Hulson '36 (USS Ranger).

September 1937

Lieutenant, Torpedo Squadron (VT) 2, USS Lexington

Others at this command: LT Renwick Calderhead '27, LTjg Burden Hastings '33, and LTjg George Klinsmann '33.

Others at or embarked at USS Lexington: LT William Eaton '21 (USS Lexington), LT John Duke '26 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 2), LTjg George Ottinger '32 (Bombing Squadron (VB) 2), LTjg William Kane '33 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 2), LTjg Thompson Guthrie, Jr. '34 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 2), ENS John Eichmann '35 (USS Lexington), and ENS Thomas Edwards, Jr. '37 (USS Lexington).

January 1938

Lieutenant, Torpedo Squadron (VT) 2, USS Lexington

Others at this command: LT Renwick Calderhead '27, LTjg Burden Hastings '33, and LTjg George Klinsmann '33.

Others at or embarked at USS Lexington: LT William Eaton '21 (USS Lexington), LT John Duke '26 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 2), LTjg George Ottinger '32 (Bombing Squadron (VB) 2), LTjg John Speer '32 (USS Lexington), LTjg William Kane '33 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 2), LTjg Thompson Guthrie, Jr. '34 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 2), and ENS Thomas Edwards, Jr. '37 (USS Lexington).

July 1938

Lieutenant, Patrol Squadron (VP) 3, Coco Solo, Canal Zone

Others at this command: LT John Eldridge, Jr. '27.

January 1939

Lieutenant, Patrol Squadron (VP) 3, Coco Solo, Canal Zone

Others at this command: LT John Eldridge, Jr. '27.

October 1939

Lieutenant, Patrol Squadron (VP) 32, Coco Solo, Canal Zone

Others at this command: LT Gerald Dyson '27.

June 1940

Lieutenant, Scouting Squadron (VS) 6, USS Enterprise

Others at this command: LT Edward Allen '31 and LTjg Hubert Harden '35.

Others at or embarked at USS Enterprise: LCDR Mark Crouter '20 (USS Enterprise), LT Eugene Lindsey '27 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), LT Alfred Tucker, III '31 (USS Enterprise), LTjg John Phillips, Jr. '33 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), LTjg Frank Whitaker '34 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), LTjg Philip Torrey, Jr. '34 (Bombing Squadron (VB) 6), LTjg Walker Ethridge '34 (Bombing Squadron (VB) 6), LTjg Arthur Ely '35 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), ENS Ernest Wood, Jr. '38 (USS Enterprise), and ENS Edward Degarmo '40 (USS Enterprise).

November 1940

Lieutenant, Scouting Squadron (VS) 6, USS Enterprise

Others at this command: LT Edward Allen '31.

Others at or embarked at USS Enterprise: LCDR Mark Crouter '20 (USS Enterprise), LT Eugene Lindsey '27 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), LT Alfred Tucker, III '31 (USS Enterprise), LTjg Arthur Ely '35 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), LTjg Hubert Harden '35 (USS Enterprise), LTjg Paul Riley '37 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), ENS Ernest Wood, Jr. '38 (USS Enterprise), and ENS Edward Degarmo '40 (USS Enterprise).

April 1941

Lieutenant, Scouting Squadron (VS) 6, USS Enterprise

Others at this command: LT Edward Allen '31.

Others at or embarked at USS Enterprise: LCDR Mark Crouter '20 (USS Enterprise), LT Eugene Lindsey '27 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), LT Alfred Tucker, III '31 (USS Enterprise), LTjg Arthur Ely '35 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), LTjg Hubert Harden '35 (USS Enterprise), LTjg Paul Riley '37 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), ENS Ernest Wood, Jr. '38 (USS Enterprise), ENS Frank Quady '38 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 6), ENS John Kelley '38 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 6), ENS John Eversole '38 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 6), ENS Edward Degarmo '40 (USS Enterprise), and ENS William Williamson, Jr. '41 (USS Enterprise).

Class of 1926

Ralph is one of 36 members of the Class of 1926 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

• ← John Duke '26
• Heywood Edwards '26 →

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.