Miguel Nava '17
On February 7, 2024 Captain Miguel Nava, USMC '17 was killed in a helicopter crash. Please consider a donation to his family to honor his service, and the incredible sacrifice of his wife and five-month-old son.

ROBERT DONALDSON, LT, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Robert Donaldson '34

Date of birth: July 23, 1912

Date of death: February 8, 1943

Age: 30

Lucky Bag

From the 1934 Lucky Bag:

1934 Donaldson LB.jpg

ROBERT DONALDSON

St. Petersburg, Florida

"Bob"

FOR one who has ever heard an argument over the relative merits of Florida and California there is no more staunch upholder of the famous everglade and alligator state than Bob. From time to time he has taken the part of his adopted state in such heated debates that any Chamber of Commerce would be justly proud of him. Of course, we are proud to know him and to call him friend.

Mere tussles with the Academic Departments have never phased him in the least but Youngster Year did give him a bit to think about. However, he passed the reef safely and has remained with us ever since. Nevertheless, when it comes to managing costumes for any theatrical production, here is the man for the job. Not only is he the perfect manager, but he is an actor as well, as will be remembered from his performance in the Masqueraders Plebe Year. In other fields of achievement one will always associate Bob with hands full of lacrosse sticks to be fixed and with the other duties in connection with the Indian sport. This is merely another proof of his excellent managing ability which, may greatly benefit him in his secret political aspirations. Who knows, here may be an embryo chief of this fair land. Bob is one of those fortunate individuals who, once they undertake anything can invariably succeed in it. This ability coupled with his inevitable good humor should assure his success in all that he undertakes.

Masqueraders Cast 4. Reception Committee 3, 2, 1. Masqueraders and Musical Clubs Costnine Gang 3, 2, 1. Assistant Lacrosse Manager 4, 3, 2. 2 P.O.

1934 Donaldson LB.jpg

ROBERT DONALDSON

St. Petersburg, Florida

"Bob"

FOR one who has ever heard an argument over the relative merits of Florida and California there is no more staunch upholder of the famous everglade and alligator state than Bob. From time to time he has taken the part of his adopted state in such heated debates that any Chamber of Commerce would be justly proud of him. Of course, we are proud to know him and to call him friend.

Mere tussles with the Academic Departments have never phased him in the least but Youngster Year did give him a bit to think about. However, he passed the reef safely and has remained with us ever since. Nevertheless, when it comes to managing costumes for any theatrical production, here is the man for the job. Not only is he the perfect manager, but he is an actor as well, as will be remembered from his performance in the Masqueraders Plebe Year. In other fields of achievement one will always associate Bob with hands full of lacrosse sticks to be fixed and with the other duties in connection with the Indian sport. This is merely another proof of his excellent managing ability which, may greatly benefit him in his secret political aspirations. Who knows, here may be an embryo chief of this fair land. Bob is one of those fortunate individuals who, once they undertake anything can invariably succeed in it. This ability coupled with his inevitable good humor should assure his success in all that he undertakes.

Masqueraders Cast 4. Reception Committee 3, 2, 1. Masqueraders and Musical Clubs Costnine Gang 3, 2, 1. Assistant Lacrosse Manager 4, 3, 2. 2 P.O.

Loss

Robert was lost on February 8, 1943 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed near Hampton Roads, Virginia. "He radioed that he was having aerlion trouble and shortly thereafter apparently bailed out. He was either too low or his parachute did not properly deploy and he was killed on impact." He was commanding officer of Scouting Squadron (VS) 9. (From naval aviation historian Richard Leonard via email on April 3, 2018.)

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In his St. Petersburg High School yearbook, the No-So-We-Ea, Robert’s Airlog included: A. A. 2 years; Jr. C. of C. 2 years; Scholarship Club 3 years; weekly Palmetto & Pine; Staff Editor of Soph. Edition; Make-up Editor of Jr. Edition; Regular Reporter Jr. Year; Staff Editor ’30; Junior Christmas Play ’28; Jr. Class Swimming Team. His AIR-SPEED INDICATOR: “Bob” aspires some day to move the world with his pen and to that end he is constantly struggling. Robert was named a “Popular Pilot” in the yearbook with this accompanying sketch. It was noted that his classmates believed “he could pursue a journalistic career leading to fame.” During high school, Robert spent his summers as a counselor at the Scy Camp at Blue Ridge, North Carolina. This camp’s unique emphasis was on character building and giving boys “certain skills and avocation interests in woodcraft, nature lore, athletics, water sports, handicraft and campcraft that should prove of material value to them in later life.”

Robert’s father was also an editor and newspaper reporter who died in 1932. His mother was Claire, and his brother was Bill. Robert was born in Elwood, Indiana.

He became naval aviator #5260 on July 6, 1937.

His full career is listed below, but of note: The 1941 Navy Directory lists him as a member of the aviation unit aboard USS Noa (DD 343). Noa was part of an experiment in placing scout aircraft on destroyers.

Robert's class ring is a part of the collection of the Naval Academy Museum.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs

Related Articles

The previous commanding officer of Scouting Squadron (VS) 9, John Yoho '29, was lost barely a month before.

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.

July 1934
Ensign, USS New Mexico

October 1934
Ensign, USS New Mexico

January 1935
Ensign, USS New Mexico

April 1935
Ensign, USS New Mexico

October 1935
Ensign, USS New Mexico

January 1936
Ensign, USS New Mexico

April 1936
Ensign, USS New Mexico

September 1937
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Squadron (VS) 5, USS Yorktown


Others at or embarked at USS Yorktown:
LCDR James Craig '22 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
LT William Ault '22 (USS Yorktown)
LTjg James Averill '27 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 5)
LT John Collett '29 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
ENS Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Hubert Harden '35 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Webster Johnson '36 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Bethel Otter '37 (USS Yorktown)
January 1938
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Squadron (VS) 5, USS Yorktown


Others at or embarked at USS Yorktown:
LCDR James Craig '22 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
LT William Ault '22 (USS Yorktown)
LTjg James Averill '27 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 5)
LTjg Gilbert Carpenter '30 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 6)
ENS Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Hubert Harden '35 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Webster Johnson '36 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Bethel Otter '37 (USS Yorktown)
July 1938
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Squadron (VS) 5, USS Yorktown


Others at or embarked at USS Yorktown:
LCDR James Craig '22 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
LT James McDonough '24 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
LTjg James Averill '27 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 5)
ENS Ned Wentz '33 (Carrier Division 2)
LTjg Edward Worthington '34 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 5)
LTjg Stuart Stephens '34 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
ENS Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Bethel Otter '37 (USS Yorktown)
January 1939
Lieutenant (j.g.), Scouting Squadron (VS) 5, USS Yorktown


Others at or embarked at USS Yorktown:
LCDR James Craig '22 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
LTjg James Averill '27 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 5)
LT Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
LTjg Ned Wentz '33 (Carrier Division 2)
LTjg Stuart Stephens '34 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 5)
LTjg Milton Ricketts '35 (USS Yorktown)
ENS Bethel Otter '37 (USS Yorktown)
October 1939
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Squadron (VO) 4, USS Maryland

Others at this command:

Others at or embarked at USS Maryland:
ENS Eli Roth '37 (USS Maryland)
ENS Donald Smith '38 (USS Maryland)
June 1940
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Squadron (VO) 4, USS Maryland

Others at or embarked at USS Maryland:
November 1940
Lieutenant (j.g.), Aviation Unit, USS Noa

Others at or embarked at USS Noa:
April 1941
Lieutenant (j.g.), Aviation Unit, USS Noa

Others at or embarked at USS Noa:


Class of 1934

Robert is one of 41 members of the Class of 1934 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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