ROBERT W. STEVENSON, III, LT, USN
Robert Stevenson, III '86
Lucky Bag
From the 1986 Lucky Bag:
Robert W. Stevenson
Memphis, Tennessee
This is the tale of Tank
Always known to be frank
Knew when things began to stank
Ever full of bologna,
Leading the Brotherhood pack
Found in the wardroom, on weekend or in the rack
Had the 'If it wasn't good enough, it wouldn't be the minimum' knack
Caught by a honey from Bowie,
Not physically nor scholastically a king
He's got your 'thing'
In the clouds in his flyin machine
Note: Never freebase your Tang! AMF!
-RDR-
Robert W. Stevenson
Memphis, Tennessee
This is the tale of Tank
Always known to be frank
Knew when things began to stank
Ever full of bologna,
Leading the Brotherhood pack
Found in the wardroom, on weekend or in the rack
Had the 'If it wasn't good enough, it wouldn't be the minimum' knack
Caught by a honey from Bowie,
Not physically nor scholastically a king
He's got your 'thing'
In the clouds in his flyin machine
Note: Never freebase your Tang! AMF!
-RDR-
Loss
Robert was lost on September 9, 1992 when the F/A-18 Hornet he was piloting crashed in Nevada while on a night training mission. He was a member of Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 25, based at Naval Air Station Lemoore, California but operating from Nellis AFB, Nevada.
Other Information
From the January/February 1993 issue of Shipmate:
Born in Gurdon, Ark., Lt. Stevenson grew up in Memphis, Tenn. He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1986, earning a B.S. in physical science. He began flight training in Pensacola and completed jet training in January 1989 in Meridian, Miss., earning his Naval Aviator designation.
He then received orders to fly the FA-18 Hornet at NAS Lemoore. After one year with the FISTS, he earned the Navy Achievement Medal for his superior performance as the Administration Officer. His abilities as a Naval Aviator led to his selection as one of the squadron's first Night Vision Goggle (NVG) pilots, Senior Squadron Landing Signal Officer (LSO) and Training Officer.
When he was killed, Lt. Stevenson was flying an FA-18 Hornet in a NVG Close Air Support mission with Army ground forces approximately 100 miles northwest of Nellis Air Force Base. Following several bombing runs, his jet crashed into the terrain.
Lt. Stevenson is survived by his wife, Lee Ann, who has returned to her hometown of Bowie and lives at 12716 Brunswick Lane; two sons, Bobby and John; his parents, Robert and Anice Stevenson; and three brothers, Thomas, Clark and Jon Stevenson.
He is buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery.
Note: Shipmate says he was survived by sons Bobby and John; the Command History of VFA 25 lists them but also adds William.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
