ROBERT W. WHALING, CAPT, USMC
Robert Whaling '52
Lucky Bag
From the 1952 Lucky Bag:
Robert William Whaling
Quantico, Virginia
Take a smiling face, add a dish of sparkling wit, a ready story, shake well and flavor with a Saturday afternoon drag, and you have Bob. This blond-haired ray of sunshine brought to the Naval Academy lots of chuckles and smiles. Dividing his time between his bed and a charming OAO, Bob set two records: logging the most sack time and never missing a hop. Taking academics and the Executive Department completely in stride, Bob enjoyed every minute at Navy. Conscientiousness and loyalty, coupled with a winning sense of humor, made him popular with all his classmates.
He was also a member of the 1st Company staff (1st set).
Robert William Whaling
Quantico, Virginia
Take a smiling face, add a dish of sparkling wit, a ready story, shake well and flavor with a Saturday afternoon drag, and you have Bob. This blond-haired ray of sunshine brought to the Naval Academy lots of chuckles and smiles. Dividing his time between his bed and a charming OAO, Bob set two records: logging the most sack time and never missing a hop. Taking academics and the Executive Department completely in stride, Bob enjoyed every minute at Navy. Conscientiousness and loyalty, coupled with a winning sense of humor, made him popular with all his classmates.
He was also a member of the 1st Company staff (1st set).
Loss
From Independent Press-Telegram of Long Beach, California, on April 16, 1961:
Two El Toro Marine Corps aviators were killed Saturday when their F9F8T Cougar jet crashed in a swamp while making a landing approach at the Pensacola, Fla., Naval Air Station. The two were identified as Capts. Robert W. Whaling, 31, assistant safety officer for headquarters and headquarters squadron at El Toro, and James J. Brennan, 30, executive officer of the squadron. Capt, Whaling, who lived at 706 N. Sherry Lane, Santa Ana, is survived by his wife, Carolyn and two children.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
His wife's maiden name was Karcher; his father was a Brigadier General in the Marines.
Other
The other pilot aboard is also buried in Arlington National Cemetery:
Captains James J. Brennan and Robert W. Whaling of H&HS-3 were killed in the line of duty when there F9F-8T Cougar jet crashed near Pensacola, FL. The two pilots were on a routine cross-country training flight to Pensacola when they crashed about two miles from Sherman Field. Captain Brennan was the Executive Officer of H&HS-3 and is survived by his wife and three children. Originally from New York, Capt Brennan was awarded the Silver Star as a corporal and squad leader during the Battle of the Chosin Reservoir in Nov/Dec 1950.
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