STANFORD NALL, 1LT, USAF

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Stanford Nall '51

Date of birth: February 19, 1926

Date of death: January 19, 1955

Age: 28

Lucky Bag

From the 1951 Lucky Bag:

1951 Nall LB.jpg

Stanford Nall

Meridian, California

A farmer-boy from the Sunshine State with a friendly manner and quick smile that have won him many friends . . . excellent both in the classroom and on the playing field . . . speedy rope climbing and agility on the parallel bars placed him on the varsity gym team . . . cribbage and pinochle are diversions . . . music an entertainment and a study . . . he read over and record collection that covers the field richly from Stan Kenton to J.S. Bach . . . fanmail by the carloads . . . the common phrase "What, no mail?" is seldom an utterance of Stan's . . . ability and resourcefulness promise a long and exceptional service record.

1951 Nall LB.jpg

Stanford Nall

Meridian, California

A farmer-boy from the Sunshine State with a friendly manner and quick smile that have won him many friends . . . excellent both in the classroom and on the playing field . . . speedy rope climbing and agility on the parallel bars placed him on the varsity gym team . . . cribbage and pinochle are diversions . . . music an entertainment and a study . . . he read over and record collection that covers the field richly from Stan Kenton to J.S. Bach . . . fanmail by the carloads . . . the common phrase "What, no mail?" is seldom an utterance of Stan's . . . ability and resourcefulness promise a long and exceptional service record.

Loss

Stanford was lost on January 19, 1955 when the F86F Sabre jet he was piloting crashed into the Mediterranean Sea near Wheelus Field, Libya. He was a member of the 431st Fighter-Interceptor Squadron. (Information from July 1955 issue of Shipmate.)

Biography

From researcher Kathy Franz:

As a child, Stanford attended many parties with his relatives and classmates. On his tenth birthday, his mother threw him a party with 16 of his classmates. Games included making the most three-letter words out of Stanford’s name and the bean guessing contest. The table was decorated in a Mickey Mouse motif, centered with a pink and white decorated birthday cake with lighted candles.

Stanford was a Cub in the Boy Scouts, and on May 22, 1939, he received his second class scout pin at Troop 18’s ceremony in the grammar school auditorium. The next night, he was a monkey in the operetta “The Palace of Carelessness.” In November 1943, he played the hunter in the Sutter High School carnival show “Melerdrama.”

After graduating from high school, he was in the V-12 naval reserve R.O.T.C. at University of California at Berkeley. In July 1945, Stanford, S3/c, was sent to Great Lakes, Illinois, for naval training and schooling.

In September 1946, he was nominated to the Naval Academy by Senator Herbert W. Slater and Congressman Clarence F. Lea. After graduating from the Naval Academy, he was stationed at the Selfridge Air Force Base in Michigan when his daughter Stephanie was born in October 1952.

Stanford was buried in Meridian Cemetery, Meridian, California. No gravesite has been located yet.

In 1940 his parents Howard who worked in dragline construction in Cottonwood. His mother was Edna, and his sister was Dorothy.

Stanford was survived by his wife, the former Sally Schorr, daughters Stephanie (2) and Sherrill (11 days old.) They returned from Tripoli, Libya, to the home of Sally’s parents, Mrs. and Mrs. Edgar Howard of Evanston, Illinois. She died of suicide on March 8 with an overdose of barbiturates. The two girls were christened on April 24, 1955.

Related Articles

Hal Crandall '51 and James Laramore '51 were also on the gymnastics team.

Memorial Hall Error

Stanford's name is misspelled ("Standford") in Memorial Hall.


Class of 1951

Stanford is one of 48 members of the Class of 1951 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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