THEODORE C. MARSHALL, LTJG, USN

From USNA Virtual Memorial Hall
Theodore Marshall '24

Date of birth: June 30, 1901

Date of death: August 9, 1933

Age: 32

Lucky Bag

From the 1924 Lucky Bag:

1924 Marshall LB.jpg

THEODORE CONGER MARSHALL

Long Beach, California

"Ted"

"TED'S" good fellowship reached an apex of development at the Army Game, when he valiantly defended a civilian against a horde of embattled farmers. They must have been farmers, for their coats were off. "Ted's" protege was in evening dress, good form and congenial disposition. The two became such friends that "Ted" invited him to the Naval Academy any week-end, promising a decidedly high time, since the Duty Officers meant nothing to him. In fact, he would put his charming new friend in midshipman's uniform, which no doubt would be quite a treat for a civilian who had never seen Annapolis. After a few more encouraging remarks concerning the inefficiency of D. O.'s, they parted in Philadelphia. Monday morning "Ted" walked into a section room and saw his recent friend in the pathetic role of instructor—his sleeves encircled with gold braid. This is a convincing demonstration of the democratic spirit prevailing at our institution and "Ted" has done credit to his Alma Mater in this respect.

Class Football (4, 1); Numerals; Class Boxing (4).

1924 Marshall LB.jpg

THEODORE CONGER MARSHALL

Long Beach, California

"Ted"

"TED'S" good fellowship reached an apex of development at the Army Game, when he valiantly defended a civilian against a horde of embattled farmers. They must have been farmers, for their coats were off. "Ted's" protege was in evening dress, good form and congenial disposition. The two became such friends that "Ted" invited him to the Naval Academy any week-end, promising a decidedly high time, since the Duty Officers meant nothing to him. In fact, he would put his charming new friend in midshipman's uniform, which no doubt would be quite a treat for a civilian who had never seen Annapolis. After a few more encouraging remarks concerning the inefficiency of D. O.'s, they parted in Philadelphia. Monday morning "Ted" walked into a section room and saw his recent friend in the pathetic role of instructor—his sleeves encircled with gold braid. This is a convincing demonstration of the democratic spirit prevailing at our institution and "Ted" has done credit to his Alma Mater in this respect.

Class Football (4, 1); Numerals; Class Boxing (4).

Loss

Ted was lost on August 9, 1933 when the seaplane he was aboard crashed near Pearl Harbor. Four other crewmen were also lost; Ted was identified as a student pilot.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Theodore graduated from Long Beach Polytechnic high school in 1919. Elective Course. As a member of Masque and Sandal, he played Willis Campbell in “The Mouse Trap.”

He was a member of the Second Presbyterian Church in Long Beach.

Ted had just arrived in Honolulu from Los Angeles on the S. S. Malolo on June 29, 1933. Ted grew up in Long Beach with the family's last address of 942 Loma Vista. His father George was a manager of a gas company in 1910 and a real estate and insurance agent in 1920. His mother was Mary, and his brothers were William, George Jr., and John.

Theodore had taught Jacqueline Cochran to fly. With her 12-year-old niece, she flew from Florida to attend his funeral services in Long Beach. Her plane developed engine trouble in Salt Lake City, so they flew by passenger plane to Long Beach.

He earned his wings as naval aviator #3682 on July 28, 1930.

Theodore is buried in California.

Photographs

Related Articles

Charles Hill, Jr. '27 was also lost in this crash.

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.

November 1924
Ensign, USS Tennessee

Others at this command:
January 1925
Ensign, USS Tennessee

Others at this command:
March 1925
Ensign, USS Tennessee

Others at this command:
May 1925
Ensign, USS Kanawha
July 1925
Ensign, USS Kanawha
October 1925
Ensign, USS Kanawha
January 1926
Ensign, USS Kanawha
October 1926
Ensign, USS Kanawha
January 1927
Ensign, USS Nevada

April 1927
Ensign, USS Nevada

October 1927
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Saratoga

January 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Saratoga


Others at or embarked at this command:
LTjg Charles McDonald '24 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
April 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Saratoga


Others at or embarked at this command:
LTjg Charles McDonald '24 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
July 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Saratoga


Others at or embarked at this command:
LCDR Henry Mullinnix '16 (Light Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Light Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LT Paul Thompson '19 (Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Fleet)
LTjg Charles McDonald '24 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
October 1929
Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Saratoga


Others at or embarked at this command:
LCDR Henry Mullinnix '16 (Light Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Light Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Light Bombing Plane Squadron (VB) 2B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
October 1930
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 5B, USS West Virginia

Others at this command:

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
LCDR Daniel Callaghan '11 (Battleship Division 5)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (Battleship Division 5)
ENS Mack Vorhees '30 (USS West Virginia)
January 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 5B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
LCDR Daniel Callaghan '11 (Battleship Division 5)
LCDR Charles Cecil '16 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (Battleship Division 5)
ENS Mack Vorhees '30 (USS West Virginia)
April 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
LCDR Daniel Callaghan '11 (Battleship Division 5)
LCDR Charles Cecil '16 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Mack Vorhees '30 (USS West Virginia)
July 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
LCDR Charles Cecil '16 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Mack Vorhees '30 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Robert Germany, Jr. '30 (Battleship Division 4)
ENS Philip Ashworth '31 (USS West Virginia)
October 1931
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
LCDR Charles Cecil '16 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Mack Vorhees '30 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Robert Germany, Jr. '30 (Battleship Division 4)
ENS Philip Ashworth '31 (USS West Virginia)
January 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
LCDR Charles Cecil '16 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Robert Germany, Jr. '30 (Battleship Division 4)
ENS John Shaffer, III '30 (Battleship Division 4)
ENS Philip Ashworth '31 (USS West Virginia)
April 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
LCDR Charles Cecil '16 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Robert Germany, Jr. '30 (Battleship Division 4)
ENS John Shaffer, III '30 (Battleship Division 4)
ENS Philip Ashworth '31 (USS West Virginia)
October 1932
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
CDR James Logan '10 (USS West Virginia)
LTjg Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Philip Ashworth '31 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Ernest Hodge '32 (USS West Virginia)
ENS John Everett, Jr. '32 (USS West Virginia)
ENS John Speer '32 (USS West Virginia)
January 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
CDR James Logan '10 (USS West Virginia)
LTjg Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Philip Ashworth '31 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Ernest Hodge '32 (USS West Virginia)
ENS John Everett, Jr. '32 (USS West Virginia)
ENS John Speer '32 (USS West Virginia)
April 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), Observation Plane Squadron (VO) 4B, USS West Virginia

Others at or embarked at USS West Virginia:
CDR James Logan '10 (USS West Virginia)
LTjg Francis Jordan '29 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Philip Ashworth '31 (USS West Virginia)
ENS Willis Thomas '31 (Battleship Division 4)
ENS Ernest Hodge '32 (USS West Virginia)
ENS John Everett, Jr. '32 (USS West Virginia)
ENS John Speer '32 (USS West Virginia)
July 1933
Lieutenant (j.g.), Fleet Air Base Pearl Harbor

Memorial Hall Error

Ted's given name is "Theodore;" this is what is in the Officer Registers and on his headstone. Memorial Hall has "Ted."


Class of 1924

Ted is one of 42 members of the Class of 1924 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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