Thomas Banta '54
Date of birth: December 5, 1930
Date of death: September 25, 1958
Age: 27
Lucky Bag
From the 1954 Lucky Bag:
Thomas Alfred Banta
Drexel Hill, Pennsylvania
Although Tom was born in Charlotte, North Carolina and has moved about quite a bit, he considers Philadelphia his home town. He spent one year in the Navy before coming to the Naval Academy. Since coming to the Academy, Tom has made many friends and has proved to everyone that he has what it takes to be a leader of men. He was good natured but also knew when to be serious. Tom took a keen interest in sports and always made good use of his recreation periods. He liked handball and football particularly. His football playing contributed much to the battalion team. Judging from his life at the Naval Academy, Tom will be a success at anything he undertakes.
FOOTBALL—4,3,2,1. SOFTBALL—4,3. HANDBALL—3,2,1. RECEPTION COMMITTEE—4,3,2,1.
He was a member of the 16th Company staff for the fall set.
Loss
Tom was lost when a USS Randolph (CVA 15) catapult "bridle detached from one hook and dragged A4D-2 BuNo 142702 sideways down track and upside down into sea" on September 25, 1958.
He has a memory marker in Arlington National Cemetery.
Related Articles
George Gardner, Jr. '46 was also a member of Attack Squadron (VA) 72 and also lost during USS Randolph's 1959 Mediterranean Sea deployment.
Other
Tom's wife remarried. His sword was, as of December 2009, going to be given to a Virginia Tech NROTC midshipman.
Class of 1954
Thomas is one of 37 members of the Class of 1954 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
