William Cecil '43
Date of birth: August 29, 1921
Date of death: January 5, 1949
Age: 27
Lucky Bag
From the 1943 Lucky Bag:
WILLIAM RUSSELL CECIL
Kansas City, Missouri
After beginning his academic career rather unconventionally in a Kansas City school for young ladies, Bill decided to enter the academy in an attempt to live down his shameful past. Restless by nature, he polished brass in the Boat Club, blew fuses with the Juice Gang, debated with the Quarterdeck Society, and kicked shins playing battalion soccer endeavoring to escape the radiator squad. Definitely not a red mike, his troubles with the unfair sex were a constant source of amusement to his friends. The same humorous pessimism that helped him to solve these little difficulties should be invaluable to Bill in his later life.
The Class of 1943 was graduated in June 1942 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.
Loss
From the Oakland Tribune on January 6, 1949
William was lost on January 5, 1949 when his F8F Bearcat collided with another while engaged in a gunnery exercise off the coast of San Francisco. The other aircraft's pilot was also killed.
He was survived by his wife and two children; unable to find any names. His parents were Byron and Stella, sister Sally.
Class of 1943
William is one of 83 members of the Class of 1943 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of the alumni in Memorial Hall.
