WILLIAM R. CECIL, LT, USN
William Cecil '43
Lucky Bag
From the 1943 Lucky Bag:
Loss
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.
From the Class of 1943 anniversary book "25 years later…":
Bill was born in Kansas City, Missouri on 29 August 1921. He was appointed to the Academy from Missouri and reported there on 30 June 1939. After graduation he served aboard the cruiser USS MINNEAPOLIS, the battleship, USS NEW JERSEY and the aircraft carrier USS SHANGRI LA. Upon completion of flight training he was designated a naval aviator in August 1947. After various duties involving flying he reported to Fighter Squadron Nineteen Able in January 1948 and later in August of that year became attached to Fighter Squadron One Hundred Ninety-one. While serving with the latter squadron Bill was killed in a plane crash in the Pacific on 5 January 1949. He was entitled to wear the American Defense Service Medal with Fleet Clasp, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Medal, WWII Victory Medal and the Navy Occupation Service Medal with Asia Clasp. He was survived by his wife Lauretta Slocum and their daughter Suzanne II who at Bill's death resided at 9404 Empire Place, Oakland, California.
His parents were Byron and Stella, sister Sally.
Class of 1943
William is one of 84 members of the Class of 1943 on Virtual Memorial Hall.