VAN R. MOORE, LCDR, USN (RET.)

Van Moore '19

Date of birth: October 18, 1895

Date of death: August 20, 1942

Age: 46

Lucky Bag

From the 1919 Lucky Bag:

Van Ransselear Moore

Hudson, New York

THIS scion of an ancient and honorable tribe attempts to uphold the pristine dignity of his patronym by his blasé and world-weary attitude. No doubt his long stay in the Vale of Tears (for he is an opponent of intensive training) has robbed him of his optimism. His gregarious instinct, impelling the search for companionship during study hours, won for him the pseudonym of Pest, especially when the Duty Officer chose the same time to pay a call.

Frequently he has deluded the instructors into the belief that he was thoroughly cognizant of the quirks of the lesson, and then ruined it all by talking too long and displaying his real uncertainty.

In athletics Moore is a jack-of-all-trades. Every new season finds him one of the best of the second-string men in every branch of sport. First Class year while he was cavorting around with the "Z" squad, Shorty yelled " Give us a rough halfback" and Moore answered "Right here." Answered "Here," despite his aristocratic origin and dis-distingué manner! You'll never fool us again, Van Ransselear, into thinking you are a real blood, for you have shown your cloven hoof.

Nevertheless V. R. is a fine man to have for a friend, although such distinction places you on the eligible list of victims for his practical jokes.

Added to his other accomplishments he has the reputation of being the only charter member of Hill's Jazz Band in the Academy.

Imagine an inscrutable face graven in wood, surmounting a body in whose veins runs purple blood and you have V. R.

Honors: Buzzard; Football Numerals 3; Track Numerals 4, 3; Bugle Corps 6, 5, 4, 3, 1; Swimming Squad 6, 5, 4, 3, 1.

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The Class of 1919 was graduated on June 6, 1918 due to World War I. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Van Ransselear Moore

Hudson, New York

THIS scion of an ancient and honorable tribe attempts to uphold the pristine dignity of his patronym by his blasé and world-weary attitude. No doubt his long stay in the Vale of Tears (for he is an opponent of intensive training) has robbed him of his optimism. His gregarious instinct, impelling the search for companionship during study hours, won for him the pseudonym of Pest, especially when the Duty Officer chose the same time to pay a call.

Frequently he has deluded the instructors into the belief that he was thoroughly cognizant of the quirks of the lesson, and then ruined it all by talking too long and displaying his real uncertainty.

In athletics Moore is a jack-of-all-trades. Every new season finds him one of the best of the second-string men in every branch of sport. First Class year while he was cavorting around with the "Z" squad, Shorty yelled " Give us a rough halfback" and Moore answered "Right here." Answered "Here," despite his aristocratic origin and dis-distingué manner! You'll never fool us again, Van Ransselear, into thinking you are a real blood, for you have shown your cloven hoof.

Nevertheless V. R. is a fine man to have for a friend, although such distinction places you on the eligible list of victims for his practical jokes.

Added to his other accomplishments he has the reputation of being the only charter member of Hill's Jazz Band in the Academy.

Imagine an inscrutable face graven in wood, surmounting a body in whose veins runs purple blood and you have V. R.

Honors: Buzzard; Football Numerals 3; Track Numerals 4, 3; Bugle Corps 6, 5, 4, 3, 1; Swimming Squad 6, 5, 4, 3, 1.

---

The Class of 1919 was graduated on June 6, 1918 due to World War I. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

From Find A Grave:

The Paris News (Paris, Lamar County, Texas)
Mon. October 19, 1942

Merchantman Sunk, Commodore Killed

Retired officer Only Casualty

Washington (AP)—The sinking of a medium-sized American merchant ship by enemy submarine attack in the Caribbean in mid-August with only one casualty, the Navy officer who was commodore of the convoy, was announced Monday by the Navy Department.

Lieutenant Commander Van Rensselaer Moore, USN retired, was on the bridge deck when last seen a few moments before the ship was destroyed under him by the explosion of a torpedo.

All of the remaining 44 officers and men were saved, the Navy said, and have arrived at an East Coast port.

The Navy account of the loss said that Moore, whose home was in San Diego, Calif., was a naval veteran of the first World War, who had been on the retired list since June 1940, although he remained on active duty.

The first torpedo to strike Moore's ship did not damage it seriously, the Navy said, but a second hit two hours later broke the ship apart.

All on board except Moore managed to get into lifeboat and rafts. In the uncertain light of early morning, they did not see the submarine which attacked the convoy. The survivors rode for two days in the open sea to reach a port in the Caribbean, and only recently were returned to the United States.

His wife was listed as next of kin. Van has a memorial marker in California.

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.

January 1919

Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Base, Brest, France

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Others at this command:

LCDR William Corry, Jr. '10

LCDR Henry Cecil '10

January 1920

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Quiros

January 1921

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS New Orleans

January 1922

Lieutenant (j.g.), Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

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Others at this command:

LCDR Millington McComb '10
LT Louis Roth '13

LT Andrew Reaves '17
LT Howard Councill '17

LT Roger Armstrong '18
LTjg Arthur Thurston '19

May 1923

Lieutenant (j.g.), Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron 1

July 1923

Lieutenant (j.g.), USS Isherwood

September 1923

Lieutenant (j.g.), executive officer, USS Isherwood

November 1923

Lieutenant (j.g.), executive officer, USS Isherwood

January 1924

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Isherwood

March 1924

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Isherwood

May 1924

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Isherwood

July 1924

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Isherwood

September 1924

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Isherwood

November 1924

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Isherwood

January 1925

Lieutenant, under instruction, USS Chewink

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Others at this command:

LTjg Joseph Hubbard '21

LTjg Leonard Lyons, Jr. '21

ENS Rogers Elliott '22

March 1925

Lieutenant, under instruction, USS Chewink

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Others at this command:

LTjg Joseph Hubbard '21

LTjg Leonard Lyons, Jr. '21

May 1925

Lieutenant, under instruction, USS Chewink

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Others at this command:

LTjg Joseph Hubbard '21
LTjg Leonard Lyons, Jr. '21

ENS Frederic Foster '22
ENS Raymond Hansen '22

ENS Donald Weller '23
ENS John Welch '23

July 1925

Lieutenant, leave

October 1925

Lieutenant, USS S-1

January 1926

Lieutenant, USS S-39

October 1926

Lieutenant, USS Bulmer

January 1927

Lieutenant, USS Bulmer

April 1927

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Bulmer

October 1927

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Bulmer

January 1928

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Bulmer

April 1928

Lieutenant, executive officer, USS Bulmer

July 1928

Lieutenant, Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida

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Others at this command:

LT Frederick Roberts '20
LT LaRue Lawbaugh '20
LT Stephen Cooke '21
LT James Carney '21
LT Francis Bridget '21

LT John Jones '21
LTjg William Davis '22
LTjg James Craig '22
ENS Jack DeShazo '25
ENS Creighton Lankford '25

ENS John Gotjen, Jr. '26
ENS Irving Howell '26
ENS William Watson '26
ENS John Graff '26

October 1928

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

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Others at this command:

LT William Eaton '21

January 1929

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

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Others at this command:

LT William Eaton '21

April 1929

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

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Others at this command:

LT William Eaton '21

July 1929

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

October 1929

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

January 1930

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

April 1930

Lieutenant, Naval Training Station, Norfolk, Virginia

October 1930

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

CDR Melville Brown '10
LT Dixie Kiefer '19
LTjg Warren Graf '27

ENS Jacob Britt '29
ENS Charles Hart '30
ENS James Clarkson '30

ENS Dudley Morton '30
ENS John Craig '30
ENS James Kyes '30

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Sample '19 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

LTjg Claude Haman '26 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

January 1931

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

CDR Melville Brown '10
LT Dixie Kiefer '19
LTjg Warren Graf '27

ENS Jacob Britt '29
ENS Charles Hart '30
ENS James Clarkson '30

ENS Dudley Morton '30
ENS John Craig '30
ENS James Kyes '30

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Sample '19 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

LTjg Claude Haman '26 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

April 1931

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

CDR Melville Brown '10
LT Dixie Kiefer '19

LTjg Warren Graf '27
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS James Kyes '30

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LT William Sample '19 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Creighton Lankford '25 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Carlton Hutchins '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Charles Signer '26 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

LTjg Claude Haman '26 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

July 1931

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

CDR Melville Brown '10
LTjg Claude Haman '26
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Thomas Fisher '18 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

LTjg John Eldridge, Jr. '27 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

October 1931

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

CDR Melville Brown '10
LTjg Claude Haman '26
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS Byron Newell '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LCDR Oscar Erickson '16 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

January 1932

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

CDR Melville Brown '10
LTjg Claude Haman '26
ENS Jacob Britt '29

ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS Byron Newell '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

April 1932

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

CDR Melville Brown '10
ENS Jacob Britt '29
ENS James Clarkson '30

ENS Byron Newell '30
ENS James Kyes '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Julian Greer '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)

ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS Mathias Wyatt '29 (Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Force)
ENS William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

October 1932

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LTjg Jacob Britt '29
ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS Byron Newell '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

ENS George Ottinger '32
ENS Frank Latta '32

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

LTjg Mathias Wyatt '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS James Kyes '30 (Aircraft Squadrons)

January 1933

Lieutenant, USS Saratoga

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Others at this command:

LTjg Jacob Britt '29
ENS James Clarkson '30
ENS Byron Newell '30

ENS Leo Crane '31
ENS George Stone '31

ENS George Ottinger '32
ENS Frank Latta '32

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Others at or embarked at this command:

LT Jack Richardson '19 (Aircraft Squadrons)
LTjg Matthias Marple, Jr. '23 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Eugene Davis '27 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

LTjg William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
LTjg Mathias Wyatt '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg William Oliver '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B)
LTjg Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS James Kyes '30 (Aircraft Squadrons)

April 1933

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

July 1933

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

October 1933

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

April 1934

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

July 1934

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

October 1934

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

January 1935

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

April 1935

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Eagle 38

October 1935

Lieutenant, navigator, USS Oglala

January 1936

Lieutenant, navigator, USS Oglala

April 1936

Lieutenant, navigator, USS Oglala

July 1936

Lieutenant, navigator, USS Oglala

January 1937

Lieutenant, navigator, USS Oglala

April 1937

Lieutenant, navigator, USS Oglala

September 1937

Lieutenant, commanding officer, USS Quail

January 1938

Lieutenant, USS Holland

July 1938

Lieutenant, Naval Air Station San Diego, California

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Others at this command:

LT Weldon Hamilton '28

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Others at or embarked at this command:

1LT Floyd Parks '34 (Marine Bombing Squadron (VB) 2M)

January 1939

Lieutenant, Naval Air Station San Diego, California

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Others at this command:

LT Weldon Hamilton '28

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Others at or embarked at this command:

1LT Floyd Parks '34 (Marine Bombing Squadron (VB) 2M)

October 1939

Lieutenant, Naval Air Station San Diego, California

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Others at this command:

CDR Henry Mullinnix '16

LCDR Irving Wiltsie '21

LT Weldon Hamilton '28

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Others at or embarked at this command:

1LT Floyd Parks '34 (Marine Fighting Squadron (VF) 2M)

June 1940

Lieutenant, Naval Air Station San Diego, California

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Others at this command:

CDR Henry Mullinnix '16

LCDR Irving Wiltsie '21

LT Weldon Hamilton '28

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Others at or embarked at this command:

CAPT Harold Bauer '30 (2nd Marine Aircraft Group)

November 1940

Lieutenant Commander, retired on active list, Naval Air Station San Diego, California

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Others at this command:

LCDR Irving Wiltsie '21

LT Weldon Hamilton '28

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Others at or embarked at this command:

CAPT Harold Bauer '30 (Marine Fighting Squadron (VF) 2M)

1LT Radford West '37 (Second Marine Aircraft Group)

April 1941

Lieutenant Commander, retired on active list, Naval Air Station San Diego, California

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Others at this command:

LCDR Irving Wiltsie '21

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Others at or embarked at this command:

CAPT Harold Bauer '30 (Marine Fighting Squadron (VF) 2M)
1LT Radford West '37 (Marine Bombing Squadron (VB) 2M)

2LT John Maclaughlin, Jr. '38 (Marine Scouting Squadron (VS) 2M)

Class of 1919

Van is one of 11 members of the Class of 1919 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

• ← Jack Richardson '19
• Robert Smith, Jr. '19 →

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.