DAVID L. HESS, CAPT, USMC

David Hess '54

Date of birth: July 28, 1929

Date of death: April 28, 1961

Age: 31

Lucky Bag

From the 1954 Lucky Bag:

David Lantaff Hess

Spokane, Washington

Loud and long in his praise of the Great Pacific Northwest, Dave is one of Washington State's most avid ambassadors to the Naval Academy. A native of Spokane, he attended Lewis and Clark High School where he claims to have done little more than exist. At seventeen, Dave entered Eastern Washington College with full intention of becoming a math prof. Although he was a member of the swimming team and a keen advocate of the party, Dave still found time to attend enough classes to gain a well deserved Phi Beta Kappa key. After three years at Eastern, he decided against the life of a professor and applied for appointment to the Academy. Dave's choice was indeed a wise one, for his combination of a sharp mind, good common sense, and a friendly personality mark him as a successful future officer.

SAILING—4. SWIMMING—2. FOOTBALL—3,2,1. SOFTBALL—3,2,1. VARSITY: SAILING—4,3.

He was a member of the 2nd Battalion staff for the third set.

David Lantaff Hess

Spokane, Washington

Loud and long in his praise of the Great Pacific Northwest, Dave is one of Washington State's most avid ambassadors to the Naval Academy. A native of Spokane, he attended Lewis and Clark High School where he claims to have done little more than exist. At seventeen, Dave entered Eastern Washington College with full intention of becoming a math prof. Although he was a member of the swimming team and a keen advocate of the party, Dave still found time to attend enough classes to gain a well deserved Phi Beta Kappa key. After three years at Eastern, he decided against the life of a professor and applied for appointment to the Academy. Dave's choice was indeed a wise one, for his combination of a sharp mind, good common sense, and a friendly personality mark him as a successful future officer.

SAILING—4. SWIMMING—2. FOOTBALL—3,2,1. SOFTBALL—3,2,1. VARSITY: SAILING—4,3.

He was a member of the 2nd Battalion staff for the third set.

Loss

Dave died on April 28, 1961 of injuries sustained when his F-104A Starfighter exploded during departure from George Air Force Base on April 7.

Other Information

Dave was a "Sidewinder project officer" — believe this to be the AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missile.

From the August 1961 issue of Shipmate:

It is my sad duty to report the death of DAVID L. HESS at the hospital at Ft Sam Houston, Tex., on 28 Apr, 1961 as a result of injuries sustained in an aircraft accident at George AFB, Calif. Dave was one of the most highly rated officers ever to graduate from the Test Pilot program at Pax River, Md. The Marine Corps has suffered the loss of a most promising young officer, but we, as a class, have lost one of our finest shipmates.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

David belonged to the Lewis and Clark High School Junior Rifle Club and won a distinguished rifleman's medal from the National Rifle Association in January 1947. He also belonged to the Spokane Gun club.
At Eastern Washington College, he was a member of Delta Upsilon.
David was named to the Naval Academy by Congressman Walt Horan in March 1950. He was working as an electrician's helper at a public utility company at the time.
In January 1955, he graduated from officer's basic course at Quantico, Virginia.
In November 1956, he completed a cruise aboard the attack aircraft carrier Bennington; he was stationed at Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, California, at the time.
In 1950 his father A. B. was a manager of a wholesale refrigeration company. His mother Augusta was a saleslady for office supplies.

He is buried in California; he was survived by his parents.