EDWARD G. ABEL, JR., LCDR, USN
Edward Abel, Jr. '79
Lucky Bag
From the 1979 Lucky Bag:
Edward Glen Abel, Jr.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Sweaty Eddie shed his red neck ways to come to us here at the Chesapeake University from Little Rock. Things here may never get back to normal. Ed was always one of the quiet guys, but more than willing to give you a boot in the pants if he thought you needed it. He rapidly became well known for his exotic tastes in drinking material, his uncanny ability to place his sailboat in the same place occupied by someone else’s. In fact by First Class Year, Ed had enough collisions to have command of his own Class “A”. When not sailing, you could usually find Ed camped out at the Maryland Inn or on the way to Mary Washington. Weeknights usually found Ed parked in the wardroom or racked out; studying just clogged his mind with facts anyhow. We wish Ed the best at flight school and hope Lisbeth can put up with him. As long as they keep him stocked in montgay he should do just fine.
Edward Glen Abel, Jr.
Little Rock, Arkansas
Sweaty Eddie shed his red neck ways to come to us here at the Chesapeake University from Little Rock. Things here may never get back to normal. Ed was always one of the quiet guys, but more than willing to give you a boot in the pants if he thought you needed it. He rapidly became well known for his exotic tastes in drinking material, his uncanny ability to place his sailboat in the same place occupied by someone else’s. In fact by First Class Year, Ed had enough collisions to have command of his own Class “A”. When not sailing, you could usually find Ed camped out at the Maryland Inn or on the way to Mary Washington. Weeknights usually found Ed parked in the wardroom or racked out; studying just clogged his mind with facts anyhow. We wish Ed the best at flight school and hope Lisbeth can put up with him. As long as they keep him stocked in montgay he should do just fine.
Loss
Edward was lost on September 10, 1989 when the helicopter he was piloting crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Del Mar, California. He was stationed aboard USS Peleliu (LHA 5).
Other Information
From the Coronado Eagle and Journal on April 12, 1990 via the California Digital Newspaper Collection:
Lt. Cmdr. Edward Abel, Jr. died Sept 10, 1989 in a helicopter accident at sea off the coast of Del Mar. He was 33. Abel, a Coronado resident since July 1989, was a U.S. Navy helicopter pilot for USS Peleliu stationed in Long Beach. He and his family were members of Resurrection Lutheran Church in Coronado. He is survived by his wife, Elisabeth Abel, daughters Ryan and Ashley, sons Clayton and Andrew, parents Edward and Wilma Abel of Hot Springs, Ak., brothers Dennis Abel of Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. and Shawn Abel of Memphis, Tenn. Funeral services were held April 9 at Arlington Cemetery in Arlington, Va., after his body was recovered in salvage operations off the coast of California.
From the December 1989 issue of Shipmate:
Edward G. Abel died on 10 September 1989 when the UH-1N helicopter he was flying crashed at sea off Camp Pendleton, California.
Born in Little Rock, Arkansas, he was appointed to the Naval Academy from that state, graduating with the Class of 1979. While at the Academy, Ed was a avid sailor with four sailing commands to his credit. Following graduation he attended flight school, earning his wings in January 1981.
Lieutenant Commander Abel began his operational career as an H-46 pilot in HC-16 and HC-6. He made three deployments in detachments to the Indian Ocean, North Atlantic and Caribbean. Following his first sea duty tour, he served for two years as the Aide and Flag Lieutenant to ComSerGru Two. He next attended the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, graduating in March 1987. At the time of his death, he was the Aviation Safety Officer on board USS PELELIU (LHA-5) homeported in Long Beach, California.
His awards include the Navy Achievement Medal, Navy Expeditionary Medal, Battle Efficiency Ribbon (with two E'S) and the Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (with three stars).
He is survived by his wife Lisabeth of Coronado; their two daughters, Ryan and Ashley; and two sons, Clayton and Drew. He is also survived by his parents, Edward and Wilma Abel of Hot Springs, Arkansas; a brother Dennis, of Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and a brother Shawn, of Memphis, Tennessee; and his grandparents, Edward and Alice Abel of Little Rock and Thelma Baxter of Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Memorials may be made to the educational fund established for the Abel children at the Navy Federal Credit Union, Account Number: 1330054-006.
From the News-Pilot on September 16, 1989:
...Navy Lt Cmdr Edward Abel was eulogized Friday as a thoughtful clear-thinking man during memorial services for the former San Pedro resident and two others who died in a helicopter crash while on military exercises off San Diego.
“Ed was a very special man,” US Naval Capt PS Gubbins said during the service aboard the USS Peleliu docked at the Long Beach Naval Station on Terminal Island. “He never hesitated to help take some of the burden of command onto his shoulders.”
....The men were killed Sunday when their helicopter inexplicably dropped from the sky just a mile from the ship during a flight to familiarize new men with the UH-1N Huey helicopter.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Remembrances
From an email on July 2, 2017:
I did not attend USNA. But I was Ed 'Glen' Abel's best friend when we were in high school. He was a great friend and I miss him. Jon Hoyt
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