VIRTUAL MEMORIAL HALL

USNA 15th Company

44 Alumni

The company is the most important unit in the Brigade of Midshipmen. Companies eat, sleep, study, drill, and compete together. Comprised of roughly 30-35 midshipmen from each of all four classes, they are led by 1/c Midshipmen. There are currently 36 companies in the Brigade, though there were only eight in the late 1920s before expanding to 36 from the late 1940s to the late 1990s, and then back to 30 until the 2025-2026 academic year.

Some classes are in the same company for all four years, but this too has varied. Some classes are "shotgunned" (all midshipmen in a class, usually following plebe year, are moved randomly to a different company), while others are "shuffled" (again usually following plebe year, an entire group would move from one company to another). Even though many alumni were a part of more than one company during their four years at the Naval Academy, the list below is reflective of the company from which they graduated.

1LT DONALD A. MOLLICONE, USAF

Donald Mollicone

Class of 1960
1st Lieutenant | US Air Force
December 20, 1963 (26 years old)
Operational loss 19th Tactical Air Support Squadron Vietnam Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
1LT KENNETH J. BALL, USMC

Kenneth Ball

Class of 1954
1st Lieutenant | US Marine Corps
January 22, 1957 (25 years old)
Operational loss Marine Corps Test Unit #1 Parachute USNA 15th Company
1LT RICHARD S. SMITH, USAF

Richard Smith

Class of 1955
1st Lieutenant | US Air Force
January 22, 1959 (26 years old)
Operational loss 622nd Air Refueling Squadron Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
CAPT CHARLES F. SWOPE, USAF

Charles Swope

Class of 1957
Captain | US Air Force
November 9, 1966 (31 years old)
KIA 21st Tactical Air Support Squadron Vietnam Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
CAPT DONALD J. REYNOLDS, USMC

Donald Reynolds

Class of 1963
Captain | US Marine Corps
December 3, 1969 (31 years old)
Operational loss Marine Fighter Attack Training Squadron (VMFAT) 101 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
CAPT JOHN A. LAVOO, USMC

John LaVoo

Class of 1962
Captain | US Marine Corps
September 19, 1968 (28 years old)
KIA Marine Attack Squadron (VMA) 542 Vietnam Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
CAPT ROGER M. NETHERLAND, USN

Roger Netherland

Class of 1948
Captain | US Navy
May 10, 1967 (41 years old)
KIA Carrier Air Wing (CVW) 5 Vietnam Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
CDR CLYDE R. WELCH, USN

Clyde Welch

Class of 1951
Commander | US Navy
October 26, 1966 (38 years old)
Operational loss USS Oriskany (CVA 34) Attack Squadron (VA) 164 Vietnam Ship Distinguished Flying Cross USNA 15th Company
CDR PATRICK DUNN, USN

Patrick Dunn

Class of 1985
Commander | US Navy
September 11, 2001 (39 years old)
KIA 9/11 Terrorism HOFH21 USNA 15th Company
CDR RICHARD J. PETERSON, USN

Richard Peterson

Class of 1949
Commander | US Navy
December 23, 1964 (37 years old)
Operational loss Fighter Squadron (VF) 13 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
ENS FREDERICK R. MINIER, USN

Frederick Minier

Class of 1973
Ensign | US Navy
May 30, 1975 (23 years old)
Operational loss USS Sampson (DDG 10) Diving Navy and Marine Corps Medal USNA 15th Company
ENS KEITH G. HANSFORD, USN

Keith Hansford

Class of 1965
Ensign | US Navy
July 14, 1966 (23 years old)
Operational loss Training Squadron (VT) 5 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
ENS THOMAS G. PUCKETT, USN

Thomas Puckett

Class of 1963
Ensign | US Navy
November 19, 1963 (23 years old)
Operational loss Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
ENS VIRGIL H. TRAXLER, JR., USN

Virgil Traxler, Jr.

Class of 1943
Ensign | US Navy
November 13, 1942 (22 years old)
KIA Naval Battle of Guadalcanal Pacific USS Juneau (CL 52) WWII Ship USNA 15th Company
LCDR DWIGHT I. WORRELL, USN

Dwight Worrell

Class of 1957
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
July 9, 1974 (39 years old)
Operational loss Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron (VQ) 2 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LCDR FRED H. GATES, II, USN

Fred Gates, II

Class of 1954
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
August 19, 1967 (35 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 25 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LCDR JOHN P. MANFREDI, USN

John Manfredi

Class of 1952
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
November 26, 1965 (37 years old)
Operational loss Fighter Squadron (VF) 74 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LCDR JOHN S. BATES, USN

John Bates

Class of 1984
Lieutenant Commander | US Navy
January 29, 1996 (33 years old)
Operational loss Fighter Squadron (VF) 213 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LT ALFRED G. ELPERN, USN

Alfred Elpern

Class of 1944
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 4, 1947 (26 years old)
Operational loss Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LT BERNARD B. BARILA, JR., USN

Bernard Barila, Jr.

Class of 1944
Lieutenant | US Navy
May 12, 1953 (32 years old)
Operational loss Air Development Squadron (VX) 3 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LT CHARLES A. KNOCHEL, USN

Charles Knochel

Class of 1962
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 22, 1966 (26 years old)
KIA Attack Squadron (VA) 176 Vietnam Fixed Wing Distinguished Flying Cross MIA HOFH22 HOFH23 HOFH24 HOFH25 USNA 15th Company
LT DELBERT L. NALL, USN

Delbert Nall

Class of 1950
Lieutenant | US Navy
March 3, 1960 (32 years old)
Operational loss Fighter Squadron (VF) 74 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LT HENRY R. HAMNER, USN

Henry Hamner

Class of 1943
Lieutenant | US Navy
April 6, 1945 (23 years old)
KIA Pacific USS Howorth (DD 592) WWII Ship Kamikaze Silver Star Ship Namesake USNA 15th Company
LT JOHN C. MCCOY, USN

John McCoy

Class of 1949
Lieutenant | US Navy
June 25, 1959 (32 years old)
Operational loss Fighter Squadron (VF) 32 Fixed Wing Distinguished Flying Cross USNA 15th Company
LT JOHN J. MCDONALD, III, USN

John McDonald, III

Class of 1944
Lieutenant | US Navy
February 27, 1950 (28 years old)
Operational loss Experimental Squadron (VX) 3 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LT MERRILL F. COLLIER, USN

Merrill Collier

Class of 1956
Lieutenant | US Navy
April 10, 1963 (31 years old)
Operational loss USS Thresher (SSN 593) Submarine Brigade Commander USNA 15th Company
LT NICHOLAS C. HARMAN, USN

Nicholas Harman

Class of 1980
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 30, 1983 (25 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 34 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LT ROBERT T. RUBLE, USN

Robert Ruble

Class of 1943
Lieutenant | US Navy
May 4, 1945 (24 years old)
KIA Pacific USS Lagarto (SS 371) WWII Submarine USNA 15th Company
LT TERRY L. SMITH, USN

Terry Smith

Class of 1964
Lieutenant | US Navy
May 14, 1968 (26 years old)
Operational loss Helicopter Support Squadron (HC) 7 Helicopter USNA 15th Company
LT WALTHER G. LANGLOH, USN

Walther Langloh

Class of 1952
Lieutenant | US Navy
September 24, 1957 (29 years old)
Operational loss Air Anti-Submarine Squadron (VS) 36 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LT WILLIAM J. CALLAHAN, USNR

William Callahan

Class of 1948
Lieutenant | US Naval Reserve
September 14, 1951 (26 years old)
Operational loss Fighter Squadron (VF) 831 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LTJG BRUCE H. PURVIS, USN

Bruce Purvis

Class of 1957
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
March 24, 1960 (25 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 216 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LTJG CHARLES E. GALLOWAY, USN

Charles Galloway

Class of 1963
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
April 1, 1966 (26 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 112 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LTJG HUGH D. HAMILTON, USN

Hugh Hamilton

Class of 1943
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
September 11, 1943 (24 years old)
KIA Mediterranean Salerno USS Savannah (CL 42) WWII Ship USNA 15th Company
LTJG JERALD L. PINNEKER, USN

Jerald Pinneker

Class of 1963
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
March 20, 1966 (25 years old)
KIA Attack Squadron (VA) 144 Vietnam Fixed Wing Distinguished Flying Cross Distinguished Flying Cross USNA 15th Company
LTJG MASSEY L. PIERCE, USN

Massey Pierce

Class of 1958
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
June 15, 1960 (23 years old)
Operational loss Utility Squadron (VU) 7 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LTJG RICHARD H. PETERSEN, USN

Richard Petersen

Class of 1943
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
March 26, 1944 (25 years old)
KIA USS Tullibee (SS 284) WWII Submarine USNA 15th Company
LTJG ROBERT M. KING, USN

Robert King

Class of 1950
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
January 25, 1954 (25 years old)
Operational loss Attack Squadron (VA) 25 Fixed Wing Family Map USNA 15th Company
LTJG ROBIN B. CASSELL, USN

Robin Cassell

Class of 1964
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
July 15, 1967 (25 years old)
KIA Attack Squadron (VA) 152 Vietnam Fixed Wing MIA USNA 15th Company
LTJG THOMAS L. GREANEY, USN

Thomas Greaney

Class of 1953
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
September 26, 1955 (26 years old)
Operational loss Airborne Early Warning Squadron (VW) 4 Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
LTJG THOMAS P. GRIEST, USN

Thomas Griest

Class of 1945
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
January 9, 1948 (24 years old)
Operational loss Fixed Wing Naval Academy Cemetery USNA 15th Company
LTJG TIMOTHY D. BARTOSH, JR., USN

Timothy Bartosh, Jr.

Class of 1952
Lieutenant (j.g.) | US Navy
June 16, 1954 (24 years old)
Operational loss Fixed Wing USNA 15th Company
MAJ WAYNE R. HYATT, USMC

Wayne Hyatt

Class of 1959
Major | US Marine Corps
February 18, 1971 (36 years old)
KIA Marine Heavy Helicopter Squadron (HMH) 463 Vietnam Helicopter USNA 15th Company
MIDN RICHARD A. MARTINELLI, USN

Richard Martinelli

Class of 1950
Midshipman | US Navy
July 18, 1949 (22 years old)
Operational loss USS Missouri (BB 63) Ship USNA 15th Company