Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1953 Lucky Bag:

MARTIN ALBERT CONNOLLY

Graduating from North Catholic High School, Pittsburgh, in June of ‘47. Martin continued his education at Villanova as an NROTC student. Marty never lost any of his care-free college attitude when he entered the Academy. An all-sports lover, Martin excelled in soccer with his educated toe, and tried his hand at touch football and basketball in his spare time. Marty made good use of his keen knowledge of world affairs by debating for Navy. A liberty hound is hardly the word, as Marty was always anxious to get just outside the gate and up two flights. Jets fascinate him and he hopes to see a little more of them in the future.

Loss

Martin was lost when the C-47 aircraft he was a passenger aboard crashed in Alaska on September 1, 1955; all seven aboard were killed. The plane was flying from Anchorage to Nome.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In March 1952, midshipman Martin participated in the Georgetown University’s Cherry Blossom Debating Tournament. The topic was – “Resolved: That the Federal Government should adopt a permanent program of wage and price controls.”

Martin married Katherine Patricia McLaughlin on June 13, 1953, in St. Mary’s Roman Catholic Church in Annapolis. They next went to Tucson for Martin’s flight training.

A member of the Air Force 5015th Radar Evaluation Squadron, Martin had been working with a crew checking Alaskan radar installations.

Graduating in 1947 from North Catholic High School, his nickname was “Rabbi.” Activities: Senior A, Honor Student 1; Sodality 1, 2, 3; Student Council 3; Aero Cub 1; Minstrel shows 3, 4; Intramurals 2, 3, 4; Pep Club 3, 4; Manager of football team 3, 4. He also attended Villanova College.

Survived by parents Patrick and Mary, and widow Katherine.

He is buried in Pennsylvania.

The wife of one of the passengers, who was aboard because he was a contractor to the Air Force, sued the Air Force on the basis that the crash was due entirely to pilot error. The case law¹ has a detailed account of the crash.

Photographs

From The Pittsburgh Press on September 19, 1955

Martin at Villanova NROTC, 1948

Martin in 1948

Memorial Hall Error

Martin is in Memorial Hall as a LT, USN; he was a 1LT, USAF. His loss is included in the Air Force Register of January 1956. He is not listed in the Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps of 1955, nor in the 1954 edition.

References