Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1945 Lucky Bag:

Foster Neal Simonsen

Wrestling 4, 3; Battalion Swimming 3, 1; Varsity Swimming 1; Glee Club 4; Trident Magazine, Assistant Business Manager 1: Cheerleader 1.

Three years of living with the mightiest of the “mighty mites” has been three years filled with a vast variety of experiences. The little “wolf” has never done anything halfway, be it sports, “beating the system,” or girls. His sincerity, self assurance, and high ideals have made him many friends. Neal’s desire to live a completely filled life is destined to carry him to the far corners of the earth. A hunting lodge in Minnesota, an expedition to the mountains of Tibet, or a safari in Africa are all within his range. To the shortest man legally in the Naval Academy, and to a real Navy man, I say “MIZ-PAH.”

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The Class of 1945 was graduated in June 1944 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

Foster was one of 25 men killed or missing when a kamikaze struck USS Shubrick (DD 639) on May 29, 1945 while on her way to picket duty off the coast of Okinawa.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Foster was born in Brigham City, Utah. He then lived in St. Paul, Minnesota; Evanston, Illinois; and Davenport, Iowa.

He was class president at Sudlow Intermediate school and attended Davenport high school. In 1938, he enrolled at Shattuck Military School, Faribault, Minnesota. He graduated cum laude in 1940 and was voted Most Serious and Neatest. He attended the University of Iowa and then was appointed to the Naval Academy.

He married Martha Voigt in November 1944. She was a Sergeant in the Marines.

Foster’s mother was Norma, and sister Neva. His father Foster was president of the Red Jacket Manufacturing Company in Davenport. During WWII, he was chairman of the National War Labor Board in Kansas City, Missouri. He died in 1982 in California.

He was survived by his wife, Martha V. Simonsen. He is listed at the Manila American Cemetery and Memorial.

Photographs

"Ensign Simonsen and his wife." From USS Shubrick Memorial site. Source

From his high school yearbook

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Eugene Captain ‘45, Milton Turner ‘45, and Roger Mullins ‘45 were also in 9th Company.