Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1944 Lucky Bag:

Warren Jay McNamara

Not so long ago, an Irishman named McNamara entered the Academy. Belying the reputation of the renowned temper which Irish blood possesses, Mac was the easiest man in the world to live with. He was brimming over with a lively personality, and one soon found Mac had a grand sense of humor. In fact, it often overcame him. Mac made a name for himself in baseball. He was one of the best shortstops in the game and his last year was captain of the team. The ability to think and act quickly that Mac developed on the diamond will be a valuable asset in the Fleet.

---

The Class of 1944 was graduated in June 1943 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

Warren was swept over the side of USS Doran (DD 634) while enroute from Boston to Maine “at about 0230” on October 10, 1943. (Information from Doran’s personnel “report of changes,” discovered and provided by Matt Robins ‘04.)

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Week after week, the spring 1943 newspapers reported the Navy’s winning baseball season. Warren was its hard-hitting shortstop who at the end of April was carrying a .407 batting average. He had a “perfect day” against Johns Hopkins team on April 21, hitting two triples and a double in three official at-bats. After graduation, he went to Jacksonville for a 10-week course in flight training.

Warren’s father Ambrose was an auto mechanic who owned a garage. Warren was survived by his mother Ruth.

Photographs

"Captain Warren McNamara reaches for a high one." From the Lucky Bag.

Related Articles

Thomas Higgins ’44 was also on the baseball team.