Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1960 Lucky Bag:

WILLIAM WADE SHAFER

Wade, a Navy junior from Pensacola, Florida, originally hails from Coronado, California. After high school, he attended Pensacola Junior College and then enlisted in the Marines. In January of ‘56, Wade was accepted for NAPS and started his life at the Academy the following June. Wade’s ability to handle firearms won him a spot on the plebe and varsity pistol teams. He was always active in company sports too, as demonstrated by his performance on the cross-country team for three years. Wade never had too much sweat academic-wise and the 3.4’s were always within easy reach. Marine Corps Air is first in line on Wade’s list of plans for the future.

Loss

William was lost on April 2, 1961 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed near Kingsville, Texas.

Other Information

From USNA ‘60 Memorial Site¹:

We regret to say that two of our classmates have lost their lives in the service of their country. Bill Shafer experienced hydraulic failure in a T-2J at an altitude of 100 feet in a practice mirror approach landing. His aircraft stalled and crashed on the runway.

Wade leaves a widow, who is expecting a child, and one child. Shipmate, June-July, 1961

From researcher Kathy Franz:

After graduating from Catholic High School in Pensacola, he joined the Marines in July 1955 and was stationed at Parris Island, S. C.

On September 2, 1958, he completed three weeks of air indoctrination at the Naval Air Station in Pensacola. He was an usher at his sister Luanne’s wedding to Lt. Christopher Taylor Collins on December 22, 1958. William married his wife in June 1960.

When he died, he was attached to Training Squadron 7 at Kingsville, Texas.

Survivors include his widow, Francis/Franca Bozievich, his daughter Virginia Marie, his unborn daughter Nancy, and his parents Lt. Cmdr. and Mrs. William E. Shafer (’33) of Warrington. His father died in 1973 and was survived by his father William, and his mother Virginia died in 1978. They are both buried in Barrancas National Cemetery.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs

From the Pensacola News Journal on September 27, 1958

References