Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1944 Lucky Bag:

Wilmer Joseph Ilsley, Jr.

“Six more weeks of starvation and we’ll all go back to civilization.” This was the refrain that “Willy” sang shortly before every leave. Although always anxious for leave, “Willy” never let the Academic Departments give him one of a permanent nature. His was a constant battle with studies but as a rebel who refought the Civil War many times, Bill had no fear of the ultimate outcome. Mississippi’s slow-moving Cassanova got underway early youngster year and wrought havoc along the eastern seaboard. However, there was definitely a serious side to Bill. He will long be recalled for his coveted ability to produce when the “chips were down.”

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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

Wilmer was lost on July 16, 1943 when his “plane crashed on a routine training flight” near NAS Jacksonville, Florida. (Information from September 1946 issue of Shipmate.)

Donald Engen was an officer with Scout Bombing Squadron (VSB) 32 in flight training; from his memoirs:

In mid-July the U.S. Naval Academy class of 1944 came to Daytona Beach for aviation indoctrination, and in the process we lost two airplanes, two pilots, and two Naval Academy graduates when the SBDs they rode in dove into the water, just missing the target boat. An astute accident board investigation found that in both cases the new officers riding in the backseat had installed the removable control stick, most probably earlier in the fight when the pilots offered them an opportunity to fly the SBD in level flight. Later, when the pilots entered their vertical dives, the passengers rotated their seats 180 degrees to ride backwards for the thrill of the vertical dive and did not remove the aft stick. As the pilots tried to pull out of the dive, the passengers’ control sticks hit the metal back of the aft seats, preventing the pilots from pulling out, and the airplanes dove straight into Lake George.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Wilmer played trumpet in his high school band. He spent one year at Marion Institute and was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman Dan McGehee.

From the McComb Daily Journal, Mississippi, June 7, 1939

Wilmer Ilsley, Jr., member of the 1939 graduating class at Tylertown high school, won the Honor Key as the most outstanding member of his class. This presentation is made annually, the student being selected by the faculty for his outstanding record both in his scholastic work and in extra-curricular activities. He also won the mathematics medal.

Ilsley went to Tylertown in 1927 from McComb entered the school there and completed his twelve years work in eleven years. In addition to this scholastic record he has also participated in a number of other school activities. For the past five years he has been a member of the school band, which organization won honors at the state band contest this year. The band was awarded “superior” in marching and “excellent” in playing.

This year Ilsley won The Tylertown Times Scholarship Contest. He is a member of the Tylertown Boy Scout troop, being a “Life Scout” member and treasurer of Troop 38. In addition to his school work, Ilsley has found time to work regularly as projectionist at the Avenue Theatre.

Young Ilsley is the grandson of Mr. and Mrs. W. P. Ilsley, well known residents of McComb. He is a frequent visitor in the home of his grandparents.

Wilmer is buried in Mississippi.

His class ring is in the collection of the US Naval Academy Museum.

Photographs

From the McComb Daily Journal on June 7, 1939

From the McComb Daily Journal on July 15, 1941

Related Articles

Charles Miller ‘44 was lost only a few weeks later in the same type of accident, during the same aviation familiarization period and with the same squadron.

Memorial Hall Error

His name appears “ILLSLEY” in Memorial Hall. All other sources (gravestone, Naval Academy Register, Lucky Bag) have it spelled “ILSLEY”.