Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1960 Lucky Bag:

GARY JAMES GRETTER

After beating off the Indians and women from the North Dakota plains of his ancestors, Gary finally blazed his way to colonial Annapolis. Although Fargo’s Shanley High School and North Dakota State University developed in him some rowdy civilian habits, he was soon to get acquainted with the rigorous Academy routine and its many restriction musters. He has always been sought out by members of all classes because of his familiarity with sports cars and aviation. This is one of the many reasons why he is so popular throughout the company. Cagey “G. G.,” as he has been dubbed, sees his future in Navy Air and aspires to become one of the Blue Angels.

Loss

Gary was lost on July 6, 1968 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed near Dallas.

Other Information

From Shipmate, September-October 1968:

Lt. Gretter, who was born in Fargo, North Dakota, graduated from the Naval Academy in 1960. A naval aviator, he was attached to VF-701 and had been serving in the Naval Reserves following resignation from the Navy in June 1967. He was employed as a field engineer with Ling-Temco-Vought at Dallas. Among his survivors are his widow, Judith Ann, and a nine-month-old daughter, Christine Lynn, of Grand Prairie, TX, and his mother who lives in Fargo.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Gary guided the faltering plane away from a row of houses and ejected only a few feet from the ground. He went into the air about 30 feet, but his parachute caught on the tail as he came down. The plane crash into two unoccupied residences and broke apart. The residents of one of the homes were on vacation at Yellowstone National Park. The father of the other house was at work, and his family were on vacation in Austin.

Gary was a member of the American Pilots Association and the Immaculate Conception Church. A memorial service was held for him at the Dallas Naval Air Station on July 6. A requiem mass was celebrated in Fargo on July 10, 1968. His mother was Mrs. A. C. Gretter, brother Dr. Thomas E., and sister Mrs. E. O. Nelson.

Gary is buried in North Dakota.

Photographs

From Fort Worth Star Telegram on July 7, 1968