LT JAMES F. WILEY, USN

Class 1954

Born August 21, 1932

Died February 22, 1959

Age 26

Hometown Chicago, Illinois

Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1954 Lucky Bag:

James Fenton Wiley

WATER POLO—4,3. SWIMMING—4,3,2,1. BASKETBALL—2,1. VARSITY: SWIMMING—4,3.

Jim Wiley was among the favored few from the Windy City, and he seemed to have found a home at the Academy. Almost any afternoon you could wander over to the natatorium, and walking along the edge you might happen to gaze into a niche at the bottom of the pool. There in a small heap under the water, slide rule in hand, Reynold’s tables and skinny book anchored down, was our middy struggling with those academics. If you could separate him from either the water or the books, he would then be just another common midiot. Jim also does well in navigation whether it be in his favorite media, water, in a yellow peril, or even better yet cruising along that dance floor. The latter was where he belonged.

Loss

Jim was lost when his F2H-4 Banshee crashed near NAS Moffett Field, California on February 22, 1959. He was ferrying one of two aircraft in rain and fog from his home field of Naval Air Station North Island, California.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

His father Gerald was an attorney. His mother was Leah, and his brother was Christopher.

James graduated from Sullivan High School in 1950. “Sitting on Top of the World.” Student Council 1, 2, 3, 4; School store 2, mgr. 3, 4; Swimming 1, 2; Basketball team 3, 4; Letterman 2, 3, 4; Masque and Gavel.

Appointed to the Naval Academy by Rep. Jonas (R., 13th), James played basketball and intramural football, swam for both varsity and plebe teams, and was manager of the intramural swimming team.

He was survived by his wife Eleanor and son Jeffrey; James is buried in California.

Photographs

All photographs below are courtesy of James’ grandson, James G. Wiley, on April 2, 2024.

James with Ken Stanley

James with Eleanor

James with his son Jeffrey

James as a Midshipman

Crash Site

Photos of the crash site are on Flickr, and a video of a hike to and around the crash site is posted on YouTube.

Squadron

Believe he was a member of Fighter Squadron (VF) 114 based on this comment that said he was a member of Air Wing 11; VF-114 is the only squadron of CVW-11 that flew the Banshee.

Class of 1954

James is one of 37 members of the Class of 1954 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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