Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1954 Lucky Bag:

James Sturgis Willis, Jr.

LACROSSE—2,1. FOOTBALL—4,3,2,1. RECEPTION COMMITTEE—3,2. FOREIGN LANGUAGES CLUB—4,3,2,1. SPLINTER STAFF—3. VARSITY: LACROSSE—4,3,2,1.

In the Navy all his bloomin’ life, Jim was born on the far China Station from whence cometh the much hated term midcoolie. He brought his many talents and red hair to Crabtown via Milton Academy. Far from being a member of the radiator squad, he was quite busy in extracurricular activities and won several numerals in lacrosse besides being a mainstay on the company football team. He also majored in bridge and cribbage during study hours, seldom finding it necessary to interrupt the game to study. He still managed to keep his stars well shined. Jim leaves the Academy with many attributes, but his ambition is sure to bring him success in the service.

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He was a member of the 6th Battalion staff for the third set and of the 23rd Company staff for the fall set.

Loss

Jim was lost when the YAO-1 Mohawk aircraft he was testing crashed on September 25, 1961. (Information from Class of 1954 via email on June 8, 2017.)

Other Information

From the November 1961 issue of Shipmate:

It is with deep regret that the death of JIM WILLIS is announced. Jim died as a result of an aircraft accident near Chesapeake Bay on 25 Sept. Jim was a test pilot at the Test Center, Patuxent River, Md. He was not only an extremely able and devoted officer whose career was fulfilling the brightest hopes of the Navy, but also he will be remembered by his classmates for his warm, personal friendliness. His loss is felt by all of us, and the heartfelt sympathy of the class is extended to his family.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

At graduation from Milton Academy in June 1950, James was awarded the Robert Saltonstall medal for good sportsmanship in athletics, the William Bacon Lovering medal, and the Charles Parker Reynolds award.

On December 30, 1955, James married Ruth Frieda Lawton at the First Church of Christ, Congregational, at Longmeadow, Massachusetts.

Their daughter Kimberley Ann was born in Jacksonville in September 1957. James was a jet pilot aboard the Carrier Wasp, currently on a special two-month tour of duty in the North Sea.

Since October 1960, James tested aircraft for other branches of the service as well as the Navy. He was based at Patuxent Naval Air Station in Maryland.

James was survived by his wife Ruth; daughters Kimberly Anne, age 4, and Patricia Lynn, age 23 months; son James 3d, 8 months old; his mother; and a sister Anne (Mrs. Robert O. Hetlage) of St. Louis.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

His father, James Willis ‘27, was killed in action against the Japanese in April 1945.

Photographs

From ancestry.com