LT LOUIS R. GRANT, II, USN

Class 1962

Born March 21, 1939

Died July 6, 1967

Age 28

Hometown Honolulu, Hawaii

Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1962 Lucky Bag:

Louis Randolph Grant, II

Lou came to the Academy after a year of fraternity parties and freshman football at Brown University. He soon got into the Severn swing of life, winning his way to the varsity wrestling squad and quickly became known as “blue and gold” clear through. Lou never missed clipping the Navy sports articles from the morning paper and sending them to his dad (a Navy Captain) in Hawaii. Lou will always be remembered as “Com Drags Handbooks” — one of his duties on the Log and Splinter staff. His pet peeves were dago and all types of exams. Lou will be remembered as a sincere friend. His ambition lies in flying helicopters, where he’ll be a credit to the Naval service.

He was also a member of the 10th Company staff (fall).

Loss

Louis was lost on July 6, 1967 while flying a UH-1B helicopter near the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, Maryland. He was a student at the Naval Test Pilot School.

Other Information

From the September-October 1967 issue of Shipmate:

Lt. Grant was born in Quincy, Mass., and attended Thayer Academy and Brown University before entering the Naval Academy. He was graduated with the class of 1962. After completing flight training at Pensacola, he reported to HC Squadron 2 at Lakehurst, N. J., in 1963. From then until 1966 he made several Mediterranean cruises in carriers of the Atlantic Fleet flying rescue helicopters. He held the Air Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.

He is survived by his widow, Penelope, the daughter of RAdm. and Mrs. James Edward Leeper of Falls Church, Va., who has made her home at 107 Linden Lane, Lexington Park, Md.; his parents, Capt. and Mrs. E. Milton Grant of Vallejo, Calif., and a brother, Robert Grant of Norwich, N. Y.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Louis graduated from Thayer Academy in 1957. He appeared in the yearbook’s Mechanical Drawing classroom picture. He wore #43 on the football team and was a member of the Glee Club. On the senior page, his expression was: “I can’t handle it. Pet Peeve: Fog at the drive-in. Ambition: Annapolis.”

At Brown University, he participated in the “contract” Naval R.O.T.C. program.

In August 1960, he completed a course in naval aviation at the Naval Air Basic Training Command in Pensacola.

In January 1963, he completed his first solo flight at Pensacola. In August, he qualified for carrier flight operations by making six arrested landings aboard the anti-submarine aircraft carrier Lexington operating in the Gulf of Mexico. In December, he completed his first helicopter solo flight. He received his wings in March, 1964.

In January 1966, he participated in the rescue of four survivors of a downed Air Force aircraft. The plane crashed into the side of a Greek mountain at the 9,000-foot level, southwest of Athens. Louis was with Helicopter Combat Support Squadron 3 aboard the attack carrier USS Forrestal. Louis was awarded the Air Medal for this.

Prior to his arrival at Patuxent River in January 1967, he was a aboard the carrier Shangri La.

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.