Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1944 Lucky Bag:

Pfaeffle Simpson, Jr.

A natural “saviness” and a will to work enabled Kirk to steer well clear of the clutches of the Academic Departments and to devote much of his time to recreation. Dragging was his chief hobby, and he was seldom absent from any hop or informal. Sailing experience, gained on the shores of sunny California, gave him a berth on the varsity sailing team. He entered the service with more than the necessary attributes of a successful naval officer. Kirk left the Academy with an enviable record; and what was more important he maintained the high aspirations with which he joined us plebe summer.

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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

Pfaeffle was lost on May 6, 1946, when the plane he was flying crashed during dive bomber practice 10 miles from NAS Jacksonville (Florida).

Other Information

From San Diego State University:

A graduate of Hoover High and a 1945 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland, Lt. Pfaeffle K. Simpson had attended San Diego State from 1938 to 1940. At age 25, he had a wife, Shirley, and a daughter, Sherry Lynn. His father, Pfaeffle Simpson Sr., was also a Navy lieutenant.

There’s a brief newspaper report on Pfaeffle promotion to LT in July 1945, and how his dad was also a LT. Pfaeffle was stationed in Pensacola, Florida at the time, “taking flight training.”

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Pfaeffle was born in Dallas, Texas, and he went by Kirk. He had early schooling in Guam and China where his father had been stationed. In January 1939, he graduated from Hoover High School in Fresno, California.

Kirk was stationed at Fort Lauderdale NAS in 1943 prior to Pacific combat service. He married Shirley Coates, former Daily News society editor, at All Saint’s Episcopal Church in Fort Lauderdale on September 7, 1944.

His father was Commander Pfaeffle Simpson, mother Elvie, sister Nanjean, and daughter Lynn.

His daughter was only one year old at the time of his loss; he was also survived by his parents, grandparents, and a sister, Jean.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

From the Fort Lauderdale News on September 12, 1944