Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1962 Lucky Bag:

Richard Warren Hastings

Dick hailed from Lomita, California. Like most Navy juniors, Dick went to more schools than he could count. He graduated from high school in Youngstown, Ohio and returned to Lomita just before going to the Academy. While at Canoe U., Dick always loved sports. He had a great interest in aviation and read anything and everything about the subject that he could get his hands on. He took an active part in the Aeronautical Engineering Club and was program director during his second class year. With his interest in aviation, Dick will be a great asset to Navy Air.

Loss

Richard died on May 14, 1966 aboard the hospital ship USS Repose (AH 16) of injuries sustained when an aircraft struck the ramp of USS Ticonderoga (CV 14) on April 14. Ticonderoga was operating off the coast of Vietnam at the time, though it was one of her final days on station before she began the voyage home to San Diego.

Other Information

From the Class of 1962:

Lt. Hastings was born in Vallejo, Calif., and was graduated from the Naval Academy in 1962. He was designated a naval aviator in 1963, and then reported to VF-124, San Diego, for training in the F-8. In March 1964 he joined VF-51, making two Far East cruises in the Ticonderoga: he had recently completed training as a landing signal officer. Among his awards were the Navy Commendation Medal and the Expeditionary Medal.

He is survived by his widow, the former Violet Edythe Olson, of 1213 Falster Court, Alexandria, Va.; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Harold E. Hastings; a sister, Susan Gail, and his grandmother, Mrs. Marion Carstensen, all of Lomita, Calif.

He is buried in California.

Photographs

Posted by Linda Hastings Source

Photo uploaded by Linda Hastings: "MIRIAM HASTINGS HOUSEWORTH NOTES: DAD (ELMER) AND MOM (ALICE) VISITED HAROLD AND EVA IN NORTHERN OHIO, WHERE HAROLD'S NAVY ASSIGNMENT WAS. ALSO PICTURED ARE THEIR CHILDREN, SUSAN AND RICHARD. THE LATTER GRADUATED FROM THE NAVAL ACADEMY AND BECAME AS VIETNAM WAR CASUALTY. (date on photo border is AUG '57)" Source

Memorials

Richard is among those names on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. As his loss was not due directly to hostile action, though, he does not appear in the Vietnam War section of the Killed In Action panel in Memorial Hall.

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