Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1944 Lucky Bag:

Thomas Paul Higgins

Boston’s Irish lost a star member when “Tippy” left home to explore the world via the Naval Academy. Tom worked long and hard to get in, but he did not stop his efforts then. Baseball, regular workouts in the gym, and letter writing occupied his sort, sweet hours of recreation. Hearty Irish laughs and oaths rocked the room, as those sky blue eyes sparkled with the life of a good rousing argument. He detested hypocrisy and believed that everyone was as honest and good-hearted as himself. A man’s man and true friend, Tom will be a credit to the Service. His grit and hard work will see him through.

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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

Thomas was lost on May 24, 1949 when his “fighter plane crashed during a heavy storm into Chesapeake Bay.”

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Born in Dorchester, he graduated from Boston Latin School in 1939 where his yearbook stated he was a very capable defenseman in football and won all-scholastic mention. In baseball, he hit .350 his junior year and was a fine utility man, but he was on the injured list his senior year because of a bad knee. He then attended the Cochran and Bryan School at Annapolis.

In WWII he served on the U.S.S. Louisville and the airplane carrier U.S.S. Philippine Sea.

On July 4, 1946, he married Rosemary McInerney at the Sacred Heart Church in Ottumwa, Iowa. He was stationed at Norfolk at the time.

He was survived by his wife, parents, sister, and three brothers. He was attached to the Naval Air Test Center at NAS Patuxent River, and had turned 29 two days earlier.

Thomas is buried in Iowa.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

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Warren McNamara ‘44 was also on the baseball team.