Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1945 Lucky Bag:

Calvin Richard Gossett

Women are a snare and a delusion, the Navy is man’s salvation. With these words on his lips, “Goose” found his way from the corn fields of Iowa to the shores of the Severn. A Navy man through and through, he nevertheless spent many study hours blissfully logging time for his B. S., (in sack drill). His afternoons were spent trading swaps with the football players, many of whom have special lumps to remember him by. Uncanny cribbage hands, a locker full of chow, Navy books, hot dope, and dry humor will always be things to remember when we speak of Goose.

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He was a member of the 11th Company staff (2nd set).

The Class of 1945 was graduated in June 1944 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

Calvin was lost when his Bearcat fighter caught fire and crashed while taking off from Roosevelt Roads, Puerto Rico, on February 16, 1948.

Other Information

From the Sioux City Journal on May 30, 1944:

Calvin, Richard Gossett, son of Mr. and Mrs. C. R. Gossett, 100 Stewart avenue, will be graduated June 7 as an ensign from Annapolis naval academy. A graduate of Shattuck military academy, Faribault, Minn., he attended Iowa State college a year before receiving an appointment to the naval academy. He attended Central high school before entering Shattuck.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

In October 1946, Calvin received his wings at Pensacola.

His father, Charles, was president of the Iowa Bankers Association in 1940; mother May, brother Warren, sister Lucille (she became Mrs. R. H. Moody.)

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook