LTJG DONALD B. LEVISEE, USN

Class 1951

Born July 18, 1929

Died December 16, 1953

Age 24

Hometown Alhambra, California

Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1951 Lucky Bag:

Donald Bergman Levisee

Don, the Sunkist lad, was born in Seattle but claims Southern California as his home … if it’s not the biggest or the best it’s not from California … he came to the Academy fresh out of high school . . . Don, a natural slash, had no trouble with his studies and excelled in everything . . . ready to drag at anytime … most of the afternoons you’ll find Don out on the tennis courts or up in the lofts of MacDonough stringing rackets for the boys on the varsity tennis team. . . also likes to box. . . with that young innocent face he’s able to convince all the women that he’s a cleancut American kid . . . hopes to go to Pensacola.

Loss

Don was lost when his fighter aircraft crashed on December 16, 1953. He was flying from Miramar Naval Air Station.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Donald graduated from Alhambra High School in 1947. College Prep. J. V. Tennis, Rally Committee; Spanish Club; Science Club, Les Laureados, Scholarship Society.

Donald was nominated for admission to the Naval Academy by Rep. Richard M. Nixon, R., California. He was nominated because he made the highest mark in a specially conducted civil service examination held March 3, 1947. The examination covered vocabulary, reading comprehension and mathematics.

He had served eight months in Korea, and later completed carrier pilot qualifications on the aircraft carrier USS Monterey in the Gulf of Mexico in June 1953. He then reported for advanced training in multi-engine aircraft at Corpus Christi. He was attached to Fighter Squadron 52 when he crashed in 1953.

On Sunday, July 18, 1954, at St. James Episcopal Church, a memorial window, “The Exodus into Egypt,” was dedicated during the service of Morning Prayer. The window was given jointly by Donald’s parents and the St. James Parish in honor of all men and women from the parish who have served in the armed forces of the United States.

In 1940 the family lived in Seattle: father Aaron, a civil engineer for the city’s transportation department, mother Margarente, brother Robert, and sisters Marian and Suzana.

Donald’s Find A Grave page is here.

Photographs

Ralph Stothard ‘51 was also on the tennis team.

Class of 1951

Donald is one of 48 members of the Class of 1951 on Virtual Memorial Hall.