Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1973 Lucky Bag:

Frederick William Caesar III

Rick will always be remembered as spending more time in sick bay and the ward than any USNA doctor ever has. When he wasn’t there, he could usually be found moled into the rack.

Loss

Frederick was lost on January 20, 1977 when the Coast Guard HH-52 Seaguard helicopter he was piloting crashed into the Illinois River after striking electrical transmission wires while on an aerial ice patrol.

Loss

From Coast Guard Aviation Casualties:

Date of incident: 20 January 1977

Crash related deaths:
LTJG Frederick William Caesar, III, USN
LTJG John F. Taylor
AT2 John B. Johnson
Bill S. Simpson (Civilian Observer)

Air Station the aircraft and/or crew were assigned to: Air Station Chicago, IL

Aircraft type and Coast Guard tail number: Sikorsky HH-52A Seaguard, 1448 *

Location of the incident: Illinois River

Description of the incident: This crew was performing an aerial ice patrol along the Illinois and Mississippi rivers. They struck three electrical transmission wires and crashed into the ice-filled river.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Known as “Rick,” he graduated from Roselle Catholic High School in 1969. “Actively plays and watches all sports … drama enthusiast … member of R.C.’s first soccer team … college math major … road leads to Villanova U. and a career in Aero-Flight.” Activities: Class officer 3; Honor roll 1, 2, 3, 4; Biology Club 2; Math Club 3, 4; Drama club 3, 4; Cross Country 1; Indoor track 1, 2; Outdoor track 1, 2; Baseball 3; Soccer 3, 4.

Frederick was stationed at Glenview Naval Air Station near Chicago. At the time of the crash, he was on exchange duty with the Coast Guard in the St. Louis, Missouri area. A memorial mass was said for him on January 25 at St. Agnes Roman Catholic Church, Clark, New Jersey.

His parents moved to El Paso from New Jersey in mid-1972.

He has a memorial in the US Coast Guard Aviation Memorial.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

From his high school yearbook