Lucky Bag

Howard Aubrey McBride is listed on a page titled “Gone… But Ne’er Forgotten”:

There were close to a thousand of us when we entered in June of 1940 and formed the new fourth class, the class of 1944. Now, as we graduate one year ahead of time, there are less than 800. But we who go to join the active services are sure in our minds that our friends of fourth class summer who have left us at various stages of the course will find their place in the American Victory Machine, rolling relentlessly on to a triumph over the forces of evil that threaten the life and liberty we all hold so dear.

The Annual Register of the United States Naval Academy 1941-1942 lists him as “Deficient in studies, first term’s work. Continued with class pending reexamination. Reexamined and again deficient. Recommended to be dropped. Permitted to resign.” on March 7, 1941.

Photographs

From the cruise book "Slipstream (Mark III)" 1943.

Loss

Howard was lost on April 20, 1945 when the SB2C-4 Helldiver he was piloting collided with another near Yoroshima Island (near Okinawa) and crashed at sea. He was flying with Bombing Squadron (VB) 82 from USS Bennington (CV 20); the crewman aboard was also lost.

Howard had crossed below a squadron-mate’s aircraft while flying in poor visibility and the other plane’s propeller cut into the rudder of Howard’s plane.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Howard was born in the District of Columbia. In 1930, his family lived in Norfolk. In 1935, Howard lived in the District of Columbia, but his mother and brother Earl lived in San Diego. In 1940, the three lived in San Diego.

Howard had a “date of precedence” of December 1, 1943; believe this is when he re-entered the reserves, or perhaps when he was commissioned. By mid-November 1944 he was a pilot with Bombing Squadron (VB) 80, flying from USS Ticonderoga (CV 14). It was then that he survived a crash of his SB2C-3 near Manila. (No circumstances were given.)

Howard is listed on the killed in action panel in the front of Memorial Hall. USS Bennington’s daily summary included that they were considered “killed in action,” and also that he was a member of the Naval Reserve (SN 337446). His home was listed as Syracuse, New York.

His father, Clarence, was an enlisted Navy sailor in WWI and was aboard USS Jacob Jones (Destroyer No. 61) when that ship was sunk in December 1917. Clarence continued service until 1939, when he retired. At the outbreak of WWII he was recalled to active duty and became commanding officer of USS Constitution.

His mother, Florence, was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by his father and probably his brother, Earl. Howard is listed at the Courts of the Missing in Hawaii.

Memorial Hall Error

Howard is listed in Memorial Hall as a member of the regular navy; he was not. Should be USNR.

Also, Howard is listed on the killed in action panel in the front of Memorial Hall. While not an obvious error, inclusion on the panel for crashes like this (incidental to combat flights) has been inconsistent across WWII, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War.