Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1945 Lucky Bag:

Jack Flanagan

Football 4, 3, 1; Model Club 3

Hailing from Florence, Alabama, “Smiling Jack” is a true Southerner, always doing his part to uphold the traditions of old Dixie. Desiring to become a Naval Officer, he attended Greenbriar Military School, and after much hard work, won his appointment through a National Competitive Examination. After coming to the Academy, he took academics in stride, still having time left to develop into Navy’s “Watch Charm” guard. His ready wit, contagious smile, and his love for fun made him innumerable friends. He was always a ready participant in the Academy’s activities and this spirit should carry him far in the service.

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He was a member of the 8th Company staff (1st 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

Jack was lost on May 26, 1948 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed into the Pacific Ocean near San Diego.

Other Information

From Find A Grave:

Private memorial services for Lt. (jg) Jack Sowter Flanagan, naval officer who was killed in a plane crash at sea off the coast of California near San Diego on May 26, will be held by the family at the home of his mother, Mrs. Victor E. Flanagan in Florence, Sunday. At the same time naval services will be conducted aboard the U.S.S. Tarawa off the California Coast.

Besides his mother, deceased is survived by two brothers, Robert V. Flanagan, student at Auburn, and William Stuart Flanagan of Richmond, Va.; a sister, Mrs. Harry M. Simpson, Birmingham, and a grandmother, Mrs. M.V. Flanagan, Clearwater, Kan.

Mr. Flanagan was graduated from Murphy high school in Mobile, and from Greenbrier military school in Lewisburg, W.Va. He was graduated from the naval academy at Annapolis in [1944]. He was electrical officer aboard the cruiser Cleveland for two years during the war in the southwest Pacific. For the past two years he had been flying in the States.

He was flying with Attack Squadron (VA) 1A.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Jack was a member of the Murphy High School cast of Thornton Wilder’s “A Happy Journey,” which won the statewide high school dramatic contest in March 1939. He graduated in June. Student Council 4; Football 3, 4; Mohian yearbook 4; Radio 4; Sr. Players 4; Modern Alchemist 4; Harte Hi Y 3, 4; Ushers 4; Basketball 4; Baseball 4.

In 1930, the family lived in Sparta, New Jersey. His father Victor was an engineer in a zinc company. He died in 1941 in Mobile, Alabama. Jack’s brothers were William, an ensign in 1945 in Norfolk, and Robert.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

From his high school yearbook

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Conrad Grove, Jr. ‘45, Lloyd Wyatt, Jr. ‘45, Arthur Day ‘45, Robert Billings ‘45, James Dawley, Jr. ‘45, Alfred Sawyer ‘45, Richard Hodsdon ‘45, and John Horn ‘45 were also in 8th Company.