Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1945 Lucky Bag:

John Joseph Glynn, III

Varsity Swimming 4, 1, Ns45t; Battalion Swimming 3, 1; Battalion Water Polo 3, 1; Boat Club 4, 3

Leaving a busy New York metropolis life for a career in the Navy, “Moe” brought with him a cheery Irish humor. Splashing right into athletics, he won his plebe swimming numerals, and has worried about his stroke and condition ever since. Next to swimming, there came close to his heart three other items: food, sailing, and sleep. Never one to stay ashore, “J. J. III” was always ready for a yawl race, storm or shine. Not, that is, until first class year, when within arose the desire for lots of “social development.” And the gals were the lucky ones on that score, because none can forget, as can none of us, his cheery wit and practical jokes. He’ll always wear a smile.

---

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.

Obituary

From Arlington Cemetery.net¹:

JACKSONVILLE, Florida, August 26, 1949 – Two pilots were killed yesterday when their planes collided in the air near Mayport during carrier practice landings. They were Lieutenant (jg) Richard Spaulding Hodson of Jacksonville and Lieutenant (jg) John Joseph Glynn, Jr. of 400 East Fifty-seventh Street, New York City.

Lieutenant Glynn was 26 years old and was the son of Mr. and Mrs. John J. Glynn of 400 East Fifty-Seventh Street. He was a member of Attack Squadron 45, based in Jacksonville.

The aviator was graduated from the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis in 1944 and saw action during the last year of the war in the Pacific.

He also leaves a sister, Mrs. James H. Carew, and a grandmother, Mrs. Mary Glynn, sister of the late Governor Alfred E. Smith.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

John graduated from George Washington High School in 1941. He wrote the introduction to the Sports section of the yearbook. In part, he wrote:

Officially speaking, clubs or any other extra-curricular activities about school, are listed as “school service,” but it seems as though the official statement is an admirable example of under-statement. These clubs, et alia lay bare a cross-section of the class and a forecast of its future. We’re all in here somewhere, and the happier part of our “high school daze” is here also. This is the part of the book that refutes the worn phrase, “The good (that men do) is oft interred with their bones.”

From Then and Now:  Then: Even as a little blond cherub he could not be kept away from water by his mama. He stayed in the bathtub hours at a time and papa held a tight grip on his hand whenever they passed a lake. Now: His goal is to be Commander-in-Chief of the U. S. Navy. He’ll start from the bottom, at Annapolis, where he’ll have all the H2O he craves. Papa and Mama will heave a sigh of relief the day he sails away on the ocean blue. (No more water pistols and three hour baths.)

He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

Related Articles

Richard Hodsdon ’45 was also lost in this collision.

Paul Hunt ‘45 and Joseph Sheehan ‘45 were also in 16th Company.

References