Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1949 Lucky Bag:

Leland R. Stegemerten

A quiet humor that smiled at the rough stretches and chuckled elsewhere was as fundamentally Steg as his nearly unpronounceable name. This easy wit was always an ally with blind drags, whose continual succession seemed only to add to his life claim to the rosescented brick. His size, Steg claimed, was ideal in any sport, particularly his favorite, squash; for his opponent, in trying to find him, was always at a disadvantage. An ample book larnin’ staged most of the Quag’s fights with the academics, leaving time for happier pursuits, such as second tenor in the Glee Club. With his companionable nature as sure a comrade as his many friends, Steg will find his career rewarding him as he has answered its call, freely and with a smile.

Loss

Leland was lost on January 28, 1953 when the PB4Y Privateer patrol bomber he was piloting crashed into Black Peak, Cascade Mountain, Washington. He was flying between NAS Alameda, California to NAS Whidbey Island, Washington.

Nine other officers and men were also killed. The wreckage wasn’t located until July 1953. He was a member of Patrol Squadron (VP) 9.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Leland attended East McKeesport high school. He received training at Penn State from July 1943 to March 1944. He then attended the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, Navy V-12 program. He was a battalion officer of the unit and played in the band. He was also a member of Sigma Chi.

In May 1950, he was best man at the wedding of Ensign Edward Carson Waller, III (’49.)

Photographs

From The Evening News on August 2, 1947

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Julian Greer ‘27 and Orville Everhart, Jr. ‘45 were also killed in this crash.