Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1956 Lucky Bag:

REX FULTON MCALISTER, JR.

Leaving Chattanooga, Rex journeyed first to Vanderbilt University, where his Naval career actually began as a NROTC Midshipman. After one year, he decided the Navy was to his liking, so he came to USNA. Rex, being one of the savvy boys, often helped others with their lessons, and was an effective tutor with his clear and positive attitude. He spent many of his afternoons on the squash courts improving his game, but didn’t overlook his many other extracurricular activities. During second class year Rex acquired the most memorable of his many nicknames, being dubbed the “Flash” shortly after he tried to weld two leads together in Electrical Engineering Lab.

Loss

Rex was lost on February 11, 1960 when the P5M Marlin he was aboard crashed into the Pacific Ocean off the coast of Washington.

From the Peninsula Daily News, February 2, 1960 via researcher Kathy Franz:

The first eyewitness account of the puzzling crash came Thursday night from Lt. B. D. Kennedy of the Navy Medical Corps, who watched it from the carrier Shangri La.

“I was watching through large binoculars while the plane was returning from a previous pass,’ Kennedy said. “It dropped from approximately 1,000 feet to 500 feet at a fairly rapid rate.

“Then the left wing tip of the plane dipped rapidly as the plane rolled to the left. The left wing folded upward at the engine nacelle, followed by a large, red cloud of flame, the size of the plane, visible behind and below the aircraft.

“The remainder of the fuselage and tail section struck the water at about 60-75 degrees nose down, followed by the left wing. All elements sank within five minutes, except for debris.”

The twin-engine P5M Marlin was stationed at Whidbey Island Naval Air Station. It was on an antisubmarine warfare training flight.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Rex graduated from Chattanooga High School in 1951. Honor Student, ‘51; Dynamo yearbook Editorial Staff, ‘50, ‘51; The Torchbearers, Business Staff, ‘50; Chemistry Club, Vice President ‘50; Canasta Club, ‘51; Disc and Diamond Society, ‘50, ‘51; Honor Platoon, ‘50; Interschool Leadership Council, ‘49, ‘50, ‘51; Non-Coms Club, ‘50; Stunt Nite, ‘51; National Honor Society, ‘51; Bausch-Lomb Science Award, ‘51.

From USNA ‘56:

LT Rex Fulton McAlister, Jr. was born on May 15, 1933 in Newton, Alabama, grew up in Chattanooga, Tennessee and graduated from Chattanooga High School. He then attended Vanderbilt University for one year where he was an NROTC midshipman, before receiving a senatorial appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy in 1952.

Rex was a well-liked classmate of the 20th company, graduating with the class of 1956. After graduation, he attended Naval flight training at Pensacola, Florida and Corpus Christi, Texas. He served in Japan with Patrol Squadron 50 as well as at the Whidbey Island Naval Air Station at Oak Harbor, Washington. Rex married Jane Hill of Chattanooga on July 5, 1957 after one year of flight training. With his love of flying, Rex intended to make the Navy his career. Unfortunately, Rex died in a naval aircraft accident off Oak Harbor on February 11, 1960. His body was not recovered.

A memorial service for Rex was held at the Brainerd Baptist Church in Chattanooga on April 2, 1960. Although a LTJG at the time of the accident, Rex was posthumously awarded the rank of Lieutenant. The U.S. Navy also erected a memorial stone in the National Cemetery at Chattanooga. Rex is survived by his widow, Mrs. Jane Hill Southerland, and a sister, Mrs. Gaynelle Brock.

He has a memory marker in Tennessee.

Photographs

From the Lucky Bag

From his high school yearbook