Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1945 Lucky Bag:

Richard Spaulding Hodson

Orchestra 4; Model Club 4, 3, 1

“Mr. Hodsdon, can you tell me what a “trunnel” is?” All day long plebes popped into the room wanting to know the answers to questions. “Deadon” just seemed to know everything about anything. That was probably because he spent his study hours reading the papers, magazines, and books. His first love was “steam.” When summer was over he’d wait for the first frosty morning, walk over to the radiator, turn the valve, and beam. “Just listen to that steam.” Then he’d carefully close the valve before going to formation. That’s the way he was all the time—efficient. That’s why he stood number one in getting better grades output per hours studying input.

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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

Richard was lost on August 25, 1949 when his aircraft collided with another and crashed near Mayport, Florida.

Other Information

From Find A Grave:

Hodsdon Funeral To Be Monday

Flier Was Descendant of Maine Family

South Thomaston, Aug. 27, - Lt. (jg) Richard Spalding Hodsdon, 26, killed in a midair crash of two naval planes during carrier practice landing Thursday near Mayport, Fla., is descendant of a family that owned and operated a large stone quarry near here for many years. He was born in Lynn, Mass., in February, 1923, was graduated from Gorham High School and attended University of Maine one year before entering Annapolis from which he was graduated in 1944. He served in the Pacific Theater during World War Two. Surviving are his wife, the former Barbara Reiger, stepdaughter of Adm. William Wright, former ambassador to Sweden, his parents, Lt. Comdr. and Mrs. Richard Prince Hodsdon of Hyannis, Mass., and eight-month-old son Richard , Jr., of Jacksonville, Fla., his grandmother Mrs. George Hodsdon of Portland and several uncles and aunts, including Mrs. Scott Kittredge, Portland, Mrs. Charles Emery Rockland and Herbert Hodsdon, Portland. The funeral will be held at Arlington National Cemetery, Arlington, Va., at 1 p.m. Monday.

Richard was also survived by his son, Richard III, according to the November 1949 issue of Shipmate.

His wife is buried with him in Arlington National Cemetery, and his class ring is on display at the Naval Academy museum.

Photographs

"Spaulding" with his parents Richard and Agnes; no date given. Source

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John Glynn ’45 was also lost in this collision.

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