Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1967 Lucky Bag:

ROBERT ALAN McCLEERY

Bob came to Annapolis from Garden City High School where he was a top notch athlete. He carried his skills in athletics to Navy in the form of lacrosse, being on the varsity team all three upper class years and held the plebe scoring record with 39 goals. Cleo is renowned for his pad time and has the distinction of being the only man to wear out two complete sets of bedding in a single year. Bob’s outgoing personality and constant cry of “Who wants to play bridge?” have produced many friends throughout the Brigade. Mac’s real glory lies in the ability to score high on professional tests. A constant bookworm, Mike Hammer’s friend will leave many of the underclass without reading material when he joins the naval service.

Loss

Robert was lost on November 25, 1969 when his aircraft collided with another near Jacksonville, Florida.

Other Information

From the February 1970 issue of Shipmate:

A native of Kingston, Pa., Lt.(jg) McCleery was a member of the 26th Company and on the varsity lacrosse team for three years while at the Naval Academy. Following graduation from the Academy in June 1967, he reported to Pensacola for naval air training. In Aug. 1969 Lt.(jg) McCleery joined Attack Squadron 172, based at the Naval Air Station, Cecil Field and served as a pilot.

Survivors include his widow Linda of Jacksonville, Fl.; two daughters Kimberly and Tracy, and his parents Mr. and Mrs. Chester A McCleery of Garden City, N.Y.

From A-4 Skyhawk¹:

November 25, 1969
Lt(jg). John R. Martin and Lt(jg). Robert A. McCleery were killed when A-4C BuNo 149523 collided with A-4C BuNo 147839 at low level while in formation with a 3rd Skyhawk. Portions of one crashed into a home along State Road 13 about 30 miles south of Jacksonville, FL and the other cut a fiery swath through an orange grove in the Switzerland area of St. Johns county.
Ocala, FL, Ocala Star Banner, Wednesday, November 26, 1969.

He is buried in Maine.

Photographs

Source

Remembrances

From the Class of 1967 50th Reunion Yearbook, courtesy of William Belden ‘67:

Bob reported to the Naval Academy right after graduating from Garden City High School in Garden City, NY. An All-County lacrosse player, he used that talent with both the plebe and varsity teams, setting a plebe record of 39 goals. Bob was in top physical condition; one of his favorite tricks was to hand his books to his roommate and walk on his hands from Tecumseh Court to his room in the 5th wing, stairs included. He achieved excellent grades, seemingly without effort and helped his roommate pass his finals on more than one occasion.

Upon graduation, Bob opted for Naval Aviation and his efforts were rewarded with his selection for jet training. After training in the A-4 Replacement Air Group, he reported to Attack Squadron 172 (VA-172), the Blue Bolts, flying the A-4C aircraft. During an ordnance training mission on the afternoon of 25 November 1969 both he and fellow classmate, John Martin (35), died in a multi-plane, weather-related accident on the return to NAS Cecil Field, FL.

Bob was survived by his wife, the former Linda Sawyer and two daughters.

From John Filose ‘67 via email on March 21, 2026:

I was a pilot in VA-12, both squadrons part of CAG-8. We later deployed for a long West Pac Cruise on the USS Shangri La….The Shitty Shang. I played HS lacrosse against Bob, and with him on the Navy 63 Plebe team. He became a varsity star and I was a scrub. My wife and I later sponsored a locker room plaque for Bob. John and I became friends battling each other on Company touch football teams. They were terrific guys and excellent pilots.)

Obituary

From Newsday (Suffolk Edition) on November 29, 1969:

Services will be held Monday for Navy Lt. Robert A McCleery, 24, … who was killed in an air collision at Jacksonville, Fla., Tuesday. McCleery was a 1963 graduate of Garden City High School, where he achieved all-county lacrosse honors. He was graduated from the US Naval Academy in 1967 and received his aviator’s wings in 1968. His family said that McCleery’s plane and another in a flight of three on a routine mission collided killing both pilots.

McCleery is survived by his wife, Linda, and two daughters, Kimberly 2 and Tracy 6 months; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Chet McCleery of Garden City, and a brother, John, of Tarrytown, NY. Services will be at 2 PM in the Garden City Community Church. Burial will be in Greenfield Cemetery, Hempstead.

Related Articles

Barton Creed ‘67 was also in 26th Company.

John Martin ‘67 was the other pilot killed in the collision.

References