LTJG ROBERT E. NOLOP, USN

Class 1944

Born April 13, 1921

Died December 18, 1944

Age 23

Hometown Libby, Montana

Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1944 Lucky Bag:

Robert Eugene Nolop

Renowned for 5-20 eyes and a crack in his voice that he called a yodel, Bob stalked through three years with the same plowed-field stride and carefree air that he brought with him from the Montana hills. “Noley” lent support to the harriers in Autumn and the trackmen in spring. He claimed that he had no interest in women, but the irrevocable fact remained that he received about three letters each week that weren’t from “Dear Folks.” Every morning the buzz of an electric razor from the “B-hole” told us that Bob was up; he will make many other things hum now that he has that broad stripe.

The Class of 1944 was graduated in June 1943 due to World War II. The entirety of 2nd class (junior) year was removed from the curriculum.

Loss

Robert was lost when USS Monaghan (DD 354) capsized and sank during Typhoon Cobra on December 18, 1944. Only eight of her crew survived.

The men and ships involved in Typhoon Cobra are extensively chronicled in “Down to the Sea: An Epic Story of Naval Disaster and Heroism in World War II” by Bruce Henderson.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Robert graduated from Libby High School in 1939. He was on the traffic safety committee and played trombone in the orchestra. He attended one year at Montana State University at Bozeman. He was appointed to the Naval Academy by Senator Murray (D., Mont.)

His father Glen was a grader at a saw mill; mother Esther, and sister Celia Ann was salutatorian for the Libby High School class of 1940.

He has a memory marker in Philippines. He was survived by his parents.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

Class of 1944

Robert is one of 66 members of the Class of 1944 on Virtual Memorial Hall.

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