Lucky Bag Yearbook

From the 1957 Lucky Bag:

SHERWOOD ELTON GIFFORD, JR.

Sherwood came to USNA via the Naval Prep School, after a two year hitch in the Navy as a Fire Control Technician. Lots of study and determination pulled him through the long four years. While at Navy, he ran cross country to keep in shape for the boxing squad where he performed in a starring role. But above all, his favorite activity was crawling into the lower rack. Sherwood’s skill and fighting determination, exemplified so well in the ring and everywhere else, stood him in good stead in the Class of ‘57.

Loss

Sherwood was lost on February 27, 1961¹ when the A4D-1 Skyhawk he was piloting crashed during a low level training flight near NAS Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

“Sherdy” graduated from Oil City High School in 1950 with the quote “A little body lodged in a mighty mind.” Activities: Band 3, 4, Hi-Y 4, Senior Math Club 4, District Band 3. Swing Band on saxophone. Marching Band on clarinet.

In December 1957, Sherwood completed Flight Training at Saufley Field, Pensacola, and also made a solo flight in a T-34 Mentor training plane. He was then transferred for further training to Whiting Field in Milton, Florida. When he married in July 1958, he was taking advanced Naval Flight training in Kingsville, Texas.

Since early December 1960, he was student pilot with Attack Squadron 44 at Jacksonville Naval Air Station. On February 16, 1961, 16 miles southwest of Jacksonville NAS, he parachuted from an A4D-1 Skyhawk bomber which plunged to the ground from a low-level portion of a bombing training mission.

Pronounced 100% well, he was sent to Cuba for about three weeks, but he was killed on February 27.

He was survived by his wife, the former Catherine Leigh Byrd whom he married on July 26, 1958, and their son John, 10 months old. His parents were Sherwood and Erma who died in 1937. His four sisters were Mrs. Donald Baker, Dixie Lee (Mrs. Harold Flinchbaugh,) Delores Jean (Mrs. Donald Ware,) and Helen Griffin.

He is buried in Alabama.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook

Related Articles

Bobby Broome ‘57 and Burke Ward ‘57 were also in 10th Company.

References