USMMA Graduates Killed in Action or Similar Circumstances

The following Kings Pointers gave their life for their country after World War II either in combat or during attacks on the United States. They are listed by name, military rank/merchant marine position and Class Year.

 Killed in Action on August 23, 1968 when his ship was mined by at Viet Cong swimmer the Saigon River. The limpet mine was attached on the hull adjacent to the Engine Room. When the mine exploded, he lost his life along with the other engineers on duty. 

Killed on September 11, 2001 when terrorists flew a commercial jet liner into

the South Tower of the World Trade Center, New York City. He worked for Aon Corporation

(Insurance) on the ninety-ninth floor.

 Killed in Action on November 25, 2010, while leading his Marines of Second Platoon, Kilo Company, Third Battalion, Fifth Marine Infantry Regiment, on a dismounted infantry operation in Helmand Province, Afghanistan. 

Killed on September 11, 2001 when terrorists flew a commercial jet liner into the

South Tower of the World Trade Center, New York City. He worked for Aon Corporation (Insurance) on the ninety-eighth floor. The U.S. Coast Guard Station at USMMA, Kings

Point, New York, was named in his honor in 2003.

Killed in Action on August 1, 1967, while assigned as air liaison officer to the Third
Battalion, Republic of Korea Marine Corps. While he and his men were coordinating air
support to the Korean Marines, he was killed when his armored personnel carrier struck a
mine. Lavish had survived 151 missions in F-4 Phantoms over Vietnam and had been selected for promotion to major

 Killed in Action on March 21, 2005while he was leading his platoon of the Seventy-Third Combat Engineer Company on a search for roadside explosive devices in Iraq. One of the devices exploded, mortally wounding him. Although he survived the explosion, he died of his wounds at the U.S. Army Hospital, Landstuhl, Germany. 

 Killed in Action On March 27, 2009, while assigned as the Garrison Engineer, Combined Security Transition Team Camp Shaheen, Afghanistan. While running with a group of other naval officers, the group was taken under fire by an Afghan dissident. Lieutenant Toner distracted the shooter by offering himself as a target, thereby saving all but one female officer in the group at the cost of his own life. 

Killed on August 8, 1992  in a aviation training mishap during Operation Desert Storm. While flying with HMLA 367 in an AH1W helicopter he was wearing night vision goggles over the dunes of Kuwait during a training mission. He and his copilot were killed when their aircraft crashed. His remains lie in the Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego, California.

Killed on March 14, 1962 when his F3H “Demon” fighter crashed on he deck of USS Hancock (CVA 19) and was lost overboard.

Killed on February 28, 1955 while leading a flight of two F9F-8 “Cougar” fighters his aircraft suffered a catastrophic failure and he attempted to eject from the aircraft. Due to failure of the ejection seat he attempted to bail out manually and died in the attempt.

Died on September 23, 2002, during pre-Naval Flight School training when the four-seat Piper “Cherokee” he was piloting on his solo flight crashed between a tree and a house in

E. Milton, Florida.

Killed on February 28, 1978 when the TH-1L Bell “Iroquois” helicopter trainer he was flying exploded Bay Minette, Alabama, killing all onboard. His Commanding Officer awarded his wings posthumously.

Died on March 24, 1991 of injuries sustained in a vehicle collision during Operation Desert Storm. His was the first death of a naval reservist recalled to Active Duty in Operation Desert Storm.

Killed on December 26, 1969, during the Vietnam War, while attempting to save the vessel from aerial bombs that were loose in the ship’s holds, in extremely rough seas while en route to Vietnam. The vessel ultimately sank from exploding bombs. Only fourteen crew members survived.

Killed on February 12, 1964 while in training for a deployment to the Western Pacific

in a Navy F-4 “Phantom II”, when his ejection seat failed at low altitude during a low altitude rollover combat maneuver.

Died on December 17, 1952 when the F-94B all-weather fighter interceptor he was flying hit the ground while attempting a landing at Elmendorf AFB, Anchorage, Alaska.

Died on August 28, 2007 while assigned Carrier Airborne Early Warning Squadron

120 (VAW 120). During carrier qualification training on USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) the E-2C “Hawkeye” he was piloting crashed into the Atlantic Ocean. Smith and the other two crew members perished.

Died on April 15, 1992 while assigned as an Instructor Pilot to Training Squadron 4 (VT-4). While practicing takeoffs from the USS Forrestal (CV-59), the T-2C “Buckeye” trainer in which Waterbury was an instructor pilot crashed immediately after takeoff. Waterbury ejected, but his body was not found.

Was killed on February 28, 1966 when the T-38 jet trainer that he and Astronaut Charles Bassett were crashed into Building 101 at the McDonnell Space Center, adjacent to the Lambert Field Airport in St. Louis, Missouri during low visibility. The two astronauts were going to train in a Gemini spacecraft simulator. See was a member of the 1962 NASA Group 2 and acted as backup pilot for Gemini 5. He was in line to fly as prime crew pilot for Gemini 8 but was promoted to be command pilot of Gemini 9.