ALAN M. MCANENY, 1LT, USMC

Alan McAneny '52

Date of birth: May 3, 1928

Date of death: June 28, 1955

Age: 27

Lucky Bag

From the 1952 Lucky Bag:

Alan Murdock McAneny

Yonkers, New York

Hamilton College and the U.S. Marine Corps were the Duke's stepping stones to Navy. With his fine sense of humor and knack for practical jokes, Mac took plebe year in stride, as he also took trips around Thompson Stadium on the plebe track team. Many of us will never forget the appearance Vaughn Monroe presented, standing in front of the "mike" after receiving a "wild-man" from the Duke and two of his cohorts. Battles with a smoking slide rule, a broken parallel ruler, and memorizing the terms in the "Treaty of Smoltz" were the Duke's specialties. Large stacks of perfumed letters best described the Duke's success with the fairer sex.

Alan Murdock McAneny

Yonkers, New York

Hamilton College and the U.S. Marine Corps were the Duke's stepping stones to Navy. With his fine sense of humor and knack for practical jokes, Mac took plebe year in stride, as he also took trips around Thompson Stadium on the plebe track team. Many of us will never forget the appearance Vaughn Monroe presented, standing in front of the "mike" after receiving a "wild-man" from the Duke and two of his cohorts. Battles with a smoking slide rule, a broken parallel ruler, and memorizing the terms in the "Treaty of Smoltz" were the Duke's specialties. Large stacks of perfumed letters best described the Duke's success with the fairer sex.

Loss

Duke was lost when his FJ-2 Fury fighter crashed on O-Shima Island, Japan on June 28, 1955. He was participating in a major search effort to rescue two other Marines who had been drifting in the Pacific Ocean for several days.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Alan attended Sanford Preparatory School at Wilmington, Delaware, for three years and then Hamilton College for one year. He enlisted in the Marines in July, 1946, serving for two years and attaining the rank of corporal. At the Naval Academy, he ran track and played battalion football.
In the 1945 Sanford yearbook, “Most of the variety and entertainment of our class came from the eminent humorist, Mr. McAneny of Bronxville, New York. The school embued [sic] him with a keen desire and determination to succeed, on the athletic field and in the class room. His enthusiasm has been a great addition to the success of his class. He has become one of the rare store-room custodians who really cared about his job. “Mac.” Track 4; football 2, 4; basketball 2, 4; baseball 2, 4; C.A.P. Sergeant – section leader 4; V. P. Lit. Society of Mermaid Tavern 4.
In the Class History: “From out of the stations we found that Alan McAneny had come ahead to be on our train. Mac has great spirit both on and off the athletic field. His companionship has added many happy hours to our journey.” In the Class Prophecy: “Suddenly a news flash interrupted telling of the “Modern Wright Brothers,” namely Norman Tate and Alan McAneny, former “aces of the air” now experimenting with rocket ships. They were at present stranded on the moon.” In the Class Will: “To Alfred, Mac leaves his uncanny ability to construe that miraculous wave in his hair, a wave the “Spider” sorely needs. … Mac has left Bronxville and the privilege of talking about it…”
Alan served as an usher at 2nd Lieutenant John S. Degnan’s (’52) wedding on June 14, 1952.
Alan’s father Leonard was a corporation counsel, mother Pauline, sister Jean, and brother Leonard. His father-in-law was Bradley C. Barnard, publisher of the Rome, New York, Sentinel.

He was survived by his wife, Margaret, and mother. (Information from December 1955 issue of Shipmate.) He is buried in New York.