ANDREW A. RASMUSSEN, LCDR, USNR
Andrew Rasmussen '68
Lucky Bag
From the 1968 Lucky Bag:
ANDREW ANTHONY RASMUSSEN
Andy — better known as "Drew" came to us at Mother B from his mothers loving arms at the tender age of seventeen. With a background of high school athletics (3 sport letterman), ASB President, and outstanding academics, Drew was not about to let his age bother him.
His quick wit and tremendous personality made him one of the best liked and respected members of his class. When elected class Vice-President youngster year, Andy did much to help both his classmates and school.
Yet Andy's biggest struggle was not on the varsity football field or any other normal activity. His toughest battle was an hourly struggle with the pad monster, one which he was forever losing.
With his many outstanding qualities and great leadership potential, Andy is certain to have a very promising career with the Navy.
ANDREW ANTHONY RASMUSSEN
Andy — better known as "Drew" came to us at Mother B from his mothers loving arms at the tender age of seventeen. With a background of high school athletics (3 sport letterman), ASB President, and outstanding academics, Drew was not about to let his age bother him.
His quick wit and tremendous personality made him one of the best liked and respected members of his class. When elected class Vice-President youngster year, Andy did much to help both his classmates and school.
Yet Andy's biggest struggle was not on the varsity football field or any other normal activity. His toughest battle was an hourly struggle with the pad monster, one which he was forever losing.
With his many outstanding qualities and great leadership potential, Andy is certain to have a very promising career with the Navy.
Loss
Andrew was lost on March 16, 1985 when the F/A-18 he was piloting crashed into a shallow lake in Nevada. He was engaged in a practice strike, flying from Fallon NAS, Nevada, in an aircraft that was assigned to Strike Fighter Squadron (VFA) 125.
From The Lemoore Advance on March 21, 1985:
A selected air reserve pilot from Evergreen, Colo., Rasmussen was on annual active duty with VFA-303. The squadron is the only reserve unit to fly the FA-18 —an effort by Navy Secretary John Lehman to modernize the reserve forces— although the Golden Hawks have yet to take actual possession of a Hornet. The aircraft involved in the crash was assigned to VFA-125, the Hornet training unit based at Lemoore.
VFA-303, flying the A-7B Corsair at Alameda NAS until moving to Lemoore in January of 1984, includes four full-time reserve officers and 11 selected air reservist pilots. Because of the delay in receiving the Hornet tire Golden Hawks have trained with VFA-125.
The squadron has been operating as a unit at LNAS and Fallon this month.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
The final decision about his death was that Andrew became disoriented seconds before he crashed -- attributed to losing “situational awareness” while on a practice bombing run. In civilian life, he was an insurance agent.
His parents were Mrs. and Mrs. Eric Rasmussen. He graduated from Fresno High School in 1964. He was sophomore class president, junior class president, student body president, and belonged to the Senate. He was a delegate to California Boys State for the American Legion and was a member of the varsity football, basketball and swimming teams. Along with 11 others, he was awarded membership in Service “F” for outstanding participation and citizenship in school activities. As a sophomore, he was an officer in the Latin Club. His father taught U.S. History at the high school. He was honored as an outstanding youth by the California Junior Chamber of Commerce at a dinner on June 30 and won a $350 scholarship award.
At the Naval Academy, he also was in the Foreign Relations Club, the Russian Club, and on the Honor Committee.
In August 1970, he completed the basic jet training course at Forest Sherman Field at Pensacola which included four arrested carrier landings and four catapult take-offs from the deck of the carrier Lexington.
Andy continued to play football with former Navy teammates, including Roger Staubach '65, while stationed at Pensacola with the Pensacola Goshawks, the base team that played other military teams and a few southern colleges.
He is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
Obituary
From the June 1985 issue of Shipmate:
Cdr. Andrew A. Rasmussen USNR died in a military plane crash at Fallon Air Force Base, Nevada, on 16 March 1985. He was on active duty for training at the time.
Born in Canton, Illinois, he was appointed to the Naval Academy from the State of California and graduated with the Class of 1968.
He won his wings as a Naval Aviator in 1970 and flew F-9's with VT-25 at Chase Field, Texas. Later, he flew F-4's with VF-92 from the carrier Constellation and also at NAS Miramar, Calf. His final tour on active duty was with VC-7, also at Miramar, flying A-4's.
Leaving active duty in December 1976 as a lieutenant, he flew 727's for American Airlines out of New York City. He was a member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association.
Andrew was survived by his wife Julie; a stepson, Chad Turner of Colorado; two stepdaughters, Stacey and Tina Turner, both of Colorado; parents Anne & Eric Rasmussen, of Fresno; two brothers, Sam Rasmussen of San Diego and Mike Rasmussen of Berkeley; and two sisters, Mira A. and Susan Rasmussen, both of San Diego according his Fresno Bee obituary.
Photographs
All three photographs are from his high school yearbook.
Memorial Hall Error
Andrew was a member of the Navy Reserve at the time of his loss; Memorial Hall has USN.
Andrew is one of 29 members of the Class of 1968 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
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