GUY D. CHAPPELL, 2LT, USMC

Guy Chappell '27

Date of birth: December 23, 1904

Date of death: June 11, 1930

Age: 25

Lucky Bag

From the 1927 Lucky Bag:

Guy DeWitt Chappell

Hot Springs, Arkansas

"Slim"

SLIM being an unduly modest person and having no inclination to talk about himself, it has been a rather hard matter to uncover much about his past.

Since his entrance into the Academy, he has built himself a reputation on a foundation of consistent success, not in only one, but in several fields of endeavor.

Although not gifted with unusual athletic ability he has, by conscientious effort and application, become in turn, crew man, hammer thrower and wrestler: and he has been recognized as one of the best in all of them. Having been witness to the study and effort which he has put forth, it is not hard to understand his inevitable upward climb.

As for academics, it should suffice to say that there are few above him. His nearly unbounded self-confidence, although at times nearly swamped by a spasmodic pessimism, always manages to survive, and this, coupled with his ambition, determination and a generous amount of common sense, ensures him success from the start.

As a friend, easy to get along with and ever ready to help in any way possible, he is liked and appreciated; as a man, mentally, morally and physically, he is respected by everyone who has had the good fortune to make his acquaintance.

Crew: Class (4, 2, 1) Class Numerals (4); Track: A Squad (3, 2, 1) Block N (2) Navy Numerals (3); Wrestling: A Squad (1) Class (2) Class Numerals (2); Class Supper Committee: (1).

Guy DeWitt Chappell

Hot Springs, Arkansas

"Slim"

SLIM being an unduly modest person and having no inclination to talk about himself, it has been a rather hard matter to uncover much about his past.

Since his entrance into the Academy, he has built himself a reputation on a foundation of consistent success, not in only one, but in several fields of endeavor.

Although not gifted with unusual athletic ability he has, by conscientious effort and application, become in turn, crew man, hammer thrower and wrestler: and he has been recognized as one of the best in all of them. Having been witness to the study and effort which he has put forth, it is not hard to understand his inevitable upward climb.

As for academics, it should suffice to say that there are few above him. His nearly unbounded self-confidence, although at times nearly swamped by a spasmodic pessimism, always manages to survive, and this, coupled with his ambition, determination and a generous amount of common sense, ensures him success from the start.

As a friend, easy to get along with and ever ready to help in any way possible, he is liked and appreciated; as a man, mentally, morally and physically, he is respected by everyone who has had the good fortune to make his acquaintance.

Crew: Class (4, 2, 1) Class Numerals (4); Track: A Squad (3, 2, 1) Block N (2) Navy Numerals (3); Wrestling: A Squad (1) Class (2) Class Numerals (2); Class Supper Committee: (1).

Loss

Guy was lost on June 11, 1930, when the plane he was piloting crashed near Quantico, Virginia.

Other Information

From researcher Kathy Franz:

Guy graduated from Hot Springs high school.
In July 1921, he attended the Citizens’ Military Training Camp at Camp Pike, Arizona. The next summer, he attended the camp at Jefferson Barracks, Missouri.
Guy was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman Chester W. Taylor.

From Find A Grave:

Guy DeWitt Chappell was born to Julia Ann Hale Chappell and Sidney Augustus Chappell on December 23, 1904.
Lieutenant Chappell was the first member of the Marine Corps of the Class of 1927 Naval Academy graduates to receive his designation in Aviation. After his completion of training he was assigned to the Quantico, Virginia, Marine base. He was one of the three Marine pilots who staged a demonstration of formation acrobatic flying in connection with Curtiss Marine Trophy races in Washington, D.C., in May 1930. He was killed in a crash June 11, 1930, at Quantico 20 minutes after reading the order of the day, "Take said plane up 5,000 feet and make a nose dive of 1,000 feet." When he leveled off a wing snapped rendering the plane unmanageable, thereby causing the crash which resulted in his death.
He was buried in Greenwood Cemetery with and brother, Clifton, in Hot Springs, Arkansas.
Guy was married to Margaret Marie Ross of Philadelphia, January 6, 1928. Born to them was a son, Guy DeWitt Chappell II.

Guy was a patrol leader during the Nicaraguan Campaign.

He earned his wings as naval aviator #3530 on October 11, 1929.

Guy is buried in Arkansas.

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.