HOWARD W. NESTER, JR., LCDR, USN
Howard Nester, Jr. '37
Lucky Bag
From the 1937 Lucky Bag:
HOWARD WALTHAM NESTER, JR.
Worcester, Massachusetts
"Howie" "Slugfest"
From behind a smoke screen laid down by one of his own pet briars, this quiet lad emerged into this land of milk and honey. A dour clansman, more familiar with the crags of Sheldrake than the rolling waves, he took to the sea like a stormy petrel the first time he felt salt spray on his face. He has followed it with enthusiasm, fighting out the frigate actions of youngster Bull during those Saturday morning sailing drills, battling the turbines, the elusive star sights, Juice P-works, the fit or rather the misfit of the white works, the cruises and the Woozes, like the rest of us.
Soccer 4, 3. Stage Gang 4, 3, 2. President, Masqueraders 1. Youngster Hop and Ring Dance Committees. Radio Club. Two Stripes.
HOWARD WALTHAM NESTER, JR.
Worcester, Massachusetts
"Howie" "Slugfest"
From behind a smoke screen laid down by one of his own pet briars, this quiet lad emerged into this land of milk and honey. A dour clansman, more familiar with the crags of Sheldrake than the rolling waves, he took to the sea like a stormy petrel the first time he felt salt spray on his face. He has followed it with enthusiasm, fighting out the frigate actions of youngster Bull during those Saturday morning sailing drills, battling the turbines, the elusive star sights, Juice P-works, the fit or rather the misfit of the white works, the cruises and the Woozes, like the rest of us.
Soccer 4, 3. Stage Gang 4, 3, 2. President, Masqueraders 1. Youngster Hop and Ring Dance Committees. Radio Club. Two Stripes.
Loss
Howard died on November 2, 1944 from wounds suffered on October 25, 1944 during the Battle off Samar. He was aboard USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE 70), though it's unclear what his role was. He was likely an aviator — he selected for flight training in 1939 — but he was not lost while flying.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
His father a major in the Air Reserve of the 1st Corps Area, brought planes up to Marstons Mills, Massachusetts, from Mitchel Field, Long Island in August 1932. He lectured on military and flying subjects with other officers. He was elected vice president of the reserve in December 1935. His mother was Ellen, and sisters were Tyrrell and Hope.
Howard's wife was listed as next of kin; he was also survived by his mother and two sisters. He is buried in New York; the interment occurred in 1949.
He is listed on the Battle of Leyte Gulf memorial in California.
Career
Howard was selected for flight training, as noted above, but the naval aviation historian Richard Leonard has been unable to find a naval aviator number for him. Howard was awarded an air medal for an action at some point prior to November 1943, but unable to find details. He was promoted to LT on January 2, 1942 and to LCDR on July 1, 1943. He was a member of ship's company aboard USS Tripoli (CVE 64) on November 20, 1943 and transferred at some unknown date to USS Fanshaw Bay (CVE 50), where he was also a member of ship's company.
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.
The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.
Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.
September 1937
January 1938
July 1938
January 1939
October 1939
LT Finley Hall '29
LT John Huntley '31
LTjg George Bellinger '32
LTjg Martin Koivisto '32
LTjg Daniel Gothie '32
LTjg Albert Major, Jr. '32
LTjg John McCormack, Jr. '33
LTjg Archibald Stone, Jr. '34
LTjg Wendell Froling '34
LT John Yoho '29 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
CAPT Paul Moret '30 (Training Squadron (VN) 3D8)
LTjg Robert Strickler '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
LTjg George Ottinger '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
LTjg Dewitt Shumway '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 1D8)
LTjg William Widhelm '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
June 1940
LT Finley Hall '29
LT Lance Massey '30
LT Charles Ostrom '30
LTjg George Bellinger '32
LTjg Martin Koivisto '32
LTjg Daniel Gothie '32
1LT Floyd Parks '34
LTjg Charles Ware '34
LTjg Jack Ferguson '35
LTjg Joel Davis, Jr. '35
LTjg Francis Maher, Jr. '35
LTjg John Powers '35
LTjg Robert Strickler '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
LT William Townsend '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
LTjg Dewitt Shumway '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 1D8)
LTjg William Widhelm '32 (Training Squadron (VN) 5D8)
November 1940
LT William Sisko '31 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 3)
LTjg Raymond Vogel, Jr. '36 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
LTjg Harold Shrider '37 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 3)
LTjg Edward O'Hare '37 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
LTjg Macdonald Thompson '37 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 3)
ENS Norman White '39 (USS Saratoga)
April 1941
LTjg Victor Gadrow '35 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
LTjg Harold Shrider '37 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 3)
LTjg Patrick Hart '37 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 3)
LTjg Edward O'Hare '37 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
LTjg Macdonald Thompson '37 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 3)
ENS Curtis Howard '38 (Torpedo Squadron (VT) 3)
ENS Marion Dufilho '38 (Fighting Squadron (VF) 3)
ENS William Brady '38 (Scouting Squadron (VS) 3)
ENS Norman White '39 (USS Saratoga)
Other
The Navy was looking for Howard's widow in March 1948 for the posthumous award of his Bronze Star. They had resided in Coronado at some point during the war.
His officer's sword was listed for sale on eBay in September 2017.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
