JAMES B. WHITEHEAD, 1LT, USAF
James Whitehead '54
Lucky Bag
From the 1954 Lucky Bag:
James Bradford Whitehead
Coleman, Texas
Brad's drawl, quick smile, and friendly manner are well known throughout the Brigade. He is a Texas man by trade, as his bowed legs substantiate. He was a paradox to his friends, because he loved to sleep, yet get him on a lacrosse team and he became a demon. His coolness was proverbial; he has never been clutched. Brad was above average in academics but his love for the sack and women, in that order, kept his grades down to average. A true southern gentleman, he could work all day and party all night. Always the life of the party, he alternated between bartending and telling jokes. He knew more pretty girls than any one man should, but he was easily recognized by the words, "Hey, can you fix me up this weekend?"
LACROSSE—4,3,2,1. STEEPLE CHASE—4,3,2. SOCCER—4,3,2,1. PHOTO CLUB—4,3. FOREIGN LANGUAGES CLUB—4,3.
He was a member of the 9th Company staff for both winter & "third" sets.
James Bradford Whitehead
Coleman, Texas
Brad's drawl, quick smile, and friendly manner are well known throughout the Brigade. He is a Texas man by trade, as his bowed legs substantiate. He was a paradox to his friends, because he loved to sleep, yet get him on a lacrosse team and he became a demon. His coolness was proverbial; he has never been clutched. Brad was above average in academics but his love for the sack and women, in that order, kept his grades down to average. A true southern gentleman, he could work all day and party all night. Always the life of the party, he alternated between bartending and telling jokes. He knew more pretty girls than any one man should, but he was easily recognized by the words, "Hey, can you fix me up this weekend?"
LACROSSE—4,3,2,1. STEEPLE CHASE—4,3,2. SOCCER—4,3,2,1. PHOTO CLUB—4,3. FOREIGN LANGUAGES CLUB—4,3.
He was a member of the 9th Company staff for both winter & "third" sets.
Loss
Brad was lost in an aircraft accident near Ozark, Alabama on June 4, 1957.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
James was an instructor at Tyndell Air Force Base, Panama City, when the crash happened. He was to be released from military service in July.
He graduated in 1946 from Coleman High School. He entered the Navy Air Force as an enlisted man. He received a fleet appointment to the Naval Academy based on his high examination grades.
He was survived by his wife, the former Virginia Lee Smith, and they had one son, James II. She later married Don DeLude (‘60) and had another son. She died in 2018 at the age of 90. James was also survived by his parents; his sister Mrs. Archie Slaton; three brothers, Lt. Vernon Lee Whitehead on duty with the Air Force in Illinois, Harvey and Clayton; and his grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. R. V. Wright. His father was employed by Gaylord Highway Construction Company in Coleman.
James is buried in Arlington National Cemetery.
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