JEFFREY D. STANLEY, LT, USN
Jeffrey Stanley '70
Lucky Bag
From the 1970 Lucky Bag:
JEFFREY DEAN STANLEY
Lemoore, California
Coming to the Severn Shores from somewhere in California called "Lemoore," Jeff never encountered problems in adapting to the rigors of military life ... he never adapted. During his four-year stay at Navy, his sporting activities varied from plebe swimming team, to varsity sailing, and finally to varsity pad-man and two-letter restrictee. Jeff was never one to ignore a female form of any description, a trait which was to cause considerable discussion among his numerous friends. His thirst for brew, likewise of any description, was equally insatiable. Jeff occasionally made the mistake of mixing wine and women, which led him on a fiery trail that was entertaining to all but equalled by none. With some aid from a condescending Commandant, and a liberal Academic Board, Jeff will travel to Pensacola to earn his wings of gold.
JEFFREY DEAN STANLEY
Lemoore, California
Coming to the Severn Shores from somewhere in California called "Lemoore," Jeff never encountered problems in adapting to the rigors of military life ... he never adapted. During his four-year stay at Navy, his sporting activities varied from plebe swimming team, to varsity sailing, and finally to varsity pad-man and two-letter restrictee. Jeff was never one to ignore a female form of any description, a trait which was to cause considerable discussion among his numerous friends. His thirst for brew, likewise of any description, was equally insatiable. Jeff occasionally made the mistake of mixing wine and women, which led him on a fiery trail that was entertaining to all but equalled by none. With some aid from a condescending Commandant, and a liberal Academic Board, Jeff will travel to Pensacola to earn his wings of gold.
Loss
From Class of 1970 40th Reunion Book: A native of Lemoore, California, Jeff went Navy Air after graduation. Flying an A-4, Jeff was killed in a mid-air training accident near San Diego in November 1974. He left a wife, Sally, who was pregnant at the time.
Other Information
From San Bernardino County Sun on November 22, 1974:
SAN DIEGO (AP) - The pilot son of a California mayor was given up for dead yesterday after his Navy jet and another collided 16,000 feet over the Pacific Ocean. A search for Lt. Jeffrey D. Stanley, 26, by air and ship crews lasted 20 hours and covered 200 miles. Stanley, son of Mayor Lee Stanley of Lemoore, was alone in an A4C Skyhawk returning to Miramar Naval Air Station. The collision involved one of two F4J Phantom jets headed out for the Pacific Missile Range northwest of San Diego. Both occupants of the F4J ejected and were plucked from the water 35 miles from San Diego.
From Skyhawk Association:
Lt. Jeffery D. Stanley was missing after his A-4C BuNo 148553 collided mid-air with a F-4 Phantom over the Pacific, 35 miles from San Diego while enroute from Miramar to the Pacific Missile Test Center. F-4 Phantom pilot Lt. Russel Owen and RIO CWO Richmond Staples were rescued.
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Jeffrey graduated in 1966 from Lemoore Union High School. Member of L Association, California Scholarship Federation, the swimming and football teams, treasurer of the science club, and president of the Newman Club.
He was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman Harlan Hagen. In June 1968, he was selected to be on the Severn Star for the 5-day Newport-Bermuda race. A 57-foot ocean-racing yacht, the Severn Star was a two-masted aluminum yawl-rigged craft donated to the Naval Academy in 1967. The other Navy yacht entered was the Maredea. Jeffrey was a member on the varsity intercollegiate dinghy racing team and the Flying Dutchman Olympic Class Racing Team. He also sailed on yawls, competing in the John F. Kennedy Memorial Regatta at Annapolis.
On July 3, 1971, he married the former Sara Patrick. He earned the wings of a naval aviator in May, 1972.
He was attached to the Fleet Composite Squadron Seven at Miramar. He was also survived by two sisters, Kathy and Susan.
Timothy's Find A Grave page is here; his ashes were released into the Gulf of Mexico off Pensacola Beach.
Photographs
From The Hanford Sentinel on March 1, 1966
From The Lemoore Advance on June 20, 1968
From The Hanford Sentinel on November 23, 1974
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