JOHN D. MURCHISON, JR., ENS, USNR
John Murchison, Jr. '45
John Darrach Murchison, Jr. was admitted to the Naval Academy from California on June 27, 1941 at age 20 years 5 months. He resigned on February 11, 1943, with the note: "Deficient in studies. Reexamined and again deficient. Recommended to be dropped. Permitted to resign."
Lucky Bag
John Darrach Murchison, Jr. is listed among those classmates who did not graduate in June 1944 with the Class of 1945.
Photographs
Midshipman 4/c Murchison in the 1943 Lucky Bag
From his high school yearbook
Loss
From the April 1947 issue of Shipmate:
JOHN DARRACH MURCHISON, JR. '45, (Ens. USN). Died on 31 December 1946 as a result of a plane crash during snowstorm near Rehoboth Beach, Delaware.
He and four others were flying from Quonset Naval Air Station on their way to Norfolk; they were members of Bombing Squadron (VB) 82.
Other Information
John was survived by his parents.
In the March 1945 issue of Shipmate: "JOHN MURCHISON, '45, writes from 2725 Prince Street, Apt No. 3, Berkeley 5, California: "I am now an aviation cadet finishing my primary training at Glenview. I expect to be transferred to Corpus Christi for my intermediate and advanced training within the next month (Feb.) J. S. MAYO, also of '45, is still a classmate of mine in this program.""
In the February 1946 issue: "JOHN D. MURCHISON, JR., '45, (Ens., USNR), gives his latest change of address as Box 30, JOQ, USNAS, Fort Lauderdale, Fla. and reports: "I am still struggling through operational training in TBM's. There are several here from '44 and even a few of the recent Lt Comdr.'s from '42. "My old roommate, Dick Duckett, who left '45 about a year before I did, is now married and a full Lieutenant serving as a landing signal officer under CQTU, Quonset, R. I. He had his sea duty in SB2C's."
In the June 1946 issue: "JOHN D. MURCHISON, (Ens. USNR) gives his duty address as VB 82, c/o FPO, New York, N.Y."
The Sacramento Bee reported he was born in San Francisco and attended the University of California before attending the Naval Academy. It also reported "he received a commission in the regular navy several weeks ago."
From researcher Kathy Franz:
John went by Darrach in his youth. When Boy Scout Troop 21 was reorganized in January 1935, he was named as leader of the Cobra patrol.
He attended Marysville elementary school and graduated in 1939 from University high school at Berkeley. Member of water polo team. L12 Vice-President, H11 Class Council, Boys’ League Advisory Board, Election Committee, Social Affairs, Crew. He then attended the University of California.
John was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman John H. Tolan.
In August 1944, his brother Craig graduated from the naval aviation ordnance school in Norman, Oklahoma, with a rating of seaman first class.
John was a descendant of an early Sutter County family dating from 1876. His grandfather John was born on Prince Edward Island in 1848, and at age 19, he went to sea for eight years. The last four years, he served as chief officer of the ship Midas.
Mother was Leora O, an apartment manager. Both John and his brother have their birth records online with mother's maiden name Olson.
John's Find A Grave page is here.
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