MARCUS ERWIN, JR., ENS, USN
Marcus Erwin, Jr. '23
Lucky Bag
From the 1923 Lucky Bag:
Marcus Erwin, Jr.
Asheville, North Carolina
"Mark" "Jo-jo" "Marki"
MARK—get that name. Link it up with Anthony, Twain, Hanna, and Erwin. All great men, either politicians or slingers of the omnipotent language; and the last is not the least.
When the old gang gets together and Mark gets started on some of his "experiences," stand by for some real entertainment. He is better than the "Cosmo," and more versatile. Dronnegan and night blooming hibiscus bushes are favorite topics, but his repertoire is limited by neither time nor space.
The Academics have not bothered our Mark much either one way or the other. He spends his time persuading his roommates to make trips to the tailor for him, getting on the athletic excused list, and figuring on what he will do with his next drag. Mark confines his athletics to football, wrestling, track and drags. In the first three he goes out for class teams, but in the last is where he really gets the class.
"Oh, Mr. Erwin, this is the first dance I've really enjoyed all this evening."
Class Football (4, 3, 2); Class Track (3, 2); Class Gym (2).
Marcus Erwin, Jr.
Asheville, North Carolina
"Mark" "Jo-jo" "Marki"
MARK—get that name. Link it up with Anthony, Twain, Hanna, and Erwin. All great men, either politicians or slingers of the omnipotent language; and the last is not the least.
When the old gang gets together and Mark gets started on some of his "experiences," stand by for some real entertainment. He is better than the "Cosmo," and more versatile. Dronnegan and night blooming hibiscus bushes are favorite topics, but his repertoire is limited by neither time nor space.
The Academics have not bothered our Mark much either one way or the other. He spends his time persuading his roommates to make trips to the tailor for him, getting on the athletic excused list, and figuring on what he will do with his next drag. Mark confines his athletics to football, wrestling, track and drags. In the first three he goes out for class teams, but in the last is where he really gets the class.
"Oh, Mr. Erwin, this is the first dance I've really enjoyed all this evening."
Class Football (4, 3, 2); Class Track (3, 2); Class Gym (2).
Loss
Marcus was lost on June 12, 1924 when USS Mississippi (BB 41)'s No. 2 turret exploded during gunnery practice off the coast of California.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
In 1919, Marcus graduated from Asheville high school. His school was no longer used after 1923 and was eventually torn down.
While he was at the Naval Academy, his sister Katherine would visit a friend in Washington, D. C., and spend weekends at the Naval Academy.
In June, 12, 1924, Marcus was gun observer directly beneath gun No. 4. A sailor called for the electricity to be turned on for the charge before the breech was locked, and an explosion happened. Marcus and another sailor sprang from the pit and dashed for the hatch. Marcus and two sailors reached the hatch at the same instant. Marcus drew back and said, “All right! Go ahead!” The two sailors survived the explosion.
Marcus’ family was first notified of his death by a telegram from Marcus’ close friend Church Chappell (‘23.) Chappell escorted Marcus’ body to North Carolina by train.
At the time of Marcus’ death, his father, an attorney, had just been elected as the Democratic nominee of Buncombe county for the lower house of the general assembly in North Carolina. He previously had served as a state senator.
According to his great uncle, Marcus was contemplating applying for a Rhodes scholarship to Oxford, England, and getting leave from the Navy. Marcus was also under orders to transfer to the Torpedo Boat Kidder.
Marcus’ sisters were Katherine, Virginia, Mary, Sarah and Sue.
He is buried in California, the inscription on his headstone: "Ensign Marcus Erwin, Son of Marcus Erwin and Susan Hall Erwin met his death at his post of duty on USS Mississippi. He gave his life that others might live. A loving obedient son, a brave patriotic officer. U.S.N." He was survived by his parents and two sisters.
Photographs
From the Asheville Citizen Times on June 22, 1924
Related Articles
Thomas Zellars '21 and William McCrea '22 were also lost in this explosion.
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.
July 1923
September 1923
November 1923
January 1924
March 1924
May 1924
Marcus is one of 25 members of the Class of 1923 on Virtual Memorial Hall.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
