MELVIN R. BUFLOD, LT, USN
Melvin Buflod '76
Lucky Bag
From the 1976 Lucky Bag:
MELVIN RAY BUFLOD
Miles City, Montana
Melvin Ray Buflod, Fun One's resident cowboy, came to Navy with saddle sores and a criminal record. As a jailed victim of felonious circumstances Skip chose the seemingly lesser of two evils (delinquency or Navy). A stud on the local track team his brief encounter with the Navy squad, left him with 30 demerits and a "loss of one weekend." After this discouraging parlay, Skip tried out and made 1st string on the Academy's newly formed crossword puzzle team.
After three useless summer cruises with "Murf the Surf" Buf has wisely decided to join the aviation community, and jointly to impose an almost total boycott on academics to prevent "Optic Regression" looking forward to a short stint with TAD in Dancing D.C. Skip will attempt to determine the relevance of shiphandling and EN200 with the cockpit of a naval aircraft.
MELVIN RAY BUFLOD
Miles City, Montana
Melvin Ray Buflod, Fun One's resident cowboy, came to Navy with saddle sores and a criminal record. As a jailed victim of felonious circumstances Skip chose the seemingly lesser of two evils (delinquency or Navy). A stud on the local track team his brief encounter with the Navy squad, left him with 30 demerits and a "loss of one weekend." After this discouraging parlay, Skip tried out and made 1st string on the Academy's newly formed crossword puzzle team.
After three useless summer cruises with "Murf the Surf" Buf has wisely decided to join the aviation community, and jointly to impose an almost total boycott on academics to prevent "Optic Regression" looking forward to a short stint with TAD in Dancing D.C. Skip will attempt to determine the relevance of shiphandling and EN200 with the cockpit of a naval aircraft.
Loss
Melvin was an instructor in a T-34C that collided with another plane on May 5, 1983.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
He went by “Skip” at Custer County High School and graduated in 1972. “B” Basketball 1, 2, 3; “B” Football 1, 2; “A” Football 2, 3, 4; Track (runner) 1, 2, 3, 4; “A” Band 1, 2; Varsity Club 2, 3, 4; Interscholastics 2; FCA -3-Secretary 4; Boys’ State 3; Co-Sports Editor of Branding Iron 4; Jr. Class President; Student Council 1, 4-President; Letter of Commendation for National Merit Test.
His Naval Academy appointment was made by Congressman John Melcher. Melvin and Cheryl’s son John Garrett was born October 5, 1981, in Pensacola.
From the September 1983 issue of Shipmate:
A native of Miles City, Montana, he was graduated from the Naval Academy with the Class of 1976, whereupon he began flight training and was designated naval aviator in December of 1977. He later served for three years with Patrol Squadron NINE before being transferred to Training Squadron TWO at NAS Whiting Field. He was serving as a flight instructor in the T-34-C at the time of the accident.
He is survived by his widow Cheryl; his mother and father, Mr. and Mrs. John E. Buflod of Miles City; and a son.
Melvin is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Photographs
All photographs from his high school yearbook.
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