NORMAN M. SASSI, LT, USN
Norman Sassi '54
Lucky Bag
From the 1954 Lucky Bag:
Norman Martin Sassi
Barre, Vermont
Norm, Sass, Sassmoe, Scaramouche—he answers to all—left his O.A.O. and skis in the mountains of Vermont when he wandered down Navy way. He found existence under the Executive Department very much in contrast with fraternity life at Middlebury; in fact, there were no similarities at all. Football weekends did provide him with a few little diversions. Making weight for 150 football was always a struggle. His average game time weight was 154.96 pounds. Norm changed with the seasons—a bag of bones in the fall, a butter ball in winter and spring. With a cigar in one hand and his slide rule in the other Norm breezed his way through academics. His radiant personality and his constant smile will win Sass many friends wherever he goes.
FOOTBALL—4,3. WATER POLO—4,3. SOFTBALL—1. FIELDBALL—3,2,1. VARSITY N CLUB—2,1. FOREIGN LANGUAGES CLUB—4,3,2,1.VARSITY: 150 LB. FOOTBALL—2.
Norman Martin Sassi
Barre, Vermont
Norm, Sass, Sassmoe, Scaramouche—he answers to all—left his O.A.O. and skis in the mountains of Vermont when he wandered down Navy way. He found existence under the Executive Department very much in contrast with fraternity life at Middlebury; in fact, there were no similarities at all. Football weekends did provide him with a few little diversions. Making weight for 150 football was always a struggle. His average game time weight was 154.96 pounds. Norm changed with the seasons—a bag of bones in the fall, a butter ball in winter and spring. With a cigar in one hand and his slide rule in the other Norm breezed his way through academics. His radiant personality and his constant smile will win Sass many friends wherever he goes.
FOOTBALL—4,3. WATER POLO—4,3. SOFTBALL—1. FIELDBALL—3,2,1. VARSITY N CLUB—2,1. FOREIGN LANGUAGES CLUB—4,3,2,1.VARSITY: 150 LB. FOOTBALL—2.
Loss
Norm was lost when his AD-5W Skyraider crashed on July 23, 1959 off the cost of Virginia. (Information from Class of 1954 via email on June 8, 2017.) He has a memory marker in Vermont with the inscription "lost at sea."
From VAW 12 Newsletter:
LT Norman Martin Sassi Engine failure or fully deflected rudder jam on cat shot USS Valley Forge 1959. Did his plane make a sharp right turn and stall in? A Norman Michael Sassi, age about 40-45 according to his secretary, who I reached by phone, used to receive our newsletter at Bracken Rd in Montgomery, NY 12549 He is perhaps a nephew or cousin? Norm’s kids were Patricia Jayne b. 10/19/55 & twins Andrea Lynn & Michael Alexander b. 6/29/57. His widow was Beverly. There was no posthumous son. (LTJG Martin Kennedy & AE2 C. A. Batchelor died too.)
LT Norman M. Sassi was a greatly respected pilot. I never heard any criticism of his ability…
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