PATRICK K. INGLIS, LTJG, USN
Patrick Inglis '80
Lucky Bag
From the 1980 Lucky Bag:
PATRICK KELLY INGLIS
What can you say about someone from Linthicum, MD., everyone's favorite city? Ping arrived at USNA after practicing for a year at NAPS and immediately made use of his prior military experience by managing to catch mono during plebe summer. A staunch believer in hard work, Pat's philosophy paid off in academics where he managed to do well especially when weekends were at stake. Weekends gave Pat an opportunity to display his talent as a tour guide. Who else could show you such rare sights as Seven Hills, Belmont Cemetery and the Haunted Tunnel? For those who believe uniform races serve no purpose Pat is living proof to the contrary as on numerous occasions he managed to throw off civies, shave and shower, get into SDB's and run down to formation and inspect the plebe who was giving the 5 minute call when he came in. Two summer cruises have convinced Ping to opt for the less exciting life of a Navy pilot. For the mid who has everything including a Corvette, a super O.A.O.-Snoop, the only thing missing are wings of gold!
PATRICK KELLY INGLIS
What can you say about someone from Linthicum, MD., everyone's favorite city? Ping arrived at USNA after practicing for a year at NAPS and immediately made use of his prior military experience by managing to catch mono during plebe summer. A staunch believer in hard work, Pat's philosophy paid off in academics where he managed to do well especially when weekends were at stake. Weekends gave Pat an opportunity to display his talent as a tour guide. Who else could show you such rare sights as Seven Hills, Belmont Cemetery and the Haunted Tunnel? For those who believe uniform races serve no purpose Pat is living proof to the contrary as on numerous occasions he managed to throw off civies, shave and shower, get into SDB's and run down to formation and inspect the plebe who was giving the 5 minute call when he came in. Two summer cruises have convinced Ping to opt for the less exciting life of a Navy pilot. For the mid who has everything including a Corvette, a super O.A.O.-Snoop, the only thing missing are wings of gold!
Loss
Pat was lost on May 22, 1983 when the A-6E Intruder he was piloting stalled at a low altitude and crashed near a Soviet aircraft carrier. He was attached to VA-65 operating from USS Eisenhower in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea. His bombardier/navigator, LCDR John Austin, was also killed.
From Pat's brother, Chris (USAFA '76), on June 24, 2020:
Pat’s death has always been referred to as a “training accident” but both the facts-and-circumstances report and a separate safety investigation (I have copies of each) clearly depict the mission as an operational reconnaissance mission - one that was diverted from a planned training mission to the task of surveilling a Soviet task force operating outside the visible range of the Eisenhower task force. Pat’s plane went down alongside the Soviet aircraft carrier, the Novorrossiysk. Witness testimony and pictures taken by the other A6 in Pat’s formation that day document the mission tasking and show the Soviet task force and Pat’s plane, immediately before and after the accident.
Shipmate
From the July/August 1983 issue of Shipmate:
Lt. (jg) Patrick Kelley Inglis USN was killed in an aircraft accident in the Mediterranean on 22 May 1983 when his A-6 aircraft was lost at sea. He was flying from EISENHOWER at the time of the fatality. A memorial service was held at the Naval Air Station, Oceana, on 26 May, and a Mass of Resurrection was celebrated at the Naval Academy Chapel on 29 May.
Appointed to the Naval Academy from the State of Maryland, he was graduated with the Class of 1980. As a midshipman he had played lacrosse for two years, was a company commander in his first class year, and was named to Sigma Iota Epsilon, the honor society for resource-management majors. He had attended the Naval Academy Preparatory School prior to receiving his nomination to the Academy.
Flight training followed graduation, and he had been stationed at Pensacola, Chase Field in Texas, and Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach. He was designated a naval aviator in 1982, and he reported to Attack Squadron 65 in April 1983 as power plants branch officer. He was a life member of the Naval Academy Alumni Association.
He is survived by his widow Valerie, 1407 Doe Court, Virginia Beach VA 23464; his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Robert L. Inglis Sr. of Linthicum Heights, Maryland; two brothers including Capt. John Inglis USAF '76, stationed at the Naval Academy, and three sisters; and his maternal grandparents. The family has suggested that memorial contributions be made to the Naval Academy Alumni Association, 247 King George St., Annapolis MD 21402.
Patrick has a memorial marker at Arlington National Cemetery.
Remembrances
From Pat's brother, Chris (USAFA '76), on August 9, 2020:
- Raised in Linthicum, MD as the 4th child of 6. His father (Robert) was a foot soldier in the 3rd Army and earned the Silver Star in Europe. Pat's Dad and Mom (Kathleen) are buried at Arlington about 50 yards from Pat's memorial stone (Pat's remains were never recovered)
- Pat described himself as a late bloomer ... good at sports but late to his academics. When he caught fire in his senior year of high school he did extremely well but found the prep school as the right path to the Academy where he never looked back
- Pat attended the USNA Prep School (1975-1976) and played varsity Lacrosse at USNA for his first two years. He was very outgoing and typically took a carload of his classmates home to Linthicum for home cooking and laundry every weekend that liberty was granted throughout his time on the Yard.
- He was in 3rd Company all 4 years and served as the winter Company Commander in 1979-1980. He dated his HS sweetheart, Valerie Milewski, all through USNA and they married in the chapel in January 1981
- Pat went to pilot training straight out of USNA and was selected for A6's
- He reported aboard the Ike (VA65) in March 1983 and immediately deployed for the Med
- While on a 2-ship reconn of a Soviet taskforce on 22 May 1983, his aircraft went down alongside a Soviet aircraft carrier ... no remains were ever recovered from the site.
- Pat is remembered each spring through an award to the Midshipman graduating first in the Class, "The LTJG Patrick K Inglis, USN Memorial Award"
Chris also provided the photos and captions below.
Pat in 1964
Pat and his fiance, Valerie Milewski, at the USNA Ring Dance, 1979
Pat and his fiance, Valerie Milewski, at the USNA Ring Dance, 1979
Pat presiding over a Dining out for 3 Company, January 1980, with CAPT Richard Stratton, USN as the guest speaker (he was a vietnam POW from 1967-1973)
Pat and Valerie on their wedding Day in USNA Chapel, January 1981
Pat, back left, with his family.
Pat piloting his A6 on 22 May 1983 just before going down alongside the ship shown in the background (Soviet carrier Novorossiysk) (The lead aircraft in the flight took this picture...)
Career
From The Evening Sun on May 27, 1983:
After his graduation, Lieutenant Inglis received his pilot training at Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida, Chase Field Naval Air Station in Texas and Oceana Naval Air Station in Virginia Beach.
He was assigned to a squadron aboard the Eisenhower when it sailed for the Mediterranean in April.
Memorials
The United States Naval Academy lists the "LTJG Patrick K. Inglis, USN, Memorial Award" as one of the Academy-wide prizes and awards.
His family funded a plaque in his memory that will be installed in the Naval Academy chapel in early 2022.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
