ROBERT B. BRADLEY, ENS, USN
Robert Bradley '64
Lucky Bag
From the 1964 Lucky Bag:
ROBERT BRYAN BRADLEY
Lebanon, Tennessee
H. Dog
21st Company
Born and raised in the midlands of Tennessee, Bob brought to the Academy a hardy rebel outlook and zest for life. Plebe year came and went and Bob weathered it with more ease than the rest of us. After the trials and tribulations of Plebe year, the other three years proved to be easy going for him. The football games resulted in the inevitable parties and Bob could usually be found right in the middle of the action. Never serious about one particular girl, he was always available for any one of them. Academics and sports were two fields in which he was always able to do well. Though never on the "Supt's List", he was never more than a few points away. As for his thoughts about a career, there has only been one and that is Navy Air.
ROBERT BRYAN BRADLEY
Lebanon, Tennessee
H. Dog
21st Company
Born and raised in the midlands of Tennessee, Bob brought to the Academy a hardy rebel outlook and zest for life. Plebe year came and went and Bob weathered it with more ease than the rest of us. After the trials and tribulations of Plebe year, the other three years proved to be easy going for him. The football games resulted in the inevitable parties and Bob could usually be found right in the middle of the action. Never serious about one particular girl, he was always available for any one of them. Academics and sports were two fields in which he was always able to do well. Though never on the "Supt's List", he was never more than a few points away. As for his thoughts about a career, there has only been one and that is Navy Air.
Loss
Bob was lost when his F4 Phantom II crashed into the Atlantic on July 31, 1965 about 40 miles northeast of Cape Hatteras, NC. He was the radar intercept officer; his pilot was also lost.
From the October 1965 issue of Shipmate:
Ens. Robert B. Bradley, USN, a 1964 graduate of the Naval Academy, was reported missing on 31 July, and reported dead on 4 Aug., in a military aircraft accident off the carrier USS ENTERPRISE in the Atlantic. He was born in Lebanon, Tenn.
Ens. Bradley, the radar intercept officer, with the pilot, Lt. (jg) Owen Martin, USN, of Fighter Squadron 101 at Key West, Fla., were assigned to the carrier for about a week of training. Their F4B Phantom II Jet failed to return to the ship following a routine flight.
Survivors include his parents, Mr. and Mrs. Leonard Keelon Bradley of Lebanon, Tenn., and a brother, Leonard K. Bradley, Jr., of Knoxville.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
Parents: Lt. Col and Mrs. Leonard K. Bradley. His father was headmaster at Castle Heights Military Academy. Robert was an honor graduate from there in 1960. Called the “Headmaster’s Son,” he entered in 1956. Pvt., Co. “C”, 1; Cpl., 2; Sfc., 3; Capt., 4; Best Drilled Platoon, 1, 2; Best Drilled Squad, 2; Zero Demerits, 1, 2, 3, 4; Heights “Y”, 2, 3; President, 4; NHS, 2, 3; President, 4; RTC, 4; President, 4; Monogram Club, 2, 3, Secretary 4; Class Treasurer, 3, 4; THE ADJUTANT, 4; Cross Country, 2, 3; Co-captain 4; Wrestling, 2, 3, 4; Baseball, 2, 3, 4; Outstanding Freshman; Outstanding Sophomore; Junior Honor Star.
Robert has a memory marker in Tennessee.
Photographs
Robert as company commander, center front
From his high school yearbook
From his high school yearbook
Robert as a Midshipman, from The Tennessean on August 2, 1965
Related Articles
William Kurlak '64 was also in 21st Company.
Robert is one of 25 members of the Class of 1964 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.
