ROBERT F. BERG, LCDR, USNR

Robert Berg '56

Date of birth: September 23, 1934

Date of death: September 9, 1970

Age: 35

Lucky Bag

From the 1956 Lucky Bag:

ROBERT FRED BERG

Amarillo, Texas

Hailing from the Lone Star State, Bob journeyed 2000 miles to join the Brigade in June of '52. Plebe summer found him taking to the Navy shells in an effort to make the crew team, for he was to spend many days, literally, on the Severn. Soccer vied with crew for his afternoon time, as he was always needed on the team. Sports, however, did not keep Bob from constantly teaching plebes the merits of Texas. Frequent trips to the Steerage, and letters to the girl were other favorite activities. But whatever Bob did, he did with a smile and an encouraging word.

ROBERT FRED BERG

Amarillo, Texas

Hailing from the Lone Star State, Bob journeyed 2000 miles to join the Brigade in June of '52. Plebe summer found him taking to the Navy shells in an effort to make the crew team, for he was to spend many days, literally, on the Severn. Soccer vied with crew for his afternoon time, as he was always needed on the team. Sports, however, did not keep Bob from constantly teaching plebes the merits of Texas. Frequent trips to the Steerage, and letters to the girl were other favorite activities. But whatever Bob did, he did with a smile and an encouraging word.

Obituary

From USNA '56:

Bob was born and raised in Amarillo, Texas. He came to the Naval Academy directly from high school. After graduation Bob went into Navy Air and received his wings of gold in Kingsville, Texas after completing the single engine jet training program. He then spent a tour in a FJ fighter squadron on the East Coast.
In 1960 Bob left the active duty Navy and took a job with TWA as a pilot-flight engineer based in New York City. He maintained his Navy affiliation by joining a reserve fighter squadron based at Willow Grove, Pennsylvania. Bob was recalled with his reserve squadron to active duty in January 1968 during the Pueblo crisis. Upon release from active duty Bob gravitated to Texas where he became employed as an engineer for the Aeronautics Division of Ling-Tempco-Vought in Dallas. He also joined a Naval Reserve fighter squadron flying F-8's out of Naval Air Station, Dallas. On 9 September 1970 Bob departed NAS Dallas on a night training mission in a F-8, and did not return. He was found in aircraft wreckage near Turkey, Texas. It is believed bad weather was the main factor in the aircraft accident.
At the time of his death Bob was survived by his wife Judy, two stepchildren Charles and Stephanie, and three children, Robert, Stephen, and Diane from a previous marriage.

He is buried in Texas.

Shipmate

From the December 1970 issue of Shipmate:

ROBERT FRED BERG '56
LCdr. Robert Fred Berg, USNR-R, died as the result of an aircraft accident near Turkey, Tx., on 9 September. Funeral services were held in Parkview Baptist Church, Arlington, Tx. Burial was in nearby Moore Memorial Gardens.
Cdr. Berg, a native of Amarillo, Tx., was a 1956 graduate of the Naval Academy. He completed flight training at Pensacola and Kingsville, Tx., and was designated naval aviator. The remainder of his active duty, until he left the service in 1960, was served on the east coast.
In the early 1960's he was a flight engineer for Trans-World Airlines in New York. In 1963 he joined the Naval Air Reserve Station in Willow Grove, Pa. He was called up during the PUEBLO crisis in January 1968. Most recently he was employed as an engineer by the Vought Aeronautics Division of Ling-Tempco-Vought in Dallas.
He is survived by his widow, Judy, 1722 Northbrook Ct., Arlington, TX 76010; a stepson, Charles Wade Short; a stepdaughter, Stephanie Rene Short; three children by a previous marriage, Robert, Steven and Diane of Port St. Lucie, Fl.; and two sisters.

The Class of 1956 column in the January 1971 issue noted that he had only been married for three weeks prior to his death.