ROBERT F. CONSTANS, LT, USN
Robert Constans '55
Lucky Bag
From the 1955 Lucky Bag:
ROBERT FRANKLIN CONSTANS
Los Angeles, California
At 1300, 2 July 1951, Navy claimed another college man. A member of the class of '53 at UCLA, Bob decided to start all over and found that Academy life agreed with him — almost. Academics never were a problem; so he tried his hand at various company sports, Varsity swimming, and he was editor of the Trident Calendar. Never one to clutch after the formation bell had rung, Bob always managed to beat out the late bell. Bob will make the service his career if he likes it after the first thirty years.
He was also a member of the 6th Company staff (winter).
ROBERT FRANKLIN CONSTANS
Los Angeles, California
At 1300, 2 July 1951, Navy claimed another college man. A member of the class of '53 at UCLA, Bob decided to start all over and found that Academy life agreed with him — almost. Academics never were a problem; so he tried his hand at various company sports, Varsity swimming, and he was editor of the Trident Calendar. Never one to clutch after the formation bell had rung, Bob always managed to beat out the late bell. Bob will make the service his career if he likes it after the first thirty years.
He was also a member of the 6th Company staff (winter).
Loss
Bob was killed when he ejected from an F-3H Demon on October 21, 1960; his engine flamed out during takeoff. He was a member of VF-114 Executioners, deployed on USS Hancock (CVA 19) operating in the South China Sea.
Other Information
From researcher Kathy Franz:
The body was not recovered because of the heavy seas. Eyewitnesses said he became entangled in his parachute when he attempted to eject.
He studied for two years at the University of California, Los Angeles, where he was a member of Delta Tau Delta. On December 28, 1958, he married Traute Bicke when he was stationed at San Diego.
He was survived by his father Robert, a lumber salesman, mother Edith, brother John, and sister Virginia. In 1969, John was a Lt (jg) in the Navy.
Robert's Find A Grave page is here.
Photographs
From the Lucky Bag
Related Articles
Alan Lewis '55 was also on the Trident Calendar.
The "category" links below lead to lists of related Honorees; use them to explore further the service and sacrifice of alumni in Memorial Hall.
