WILLIAM OLIVER, LTJG, USN

William Oliver '29

Date of birth: March 11, 1907

Date of death: July 23, 1936

Age: 29

Lucky Bag

From the 1929 Lucky Bag:

WILLIAM OLIVER

Dexter, Maine

"Sav" "Bill"

NOTE our "savvy" Bill from the great out-of-doors. Our he-man came to us, fresh from the Maine woods where men are men and women are their weakness. That poker-faced individual has fooled more than one. He has loved them from the bleak coast of Maine down to Charleston and points West. When "savvy" sets out in quest of adventure, he gets it, and enough to last every bit of forty-eight hours. He can play with fire and get away with it. Have him retell the many times he has "fooled Death"—Lucky Bill.

Bill has received his biggest scare from the Academic department. He cannot enjoy the month unless he is "unsat," for then he can bone "Cosmo." Just another one of his ways of laughing at Fate—unsat in four subjects and boning magazines the night before exams.

His best accomplishments concern athletics; he shines in the cage and on the diamond. He can sink 'em from our foul line, the center line, or the opponent's foul line. On the diamond he does nothing but "burn oil" and pick "daisies" in the outfield, but when the "stick" is in his hand he hits 'em. You've been a good wife, Bill. I've been looking at you for three years — here's hoping to look at you the rest of the years.

Baseball 4, 3, 2, 1. Basketball 3, 2, 1. Black N. Sub-Squad. 2 P.O.

WILLIAM OLIVER

Dexter, Maine

"Sav" "Bill"

NOTE our "savvy" Bill from the great out-of-doors. Our he-man came to us, fresh from the Maine woods where men are men and women are their weakness. That poker-faced individual has fooled more than one. He has loved them from the bleak coast of Maine down to Charleston and points West. When "savvy" sets out in quest of adventure, he gets it, and enough to last every bit of forty-eight hours. He can play with fire and get away with it. Have him retell the many times he has "fooled Death"—Lucky Bill.

Bill has received his biggest scare from the Academic department. He cannot enjoy the month unless he is "unsat," for then he can bone "Cosmo." Just another one of his ways of laughing at Fate—unsat in four subjects and boning magazines the night before exams.

His best accomplishments concern athletics; he shines in the cage and on the diamond. He can sink 'em from our foul line, the center line, or the opponent's foul line. On the diamond he does nothing but "burn oil" and pick "daisies" in the outfield, but when the "stick" is in his hand he hits 'em. You've been a good wife, Bill. I've been looking at you for three years — here's hoping to look at you the rest of the years.

Baseball 4, 3, 2, 1. Basketball 3, 2, 1. Black N. Sub-Squad. 2 P.O.

Loss

William was lost on July 23, 1936 when the aircraft he was piloting crashed near Santa Maria, California, during a fair.

Other Information

From The Bangor Daily News, July 24, 1936 and August 3, 1936:

William and his machinist were flying over hundreds of spectators at a fair in Santa Maria, California, when the wings of their plane crumpled at 500 feet. Oliver “gunned” the engine as the crippled plane seemed about to careen on top of a tent housing visitors at the fair. The ship cleared the tent crashing in a vacant lot 100 feet away. The plane was one of a squadron of nine en route from North Island naval flying base, San Diego, to San Francisco, under command of Lieut. Commander S. H. Warner. The squadron was maneuvering at the fair.
On August 2, William’s funeral was held at the First Universalist church in Dexter. A detachment of 16 seamen from the U. S. Destroyer Hatfield, at anchor in Rockland, were present for the services. . . . During the services four naval men stood at each end of the flag-draped casket on which was a picture of Lieut. Oliver, his sword and an anchor. The funeral cortege left the church headed by a color guard, members of the Edward J. Pouliott Post, American Legion, Boy Scout Troop 51 and a firing squad of naval men. Six naval men escorted the hearse. After the committal service, three volleys were fired by the firing squad after which a seaman bugler sounded taps.

From Find A Grave:

The Eastern Gazette 7-30-1936, p.8
LIEUT. OLIVER'S FUNERAL
To Be Held at Universalist Church Next Sunday Afternoon
Considering that the late Lieut. William Oliver, Naval aviator killed in an airplane crash July 23 [1936] is as much of a hero as though he had died in action during wartime, his native town of Dexter is to accord him a full military burial. The burial service will be under the auspices of Edward J. Pouliott Post, American Legion and the Legion will be supplemented by a detachment of Marines from the Portsmouth Navy Yard. This detachment is being gladly tendered by order of the Commandment of the First Naval District in Boston.
The remains of Lieut. Oliver will reach Dexter [Maine] by train from San Diego, Calif., late Friday night but the services will not take place until 1:30 Sunday afternoon, Daylight Saving time. The funeral service will be held at the First Universalist church of this town, with Rev. Milo G. Folsom of the Pittsfield Universalist church officiating. Bearers will be members of Lieut. Oliver's class at N. H. Fay High school. Following the church service, the Legion and the Marines will conduct the march to the cemetery and the military burial service there.
It has been learned that Mrs. William Oliver is being accompanied across the continent by her sister-in-law, Miss Cleo Oliver, of this town, who was visiting her in San Diego and that Mrs. Oliver's sister, Miss Audrey Redding, of New Orleans has accompanied the Oliver children to the home of their maternal grandparents, Mr. and Mrs. Roy Redding, of New Orleans.
A military funeral was accorded Lieut. Oliver at the naval station in San Diego last Saturday.

From researcher Kathy Franz:

William was the Athletic Editor for the N. H. Fay High School yearbook in 1923. The class of 1923 was invited to his house for their class supper on November 2, 1922. According to The Bangor News, “The time was spent dancing, playing games, and jumping on the pogo stick. Oyster stew was served at the end of a very enjoyable evening.”
William graduated in 1924. He played the lead part of Joseph Billings, mill owner, in the senior play “Step Lively.” At graduation, he and a classmate were in charge of the Presentation of Gifts. From the yearbook section entitled A Little Fun: William’s book was entitled “Polly Oliver’s Problem.” If the school should start a moving picture studio, William Oliver would be in “Peck’s Bad Boy.”
From the Bangor Daily News, January 26, 1925: “Young Oliver is very popular with the people both young and old in his home town, better known as “Bill” he makes friends wherever he goes …”
In February 1925, William attended a meeting at the Penobscot Exchange of the professional basketball team managers. He represented the Dexter A. C. At this meeting, a league was formed, and Dexter became a member of the league. William played basketball on the Dexter team and was picked to be on the All-Maine tournament basketball team.
From The Bangor Daily News, March 19, 1925: “The passing parade of Dexter basketeers is led by William Oliver. Sports meet Mr. Oliver.
“Bill Oliver, as he is favorably known over the circuit is no doubt the fastest forward in the league. This is no idle statement as this can be proven by his record and by the comments passed out by the opposing players. Bill is the youngest member of the squad being only 17 but this does not seem to bother him at all. It is expected that this will be Bill’s last year on the team as he has an appointment to U. S. Naval Academy at Annapolis.”
William was appointed to the Naval Academy by Congressman Ira G. Hersey.
In February, 1926, William wrote a letter to the Dexter newspaper. In part, he asked for a copy of the newspaper for the next three months to be sent to him at 4234 Bancroft Hall. “I am playing basketball a little down here but it isn’t like last winter. I wish I was playing on the Dexter A. C. again. I would do my best to trim that Chrysler Five.”
In 1926, William’s high school alma mater yearbook reported that three of its graduates attend the Naval Academy: William ‘24, Robie Palmer ’23 and Bernard Gates ’21.
From The Bangor Daily News, January 28, 1930: Dexter, Jan. 27 – The Park Theatre was filled to capacity Friday and Saturday nights for the talkie, Salute, the first talkie to be made at the United States Naval Academy. The picture was ace high and attracted many Dexter people on account of having among the close ups a picture of Ensign William Oliver …” [The movie included young actors John Wayne and Ward Bond as midshipmen.]
In December, 1934, William, his wife and children, Audrey and William, Jr., went to the Canal Zone after being in San Diego for three years.
His father Cassius was a farmer. His mother was Maria, brother Cassius and sisters Velma and Cleo.

Photographs

From his high school yearbook
From his high school yearbook
From The Bangor Daily News on January 26, 1925
From The Bangor Daily News on March 19, 1925

Navy Directories & Officer Registers

The "Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Marine Corps" was published annually from 1815 through at least the 1970s; it provided rank, command or station, and occasionally billet until the beginning of World War II when command/station was no longer included. Scanned copies were reviewed and data entered from the mid-1840s through 1922, when more-frequent Navy Directories were available.

The Navy Directory was a publication that provided information on the command, billet, and rank of every active and retired naval officer. Single editions have been found online from January 1915 and March 1918, and then from three to six editions per year from 1923 through 1940; the final edition is from April 1941.

The entries in both series of documents are sometimes cryptic and confusing. They are often inconsistent, even within an edition, with the name of commands; this is especially true for aviation squadrons in the 1920s and early 1930s.

Alumni listed at the same command may or may not have had significant interactions; they could have shared a stateroom or workspace, stood many hours of watch together… or, especially at the larger commands, they might not have known each other at all. The information provides the opportunity to draw connections that are otherwise invisible, though, and gives a fuller view of the professional experiences of these alumni in Memorial Hall.

July 1929

Ensign, USS Cincinnati

October 1929

Ensign, USS Cincinnati

January 1930

Ensign, USS Cincinnati

April 1930

Ensign, USS Cincinnati

October 1931

Ensign, Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B, USS Saratoga

Others at this command:

LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24

LTjg Eugene Davis '27

LTjg Julian Greer '27

Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:

CDR Melville Brown '10 (USS Saratoga)
LCDR Oscar Erickson '16 (Scouting Plane Squadron (VS) 2B)
LT Van Moore '19 (USS Saratoga)
LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Claude Haman '26 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)

ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS Jacob Britt '29 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS James Clarkson '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Byron Newell '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS James Kyes '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Leo Crane '31 (USS Saratoga)
ENS George Stone '31 (USS Saratoga)

January 1932

Ensign, Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B, USS Saratoga

Others at this command:

LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24

LTjg Eugene Davis '27

LTjg Julian Greer '27

Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:

CDR Melville Brown '10 (USS Saratoga)
LT Van Moore '19 (USS Saratoga)
LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Claude Haman '26 (USS Saratoga)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)

ENS Jacob Britt '29 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS James Clarkson '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Byron Newell '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS James Kyes '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Leo Crane '31 (USS Saratoga)
ENS George Stone '31 (USS Saratoga)

April 1932

Ensign, Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 6B, USS Saratoga

Others at this command:

LTjg Walter Leach, Jr. '24

LTjg Eugene Davis '27

LTjg Julian Greer '27

Others at or embarked at USS Saratoga:

CDR Melville Brown '10 (USS Saratoga)
LT Van Moore '19 (USS Saratoga)
LT Edwin Conway '20 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Robert Symes '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
LTjg Renwick Calderhead '27 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS Weldon Hamilton '28 (Torpedo and Bombing Plane Squadron (VT) 2B)
ENS William Arthur '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS Mathias Wyatt '29 (Aircraft Squadrons, Battle Force)

ENS Jacob Britt '29 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Lloyd Greenamyer '29 (Fighting Plane Squadron (VF) 1B)
ENS James Clarkson '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Byron Newell '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS James Kyes '30 (USS Saratoga)
ENS Leo Crane '31 (USS Saratoga)
ENS George Stone '31 (USS Saratoga)