View source for WILFRED BUSHNELL, LT, USN

{{KeyDates|name_class=Wilfred Bushnell '26|DoB=December 8, 1902|DoD=April 4, 1933|Age=30}}

{{LuckyBag|LBLink=https://archive.org/details/luckybag1926unse|class=1926
|picture=1926 Bushnell LB.jpg
|LBName=Wilfred Bushnell
|LBHometown=Watertown, New York
|LBNickname="Bessle" "Sunshine" "Turtle"
|LBText=BUSH, having joined the Navy to drown the pangs of a broken heart, (he said), soon found himself paddling and spluttering in the swimming pool trying to keep his head above the line of least resistance. It is said that a Frenchman never did like water as a drink, and although Bush could never be accused of being a Frenchman he certainly can do that "etter" (etre) better than he can the breast stroke—even though he is from Watertown. Although he was never seen crawling to formations, Bush always managed to creep to the head of the line which awaited the Brooklyn train. Dragging, however, was not the only branch of athletics that he engaged in. He did his bit in Company bowling and is one of the boldest bowlers that ever chaffeured a ball down the alley.
</p><p>
Bush awaited with the keenest interest the First Class English course. Having been a member of Burkam's troupe Plebe year, and having made a classic out of Rangy Lil, he was ready to take the After Dinner Speeches for better or for worse, but in all opinion he found them a lot worse than he expected.
</p><p>
Go to it Bush ole boy! Drive your golden spikes in hard; and when your road is completed your friends won't ever forget you.}}

== Loss ==
Wilfred was lost when the airship [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/USS_Akron_(ZRS-4) USS Akron (ZRS 4)] crashed off the coast of New Jersey on April 4, 1933.

== Other Information ==
From researcher Kathy Franz: 
<blockquote>
Wilfred was an aide to Lieutenant T. G. W. Settle aboard the balloon which won the last international balloon races and the James Gordon Bennett Cup over Switzerland in 1932.  In October 1932, he made a trip from Germany to Brazil on the Graf Zeppelin as a guest of Dr. Eckener. 

Wilfred's father was John, a machinist in Watertown, New York. His mother Bertha had died in 1916.
</blockquote>

In the [https://allhands.navy.mil/Media/Archives/1930s/#/Default.aspx?id=18798 Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 187 (21 January 1933)] Wilfred was commended by the Secretary of the Navy for being a winning member of the US Navy Balloon Team, which won the Gordon Bennett Balloon Race in Basle, Switzerland. "The Department takes pleasure in commending you upon the initiative, interest, and skill displayed by you in the performance of this duty.......which contributed materially to the signal success achieved by the U.S. Navy Balloon entry."

He has [https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/107623174/wilfred-bushnell a memory marker] in New Jersey.

== Photographs ==
<gallery mode=packed heights=350px style="text-align:left">
File:1926 Bushnell 1.jpg|From the Daily News on April 5, 1933
</gallery>

== Video ==
<span class='smallcaps'>Akron</span>'s executive officer, LCDR Herbert V. Wiley '15, one of only three survivors, was filmed shortly after the crash:

<youtube>https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRfoJKfCVco</youtube>

== Related Articles ==
[[WILLIAM A. MOFFETT, RADM, USN|William Moffett '90]], [[FRED T. BERRY, CDR, USN|Fred Berry '08]], [[HENRY B. CECIL, CDR, USN|Henry Cecil '10]], [[FRANK C. MCCORD, CDR, USN|Frank McCord '11]], [[HAROLD E. MACLELLAN, LCDR, USN|Harold Maclellan '18]], [[JOSEPH H. SEVERYNS, JR., LT, USN|Joseph Severyns '20]], [[GEORGE C. CALNAN, LT, USN|George Calnan '20]], [[RICHARD F. CROSS, JR., LT, USN|Richard Cross, Jr. '21]], [[HERBERT M. WESCOAT, LT, USN|Herbert Wescoat '23]], [[ROBERT E. SAYRE, LTJG, USN|Robert Sayre '24]], [[CHARLES H. CALLAWAY, LT, USN|Charles Callaway '24]], [[HAMMOND J. DUGAN, LTJG, USN|Hammond Dugan '24]], [[CHARLES F. MILLER, LTJG, USN|Charles Miller '25]], [[CHARLES M. REDFIELD, LT, USN|Charles Redfield '26]], and [[CYRUS T. CLENDENING, LTJG, USN|Cyrus Clendening '27]] were also lost aboard <span class='smallcaps'>Akron</span>.

{{NDexplainer}}
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|column3=[[CHARLES M. REDFIELD, LT, USN|ENS Charles Redfield '26]]<br />[[CLINTON S. ROUNDS, LCDR, USN|ENS Clinton Rounds '27]]}}}}
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|others2={{NDcolumns|columns=2|column1=[[ROBERT W. LARSON, LT, USN|LTjg Robert Larson '24]] (Rigid Airship Training & Experimental Squadron)
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|column2=[[RICHARD F. CROSS, JR., LT, USN|LT Richard Cross, Jr. '21]]<br />[[HERBERT M. WESCOAT, LT, USN|LT Herbert Wescoat '23]]<br />[[HAMMOND J. DUGAN, LTJG, USN|LTjg Hammond Dugan '24]]
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{{ClassNav|PAGE_ID={{PAGEID}}|Name=Wilfred|ClassYear=1926|PreviousPersonLink=CHARLES M. REDFIELD, LT, USN|PreviousPersonName=Charles� Redfield '26|NextPersonLink=JOHN S. GRAFF, LTJG, USN|NextPersonName=John Graff '26}}

[[Category:1926|Bushnell]]
[[Category:US Navy|Bushnell]]
[[Category:Operational loss|Bushnell]]
[[Category:Airship|Bushnell]]
[[Category:USS Akron (ZRS 4)|Bushnell]]