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Class History

Class History:

The Class of 1960 entered the U. S. Naval Academy in June 1956 1,064 strong.  After Plebe year, 900 remained.  At that time there were 24 Companies in six Battalions in six wings of Bancroft hall.  During our time in Annapolis, Dewey Basin, which had housed our “knockabouts”, was filled in with dredge from the Severn to become Dewey Field.

When we were graduated, it was at the end of eight years of peace and prosperity under then President Dwight David Eisenhower.  By the end of the year, John F. Kennedy had been elected and in his inaugural speech he challenged us all by saying “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country”.  Little did any of us at that time realize how fitting these words were to become for the Class of 1960.

Soon after graduation came the Cuban Missile Crisis which many historians believe brought us to the brink of a nuclear war.  Most classmates on the East Coast were part of a huge show of force steaming toward Cuba, when, fortunately, then Russian President Nikita Khrushchev backed down.

The years from 1963-1975 were our involvement in the Vietnam War and took far too many of our classmates lives.  During this period the Class of 1960 lost six classmates in this conflict whose names all appear in Memorial Hall, at the Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium, or on the Vietnam Memorial in Washington, DC.  Additionally in November 1969, the USS Roark was launched, named after Bill Roark, one of our classmates killed in Vietnam.

The rest of our careers were spent in typical Naval or Marine Corps Officer style: six to eleven month deployments, manning nuclear subs and surface combatants, flying all types of combat aircraft, Pentagon assignments, living overseas in myriad countries, and serving as Company and Battalion Officers back at the Academy.  Many of our classmates became Commanding Officers of our seagoing ships and aircraft squadrons and others commanded critical shore stations.

The result of this dedication to honor, service, and country resulted in the Class of 1960 being selected to two Admirals, three Vice Admirals and a Marine Lt. General, 17 Rear Admirals, and one Commodore in the Philippine Navy.  These classmates are as follows:

Four Stars:

ADM Henry G. Chiles, JR, USN                 ADM Richard C. Macke, USN

Three Stars:

VADM Edward W. Clexton, JR. USN        VADM Michael C. Colley, USN

VADM Raymond P. Ilg, USN                     LTGEN William M. Keys, USMC

Two Stars:

RADM Donald V. Boecker, USN               RADM Peter G. Chabot, USN

RADM John S. Claman, USN                     RADM George W. Davis VI, USN

RADM Vance H. Fry, SC, USNR               RADM Raymond G. Jones, USN

RADM James R. Lang, USN                      RADM Alexander S. Logan, USNR

RADM Thomas A. Meinicke, USN            RADM Paul W. Parcells, USN

RADM Thomas D. Paulsen, USN              RADM Luther F. Schriefer, USN

RADM Grant A. Sharp, USN                     RADM John F. Shaw, USN

RADM Raynor A. K. Taylor, USN            RADM Robert E. Traister, USN

RADM Harvey D. Weatherson, SC, USN

One Star:

COMO Carlos L. Agustin, Philippine Navy

Service Time:

The Class of 1960 graduated 797 members of the class on June 8, 1960.  From this group 648 into the Navy, 63 into the Marine Corps, 58 into the Air Force, and 16 into the Army.  Additionally there were seven Foreign National students graduated (2 from Philippines, 2 from Panama, 1 from Argentina, 1 from Ecuador, and 1 from Cuba) and five who were Non Physically Qualified.  One third of the Class remained in service for a full career of 20 years or more.

Support to the Naval Academy:

For the 25th anniversary of graduation, the Class dedicated the Class of 1960 Memorial which is now seaward of the Commodore Uriah P. Levy Jewish Chapel.  The Memorial is a 48” X 50” blue stone plaza, surrounded by a granite sitting wall, with entrances at the four points of the compass.  The center fountain area contains three engraved stones with the Class of 1960 crest, a graduation message to the American people, and inscribed sayings by John Paul Jones and President John F. Kennedy.

For the 45th anniversary of graduation, the Class raised over $3 million to endow a Distinguished Visiting Professorship in National Security Affairs in perpetuity.

Also in 2005 the Class dedicated a Class Arch at the Navy Marine Corps Memorial Stadium in honor of those classmates who fought and died in the service of our country.

Class Organization:

The Class is directed by a Class Board consisting of the four Class Officers and six Battalion representatives chosen by the respective Company representatives.  Class Officers are elected every five years.