Jack was born February 16th, 1932 in Boston, Massachusetts. He graduated from Newton High School in 1950 and entered the United States Naval Academy with the class of 1954. After graduating, he commissioned as an Ensign in the US Navy and went on to flight training where he earned his wings in early 1956.
After two Mediterranean deployments flying F-3H Demons from the USS Saratoga, where he was one of the first Naval Aviators to log over a hundred-night carrier landings. He was then ordered to the Naval Air test Center to attend the US Naval Test Pilot School. He graduated with Class XXVII and was immediately involved in various test programs with numerous fixed-wing aircraft. He next attended the Naval Postgraduate School where he earned a Master's of Science in Management.
He was ordered to the USS Constellation as her Catapult and Arresting Gear Officer. After two years, he was ordered to F-4 refresher training and reported to Commander, Carrier Air Wing Two as Operations Officer. He completed two Western Pacific deployments on the USS Coral Sea and USS Ranger while flying over 250 combat missions over North Vietnam. His next tour was a return to the Naval Air Test Center where he headed the Carrier Suitability Test Branch of the Flight Division. It was during this tour that he logged more than 1000 hands-off carrier landings. He was ordered to the staff of the Commander, US Naval Air Forces, Atlantic as the Fighter Class Desk Officer. After selection to the rank of Captain, he was ordered to the Naval Air Systems Command as the Directory of the Aircrew Systems Division, where he served for five years. He was directly responsible for the introduction of two automatic devices that saved many Naval Aviators from drowning after over-water ejections.
After retirement from the Navy, he remained in the Northern Virginia area where he worked for several consulting firms until his final retirement in 1992
He married Marguerite "Peggy" Virginia Dodson in 1963, and they had two children, John and Katherine.
After living in Alexandria, VA for many years, he and Peggy moved to Williamsburg in 1994 to retire where they spent many happy years.
Jack will be fondly remembered by his son John, by his five grandchildren, Kelsey, David, Michala, Mireille, and Savannah, by his great-grandson Grayson and by his brother Robert "Bob". Jack was predeceased by his wife, Peggy, his daughter Katherine and his two sisters, Carol and Maggie.
A Funeral service in memory of Jack will be held on Friday, February 1st, 2019 at 10:30 am at the Naval Academy Chapel, 121 Blake Rd, Annapolis, MD 21401. Interment will follow at the Naval Academy Columbarium. A reception will be held afterwards at the Naval Academy Club.
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