Posted by XXXXXX on April 30, 2008:

Walter A. Della Chiesa ’48 No. 16483 13 Jan 1926 – 25 Jun 1950 Lost at sea off Okinawa Cenotaph placed in West Point Cemetery, West Point, NY Walter Albert della Chiesa was born in Quincy, MA, the son of Ameijo Angelo Della Chiesa and Evelyn Ressell Della Chiesa. He spent his childhood in Quincy. One of his achievements in junior high school, in addition to academic success, was to become Homeroom President. While in Quincy High School, he played football, ran cross country, was involved in the school band, the Rifle Club, and the Debating Club. He entered the Citadel in Charleston, SC, in June 1943. While there, Congressman Richard Wigglesworth, 13th Congressional District, Massachusetts, awarded him a Principal Appointment to West Point. In March 1944, he went to Ft. Bragg, NC, to take the appointment examination. While waiting for his entry into the Military Academy, he took a three-month course at Northeastern University in Boston, MA. On 1 Jul 1944, he joined the Class of ’47. His experience at the Citadel helped him sail through Beast Barracks and Plebe year with relative ease. His sense of humor was also a big factor in his accomplishment. During Plebe year, he was on the boxing “C” Squad and became an original member of the Water Soccer Club. He stayed with the Water Soccer Club for four years. He worked hard at learning the game and was its president for First Class year when he changed its name to the Water Polo Club. One of his most appreciated accomplishments was helping one of his “wives” to make it through plebe academics. Yearling year started at Camp Popolo, where we learned to drive and shoot. While there, he taught his helpless “wife” how to drive by spending time off on weekends driving the MC 2½ ton truck. His sense of humor and playful activity, on duty and off, caused him to win the nickname of “Joe” after one of cartoonist Bill Mauldin’s WWII soldiers. One of the biggest events of Yearling Year was the decision to split the Class of ’47 in half so the Academy could return to the four year regime. Walt opted for the four years and joined the Class of 1948. During the summer of 1946, he attended a flight training course at Stewart Field, NY. This training period fixed Walt’s ambition to go Air Force. Up to that point, because of his academic standing, he had given serious thought to go into the Corps of Engineers. First Class year he was appointed Company First Sergeant. Sometime during his stay at West Point, he changed his family name from Della Chiesa to della Chiesa. Walter graduated 12th in his class of 301. After graduation, he went home to Quincy and married Jane Hobart Buckner on 26 Jun 1948. They met the summer of 1944, just before his entry to West Point. Jane made frequent train trips to West Point during Walt’s four years there. Walt was first assigned to Randolph AFB, San Antonio, TX, for pre-flight and basic flight training. He then was transferred to Williams AFB, Chandler, AZ, for the advanced flight training in the F-80 Fighter. He graduated and earned his wings that Jane pinned on him, on 30 Sep 1949. On 1 Nov 1949, he departed San Francisco for Okinawa. He was assigned to the 16th Fighter Interceptor Squadron, 51st Fighter Wing, Naha, Okinawa. Jane remembers the long and lonely three-day trip alone by train to Massachusetts. As an additional duty, he was assigned as Squadron Supply Officer. The newly assigned pilots, after initial local area checkouts, were often sent up solo to fly various training sorties. He was promoted to first lieutenant on 19 Jan 1950. Walt was a thoughtful and humorous letter writer with frequent mailings each week. Jane still keeps a foot locker filled with his entertaining letters. On 25 Jun 1950, Walt was wingman on a two-aircraft flight scrambled to intercept an unknown aircraft over the sea south of the airfield. As they were climbing through 1,000 feet, the Flight Leader glanced back to check the position of his wingman. He found him low and too far to the rear. He called Walt on the radio but received no reply. The Flight Leader responded to the controller’s request for a change of heading. When he looked for Walt, he saw only a huge circular splash in the sea. The controller told the Leader that the wingman had gone off their scopes. The Leader descended, circled the area, and stayed on station until the Air Rescue Dumbo arrived and took over the search. The Dumbo landed and recovered only pieces of floating equipment and a book Walt had been reading on standby. Walter’s body was never found. Memorial services were held in June 1950 at the Chapel at Naha AFB, Okinawa. The service included: “Assemble for Plane Salute” with an overhead flight of F-80s in the missing man formation. There was a service on 15 Jul 1950 at Bethany Congregational Church, Quincy, MA. A cenotaph was placed in the West Point Cemetery in 1950. Walter’s name was listed in the Korean War Memorials in Charlestown, MA, in 1993, and Quincy, MA in 1996. On 11 Nov 1965, a parking area in Quincy, MA, was dedicated to him. Remarks made at the dedication were from LTC Thomas A. Ware, Jr., a classmate and friend. His final statement was: “In closing I would like to quote the final sentence of his biography in our yearbook. ‘Dedication, a sense of humor, a brilliant mind, and fair play will follow him throughout his life.’ His life was too short, but it was good and filled with purpose.”

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