RAYMOND W. VOGEL, JR., CDR, USN

Raymond Vogel, Jr. '36

Date of birth: September 24, 1915

Date of death: September 19, 1950

Age: 34

Lucky Bag

From the 1936 Lucky Bag:

Raymond William Vogel, Jr

Ann Arbor, Michigan

"Sully"

Sully came to us direct from Ann Arbor High School. Although he suffered a few embarrassments plebe summer he became one of the saltiest members of our class. Sully's vigorous spirit put him well up in the front in football and wrestling. Although serious-minded with his sports and academics, he was always ready to cast away the cares of life for a jovial time. Several members of the fairer sex have thrown their tentacles about him, but he has always managed to emerge from the struggle with the help of his roommates. Always a true friend, he has won a place in the hearts of all his classmates. His chief ambition is to go to the Arctic Circle, but wherever he goes he will have the spirit to win against all

Raymond William Vogel, Jr

Ann Arbor, Michigan

"Sully"

Sully came to us direct from Ann Arbor High School. Although he suffered a few embarrassments plebe summer he became one of the saltiest members of our class. Sully's vigorous spirit put him well up in the front in football and wrestling. Although serious-minded with his sports and academics, he was always ready to cast away the cares of life for a jovial time. Several members of the fairer sex have thrown their tentacles about him, but he has always managed to emerge from the struggle with the help of his roommates. Always a true friend, he has won a place in the hearts of all his classmates. His chief ambition is to go to the Arctic Circle, but wherever he goes he will have the spirit to win against all

Loss

Raymond was lost when his F4U-4B Corsair was shot down near Seoul, Korea, on August 19, 1950. The aircraft was a part of Fighter Squadron (VF) 111, but he was commanding officer of Air Group 11, flying from USS Philippine Sea (CV 47).

Other Information

From the Class of 1936's "Golden Lucky Bag," published in 1986 (via Marianne Bradley, daughter of LCDR John Ellis '36, USN (Ret.)):

Children: Raymond W., III (USNA '62); Timothy (USMA '65); Frederick J. (USNA '65); Jamie Fallon.
After graduation, Sully served two years in Arizona and then moved into aviation, earning his wings at Pensacola in June 1939. Immediately thereafter, he and his beautiful and spirited girl of Academy days, Clair O'Neill, were married at Annapolis. Sully then proceeded to duty with Fighting Squadron 3 in Saratoga, returning to Pensacola eighteen months later as an instructor.
Meanwhile, the Vogel's first son was born in July 1940 followed a year later by another son. Although ordered to Postgraduate School at Annapolis in mid 1942, the exigencies of war soon moved Sully to the forward areas of the Pacific with Fighting Squadron 11, a carrier replacement group. He remained in the thickest of the Battle for the Solomons, winning the Distinguished Flying Cross and the Air Medal with seven gold stars before being wounded and returned to the Naval Hospital, Annapolis, in August 1943.
Upon his release from treatment in September 1943, Sully assumed duty as XO of VN Squadron 8DS at the Naval Academy for the next year, returning to the war's front line in late 1944 as Commander Fighting Squadron 89 and becoming the Group Commander in early 1946.
This duty was followed by two years at Corpus Christi, Texas, with the Naval Air Training Command. Next, in mid 1948, Sully took command of Carrier Air Group 31 at San Diego, and moved on in early 1949 to the staff of Fleet Air, Seattle where he remained until he was ordered as CO of Carrier Air Group 11 in February 1950. When South Korea was invaded, Sully's Air Group, flying off Philippine Sea, was at the core of the struggle to turn back the invaders. After other aircraft had unsuccessfully attempted to knock out a major bridge on the invasion route, Sully personally lead a successful attack that destroyed the bridge. However, his plane was hit by anti-aircraft fire and he was lost on 19 August 1950 in the area north of Seoul. After the United Nations forces recovered the terrain around Inchon, Sully's remains were retrieved and reinterred at the Naval Academy Cemetery. Sully was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously for his exploits in Korea. Later, General Douglas MacArthur, Commander in Chief, United Nations Forces in Korea, presented his widow, Clair, with a replica of the United Nations award given to Sully's Group, saying succinctly, "That he gave his life to the defense of a peace loving people will remain forever a shining symbol in the hearts of us all."
Fifteen years later, Clair, married Rear Admiral Francis D. Foley (USNA '32) and subsequently returned to Korea with him where she distinguished herself in charitable efforts to assist Korea's orphans and lepers. Sadly, Clair passed away in September 1984, survived by three sons and a daughter.

He is buried in the Naval Academy Cemetery. He was survived by his wife, Claire, daughter Clair — who died a few months after him — and "Josephine Bodoh of Warrenton, Jamie Fallon of Yanbu, Saudi Arabia, retired Navy Capt. Raymond Vogel III of Ledyard, Conn., retired Navy Cmdr. Timothy Vogel of Annapolis, and Frederick Vogel, a lieutenant colonel in the Marine Corps reserve who is a foreign service officer in Bangkok." (Quoted from Claire's obituary). She remarried in 1966 to Francis Foley, a 1932 graduate.

World War II Service

As a Lieutenant in mid-1942, Raymond was operations officer of Fighting Squadron (VF) 11. He had a confirmed victory against a Japanese Zero on June 7, 1943. His aircraft was damaged on July 9, 1943; by this time he had been promoted to LCDR and was executive officer of VF-11.

He served with Frank Quady '38, who was the squadron's maintenance officer for most of this period.

Family

Raymond's wife had ten sisters and brothers; all of them were married to or themselves officers in the Navy or Marine Corps:

Helen m (Rank unknown) William Allen '26

Catherine m Lcdr Joseph O'Brian '31

Doth m Capt George Carter, Navy Pilot, non Academy, one son Jimmie Carter USNA '64 or '65

RADM Edward O'Neil '31, 3 sons, Brian '57, Ed, John ,classes unknown USNA

Claire m Cdr Ray Vogel '36, KIA Korea, sons Bill '62, Fred '65, Tim USMA '65(Navy Pilot)

Claire m Radm Francis Foley'32

Jerry m Capt Robert Carter '38

Mary Lee m Lt Hank Shaub Navy Pilot, Non USNA, but chief Scientist at Navy R&D Annapolis

Major USMC, Bud O'Neil USNA ? 2/1/2 years non grad

Francis m Leo Crane '31, KIA on recon mission looking for Japanese invasion in '38
Son Lcdr Mark Crane '63, Instructor USNA and later Financial Head USNA
3 daughters m USNA grads, Jenny m CDR Todd Kousky '89, Cristina, Anne, Classes unknown
1 Grandson Eric Kousky, USNA '2020

Daughter Patsy m Cdr Gary Nuss '57

Francis m Radm John Sweeney '26, son Johnnny died on USS Scorpion on Cold War Patrol

Photographs

LT Vogel, left, XO of Fighting Squadron (VF) 11, with his commanding officer, LCDR Charles M. White.

Navy Cross

From Hall of Valor:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Commander Raymond William Vogel, Jr. (NSN: 0-77151), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in connection with military operations against an armed enemy of the United Nations while serving as Commander, Air Group ELEVEN (AG-11), attached to the U.S.S. Philippine Sea (CV-47), in action against enemy North Korean forces in the vicinity of Seoul, Korea, on 19 August 1950. Commander Vogel led an attack by Corsair and Skyraider aircraft against the railroad bridge at Seoul, Korea, which constituted a vital link in the land communications of the enemy. In the face of a heavy concentration of anti-aircraft defenses, he pressed home his attack and obtained the first bomb hit on the bridge. Following his bombing attack on the bridge, he unstintingly and without hesitation directed his fire on enemy anti-aircraft batteries. While thus protecting the other aircraft in his group during their attack on the bridge, Commander Vogel's plane was struck by intense anti-aircraft fire and was shot down. By his outstanding courage, his aggressive leadership, and his disregard for personal danger, Commander Vogel upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: 19-Aug-50
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Company: Commanding Officer
Regiment: Air Group 11 (AG-11)
Division: U.S.S. Philippine Sea (CV-47)

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.