Lt. Cmdr. Roger Blaine Thrasher
Roger Blaine Thrasher was born May 11, 1936 in Lawrence County, Alabama. He was the son of Cecil and Wilma (James) Thrasher. He enlisted with the United States Navy and was a 13-year Navy veteran when he served during the Vietnam War. Thrasher rose to the rank of Lieutenant Commander.
Thrasher, a Lawrence County High School and Auburn University graduate, married Miss Jane Chappell of Hanceville on July 7, 1963 at a ceremony at First Baptist Church in Hanceville. Chappell also graduated from Auburn University. The couple soon started a family and had two daughters, Andrea and Natasha.
Thrasher was serving on the USS Franklin D. Roosevelt in February 1970. A letter archived on ussfrankindroosevelt.com states:
“Three Die in Crash of A-3 ‘Skywarrior’
Three men were lost and another rescued following the crash of an A-3 ‘Skywarrior’ yesterday. The aircraft, assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron TWO, was conducting flight operations with Roosevelt when it crashed about 200 yards from the ship following takeoff. The guided missile destroyer USS Adams rescued one of the four crewmen shortly after the crash. He is AMS2 Samuel Rozier, plane captain of the downed A-3.
Lost in the crash were Lt. Cmdr. Roger B. Thrasher, pilot; LT Thomas Lee Walls, navigator and A01 Floyd R. Bond, crew member.”
LCDR Roger Blaine Thrasher is now buried/memorialized at Arlington National Cemetery in Memorial Section G. Thrasher is also memorialized at Cullman’s Veterans Memorial Park.
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