Joseph P Rogers, Jr.

Commander Joseph Philip Rogers Jr., USN (Ret.), 95, died peacefully July 12th, 2021 at Charlotte Hall Veterans Home in Charlotte Hall, MD.

Born February 5th, 1926 to Joseph and Lessie Rogers in Suffolk, VA, “Phil” graduated from Germantown High School in Philadelphia, PA. He was appointed to the Naval Academy, graduating with the Class of 1948B. He went to Pensacola for flight training and was designated a naval aviator in April 1950.

Phil had a memorable career as an aviator. He served with VF-172 and VF-171 (flying the F2H), VT-2 ATC squadron (F11F) and two tours with VA-44 RAG squadron (F9F and A4D). While assistant air officer aboard WASP

(CVS-18), he flew the ship’s S2F COD aircraft. Following the Armed Forces Staff College, he served on the JSTPS staff at Offutt AFB. There, he frequently flew the T-39 Saberliner which he thoroughly loved.

His final tour was as assistant duty captain in the Naval Command Center, Pentagon where he even managed to get in a few hours in the U3-A Cessna 310. He retired from the

Navy in 1971, pursuing several civilian jobs, most notably with Forensic Technologies International in Annapolis from 1979 to 1993.

Phil had a long and successful romance with the game of golf that began as a caddie at the age of 12 and he played on the golf team that won the Philadelphia Public High School Golf Championship in 1941 and 1943. He pursued his passion for the game for seventy-five years, scoring two hole-in-ones, and winning the Senior Championship of the Naval Academy Golf Course at the age of fifty-nine.

During retirement, Phil spearheaded construction of the Class of 1948 Memorial Gate (Gate 1), dedicated in September 1986. Base security measures required its reconstruction in 2007 and Phil led the efforts to rebuild within the newly designated Visitor’s Area. Phil led the creation of a plaque for Hopper Hall, commemorating ’48’s contribution to the development of two new academic majors and helped organize class reunions and the publication of their 30th reunion book, “48 IN 78.” He was a trustee of the Athletic and Scholarship Division of the Naval Academy Foundation for 17 years and subsequently, a trustee emeritus.

In 1961, Phil married his second wife, Patricia “Patsy” Mack and they spent 53 years together raising their combined family, flying their Beech Bonanza, sailing their 27-foot Vega sloop around the Chesapeake and playing golf. Both served as volunteers with the Anne Arundel Medical Center Auxiliary. Together they thoroughly enjoyed “The Land of Pleasant Living”.

Phil was predeceased by his parents; his wife, Patsy; son, William; and grandson, Nicholas. He is survived by his daughter, Terri Tede

(Eddie); stepsons, Robert (Sharon) and David Mack; granddaughter, Jennifer Mooney (Branden); step-grandsons Andrew and Jameson Mack and great-grandson, Ethan Rogers.

Inurnment at the USNA Columbarium will follow a memorial service on 6 October 2021 at 2 PM in the Naval Academy’s St. Andrews Chapel.

The family requests that in lieu of flowers, memorials celebrating the lives of both Philip and Patsy be sent to the Rebecca Fortney

Breast Center at Anne Arundel Medical Center in support of their efforts to fight breast cancer.