The Des Moines Register from Des Moines, Iowa • Page W6

CLASS OF 2014 Roosevelt High School graduated 382 seniors on May 25. They are: Ashlin Kae Patrick Allen Taylor Elizabeth Angier, Dominique Christopher Bela Wright Elisabeth Lynn Anthony Marquelle Eugene Elizabeth Bates Joseph Kay Jones Burke Anthony Grace James Donald Camilo Maudsley Mark William Albert Brewer Helen Brightman, Aariona Brown, Blaise Ritter LaShay Claire Victoria Jeanne Joaquin Christian Marie Jia Christine Carlson, McKenzie Shawmanee Quinn Jeffrey Lee Zhane Patricia Castellanos Ivonne Celaya Daniel William James Lamont Welch Taylor Ann Ruth Ellease Keeghan Alistair Henson Carolyn Clifton Robert Elizabeth Grace Currie. Olivia Young Sinclair Michael Cain Ruth Edward Davis, Victoria Isabelle Devaughn Justine Nicole Marie Ann John John Rae Francisco Echeverria Jordan Evangeline Kay Enos, Ethan Mackenzie Ewing, Christoph Edward Alexandra Denise Fetic, Amina Raviv Nickette True Nathaniel Cesar Melinda Ian David Henry Enrique Garcia, Bobbi Marie James James Michael Alfreda Goodwin, Ian Thomas Maris McKenna Grinstead Lola Anna Marie Renee Lynne Tymone Harris, Julianna Courard Hauri, Justis Shyann Mymesha Coffey Grace Noel Frances Jazmin Marie John Philip Franklin Hoops, Samuel Reed Nicole Michael Kathleen Nasya Kashai Hughes, Molly Ann Huhn, Vanessa Jassim Hussien. Faiza Ahmed Mohamed Osondu Paige Doniel Jackson II, Terrayn Mykal Jade Keevan Judith Lee Neshaun Andrew Beth Rae Lynn Green Elizabeth Anne Anthony Marean Jones, Imani Jones, Jordana Lee Jones Robert Robert Kate Maielle James Renea Elisabeth Marie Killin-Graves, Devin Mikal Kenneth Drake Robert Gene Renee Kolbeck, David William Konrad, Christopher Allan Kragnes Andrew William Christina Jean Sullivan Rhea Gregory Lavin, Christine Elizabeth Ann Cierra John Deshawn Thomas Aoki Diane Suzanna evon Dillon Lindseya Mae Lorentzen, Kathryn Nadine Joseph Gianna Lynch. yan Eugene Fae Diane Mills-Madsen, Joanna Irma Rae Henry Martin, Hannah Eileen Grace Claire Parker Karmen Patrick Perez Marie McClus- David Allen William McGregor Esther Mary Elizabeth Hutton McKinley, Jessie Dalton Marie Paul Catherine Mickunas, Ana Gee Diane Latre Glen Qulateni Yusuf Syed Michelle Moore, Fred Irvin oore Lucille Joseph Dean Mujic, Senija Mujic, A yzhan Martinez Shimmira Terrell Alexandra Octavia Samantha Kathleen Louise Riley Barclay Hoai Linh Nguyen, Ngoc Diem Kimberly My Thi Hamilton Nichols, Ali Beau Sullivan Riley Erin Graham Edward Anne Alexander Lillian Nicole Marie Yves Christopher Peterson, Lai My Thi Pham, Lydia Nicole Susan Tate James Powers, aleb Patrick Levi Price.

hyam Kumar Patricia Augustus Reed Slade Reinders, Ntiruvakure Andrew Marie Michael emarius Connie Nichole ames Jane Patrick Lynn Ross, Cianna Jone Rothwell, Caleb Jacob Erv Marie Sebastian SanElias, A dela Catherine Errington Tucker Elizabeth Alan Summers DaiShun Todd Jeilani Ann Oliver Lynn Bliss Ray Sloan, Timothy Rex Derue Matthew Marie Diane Leigh Marie Katherine Marie Benjamin Patrick Joseph Strohman, Malik Abdul Suhr- Marie Marie Scot Scot Lynn Jane Denise Duop Lewis Jonathan Toomey, Kyree Tymetrius Turner, Romazia Camille Turner-Brown. Andy David Christopher Van Alexander William Dean Hadley Karina Amber Cecilia Michael Peter Lee Rose Elizabeth Zachary Bone Rene homas Iben Mykel Gabri Loray Dejuan Marie Williams, Markayla Monique Eric Santoia Dene Aurelia Jeannethe Yaquian Breanne Elise Joyce Zilk. ROOSEVELT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATION 2014 Graduates applaud during the Roosevelt High School commencement ceremony. SCOTT FOR THE REGISTER Graduate Rubith Cordova addresses the class Saturday uring the Roosevelt High School commencement ceremony at the Knapp Center in Des Moines. Audience members cheer for graduates.

Mone Ruffin, 18, left, helps Asia Taylor, 17, both of the west side, with her mortarboard. Justin Edwards and Michelle Edwards, both of the east side, cheer for graduate Keauna Meeks. Graduate Sam Alitz, 18, of the west side smiles a he receives his diploma Saturday. Molly Larsen, 16, left, Sahira Garcia, 16, and Ariana Kikic, 17, all of the west side, cheer for raduates. Page 6 West Register This week marked the 60th anniversary of disaster on the aircraft carrier SS Bennington.

Several Iowans were witnesses to his tragedy. he carrier experienced an over-pressure malfunction in a valve in the catapult system as it was sailing out of Naval Operating Base, Norfolk, at about 6:15 a.m. May 26, 1954. It was preparing to launch sorties in Rhode I sland Sound about 70 miles off the entrance to Narragansett Bay en route to a cruise to the editerranean Sea. As a result of the malfunction, vaporized hydraulic fluid entered the entilation system.

Ignition from an unknown source caused several powerful explosions and fire and smoke that killed 103 sailors and injured ore than 200 others. Iwas a personnelman 3 rd class working in an off ice several decks above the affected areas and suffered no injury myself. The disaster was later reported by the National Safety Council as the sixth-worst peacetime tragedy in recorded maritime history. It is indeli- ly imprinted on my mind as it took the lives of four of my shipmates from Attack Squadron 42, part of A ir Task Group 181at- tached to Bennington for its cruise to the Mediterranean. he explosions and fire also injured our executive officer and significantly injured my best friend, Frank Lelle.

I helped carry him to a aiting ambulance when we arrived at the Quonset oint, R.I., pier. eedless to say, Bennington was out of commission as a result of this disaster and Attack Squadron 42 personnel returned by air to our home base, Naval Air Station, Oceana, Va. Some seriously in- ured shipmates who would benefit by early treatment were taken from the ship by helicop- er and others, like my friend Frank, whom I assisted, were carried over the side for transfer to edical facilities upon our arrival at Quonset Point. In recent years I have corresponded with several shipmates who were art of the Bennington story that day. erle Wilson of Clario now living in northern Minnesota, was assigned to damage control.

Wilson entered the affected area of the ship and did some heroic things while removing injured and dead sailors. He subsequently received a commendation etter and medal from the Secretary of the Navy for his actions. Lt. Richard Under- ood was a helicopter pilot flying out of the Coast Guard base in Salem, Mass. He was the first to and on Bennington as she made her way to Quonset Point after the tragedy.

He made six trips to and from the ship to carry six injured sailors each trip; is timely arrival and subsequent flights no oubt saved the lives of any of these sailors. James Edward Weaver was awaiting discharge from the Navy at Quonset Point and responded to a call for volunteers to provide assistance to the ship and its personnel upon arrival in port. Recently he as recognized by the Bennington Veterans Association for his actions. May 26 marked an an- iversary of this tragedy in our peacetime Navy 60 years ago. Our dead and injured shipmates should ever be forgotten, and we should pray for them and their surviving families who still bear scars from that fateful day.

Learn more about USS ennington and her stories by visiting he website www.uss- ennington.org/ home.php. Donald G. Hauser of Des Moines served in the Navy from January 1951to November 1954. He served aboard USS New Jersey (BB-62) in Japan and Korea then was ass igned to Squadron 42 at Naval Air Station, Oceana, and made cruises aboard air- raft carriers to Halifax, Nova Scotia; the North Atlantic; and the Mediterranean Sea. AMEMORIAL TO A TRAGEDY 60 YEARS AGO By Donald G.

Hauser U.S. Navy veteran.