CDR Joseph Philip Rogers Jr.

Phil was born on February 5th, 1926 in Suffolk, Va. to Joseph and Lessie Rogers. Shortly thereafter his parents moved to Philadelphia, PA. where he attended public schools, graduating from Germantown High School.

Phil’s naval career started in 1943 when he enrolled in the V-12 Navy College Training Program which led to an appointment to the Naval Academy. Upon graduation in 1948, Phil was sent to Pensacola, Fl. for flight training and designated a Naval Aviator in April of 1950. He began his fleet career with VF-172 flying the F2H-2 ‘Banshee’. It was during that tour he met and married Marjorie A. Rogers of Jacksonville, Fl. They had a daughter Terri Shae and a son William Irl, but the marriage ended shortly after William’s birth.

While stationed in Jacksonville in 1961, he met and later married Patricia D. Mack (Patsy) who had two children, Robert Belknap Mack, Jr. and David Dickinson Mack, the sons of the late Robert Belknap Mack, USNA class of 1945. Thus began a new family of six and a wonderful life of love and caring, with the marriage lasting fifty-three years until Patsy’s passing in 2014.

Phil's naval career as an aviator was almost too good to be true. He served in two fleet squadrons, the aforementioned VF-172, VF-171 (also the F2H), an Advanced Training Command squadron VT-2 (F11F ‘Tiger’), two tours with the Replacement Air Group squadron VA-44 (F9F ‘Cougar’ and the A4D ‘Skyhawk’).

He was blessed with flying as part of his duties everywhere he was stationed. As an instructor at the Naval Academy, he flew the midshipmen in the N3N float models. While Assistant Air Officer aboard the USS Wasp (CVS-18) he was able to consistently fly the ship’s S2F COD aircraft while ashore. Following a six-month hiatus at Armed Forces Staff College, he served three years on the Joint Strategic Targeting Planning Staff at Offutt Air Force Base and flew over 800 hours in the Air Force’s T-39 Saberliner executive aircraft. He always enjoyed the look on the faces of the flag Air Force officers he was flying around who would look into the flight deck to congratulate the superb flight – only to find a Navy Commander at the controls.

He even managed to fly the U3-A (Cessna 310) occasionally during his final tour as Assistant Duty Captain in the Naval Command Center in the Pentagon before retiring in 1971. Phil considered his constant availability of a plane to fly was a gift he would always cherish and was supremely proud of his career as a naval aviator.

And as if flying for a living wasn’t enough, in 1964, Phil purchased a 1950 Beechcraft Bonanza (affectionally known as N4441 ‘Guzzler’ for its prodigious fuel appetite), which he and Patsy flew together for seven years.

After his retirement from the Navy, Phil held several civilian jobs most notably one with Forensic Technologies International in Annapolis (1979 - 1993); but it was back in 1972 that he began to pursue his real passion which was to give back to the institution he loved so much, the Naval Academy.

He began to get involved in the affairs of the Class of 1948 serving minor roles to begin with, but in 1975 Phil spearheaded the funding and construction of the Class of 1948 Memorial Gate (USNA Gate 1), which created a brand-new Visitor's Gate for the millions of annual visitors to the Academy. This was to be the first major project totally funded by the Class. It was completed and dedicated to the Academy in September of 1986.

In 1995 due to construction of the Academy Gift Shop adjacent to Halsey Field House the gate was totally dismantled and then restored using federal funds. The gate remained intact for twenty-two years until 2007 when DOD directed extensive security changes to Gate One that eliminated 48's Gate One Memorial.

Following completion of the re-design, Phil led the Class once again in raising the money and rebuilding the '48 Gate within the newly designed Visitor's Gate. It now stands as a lasting memory of the Class of 1948 for all midshipmen and visitors to enjoy.

Phil's last accomplishment on behalf of '48 was the creation of a plaque to be hung in the Hopper Building. It recognizes 48' s contribution to the development of the academic majors in Information Technology and Cyber Operations.

Both he and Patsy were also active in working on class reunions and one of Phil’s contributions to the class was the publication of the Thirty Year Book "48 IN 78" coincident with their 30th reunion.

Phil was an active trustee of the Athletic and Scholarship Division of the Naval Academy Foundation for 17 years and was a trustee emeritus at the time of his death. He also served as a volunteer with the Anne Arundel Medical Center Auxiliary through 2016.

Phil had a long and successful romance with the game of golf that began as a caddie at the age of 12 and it was in high school where he played on the varsity 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.

Patsy was an accomplished player in her own right and shared his love of the game playing together with him as often as possible. In addition to golf, he and Patsy enjoyed sailing aboard their 27-foot Swedish sloop Cadeau for 17 years exploring the coves and sights of the Chesapeake Bay. They truly enjoyed “The Land of Pleasant Living” together.

Phil is preceded in death by his parents, his wife Patsy, son William and grandson Nicholas. He is survived by his daughter Terri (and her husband Eddie), his stepsons Robert (and his wife Sharon) and David Mack, granddaughter Jennifer Rogers Mooney (and her husband Branden), Step-grandsons Andrew and Jameson Mack and his great grandson Ethan Rogers.

A memorial service will be held at the Naval Academy St. Andrews Chapel on October 6 with inurnment at the Columbarium following the service. Further details will be forthcoming. Updated information may be found www.dignitymemorial.com John M. Taylor Funeral Home.

The family extends its gratitude to Charlotte Hall Veteran’s Home in Charlotte Hall, Md. and all the staff for their care and support in Phil’s final days.

In lieu of flowers the family requests 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.