STEFENCAVAGE, GEORGE 
 

 

BELLMAWR - Retired Naval Commander George Stefencavage, a

former Executive Officer at the Philadelphia Naval Base and decorated

veteran of Vietnam, died February 2, 1990 at his home.  He was 57.

 

CDR Stefencavage, who retired July 31, 1984, from the U.S. Navy,

died of an apparent heart attack. He had been assigned to the navy base

for four years.

 

He was born in Gilberton, PA, and raised in Philadelphia.  He graduated

from Mastbaum High School and graduated Morehead College in 

Kentucky.

 

He join the Navy in 1952 and was commissioned an Ensign in 1960. He

attended Communications School at Newport, RI.

 

He served as an Executive Officer aboard three ships and Engineering

Officer aboard a fourth.  He then returned to Newport in 1963 to 

attend Destroyer School.

 

Between February 1968 and January 1969, he served as Commanding

Officer of  River Division 532 in Vietnam.  He suffered injuries in a fire-

fight in which two of the ten boats he commanded were sunk, and about

half of the men in his command were wounded.  He returned to Vietnam

from May 1971 until May 1972 as a Senior Advisor.

 

He received the Silver and Bronze Stars for Gallantry, in addition to the

Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon for his first tour of duty in Vietnam.

 

He also received the Navy Commendation Medal, three Purple Hearts

and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry for the same actions.

 

For the past 18 months, he was employed as a Modernization Coor-

dinator with HUD, working with the Glassboro Housing Authority.

 

He was a member of the Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 7410, 
Bellmawr, and the Mount Ephraim Democratic Club.  He was an avid

hunter.

 

He is survived by his wife Gerri; two sons, Guy at home, and Gary of 

Mount Ephraim; a daughter, Gail MacCrea of Magnolia; a brother,

Raymond of Blackwood; and two grandchildren.

 

Graveside services with full military honors were held at Arlington 

National Cemetery.

 

The family requests that donations be sent to Deborah Heart and Lung

Association, Trenton Road, Browns Mills, 08015.

 

 

 

 


 

Plaque Presented To CDR Stefencavage at his retirement ceremony

  

I MIGHT BE SATISFIED ASHORE  

IF I HAD NEVER SEEN

THE BIG WAVES TOP THE FOCSLE

AND RACE AFT WHITE AND GREEN

 

IF I NEVER FELT THE WIND

OR SEEN THE LIGHTNING HURLED

  OR WATCHED THE STORM CLOUDS BLOWING DOWN  

GOD'S WIDE EXPANSE OF WORLD

 

IF I HAD NEVER SERVED A FLAG

OR HEARD THE BIG GUNS ROAR

OR WORE THE NAVY BLUE,  I MIGHT

BE SATISFIED ASHORE

 

YOUR STEAMING

SHIPMATES     


©2002 by Marshall K DuBois
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