James M. Vreeland ’53

James M. Vreeland ’53, of San Jose, Calif.; Dec. 21, 2021. A 28-year Navy veteran, he graduated from Brown and started naval flight training as a NAVCAD in 1953. An exceptional pilot, he served multiple tours as a flight instructor and standardization pilot. His operational tours included fleet tours in F2P Photo Banshee and RF-8 Crusader detachments onboard multiple aircraft carriers in both the Mediterranean and Pacific. With close to 5000 pilot hours behind him, he spent the second half of his Navy career as an aircraft investigator with the Navy Safety Center leading investigations of Navy and Marine Corps aircraft mishaps. After retiring from active duty, he returned to his aviation roots as a civilian simulator instructor training naval flight students. He enjoyed traveling the world. He is survived by his partner Marty Reynolds; two daughters; a daughter-in-law; and five grandchildren.