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Lester Stanley "Les" Kirshner

No. 1997815 May 1931 - 28 June 1973

 

Died in Panorama City, CA

 

Interred in Forest Lawn Memorial Park, Glendale, CA

 


Lester Stanley “Les” Kirshner was born in the Bronx, NY, to Harry Kirshner and his wife, Ruth. Les lived in New York until his parents moved to El Monte, CA, with Les and his sister Eileen during World War II.

 

Les attended the Virgil Junior High School and Belmont High School, where he majored in mathematics. He was also an active member of the Boy Scouts. Les showed an early interest in military service as a cadet in the Junior Reserve Officer Training Corps in high school. First granted an alternate appointment to Annapolis, he declined it in favor of a principal appointment to West Point, entering in July 1950 with the other new cadets of the Class of 1954.

 

Les quickly and happily had adopted the outdoor lifestyle of California. He loved the beach and spent as much time there as he could. He learned to drive at age 16, and his first car was a 1931 Ford coupe that he worked on and restored before he left for West Point. He obtained a student pilot’s license, also at the age of 16, earning flying time by washing airplanes at the local airport. He joined the Civil Air Patrol and participated in their activities until joining the West Point Class of 1954.

 

Les was a good student, standing well up in his class and also had a wide range of interests outside of academics. Although not a regular participant in any team athletic activities excepting intramural sports, he was very interested in gun sports and an active member of the Pistol and Rifle Clubs. A staunch supporter of corps squad athletics, Les was a member of the Cheerleading Squad during his second and first class years, serving as a muleskinner and mule rider. He took part in winter sports as a member of the Ski Club, and was involved at various times with the Sailing, Camera, and Weight Lifting Clubs. He also was active in the French and Russian Language Clubs.

 

 

Les had an experience during his third class year that left an indelible impression and had a significant impact on the rest of his life. He went home at the end of 1951 to spend the Christmas holiday with his family, intending to return to West Point with a number of other cadets on an Air Force flight that was scheduled to arrive at Stewart Field late on New Year’s Day. His mother, concerned about the planned late arrival of the flight in New York, borrowed the money from a family friend and purchased a ticket for Les on a commercial airline flight that would enable him to return to West Point at an earlier hour. In one of the sadder events in West Point cadet history, the Air Force flight crashed in the mountains near Phoenix, AZ, killing the crew and all passengers aboard—eleven of them cadets in the Class of 1954.

 

Les liked the movies and enjoyed attending those offered on weekends at the Academy. He liked many different kinds of films and watched as many as he could. As a result of his frequent film going, he developed a crush on a young actress named Piper Laurie. He wrote to her—via her studio—for pictures and—after some persistence— later was invited to take part, in uniform, in a photo opportunity with the actress while he was home on leave. Les also had wide musical tastes, mostly in popular music; however, after attending a filmed performance of the Offenbach opera, The Tales of Hoffman, he bought a recording of the soundtrack and played it regularly. His love of music continued to grow and stayed with him for the rest of his life.

 

While a cadet, and as part of his Southern California lifestyle, Les wore his pilot-style, wrap-around sunglasses whenever the sun was out and he was able to enjoy its heat and other beneficial effects. He also had a sun lamp that he used to maintain—as best he could—a sun tan that would stand him in good stead during his visits to California. Because of his civilian flying experience, Les was interested in the Air Force, but after learning that he had physical limitations that prevented him from being considered for pilot training, Les chose the Artillery Branch for his military career.

 

Les married his long-time girlfriend and fiancé, Joyce Lightner, shortly after graduation. After graduation leave, he attended officer basic training at Ft. Sill, OK, and jump school at Ft. Benning, GA. He was stationed at Ft. Lewis, WA, where he served out the rest of his active duty time.

 

After leaving active duty in the Army in 1957, Les was employed by Litton Industries in Sacramento, CA, as a field-marketing representative working with the Army. He moved with Litton to Los Angeles and, while working with Litton, purchased a real estate franchise in Tarzana, CA. He eventually left Litton to pursue a full-time career in real estate.

 

Les and his wife had five children, three boys and two girls. In addition to being a dedicated family man, Les loved his home and workshop. He continued to maintain a wide range of outside interests. Besides his ongoing love of music, he developed an interest and advanced skills in photography, and occupied himself with sailing, model building, and the restoration of old cars.

 

Les died on 28 Jun 1973 of melanoma. He was survived by his parents and sister, and his wife and children. He has been and will continue to be missed.

 

—His family and Company G-2 classmates

 

Originally published in TAPS, January / February 2009

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