Arthur King Bennett,Jr. – Captain, United States Navy

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MARQUETTE, Michigan – Funeral services were slated today for Captain Arthur King Bennett Jr., a Marquette native and decorated U.S. Navy officer.

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Bennett, 83, died at Marquette General Hospital December 8, 2004, due to complications from a fall at his home.

Born and raised in Marquette, Bennett returned to his hometown after he retired from the Navy in 1975 and built his home on Conway Lake in Powell Township.

His daughter, Lynn Bennett, said her father was more of a companion than a parent.

“Well, he hung the stars and the moon in my opinion. I lost my mom at the age of 19 and so he was my total protector and he made me feel like I was his companion,” Bennett said. “We were always friends on an intellectual level and a father/ daughter level.”

She said that her father was a different kind of a military man.

“He was a military man, you know tough and masculine, but he was also quite sensitive. He had an incredible love of the arts and he collected art. He was so full of energy and life and made me feel like I could do anything. I love him greatly.”

Marquette resident Marion Sonderegger, a longtime friend, said Bennett was an enthusiastic man who loved art, people and cribbage.

“He was extremely interested in so many things,” Sonderegger said. “Enthusiasm was his overriding characteristic and he had an incredible compassion for people. He loved to help young people, he was a natural mentor and he just really focused on them in a personal way.”

Bennett graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1946. Afterwards, he took flight training at the Pensacola, Fla. and Corpus Christie, Texas Naval Air Stations. He also graduated from the Navy’s Photo Interpretation School and earned a master’s degree in Operations Research from the U.S. Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, Cal.

Bennett served as Commanding Officer of the USS Firedrake and Patrol Squadron 42. He also served on the USS Hornet and USS Birmingham. His last command in the Navy was as Commanding Officer of the Naval Airfield in Misawa, Japan from 1972 to 1975.

Bennett was given medals for his active duty in World War II, Korean War and Vietnam War.

Bennett also attended Northern Michigan University prior to his naval service and was a co-founder of the Lee Hall Gallery after his naval service.

“He was very knowledgeable about art,” Sonderegger said. “He knew about oriental art especially. He collected lots of maps, art and art books. He was also quite the cribbage player; he beat me often.”

Lee Hall’s gallery features portions of Bennett’s Japanese wood block print collection.

After returning to the area, Bennett resumed his position within the community. During his service on the Rotary Club in Marquette, he was integral in the establishment of the Darter-Dace Memorial in honor of Captains David McClintock and Dulaney Claggett and the crews of the Darter and Dace submarines during World War II. The memorial is now at the Maritime Museum in Marquette.

He was also a member of the Big Bay Presbyterian Church, the Marquette County Republican Party and a founding member of the Conway Lake Association.

Bennett’s funeral was scheduled for 2 p.m. today at First Presbyterian Church in Marquette. Burial will be in Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington, Virginia.

BENNETT, ARTHUR K III
LT   US NAVY

  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 12/31/1967 – 04/25/1975
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 12/31/1947
  • DATE OF DEATH: 04/25/1975
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 05/01/1975
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 39  SITE 21-A
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

BENNETT, ARTHUR K JR
CAPT   US NAVY

  • VETERAN SERVICE DATES: 10/03/1941 – 07/01/1975
  • DATE OF BIRTH: 10/03/1921
  • DATE OF DEATH: 12/08/2004
  • DATE OF INTERMENT: 12/30/2004
  • BURIED AT: SECTION 39  SITE 21-A
    ARLINGTON NATIONAL CEMETERY

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