David Andrew Vetter, Col. (Ret.)

There was a TV series that could have sparked Dave Vetter’s dream—it was called Men of Annapolis, an anthology drama that aired from 1957 to 1958. It followed the lives of midshipmen at the U.S. Naval Academy, dramatizing their challenges, camaraderie, and moral tests. For a determined teenager in the late '50s or early '60s, watching those episodes—especially in syndication on Chicago’s WGN—could feel like peering through a window into a world of honor, grit, and destiny.

And for...

Dave was not a large and muscular kid in high school, but he was very determined. He broke his ankle and was in a hard cast but that did not keep him from attending football practice sessions. Dave would even throw his crutches down on the grass and do calisthenics with the team. I believe he was attached to a TV series about Annapolis and that is what drove him. Dave's dream was to secure an appointment to the Naval Academy and he fulfilled his dream.


A remarkable life...

I went to grade school with David and high school with Royce and David. He was one of the finest people I knew.

I worked for Colonel Vetter when he was the Dean of Admissions at the U.S. Naval Academy. He and Royce were two of the kindest people I ever met. I found his obituary while checking to see if he's still around. I am so sorry to have missed the memorial held at USNA. He was a great and humble man.

I was just now doing internet searches to check the whereabouts of old acquaintances and found the sad news the Col Vetter had passed away earlier this summer. Col Vetter was the Director of the Marine Corps Command and Staff College for two of the four years I was a member of the staff there. My fondest and most remarkable memory of the Colonel was that on the first day of each annual, nine-month long course, he had memorized the names of all 200+ plus students and those of their spouses. ...

I first met David in late August of 1963 at the Naval Academy. He was my plebe and was so squared away I think his Plebe year went smoothly. I did not see him again until he was the Dean of Admissions and again he did an outstanding job as he had done during his Marine Corps career. Semper Fi