Academy, family bid farewell to midshipman

Snowflakes whipped out of dark clouds Friday to swirl around a funeral procession silently winding through the Naval Academy campus.

Wrapped in gray blankets, two sisters of Midshipman 4th Class Frederick Henry Eissler walked behind his casket.

Midshipman Eissler, 20, wanted to graduate from the academy - like his father - and become a pilot to serve his country. He'll never have that chance.

He died Monday night after a five-day battle against bacterial meningitis.

"From this day forward, he will always be a midshipman. He will always be here," retired Cmdr. Frederick Eissler, a 1983 academy graduate, told his son's brigade.

Some students gave way to tears as Cmdr. Eissler described his son's love for the academy and football, his bright red hair and howhard he fought against the infection that killed him.

Doctors predicted he wouldn't live for six hours, but he fought the illness for five days.

"God knows, I'm the luckiest dad in the world to have had you," Cmdr. Eissler said, his voice breaking.

Midshipman Eissler was from West Chester, Pa. He attended Archmere Academy in Claymont, Del., and then the Naval Academy Preparatory School before entering the academy in July. He was a member of the 22nd Company.

He played intramural sports, loved Star Wars movies and was the big brother to four sisters - the youngest is about 4 years old.

Midshipmen, forming a sea of white scarves, blue coats and brass buttons, packed the Naval Academy Chapel, which seats 2,500 people, for the traditional Catholic funeral.

Next to the altar, a wreath with six sunflowers held a ribbon reading "Beloved Shipmate."

"If we are at all human, our whole being is in rage at the cruelty and unfairness of it all," said the Rev. Aiden Logan, Catholic chaplain at the academy. But their friend is in heaven, he told the midshipmen.

" ... God answered our prayers. It just wasn't the answer we expected."

Midshipman 3rd Class Charles Schappert spoke about his friend, saying Midshipman Eissler gave him two pieces of advice.

The first was about picking up girls. It's not only about being good looking. "Sometimes you have to talk to them," he said, earning a few laughs and a brief moment of levity. "Freddy, you definitely got the wheels spinning."

The second was to tell people you love them before it's too late.

"Don't wait until tomorrow, don't wait until next week, because you might not get that chance. Be sure to tell your mom and dad you love them. You can't say that enough," he said.

No one else at the Naval Academy has been diagnosed with bacterial meningitis, but 63 people are taking antibiotics as a precaution, academy officials said.

Midshipman Eissler is the fourth midshipman to die this year.

In January, Midshipman 2nd Class Anthony J. Valliere, 21, of Palatine, Ill., died in a motorcycle crash near Gaithersburg. In May, Midshipman 4th Class Kristen Dickmann, 19, of Avondale, Pa., died of cardiac arrhythmia, an abnormal beating of the heart.

And in July, Midshipman 1st Class Aaron H. Reaves, 21, of Kennesaw, Ga., died when his car struck a tree south of Fredericksburg, Va. He was on his way back to school after visiting his family.

A silent procession followed Midshipman Eissler's casket to the Naval Academy Cemetery yesterday, where his mother, Helene Eissler, was presented with the American flag that was draped over her son's casket. A 21-gun salute was fired and the national anthem played.

"I love you, brother," Midshipman Schappert said in his address. "I'll see you on the other side."

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