Major David Charles Beard, USMC (Ret.), 77, passed away on Saturday, January 20, 2024, in Pensacola, FL.

David was the son of Emily and Robert Beard and grew up in Mansfield, OH. He was an Eagle Scout and President of his Class. Following graduation he entered the US Naval Academy at Annapolis.

At the Naval Academy David excelled in academics and was the captain of the Navy 1968 National Championship squash team. On graduation from the Naval Academy in 1968, David was commissioned as a Marine 2nd Lieutenant, went through flight school and earned his Navy wings. In the fleet he first flew the F-4J "Phantom" fighter with Marine Fighter-Attack Squadron 212 in Hawaii making a Vietnam combat deployment in 1972. Dave next was ordered to transition into the Marines' new AV-8A "Harrier" vertical takeoff and landing jet.

After his tour in Harriers, he was accepted into the USN Test Pilot School in Maryland. On graduation he was then assigned to fly the initial Harrier ship "ski jump" takeoff tests.

A year later he was selected to instruct in the Test Pilot School. While at the School and during a student spin demonstration flight, he was forced to eject from a disabled aircraft at high speed. He suffered extremely serious injuries in the ejection from wind blast and parachute opening. A near miraculous sequence of recovery events, followed by Navy doctors' heroic efforts enabled him to live. Bedridden for the next ten months in Portsmouth, VA Naval Hospital, he was discharged with a medical retirement.

After additional convalescence, David was hired as part of the Northrop Grumman Corporation team competing for the next generation Navy flight training aircraft. He was next assigned as a personal assistant to a senior VP in management of the B-2 stealth bomber program. He subsequently was asked to develop and manage an ethics program for the company's entire airplane development sector.

In 2006, after 25 years with NG, he retired and established his own ethics consulting company, "Magnolia Associates."

David is survived by his older brother, Tim; daughters, Katherine and Margaret; son, Ben, a recently retired Marine Lieutenant Colonel and Harrier pilot; as well as nine grandchildren.

A Rosary will be prayed at 3:45pm with visitation following from 4:00pm-6:00pm, Monday, January 29, 2024, at Harper-Morris Memorial Chapel. Funeral Mass will be held 11:00am Tuesday, January 30, 2024, at Nativity of Our Lord Catholic Church, with Fr. Raymond Herard celebrant. I nterment will follow at Barrancas National Cemetery, with full military honors.