David Browning

Who was David Browning?

David Greig "Skippy" Browning, Jr. was a diver from the United States and Olympic champion. He represented the US at the 1952 Summer Olympics in Helsinki, where he received a gold medal in springboard diving. After his Olympic victory in Helsinki Browning shinnied up a flag pole to steal an Olympic flag and was arrested.

Browning married Corinne L. Couch on September 7, 1950. In January 1953 he graduated from the University of Texas at Austin with a degree in business administration. In June 1955 he received his wings as a pilot in the United States Navy at Pensacola, Florida. On March 13, 1956, he was on a training flight in an AFJS Fury jet carrier fighter when the plane crashed near Rantoul, Kansas, killing Browning. At the time, he was scheduled to be reassigned to Los Angeles to begin training for the 1956 Summer Olympics.