World War II US Navy Aviator. A native of Minnesota, he joined the Navy in 1936, earned his flying wings and was commissioned an Ensign fighter pilot. During World War II, he served on several aircraft carriers in the Pacific and became an ace shooting down six Japanese planes. Serving on the USS Yorktown, as Lieutenant Commander and lead fighter pilot flying FM-6 Hellcat fighters, he led the first mass strike by carrier based aircraft on Tokyo on February 16, 1945. In April 1945, he was command of the American Naval air invasion fleet at Okinawa, which resulted in the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamato. For his efforts in this action he was awarded the Navy Cross Medal. After the war he remained in the Navy, was promoted to Captain in 1956, served as commander of the Aircraft Carrier USS Shangri-La in the 1960s and retired to Florida in 1968.
World War II US Navy Aviator. A native of Minnesota, he joined the Navy in 1936, earned his flying wings and was commissioned an Ensign fighter pilot. During World War II, he served on several aircraft carriers in the Pacific and became an ace shooting down six Japanese planes. Serving on the USS Yorktown, as Lieutenant Commander and lead fighter pilot flying FM-6 Hellcat fighters, he led the first mass strike by carrier based aircraft on Tokyo on February 16, 1945. In April 1945, he was command of the American Naval air invasion fleet at Okinawa, which resulted in the sinking of the Japanese battleship Yamato. For his efforts in this action he was awarded the Navy Cross Medal. After the war he remained in the Navy, was promoted to Captain in 1956, served as commander of the Aircraft Carrier USS Shangri-La in the 1960s and retired to Florida in 1968.
Bio by: John "J-Cat" Griffith
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