US Navy Admiral. He is remembered for making the first official night landing on an aircraft carrier, the USS Langley, in a TS fighter biplane on April 8, 1925. In 1912 he was selected to attend the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and graduated four years later. In 1920 he was designated a naval aviator and he and fellow Navy Lieutenant Spig Wead set five world records for Class C seaplanes with a Curtiss CS-2 biplane on June 22-23, 1924, for distance (963.123 miles), duration (13 hours, 23 minutes, 15 seconds), speed over 500 kilometers ((73.41 mph, 117.74 km/h), speed over 1,000 km (74.27 mph, 119.12 km/h) and speed over 1,500 km (74.17 mph, 118.96 km/h), and again on July 11-12, 1924, for distance (994.19 miles) and duration (14 hours, 53 minutes, 44 seconds). During World War II he saw combat action in the Pacific Theater both as a flier and as Commander, Pacific Fleet Air Wing 2, and was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. After the war, he was the first military governor of Okinawa and served as commander of the Naval Air Forces in the Pacific from 1947 until 1948 and Vice Chief of Naval Operations for Air, Washington DC, from 1948 until 1950. He retired at the rank of vice admiral in 1954, with 38 years of continuous military service. His military awards and decorations include the Navy Cross, the Legion of Merit (with one star), the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was then promoted to the rank of admiral on the retired list for having been especially commended in combat in accordance with an Act of Congress, (colloquially known as a "tombstone promotion"). He died at the age of 65. He was played by actor Ken Curtis in the 1957 film "The Wings of Eagles," which also starred John Wayne, and served as a technical adviser on the film.

US Navy Admiral. He is remembered for making the first official night landing on an aircraft carrier, the USS Langley, in a TS fighter biplane on April 8, 1925. In 1912 he was selected to attend the US Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland and graduated four years later. In 1920 he was designated a naval aviator and he and fellow Navy Lieutenant Spig Wead set five world records for Class C seaplanes with a Curtiss CS-2 biplane on June 22-23, 1924, for distance (963.123 miles), duration (13 hours, 23 minutes, 15 seconds), speed over 500 kilometers ((73.41 mph, 117.74 km/h), speed over 1,000 km (74.27 mph, 119.12 km/h) and speed over 1,500 km (74.17 mph, 118.96 km/h), and again on July 11-12, 1924, for distance (994.19 miles) and duration (14 hours, 53 minutes, 44 seconds). During World War II he saw combat action in the Pacific Theater both as a flier and as Commander, Pacific Fleet Air Wing 2, and was promoted to the rank of rear admiral. After the war, he was the first military governor of Okinawa and served as commander of the Naval Air Forces in the Pacific from 1947 until 1948 and Vice Chief of Naval Operations for Air, Washington DC, from 1948 until 1950. He retired at the rank of vice admiral in 1954, with 38 years of continuous military service. His military awards and decorations include the Navy Cross, the Legion of Merit (with one star), the Distinguished Flying Cross, and the World War II Victory Medal. He was then promoted to the rank of admiral on the retired list for having been especially commended in combat in accordance with an Act of Congress, (colloquially known as a "tombstone promotion"). He died at the age of 65. He was played by actor Ken Curtis in the 1957 film "The Wings of Eagles," which also starred John Wayne, and served as a technical adviser on the film.

Bio by: William Bjornstad