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Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

CAPT John E. Lacouture, USN (Ret)

I graduated from the US Naval Academy in June 1940. Received wings in May 1943.

Combat tour on Destroyer USS Blue starting at Pearl Harbor, then all battles in Pacific, except that of Coral Sea, including Midway and Savo, an island off Guadalcanal. Returned to flight training after USS Blue sunk. Then a short combat tour as Executive Officer (XO) of VF-5 on the USS Franklin -- it was bombed by a Japanese bomber with losses over 850 personnel.

Returned to the United States to take command of VF-4 world famous Red Rippers. During my flying career, I enjoyed commanding three aviation squadrons, three air wings, and two aircraft carriers - the most aviation commands in the history of the US Navy.

Flew about 6000 hours in 174 different types and models of airplanes with over 500 carrier landings.