Col. John R. Braddon USMC, who was born in 1929, almost 26 years after the Wright Brothers first manned-flight, witnessed the evolution of aerospace technology. In 1952 he was commissioned in the Marine Corps and designated a Naval Aviator in 1954. In 1961 he conducted electronic and photographic reconnaissance of Cuba. In April 1964, while flying an H-34 helicopter in HMM-364, he earned the Silver Star for rescuing his fellow Marines while under fire. Upon returning to the United States, he resumed flying jet aircraft. In 1969 he served again in Vietnam as Commanding Officer of VMFA 334, an F4 Phantom squadron. In July of that year, he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, thus becoming one of the very few pilots to be decorated for combat heroism in both helicopter and jet aircraft. In 1973 he was assigned as the Project Manager of the Harrier Program in the Naval Air Systems Command. In that capacity he and his management team conceived of the AV-8B, which was the sole V/STOL aircraft in USMC and RAF service for over twenty years. During his career he flew over 15 different airplanes and helicopters. Unable to keep away from airplanes, he worked as a volunteer at the National Air and Space Museum in Washington, D.C. He assisted in creating a database to identify the parts needed to restore aircraft in the museum collection. He eventually became a Docent here at the Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center. John Braddon devoted his life to flight and the advancement of aerospace technology. We owe him, and all those who have fought for our freedom, a debt of gratitude that can never be repaid.