Foil: 6 Panel: Distinguished Flying Cross Society Column: 1 Line: 8

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Friend

Honored by:

John E. Vermillion, born on December 16, 1935 in West Terre Haute, Indiana. After 2 years of college for Pre-Engineering, he joined the US Navy in November 1955, attending the Naval Aviation Cadet program in Pensacola, Florida. He completed Basic Training in December 1956 and proceeded to Hutchinson, Kansas for Advanced Training, where he where he flew the S2F and P2V. He received his wings and, was commissioned an Ensign in the U. S. Navy in April 1957. His first assignment was with VP-I0, an Anti-Submarine Squadron flying P2Vs out of Brunswick, Maine with deployments to Keflavik, Iceland\Port Lyautey, Morocco, and Rota, Spain. This was followed by a tour with VT-29, Navigation Training Squadron flying the C-47, C-117, and the T-29, in Corpus Christi, Texas. Next it was off to Headquarters Support Activity flying the C-47 in support of the Republic of Vietnam Navy out of Siagon, Vietnam. Next followed a tour inVP-l, and ASW Squadron flying P2Vs out of Whidbey IS., Washington with deployments to Iwakuni, Japan and Siagon, Vietnam. After VP-l, it was back to the East Coast and Project Trim with the Weapon System Test at PAX River, MD flying the AP2H out of many bases from the East Coast to the West Coast during test and development. After test completion, it was off to Cam Ranh Bay, Vietnam for operational test and evaluation.
Upon completing this tour it was off to COMNAVTRACOM, Kenitra, Morocco flying the C-117 for mission support. Next it was back to CONUS for a tour with the Fleet ASW Tactical School located in Norfolk, VA. After this it was back to the European scene with CINCUSNA VEUR Headquarters, located in downtown London, England. After 4 years, this tour was extended with an assignment to COMAIREASTLANT, located just outside London at the NATO Headquarters in Northwood. Next it was back to the US for the final assignment with the Command and Control Technical Center located at the Pentagon in Washington DC and in Reston, VA. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, Air Medal (8), Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V", Defense Meritorious Service Medal, Navy Unit Commendation, Meritorious Unit commendation, Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation, Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device, Vietnam Service Medal with 2 Bronze Stars, Vietnam Civil Actions Unit Citation, National Service Medal, and the Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal. Most memorable achievements were; while serving as Operations Officer for Project Trim and VAH-21 conducting night combat missions in Vietnam and on the Ho Chi Minh trail evaluating low light level TV and Infrared sensor systems for weapons delivery, flying 6277 accident free hours, and graduating from GWU with a BS in Business Administration. He retired as a commander, USN in July 1983, and has since been working in the field of Telecommunications as a Project Manager.