Foil: 22 Panel: 2 Column: 1 Line: 25

Wall of Honor Level:
Air and Space Sponsor

Honored by:
Mr. Howard E. Phillips Jr.

In 1943 at age 17, and with parental approval, he enlisted in the Navy. One of his first stations was Patuxent River, the testing site for most of naval air. As a Seaman first Class his assignment was to swim tow lines to the seaplanes. This billet gave him the opportunity to fly overseas, to hunt for submarines, and to fly with hurricane hunters. Every flight fired his desire and dream of being a naval Aviator. A year later Navy wings of gold were pinned on him at Pensacola. He was assigned to sea duty with the unique rank of Midshipmen.
This group of naval aviators that graduated as Flying Midshipmen were the first, since the days of John Paul Jones, that entered the war as Midshipmen. It was this group of aviators that were responsible for providing most of the Navy pilots for the Korean War.
My father was proud to fly with this select group which included Neal Armstrong, first man on the moon, Jim Lovell, Apollo Commander, Joe Akagi, first Nisei naval aviator, Jesse Brown, first African American naval aviator (killed in Korea), and Ambassador Allen Davis. Eighteen of this small group of Flying Midshipmen rose to flag rank, and one of them four-star Admiral Kinnear.
After he left the Navy he continued to fly with the Naval Reserves, graduated from law school, and created a real estate development company which built major projects in twelve states.
In 1990 at age 65 he had the opportunity to fly a Russian Mig 29 and to meet with some of Russia’s best pilots, Frolov, Votinsev, Pugachev and his instructor Menisky. He participated with them flying the Mig at two air shows.
My father has always been an active, strong, vocal, supporter of Naval Aviation.