This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Michael Frederick, DK2
to remember
McWhorter III, Hamilton (Mac), CDR USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Last Address Athens
Date of Passing Apr 12, 2008
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Retired in El Cajon, California. Co-author of a book on his experiences in WWII, "First Hellcat Ace."
Other Comments:
Flew 89 combat missions during WWII.
US Navy's first Hellcat ace, ultimately downing twelve Japanese aircraft in the F6F.
Randolph was one of the "long-hull"Essex-class ships. She was laid down on 10 May 1943, at Newport News Shipbuilding & Dry Dock Co., Newport News, Virginia. She was launched on 28 June 1944, sponsored by Rose Gillette (wife of Guy M. Gillette, a US Senator from Iowa). Randolph commissioned on 9 October 1944, CaptainFelix Locke Baker, USN in command.In July 1961, Randolph sailed for operations in the Caribbean and served as the recovery ship after splashdown for astronaut Virgil Grissom on America's second manned space flight, a suborbital shot. In February 1962, Randolph was the primary recovery ship for astronaut John Glenn on his flight, the first American orbital voyage in space. After his historic three-orbit flight, he landed safely near Noa from which he was transferred, byhelicopter, to Randolph.
Randolph