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For distinguishing himself by extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy during a fighter plane sweep over southern Kyushu, Japan on 18 March 1945. Flying as leader of a division of carrier based fighters, he personally destroyed five enemy planes during the flight. He shot down one enemy plane in flames as it pursued a fellow pilot. Shortly thereafter five more enemy fighters were observed, flying in echelon formation. He closed to the rear of this flight and, with three short bursts, dropping his left wing and turning slightly to the left each time, destroyed three of the planes, one exploding in the air and the others flaming at the wing roots and crashing. Later during the same flight he sighted two enemy fighters pursuing one of our planes. He fired on one of the planes whose pilot bailed out when part of a wing flew off. His skill and courage were at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
1941-1943, 00X, Naval Air Station (NAS) Kingsville TX
The Naval Air Station's primary mission is to train tactical jet pilots for the United States Navy and Marine Corps.
History
NAS Kingsville began its history in 1942 as Naval Auxiliary Air Station Kingsville (NAAS) functioning as an auxiliary field for NAS Corpus Christi. Back then, the missions was similar today's operations; training (or in this case, support for training) for Navy pilots.
At the time, both fighter and bomber training was supported, but in 1960 the installation became an all-jet training facility after a brief "intermission" when the site was placed into caretaker status from 1946 to 1951.
In 1968 the airfield became what it is today. Redesignated as NAS Kingsville the Air Station began hosting flight training and is know as one of three centers for Navy jet training operations. Today the Air Station hosts approximately 500 military members (including student jet pilots) and more than 200 civilians. For more information see NASK homepage
