This Military Service Page was created/owned by
John Moore-Family
to remember
Gay, James Tillman, AKC USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Home Town Phenix City, AL
Last Address Clarke County, Alabama
Date of Passing Feb 09, 1992
Location of Interment Fort Mitchell National Cemetery (VA) - Fort Mitchell, Alabama
Fighter Squadron 24 was originally commissioned as Fighter Squadron 211 in June 1955 at NAS Moffett Field. The unit flew the FJ-3 Fury aboard the USS Bon Homme Richard. The squadron transitioned to the F8U Crusader in 1957. Then on 9 March 1959, the Squadron was redesignated VF-24 Fighter Squadron 24
While deployed aboard USS Bon Homme Richard (Carrier Air Wing Twenty One), Lieutenant Commander Bobby C. Lee and Lieutenant Phillip R. Wood became the first VF-24 pilots to shoot down MiG aircraft over North Vietnam on May 19, 1967,. The MiGs were shot downed withAIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles. Then on July 21, 1967, Commander Marion H. Issacks (XO) and Lieutenant Commander Robert L. Kirkwood made the 3rd and 4th MiG kills for their Squadron with 20 mm guns and Sidewinder missiles. The MiG-killing "Fighting Renegades" became one of the Navy's first "Ace" squadrons
The MiG KILLS
Lt Phil Wood: MIG-17, 19 May 1967
LCDR Bobby Lee: MIG-17, 19 May 1967
CDR Marion Isaacks: MIG-17, 21 July 1967
LTJG Phil Dempewolf: MIG-17, 21 July 1967
LCDR Robert Kirkwood: MIG-17, 21 July 1967
