This Military Service Page was created/owned by
Michael Frederick, DK2
to remember
Valencia, Jr., Eugene, CDR USN(Ret).
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Contact Info
Last Address San Francisco
Date of Passing Sep 15, 1972
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Died. Eugene A. Valencia, 51, World War II Navy air ace; of a heart attack; in San Antonio, where he was attending a convention of American Fighter Aces. In 1945, Lieut. Valencia led a four-man team that destroyed 50 airborne Japanese planes in a three-month period without suffering any losses or damage. He was personally credited with bagging a record 7½ planes in a single day, scored a total of 23 kills, and was awarded the Navy Cross for his action in the South Pacific.
Other Comments:
The US Navy's third highest scoring fighter ace with 23 aerial victories against the Japanese.
In the critical years 1943 and 1944, the Hellcat ruled the skies of the Western Pacific. Lt. Eugene Valencia, one of the Navy's top pilots, quipped: "I love this airplane so much, that if it could cook, I'd marry it."
World War II/American Theater
From Month/Year
December / 1941
To Month/Year
September / 1945
Description The American Theater was a minor area of operations during World War II. This was mainly due to both North and South America's geographical separation from the central theaters of conflict in Europe and Asia. Thus, any threat by the Axis Powers to invade the mainland United States or other areas was considered negligible, allowing for American resources to be deployed in overseas theaters.
This article includes attacks on continental territory, extending 200 miles (320 km) into the ocean, which is today under the sovereignty of the United States, Canada, Mexico, and several other smaller states, but excludes military action involving the Danish territory of Greenland, the Hawaiian Islands, and the Aleutian Islands. The most well known battles in North America during World War II were the Attack on Pearl Harbor (the first attack on US soil since the Battle of Ambos Nogales), the Aleutian Islands Campaign, the Battle of the St. Lawrence, and the attacks on Newfoundland.
