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Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates 06E 124
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
He was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on April 20, 1966. CDR Abbott was reported to have died in captivity 7 days later, on April 27, 1966. He was posthumously promoted to Captain, and his remains were returned to the United States on March 13, 1974 and Identified in April 17, 1974 Capt Abbott is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Name of Award
Prison of War Medal
Year Awarded
1966
Details behind Award:
Commander John Abbott (NSN: 0-505134), United States Navy, was held as a Prisoner of War in North Vietnam from April 20, 1966 until his death in captivity on or about April 27, 1966.
Action Date: April 20 - 27, 1966
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Division: Prisoner of War (North Vietnam)
Comments/Citation:
Name of Award
Distiguished Flying Cross X5
Years Awarded
1950
1952
1965
1966
1966
Details behind Awards:
Awarded for actions during the Korean War
Awarded for actions during the Vietnam War
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Ensign John Abbott (NSN: 0-505134), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flights in the Korean Theater during the period 4 July to 25 September 1950. As a pilot of a fighter plane, Ensign Abbott participated in thirty-five strike missions over enemy territory.
Action Date: July 4 - September 25, 1950
Service: Navy
Rank: Ensign
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade John Abbott (NSN: 0-505134), United States Navy, for extraordinary achievement and distinguished leadership while participating in aerial flight as pilot of a fighter aircraft attached to Fighter Squadron FIFTY-THREE (VF-53), based on board the U.S.S. ESSEX (CV-9), during attacks against enemy forces over hostile North Korean territory on 15 January 1952. As Division Leader of a flak-suppression element escorting attack bombers on a strike mission against an important and heavily defended rail and supply center near Yangdok, North Korea, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Abbott preceded the attack bombers into the target area and with utter disregard for his own personal safety and in the face of extremely intense and accurate anti-aircraft fire, led his team in repeated bombing and strafing attacks against these anti-aircraft gun positions which were concealed in treacherous mountain terrain. His aggressiveness, courageous leadership and outstanding airmanship enabled his division to suppress the flak so thoroughly that no damage was sustained by the attack bomber elements during their attacks. Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Abbott personally destroyed three heavy gun positions and silenced several others. His gallant and untiring devotion to duty was at all time in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
Action Date: January 15, 1952
Service: Navy
Rank: Lieutenant Junior Grade
Company: Fighter Squadron 53 (VF-53)
Division: U.S.S. Essex (CV-9)
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Commander John Abbott (NSN: 0-505134), United States Navy, was awarded a Third Gold Star in lieu of a Fourth Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Strike Leader and Pilot of an attack aircraft attached to Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN (VA-113), in U.S.S. KITTY HAWK (CVA-63), during operations in the Republic of Vietnam against the Viet Cong on 22 December 1965.
Action Date: 22-Dec-65
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Company: Attack Squadron 113 (VA-113)
Division: U.S.S. Kitty Hawk (CVA-63)
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Commander John Abbott (NSN: 0-505134), United States Navy, was awarded a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross (Posthumously) for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Division Leader and Pilot of an attack aircraft attached to Attack Squadron ONE HUNDRED THIRTEEN (VA-113), in U.S.S. KITTY HAWK (CVA-63), in operations against a vital bridge in North Vietnam on 20 April 1966.
Action Date: 20-Apr-66
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Company: Attack Squadron 113 (VA-113)
Division: U.S.S. Kitty Hawk (CVA-63)
(Citation Needed) - SYNOPSIS: Commander John Abbott (NSN: 0-505134), United States Navy, was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in Southeast Asia.
Service: Navy
Rank: Commander
Description Yankee Station was a point in the Gulf of Tonkin off the coast of Vietnam used by the U.S. Navy aircraft carriers of Task Force 77 to launch strikes in the Vietnam War. While its official designation was "Point Yankee," it was universally referred to as Yankee Station. Carriers conducting air operations at Yankee Station were said to be "on the line" and statistical summaries were based on days on the line. The name derived from it being the geographic reference point "Y", pronounced "Yankee" in the NATO phonetic alphabet. In turn the term Point Yankee derived from the launch point for "Yankee Team" aerial reconnaissance missions over Laos conducted in 1964. It was located about 190 km due east of Dong Hoi, at 17° 30' N and 108° 30' E.
During the two periods of sustained air operations against North Vietnam (March 2, 1965-October 31, 1968 and March 30, 1972-December 29, 1972) there were normally three carriers on the line, each conducting air operations for twelve hours, then off for twelve hours. One of the carriers would operate from noon to midnight, another from midnight to noon, and one during daylight hours, which gave 24-hour coverage plus additional effort during daylight hours, when sorties were most effective. However at the end of May, 1972, six carriers were for a short period of time on the line at Yankee Station conducting Linebacker strikes.
The first aircraft carrier at Yankee Station was USS Kitty Hawk, which was ordered there in April 1964 for the Yankee Team missions. Kitty Hawk was joined by Ticonderoga in May and Constellation in June, two months prior to the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution. Ticonderoga and Constellation launched the first bombing missions from Yankee Station on August 5, 1964. Constellation was also the last carrier conducting operations at Yankee Station on August 15, 1973. USS Forrestal suffered a major accident while at Yankee Station when a series of fires and explosions on her deck killed 134 men and injured another 161.
A corresponding Dixie Station in the South China Sea off the Mekong Delta was a single carrier point for conducting strikes within South Vietnam from May 15, 1965 to August 3, 1966.
Griffin Colvin-Family.
