This Military Service Page was created/owned by
PO1 Jeff Frey (Ace)
to remember
McCampbell, David S., CAPT.
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Contact Info
Home Town Bessemer, AL
Last Address Riviera Beach, FL
Date of Passing Jun 30, 1996
Location of Interment Arlington National Cemetery (VLM) - Arlington, Virginia
Wall/Plot Coordinates 60 3150
Official Badges
Unofficial Badges
Additional Information
Last Known Activity:
Captain McCampbell passed away in Florida after a lengthy illness.
McCampbell is the United States Navy's all-time leading flying ace and top F6F Hellcat ace with 34 aerial victories. He was the third-highest American scoring ace of World War II and the highest-scoring American ace to survive the war. He also set a world single mission aerial combat record of shooting down nine enemy planes in one mission, on October 24, 1944, at the beginning of the Battle of Leyte Gulf, in the Philippines.
Other Comments:
Commander of the "Fabled Fifteen" Nickname given to Commander Air Group 15 during WWII, due to, during 20,000 hours of combat operations, destroying more aircraft(318 airborne / 348 on the ground) and sinking of more enemy ships than any other Air Group of the war.
Most aerial victories by an American Pilot on one combat tour, with 34.
Navy's all-time leading "Ace" with 34 aerial victories.
19 June 44, during the "Marianas Turkey Shoot" scored 7 aerial victories to become an "Ace in a Day"
24 October 44, repeated the feat with 9 aerial victories. The only American to become an "Ace in a Day" twice.
Only Fast Carrier Task Force Pilot to be honored with the Medal Of Honor.
Namesake of the USS McCampbell(DDG-85)
Namesake of the terminal at the Palm Beach International Airport.
NOTE: Click Medals/Ribbons to "display as table". Each individual award write-up can be read by selecting the award. Scans of the awards also in the Photo Gallery.
Description The Battle of Leyte Gulf, also called the Battles for Leyte Gulf, and formerly known as the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, is generally considered to be the largest naval battle of World War II and, by some criteria, possibly the largest naval battle in history.
It was fought in waters near the Philippine islands of Leyte, Samar and Luzon from 23–26 October 1944, between combined US and Australian forces and the Imperial Japanese Navy. On 20 October, United States troops invaded the island of Leyte as part of a strategy aimed at isolating Japan from the countries it had occupied in Southeast Asia, and in particular depriving its forces and industry of vital oil supplies. The Imperial Japanese Navy (IJN) mobilized nearly all of its remaining major naval vessels in an attempt to defeat the Allied invasion, but was repulsed by the US Navy's 3rd and 7th Fleets. The IJN failed to achieve its objective, suffered very heavy losses, and never afterwards sailed to battle in comparable force. The majority of its surviving heavy ships, deprived of fuel, remained in their bases for the rest of the Pacific War.
The Battle of Leyte Gulf consisted of four separate engagements between the opposing forces: the Battle of the Sibuyan Sea, the Battle of Surigao Strait, the Battle of Cape Engaño and the Battle off Samar, as well as other actions.
It was the first battle in which Japanese aircraft carried out organized kamikaze attacks. By the time of the battle, Japan had fewer aircraft than the Allied forces had sea vessels, demonstrating the difference in power of the two sides at this point of the war.
