Jerry Summers
As a native of Bessemer, Alabama, David McCampbell was the United States Navy’s all-time leading flying ace and the top F6F Hellcat ace with 34 aerial victories over Japanese aircraft in the Pacific during 1944 in World War II.
After short stints at Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Virginia and one year at George Tech in Atlanta, McCampbell received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy and graduated in 1933 with a degree in marine engineering.
He would receive his “flying wings” on April 21, 1938 at Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida and was originally assigned to the aircraft carrier USS Ranger in May 1940 as a landing signal officer (LSO) from that date on various ships.
He survived the sinking of the aircraft carrier USS Wasp by a Japanese submarine near Guadalcanal on September 15, 1942.
Returning to the United States he rose in rank to Lieutenant Commander and was stationed at Naval Air Station Melbourne, Florida where he served as LSO instructor until August 1943.
McCampbell’s heroic actions which led him to be awarded the Medal of Honor from President Franklin Roosevelt took place in 1944 beginning on June 11 when he made his first kill of a Mitsubishi AGM Zeke (Zero) near Saipan in the Marians Islands.
From that date through November 14, 1944 he destroyed 34 enemy aircraft.
As Commander of Air Group 15 from February 1944 to November 1944 he was air commander of the USS Essex aircraft carrier assemblage of fighters, bombers and torpedo bombers.
The unit participated in the First and Second Battles of the Philippine Sea.
Air Group 15 (AG15) titled the “Fabled Fifteen” destroyed more enemy planes (315 in the air and 348 on the ground) and sank more enemy shipping than any other unit in the Pacific War.
Individually McCampbell became the Navy’s “ace of aces” for his record in 1944.
Although often outnumbered by enemy fighters the AG 15 achieved an outstanding record.
Two significant dates are important in McCampbell’s resume against the enemy.
On June 19, 1944 during the fabled “Mariana Turkey Shoot” he shot down five Japanese ‘Judy’ dive bombers to earn his classification as an “ace” pilot. He re-fueled and later than day shot down two more Japanese “Zekes” over the island of Guam.
However, this was not his most outstanding achievement as a fighter pilot.
On October 24, 1944 during the Battle of Leyte Gulf he destroyed a total of nine enemy planes including seven Zeros and two ‘Oscars’.
Ironically when he landed his Grumman F6F Hellcat on the USS Langley his six machine guns had just two rounds remaining and he was out of fuel.
His last destruction of an enemy aircraft took place on November 14, 1944 in Manila Bay in the Philippines when he shot down an “Oscar” to finalize his total of 34 kills.
Following World War II McCampbell served in many capacities in the naval command structure during peacetime and in Korea as well as commands on several ships including the aircraft carrier USS Bon Homme Richard.
He would be awarded the Medal of Honor by Franklin D.
Roosevelt prior to the president’s death on April 12, 1945.
McCampbell would be awarded numerous other recognitions including the Navy Cross, the Silver Star, and Distinguished Flying Cross.
McCampbell retired from active duty in 1964 after 31 years of service.
He would live out his retirement in the state of Florida at Rivera Beach and would die on June 30, 1996 at the age of 86 and was interred in Arlington National Cemetery.
His is one of over 30 military personnel from the state of Alabama who were awarded the Medal of Honor through the Vietnam War.
David McCampbell