Dean S. Laird: Difference between revisions
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==Personal life and death== |
==Personal life and death== |
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Laird was born in [[Loomis, California]] and lived in [[Coronado, California]].<ref name="Hartford"/> He [[centenarian|turned 100]] in February 2021,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Robbins |first1=Gary |title=Famed WWII fighter pilots, now 100 and 101, to get final rides in the sky |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/veterans/story/2022-06-29/pilots-laird-anderson-honor-flights |website=[[San Diego Union-Tribune]] |access-date=July 4, 2022}}</ref> and died on August 10, 2022, at the age of 101.<ref>{{cite web |title=The San Diego Air & Space Museum Remembers World War II Ace Dean “Diz” Laird – the “Quintessential Fighter Pilot” |url=https://sandiegoairandspace.org/press/release/the-san-diego-air-space-museum-remembers-world-war-ii-ace-dean-diz-laird-the-quintessential-fighter-pilot |website=San Diego Air & Space Museum |access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> |
Laird was born in [[Loomis, California]] and lived in [[Coronado, California|Coronado]].<ref name="Hartford"/> He [[centenarian|turned 100]] in February 2021,<ref>{{cite web |last1=Robbins |first1=Gary |title=Famed WWII fighter pilots, now 100 and 101, to get final rides in the sky |url=https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/veterans/story/2022-06-29/pilots-laird-anderson-honor-flights |website=[[San Diego Union-Tribune]] |access-date=July 4, 2022}}</ref> and died on August 10, 2022, at the age of 101.<ref>{{cite web |title=The San Diego Air & Space Museum Remembers World War II Ace Dean “Diz” Laird – the “Quintessential Fighter Pilot” |url=https://sandiegoairandspace.org/press/release/the-san-diego-air-space-museum-remembers-world-war-ii-ace-dean-diz-laird-the-quintessential-fighter-pilot |website=San Diego Air & Space Museum |access-date=13 August 2022}}</ref> |
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==Awards== |
==Awards== |
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Revision as of 21:02, 13 August 2022
Dean S. Laird | |
|---|---|
| Birth name | Dean Samuel Laird |
| Nickname(s) | "Diz" |
| Born | February 7, 1921 Loomis, California, U.S. |
| Died | August 10, 2022 (aged 101) |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942 to 1971 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Unit | VF-4 VF-200 |
| Commands | VF-213 |
| Battles / wars | World War II |
| Awards | Distinguished Flying Cross |
Dean Samuel Laird (February 7, 1921 – August 10, 2022), also known as Diz Laird, was the only U.S. Navy ace to have combat victories in both the Pacific and European theaters of World War II.[1] He is given credit for 5.75 aerial victories.[2] Laird flew 138 fighter missions during World War II.[3] Laird is a Distinguished Flying Cross recipient.[3] He served in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War.[4] He was a recipient of the Congressional Gold Medal. (2015)[5]
Career
One week after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on January 2, 1942, Laird drove to San Francisco to enlist.[4] Laird entered the U.S. Navy cadet program. On August 11, 1942, he became a commissioned officer. In NAS Miami, Florida, on October 21, 1942, he became a Naval Aviator.[6] Laird shot down 5.75 enemy aircraft in combat and he damaged an additional plane. Two of his kills were German planes: A Ju-88 and a He-115 in October 1943 near Norway. The other kills were Japanese planes so Laird has the distinction of the being only Navy ace to have scored air victories against both Germany and Japan.[6] He flew F4F Wildcat and then F6Fs and was assigned from November 1942 to March 1943, to the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-4). November 1944 to March 1945 he was assigned to the USS Essex (CV-9).
In December 1944, Laird was almost shot down. His F6F Hellcat was riddled with bullets over the Philippines, but he was able to pilot the plane back to the USS Essex which was 250 miles away.[3] His landing gear did not work and Laird landed the plane skidding on its bottom across the runway of the aircraft carrier USS Essex.[7]
He received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions on Feb. 7, 1945. Laird was escorting bomber planes which were attacking heavily defended Japanese aircraft engine factories. He shot down two Japanese planes during that mission near Tokyo, Japan.[3][8]
When Laird was 93 years old, he was one of 35 Aces to travel to the nation's capital and receive the Congressional Gold Medal recognizing the 1,450 Aces from all of the wars.[5]
Film
In 1969, Laird was a stunt pilot. In the 20th Century Fox film "Tora! Tora! Tora!", Laird performed many of the stunts which ended up in the movie.[9] Laird helped choreograph the reenactment of the attack on Pearl Harbor and he was the lead stunt pilot.[5] He was one of the three main pilots in the movie and he flew approximately 164 hours during the movie production.[10]
Personal life and death
Laird was born in Loomis, California and lived in Coronado.[7] He turned 100 in February 2021,[11] and died on August 10, 2022, at the age of 101.[12]
Awards
- Congressional Gold Medal (2015)[5][13][14]
- Distinguished Flying Cross[3][2]
- Audie Murphy award presented by the American Veterans Center[15]
Affiliations
He was a member of the American Fighter Aces Association,[1] the Distinguished Flying Cross Society[2] and the Tailhook Association.[10]
See also
References
- ^ a b "The Last American Aces". Air and Space magazine. August 2015. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d Carlson, Mark. "An Ace in the Hole: "Diz" Laird". historynet. HistoryNet. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d e "Walnut Creek: World War II fighter pilots describe exhilaration of flying". MediaNews Group Inc. 15 August 2016. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b Brinkley, Leslie (23 October 2018). "Local 97-year-old ace pilot getting national Audie Murphy award". ABC, Inc. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b c d Achelis, Scott; Laird Achelis, Andrea (3 February 2016). "Coronado's "Avenue Of The Heroes" - Commander Dean "Diz" Laird, USN Retired". Coronado Eagle & Journal. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Dean S. Laird". veterantributes. Veteran Tributes. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b Rowe, Peter; Wilkens, John (27 October 2012). "WWII pilot defeated German and Japanese foes". Hartford Courant. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ "Dean Samuel Laird". Military Times. Sightline Media Group. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ a b "Dean S. Laird, CDR, USN (Ret.) "Diz"" (PDF). epnaao. Retrieved 23 July 2020.
- ^ Robbins, Gary. "Famed WWII fighter pilots, now 100 and 101, to get final rides in the sky". San Diego Union-Tribune. Retrieved July 4, 2022.
- ^ "The San Diego Air & Space Museum Remembers World War II Ace Dean "Diz" Laird – the "Quintessential Fighter Pilot"". San Diego Air & Space Museum. Retrieved 13 August 2022.
- ^ 113th Congress. "H.R.685 - American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act". Congress.gov. Library of Congress. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (link) - ^ Vogt, Tom (8 February 2016). "Off Beat: WWII pilot one of the faces of America's fighter aces". The Columbian. Retrieved 22 July 2020.
- ^ "American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes" (PDF). 2018 AVC Conference Program. American Veterans Center. October 2018. Retrieved 10 Aug 2020.
Further reading
- Hammel, Eric (2010) [1992]. Aces Against Japan. New York: Pocket Books. ISBN 978-1-890988-08-1. ISBN 0-671-52908-0.
- Hammel, Eric (1998). Aces in Combat: The American Aces Speak. Vol. 5. Pacifica, California: Pacifica Military History. ISBN 0-935553-61-4. ISBN 978-0-935553-61-1.
- Tillman, Barrett (1996). Hellcat Aces of World War 2. London: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 1-85532-596-9. ISBN 978-1-85532-596-8.
- Tillman, Barrett (1979). Hellcat: The F6F in World War II (1st ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-1-55750-991-8. ISBN 1-55750-991-3.
Notes
External links
- Dean Diz Laird
- Commander Laird was recognized as part of the AVC’s Emmy-winning television special American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes
- Negative Diz, the Pattern is Full