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John Smith Thach
was born in Pine Bluffs, Arkansas, on April 19, 1905. In 1923 he was
appointed to the U. S. Naval Academy, where, on June 20, 1927, he was
graduated and commissioned an Ensign in the U. S. Navy. Admiral Thach was
assigned to the battleships USS MISSISSIPPI and USS CALIFORNIA, until he was
ordered to flight training at Pensacola, Florida in 1929. In January 1930,
Admiral Thach was designated a Naval Aviator and was assigned to his first
operational squadron.
Form the beginning, Admiral Thach proved himself a highly capable pilot,
becoming recognized as one of the Navy's aerial gunnery experts, repeatedly
shooting top scores in every type of combat aircraft he flew.
During the next few years of his career, Admiral Thach's superior performance
qualified him to be a test pilot and flight instructor and to receive a
letter of commendation in 1940 for "exceptional skill and technique in
aerial gunnery and bombing; efficient and meticulous operation of a squadron
gunnery department; marked ability to train other pilots in fighting plane
tactics and gunnery."
When the United States entered World War II, Admiral Thach was a Lieutenant
Commander commanding Fighter Squadron Three, embarked on the aircraft carrier
USS SARATOGA. At the time, Admiral Thach was one of the top fighter
tacticians in the Navy. Intelligence reports from the Sino-Japanese was convinced
him that the Navy's top carrier fighter, the F4F Grumman Wildcat, was no
match for the superior flying performance of the Japanese Zero. Admiral Thach
sought to devise a means to give his squadron a fighting chance against the
Zero. The result, which he worked out with match sticks on his kitchen table,
was the famous "Thach Weave" still used today by modern jets
fighters. He initiated the practice of having U. S. fighter planes operate in
pairs, instead of trios. The pair would weave back and forth as they
encountered the Zero, thus providing the wingman the opportunity to shoot at
the Zero on his partners tail and vice versa. This tactic proved highly
successful at the Battle of Midway.
Admiral Thach returned to Pearl Harbor to instruct other pilots in the use of
his new technique. Later in the war, Admiral Thach was assigned to the Fast
Carrier Task Force as Air Operations Officer, where he developed the system
of blanketing enemy airfields with a continuous patrol of carrier-based
fighters. The tactics is credited with destroying the air offensive
capabilities of Japan. His direction of the Navy's final offensive blows to
the Japanese mainland led to an invitation to participate in the Japanese
surrender aboard the battleship USS MISSOURI.
Admiral Thach continued his distinguished career after the war, commanding
the aircraft carrier USS SICILY in the Korean conflict, and later, the
carrier USS FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT. He was promoted to the rank of Rear
Admiral in November of 1955, Vice Admiral in January of 1960, and to Admiral
in March of 1960. In recognition of his work, the Navy annually awards the
best anti-submarine warfare aircraft squadron "The Admiral Thach
Award". In 1965, Admiral Thach was ordered to duty as Commander-in-Chief
of U. S. Naval Forces in Europe and served there until his retirement in May
1967, after more than 40 years of service. Admiral Thach died on 15 April
1981.
Admiral Thach participated in twelve major engagements or campaigns and was
awarded the following distinctions: Distinguished Service Medal, Navy Cross,
Letter of Commendation from Fleet Admiral Nimitz, Gold Star in lieu of second
Navy Cross, Silver Star Medal, Legion of Merit, Bronze Star Medal, Gold Star
in lieu of second Legion of Merit, plus other campaign, unit and service
awards. Admiral Thach is survived by his two sons, John Smith Thach, Jr. and
William Leleand Thach.
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