Alexander Vraciu
Alexander Vraciu | |
|---|---|
 Lt. (jg) Alexander Vraciu in his Grumman F6F after the "Mission Beyond Darkness" during the Battle of the Philippine Sea (June 20, 1944). | |
| Allegiance |  United States |
| Service/ | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1942—1964 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Unit | USS Independence (CVL-22) USS Intrepid (CV-11) USS Lexington (CV-16) |
| Battles/wars | Wake Island Raid
Raid on Kwajelein First Truk Raid First Battle of the Philippine Sea |
| Awards | Navy Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal U.S. Navy High Individual - Aerial Gunnery - 1957 |
Alexander Vraciu (born November 2, 1918) was a leading U.S. Navy fighter ace during World War II.
Born of Romanian immigrant parents in East Chicago, Indiana, Vraciu lived briefly in Romania as a child. He graduated form DePauw University in 1941 and enlisted in the Navy that June. He was commissioned a naval aviator in August 1942, and at the end of March 1943, as a Naval Reserve Ensign, he joined Fighting Squadron Six under Lieutenant Commander Edward O'Hare, the navy's first ace of WW II. Butch O'Hare made Ensign Vraciu his wingman, and taught him everything he knew.
Vraciu entered combat in October 1943, flying from USS Independence (CVL-22) with Butch O'Hare as commander of Fighting Six. Vraciu scored his first victory during a strike against Wake Island on October 10, 1943. Alex Vraciu was O'Hare's wingman - both scored that day. When they came across an enemy formation O'Hare took the outside airplane and Vraciu took the inside plane. O'Hare went below the clouds to get a Japanese Mitsubishi Zero and Vraciu lost him, so he kept an eye on a second Zero that went to Wake Island and landed. Vraciu strafed the Zero on the ground, then saw a Mitsubishi G4M Betty bomber and shot it down. Alex Vraciu later told, "O'Hare taught many of the squadron members little things that would later save their lives. One example was to swivel your neck before starting a strafing run to make sure enemy fighters were not on your tail." Vraciu also learned from O'Hare the "highside pass" used for attacking the Japanese Mitsubishi Betty bombers. The highside technique was used to avoid the fatal 20-mm fire of the Betty's tail gunner.
The squadron later embarked aboard USS Intrepid (CV-11). Flying from "Evil I", Vraciu began scoring in multiples: three Mitsubishi G4M Bettys on January 29, 1944 and four fighters downed at Truk Atoll on February 17. With nine victories, he remained VF-6's leading ace throughout the war.
Rather than rotate home, Vraciu requested additional combat duty and joined VF-16 in USS Lexington (CV-16). By mid June he had run his score to 12 "kills", a record for carrier aviators at the time.
Vraciu's greatest day in combat occurred during the Battle of the Philippine Sea, the "Great Marianas Turkey Shoot" on June 19. Despite a malfunctioning supercharger, he intercepted a formation of Japanese dive bombers and "splashed" six in a period of eight minutes. When he landed, the Lexington's ordnancemen discovered that he had used a total of only 360 rounds of ammunition, which works out to less than a five-second burst per "kill."[1] The next day, escorting bombers in an attack on the Japanese Mobile Fleet, he downed his 19th victim.
Upon return the U.S., Vraciu was assigned to war bond sales, married his sweetheart Kathryn Horn, and wrangled a return to the Pacific. Joining VF-20, he flew only two missions before his Grumman Hellcat was shot down by antiaircraft fire over the Philippines in December. He was picked up by a guerrilla band and returned to safety six weeks later as the leader of the group. He ended the war as the Navy's fourth-ranking ace.
Subsequently Vraciu became a test pilot and was instrumental in forming the postwar Naval Air Reserve program. Commander Vraciu led VF-51 from 1956 to 1958, winning the Navy's individual gunnery championship in 1957. He retired in 1964 to begin a career in banking.
As of 2007 Alex Vraciu is retired in Danville, California, the father of three daughters, two sons, and several grandchildren. He continues to be active on the lecture circuit and is a very popular speaker. He made an appearance in a January 2007 episode of the History Channel's "DOGFIGHTS" TV Series titled "The Zero Killer." Despite keen editing and writing skills, Vraciu has no interest in producing an autobiography about his exploits.
References
Marcello, Ronald E. : "Oral History Project - Alex Vraciu," University of North Texas, 1994
- ^ Tillman, Barrett: "Clash of the Carriers", page 173. New American Library, 2005