33:
426:
460:
562:
555:
519:
494:
503:
355:
364:
444:
546:
437:
540:
533:
513:
488:
481:
474:
454:
420:
413:
346:
401:
395:
388:
381:
374:
279:
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. His landing gear did not work and Laird landed the plane skidding on its bottom across the deck of the
251:
on
December 7, 1941, Laird drove to San Francisco to enlist. 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. Laird shot down 5.75 enemy aircraft in combat and he damaged an
32:
1442:
1467:
929:
309:; he helped choreograph the reenactment of the attack on Pearl Harbor and was the lead stunt pilot. He was one of the three main pilots in the film and he flew approximately 164 hours during production.
287:
for his actions on
February 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
260:
in
October 1943 near Norway. The other kills were Japanese planes so Laird has the distinction of being the only Navy ace to have scored air victories against both Germany and Japan. He flew
1141:
644:
295:
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.
1422:
777:
1193:
1452:
1038:
1432:
1427:
580:
284:
232:
193:
587:
899:
1361:
1340:
1313:
1276:
1208:
1462:
1437:
1095:
1447:
761:
1114:
1457:
1371:
1330:
1303:
1286:
757:
986:
782:
216:
612:
425:
248:
212:
685:
663:
231:, and is given credit for 5.75 aerial victories. Laird flew 138 fighter missions during World War II. and was awarded the
459:
1142:"The San Diego Air & Space Museum Remembers World War II Ace Dean 'Diz' Laird – the "Quintessential Fighter Pilot""
573:
721:
680:
561:
126:
554:
745:
735:
726:
326:
325:, where he co-owned and operated the Coronado Municipal Golf Course restaurant; in 2015 he moved back north to
236:
88:
835:
805:
1230:
1119:
639:
539:
532:
512:
487:
480:
473:
453:
419:
412:
1391:
518:
493:
1353:
502:
354:
1417:
1412:
765:
704:
322:
363:
1167:
634:
394:
387:
380:
373:
265:
1063:
443:
318:
108:
71:
303:
In 1969, Laird was a stunt pilot. He performed many of the stunts in the 20th
Century Fox film
1367:
1357:
1336:
1326:
1309:
1299:
1282:
1272:
1187:
545:
305:
269:
957:
436:
273:
607:
257:
208:
1406:
253:
865:
1268:
741:
627:
345:
220:
170:
330:
261:
228:
180:
400:
1397:
1385:
1039:"Legendary Ace Flies His 100th Aircraft in "the Birthplace of Naval Aviation""
1011:
224:
175:
930:"Coronado's 'Avenue Of The Heroes' – Commander Dean 'Diz' Laird, USN Retired"
592:
205:
1115:"Famed WWII fighter pilots, now 100 and 101, to get final rides in the sky"
900:"Walnut Creek: World War II fighter pilots describe exhilaration of flying"
268:
and was assigned from
November 1942 to March 1943, to the aircraft carrier
157:
144:
333:
in
February 2021, and died on August 10, 2022, at the age of 101.
289:
1209:"Off Beat: WWII pilot one of the faces of America's fighter aces"
836:"Local 97-year-old ace pilot getting national Audie Murphy award"
1298:. Vol. 5. Pacifica, California: Pacifica Military History.
139:
1168:"H.R.685 – American Fighter Aces Congressional Gold Medal Act"
1443:
1468:
Recipients of the
Meritorious Service Medal (United States)
928:
Achelis, Scott; Laird Achelis, Andrea (February 3, 2016).
321:, and grew up in Northern California. In 1958 he moved to
252:
additional plane. Two of his kills were German planes: A
1096:"Here's why fighter jets were circling Bay Area skies"
272:. November 1944 to March 1945 he was assigned to the
1392:
AVC’s Emmy-winning television special American Valor
189:
163:
153:
132:
122:
114:
102:
94:
78:
58:
50:
42:
23:
204:(February 7, 1921 – August 10, 2022) was the only
778:List of World War II aces from the United States
985:Rowe, Peter; Wilkens, John (October 27, 2012).
329:to be close to his daughter and her family. He
1390:Commander Laird was recognized as part of the
987:"WWII pilot defeated German and Japanese foes"
645:European–African–Middle Eastern Campaign Medal
8:
1041:. Official Website of the United States Navy
859:
857:
855:
853:
1192:: CS1 maint: numeric names: authors list (
894:
892:
890:
888:
886:
980:
978:
31:
20:
1423:United States Navy pilots of World War II
952:
950:
923:
921:
919:
917:
1240:. American Veterans Center. October 2018
1231:"American Valor: A Salute to Our Heroes"
569:
1296:Aces in Combat: The American Aces Speak
1089:
1087:
1058:
1056:
794:
1185:
1064:"Dean S. Laird, CDR, USN (Ret.) "Diz""
800:
798:
1453:People from Placer County, California
1352:(1st ed.). Annapolis, Maryland:
1094:Umanzor, Joel (September 23, 2022) .
834:Brinkley, Leslie (October 23, 2018).
829:
827:
211:to have combat victories in both the
7:
1433:Military personnel from California
902:. MediaNews Group. August 15, 2016
762:Distinguished Flying Cross Society
16:American Naval officer (1921–2022)
14:
1428:American World War II flying aces
1398:Negative Diz, the Pattern is Full
866:"An Ace in the Hole: 'Diz' Laird"
758:American Fighter Aces Association
223:. He served in World War II, the
1350:Hellcat: The F6F in World War II
1146:San Diego Air & Space Museum
783:List of World War II flying aces
560:
553:
544:
538:
531:
517:
511:
501:
492:
486:
479:
472:
458:
452:
442:
435:
424:
418:
411:
399:
393:
386:
379:
372:
362:
353:
344:
1113:Robbins, Gary (June 29, 2022).
768:. The "QB" pilots association.
613:Navy Presidential Unit Citation
249:Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor
1207:Vogt, Tom (February 8, 2016).
686:National Defense Service Medal
664:Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
1:
1325:. London: Osprey Publishing.
1037:Bayas, Paolo (July 9, 2016).
864:Carlson, Mark (May 4, 2018).
934:Coronado Eagle & Journal
280:aircraft carrier USS Essex.
1463:Recipients of the Air Medal
1438:United States Navy officers
1323:Hellcat Aces of World War 2
1238:2018 AVC Conference Program
1484:
722:United Nations Korea Medal
681:World War II Victory Medal
581:Distinguished Flying Cross
285:Distinguished Flying Cross
233:Distinguished Flying Cross
194:Distinguished Flying Cross
1448:American men centenarians
1348:Tillman, Barrett (1979).
1321:Tillman, Barrett (1996).
588:Meritorious Service Medal
579:
572:
352:
343:
30:
1458:Aviators from California
1394:: A Salute to Our Heroes
806:"The Last American Aces"
746:American Veterans Center
736:Congressional Gold Medal
727:Korean War Service Medal
237:Congressional Gold Medal
89:Walnut Creek, California
37:Portrait by Edward Saenz
1120:San Diego Union-Tribune
1100:San Francisco Chronicle
1018:. Sightline Media Group
756:He was a member of the
744:award presented by the
640:American Campaign Medal
313:Personal life and death
202:Dean Samuel "Diz" Laird
1263:Hammel, Eric (2010) .
810:Air and Space magazine
239:, among other honors.
1354:Naval Institute Press
1294:Hammel, Eric (1998).
1174:. Library of Congress
115:Years of service
766:Tailhook Association
705:Korean Service Medal
1012:"Dean Samuel Laird"
635:China Service Medal
574:Naval Aviator Badge
247:One week after the
1265:Aces Against Japan
319:Loomis, California
317:Laird was born in
109:United States Navy
72:Loomis, California
1363:978-1-55750-991-8
1341:978-1-85532-596-8
1314:978-0-935553-61-1
1278:978-1-890988-08-1
732:
731:
568:
567:
306:Tora! Tora! Tora!
270:USS Ranger (CV-4)
217:European theaters
199:
198:
46:Dean Samuel Laird
1475:
1375:
1344:
1317:
1290:
1250:
1249:
1247:
1245:
1235:
1227:
1221:
1220:
1218:
1216:
1204:
1198:
1197:
1191:
1183:
1181:
1179:
1166:113th Congress.
1163:
1157:
1156:
1154:
1152:
1138:
1132:
1131:
1129:
1127:
1110:
1104:
1103:
1091:
1082:
1081:
1079:
1077:
1068:
1060:
1051:
1050:
1048:
1046:
1034:
1028:
1027:
1025:
1023:
1008:
1002:
1001:
999:
997:
991:Hartford Courant
982:
973:
972:
970:
968:
962:Veteran Tributes
954:
945:
944:
942:
940:
925:
912:
911:
909:
907:
896:
881:
880:
878:
876:
861:
848:
847:
845:
843:
831:
822:
821:
819:
817:
802:
717:
716:
712:
698:
697:
693:
676:
675:
671:
657:
656:
652:
625:
624:
620:
605:
604:
600:
570:
564:
557:
548:
542:
535:
521:
515:
505:
496:
490:
483:
476:
462:
456:
446:
439:
428:
422:
415:
403:
397:
390:
383:
376:
366:
357:
348:
341:
340:
283:He received the
274:USS Essex (CV-9)
104:
85:
69:February 7, 1921
68:
66:
35:
21:
1483:
1482:
1478:
1477:
1476:
1474:
1473:
1472:
1403:
1402:
1382:
1364:
1347:
1333:
1320:
1306:
1293:
1279:
1262:
1259:
1257:Further reading
1254:
1253:
1243:
1241:
1233:
1229:
1228:
1224:
1214:
1212:
1211:. The Columbian
1206:
1205:
1201:
1184:
1177:
1175:
1165:
1164:
1160:
1150:
1148:
1140:
1139:
1135:
1125:
1123:
1112:
1111:
1107:
1093:
1092:
1085:
1075:
1073:
1066:
1062:
1061:
1054:
1044:
1042:
1036:
1035:
1031:
1021:
1019:
1010:
1009:
1005:
995:
993:
984:
983:
976:
966:
964:
958:"Dean S. Laird"
956:
955:
948:
938:
936:
927:
926:
915:
905:
903:
898:
897:
884:
874:
872:
863:
862:
851:
841:
839:
833:
832:
825:
815:
813:
804:
803:
796:
791:
774:
754:
718:" Bronze Stars
714:
710:
709:
707:
695:
691:
690:
688:
677:" Bronze Stars
673:
669:
668:
666:
654:
650:
649:
647:
622:
618:
617:
615:
602:
598:
597:
595:
550:
549:
543:
536:
523:
522:
516:
498:
497:
491:
484:
477:
464:
463:
457:
430:
429:
423:
416:
405:
404:
398:
391:
384:
377:
339:
315:
301:
245:
185:
149:
87:
86:(aged 101)
83:
82:August 10, 2022
70:
64:
62:
38:
26:
17:
12:
11:
5:
1481:
1479:
1471:
1470:
1465:
1460:
1455:
1450:
1445:
1440:
1435:
1430:
1425:
1420:
1415:
1405:
1404:
1401:
1400:
1395:
1388:
1386:Dean Diz Laird
1381:
1380:External links
1378:
1377:
1376:
1362:
1345:
1331:
1318:
1304:
1291:
1277:
1258:
1255:
1252:
1251:
1222:
1199:
1158:
1133:
1105:
1083:
1052:
1029:
1016:Military Times
1003:
974:
946:
913:
882:
849:
823:
793:
792:
790:
787:
786:
785:
780:
773:
770:
753:
750:
749:
748:
739:
730:
729:
724:
719:
701:
700:
699:" Bronze Star
683:
678:
660:
659:
658:" Bronze Star
642:
637:
631:
630:
610:
590:
584:
583:
577:
576:
566:
565:
558:
551:
537:
530:
529:
528:
525:
524:
510:
509:
508:
506:
499:
485:
478:
471:
470:
469:
466:
465:
451:
450:
449:
447:
440:
432:
431:
417:
410:
409:
408:
406:
392:
385:
378:
371:
370:
369:
367:
359:
358:
350:
349:
338:
335:
314:
311:
300:
297:
244:
241:
197:
196:
191:
187:
186:
184:
183:
178:
173:
167:
165:
161:
160:
155:
151:
150:
148:
147:
142:
136:
134:
130:
129:
124:
120:
119:
116:
112:
111:
106:
100:
99:
96:
92:
91:
80:
76:
75:
60:
56:
55:
52:
48:
47:
44:
40:
39:
36:
28:
27:
24:
15:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
1480:
1469:
1466:
1464:
1461:
1459:
1456:
1454:
1451:
1449:
1446:
1444:
1441:
1439:
1436:
1434:
1431:
1429:
1426:
1424:
1421:
1419:
1416:
1414:
1411:
1410:
1408:
1399:
1396:
1393:
1389:
1387:
1384:
1383:
1379:
1373:
1372:1-55750-991-3
1369:
1365:
1359:
1355:
1351:
1346:
1342:
1338:
1334:
1332:1-85532-596-9
1328:
1324:
1319:
1315:
1311:
1307:
1305:0-935553-61-4
1301:
1297:
1292:
1288:
1287:0-671-52908-0
1284:
1280:
1274:
1270:
1266:
1261:
1260:
1256:
1239:
1232:
1226:
1223:
1210:
1203:
1200:
1195:
1189:
1173:
1169:
1162:
1159:
1147:
1143:
1137:
1134:
1122:
1121:
1116:
1109:
1106:
1101:
1097:
1090:
1088:
1084:
1072:
1065:
1059:
1057:
1053:
1040:
1033:
1030:
1017:
1013:
1007:
1004:
992:
988:
981:
979:
975:
963:
959:
953:
951:
947:
935:
931:
924:
922:
920:
918:
914:
901:
895:
893:
891:
889:
887:
883:
871:
867:
860:
858:
856:
854:
850:
837:
830:
828:
824:
812:. August 2015
811:
807:
801:
799:
795:
788:
784:
781:
779:
776:
775:
771:
769:
767:
763:
759:
751:
747:
743:
740:
737:
734:
733:
728:
725:
723:
720:
706:
703:
702:
687:
684:
682:
679:
665:
662:
661:
646:
643:
641:
638:
636:
633:
632:
629:
614:
611:
609:
594:
591:
589:
586:
585:
582:
578:
575:
571:
563:
559:
556:
552:
547:
541:
534:
527:
526:
520:
514:
507:
504:
500:
495:
489:
482:
475:
468:
467:
461:
455:
448:
445:
441:
438:
434:
433:
427:
421:
414:
407:
402:
396:
389:
382:
375:
368:
365:
361:
360:
356:
351:
347:
342:
336:
334:
332:
328:
324:
320:
312:
310:
308:
307:
298:
296:
293:
291:
286:
281:
277:
275:
271:
267:
263:
259:
255:
250:
242:
240:
238:
234:
230:
226:
222:
218:
214:
210:
207:
203:
195:
192:
188:
182:
179:
177:
174:
172:
169:
168:
166:
162:
159:
156:
152:
146:
143:
141:
138:
137:
135:
131:
128:
125:
121:
117:
113:
110:
107:
101:
98:United States
97:
93:
90:
81:
77:
73:
61:
57:
53:
49:
45:
41:
34:
29:
25:Dean S. Laird
22:
19:
1349:
1322:
1295:
1269:Pocket Books
1267:. New York:
1264:
1242:. Retrieved
1237:
1225:
1213:. Retrieved
1202:
1176:. Retrieved
1172:Congress.gov
1171:
1161:
1149:. Retrieved
1145:
1136:
1124:. Retrieved
1118:
1108:
1099:
1074:. Retrieved
1070:
1043:. Retrieved
1032:
1020:. Retrieved
1015:
1006:
994:. Retrieved
990:
965:. Retrieved
961:
937:. Retrieved
933:
904:. Retrieved
873:. Retrieved
869:
840:. Retrieved
814:. Retrieved
809:
755:
752:Affiliations
742:Audie Murphy
628:Bronze Stars
327:Walnut Creek
316:
304:
302:
294:
282:
278:
266:F6F Hellcats
246:
221:World War II
201:
200:
171:World War II
164:Battles/wars
118:1942 to 1971
84:(2022-08-10)
18:
1418:2022 deaths
1413:1921 births
262:F4F Wildcat
229:Vietnam War
181:Vietnam War
51:Nickname(s)
1407:Categories
1244:August 10,
1151:August 13,
870:HistoryNet
789:References
764:, and the
608:Gold Stars
331:turned 100
227:, and the
225:Korean War
176:Korean War
95:Allegiance
65:1921-02-07
43:Birth name
667:w/ three
593:Air Medal
292:, Japan.
264:and then
206:U.S. Navy
127:Commander
1215:July 22,
1188:cite web
1178:July 22,
1076:July 23,
1045:July 23,
1022:July 23,
996:July 23,
967:July 23,
939:July 23,
906:July 23,
875:July 23,
842:July 23,
816:July 22,
772:See also
596:w/ four
323:Coronado
235:and the
154:Commands
103:Service/
1126:July 4,
713:⁄
708:w/ two
694:⁄
689:w/ one
672:⁄
653:⁄
648:w/ one
621:⁄
616:w/ two
601:⁄
213:Pacific
1370:
1360:
1339:
1329:
1312:
1302:
1285:
1275:
1071:epnaao
760:, the
738:(2015)
337:Awards
258:He 115
256:and a
243:Career
190:Awards
158:VF-213
145:VF-200
105:branch
74:, U.S.
1234:(PDF)
1067:(PDF)
838:. ABC
290:Tokyo
254:Ju 88
54:"Diz"
1368:ISBN
1358:ISBN
1337:ISBN
1327:ISBN
1310:ISBN
1300:ISBN
1283:ISBN
1273:ISBN
1246:2020
1217:2020
1194:link
1180:2020
1153:2022
1128:2022
1078:2020
1047:2020
1024:2020
998:2020
969:2020
941:2020
908:2020
877:2020
844:2020
818:2020
299:Film
215:and
140:VF-4
133:Unit
123:Rank
79:Died
59:Born
219:of
209:ace
1409::
1366:.
1356:.
1335:.
1308:.
1281:.
1271:.
1236:.
1190:}}
1186:{{
1170:.
1144:.
1117:.
1098:.
1086:^
1069:.
1055:^
1014:.
989:.
977:^
960:.
949:^
932:.
916:^
885:^
868:.
852:^
826:^
808:.
797:^
715:16
696:16
674:16
655:16
626:"
623:16
606:"
603:16
276:.
1374:.
1343:.
1316:.
1289:.
1248:.
1219:.
1196:)
1182:.
1155:.
1130:.
1102:.
1080:.
1049:.
1026:.
1000:.
971:.
943:.
910:.
879:.
846:.
820:.
711:3
692:3
670:3
651:3
619:3
599:5
67:)
63:(
Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
