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423:, when they discovered the main Japanese carrier fleet. They were immediately attacked by 15 to 20 Japanese fighters. Thach decided to use his namesake maneuver, marking its first combat usage. Although outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Thach managed to shoot down three Zeros and a wingman accounted for another, at the cost of one
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After Midway, Thach was assigned to instruct other pilots in combat tactics. The United States Navy pulled its best combat pilots out of action to train newer pilots, while the
Japanese kept their best pilots in combat. As the war progressed, the Japanese Navy lost their experienced pilots due to
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and taught him everything he knew. At the United States Navy fleet gunnery competition at the end of 1940, eight of the 16 VF-3 pilots qualified for the gunnery "E" award ("excellence").
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and had no well-trained replacements, while the United States was able to improve the general fighting ability of their own personnel. When the
Japanese resorted to the feared
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Thach was promoted to vice admiral in 1960 and served as the Deputy Chief of Naval
Operations for Air in the Pentagon, where he presided over development of the
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In 1958 and 1959, Thach was placed in command of an antisubmarine development unit, "Task Group Alpha", with the aircraft carrier
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William M. Smith, Jr., "Thach, John S." in Nancy A. Williams & Jeannie M. Whayne,
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LCDR John S. Thach wearing M-450 helmet, AN6530 goggles and inflatable life vest, 1942
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1263:. Nimitz Library U. S. Naval Academy. First Class, United States Naval Academy. 1929.
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526:(center) and First lieutenant Roland B. Heilman (left), from his ship while aboard
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and instructor and establishing a reputation as an expert in aerial gunnery.
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The
Arkansas Aviation Historical Society inducted Thach into the
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1333:"Carrier Pilot and Crew Bios – Fighting Three – John S. Thach"
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in June 1942. On the morning of June 4, Thach led a six-plane
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magazine on
September 1, 1958, for his contributions to
579:(ASW), which was a primary focus at the time in the ongoing
1469:"Military Times Hall of Valor: Awards for John Smith Thach"
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Later Thach developed a fighter combat tactic known as the
1520:
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
1395:"John Smith Thach (1905–1981) – Encyclopedia of Arkansas"
608:, four days before his 76th birthday, and was buried at
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Time
Magazine Cover Photo (Time Magazine Archives Site)
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LCDR Thach with 6 kill markings on his F4F (still from
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in 1953–54. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1955.
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1652:Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
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461:Thach became operations officer to Vice Admiral
1234:"USS Thach: Named for Admiral John Smith Thach"
637:Thach and his wife Madalynn had four children.
46:Official Navy portrait of Admiral John S. Thach
1617:United States Navy personnel of the Korean War
1501:. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
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344:In early 1940, Thach was placed in command of
8:
1662:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
1622:United States Navy personnel of World War II
1420:"Admiral John Smith Thach, USN, (1905–1981)"
1156:Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
1106:w/ one silver and four bronze service stars
1642:Burials at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
1516:Parshall, Jonathan; Tully, Anthony (2005).
1363:"TIME Magazine Cover: Rear Adm. John Thach"
569:. He subsequently appeared on the cover of
306:. Thach spent the next decade serving as a
286:, on April 19, 1905. He graduated from the
1551:Admiral John Smith Thach, USN, (1905-1981)
1316:80-G-66154 Grumman F4F-4 "Wildcat" Fighter
40:
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1687:United States Navy pilots of World War II
1288:"Navy.togetherweserved: Thach, John, ADM"
454:" system to provide an adequate defense.
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241:(April 19, 1905 – April 15, 1981) was a
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27:United States Navy admiral (1905–1981)
1499:Thach Weave: The Life of Jimmie Thach
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1236:. United States Navy. Archived from
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415:of VT-3 led by Lieutenant Commander
1672:United States Naval Academy alumni
1556:Naval History and Heritage Command
1371:. 1 September 1958. Archived from
25:
1657:Recipients of the Legion of Merit
1632:American World War II flying aces
604:Thach died on April 15, 1981, in
592:United States Naval Forces Europe
499:Captain John S. Thach (right) as
434:Thach (right) teaches new pilots.
360:recipient. Thach made O'Hare his
161:United States Naval Forces Europe
1647:People from Pine Bluff, Arkansas
1543: This article incorporates
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469:. Thach was also present at the
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102:Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery
1071:Navy Presidential Unit Citation
1201:LCDR John S. Thach, CO of VF-3
1125:National Defense Service Medal
1103:Asiatic Pacific Campaign Medal
1083:American Defense Service Medal
599:Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame
346:Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3)
1:
1667:Recipients of the Silver Star
1524:. Dulles, VA: Potomac Books.
1178:LT John S. Thach tipped this
1120:Navy Occupation Service Medal
1677:United States Naval Aviators
411:from VF-3, escorting twelve
270:, an aerial defense against
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1588:– Monday, September 1, 1958
1144:Philippine Liberation Medal
352:just out of flight school,
288:United States Naval Academy
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1399:encyclopediaofarkansas.net
1151:United Nations Korea Medal
1110:World War II Victory Medal
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520:United States Marine Corps
282:John S. Thach was born in
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1098:American Campaign Medal
1059:Navy Commendation Medal
505:escort aircraft carrier
467:Fast Carrier Task Force
450:, Thach developed the "
413:Douglas TBD Devastators
348:. There he met a young
1545:public domain material
1298:Parshall & Tully,
1273:: CS1 maint: others (
1078:Navy Unit Commendation
1005:Naval Aviator insignia
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377:Imperial Japanese Navy
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262:. Thach developed the
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1375:on September 30, 2007
552:Franklin D. Roosevelt
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392:in the early part of
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173:Franklin D. Roosevelt
139:Years of service
1627:American test pilots
1582:"The Goblin Killers"
1132:Korean Service Medal
606:Coronado, California
383:Lieutenant Commander
333:The Battle of Midway
284:Pine Bluff, Arkansas
90:Coronado, California
73:Pine Bluff, Arkansas
1343:on 21 February 2013
465:, commander of the
425:Grumman F4F Wildcat
373:Mitsubishi A6M Zero
1453:Arkansas Biography
1430:on 3 February 2011
1158:with service star
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501:commanding officer
463:John S. McCain Sr.
457:Later in the war,
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379:fighter aircraft.
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257:United States Navy
133:United States Navy
1473:militarytimes.com
1182:onto its nose on
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1052:Bronze Star Medal
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491:Post–World War II
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1047:"V" device
1020:award star
1015:Navy Cross
546:Korean War
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485:flying ace
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308:test pilot
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1269:cite book
1260:Lucky Bag
614:San Diego
601:in 1981.
550:USS
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441:attrition
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253:tactician
142:1927–1967
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1547:from
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1207:Notes
1180:F2A-1
625:Thach
419:from
1586:TIME
1563:2009
1526:ISBN
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