Dean Samuel Laird

Dean Samuel Laird (February 7, 1921 – August 10, 2022) was the only U.S. Navy ace to have combat victories in both the Pacific and European theaters of World War II. He served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War, and is given credit for 5.75 aerial victories. Laird flew 138 fighter missions during World War II. and was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross 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 being the only Navy ace to have scored air victories against both Germany and Japan.

He received the Distinguished Flying Cross 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 Tokyo, Japan.

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.

Film In 1969, Laird became a motion picture pilot. He performed some of the aerial sequences in the 20th Century Fox film Tora! Tora! Tora!; he helped choreograph the reenactment of the attack on Pearl Harbor and was the lead stunt pilot.

Personal life and death Laird was born in Loomis, California, He turned 100 in February 2021, and died on August 10, 2022, at the age of 101.

Awards

Audie Murphy award presented by the American Veterans Center

Affiliations He was a member of the American Fighter Aces Association, the Distinguished Flying Cross Society, and the Tailhook Association. The "QB" pilots association.