Biography.guide
Home › People › Military personnel › Robert E. Dixon
Portrait of Robert E. Dixon

Robert E. Dixon

1906 – 1981

American military personnel

Don't just read it — keep itBiographies to ownE-book · Audio · Video From $7 →

About Robert E. Dixon

Lived 1906 – 1981 (aged 74–75). Robert E. Dixon was an American military personnel.

Robert Ellington Dixon (April 22, 1906 – October 21, 1981) was a United States Navy admiral and aviator, whose radio message "Scratch one flat top" during the Battle of the Coral Sea became quickly famous, as his unit of dive bombers contributed to the first sinking of a Japanese aircraft carrier in the Pacific theater of the Second World War. Dixon would go on to serve on four other carriers during the war and commanded during the Korean War. Dixon was a 1927 graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy. He was awarded two Navy Crosses. The first was awarded for scouting operations against Japanese forces over Lae and Salamaua, New Guinea in March 1942

The second Navy Cross was awarded for his success in the Battle of the Coral Sea. Dixon served as Assistant Chief for Plans and Programs at the Bureau of Aeronautics. As Assistant Chief, he was responsible for all development work on the new McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom II jet fighter.

He died on October 21, 1981, at the age of 75 at Virginia Beach.

Biography shop

Don’t just read it —
keep it.

Full-length biographies made to live with: read them, listen on the way to work, watch them tonight.

  • E-book
  • Audio
  • Video
Browse the shop — from $7

Instant download · yours to keep · every purchase keeps this site free

Important facts

Born
1906
Birth century
Occupation
Nationality
Awards
Legion of Merit; Navy Cross
Also known as
Robert Ellington Dixon

Contemporaries

People whose lives overlapped Robert E. Dixon's

Frequently asked questions

Who was Robert E. Dixon?

American military personnel

When was Robert E. Dixon born?

Robert E. Dixon was born in 1906.

When did Robert E. Dixon die?

Robert E. Dixon died on 21 October 1981.

What was Robert E. Dixon's occupation?

Robert E. Dixon was a military personnel.

What nationality was Robert E. Dixon?

Robert E. Dixon was American.

Sources & further reading

· Wikipedia: Robert E. Dixon

· Wikidata: Q42291636

· DBpedia: Robert E. Dixon

Cite this page

APA: Biography.guide. (2026). Robert E. Dixon. https://biography.guide/robert-e-dixon/

MLA: "Robert E. Dixon." Biography.guide, https://biography.guide/robert-e-dixon/.

Chicago: "Robert E. Dixon." Biography.guide. https://biography.guide/robert-e-dixon/.

Data last updated: 2026-09-21 · Spot an error? Report a correction.

Portrait: Wikimedia Commons · author & licence

Page generated 2026-09-27 04:59 UTC