He alone shot down nine planes in that action (a U.S. Navy record) and drove many more enemy planes away from U.S. forces. At age 10, the family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida where his father opened a furniture store. He returned to Alabama to work in construction and in an aircraft assembly plant for a year. Other carrier air groups took care of the first raid; Essex Fabled Fifteen, under David McCampbell went after the second group of eighty planes. Captain David McCampbell (January 16, 1910 - June 30, 1996) was an American naval aviator, who became the US Navy 's all-time leading ace with 34 aerial victories during World War II. . Some of the McCampbell family moved to Ireland, but this topic is not covered in this excerpt.Another 63 words (4 lines of text) about their life in Ireland is included in all our PDF Extended History products and printed products wherever possible. McCampbell, assisted by but 1 plane, intercepted and daringly attacked a formation of 60 hostile land-based craft approaching our forces. McCampbell served aboard the cruiser USS Portland (CA-33) and later attended flight training at the Pensacola Naval Air Station in Florida. Not only is he the top F6F Hellcat ace, but he is also the US Navys highest-scoring ace and the highest-scoring American ace to survive the war. His spirit and leadership are what made his air group one of the war's most decorated, and they earned him the Medal of Honor. I found out from the mechanic that re-ammunitioned the guns that I had exactly six rounds left in the starboard outboard gun, and they were all jammed.". He turned towards the plane and fired three bursts. Jomes Mason, died Saturday at her home in Beverly Shewas 80. Navy Lt. David McCampbell, a launching officer, gets the ready signal from the pilot of a British Royal Air Force Spitfire just before it took off for Malta, May 9, 1942. Noles, James L. Jr. The third-highest scoring US flying ace of World War II, he was the highest-scoring ace to survive the war. In his early teens McCampbell left home to attend the Staunton Military Academy in Staunton, Virginia; he graduated in 1928. He graduated from the academy in 1933 with a degree in marine engineering. Landing Signal Officer David McCampbell It was another Hellcat shooting too close to him. Acres of land awaited them and many got the chance to fight for their freedom in the American War of Independence. He also served as the plans division chief of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. At 86 years old, David McCampbell height not available right now. McCampbell and his wingman attacked a Japanese force of 60 aircraft. David McCampbell | Military Wiki | Fandom After this intense dogfight McCampbell was running on fumes and had to make an emergency landing on the USS Langley as the deck of the Essex was not clear. The next one was an Oscar. For his bravery in the skies, McCampbell received the Medal of Honor on Jan. 10, 1945, from President Franklin D. Roosevelt during a ceremony at the White House. Rushing shot down his second one. In 1936 his first assignment involving aircraft was gunnery observer aboard USS Portland. Facebook gives people the power to share and makes the world. [1]. Hearts of Dixie: Fifty Alabamians and the State They Called Home. In addition, they sank more ships than any other air group in the Pacific. View popular celebrities life details, birth signs and real ages. http://ww2gravestone.com/people/mccampbell-david/. He also has a grandson, Christopher David McCampbell, of San Diego, Ca. Your email address will not be published. As a youth, he enjoyed swimming. He landed virtually out of fuel and ammunition. Because Congress had limited the number of officer commissions as the result of funding shortfalls, McCampbell became an ensign in the Naval Reserve. The third-highest scoring US flying ace of World War II, he was the highest-scoring ace to survive the war. Please enable JavaScript in your browser's settings to use this part of Geni. By then, he had become the Navy's all-time leading ace and top F6F Hellcat ace, having downed 34 Japanese aircraft during his months of aerial combat. McCampbell formed Fighter Squadron 15 (VF-15) on September 1, 1943 and led the squadron before being reassigned as Commander of Air Group 15 (CAG-15) in February 1944 to September 1944. Rushing radioed that he was out of ammo, but he would stay on McCampbells wing while the CAG used up his remaining bullets. When he landed his Grumman F6F Hellcat aboard USS Langley (Essex's flight deck wasn't clear), his six machine guns had two rounds remaining and his airplane had to be manually released from the arrestor wire due to complete fuel exhaustion. Like all of Ospreys Aircraft of the Aces series, its a great reference. McCampbell had shot down nineteen Japanese planes. At 10 he learnt the truth. He then attended Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, and remained as an instructor after graduating. Learn How rich is He in this year and how He spends money? His Air Group 15 is estimated to have downed more than 310 planes in the air and nearly 350 on the ground and sunk more than 174,300 tons of enemy shipping in addition to sinking and damaging many warships. Rushing also got one on this first pass. McCampbell is the United States Navy's all-time leading flying ace (called Ace of the Aces in the Navy) and top F6F Hellcat ace with 34 aerial victories. As of 1920, the family was residing in Bessemer, according to U.S. Census records, although public records show that by 1922 they had . The Clan Campbell was known as the Siol Diarmaid an Tuirc or, alternatively, the Clan Duibhne, and in a Crown charter Duncan MacDuibhne was ancestor of the Lords of Lochow in 1368. Popular As. Spelling variations in Scottish names from the Middle Ages are common even within a single document. If he had served a second tour, he may very well have exceeded Dick Bongs total of 40. His family owned several businesses in Bessemer. McCampbell was then assigned to the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon from 1960 to September 1962. McCampbell and his wingman engaged 60 Japanese aircraft, with McCampbell shooting down seven Zeros and two Oscars for a total of nine enemy aircraft on a single mission. From April to November 1944, his group saw six months of combat and participated in two major air-sea battles, the First and Second Battles of the Philippine Sea. In his post-World War II career, McCampbell served in numerous training, command, and staff capacities, including a stint with the Joint Chiefs of Staff and as captain of the carrier USS Bon Homme Richard (CV-31). He became an ace in a day when he shot down five Japanese Judy dive bombers at the Battle of the Philippine Sea, which pilots nicknamed the Marianas Turkey Shoot. McCampbell flew a second mission later that day and claimed another two Japanese aircraft, this time Zeros. Later transferred to the Pacific Ocean, the ship was sunk by a Japanese submarine in September 1942 during the Guadalcanal Campaign, with a loss of about 193; McCampbell returned to the United States and was promoted to lieutenant commander. 2) Nate can out-climb F6F at 110-120 knots airspeed. David McCampbell - Wikipedia Join Facebook to connect with David McCampbell and others you may know. See Terms of Use for details. For gallantry during these battles, McCampbell was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor in January 1945. Facebook Email or phone Password Forgot account? Sorry, none available. The enemy planes spread out in a typical formation of three Vs. Not only is he the top F6F Hellcat ace, but he is also the US Navy's highest-scoring ace and the highest-scoring American ace to survive the war. Husband of Sara Jane McCampbell He returned to the United States in March 1945 and served as Chief of Staff to the Commander Fleet Air at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, until January 1947. David McCampbell's net worth He was promoted to captain in July 1952; he was assigned as the Planning Officer on the Staff of Commander Aircraft Atlantic from March 1952 to July 1953. He was reportedly married three times, according to public records, and had a son. Also learn how He earned most of networth at the age of 86 years old? Air Group 15s attacks on the Japanese in the Marianas and at Iwo Jima, Taiwan, and Okinawa were key to the success of the island hopping campaign. "But it worked out all right," he added nonchalantly. In a June 19, 1944, action that came to be known as the First Battle of the Philippine Sea, McCampbell led his F6F Hellcat fighter planes against 80 Japanese aircraft, and he shot down five bombers and two fighters. eBay item number: 166062196143. The Zero went down streaming smoke, the first in long series of successes for the CAG. He received his wings in April 1938 and was stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Ranger. He then attended Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, and remained as an instructor after graduating. Malcolm David Mccampbell Vs. Anne Francis Maloney This was practically gunnery exercise. Vice Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. This happened on October 24, 1944. He went on active duty on June 14, 1934, and served aboard the heavy cruiser USS Portland from June 1934 to June 1937 before he started flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida. One of the first squadrons to equip with Grummans new F6F Hellcats, they saw action in attacks on Iwo Jima. Early Origins of the McCampbell family The surname McCampbell was first found in Argyllshire (Gaelic erra Ghaidheal), the region of western Scotland corresponding roughly with the ancient Kingdom of Dl Riata, in the Strathclyde region of Scotland, now part of the Council Area of Argyll and Bute. McCampbell flew at least four F6F Hellcats while aboard the Essex: an F6F-3 named Monsoon Maiden (damaged by AAA & struck 20 May 1944), another F6F-3 named The Minsi (10 kills), an F6F-5 named Minsi II, and an F6F-5 named Minsi III (Bureau Number 70143), in which he scored the last 23 of his 34 kills. In 1937, McCampbells flying career finally got off the ground at Pensacola Naval Air Station where he reported for flight training. Choose which Defense.gov products you want delivered to your inbox. After this, he worked as the Senior Naval Aviation Advisor for Argentina before becoming the executive officer aboard USS Franklin D. Roosevelt during the Korean War. Incredibly, there was no reaction from the Japs as they climbed back up to regain altitude. -pdf- David McCampbell was born on 16 January, 1910 in Bessemer, Alabama, US. He was reportedly married three times, according to public records, and had a son. ), he became separated from his flight of eight and was returning alone to his carrier, the USS Essex. Three weeks later June 11th, flying near Saipan, he saw a lone Zero come out of the clouds. He returned to the United States, was promoted to Lieutenant Commander, and was stationed at Naval Air Station Melbourne, Florida as LSO Instructor until August 1943. At age 10, the family moved to West Palm Beach, Florida where his father opened a furniture store. Navy Capt. He and Ens. They became known as the Tuskegee Airmen because all of them received their primary, basic, and advanced pilot training near the city of Tuskegee, Macon County. However, economy measures resulting from the Great. McCampbells CAG-15 destroyed over 600 enemy aircraft during the war (around half of which were in the air), more than any other air group in the Pacific. Given his responsibilities as Commander of Essex Air Group and his public prominence as a top ace, McCampbell was too valuable. David McCampbell Profiles - Facebook McCampbell has been spelled Campbell, Cambell, Cambel, Camble, Cammell and many more. He received his "wings of gold" as a Naval Aviator on April 21, 1938 and was assigned to Fighting Squadron Four (VF-4) on the aircraft carrier USSRanger to May 1940. World War II Medal of Honor Recipient. After Wasp was sunk on Sept. 15, 1942, by a Japanese submarine, David McCampbell returned to the States to fit out a new squadron, Air Group 15, aka The Fabled Fifteen. From February 1943 through early 1944 the group was aboard Essex steaming into history. Commander McCampbell received the Medal of Honor for both actions, becoming the only Fast Carrier Task Force aviator to be so honored. Following service aboard a cruiser, 1935-37, McCampbell applied for flight training and was accepted. Two more passes and two more kills. These Scots and their ancestors went on to play important roles in the forging of the great nations of the United States and Canada. He could focus on identifying his targets carefully. McCampbell was born Jan. 16, 1910, in Bessemer, Alabama, to parents . There's also the David McCampbell terminal at the Palm Beach International Airport, which was named for him when the airport opened in . During this same action, his wingman downed another six Japanese warplanes. McCampbell, David, born 10-01-1910 in Bessemer, Alabama, raised in West Palm Beach, to Andrew Jackson (A.J.) It pulled out of gun range without damaging McCampbells Hellcat, but McCampbell wanted the kill.