Evan Peter Aurand
| Evan Peter Aurand | |
|---|---|
 |
|
| Nickname(s) | "Pete" |
| Born |
June 10, 1917 New York City |
| Died | June 7, 1989 (aged 71) Honolulu, Hawaii |
| Allegiance |
 United States of America
|
| Service/branch |
 United States Navy
|
| Years of service | 1938–1972 |
| Rank |
 Vice Admiral
|
| Commands held | Antisubmarine Warfare Force Pacific USS Independence USS Greenwich Bay |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Cold War Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Navy Cross Navy Distinguished Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) |
Evan Peter Aurand (June 10, 1917 – June 7, 1989) was a naval officer with the rank of Vice Admiral. He was a son of Lieutenant general Henry Aurand.
Evan Peter Aurand was born in New York City on June 10, 1917. He was the son of Margaret Decker, a great-granddaughter of Texas leader Sam Houston, and U.S. Army officer Henry S. Aurand. A 1938 graduate of the United States Naval Academy, his long and fruitful navy career evinced a lifelong devotion to naval aviation and to his country. His flight experience spanned the development of modern aircraft. He trained at Pensacola in 1940 in the F4B-4 and qualified to fly the S-2E before he retired.
During World War II, he served in combat service in the Pacific Theater, which earned him the Navy Cross, a Legion of Merit medal, a Navy Commendation Medal, the Air Medal, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and a Presidential Unit Citation aboard the USS Bunker Hill, he was part of Project Afirm, based at Quonset Point Naval Air Station, which, at great peril to the pilots involved, pioneered radar-guided flight and thus, night-fighting capability for the U.S. fleet. For that service, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit and another Navy Commendation Medal.
Postwar, he was commanding officer of VF-5A, based at North Island NAS, the first West Coast Navy squadron to employ jet aircraft. In this capacity, he made the first carrier arrested landing by a Naval Aviator piloting the jet aircraft FJ-1 Fury, on the deck of the USS Boxer in March, 1948. He participated in various air races, setting speed records for many routes, bringing progress in Naval Aviation into the public eye.
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