John T. "Tommy" Blackburn
| John Thomas Blackburn | |
|---|---|
| Nickname(s) | Tommy |
| Born |
January 24, 1912 Annapolis, MD |
| Died | March 21, 1994 (aged 82) Jacksonville, Florida |
| Buried | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance |
 United States
|
| Service/branch | U.S. Navy |
| Years of service | 1929–1962 |
| Rank |
 Captain
|
| Commands held |
VGF-29 VF-17 Jolly Rogers Air Group-74 aboard USS Midway Heavy Attack Wing 1 (HATWING-1) USS Midway (CV-41) |
| Battles/wars |
World War II |
| Awards |
Navy Cross Distinguished Flying Cross |
John Thomas "Tommy" Blackburn (1913 — March 21, 1994) was a World War II flying ace, and first commanding officer of the famed F4U Corsair squadron VF-17 Jolly Rogers.
John Thomas Blackburn was born in Annapolis, MD and raised in Washington D.C., and graduated from Western High School. His father and brother were naval officers.
World War II
Blackburn graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1933, became a Naval Aviator, and was a flight instructor in 1941 when the United States entered World War II.
Lieutenant Commander Blackburn was anxious to get into combat, but was relegated to flying the Brewster F2A Buffalo at Opa Locka Naval Air Station near Miami.
After several requests for a combat assignment, he received orders in July 1942 to organize VGF-29 as commanding officer and report aboard the new escort carrier USS Santee. VGF-29 was equipped with the Grumman F4F-4 Wildcat. Blackburn assembled a ready room of mainly brand new ensigns fresh from winning their wings at advanced flying school at Naval Air Station Corpus Christi. Luckily he had the assistance of a combat veteran from the recent Battle of the Coral Sea, Lt.(jg) Harry "Brink" Bass who received the Navy Cross for his attack on the Japanese aircraft carrier Shōhō.
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Wikipedia