World War II Honoree

Alexander 'Alex' Vraciu

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

East Chicago, Indiana

Honored By

Friends of American Heroes

HE PROUDLY SERVED HIS COUNTRY AS A FIGHTER PILOT WHO BECAME ONE OF THE NAVY’S TOP FLYING ACES DURING WWII, ONCE DOWNING SIX JAPANESE PLANES IN EIGHT MINUTES DURING THE GREAT MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT. HE WAS CREDITED WITH DESTROYING 19 JAPANESE PLANES IN THE AIR AND 21 ON THE GROUND; RANKING FOR SEVERAL MONTHS AS THE NAVY’S TOP FIGHTER ACE. HIS MOST NOTED EXPLOIT CAME ON JUNE 19, 1944, DURING THE BATTLE OF THE PHILIPPINE SEA. PILOTING HIS F6F HELLCAT, HE LOOKED OUT AT AN OVERWHELMING ENEMY FORCE. THE FIRST THREE KILLS CAME EASILY AND HE KEPT ATTACKING, DESPITE THE COATING OF ENGINE OIL THAT MUDDIED HIS WINDSHIELD. THE SIXTH KILL BLEW UP WITH ITS BOMB LOAD. THE DAY AFTER THAT ENGAGEMENT, HE SHOT DOWN ANOTHER IMPERIAL PLANE, BRINGING HIS TOTAL TO 19 KILLS. THE NAVY HAD OFFERED HIM A CHANCE TO RETURN HOME WHEN, FOR THE SECOND TIME, HIS AIRCRAFT CARRIER WAS TORPEDOED. HE DECLINED THE OPPORTUNITY THEN, AND AFTER THE 'TURKEY SHOOT' HE AGAIN RETURNED TO COMBAT. ON DECEMBER 14, 1944, HE WAS STRAFING AN ENEMY AIRFIELD ON THE PHILIPPINE ISLAND OF LUZON WHEN ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE STRUCK HIS PLANE. WITH OIL WAS GUSHING OUT AND GOING ALL OVER HIS CANOPY, AND OIL PRESSURE RAPIDLY DROPPING THERE WAS NO WAY HE’D BE ABLE TO GET BACK TO HIS CARRIER, SO HE INSTEAD PARACHUTED TO THE GROUND TRYING TO AVOID CAPTURE. PHILIPPINE GUERRILLAS RAN TO MEET HIM AND ACCOMPANIED HIM TO SAFETY. IN THE AFTERMATH, THE JAPANESE QUESTIONED MEN FROM A VILLAGE THEY PASSED BY AND TRIED TO MAKE THEM TELL WHERE THE GUERRILLAS HAD TAKEN HIM. THE JAPANESE TORTURED AND KILLED MORE THAN 20 MEN IN THE QUESTIONING. HE WAS REPORTED MISSING IN ACTION. FIVE WEEKS LATER, HE JOINED A UNIT OF U.S. FORCES. BESIDES THE NAVY CROSS, HIS MILITARY DECORATIONS INCLUDED SEVERAL AWARDS OF THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS AND THE AIR MEDAL.