World War II Honoree

Ralston Murphy Pound, Jr.

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Charlotte, North Carolina

Honored By

A Grateful American

He was a Lieutenant (then Lieutenant, Junior Grade) in the United States Navy, serving as a pilot in Fighting Squadron Sixteen (VF-16) embarked in the USS Lexington (CV-16) during WWII in the Pacific Theater of Operations. He became a WWII Navy Ace, credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft in aerial combat. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross while participating in aerial flight and a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Distinguished Flying Cross for extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight over Truk Islands on April 29, 1944.