Navy Cross Recipient Alexander Vraciu Triple Ace of the Pacific Theater.

“At the end of the war, Vraciu ranked fourth among the US Navy’s flying aces, with 19 enemy planes downed during flight and 21 destroyed on the ground.”- US Navy

“The East Chicago native became a Triple Ace and Navy Cross Recipient for actions starting on 19 June 1944, during what became known as the “Great Marianas Turkey Shoot,” when he engaged a Japanese bomber formation in air-to-air combat, downing six Japanese aircraft in eight minutes using only 360 rounds of ammunition.”

“On 20 June 1944 while flying escort for bomber and Torpedo Planes on a long-range strike against the Japanese Fleet, Commander Vraciu fearlessly closed with a group of hostile fighters, blasting one from the sky and severely damaging another to enable our forces to attack and disable a Japanese carrier.” -Navy Cross Citation adaptation.

Alex Vraciu returned to combat with VF-20 in November 1944, but was shot down in the Philippines in December and joined up with guerrilla forces, reaching friendly lines in February 1945.

Vraciu remained in the Navy, retiring in 1964 with the rank of Commander. Alex would go on to raise his family in Danville California and work for Wells Fargo Bank. Preceded in death by his wife Kathryn, Alex passed away on 29 January 2015 at the age of 96 years old. He is survived by his two sons and three daughters, 11 grandchildren and 13 great grandchildren.

Commander Alexander Vraciu lies in rest at Oakmont Memorial Park in Lafayette, California. Lest We Forget.