Fred Bardshar

Vice Admiral Frederic Abshire Bardshar (20 October 1915 – 13 September 1993) was an American World War II air ace, [cite web|title=United States Navy and Marine Corps Aces|work=Naval Historical Center|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/branches/aces.htm|accessdate=2007-10-10] who later became Commander of United States Navy Task Force 77 and Carrier Division Five during the Vietnam War. [cite web|title=USS KITTY HAWK (CVA-63) Command History|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/shiphist/k/cv-63/1970.pdf|accessdate=2007-10-10]

Military career

World War II

During World War II, Lt Cdr Bardshar piloted a Grumman F6F-5 Hellcat, and was credited with eight kills at the Philippines during the Battle for Leyte Gulf in 1944. He was made commander of Air Group 27, based aboard the USS Princeton (CVL-23). [cite book|last=Karig|first=Walter|title=Battle Report - the End of an Empire By Karig|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=r1eYvlnndYcC|page=page 302|publisher=READ BOOKS|isbn=1406754056]

1960s

From November 1963 to November 1964, Captain Bardshar was the third Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV-64). [cite web|title=Commanding Officers of the United States Ship Constellation (CVA/CV-64)|url=http://www.ussconstellation.org/commandingofficers.html|work=U.S.S. Constellation CVA/CV-64 Association|accessdate=2007-10-10] . In 1969, Rear Admiral Bardshar led an investigation into a disaster on the USS Enterprise (CVN-65).

Vietnam War

Bardshar commanded the USS Constellation during the Tonkin Gulf incident. During the Vietnam War, Bardshar was involved in Operation Ivory Coast, to liberate 55 American pilots from Son Tay POW camp. On 20 August 1970, Vice Admiral Bardshar hosted the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos, aboard the aircraft carrier USS America (CV-66). [cite web|title=America|url=http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/a8/america-iii.htm|work=Naval Historical Center|accessdate=2007-10-10]

Bardshar died at La Jolla, San Diego, on 13 September 1993. [cite web|title=Social Security Death Index |url=http://www.worldvitalrecords.com/SingleIndexIndView.aspx?ix=ssdiall&hpp=1&rf=*,z*&qt=i&zassn=535&zgssn=38&zsssn=2011&highlight=Bardshar|accessdate=2007-10-10]

ee also

References

*cite book|last=Tillman|first=Barrett|title=Hellcat Aces of World War 2|url=http://books.google.com/books?id=gYnKvS3OaIYC|date=1996|publisher=Osprey Publishing|isbn=1855325969|page=page 26

External links

* [http://www.usmilitarypi.com/political002.htm Photo of Bardshar with Marcos]