Kent Lee

Infobox Military Person
name= Kent L. Lee
born= Birth date and age|1923|7|28
died=
placeofbirth=
placeofdeath=


caption= Capt Kent Lee (left standing) taking command of the USS Enterprise
nickname=
allegiance= United States of America
branch= United States Navy
serviceyears=
rank= Vice Admiral
commands= USS Enterprise (CVN-65) Naval Air Systems Command
unit=
battles= World War II Vietnam War
awards=
laterwork=

Kent L. Lee (born July 28, 1923) is a retired Vice Admiral of the United States Navy. The 34-year veteran of the Navy saw combat in World War II and commanded USS Enterprise (CVN-65) during the Vietnam War. He is best known for his work in driving the development and procurement of the F/A-18 Hornet.

Lee was born to R. Irby and Hettie (Floyd) Lee in Florence County, South Carolina. He enlisted in the United States Navy on August 15, 1940. In 1942, he entered the flight training program, and was designated naval aviator and commissioned ensign on August 7, 1943. He served with Bombing Squadron 15 and Fighting Squadron 15 on the USS Essex (CV-9). With Fighting Squadron 15, he shot down one Japanese plane.cite book |author=Kelly, Orr |title=Hornet: the inside story of the F/A-18 |location=Novato |publisher=Presido Press |year=1990 |id=ISBN 0-89141-344-8]

After the war, the Navy sent him to Columbia University, where he earned bachelor's degrees in mathematics and physics. His command assignments included Attack Squadron 46, Carrier Air Wing 6, USS Alamo (LSD-33), and USS Enterprise (CVN-65); the latter during the Vietnam War. [cite book
last = Lee
first = Kent
authorlink =
coauthors = Capt. E.T. Wooldridge, United States Navy, editor
title = Into the Jet Age: Conflict and change in Naval Aviation, 1945-1970
publisher = Naval Institute Press
date = 1995
location =
url =
doi =
id =]

His staff command posts included director of the Office of Program Appraisal, deputy director of the Joint Strategic Target Planning Staff, and commander, Naval Air Systems Command. There he was instrumental in the development and acquisition of the F/A-18 Hornet fighter aircraft. Lee retired from that billet on October 31, 1976.He currently resides in Charlottesville, Virginia and is a grandfather of nine grandchildren. He has three daughters and now three sons-in-law. He has been married to his wife, Mimi Lee, for 59 years.

ee also

References