Eugene A. Valencia Jr.
Eugene Anthony Valencia Jr. (13 April 1921 – 15 September 1972) was a 3rd highest scoring United States Navy fighter ace in World War II with 23 claims.[1][2] A native of San Francisco, Valencia was born on 13 April 1921 and attended junior college before enlisting in the United States Navy for flight training in 1941.Valencia remained in the navy after World War II ended, and served in a variety of roles including ordnance test, transports, and antisubmarine warfare.[2] The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander [then Lieutenant] Eugene Anthony Valencia, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron NINE (VF-9), attached to the U.S.S.By his expert airmanship, gallant fighting spirit and devotion to duty, he contributed materially to the ultimate destruction and dispersal of the enemy formation and upheld the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
San Francisco, CaliforniaSan Antonio, TexasSan Diego, CaliforniaUnited States NavyCommanderUSS EssexWorld War IINavy CrossDistinguished Flying CrossAir Medalfighter aceFighting Squadron 9Grumman F6F Hellcatslarge dogfight over Truk AtollUSS LexingtonUSS Yorktownaces in a dayVFAW-3Distinguished Flying CrossesAir MedalsNaval Aviator Badgesilver starCombat Action RibbonNavy Presidential Unit Citationbronze starsNavy Unit CommendationAmerican Defense Service MedalAmerican Campaign MedalAsiatic-Pacific Campaign MedalWorld War II Victory MedalNational Defense Service MedalEdward H. Simsflying acesRichard BongThomas McGuireDavid McCampbellGabby GabreskiGregory BoyingtonRobert S. JohnsonCharles H. MacDonaldGeorge PreddyJoe FossRobert M. HansonJohn C. MeyerCecil E. HarrisLance C. WadeDavid C. SchillingGerald R. JohnsonNeel E. KearbyJay T. RobbinsDominic Salvatore GentileFred J. ChristensenRay Shuey WetmoreJohn J. VollKenneth A. WalshWalker MahurinDonald N. AldrichThomas J. Lynch Robert B. WestbrookGlenn E. DuncanPatrick D. FlemingCornelius N. NooyJohn Lucian SmithAlexander VraciuArthur J. BenkoMarion E. CarlLeonard K. CarsonGlenn T. EaglestonWilbur J. ThomasWalter C. BeckhamHerschel GreenJohn C. "Pappy" HerbstCharles OlderHubert ZemkeJohn B. EnglandDonald BlakesleeDuane BeesonJohn F. Thornell Jr.Gerald W. JohnsonJames S. Varnell Jr.John T. GodfreyBud AndersonWilliam T. Whisner Jr. Douglas BakerBill HarrisIra C. KepfordCharles R. StimpsonGeorge S. WelchWilliam D. DunhamDon M. BeerbowerRichard A. PetersonJames E. SwettDavid Lee "Tex" HillJack T. BradleySamuel J. BrownEdward "Porky" CraggKenneth H. DahlbergJames A. GoodsonRobert W. FoyRalph K. HoferCyril F. HomerHarold L. SpearsList of United States World War II acesList of top World War II aces