CDR Alex Vraciu, US Navy

Sad to hear that Alex Vraciu has passed away.

And sad to see the Hellcat leave the UK as well!

Anyway, by chance, I found this clip on YouTube the other day, filmed at Duxford in the early or mid 1990s, which features the TFC Hellcat (amongst others), and Alex Vraciu being reacquainted with it: –

Cheers

Paul

CDR Alex Vraciu’s Hellcat, ex-TFC, sailed this morning out of Southampton, ironically on board a Japaneses registered ship!

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/08/us/alex-vraciu-indestructible-ace-of-world-war-ii-dies-at-96.html?_r=0

http://www.navytimes.com/story/military/2015/02/09/alex-vraciu-wwii-fighter-pilot-dead-at-age-96/23116185/

Also in the last couple of days, Col Ed Saylor, engineer on board the #15 B-25 on the Doolittle Raid. That just leaves 3 of the original Doolittle Raiders.

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2015/01/29/one-of-last-doolittle-raiders-dies-at-94/22553233/

I had the privilege of meeting both Alex Vraciu and Ed Saylor at events on the US West Coast in recent years. Sad that we are now losing the last few of the veterans of WW2.

Another gone R I P Thank you an interesting read .

RIP. Lucky they didn’t drop him.