Alexander Vraciu

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Alexander Vraciu (November 2, 1918 – January 29, 2015) was a United States Navy fighter ace and a Navy Cross recipient from World War II. He shot down 19 enemy planes in the air and helped destroy 21 on the ground. After the war, he worked as a test pilot and helped shape the post‑war Naval and Marine Air Reserve program. He led his own fighter squadron, VF-51, from 1956 to 1958 and retired as a commander in 1963. He later worked for Wells Fargo and gave public speeches. Vraciu died in 2015 in West Sacramento, California, at age 96.

Early life and education
Vraciu was born in East Chicago, Indiana, to Romanian immigrant parents. He graduated from DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, in 1941 with a sociology degree. He was active in sports and joined the Navy Reserve in 1941, beginning pilot training in various locations and earning his wings in 1942.

World War II service
During the war, Vraciu flew Grumman F6F Hellcats in the Pacific. He first saw combat near Wake Island in late 1943 and became VF-6’s leading ace by early 1944. He then served with VF-16 aboard the USS Lexington.

His most famous achievement came on June 19, 1944, during the First Battle of the Philippine Sea, known as the Great Marianas Turkey Shoot. Despite a malfunctioning engine, he shot down six Japanese aircraft in eight minutes, using only 360 rounds of ammo. He downed his 19th plane the next day, making him the top U.S. Navy ace at that time. He was nominated for the Medal of Honor, but the award was downgraded to the Navy Cross.

In December 1944, Vraciu was shot down over the Philippines. He parachuted to safety, spent five weeks with Filipino resistance fighters, and then rejoined American forces. He finished the war at the Naval Air Test Center in Patuxent, Maryland, and ended as the Navy’s fourth highest-ranking ace with 19 air victories and 21 ground losses.

Postwar career
After the war, Vraciu became a lieutenant commander and worked as a test pilot. He helped establish the post‑war Naval and Marine Air Reserve program and held staff roles in Washington, D.C. He later served as a jet training officer in California, attended the Naval Postgraduate School, and commanded VF-51 from 1956 to 1958, winning the Navy’s gunnery championship in 1957.

Vraciu officially retired on December 31, 1963, while serving as the public information officer at Alameda Naval Air Station. He then moved to Danville, California, and worked for Wells Fargo. In retirement he gave lectures to schools and civic groups, and he appeared on the History Channel’s Dogfights series.

Legacy
Vraciu’s life was the subject of later biographies, including Fighter Pilot: The World War II Career of Alex Vraciu (2010). A historical note of honor: Naval Air Facility El Centro was later renamed Vraciu Field in March 2019 in recognition of his contributions. He was married to Kathryn Horn in 1944, and the couple had five children. Kathryn died in 2003.