Navy Flying Ace Dies

Captain Ralph John Rosen,U.S. Navy Retired,died on 11 May in McClean,Virginia.He was 90 years of age.A native of Chicago,Captain Rosen attended the University of Chicago until Pearl Harbor was attacked,then enlisted in the Naval Aviation Cadet Program,beginning his flying career in 1943 from aircraft carriers in the Pacific theater of World War II.A member of Squadron VF-8,he flew Hellcat fighters off the USS Bunker Hill(CV-17).The veteran of many combat missions downed six Japanese aircraft,earning the "ace" designation in consequence.For his superior record,Captain Rosen was awarded three Distinguished Flying Crosses;nine Air Medals;and a Purple Heart.
Following the war,Captain Rosen commanded three fighter squadrons and served as a naval attache in Spain and Turkey.He was also Air Operations Officer on the USS Saratoga(CV-60).Retiring in 1973,he entered politics and was elected to the New Hampshire state legislature,where he served eight terms until 2006.
Captain Rosen is remembered by his wife of sixty-six years Joan,three children,six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.He will be interred in Arlington National Cemetery at a later date.

Distinguished Aviator Dies

Captain Allard Guy Russell,U.S. Navy Retired,88,an aviator whose encyclopedic career spanned more than 40 years,has died in Sarasota,Florida.He joined the Navy in 1940 after studying at the University of Washington.Captain Russell flew combat missions off of carriers in World War II and Korea.He flew a dive-bomber in support of the First Marine Division on Guadalcanal.When the USS Saratoga was torpedoed,he flew missions from a Guadalcanal airstrip,living among the Marines.He always considered himself a Marine,as well as Navy,after that experience.
After the wars,Captain Russell became a Navy test pilot,flying 125 different aircraft.He specialized in night flight operations,racking up about 6500 total hours of military flight time.A pioneer in computer-aided carrier landing in all-weather,Captain Russell also accepted exchange assignments with the Royal Navy.He received two Distinguished Flying Crosses,five Air Medals and a Presidential Unit Citation.
After retiring,Captain Russell worked as an administrator for Bell Aircraft,Hughes Aircraft and Boeing.He flew many mercy missions in his later years.A father of four,he was married to Edith Russell for more than 67 years.He was a member of the Navy League and the 1st Marine Division Association of SW Florida.