Thomas B. Latendresse

He was released during Operation Homecoming on March 28, 1973. He was briefly hospitalized to recover from his injuries at the Naval Hospital in Oakland, California, and then attended Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, California, from February 1974 to March 1976. Lieutenant Commander Latendresse attended A-7 Corsair II Replacement Air Group training at NAS Lemoore from March to October 1976, and then served as an A-7 pilot with VA-192 at Lemoore from October 1976 to April 1979. He served on the staff of the Commander of Light Attack Wing, U.S. Pacific Fleet, from April to July 1979, and then served as Executive Officer and then Commanding Officer of VA-192 from July 1979 to April 1981. Commander Latendresse attended Naval War College from April 1981 to June 1982, followed by service as Commander of Carrier Air Wing Reserve 30 from June 1982 to July 1984. His next assignment was as Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier USS Constellation (CV-64) from September 1984 to March 1986, and then as Commander of Carrier Air Wing TWO from May 1986 to January 1988. Captain Latendresse served as Director of Tactical Readiness and Special Assistant for Projects with the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations in the Pentagon from August 1988 to January 1990, followed by service as Chief of Staff for the Commander of Cruiser Destroyer Group THREE from February 1990 to December 1991, during which time he deployed in support of Operation Desert Storm. His final assignment was as Carrier Training Officer on the Staff of the Commander of Naval Air Force, U.S. Pacific Fleet, from January 1992 until his retirement from the Navy on October 1, 1993. Captain Latendresse accumulated over 5,000 flying hours and over 1,200 carrier landings during his Navy career.