James B. Stockdale

James Stockdale entered the U.S. Naval Academy in June 1943, and was commissioned a year early due to World War II, on June 5, 1946. His first assignment was as an Assistant Gunnery Officer aboard the destroyer minesweeper USS Carmick (DMS-33) from June to October 1946, followed by service as Assistant Engineering Officer aboard the destroyer minesweeper USS Thompson (DMS-38) from October 1946 to February 1947. Lieutenant Junior Grade Stockdale next served as Communications Officer aboard the destroyer USS Charles H. Roan (DD-853) from February 1947 to July 1948, and then as Executive Officer aboard the patrol craft sweeper USS Deming (PCS-1392) from July 1948 to June 1949. He was accepted for flight training at NAS Pensacola, Florida, in June 1949, was designated a Naval Aviator at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, in September 1950, and then completed additional training at the Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit at NAS Norfolk, Virginia, from October 1950 to January 1951. His first operational flying assignment was as a TBF Avenger and AF Guardian pilot with VS-27 at NAS Norfolk from January 1951 to January 1954, followed by Test Pilot training at NAS Patuxent River, Maryland, from January to July 1954. Lieutenant Stockdale served as a Project Test Pilot at Pax River from July 1954 to January 1957, and then served as an F8U Crusader pilot and Operations Officer with VF-211 at NAS Moffett Field, California, from January 1957 to March 1959, and then with VF-24 at NAS Moffett Field from March 1959 to August 1960. Lieutenant Commander Stockdale attended Postgraduate School at Stanford University in Palo Alto, California, from September 1960 to September 1962, and then completed F-8 Replacement Air Group training with VF-124 at NAS Miramar, California, from September 1962 to February 1963. His next assignment was as Executive Officer of VF-51 at NAS Miramar from February to September 1963, and then as Commanding Officer of VF-51 from September 1963 to October 1964. During this time he flew combat missions in Southeast Asia during the opening days of the Vietnam War after the Gulf of Tonkin Incident. Commander Stockdale served as Operations Officer of CVW-12 from October 1964 to February 1965, and then as Commanding Officer of CVW-16 from February 1965 until he was forced to eject over North Vietnam and was taken as a Prisoner of War on September 9, 1965.