James P. Mehl

James Mehl entered the U.S. Naval Academy in July 1947, and was commissioned an Ensign in the U.S. Navy on June 1, 1951. His first assignment was aboard the heavy cruiser USS Salem (CA-139) from June 1951 to March 1952, followed by pilot training at NAS Pensacola, Florida, from April 1952 until he received his wings on August 12, 1953. His next assignment was with VF-153 at Moffett Field, California, where he flew F9F-6/8 Cougar and FJ-3 Fury fighters from November 1953 to December 1956. Lieutenant Mehl served as an instructor in the Department of Seamanship and Navigation at the U.S. Naval Academy from December 1956 to August 1959, and then served as an A4D-1/2 Skyhawk pilot with VA-66 at NAS Oceana, Virginia, from August 1959 to March 1962. His next assignment was as Attack Assistant in the Air Warfare Department on the staff of Commander Operational Test & Evaluation Force (COMOPTEVFOR) at Norfolk, Virginia, from April 1962 to July 1964, followed by U.S. Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, California, from August 1964 to June 1966. Commander Mehl attended A-4 Skyhawk refresher training at VA-125 from June to October 1966, and then served as Executive Officer with VA-93 at NAS Lemoore, California, from October 1966 to January 1967, and deployed with VA-93 aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hancock (CVA-19) flying combat missions in Southeast Asia from January 1967 until he was forced to eject from his stricken A-4 over North Vietnam on May 30, 1967.