Fred Bardshar
Encyclopedia
Vice Admiral
Frederic Abshire Bardshar (20 October 1915 – 13 September 1993) was an American World War II
air ace, who later became Commander of United States Navy Task Force 77
and Carrier Division Five during the Vietnam War
.
, and was credited with eight kills at the Philippines during the Battle for Leyte Gulf in 1944. He was made commander of Air Group 27, based aboard the .
misfired, resulting in the deaths of 27 crew, and 314 more injured.
. During the Vietnam War, Bardshar was involved in Operation Ivory Coast
, to liberate 55 American pilots from Son Tay POW camp
. On 20 August 1970, Vice Admiral Bardshar hosted the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos
, aboard the aircraft carrier .
Bardshar died at La Jolla, San Diego, on 13 September 1993.
Vice admiral (United States)
In the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, and the United States Maritime Service, vice admiral is a three-star flag officer, with the pay grade of...
Frederic Abshire Bardshar (20 October 1915 – 13 September 1993) was an American World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
air ace, who later became Commander of United States Navy Task Force 77
Task Force 77
Task Force 77 has been the aircraft carrier battle/strike force of the Seventh Fleet in the United States Navy since the Seventh Fleet was formed....
and Carrier Division Five during the Vietnam War
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
.
World War II
During World War II, Lt.Cdr. Bardshar piloted a Grumman F6F-5 HellcatF6F Hellcat
The Grumman F6F Hellcat was a carrier-based fighter aircraft developed to replace the earlier F4F Wildcat in United States Navy service. Although the F6F resembled the Wildcat, it was a completely new design powered by a 2,000 hp Pratt & Whitney R-2800. Some tagged it as the "Wildcat's big...
, and was credited with eight kills at the Philippines during the Battle for Leyte Gulf in 1944. He was made commander of Air Group 27, based aboard the .
1960s
From November 1963 to November 1964, Captain Bardshar was the third Commanding Officer of the aircraft carrier . In 1969, Rear Admiral Bardshar led an investigation into the fire aboard the when a Zuni rocketZuni (rocket)
The Zuni is a unguided rocket deployed by the United States armed forces. The rocket was developed for both air-to-air and air-to-ground operations. It can be used to carry various types of warheads, including chaff for countermeasures. It is usually fired from the LAU-10 rocket pod holding four...
misfired, resulting in the deaths of 27 crew, and 314 more injured.
Vietnam War
Bardshar commanded the Constellation during the Gulf of Tonkin IncidentGulf of Tonkin Incident
The Gulf of Tonkin Incident, or the USS Maddox Incident, are the names given to two incidents, one fabricated, involving North Vietnam and the United States in the waters of the Gulf of Tonkin...
. During the Vietnam War, Bardshar was involved in Operation Ivory Coast
Operation Ivory Coast
Operation Ivory Coast was a failed rescue mission conducted in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War by United States Special Operations Forces and other elements of the U.S. Military....
, to liberate 55 American pilots from Son Tay POW camp
Son Tay prison camp
The Son Tay prison camp was a POW camp operated by North Vietnam near Son Tay town in the late 1960s through late 1970. About 65 captured US military personnel were held there during the middle of the Vietnam War.- Operation Ivory Coast :...
. On 20 August 1970, Vice Admiral Bardshar hosted the President of the Philippines, Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Marcos
Ferdinand Emmanuel Edralin Marcos, Sr. was a Filipino leader and an authoritarian President of the Philippines from 1965 to 1986. He was a lawyer, member of the Philippine House of Representatives and a member of the Philippine Senate...
, aboard the aircraft carrier .
Bardshar died at La Jolla, San Diego, on 13 September 1993.