James Dunbar (rower)
Encyclopedia
James Ralph Dunbar (born 11 July 1930) is an American competition rower
and Olympic champion. At the 1952 Summer Olympics
, he and his teammates, all members of the U.S. Naval Academy's Crew Team, captured the gold medal in the men's eight rowing competition (Coxed eights) for the U.S. in Helsiknki, Finland. Following his Olympic win, Dunbar graduated from the Naval Academy and joined the U.S. Air Force where he spent his career as a fighter pilot, retiring as a full Colonel in 1982. He flew an F-105 Thunderchief
in combat in the Vietnam war
, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross
. He has stayed connected to the sport of rowing by coaching high school rowing teams, including the J.E.B. Stuart High School Crew Team in Fairfax County, Virginia. He has also raised money for local rowing teams and was involved in choosing the site for rowing competition in the 1996 Olympics games in Atlanta. He is a resident of Arlington, Virginia.
Rowing (sport)
Rowing is a sport in which athletes race against each other on rivers, on lakes or on the ocean, depending upon the type of race and the discipline. The boats are propelled by the reaction forces on the oar blades as they are pushed against the water...
and Olympic champion. At the 1952 Summer Olympics
1952 Summer Olympics
The 1952 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XV Olympiad, were an international multi-sport event held in Helsinki, Finland in 1952. Helsinki had been earlier given the 1940 Summer Olympics, which were cancelled due to World War II...
, he and his teammates, all members of the U.S. Naval Academy's Crew Team, captured the gold medal in the men's eight rowing competition (Coxed eights) for the U.S. in Helsiknki, Finland. Following his Olympic win, Dunbar graduated from the Naval Academy and joined the U.S. Air Force where he spent his career as a fighter pilot, retiring as a full Colonel in 1982. He flew an F-105 Thunderchief
F-105 Thunderchief
The Republic F-105 Thunderchief, was a supersonic fighter-bomber used by the United States Air Force. The Mach 2 capable F-105 conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Vietnam War; it has the dubious distinction of being the only US aircraft to have been...
in combat in 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...
, and received the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
. He has stayed connected to the sport of rowing by coaching high school rowing teams, including the J.E.B. Stuart High School Crew Team in Fairfax County, Virginia. He has also raised money for local rowing teams and was involved in choosing the site for rowing competition in the 1996 Olympics games in Atlanta. He is a resident of Arlington, Virginia.
External links
- James Dunbar biography and Olympic results, from http://www.sports-reference.com/.