12 Facts About John Thach

John Smith Thach was a World War II Naval Aviator, air combat tactician, and United States Navy admiral.

Thach developed the Thach Weave, a combat flight formation which could counter enemy fighters of superior performance, and later the big blue blanket, an aerial defense against kamikaze attacks.

John S Thach was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on April 19,1905.

John Thach graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1927 and spent two years serving in battleships, before becoming a Naval Aviator in early 1930.

John Thach spent the next decade serving as a test pilot and instructor and establishing a reputation as an expert in aerial gunnery.

In early 1940, John Thach was placed in command of Fighting Squadron Three.

John Thach made O'Hare his wingman and taught him everything he knew.

Later John Thach developed a fighter combat tactic known as the John Thach Weave.

John Thach decided to use his namesake maneuver, marking its first combat usage.

John Thach was a flying ace, having been credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft during World War II.

John Thach was promoted to vice admiral in 1960 and served as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air in the Pentagon, where he presided over development of the A-7 Corsair II, among other naval aviation programs.

John Thach died on April 15,1981, in Coronado, California, four days before his 76th birthday, and was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.