Eugene A. Valencia, Jr.

Eugene A. Valencia Jr.
Born	13 April 1921 San Francisco, California
Died	15 September 1972 (aged 51) San Antonio, Texas
Allegiance	United States of America
Service/branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1941-1962
Unit	USS Essex, VF-9
Battles/wars	World War II
Awards	Navy Cross Distinguished Flying Cross (5) Air Medal (6)

Eugene A. Valencia Jr. (13 April 1921 – 15 September 1972) was a leading United States Navy fighter ace in World War II.

A native of San Francisco, Valencia attended junior college before enlisting in the Navy for flight training in 1941. He received his wings in February 1942 and joined Fighting Squadron 9 a year later. During his first combat deployment to the Pacific, he flew Grumman F6F Hellcats from USS Essex in 1943–44. At the end of the first cruise in February 1944, Lieutenant (JG) Valencia was an ace with seven victories, including three in the large dogfight over Truk Atoll on 17 February.

Promoted to full lieutenant, Valencia prepared for VF-9's next deployment. He trained three other pilots in his "mowing machine" tactics, which became perhaps the deadliest naval fighter division (four planes) of the war. "Fighting 9" flew from USS Lexington and USS Yorktown during 1945, and Valencia's division accounted for 43 of the squadron's 130 victories. Valencia himself joined the ranks of the "aces in a day" with six kills over Japan on 17 April,^[1] and at war's end all his division's pilots were aces. James B. French had 11 victories, Harris Mitchell 10, and Clinton L. Smith 6.^[2] With 23 victories, Valencia remains the U.S. Navy's third-ranking ace of all time.

Valencia remained in the Navy after WWII ended, and served in a variety of roles including ordnance test, transports, and antisubmarine warfare. As a full commander, he was executive officer of VF(AW)-3, an air defense squadron, from 1958–1960.

Valencia retired from the Navy in 1962 and entered business in Southern California. He died at an aces reunion in San Antonio in 1972, aged 51.

Awards and decorations

Valencia's decorations include the Navy Cross, five Distinguished Flying Crosses, and six Air Medals.

References

1. Valencia's memorable actions on 17 April 1945 are documented in Edward H. Sims' book Greatest Fighter Missions, as the final chapter of that compilation.
2. Tillman 1996, p. 68

Bibliography

• Olynyk, Frank. Stars & Bars: A Tribute to the American Fighter Ace 1920–1972. London: Grub Street, 1993
• Tillman, Barrett. Hellcat Aces of World War 2. London: Osprey Publishing, 1996. ISBN 1-85532-596-9