Summary
ARLINGTON - Retired U.S. Navy Admiral Wesley L. McDonald passed away peacefully Feb. 8, 2009, after a long illness. He is survived by his wife, Helen; children, Tom, Kathy, Joy and Toni; eight grandchildren and six great-grandchildren. McDonald graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1946. He began his Navy career as a naval aviator in 1950, serving in several carrier fighter and attack squadrons. In 1964, he took command of Attack Squadron VA-56 flying A-4 Skyhawks aboard USS Ticonderoga. On Aug. 5, 1964, he served as flight leader for Operation Pierce Arrow, the first retaliatory strike against North Vietnam following the Gulf of Tonkin incident. McDonald's career led him to the highest levels of the United States Navy. He attended the National Defense University, graduating in 1969. From 1970-1971, he commanded the aircraft carrier, USS Coral Sea. In 1972, he was promoted to rear admiral, serving as the carrier group commander. He later served as deputy chief of Naval Personnel in Washington, D.C., and after promotion to vice admiral served as Commander U.S. Second Fleet. In 1982, he was promoted to admiral and was appointed Supreme Allied Commander Atlantic, one of two senior commanders in NATO. At the same time, he assumed command of the U.S. Atlantic Command and U.S. Atlantic Fleet. In 1983, McDonald, in his role as Commander-in-Chief of the Atlantic, was placed in overall command of Operation Urgent Fury, the invasion of Grenada to rescue U.S. nationals.
Since his retirement from the Navy in 1985, McDonald played an active role in the aviation community in his leadership positions with the National Aeronautic Association and National Aviation Club. McDonald also served on the boards of the U.S. Navy Memorial Foundation, the U.S. Naval Aviation Museum and the Armed Services YMCA.See the full content of this document
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Wesley L. Mcdonald
His first wife, Norma, died in 1989...
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