Frederick R. Payne Jr.
Frederick Rounsville "Fritz" Payne Jr. (July 31, 1911 – August 6, 2015) was a brigadier general in the United States Marine Corps. He attended the United States Naval Academy from 1930 to 1932 and subsequently graduated from the University of Arizona in 1935.[1][2][3][4] Payne was awarded the Navy Cross for service with VMF-212 on Guadalcanal between September and October 1942, shooting down six Japanese airplanes.[1] After the war, he continued his service with U.S. Marines and fought in the Korean war unitl he retired from U.S. Marines in 1958. In his post-military career, Payne helped plan the construction of the San Onofre Nuclear Generating Station, He retired from Southern California Edison in 1976. He was also honored with the Congressional Gold Medal in May 2015. Payne died six days after his 104th birthday on August 6, 2015 at Rancho Mirage, California; at the time of his death he was the oldest living former fighter ace.[5]
Frederick R. Payne Jr. | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | July 31, 1911 Elmira, New York, United States |
| Died | August 6, 2015 (aged 104) Rancho Mirage, California, United States |
| Allegiance | United States |
| Service/ | United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1935–1958 |
| Rank | Brigadier general |
| Battles/wars | World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Navy Cross Legion of Merit Distinguished Flying Cross Air Medal (5) |
References
- "Valor awards for Frederick Rounsville Payne Jr". militarytimes.com. Archived from the original on February 25, 2015. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- "A Salute to Our Oldest Alumni". Feature. United States Naval Academy. July 9, 2012. Archived from the original on February 25, 2015. Retrieved March 1, 2015.
- "Major Frederick R. Payne Jr. USMC". 475th.org. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- "Fritz Payne US Marine Corp Ace of World War Two". garfieldsteamhouse.org. Retrieved August 8, 2015.
- https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-fritz-payne-20150812-story.html