Date of birth:

April 13th, 1921 (San Francisco/California, United States)

Date of death:

September 15th, 1972 (San Antonio/Texas, United States)

Service number:

0-113030

Nationality:

American (1776 - present, Republic)

During the Second World War he shot down a total of 23 enemy airplanes.

Eugene Anthony Valencia was also entitled to wear the Presidential Unit Citation with three attached stars for his service on board the carriers U.S.S. Lexington, U.S.S. Yorktown and U.S.S. Essex and received for his services after the Second World War the National Defense Service Medal.

Promotions:
August 1st, 1941: Aviation Cadet;
February 9th, 1942: Ensign;
?: Lieutenant (Junior Grade);
?: Lieutenant;
July 1st, 1954: Commander.

Career:
1935 - 1939: Alameda High School, California;
1939 - 1941: San Francisco Junior College (SFJC);
August 1st, 1941: US Navy Reserves;
August 8th, 1941 - April 12th, 1942: Flight Training, Naval Air Stations, Pensacola, Opa Locka and Jacksonville, Florida;
?: Flight Instructor, Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Oakland, California;
?: Carrier Qualification Training Unit, San Diego, California;
February 3rd, 1945: Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9);
July 1945 - August 1945: Office of Public Relations, Navy Department, Washington, DC;
September 21st, 1945: Aviation Ordnance Officer, Project Pilot and Test Conductor, Naval Ordnance Test Station, Inyokern, California;
June 11th, 1947: U.S. Navy;
June 1948: Anti-submarine Warfare Officer, Fleet Airborne Electronics Training Unit, Pacific;
June 1950: Maintenance Officer and Instrument Training Officer, Naval Air Station, Corpus Christi, Texas;
January 1952: University of California / Postgraduate School, Monterey, California;
June 1953:Senior Route en Navigation Check Pilot, Air Transport Squadron 21;
January 1956: Operations Officer, Staff Commander Naval Air Bases, Twelfth Naval District, Headquarters Naval Air Station, Lemoore, California;
June 1958: Operations Officer / Executive Officer All Weather Fighter Squadron 3;
June 1960: Public Information Officer North American Air Defense Command.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant

Unit:

Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9), U.S. Navy

Awarded on:

July 2nd, 1945

Synopsis:
"For extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron NINE (VF-9), embarked from the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-10), on 17 April 1945, and deployed over Okinawa in the Ryukyu Islands. His outstanding courage and determined skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Commander 1st Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 0570 (July 2, 1945).

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant

Citation:
"For heroism and extraordinary achievement in aerial flight as Pilot of a Fighter Plane, in action against enemy Japanese forces at Truk Atoll, Caroline Islands, 16 February 1944. When his division was attacked by swarms of hostile fighters as they were making a pre-dawn fighter sweep against the Japanese stronghold at Truk, he instantly turned to meet the challenge and, fighting his plane aggressively and with great skill, sent three Japanese planes crashing in flames. Subsequently participating in a daring attack on shipping later in the day, he made repeated strafing runs on an enemy destroyer in the face of intense anti-aircraft barrages to start several fires and inflict considerable damage to this combatant ship. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

At the time of the action he still was Lieutenant.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant

Unit:

Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9), U.S. Navy

Citation:
"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron NINE, attached to the U.S.S. ESSEX, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Rabaul, New Britain and the Solomon Islands, on November 11, 1943. Assigned to escort the striking group in the attack against enemy shipping in Rabaul Harbor, he made three strafing runs on a heavy cruiser in the face of intense anti-aircraft fire and assisted in covering torpedo planes retiring from the target, personally shooting down one enemy fighter. When enemy planes attacked his Task Force later in the day, he opened fire upon the hostile craft despite intense fire from our own ships to destroy one dive bomber and one torpedo plane and aid in the destruction of another torpedo plane. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service"

Second DFC received as a golden star to be worn on the ribbon of the first DFC.
At the time of the action he still was Lieutenant.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant

Unit:

Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9), U.S. Navy

Citation:
"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot of a Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron NINE, attached to the U.S.S. LEXINGTON, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the Tokyo Area, Japan, on 17 February 1945. Leading his division in a fighter sweep over the Japanese homeland despite adverse weather conditions, he braved the enemy anti-aircraft fire to strafe an important airfield and, when numerically superior hostile fighter planes attacked the flight on its way to a second target, shot down one of the enemy craft. Recovering quickly, he immediately shot down another enemy plane, thereby contributing materially to the success of the mission. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Third DFC received as a second golden star to be worn on the ribbon of the first DFC.
At the time of the action he still was Lieutenant.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant

Unit:

Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9), U.S. Navy

Citation:
"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Pilot and Division Leader in Fighting Squadron NINE, attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN, in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Okinawa on 4 May 1945. Leading his division in defense of a friendly task force, he engaged and shot down three enemy aircraft and contributed to the destruction of another. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Fourth DFC received as a third golden star to be worn on the ribbon of the first DFC.
At the time of the action he still was Lieutenant.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant

Citation:
"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight in action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Okinawa on 11 May 1945. Participating in combat air patrol in defense of our Fleet units on station north of Okinawa, he intercepted a large group of attacking hostile aircraft, and maneuvering his division for a counter-attack, personally shot down three enemy fighters and contributed to the destruction of numerous others. His actions were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Fifth DFC received as a fourth golden star to be worn on the ribbon of the first DFC.
At the time of the action, he still was Lieutenant.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant Commander

For completing twenty missions in the vicinity of Tokyo, Iwo Jima, Kyushu and the Ryukyus from February 10th to June 5th, 1945.

Sixth DFC received as a silver star which depicts five additional DFC decorations after receiving the first one and to be placed on the ribbon of the first DFC, replacing the former received golden stars.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

For operating against enemy Japanese bases at Wake Island on October 5 and 6, 1943, and at Tarawa, Gilbert Islands, from November 18 to 25, 1943.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

For action against enemy Japanese forces during the assault on Roi-Namur, Marshall Islands, on January 29th, 1944.

Second AM received as a golden star for on the ribbon of the first AM.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

For action in the Tokyo Area, Japan, February 16th, 1945.

Third AM received as a second golden star for on the ribbon of the first AM.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

For action against enemy Japanese forces in the vicinity of Iwo Jima, Hansoi Shoto and Kyushu from February 10th to March 27th, 1945.

Fourth AM received as a third golden star for on the ribbon of the first AM.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

For completing five missions each in the vicinity of the Japanese homeland and adjacent island chains during the period February 10th to April 16th, 1945.

Fifth AM received as a fourth golden star for on the ribbon of the first AM.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

For completing five missions each in the vicinity of the Japanese homeland and adjacent island chains during the period February 10 to April 16, 1945.

Sixth AM received as a silver star which depicts five additional AM decorations after receiving the first one and to be placed on the ribbon of the first AM, replacing the former received golden stars.

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

• Photo 1: Bill Gonyo
• - Sterner C.D., The Navy Cross, 1916 - Present
  - Naval History & Heritage Command
  - Military Times Hall of Valor