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George Edward Ford was born near Orosi, California on 20 January 1919. He attended San Jose State College before enlisting in the Navy in March 1941. After flight training at Corpus Christi, Texas, in March 1942 he was designated a Naval Aviator and commissioned in the rank of Ensign in the U.S. Naval Reserve. Assigned to Bombing Squadron Eleven (VB-11), during May-July 1943 Ford flew combat missions from Guadalcanal's Henderson Field during the initial phases of the campaign to drive the Japanese from the central Solomon Islands. In the last several months of 1944 and the first part of 1945 Ford, now holding the rank of Lieutenant and still serving with VB-11, was based on the aircraft carrier Hornet. He took part in the October raids against enemy bases in the Philippines, Okinawa and Formosa, and in the Battle of Leyte Gulf. A successful attack on the huge battleship Yamato on 25 October 1944 was recognized by the award of the Navy Cross. Following the Leyte battle, Ford flew additional missions against targets in the Philippines, coastal China and Formosa.
As World War II neared a climax, Ford transferred from the Reserves to the "regular" Navy and commanded Bombing Squadron 100 (VB-100). After peace was restored he had training duty at Jacksonville, Florida and later in the 1940s served in the big carrier Midway. His subsequent career included five deployments to the Mediterranean Sea, attendance at the General Line School, Command and Staff College and the Naval War College, command of an instrument training squadron and an attack squadron, and a tour as Operations Officer of Carrier Air Group One Hundred Four (CAG-104). He also served twice in the Bureau of Personnel and, in 1968-1970, commanded Naval Air Station Point Mugu, California.
Captain Ford retired from active duty at the beginning of July 1971. Residing thereafter in Northern Virginia, he worked in the fields of real estate and residential construction. He died on 27 June 2009.
This page features all the views we have concerning Captain George E. Ford, USN (Retired).
| If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
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Photo #: NH 105331 Lieutenant George Edward Ford, USNR Portrait photograph in flight headgear, taken circa 1944. Courtesy of Captain George E. Ford, USN (Retired), 2007. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image size: 42KB; 560 x 765 pixels |
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Photo #: NH 105332-KN (color) Lieutenant George Edward Ford, USNR Temporary citation, signed by Vice Admiral John S. McCain, for the Navy Cross awarded to Lt. Ford in recognition of a dive-bombing attack he led against the Japanese battleship Yamato on 25 October 1944, immediately following the Battle off Samar. He was then assigned to Bombing Squadron 11, based on USS Hornet (CV-12). Courtesy of Captain George E. Ford, USN (Retired), 2007. U.S. Naval History and Heritage Command Photograph. Online Image size: 94KB; 570 x 765 pixels |
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Related Images: The photographs listed below, showing
types of aircraft flown during World War II by George E. Ford,
were provided by him in 2007. At that time he stated that these
views were representative photos of these types of airplanes,
and not specific aircraft flown by him or other members of his
squadrons.
NOTES:
| If you want higher resolution reproductions than the "Online Library's" digital images, see: "How to Obtain Photographic Reproductions." |
Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page.Page made 31 December 2007
Introductory text updated 11 September 2009