Alexander Vraciu
A Navy fighter ace who shot down 19 enemy planes in the Pacific, becoming one of the most lethal pilots of World War II.
1918–2015 (age 97)·US Navy fighter pilot·Birthday: November 2·The Greatest Generation
Biography
Alexander Vraciu’s journey from a Chicago-born son of Romanian immigrants to a top Navy ace is a story of precision and nerve. He learned to fly through the Navy’s cadet program and was soon flying the formidable F6F Hellcat in the Pacific theater. His combat record is a blur of intense engagements, most famously during the 'Great Marianas Turkey Shoot' in 1944, where his skill contributed to a staggering victory. After the war, he didn't step away from flight, instead pushing new aircraft to their limits as a test pilot and helping to shape the nation's air reserve forces. His later command of a fighter squadron cemented a career defined by leadership in the cockpit and on the deck, leaving a legacy of tactical brilliance.
The Greatest Generation
1901–1927
Grew up during the Depression, fought World War II, and built the postwar economic boom. Defined by shared sacrifice, institutional trust, and a belief that hard work and loyalty would be rewarded.
Alexander was born in 1918, placing them squarely in The Greatest Generation. The events that shaped this generation — world wars, depression, and rapid industrialization — shaped the world they entered and the choices available to them.
#1 When Alexander Was Born
The biggest hits of 1918
Alexander's Life & Times
The world at every milestone
1918Born
World War I ends; Spanish flu pandemic kills millions
President: Woodrow Wilson
1923Started school
The Great Kanto earthquake devastates Tokyo
President: Calvin Coolidge"Yes! We Have No Bananas" — Billy Jones
1931Became a teenager
The Empire State Building opens as the world's tallest
Gas: $0.17/galPresident: Herbert Hoover"Minnie the Moocher" — Cab CallowayBest Picture: Cimarron
1934Could drive
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Stars Fell on Alabama" — Jack TeagardenBest Picture: It Happened One Night
1936Could vote
Jesse Owens wins four golds at the Berlin Olympics
Gas: $0.19/galPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"The Way You Look Tonight" — Fred AstaireBest Picture: The Great Ziegfeld
1939Turned 21
World War II begins; The Wizard of Oz premieres
Gas: $0.19/galMin wage: $0.30/hrPresident: Franklin D. Roosevelt"Over the Rainbow" — Judy GarlandBest Picture: Gone with the Wind
1948Turned 30
Israel declares independence; Berlin Blockade begins
Gas: $0.26/galHome: $7,450Min wage: $0.40/hrPresident: Harry S. Truman"Twelfth Street Rag" — Pee Wee HuntBest Picture: Hamlet
1958Turned 40
NASA founded
Gas: $0.31/galHome: $11,050Min wage: $1.00/hrPresident: Dwight D. Eisenhower"Volare" — Domenico ModugnoBest Picture: Gigi
1968Turned 50
Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert Kennedy assassinated
Gas: $0.34/galHome: $14,950Min wage: $1.60/hrPresident: Lyndon B. Johnson"Hey Jude" — The BeatlesBest Picture: Oliver!
1978Turned 60
First test-tube baby born
Gas: $0.63/galHome: $35,300Min wage: $2.65/hrPresident: Jimmy Carter"Shadow Dancing" — Andy GibbBest Picture: The Deer Hunter
1988Turned 70
Pan Am Flight 103 bombed over Lockerbie
Gas: $0.90/galHome: $74,800Min wage: $3.35/hrPresident: Ronald Reagan"Faith" — George MichaelBest Picture: Rain Man
1998Turned 80
Google founded; Clinton impeachment
Gas: $1.06/galHome: $107,300Min wage: $5.15/hrPresident: Bill Clinton"Too Close" — NextBest Picture: Shakespeare in Love
2015Died at 97
Paris climate agreement; same-sex marriage legalized in the US
Gas: $2.43/galHome: $171,900Min wage: $7.25/hrPresident: Barack Obama"Uptown Funk" — Mark Ronson ft. Bruno MarsBest Picture: Spotlight
Key Achievements
- Achieved 19 aerial victories against Japanese aircraft, ranking him fourth among U.S. Navy aces in WWII.
- Awarded the Navy Cross for extraordinary heroism in aerial combat.
- Served as a test pilot, evaluating new naval aircraft in the postwar era.
- Commanded Fighter Squadron 51 (VF-51) for nearly two years during the Cold War.
Did You Know?
He was of Romanian descent, with his original family name being Vraciu.
On a single mission in June 1944, he shot down six Japanese dive bombers in just eight minutes.
He survived being shot down and spent time adrift in the ocean before rescue.
After retiring from the Navy, he worked in the banking industry in California.
“I saw this big formation of Japanese planes and just started counting.”
