Date of birth:

October 29th, 1919 (St. Paul/Minnesota, United States)

Date of death:

January 19th, 2012 (McLean/Virginia, United States)

Nationality:

American (1776 - present, Republic)

Warren Skon was credited with shooting down seven Japanese airplanes during the Second World War.
Skon attended the University of Minnesota before entering a Navy flight training program in 1942.
After the war, Skon was a Navy flight instructor and commanding officer of Navy fighter groups. He managed a Defense Department project in connection with the White House Communications Agency from 1967 to 1970. When he retired from the military in 1973, he was the Navy’s assistant inspector general.
In addition to the Navy Cross, Capt. Skon’s decorations included four awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Meritorious Service Medal and eight Air Medals.
He later worked for 13 years for Wheeler Industries, a Northern Virginia defense contractor, on ship design projects.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Ensign

Unit:

Fighting Squadron 2 (VF-2) U.S.S. Enterprise (CV-6)

Awarded on:

November 26th, 1943

Citation:
"For extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron TWO (VF-2), attached to the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), and deployed over Tarawa in the Gilbert Islands, in action against enemy Japanese forces on 26 November 1943. When warnings were received of the approach of a large force of Japanese torpedo bombers, Ensign Skon volunteered to join a fighter section of aircraft from his carrier, the first time such a mission had been attempted at night, in order to intercept the attackers. He rendered valiant service in breaking up that phase of the attack and succeeded in dispersing the enemy aircraft. His fighting spirit in the face of great peril was largely responsible for saving the carrier task group from serious damage. Ensign Skon's outstanding courage, daring airmanship and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

• - Recipients of The Navy Cross, 1916 - Present, by C. Douglas Sterner
  - Military Times - Valor Awards
  - The Boston Globe
  - The Washington Post