NOTAM 05-2015 (Vincent)

Golden Eagle NOTAM Major General Hal W. Vincent, USMC (Ret) Golden Eagle Emeritus

Dear Golden Eagles,

It is my sad duty to inform you that Emeritus Member, Major General Hal W. Vincent, USMC (Ret), made his Last Take-Off on April 28, 2015 at the age of 87 years. He was born in 1927 in Pontiac, Michigan, was an Eagle Scout, and attended Western Michigan College and Colgate University.

As a midshipman at the Naval Academy he was the first undefeated welterweight boxing champion in the history of the Academy (1947-50). He served with the 2nd division before winning his wings in 1953. General Vincent has flown more than 165 different types of military and foreign aircraft, was a test pilot at Patuxent River, Maryland, and the first Marine aviator to fly Mach 2. He served in Korea with the 1st Marine Air Wing. The General has had assignments at China Lake as a conventional weapons Project Officer with Fighter Attack Squadron 314, and at Quantico, Virginia.  He commanded fighter attack squadron 312, then attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces. He flew 242 combat missions in eight different aircraft in Vietnam with Marine Aircraft Group 13, and served with the Pacific Fleet Marine Force. He was Commanding Officer of Marine Combat Readiness Group 10 and Chief of Staff with the 3rd MAW at El Toro, CA. In 1978-80 he was CG, 2d MAW, MCAS Cherry Point, NC, and in his last command he was Deputy CG, FMFLANT, Norfolk, VA, before he retired in 1981.

He wears several Legions of Merit and Air Medals, Distinguished Flying Cross, Bronze Star Medal “V”, and Joint Services Commendation Medal. He has been a member of The Golden Eagles since 1980, and a Member of the Society of Experimental Test Pilots since 1956. He was inducted into the Michigan Aviation Hall of Fame and was presented with the Wright Brothers Master Pilot Award by the FAA in 2005. He and his wife of 63 years, Virginia, “Ginny” are original golf members of Marbella Country Club in San Juan Capistrano.

General Vincent served as one of the first Board members of Marbella. He is survived by his wife, and three children, David, an airline Captain El Paso, TX, Dale, a self-employed electrical contractor (Carlsbad, CA) and Debbie, a solo practice attorney in Medford, OR.

Services for General Vincent, with full military honors, will be held at Miramar National Cemetery at 2:30 p.m. on May 5th for friends, family and fellow Marines.

He will be missed.

In Sadness,
Don Boecker-Pilot