Rear Admiral George A. Aitcheson,  USN (Ret), Golden Eagle Emeritus

Gentlemen,
 
It is my sad duty to inform you that on 25 January 2024 Golden Eagle Emeritus RADM George A. Aitcheson, USN (Ret), made his Last Take Off in San Diego, CA, at age 93. George was born on 3 May 1930 in Bayonne, NJ. His family moved to Shamokin, PA, and later to a home near Altoona, PA. He graduated from Altoona High School in 1948 and he was an exceptional athlete, excelling in track and basketball. He attended the University of Pittsburgh and had always wanted to fly. With the war in Korea in full swing, George enrolled in the NAVCAD program and after graduating with a Bachelor of Arts degree in economics proceeded to flight training at NAS Pensacola, FL. Additional training followed at NAS Kingsville, TX, and NAS Corpus Christi, TX. He received his Wings of Gold and was commissioned an Ensign on 18 December 1953.
 
George received jet transition training at NAS Kingsville in early 1954 and reported to VF-192 Golden Dragons at NAS Moffett Field and aboard USS Oriskany, flying the F-9F-2 Panther. It was there that George and Claudia Pringle were married in 1955. In February 1956 he rotated to shore duty at Moffett Field with the Fleet All Weather Training Unit until June, then flew with the Navy Reserve Squadron at NAS Alameda, CA, until February 1958. He rejoined the Fleet All Weather Training Unit until that fall, then reported to the Naval Air Test Center, Patuxent River, MD, as a student at Test Pilot School (TPS) Class 22. After graduation in the summer of 1959 George was assigned to Weapons System Test at Pax, where he was a project pilot and project manager flying more than 25 different aircraft evaluating the performance and weapons systems of the F3H Demon, F-4 Phantom II, A-4 Skyhawk, FJ-4 Fury, S-2 Tracker, T-2 Buckeye, and F-8 Crusader.
 
In the summer of 1961 George reported to VF-124 Gunfighters at NAS Miramar, CA, for F-8 replacement pilot training and then to VF-141 (redesignated as VF-53 Iron Angels in October 1963) at NAS Miramar and aboard USS Lexington. The squadron deployed to the Western Pacific from November 1961 until May 1962. He returned to VF-124 as an instructor pilot from February until August 1964 and then to the Naval War College at Newport, RI, as a student, graduating in the summer of 1965. A return to the Test Center at Pax followed, this time as an instructor at TPS. He taught flying qualities and performance, flying single and multi-engine prop aircraft, turboprops, jets, and helicopters. George led a “Quick-Eval” of the F-5E Tiger II and visited European flight test centers, flying British, French, and Swedish aircraft, becoming a member of the exclusive Swedish Draken Order.
 
In October 1967 a ship’s company tour aboard USS Intrepid at NAS Norfolk, VA, was next until December 1968, then F-8J refresher training at VF-124. George reported to VF-191 Satan’s Kittens as the Executive Officer in May 1969 and the squadron was aboard Oriskany with CVW-19 on Yankee Station by June. Oriskany began combat operations with strikes only permitted south of the 19th parallel, the southern third of North Vietnam. Domestic political considerations, mainly the upcoming presidential elections, played the critical role in this decision as President Johnson was leaving office. After five line periods of Vietnam, Oriskany and the CVW-19 team turned for home, arriving at Alameda on 17 November. George had flown 62 combat missions.
 
Following a dry dock period at San Francisco Naval Shipyard over the winter, where Oriskany was modified to support the A-7 Corsair II, CVW-19 embarked in the spring of 1970 for refresher operations. George fleeted up to become VF-191’s Commanding Officer in May and Oriskany commenced her fifth Vietnam deployment on 14 May 1970, arriving on Yankee Station on 14 June. Like her last deployment, Oriskany launched strikes against North Vietnamese logistics targets in eastern Laos, initially targeting storage areas, bunkers, and lines of communication. In November, the number of aircraft carriers off Vietnam was reduced to one, so Oriskany’s sole focus in her fourth line period was missions over Laos. Then, in an unusual assignment, Oriskany flew 14 diversionary sorties over North Vietnam early on 21 November in support of the Son Tay POW rescue mission and another 48 missions during retaliatory strikes later that day. The CVW-9 and Oriskany team turned for home the next day, arriving in Alameda on 10 December 1970. George had flown 86 combat missions.
 
He next served briefly on the staff of COMFAIRMIRAMAR before attending Army War College in Carlisle, PA, as a student. While there he was selected to command CVW-15 and in June 1972 commenced CAG refresher training. He assumed command of CVW-15 in February 1973 and returned to combat in Vietnam in March aboard Coral Sea, flying 23 more missions as CAG during the deployment. In March 1974 he relinquished command of CVW-15 and reported to the COMNAVAIRPAC staff at NAS North Island, CA. In April 1975 he assumed command of USS Sacramento in Bremerton, WA, until August of 1976. A short stint at Ship Engineering Training in Idaho Falls, ID, followed, and in March 1977 George assumed command of USS Coral Sea at NAS Alameda until May 1978. Shore duty and Flag selection with the CINCPAC and CINCPACFLT staffs in Honolulu, HI, were next, where George served until the early summer of 1981. In May he assumed command of Carrier Group Seven at NAS Alameda and NAS North Island, serving until July 1983. His final tour was on the OPNAV staff in Washington, DC, and he retired from active duty in July 1985.
 
George flew 6,751 hours and 171 combat missions, making 782 carrier arrested landings. His pioneering work as a test pilot benefited almost every aspect of carrier aviation, many of which we still benefit from today. He commanded VF-191 in combat, CVW-15 in combat, USS Sacramento, USS Coral Sea, and Carrier Group 7, serving almost seven years of his 33-year career in command. Among many other awards, he received the Bronze Star with combat V and seven Air Medals during his three combat deployments.
 
Following retirement from active duty, George and Claudia settled in Pacific Beach, CA, and he returned to active flight testing, leading flight operations for TRACOR at Mojave, CA. He flew the F-4C, F-4D, F-100, F-86, and T-33 for Navy and Air Force projects and civilian aerospace companies, continuing his contributions to warfighting excellence and readiness.
 
Sadly, Claudia passed away in 2014 at age 81 after 59 years of marriage. She was a wonderful Navy wife, a very active volunteer in Navy Relief, Navy Wives’ Club activities, and in the Pacific Beach Presbyterian Church. She would light up the room with her beautiful smile and upbeat personality. George married Ms. Frances Sime in 2016. He is survived by his three children, Jay Aitcheson, Kent Aitcheson, who is also a Golden Eagle, Carol Mackenzie and his wife, Frances. A private burial is planned at Miramar National Cemetery.
 
He will be missed.
 
In sadness,
Keith Stalder
Pilot