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| Gentlemen, |
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| It is my sad duty to inform you that on Sunday, 10 August 2025, Golden Eagle Emeritus RADM (LH) Ronald H. “Ron” JESBERG, USN (Ret), made his Last Take Off, passing peacefully in his sleep at home in Virginia Beach, VA. Ron was 89 years old. |
| Ron was born in Jersey City, NJ, in November 1935. His parents were German immigrants who told Ron they had 25 cents in their pockets on the day he was born. In 1939 they moved to Hasting on Hudson, NY, where Ron was raised, attending public schools, and graduating from Hastings High School in 1953. On graduation from high school, he attended Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute as a midshipman (on ROTC scholarship) for two years before accepting an appointment to the U. S. Naval Academy in July 1955. Graduating with the class of 1959 and being commissioned an Ensign on 3 June 1959, he reported to NAS Pensacola, FL, to begin his flight training at Pensacola, NAS Whiting and NAAF Ellyson. Earning his Wings of Gold on 5 October 1960, he then reported to his first fleet squadron, Helicopter Utility Squadron FOUR (HU-4) at NAS Lakehurst, NJ, flying the UH-2 Seasprite. Tasked with the logistic support of non-aviation ships of the U.S. Atlantic fleet, Ron served as a Detachment Officer-in-Charge and sailed in the Arctic, Antarctic and Caribbean Seas. Completing this tour in June 1963, he next reported to the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA, where he earned a master’s degree in Aeronautical Engineering. Graduating in June 1966, Ron reported to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron THREE, (HS-3) in Norfolk, VA, in October 1966 after completing the SH-3 Sea King transition training in Key West, FL. The squadron flew the SH-3A and later the SH-3D, deploying aboard USS Randolph (CVS 15), to the Mediterranean and Caribbean Seas, and to South America. |
| In December 1968 Ron reported to the Staff of COMNAVAIRLANT in Norfolk, VA, to serve as the Helicopter Class Desk Officer. Completing that tour in January 1971 he spent the next six months as a student at the Armed Forces Staff College, also located in Norfolk, VA, graduating in July. He immediately attended the Army Aviation School in Ft. Rucker, AL, for two months of instruction, before deploying to Vietnam and joining Helicopter Attack Light Squadron THREE (HA(L)-3), the Seawolves, at Bien Thuy, Vietnam in August 1971. He served as the Officer-in-Charge of Detachment EIGHT at Rach Gia, Vietnam, until the squadron was decommissioned in March 1972. The highly decorated Seawolves were an all-volunteer unit that flew heavily armed UH-1 Hueys in support of Navy riverine forces, SEALS, U.S. Army and South Vietnamese forces. In Ron’s eight months in the squadron, he flew over 400 combat missions. |
| Following his tour in Vietnam, Ron reported to Operational Test and Evaluation Force in Norfolk, VA, in April 1972 to serve as the LAMPS and SH-3H project officer. He also returned to Vietnam to assist in the mine clearing operations of Haiphong Harbor, one of the agreed points on the signing of the “Peace Accords” of January 1973. Completing his OPTEVFOR tour in July 1973 and refresher training at the SH-3 replacement training squadron in Quonset Point, RI, Ron reported to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron SEVEN (HS-7) in Jacksonville, FL, to begin his XO/CO tour in October 1973, flying the SH-3H. He assumed command of the squadron in December 1974 in the middle of a Mediterranean Sea deployment aboard USS Saratoga (CV 60). Finishing his successful command tour in December 1975, he reported to Helicopter Antisubmarine Squadron ONE (HS-1) in Jacksonville to serve as the Training Officer for three months before reporting to USS Guam (LPH 9) in Norfolk, VA, in April 1976 as the Air Officer. This tour included a deployment to the Caribbean Sea, Mediterranean Sea, and Indian Ocean. Completing his Guam tour in February 1978, he assumed command of Helicopter Antisubmarine Light Squadron THIRTY (HSL-30), the fleet readiness squadron for the Atlantic Fleet SH-2D/F community in July 1978, located in Norfolk, VA. He relinquished command in June 1980, reporting to the Pentagon on the OPNAV staff as the Air ASW Program Coordinator. This 13-month tour was followed by a training track preparing him for command of USS Guam, where he assumed command in March 1982. |
| After assuming command, Guam deployed to the Mediterranean Sea responding to the Lebanese civil war, as part of the multi-national peacekeeping force. Completing this tour in July 1983, he immediately took command of USS Nassau (LHA 4) that same month. During his time in command, Nassau deployed twice to Honduras area for exercises, once carrying U.S. Army troops and equipment and another time with U.S. Marines. She also operated in the North Atlantic for a Blue Nose Exercise in the Arctic Circle and deployed in February–August 1984 to the Mediterranean Sea supporting U.S. forces ashore in Beirut for four months. Completing his command tour at the end of March 1985, Ron next completed Capstone (new Flag officer training) before reporting to Pearl Harbor, HI, as Commander, U.S. Naval Forces Central Command. At that timeframe, the command was tasked with coordinating administrative and logistical support for U.S. Naval Forces in the Persian Gulf. He completed this 27-month command tour in September 1987 and then reported to Jacksonville, FL, as Commander, Helicopter Wings Atlantic in October 1987. |
| In that billet, he was responsible for the operational readiness, training, and logistical support of four helicopter wings composed of 22 squadrons of aircraft located in the Jacksonville, FL; Norfolk, VA; and Pensacola, FL, areas. He was also the immediate superior in command of NAS Jacksonville, NAS Mayport, Air Test and Evaluation Squadron ONE in Patuxent River, MD, and the Naval Hospital and Personnel Support Activity Jacksonville, and had area coordination responsibility for all Navy commands in Florida (excluding the Pensacola area) and the four southeastern counties of Georgia surrounding Kings Bay, GA. Ron completed his active duty career in this billet, retiring from the Navy on 1 September 1990. |
| In his over 31 years of service, Ron accumulated 4,690 flight hours, 4,015 in helicopters. In his Vietnam War tour from August 1971–March 1972 he flew 428 combat missions in the Huey providing close air support for engaged troops. His combat awards include the Bronze Star with Combat “V,” 12 Air Medals, and the Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry (Gold Star). He had six aviation commands, with the last four being back-to-back from March 1982 through August 1990, with only a three-month gap in almost eight continuous years in command. Ron truly saw and was a part of the growth, and leading, of the helicopter community from a relatively small community to its current role in the U.S. Navy. |
| Following retirement from the Navy, Ron joined Sikorsky Aircraft in March 1991, supporting business development for the company, involved in all models of the SH-60, HH-60, UH-60, and CH-60 variant programs. He was also the Managing Director, Sikorsky Aircraft Australia Ltd in Canberra, Australia, for a period of time. Returning stateside, he became Manager, International Business Development and then Marketing Manager for U.S. Government Customer Service. Ron retired from Sikorsky after ten years with the company. |
| Services are being planned and that information will be provided in a Special Notice when known. |
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| He will be missed. |
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In sadness,
Marty CHANIK
Pilot |
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