Rear Admiral Ernest E. Tissot, USN (Ret)
Golden Eagle Emeritus

Gentlemen,

It is my sad duty to report that Golden Eagle Emeritus Ernest E. (Gene) Tissot, RADM, USN (Ret) made his Last Take Off on 3 May 2019 at his home in Monterey, California. Gene was born in December 1927 in Upland, California and moved several times before graduating from North Hollywood High School and enlisting in the Navy under the V-5 program in 1945. His interest in aviation was no doubt piqued by his father’s work as Chief Mechanic for Grand Canyon Airlines during the 1930s, as well as Amelia Earhart’s mechanic for her Lockheed Vega, which she flew on her record-making flight from Honolulu, HI, to Oakland, CA, in 1935.

Gene attended Occidental College, Cal Tech and the University of Southern California from 1945 to 1946 before he commenced flight training as a Flying Midshipman in the N-2S Stearman and received his wings in June 1948 and his commission as an Ensign in December of that same year. Gene’s first squadron tour was in VF-192 at Alameda, California, flying the F-8F Bearcat and the F-4U Corsair and seeing combat action in Korea providing close air support for the USMC at Chosin Reservoir.

Leaving VF-192 just before the end of their deployment, Gene married Millie in Berkeley, California, which he notes was his most significant career event and was assigned to ATU-1, Advanced Flight Training squadron at NAS Corpus Christi, Texas, flying the F-6F Hellcat. Two years later, he was off to VF-33 at NAS Cecil Field, Florida, and then NAS Oceana, Virginia, flying the F-9F and FJ-3 Fury deploying on USS Midway and USS Lake Champlain.

Gene then attended Stanford University from 1956 to 1958 and graduated Phi Beta Kappa with a BS in Engineering. He continued his education at the Naval Post Graduate School in Monterey, California, receiving his MS in Aeronautical Engineering, standing first in his class in July 1960.

Returning to the Fleet as a member of the Carrier Battle Group Eight staff, after finishing the A-4 Replacement Squadron at Oceana, Gene completed two deployments in USS Forrestal. After a short stint at Armed Forces Staff College in Norfolk, he joined VA-192 in November 1963 upon completing refresher training in the A-4 at VA-125. Gene completed two deployments on Bon Homme Richard as XO and CO. During his CO tour he led numerous combat strikes in North Vietnam.

Following his Combat tour in VA-192 as Commanding Officer, Gene returned to San Diego as the VA Training Officer on the COMNAVAIRPAC staff. He quickly moved to CVWR-12 for training prior to commanding CVW-14. As Air Wing Commander, Gene led his CAG on many Air Wing strikes in North Vietnam from the deck of USS Constellation.

In 1968 CDR Tissot served in the Pentagon on the OPNAV Staff in OP-508 as Tactical Aviation Plans Officer. Promoted to Captain in January 1969, he was assigned to Nuclear Power training and then assigned to his deep draft command USS Thomason (LSD-28). He served as Commanding Officer for less than a year before being assigned as Commanding Officer, USS Enterprise in December 1971.

Gene left Enterprise for the Pentagon in 1974 where he would serve on the OSD Staff as the Test and Evaluation Deputy for Strategic and Support Systems, DDR&E as a fresh caught Rear Admiral. In 1976, he returned to San Diego as Commander Fighter/AEW Wing Pacific and concurrently served as Joint Test director for ACEVAL/AIMVAL being conducted at Nellis AFB.

Command of Carrier Group Five/Task Force Seventy Seven in Subic Bay, PI, followed his tour as COMFIT in 1977, and two years later Gene arrived at CINCPAC as the Director for Plans and Policy (J-5). RADM Tissot retired from active Naval Service in 1981 in Hawaii.

During his 36 years of active service, Gene Tissot flew over 300 combat missions in Korea and Vietnam and accumulated 5400 flight hours and 1008 carrier arrested landings (all in fleet squadrons except required training command landings!) in 11 aircraft types and from 15 carrier decks. His awards include 2 Silver Stars, 5 Distinguished Flying Crosses, 2 Legion of Merit awards with Combat “V”, 27 Air Medals and 4 Navy Commendation Medals with Combat “V” as well as numerous campaign ribbons.

After his retirement, Gene joined Northrop Corporation where he worked for 10 years. He loved playing tennis, socializing with his Navy friends and watching his beloved Boston Red Sox, a team he followed since 1946. He also loved the San Francisco Forty Niners. He developed a keen interest in photography and spent many hours compiling photos which represented memories he cherished till his passing. Gene lost Millie, his wife of 52 years, in 2003, and he eventually remarried in 2014.

RADM Gene Tissot is survived by his wife Norma, 2 sons (Brian and Craig), 5 grandchildren (granddaughters Alexandra, Chanel, Maya, Amber and grandson Kalani), and a great-grandson (Gene MacGregor).

There will be a viewing at Mission Memorial Park & Seaside Funeral Home, 1950 Old Grove Ave., Seaside, California 93955 on Friday, 10 May 2019 from 1200-1600.
 
There will be a Mass at 1000 at San Carlos Cathedral, 500 Church St., Monterey, California 93940 with burial following at San Carlos Cemetery, 792 Fremont St., Monterey, California on Monday, 13 May 2019. A reception which will immediately follow the burial is being scheduled as well.

RADM Gene Tissot was a very experienced Naval Aviator and a special person who loved his Navy and was a devoted husband and father.

He will be missed.

In sadness,
John Mazach