Rear Admiral Larry Chambers, USN : First African American to Command an Aircraft Carrier
Rear Admiral Larry Chambers, USN :
First African American to Command an Aircraft Carrier
by Ric Murphy
English | 2018 | ISBN: 1476667276 | 229 Pages | PDF | 8.94 MB
First African American to Command an Aircraft Carrier
by Ric Murphy
English | 2018 | ISBN: 1476667276 | 229 Pages | PDF | 8.94 MB
The first African-American aircraft carrier commander, Rear Admiral Lawrence Cleveland Chambers (1929–) played a prominent role as captain of the USS Midway during the Vietnam War. During the evacuation of Saigon—known as Operation Frequent Wind—he famously ordered several UH-1 helicopters pushed overboard to make room for an escaping South Vietnamese Air Force major to land his Cessna. Chambers, who had only commanded Midway for a few weeks, gave the order believing (wrongly) that he would be court-martialed for the $10 million loss. This biography covers his early life and military career, including his role in the desegregation of the U.S. Navy during a period racial strife.