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Cdr Norman L. Youngblood Jr.  
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In his memory:


Cdr Norman L. Youngblood Jr., USN

Died Nov. 1997



Updated: January 4, 2010

[Webmaster's Note: This page is under construction and will be updated as tributes from family, friends, and former Navy members are received. Contact Webmaster on the link below.]




Cdr & Mrs. Lee Youngblood - circa 1986


(Then) LCDR Youngblood - Det 44-61 (USS Shangri La) Officer in Charge
circa 1960-61



    CDR. Norman Linford Youngblood, Jr.
    20 Oct 28 - 10 Nov 97
    Born, Philadelphia, PA Died Seattle WA

    Decorations/awards

    Bronze Star Medal w/Combat "V" ,Navy Unit Citation w/2 stars, Meritorious Unit Commendation, National Defense Service Medal, Armed Services Expeditionary Medal (Korea), Vietnam Service Medal, Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

    Date of Rank & Service record:

    ENSIGN: 4 Apr '51

    • Jun '51 - May '53 VC-11 ASST PERS OFF


    LTJG: 1 Jan '53

    • May '53 - Jul '54 VF-143 PERS OFFICER


    LT: 1 Sep '55

    • Aug '54 - Sep '57 ATU-202 FLT INSTRUCTOR


    • Oct '57 - Mar '58 NATTU, Pensacola, FL. STUDENT


    LCDR: 1 Aug '60

    • Mar '58 - Mar '62 VFP-62 OTC


    CDR: 1 Jul '65

    • Apr '62 - Mar '65 NAVPGSCOL STUDENT


    • Mar '65 - Jul '66 COMNAVAIRPAC PHOTO OFF


    • Jun '66 - Sep '67 VFP-62 COMMANDING OFFICER


    • Oct '67 - Dec '69 COMCARDIV 3 AIR OPS OFFICER


    • Dec '69 - Dec '77 CINCPACFLT AVIATION & PLANS
      OFFICER Makalapa, HI


    • Retired 1 Jan 78, Pearl Harbor, HI


    [Provided by Lee Youngblood, wife]





    A Final Salute

  • I took the black and white photo above, prior to launch, on the flight deck of the USS Shangri La (circa 1960). It's the way I remember him. Sitting proudly in HIS photo Crusader 908 (he said it was the fastest RF8), with the Tiger eyes and mouth (I created the art-work for it), warning: "Stay away from me; I'm dangerous". We were among the first Crusaders squadrons on the WW II carrier and people liked to walk too close to the intake. It also recalls his earlier VFP-62 detachments in the photo Cougar: "Youngblood's Tigers", circa 1958.

    He loved to fly; A "good stick" as aviators like to say. And fly he did. His air shows left you speechless and in awe...in a steep, high-speed descent to sea level...breaking the sound barrier...the sonic boom...the shock waves enveloping his wings...the RF8 in after burner...standing the screaming jet on its tail...climbing and executing a perfect eight-point roll. From young kid to old man, I can close my eyes and still see it. Proud to be part of his VFP-62 detachment; he alone had permission to do that on the Shangri La flyoff.

    Beyond that, he was a special man, among special men. An officer who deeply cared for his men; a man who had a menacing stare at times; rugged good looks; a fighter pilot's fighter pilot. One of a handfull few who had a major impact on my life. I had hoped to thank him and tell him that I did o.k., thanks to him and the Navy. He taught me that you could have power and still be magnanimous.

    Thank You Sir!

    Ken Jack, former PH2 VFP-62 1960-63
    Webmaster vfp62.com






[Webmaster's final Note: Cdr Youngblood may have had the longest tenure in VFP-62, spanning in intervals from 1958 to 1967: as the next-to-last Commanding Officer--see: "VFP-62 Skippers" .

See additional information on him this site (click underlined text):

 


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    Updated 3/9/18




 
 

 

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