Evan Peter Aurand

During World War II, he served in combat service in the Pacific Theater, which earned him the Navy Cross, a Legion of Merit medal, a Navy Commendation Medal, the Air Medal, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and a Presidential Unit Citation aboard the USS Bunker Hill,[1] he was part of Project Afirm, based at Quonset Point Naval Air Station, which, at great peril to the pilots involved, pioneered radar-guided flight and thus, night-fighting capability for the U.S. fleet.[2] For that service, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit and another Navy Commendation Medal.

Postwar, he was commanding officer of VF-5A, based at North Island NAS, the first West Coast Navy squadron to employ jet aircraft. In this capacity, he made the first carrier arrested landing by a Naval Aviator piloting the jet aircraft FJ-1 Fury, on the deck of the USS Boxer in March, 1948. He participated in various air races, setting speed records for many routes, bringing progress in Naval Aviation into the public eye.

Serious injuries from an automobile accident (on one of his many trips to meet with defense contractors to improve fighter plane design) kept him out of the Korean War, during which he studied at the Air War College in Montgomery, Alabama.

He was then assigned to Air Weapons and Tactics, Staff, Commander Operational Development Force, Norfolk, VA.

He then served as Operations Officer and then Executive Officer of the USS Hancock, CVA 19. A serious amateur photographer and videographer, he conceived, filmed and produced the naval aviation spoof film "Launch 'Em" while aboard Hancock.

After a short stint at the Pentagon serving as Naval Aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Personnel and Reserve Forces, he was named Naval Aide to President Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956, relieving Captain Edwin (“Ned”) Beach. His duties included running Camp David and the White House Mess. He got the President on or near the water, aboard Navy vessels and involved in Naval operations at every opportunity. He suggested and implemented the use of Marine helicopters for transporting the President on short and medium length trips, allowing the President to take off and land directly on the White House lawn for the first time. During this duty, a chance meeting with Captain William Anderson, skipper of the USS Nautilus, led to discussion of possibilities and a plan to have the Nautilus transit the North Pole under the polar ice cap. He was part of the Killian Committee. He was awarded a second Legion of Merit for his service as Naval Aide to the President.

His next sea duty was command of the seaplane tender USS Greenwich Bay, followed by command of the USS Independence, CVA 62. He then attended the six-week Advanced Management Program at Harvard University.

While commanding Antisubmarine Warfare Group One in Vietnam, he was awarded a third Legion of Merit for his idea for in-flight refueling of helicopters and other tactics for the seventh fleet. He retired as Commander, Antisubmarine Warfare Force Pacific (now Third Fleet) in 1972. In retirement, he defended Naval Aviation in letters to the editors of Honolulu papers whenever such were needed. He participated in many seminars at which he was invited to speak. He remained active in civic affairs in Honolulu until his death at 71 on June 7, 1989 and was buried at sea from the USS Benjamin Stoddert off Kawaihoa Point (Koko Head), Oahu.

Aurand in 1971

He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Patricia Riley of Mercer Island, Washington and three sons. He is survived by a daughter, Margaret L. H. Aurand, Esq. and two grandsons.