Evan Peter Aurand (June 10, 1917 – June 7, 1989) was an American naval officer with the rank of Vice Admiral. He was a son of

Lieutenant General Lieutenant general (Lt Gen, LTG and similar) is a three-star military rank (NATO code OF-8) used in many countries. The rank traces its origins to the Middle Ages, where the title of lieutenant general was held by the second-in-command on the ...

Henry Aurand Lieutenant General Henry Spiese Aurand (April 21, 1894June 18, 1980) was a United States Army career officer. He was a veteran of World War I, World War II and the Korean War. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, New Yo ...

Biography

Evan Peter Aurand was born in New York City on June 10, 1917. He was the son of Margaret Decker, a great-granddaughter of Texas leader

Sam Houston Samuel Houston (, ; March 2, 1793 – July 26, 1863) was an American general and statesman who played an important role in the Texas Revolution. He served as the first and third president of the Republic of Texas and was one of the first two i ...

, and

U.S. Army The United States Army (USA) is the land service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army of the United States in the U.S. Constitution.Article II, section 2, cl ...

officer Henry S. Aurand. He graduated from the

United States Naval Academy The United States Naval Academy (US Naval Academy, USNA, or Navy) is a federal service academy in Annapolis, Maryland. It was established on 10 October 1845 during the tenure of George Bancroft as Secretary of the Navy. The Naval Academy ...

in 1938, and then went on to train at

Pensacola Pensacola () is the westernmost city in the Florida Panhandle, and the county seat and only incorporated city of Escambia County, Florida, United States. As of the 2020 United States census, the population was 54,312. Pensacola is the principal ci ...

in 1940. He qualified to fly the S-2E before he retired.

World War II

During

World War II World War II or the Second World War, often abbreviated as WWII or WW2, was a world war that lasted from 1939 to 1945. It involved the vast majority of the world's countries—including all of the great powers—forming two opposin ...

, Aurand served in combat service in the Pacific Theater, which earned him the

Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...

, a

Legion of Merit The Legion of Merit (LOM) is a military award of the United States Armed Forces that is given for exceptionally meritorious conduct in the performance of outstanding services and achievements. The decoration is issued to members of the eight ...

medal, a

Navy Commendation Medal The Commendation Medal is a mid-level United States military decoration presented for sustained acts of heroism or meritorious service. Each branch of the United States Armed Forces issues its own version of the Commendation Medal, with a fifth ...

, the

Air Medal The Air Medal (AM) is a military decoration of the United States Armed Forces. It was created in 1942 and is awarded for single acts of heroism or meritorious achievement while participating in aerial flight. Criteria The Air Medal was establish ...

, two Distinguished Flying Crosses and a Presidential Unit Citation aboard the USS ''Bunker Hill''. He was part of Project Affirm, based at

Quonset Point Naval Air Station Quonset Point Air National Guard Station is the home base of the Rhode Island Air National Guard 143d Airlift Wing. Naval Air Station (NAS) Quonset Point was a United States Navy, United States Naval Base in Quonset Point, Rhode Island that was de ...

. For his service, he was decorated with the Legion of Merit and another Navy Commendation Medal.

Military career

Post-war, 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. Serious injuries from an automobile accident kept him out of the

Korean War , date = {{Ubl, 25 June 1950 – 27 July 1953 (''de facto'')({{Age in years, months, weeks and days, month1=6, day1=25, year1=1950, month2=7, day2=27, year2=1953), 25 June 1950 – present (''de jure'')({{Age in years, months, weeks a ...

, during which he studied at the

Air War College The Air War College (AWC) is the senior Professional Military Education (PME) school of the U.S. Air Force. A part of the United States Air Force's Air University, AWC emphasizes the employment of air, space, and cyberspace in joint operation ...

Montgomery, Alabama Montgomery is the capital city of the U.S. state of Alabama and the county seat of Montgomery County. Named for the Irish soldier Richard Montgomery, it stands beside the Alabama River, on the coastal Plain of the Gulf of Mexico. In the 202 ...

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

Norfolk, VA Norfolk ( ) is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia in the United States. Incorporated in 1705, it had a population of 238,005 at the 2020 census, making it the third-most populous city in Virginia after neighboring Virginia Bea ...

. He served as

Operations Officer Military operations is a concept and application of military science that involves planning the operations for the projected maneuvering forces' provisions, services, training, and administrative functions—to allow them to commence, insert, t ...

and then

Executive Officer An executive officer is a person who is principally responsible for leading all or part of an organization, although the exact nature of the role varies depending on the organization. In many militaries and police forces, an executive officer, o ...

of the USS ''Hancock'', CVA 19. An amateur

photographer A photographer (the Greek language, Greek φῶς (''phos''), meaning "light", and γραφή (''graphê''), meaning "drawing, writing", together meaning "drawing with light") is a person who makes photographs. Duties and types of photographe ...

and

videographer Videography is the process of capturing moving images on electronic media (e.g., videotape, direct to disk recording, or solid state storage) and even streaming media. The term includes methods of video production and post-production. It used ...

, he conceived, filmed and produced the naval aviation spoof film "Launch 'Em" while aboard Hancock. After a stint at the

Pentagon In geometry, a pentagon (from the Greek πέντε ''pente'' meaning ''five'' and γωνία ''gonia'' meaning ''angle'') is any five-sided polygon or 5-gon. The sum of the internal angles in a simple pentagon is 540°. A pentagon may be simpl ...

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 Dwight David "Ike" Eisenhower (born David Dwight Eisenhower; ; October 14, 1890 – March 28, 1969) was an American military officer and statesman who served as the 34th president of the United States from 1953 to 1961. During World War II, ...

in 1956, relieving Captain Edwin (“Ned”) Beach. His duties included running

Camp David Camp David is the country retreat for the president of the United States of America. It is located in the wooded hills of Catoctin Mountain Park, in Frederick County, Maryland, near the towns of Thurmont and Emmitsburg, about north-northwe ...

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 The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...

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

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 Harvard University is a private Ivy League research university in Cambridge, Massachusetts. Founded in 1636 as Harvard College and named for its first benefactor, the Puritan clergyman John Harvard, it is the oldest institution of higher le ...

. While commanding Antisubmarine Warfare Group One in

Vietnam Vietnam or Viet Nam ( vi, Việt Nam, ), officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam,., group="n" is a country in Southeast Asia, at the eastern edge of mainland Southeast Asia, with an area of and population of 96 million, making i ...

, 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 Honolulu (; ) is the capital and largest city of the U.S. state of Hawaii, which is in the Pacific Ocean. It is an unincorporated county seat of the consolidated City and County of Honolulu, situated along the southeast coast of the island ...

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 Koko Head is the headland that defines the eastern side of Maunalua Bay along the southeastern side of the Island of Oahu in Hawaii. On its western slope is the community of Portlock, a part of Hawaii Kai. Koko Head (at 642 ft or 196 m) is a ...

Oahu Oahu () (Hawaiian language, Hawaiian: ''Oʻahu'' ()), also known as "The Gathering place#Island of Oʻahu as The Gathering Place, Gathering Place", is the third-largest of the Hawaiian Islands. It is home to roughly one million people—over t ...

Personal

He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years, Patricia Riley of

Mercer Island, Washington Mercer Island is a city in King County, Washington, United States, located on an island of the same name in the southern portion of Lake Washington. Mercer Island is in the Seattle metropolitan area, with Seattle to its west and Bellevue to i ...

and three sons. He is survived by a daughter, Margaret L. H. Aurand, Esq. and two grandsons.

Decorations

Sources

Professional information taken from U.S. Navy records in possession of the subject.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Aurand, Evan Peter 1917 births 1989 deaths Military personnel from New York City United States Navy vice admirals Military aides to the President of the United States United States Naval Academy alumni United States Navy personnel of World War II United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Legion of Merit Recipients of the Air Medal