[Marshall U. Beebe oral history interview (Part 2 of 2)]

In this two-part oral history, fighter ace Marshall U. Beebe is interviewed about his military service with the United States Navy. In part two, he continues to discuss the various stages of his military career, including his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot during World War II and as an Air Group Commander during the Korean War. Topics discussed include Beebe’s training history; his time with various squadrons, including Composite Squadron 39 (VC-39) and Fighting Squadron 17 (VF-17); his combat tours aboard the USS Liscome Bay, USS Hornet, and USS Essex; his postwar assignments with the Navy Department; and his time as a test pilot at Naval Air Station Patuxent River.

The interview is conducted by fellow fighter ace Eugene A. Valencia and by John Florea, a former war correspondent for Life Magazine.

Marshall U. Beebe was born on August 6, 1913 in Anaheim, California. He joined the United States Navy in 1935 and was designated a naval aviator two years later. He flew with Patrol Squadron One (VP-1) and briefly with Composite Squadron 64 (VC-64) before taking command of Composite Squadron 39 (VC-39) aboard the USS Liscome Bay. After the Liscome Bay was sunk near Makin in August 1943, he joined Fighting Squadron 17 (VF-17) aboard the USS Hornet. Beebe remained in the military after World War II and served aboard several carriers, including the USS Essex during the Korean War. He also served as a test pilot and director at Naval Air Station Patuxent River in Maryland and held several administrative and command positions with the Navy Department. He retired as a captain in March 1963 and passed away in 1991.

Biographical information courtesy of: Boyce, Ward J., ed., American fighter aces album. Mesa, Ariz: American Fighter Aces Association, 1996.