[Mayo A. "Mike" Hadden, Jr. oral history interview (Part 2 of 4)]


AFAA interview with Mayo A. Hadden, Jr., Reel 2 of 4
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[Mayo A. "Mike" Hadden, Jr. oral history interview (Part 2 of 4)]
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Title

[Mayo A. "Mike" Hadden, Jr. oral history interview (Part 2 of 4)]

Description

In this four-part oral history, fighter ace Mayo A. “Mike” Hadden, Jr. discusses his military service with the United States Navy during World War II. In part two, he continues to describe his wartime experiences as a fighter pilot with Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9). He also shares details about his personal background, his high school and college years, and his family history.

The interview is conducted by fellow VF-9 fighter ace Eugene A. Valencia and by John Florea, a former war correspondent for Life Magazine who spent time with VF-9 during the war. The interview takes place on board the USS Hornet (CV-12) during a change-in-command between Hadden, outgoing captain of the Hornet, and William M. Pardee, the incoming captain. Some sections of audio may be difficult to hear due to background noise from the ship.

Date

1965-06-30

Extent

1 sound reel (1 hr., 34 min.) : analog ; 1/4 in

Language

Rights

Bibliographic Citation

The American Fighter Aces Association Oral Interviews/The Museum of Flight

Identifier

2002-02-13_AV_087_01
2002-02-13_AV_087_01_transcription

Interviewee

Biographical Text

Mayo A. “Mike” Hadden, Jr. was born on August 14, 1916 in Holland, Michigan. He joined the United States Navy in 1941 and earned his Naval Aviator designation the following year. Assigned to Fighting Squadron 9 (VF-9), Hadden served aboard the USS Ranger (CV-4) during Operation Torch, flying missions over Morocco and supporting Allied forces during their invasion of French-controlled North Africa. He remained with VF-9 during their subsequent tours in the Pacific Theater and participated in missions in the South and Central Pacific. Hadden remained in the military after the war and went on to hold several command positions. During the 1960s, he commanded the USS Graffias (AF-29) and USS Hornet (CV-12), then served with the State Department, the Iceland Defense Force, and the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. He retired as a rear admiral in 1973 and passed away in 1986.

Note

This recording is presented in its original, unedited form. Please note that some interviews in this collection may contain adult language, racial slurs, and/or graphic descriptions of wartime violence.