William P. Driscoll
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William Patrick "Willy Irish" Driscoll[1] (born March 5, 1947) is a retired commander in the United States Navy and a highly decorated flying ace.
Quick Facts Nickname(s), Born ...
William Patrick Driscoll | |
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Nickname(s) | "Willy Irish", "Drifty" |
Born | (1947-03-05) March 5, 1947 (age 77) Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
Allegiance | United States of America |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1968–1982 |
Rank | Commander |
Unit | VF-96 VF-124 |
Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
Awards | Navy Cross Silver Star (2) Purple Heart Air Medal (10) |
Close
Driscoll, a Naval Flight Officer, and air crewmate Duke Cunningham, a Naval Aviator, were their service's only aces of the Vietnam War.[2] They remain the Navy's most recently minted aces.[3]
Driscoll received the service's second-highest decoration, the Navy Cross, for his role in a 1972 dogfight with North Vietnamese MiGs.