 Lieutenant Harrell Henry Scales:
Navy Ace with 6 Aerial Victories to his credit.
Hal Scales Entered the US Navy in 1935 and was assigned duty to the lite Cruiser USS Memphis in 1938.
He was assigned to flight training at Pensacola NAS Florida and graduated as a Naval Aviator in March 1939 with the rank of Ensign.
Following duty in various squadrons he was assigned to NAS Floyd Bennet Field New York as Naval Acceptance Test Pilot for aircraft being built at Grumman, Vought, and Brewster aircraft companies. He performed the Navy acceptance tests for the deliveries of F2A Brewster Buffalo, the Vaught F4U Corsair, and the Grumman F4F Wildcat. In 1942 after the Grumman F6F Hellcat was designed he performed the original Navy tests for this fine fighter aircraft
In 1943 Lt. Scales was assigned to Fighter Squadron 31 (VF-31), which was the second naval air squadron to be outfitted with the F6F Hellcat, when it was being formed at Atlantic City, New Jersey. This Fighter Squadron was assigned to Air Group 31 and deployed aboard the aircraft carrier USS Cabot, CVL 28. During the time that the Air Group 31 served aboard the USS Cabot and engaged in hostilities from January 1944 through September 1944 Lt. Harrell Scales became a Naval Ace with 6 confirmed aerial victories to his credit.
Engagements flown in which Lieutenant Scales shot down enemy aircraft:
Medals Awarded to Lieutenant Scales while serving with VF-31
- Distinguished Flying Cross
Commander Scales continued a distinguished Naval career in various squadron assignments and retired from the US Navy in 1960. Following his final assignment of the head of systems research and development branch at the division of ordinance, he then accepted a position with Honeywell Inc. defense systems division in West Covina California
Harrell Scales passed away in September 1995
|
