Pilots of Fighter Squadron 31

Air Group Commanders

• Commander James Vredenburgh
       May 1, 1943 - December 6, 1943
   
• Lieutenant Commander Robert Alexander Winston
       December 20, 1943 -  June 29 1944
       (5 aerial victories)
       Distinguished Flying Cross
       Bronze Star
       Air Medal
       Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
       Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
   
• Lieutenant Commander Daniel James Wallace Jr.
       June 29, 1944 - March 5, 1945 -  (1 aerial victory)
       Distinguished Flying Cross
   
• Commander Bruce S. Weber
       April 1945 - October 25, 1945
       Navy Cross
       Distinguished Flying Cross
       Air Medal
       Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
       Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
  

Fighter Squadron 31 Aces

1. Cornelius Nicholas Nooy (19 aeiral victories) - 4th highest scoring Navy Ace.
      Navy Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Navy Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Navy Cross
      Silver Star
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Silver Star
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross
      Purple Heart
      Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 4th Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 5th Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 6th Air Medal
    
2. Arthur Ray Hawkins (14 aerial victories)
      Navy Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Navy Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Navy Cross
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Distinguished Flying Cross
      Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
    
3. John Lewis Wirth (14 aerial victories)
      Navy Cross
      Silver Star
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Silver Star
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
    
4. James Seth Stewart (10 aerial victories)
      Navy Cross
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
    
5. William Douglas Mulcahy (8 aerial victories)
      Silver Star
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
    
6. Robert Clark Wilson (7 aerial victories)
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Air Medal
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
    
7. Edward Walter Toaspern (7 aerial victories) - assigned August 22, 1944
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Gold Star in Lieu of 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross
      Gold Star in Lieu of 3rd Distinguished Flying Cross
      Gold Star in Lieu of 4th Distinguished Flying Cross
      Air Medal
      Gold Star in Lieu of 2nd Air Medal
      Gold Star in Lieu of 3rd Air Medal
      Gold Star in Lieu of 4th Air Medal
    
8. Charles Henry Turner (6 ½  aerial victories)
      Distinguished Flying Cross
      Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross
    
9. Harrell Henry Scales (6 aerial victories)
      Distinguished Flying Cross
    
10. Adolph Mencin (6 aerial victories) - VF-31 Executive Officer
       Silver Star
       Gold Star in Lieu of 2nd Silver Star Medal
       Distinguished Flying Cross
       Air Medal
       Gold Star in Lieu of 2nd Air Medal
       Gold Star in Lieu of 3rd Air Medal
       Gold Star in Lieu of 4th Air Medal
     
11. Frank Richard Hayde (6 aerial victories)  - Missing July 15, 1944
       Distinguished Flying Cross
       Air Meda
       Gold Star in Lieu of 2nd Air Medal
       Gold Star in Lieu of 3rd Air Medal
      
12. Vincent Arthur Rieger (5 aerial victories)
       Distinguished Flying Cross
       Air Medal
     
13. Dwight Beebe Galt (5 aerial victories)
       Distinguished Flying Cross
       Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross
       Air Medal
     
14. Daniel Borland Driscoll (5 aerial victories)
       Distinguished Flying Cross
       Air Medal
       Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
     
15. Robert A Winston (5 aerial victories)
         Distinguished Flying Cross
         Bronze Star
         Air Medal
         Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
         Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
     

Fighter Squadron 31 Pilots
 

• Steve G. Kona (4 aerial victories)
     Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
   
• W. G. Andrews (4 aerial victories)
     Distinguished Flying Cross
     Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
   
• James M. Bowie (3 aerial victories)
     Distinguished Flying Cross
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Distinguished Flying Cross
     Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
   
• Samuel W. Godsey (2 aerial victories)
     Air Medal
   
• Charles W. Dietrich (2 aerial victories)
     Air Medal
   
• James T. Anderson (2 aerial victories)
   
• Frank Hancock (2 aerial victories)  - Killed in action July 4, 1944
   
• Richard D. Conant (2 aerial victories)
     Purple Heart
     Air Medal
   
• Harold E. Sweatt (2 aerial victories) - detached August 8, 1944
     Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
   
• Richard G. Whitworth (1 aerial victory)
     Purple Heart
     Air Medal
   
• Ed Free (1 aerial victory)
     Air Medal
   
• Robert O. Zimmerman (1 aerial victory)
     Air Medal
   
• Stewart Hedrick (1 aerial victory)
     Distinguished Flying Cross
     Air Medal
   
• William E. Duggins (1 aerial victory)
     Air Medal
   
• Doug C. McLaughlin (1 aerial victory)
     Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 4th Air Medal
   
• Henry H. Osborne (1 aerial victory)
     Purple Heart
     Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
   
• Malcom S. Loomas - (1 aerial victory) - Killed in action July 4, 1944
     Air Medal
   
• Albert Shellenberg - (1 aerial victory) - assigned June 29, 1944
     Air Medal
   
• Jerome L. Wolf (4 aerial victories - 2 victories in another squadron) - assigned September 11, 1944
   
• Haig G. Elezian Jr - Killed in action July 4, 1944.
     Air Medal
   
• Martin C. Moore - assigned June 29, 1944
   
• Joseph M. Mardesich Jr. - assigned July 7, 1944
   
• Tadeuz J. Kosowicz - assigned July 7, 1944 - Missing July 17, 1944
   
• Maurice L. Naylon Jr. - assigned July 7, 1944 -  Bailed out Sept. 21, 1944, rescued by guerrillas
     Air Medal
   
• Howard A. McMillan - assigned August 14, 1944
   
• John J. Arnold - assigned September 11, 1944
   
• George G. Bardin Jr. - Killed in crash landing September 13, 1944
   

Fighter Squadron 31 Pilots assigned December 9, 1944

• Lt. Cmd. William A. Rubley
   
• Lt. Cmd Kenneth M. Coyne
   
• Lt. Frances X. Bushner
   
• Lt. Robert A. Lewis
   
• Lt. James H. Parker Jr. (2 aerial victories)
   
• Lt. George D, Shimek
     Navy Cross
  
  
• Lt. Relly I. Raffman
   
• Lt. John W. Kenney
   
• Lt. Donald S. White
   
• Lt (jg) Charles W. Robison (1 aerial victory)
     Navy Cross
  
  
• Lt (jg) Kirk H. Summerville
   
• Lt (jg) Edward A. Perrault
   
• Ens Hancock Banning III
   
• Ens Robert R. Barnes
   
• Ens Francis R. Clifford (1 aerial victory)
   
• Ens. William L. Collier
   
• Ens. Clayton J. Egli (1 aerial victory)
   
• Ens. James P. Goeppinger
     Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 2nd Air Medal
     Gold Star in lieu of 3rd Air Medal
   
• Ens. Joseph O. A. Graveline
   
• Ens. Thomas M. Guy Jr.
   
• Ens. Robert A, Karp (1 aerial victory)
   
• Ens. Darwin P. Matterson
   
• Ens. Harold Mokwa
   
• Ens. Clarence A. Moore (1 aerial victory)
   
• Ens. George W. Nichols
   
• Ens. Thomas T. O'Brien
   
• Ens. Frank J. Repp
   
• Ens. Joseph Rosner
   
• Ens. Werner L. Salminen
   
• Ens. Arthur F. Tarabusi
   
• Ens. William O. Blake
   
• Ens Earl S. Vass Jr.
   
• Ens Howard H. Wicker
   
• Ens Herbert L. Law
   
• Ens. Langdon S. Flowers