Photo: United States Navy — Public domainSource
John Thach
military officer
- April 19, 1905
- April 15, 1981
- 75 years
About John Thach
John Thach, 75, American naval aviator, air combat tactician, and admiral, he commanded during the Korean War and from 1953 until 1954, he served as the commander in chief of the United States Naval Forces Europe from 1965 until his retirement from the Navy in 1967
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Full Biography
|John Smith Thach (April 19, 1905 – April 15, 1981) was a World War II Naval Aviator, air combat tactician, and United States Navy admiral. Thach developed the Thach Weave, a combat flight formation which could counter enemy fighters of superior performance, and later the big blue blanket, an aerial defense against kamikaze attacks.
Early career
John S. Thach was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on April 19, 1905. He graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1927 and spent two years serving in battleships, before becoming a Naval Aviator in early 1930. His USNA classmates included William Brockman, Creed Burlingame, and Eugene Lindsey. Thach spent the next decade serving as a test pilot and instructor and establishing a reputation as an expert in aerial gunnery.
World War II
In early 1940, Thach was placed in command of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3). There he met a young ensign just out of flight school, Edward O'Hare, later a Medal of Honor recipient. Thach made O'Hare his wingman and taught him everything he knew. At the United States Navy fleet gunnery competition at the end of 1940, eight of the 16 VF-3 pilots qualified for the gunnery "E" award ("excellence").
Later Thach developed a fighter combat tactic known as the Thach Weave. This tactic enabled American fighter aircraft to hold their own against the more maneuverable Mitsubishi A6M Zero, the primary Imperial Japanese Navy fighter aircraft.
Lieutenant Commander Thach and VF-3 flew from USS Saratoga in the early part of World War II, and was assigned to USS Yorktown during the Battle of Midway in June 1942. On the morning of June 4, Thach led a six-plane sortie from VF-3, escorting twelve Douglas TBD Devastators of VT-3 led by Lieutenant Commander Lance Massey from Yorktown, when they discovered the main Japanese carrier fleet. They were immediately attacked by 15 to 20 Japanese fighters. Thach decided to use his namesake maneuver, marking its first combat usage. Although outnumbered and outmaneuvered, Thach managed to shoot down three Zeros and a wingman accounted for another, at the cost of one Grumman F4F Wildcat.
After Midway, Thach was assigned to instruct other pilots in combat tactics. The United States Navy pulled its best combat pilots out of action to train newer pilots, while the Japanese kept their best pilots in combat. As the war progressed, the Japanese Navy lost their experienced pilots due to attrition and had no well-trained replacements, while the United States was able to improve the general fighting ability of their own personnel. When the Japanese resorted to the feared Kamikaze suicide attacks, Thach developed the "big blue blanket" system to provide an adequate defense.
Later in the war, Commander Thach became operations officer to Vice Admiral John S. McCain Sr., commander of the Fast Carrier Task Force. Thach was also present at the formal Japanese surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri on September 2, 1945, in Tokyo Bay.
Thach was a flying ace, having been credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft during World War II.
Post–World War II
Thach commanded USS Sicily during the Korean War and USS Franklin D. Roosevelt in 1953–54. He was promoted to rear admiral in 1955.
In 1958 and 1959, Thach was placed in command of an antisubmarine development unit, "Task Group Alpha", with the aircraft carrier Valley Forge (CVS-45) serving as his flagship. He subsequently appeared on the cover of Time magazine on September 1, 1958, for his contributions to anti-submarine warfare (ASW), which was a primary focus at the time in the ongoing Cold War. An annual award was later established in his name for presentation to the top ASW squadron in the navy.
Thach was promoted to vice admiral in 1960 and served as the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air in the Pentagon, where he presided over development of the A-7 Corsair II, among other naval aviation programs. As Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces Europe, starting in 1965, he pinned on his fourth star as a full admiral, retiring from the Navy in May 1967 from that position.
The Arkansas Aviation Historical Society inducted Thach into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1981.
Thach died on April 15, 1981, in Coronado, California, four days before his 76th birthday, and was buried at Fort Rosecrans National Cemetery in San Diego.
The frigate Thach (FFG-43) was named in his honor.
Personal life
Thach and his wife Madalynn had four children.
Decorations
Gallery
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LT John S. Thach tipped this F2A-1 onto its nose on Saratoga (CV-3) in March 1940.
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LCDR John S. Thach, CO of VF-3
Content from Wikipedia — licensed under CC BY-SA 3.0
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Sources
- Wikipedia
- https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Thach
- CC BY-SA 4.0
- Sep 26, 2026
- View article
- View record
- October 21, 2026
- Sep 26, 2026
Trivia & Knowledge· 16 questions
Questions drawn from John Thach's archived record and the sources above.
1.In what city was John Smith Thach born?
- A.Annapolis, Maryland
- B.Tokyo, Japan
- C.Pine Bluff, Arkansascorrect
- D.Coronado, California
John S. Thach was born in Pine Bluff, Arkansas, on April 19, 1905.
Source: Early career section
2.In what year did John Smith Thach graduate from the United States Naval Academy?
- A.1927correct
- B.1940
- C.1945
- D.1930
John Smith Thach graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1927.
Source: Early career section
3.Who was one of the classmates of John Smith Thach at the United States Naval Academy?
- A.John S. McCain Sr.
- B.Eugene Lindseycorrect
- C.Lance Massey
- D.Edward O'Hare
John Smith Thach's USNA classmates included William Brockman, Creed Burlingame, and Eugene Lindsey.
Source: Early career section
4.Which squadron was John Smith Thach placed in command of in early 1940?
- A.Fighting Squadron Threecorrect
- B.Fighting Squadron Four
- C.Task Group Alpha
- D.Fast Carrier Task Force
In early 1940, John Smith Thach was placed in command of Fighting Squadron Three (VF-3).
Source: World War II section
5.What maneuver did John Smith Thach develop to counter the Mitsubishi A6M Zero?
- A.The Thach Weavecorrect
- B.The carrier intercept
- C.The Saratoga maneuver
- D.The big blue blanket
John Smith Thach developed a fighter combat tactic known as the Thach Weave.
Source: World War II section
6.During which battle did John Smith Thach first use the Thach Weave in combat?
- A.Battle of Midwaycorrect
- B.Battle of Tokyo Bay
- C.Korean War
- D.Battle of the Coral Sea
John Smith Thach led a sortie at the Battle of Midway where he decided to use his namesake maneuver, marking its first combat usage.
Source: World War II section
7.What defense system did John Smith Thach develop against kamikaze attacks?
- A.The big blue blanketcorrect
- B.The Thach Weave
- C.The carrier defense formation
- D.The antisubmarine development unit
When the Japanese resorted to the feared Kamikaze suicide attacks, John Smith Thach developed the big blue blanket system to provide an adequate defense.
Source: World War II section
8.How many enemy aircraft was John Smith Thach credited with shooting down during World War II?
- A.Fifteen
- B.Twelve
- C.Sixcorrect
- D.Three
John Smith Thach was a flying ace, having been credited with shooting down six enemy aircraft during World War II.
Source: World War II section
9.Where was John Smith Thach present on September 2, 1945?
- A.USS Missouricorrect
- B.USS Yorktown
- C.USS Sicily
- D.USS Valley Forge
John Smith Thach was present at the formal Japanese surrender aboard the battleship USS Missouri on September 2, 1945.
Source: World War II section
10.In what year was John Smith Thach promoted to rear admiral?
- A.1953
- B.1967
- C.1960
- D.1955correct
John Smith Thach was promoted to rear admiral in 1955.
Source: Post–World War II section
11.John Smith Thach appeared on the cover of which magazine in 1958?
- A.Life
- B.Naval Review
- C.Timecorrect
- D.Newsweek
John Smith Thach appeared on the cover of Time magazine on September 1, 1958.
Source: Post–World War II section
12.What aircraft program did John Smith Thach preside over while serving in the Pentagon?
- A.A-7 Corsair IIcorrect
- B.Mitsubishi A6M Zero
- C.Douglas TBD Devastator
- D.Grumman F4F Wildcat
As Deputy Chief of Naval Operations for Air, John Smith Thach presided over development of the A-7 Corsair II.
Source: Post–World War II section
13.In what year did John Smith Thach retire from the United States Navy?
- A.1967correct
- B.1965
- C.1958
- D.1960
John Smith Thach retired from the Navy in May 1967.
Source: Post–World War II section
14.Into what organization was John Smith Thach inducted in 1981?
- A.United States Naval Academy Hall of Honor
- B.California Veterans Association
- C.Arkansas Aviation Hall of Famecorrect
- D.National Combat Tactician Society
The Arkansas Aviation Historical Society inducted John Smith Thach into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame in 1981.
Source: Post–World War II section
15.In what city did John Smith Thach die?
- A.San Diego, California
- B.Pine Bluff, Arkansas
- C.Washington, D.C.
- D.Coronado, Californiacorrect
John Smith Thach died on April 15, 1981, in Coronado, California.
Source: Post–World War II section
16.How many children did John Smith Thach and his wife Madalynn have?
- A.Two
- B.Six
- C.Fourcorrect
- D.Eight
John Smith Thach and his wife Madalynn had four children.
Source: Personal life section
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