Navy pilot John Yoho landed once at Tucson as an Ensign on Sunday, December 13, 1931. He flew A-8338, a Vought O-2U-4 Corsair. He carried a single passenger identified as "Sanofer." They were based at San Diego, CA and were traveling east then north to Phoenix, AZ. He and Sanofer cited no reason for their flight through Tucson.
Yoho was a prodigy of sorts, entering the U.S. Naval Academy at age 16 as one of the youngest appointees in 1925. He graduated in 1929 and his yearbook (the "Lucky Bag") photograph is below.
John R. Yoho, U.S. Naval Academy Yearbook, 1929 (Source: Woodling)
|
He received his flight training at Pensacola, FL during 1931. According to The New York Times of March 19, 1938, he was assigned as a lieutenant to the U.S.S. Saratoga (VB-3) as of June, 1938. He moved through the ranks during the 1930s to the level of LCDR in 1943. It is easy to imagine from the description of his classmates, above, that he was destined for greater things in the Navy.
J.R. Yoho Obituary, The Oregonian, January 8, 1943 (Source: Woodling)
|
However, his death was reported in The Oregonian, Friday, January 8, 1943. He was pilot of a plane that crashed during a flight test for the Navy in Virginia. With him in the plane at the time of the crash was Chief Aviation Radioman Geo. Thomas Blalock. His wife's name was Mary and they had a son, Peter.
1943 was a particularly hard time for his family, since his brother, Jud, was killed just six months later on July 11, 1943 while on submarine duty (he was a 1936 USNA graduate). His submarine was sunk off the coast of Japan north of Hokkaido by what was thought to be a mine strike.
I have no information about Yoho's short personal life, nor do I have photographs of him. If you can help, please let me KNOW.
---o0o---
THIS PAGE UPLOADED: 04/29/12 REVISED:
|