Naval History and Heritage Command

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James Robert Delezene was born in Albany, Missouri, on June 24, 1918. In 1940 he graduated from Southeast Missouri State College at Cape Girardeau with the degree of Bachelor of Science in education. He entered the Naval service in July of that year and after elimination base training at the Naval Air Station, St. Louis, Missouri, had flight training (as an Aviation Cadet), November 1940-June 1941, at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida.

On May 24, 1941, he was commissioned Ensign in the US Naval Reserve, Advancing progressively in rank he subsequently attained that of Commander to date from July 1, 1951.

Designated Naval Aviator on June 27, 1941, he served as an Instructor at the Pensacola Air Station until April 1942. He next had similar duty at the Naval Air Station, St. Louis, Missouri and from February 1943 until March 1944 was Staff Flight Instructor, Assistant Chief Flight Instructor and Chief Flight Instructor at the Naval Air Station, New Orleans, Louisiana.

After operational training at the Naval Air Station, Miami, Florida, March-June 1944, he joined Composite Squadron 63 to serve as Executive and Operations Officer. In May 1947 he reported as Flight Training Officer at the Naval Air Station, Columbus, Georgia, where he remained until October 1951, after which he had duty as Training Officer and Flight Training Officer at the Naval Air Station, St. Louis, Missouri.

He was Training Officer at the Naval Air Station, Grosse Ile, Michigan, from December 1954 until September 1957 and now serves as Executive Officer of the Naval Air Reserve Training Unit, Naval Air Station, Anacostia, DC.

Commander Delezene has the Naval Reserve Medal; the American Defense Service Medal; the American Campaign Medal; the Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; the World War II Victory Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal.

He died on June 7, 1983.

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