Skip to main content
Naval History and Heritage Command

Naval History and Heritage Command

The Navy Department Library

Related Content
Sources

Adapted from "Lieutenant Commander Harvey C. K. Aiau, United States Navy, Deceased" [biography, dated 28 August 1972] in Modern Biographical Files collection, Navy Department Library.

Topic
Document Type
  • Biography
Wars & Conflicts
  • Vietnam Conflict 1962-1975
File Formats
Location of Archival Materials

Harvey Chadwick Kamohoalii Aiau

2 May 1930 - 16 March 1970

PDF Version [1002KB]

Harvey Chadwick Kamohoalii Aiau was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on 2 May 1930, son of Chadwick K. and Marianne (Pitts) Aiau. He entered the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, on appointment from the Territory of Hawaii in 1949. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on 5 June 1953, he subsequently advanced in rank to that of Lieutenant Commander, to date from 1 April 1963.

Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1953, he joined USS Calvert (APA-32), which operated in the Korean area during the hostilities there. Detached from that attack transport in February 1954, he had flight training at the Naval Air Basic Training Command, Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida, until November of that year, then continued training at the Naval Air Station, Hutchinson, Kansas. Designated Naval Aviator on 26 April 1955, he was next assigned to Airborne Early Warning Squadron ONE. He was Aircraft Command and Flight Logistics and Record Officer attached to the Naval Combat Information School, Naval Air Station, Glynco, Georgia, from May 1959 to October 1961, after which he served as Control Tower Officer and Aircraft Commander at the Naval Air Station, Glynco.

In May 1962 he joined the Staff of Commander Carrier Division ONE as Assistant Combat Information Center Officer and in February 1963 reported for training with Patrol Squadron THIRITY-ONE. Transferred in August 1963 to Patrol Squadron TWENTY-EIGHT he served as Administrative Officer and Patrol Plane Commander until June 1965 then was assigned as Emergency Action Officer, Team 1, Airborne Command Post, Operations Division at Headquarters, Commander in Chief, Pacific.

He reported in May 1966 for instruction at the Naval Postgraduate School, Monterey, California and in July 1967 became Head of the Naval Tactical Data System Programming Section, Fleet Computer Program Center, San Diego, California. While there, he received the degree of Master of Science in Management Science from the United States International University, San Diego, in 1969. In June of that year he joined Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron ONE to serve as Electronic Warfare Aircraft; Commander in EC-121M and Computer Systems Analyst. Lieutenant Commander Aiau died on 16 March 1970 at Danang, South Vietnam as a result of an aircraft accident while approaching the runway on a flight from Tainan Air Base, Taiwan. He was posthumously awarded the Air Medal with Numeral "1" to represent one strike/flight award. The citation follows in part:

"For meritorious achievement...in combat operations in Southeast, Asia from September 15 to December 26, 1969. In the successful completion of 250 flight hours in direct combat support mission against the enemy in an active combat area (he) contributed materially to the United States efforts in Southeast Asia..."

He was also entitled to the Ribbon for and a facsimile of the Navy Unit Commendation awarded Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron ONE.

In addition to the Air Medal with Numeral "1" and the Navy Unit Commendation Ribbon, Lieutenant Commander Aiau had the National Defense Service Medal with bronze star; Korean Service Medal; Vietnam Service Medal; United Nations Service Medal and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device.

END 

Published: Fri Oct 26 12:44:41 EDT 2018