Green Bay in Brown County, Wisconsin — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr.

"Reaper Leader"

Photographed By Devon Polzar, 2018

1. Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side One

Inscription.

Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr.. "Reaper Leader". June 17, 1906 July 9, 1958 Navy Cross May 7 - 8, 1942 Distinguished Service Medal July 1953 - June 1958 Legion of Merit W/Combat "V" Dec. 1944 - May 1945 Distinguished Flying Cross W/Two Gold Stars Nov 1942 - Aug 1943 Bronze Star W/Combat "V" Sept - Oct 1944 Navy Commendation Ribbon W/Combat "V" May 11, 1945 Presidential Unit Citation W/5 Blue Stars 1941 - 1945 American Defense Service Medal Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal W/Two Silver Stars American Campaign Medal World War Two Victory Medal National Defense Service Medal Philippine Liberation Ribbon W/Bronze Star. , Side Two: VADM James H. Flatley, Jr. 1925 - Graduated from St. Norbert Academy 1929 - Graduated from U.S. Naval Academy 1930 - Flight Training at Pensacola, Florida 1931 - Designated a Naval Aviator 1931-1934 - Naval Aviator on board USS Lexington 1934-1936 - Naval Aviator based at Pearl Harbor 1936-1937 - Naval Aviator on board USS Lexington and USS Enterprise 1937-1939 - Senior Aviator on board USS Omaha 1939-1940 - Flight Instructor at Pensacola, Florida 1940-Sept. 1941 - Aide to Commanding Officer Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Florida, Side Three: VADM James H. Flatley, Jr. Sept. 1941-May 1942 - Executive Officer, "White Hat" Squadron, on board the USS Lexington and USS Yorktown May 7-8, 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea May 1942-Oct. 1942 - Trained and commissioned "Grim Reapers" Oct. 1942-Feb. 1943 - Commander of the "Grim Reapers" Feb. 1943-April 1943 - Trained and commissioned Air Group Five April 1943-Sept. 1943 - Commander of Air Group Five May 6, 1943 - First Landing of F6F-3 Hellcat on USS Yorktown Oct. 1943-July 1944 - Director of Training, Fleet Air, West Coast, Side Four: VADM James H. Flatley, Jr. July 1944-June 1945 - Air Operations Officer to Admiral Marc Mitscher's Task Force Fifty-Eight June 1945-Oct. 1945 - Assignments on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Liaison Officer for the Far Eastern Air Force during the occupation of Japan Oct. 1945-July 1947 - Director of Training, Naval Training Command, Corpus Christi, Texas July 1947-July 1948 - Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama July 1948-July 1950 - Assistant Chief of Staff, United States Atlantic Fleet July 1950-July 1952 - Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Olathe, Kansas July 1952-July 1953 - Commanding Officer, USS Block Island, Side Five: VADM James H. Flatley, Jr. July 1953-Oct. 1953 - Director of Naval Aviation Safety, Norfolk, Virginia Oct. 1953-June 1955 - Commander, Fifth Naval District, and Commander, Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia June 1955-July 1956 - Commanding Officer, USS Lake Champlain July 1956-Oct. 1957 - Director of Special Weapons Branch Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C. July 1957 - Appointed by President Eisenhower as Rear Admiral Oct. 1957-June 1958 - Director of Air Warfare, Washington, D.C. June 2, 1958 - Appointed by President Eisenhower as Vice Admiral on the basis of combat bravery

June 17, 1906
July 9, 1958

Navy Cross
May 7 - 8, 1942
Distinguished Service Medal
July 1953 - June 1958
Legion of Merit W/Combat "V"
Dec. 1944 - May 1945
Distinguished Flying Cross W/Two Gold Stars
Nov 1942 - Aug 1943
Bronze Star W/Combat "V"
Sept - Oct 1944
Navy Commendation Ribbon W/Combat "V"
May 11, 1945
Presidential Unit Citation W/5 Blue Stars
1941 - 1945
American Defense Service Medal
Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal W/Two Silver Stars
American Campaign Medal
World War Two Victory Medal
National Defense Service Medal
Philippine Liberation Ribbon W/Bronze Star

Side Two:
VADM James H. Flatley, Jr.
1925 - Graduated from St. Norbert Academy
1929 - Graduated from U.S. Naval Academy
1930 - Flight Training at Pensacola, Florida
1931 - Designated a Naval Aviator
1931-1934 - Naval Aviator on board USS Lexington
1934-1936 - Naval Aviator based at Pearl Harbor
1936-1937 - Naval Aviator on board USS Lexington and USS Enterprise
1937-1939 - Senior Aviator on board USS Omaha
1939-1940 - Flight Instructor at Pensacola, Florida
1940-Sept. 1941 - Aide to Commanding Officer Naval Air Station at Pensacola, Florida

Side

Paid Advertisement

Click on the ad for more information.
Please report objectionable advertising to the Editor.

Click or scan to see
this page online

Three:
VADM James H. Flatley, Jr.
Sept. 1941-May 1942 - Executive Officer, "White Hat" Squadron, on board the USS Lexington and USS Yorktown
May 7-8, 1942 - Battle of the Coral Sea
May 1942-Oct. 1942 - Trained and commissioned "Grim Reapers"
Oct. 1942-Feb. 1943 - Commander of the "Grim Reapers"
Feb. 1943-April 1943 - Trained and commissioned Air Group Five
April 1943-Sept. 1943 - Commander of Air Group Five
May 6, 1943 - First Landing of F6F-3 Hellcat on USS Yorktown
Oct. 1943-July 1944 - Director of Training, Fleet Air, West Coast

Side Four:
VADM James H. Flatley, Jr.
July 1944-June 1945 - Air Operations Officer to Admiral Marc Mitscher's Task Force Fifty-Eight
June 1945-Oct. 1945 - Assignments on the staff of the Commander in Chief, U.S. Pacific Fleet and Liaison Officer for the Far Eastern Air Force during the occupation of Japan
Oct. 1945-July 1947 - Director of Training, Naval Training Command, Corpus Christi, Texas
July 1947-July 1948 - Air War College, Montgomery, Alabama
July 1948-July 1950 - Assistant Chief of Staff, United States Atlantic Fleet
July 1950-July 1952 - Commanding Officer, Naval Air Station, Olathe, Kansas
July 1952-July 1953 - Commanding Officer, USS Block Island

Side Five:
VADM James H. Flatley, Jr.
July 1953-Oct. 1953 - Director of Naval

Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Two image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devon Polzar, 2018

2. Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Two

Aviation Safety, Norfolk, Virginia
Oct. 1953-June 1955 - Commander, Fifth Naval District, and Commander, Naval Air Station, Norfolk, Virginia
June 1955-July 1956 - Commanding Officer, USS Lake Champlain
July 1956-Oct. 1957 - Director of Special Weapons Branch Office of the Chief of Naval Operations, Washington, D.C.
July 1957 - Appointed by President Eisenhower as Rear Admiral
Oct. 1957-June 1958 - Director of Air Warfare, Washington, D.C.
June 2, 1958 - Appointed by President Eisenhower as Vice Admiral on the basis of combat bravery

Erected 2009.

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in this topic list: Military. In addition, it is included in the Distinguished Service Cross/Navy Cross/Air Force Cross Recipients, the Distinguished Service Medal, the Former U.S. Presidents: #34 Dwight D. Eisenhower, and the Valor in Aerial Operations series lists. A significant historical date for this entry is June 17, 1929.

Location. 44° 30.642′ N, 88° 1.169′ W. Marker is in Green Bay, Wisconsin, in Brown County. Located in Admiral Flatley Park on the Fox River next to the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad depot, later known as the Milwaukee Road. See Milwaukee Road marker at this location also. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address:

Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Three image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devon Polzar, 2018

3. Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Three

Admiral Flatley Park, 100 Admiral Flatley Ct, Green Bay WI 54301, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within walking distance of this marker. James H. Flatley, Jr. (within shouting distance of this marker); Milwaukee Road Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); Milwaukee Road Passenger Depot (within shouting distance of this marker); Freimann Hotel Building (within shouting distance of this marker); Packers Office Building (about 300 feet away, measured in a direct line); Influence of the Fur Trade (about 300 feet away); Augustin de Langlade (about 400 feet away); Bank Of Wisconsin (about 700 feet away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Green Bay.

Regarding Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr..

Flatley was an aerial-gunnery expert and World War II squadron and air group commander. As Executive Officer of Fighter Squadron VF-42, he was one of the key participants in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, the first carrier vs carrier duels. A few days before, Flatley had been ordered back to the States to form a new fighter squadron, but he managed to get permission to stay for the coming battle. Flatley was awarded the Navy Cross for "extraordinary heroism and conspicuous courage" during the Battle of the Coral Sea.

After Coral Sea, he returned to the states

Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Four image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devon Polzar, 2018

4. Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Four

to form VF-10, flying F4F Wildcats. Named the Grim Reapers, Flatley became "Reaper Leader." There were successes at Guadalcanal, but several losses which left him frustrated. As Commander of Air Group Five (CAG-5) on board the USS Yorktown (CV 10), he helped introduce Grumman’s F6F Hellcat to combat in August 1943. Flatley, at the age of 36, never flew combat again.

Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Five image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Devon Polzar, 2018

5. Vice Admiral James H. Flatley Jr. Marker Side Five

James H. Flatley Marker and Statue image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Robert L Weber, December 21, 2010

6. James H. Flatley Marker and Statue

Vadm James H. Flatley Jr. Marker and Statue image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Robert L Weber, December 21, 2010

7. Vadm James H. Flatley Jr. Marker and Statue

Another James Flatley Jr. Marker located at site image. Click for full size.

Photographed By Robert L Weber

8. Another James Flatley Jr. Marker located at site

Credits. This page was last revised on November 26, 2023. It was originally submitted on December 22, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. This page has been viewed 1,277 times since then and 75 times this year. Last updated on February 19, 2020, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. Photos: 1, 2, 3. submitted on March 28, 2019, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. 4, 5. submitted on March 29, 2019, by Devon Polzar of Port Washington, Wisconsin. 6, 7. submitted on December 22, 2010, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. 8. submitted on June 6, 2011, by Bob (peach) Weber of Dewey, Arizona. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.