Captain John Patrick Rembert, Junior

Rembert earned the Distinguished Flying Cross with Gold Star; the Air Medal with five Gold Stars; American Defense Service Medal; American Campaign Medal; Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal; World War II Victory Medal; and the National Defense Service Medal.

John Patrick Rembert Junior was born in Longview, Texas, on October 21, 1907, the son of John P. and Robbie Bass Rembert. He was appointed to the U.S. Naval Academy, Annapolis, Maryland, from his native state in 1925 and as a Midshipman participated in boxing and track. Graduated and commissioned Ensign on June 8, 1929, he subsequently advanced in rank, attaining that of Captain to date from October 30, 1944.

Following graduation from the Naval Academy in 1929, he joined the U.S.S. West Virginia and in November 1930 was detached for training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, Florida. In February 1931 he rejoined the battleship West Virginia and in June 1932 transferred to the U.S.S. Waters.

For six months, January to July 1933, he served in the U.S.S. Hale after which he was in command of the Civilian Conservation Corps Camp located in Glacier National Park, Montana, and later in Luray, South Carolina.

In May 1934 he reported as Watch and Division Officer on board the U.S.S. Vega and from February 1935 until February 1936 continued service afloat as Communications Officer of the U.S.S. Taylor. He completed flight training at the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, and on March 19, 1937, was designated Naval Aviator.

The next month he joined the U.S.S. Lexington as Engineering Officer of Torpedo Squadron Two, and in February 1939 transferred to the U.S.S. Philadelphia, for duty until June 1940 as Senior Naval Aviator of the Aviation Unit attached to that cruiser.

Assigned to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, he served as Chief Flight Instructor of a primary training squadron and later as Aide to the Commandant of that air station until January 1942 when he assumed command of Scouting Squadron 1D-11, based on Terminal Island, San Pedro, California.

In June 1942 he reported for fitting out duty with Escort Scouting Squadron Twenty and assumed command upon its commissioning. Following training at the Naval Air Stations at Alameda and San Diego, California, the unit was redesignated Air Group Forty and received additional training in night flying at the Naval Air Station, El Centro, California.

The group, under his command, departed San Diego, via the U.S.S. Long Island, for the combat zone and in August, 1943, arrived in Espiritu Santo, New Hebrides.

Air Group Forty operated continuously during the Solomons Campaign,shore-based successfully at Guadalcanal; Segi, New Georgia; Baracome, Vella LaVella; Piva (Empress Augusta Bay), Bougainville; Treasury and Green Islands.

The Air Group’s activities also included 20 air strikes against Japanese held Rabaul, in addition to air cover furnished the U.S.S. Saratoga, the U.S.S. Princeton and the U.S.S. Bunker Hill during their initial strikes in the Rabaul area.

For meritorious service as Commander Air Group Forty in connection with strike missions against enemy installations during the period September 1943 to March 1944, he was awarded the Air Medal with Gold Stars in lieu of the Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Sixth Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross with Gold Star in lieu of a second similar award.

Detached from Air Group Forty in May 1944, he returned to the United States for duty in the Flight Training Sub-Section, Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), Navy Department, Washington, D.C. He remained there until January 1947 and after a flight refresher course at the Naval Air Station, Banana River, Florida, assumed command in April 1947 of the U.S.S. Orca.

In October of that year he became Commanding Officer of the Naval Air Facility, Honolulu, Oahu, Hawaii, and in March 1949 reported as Chief of Staff to the Chief of Naval Air Technical Training, with headquarters at the Naval Air Station, Memphis, Tennessee.

From May 1951 to June 1952 he was in command of the U.S.S. Salerno Bay, after which he had instruction at the Naval War College, Newport, Rhode Island. In July 1953 he became Director of the Aviation Safety Division, Office of the Deputy Chief of Naval Operations (Air), Navy Department.

He remained there until April 1955 when he was ordered to assume command of the U.S.S. Tarawa (CV-40), a duty he took up on June 7. He remained in command for a full year, until June 1956, when he was assigned for temporary duty with Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.

In July he was assigned to Naval Operations, Navy Department, until he retired September 1, 1957, having been advanced to the rank of Rear Admiral on the basis of combat awards.

The admiral was married to the former Sarafan Frances Ausbury of Wichita Falls, Texas. He died 21 October 1976 in Arlington, Virginia.

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