CDR Edward Willam Wingerter, JR.

Naval Aviator Wings

Wingerter Photo


CDR Edward W. Wingerter, Jr. was born in Hang Chow, China on 27 November 1935. His farter, an aviator, was an American Advisor to the Chinese Air Force.
He attend the University of Florida for 2 years in order to complete college requirements for the Naval Aviation Cadet Program. Aviation Cadet Wingerter entered flight training in September 1955, graduated from jet training at NAS Kingsville, Texas and was designated a Naval Aviator in March 1956. Ensign Wingerter reported to NAS Corry Field for his first tour of duy in the Basic Training Command as a Flight Instructor flying the SNJ. Following this tour, in October 1958, he was assigned as one of the first Replacement Pilots in Attack Squadron 44. Upon completion of the A-4 Skyhawk training syllabus in May 1959, he reported to VA-172, then deployed in the Mediterranean Sea in USS F.D. Roosevelt.
In August 1962, LT Wingerter was assigned shore duty in VA-44, the A-4 RAG, as a Combat Flight Instructor and Landing Singal Officer.
Next LT Wingerter received orders to Attack Carrier Air Wing One, where he was the Air Wing LSDO and Administrative Officer. During this tour he deployed to WESTPAC in the USS R.D. Roosevelt and participated in combat operations flying the A-4 Skyhawk and the F-4 Phantom.
LCDR Wingerter reported to VA-174 in September 1967 as a Flight Instructor in the A-7 Corsair II. Next he reported to VA-67, a newly established A-7 squadron (later redesignated VA-15) where he was the Operations Officer. During this tour he logged his 500th F.D. Roosevelt landing.
Upon completion of a MED Cruise in August 1970, LCDR Wingerter received orders to the Naval War College in Newport Rhode, Island. While a student at the War College, he attended night school and sumer school at the University of Rhode Island and earned a Baccalaureate Degree in Political Science. Upon graduating from the War College, CDR Wingerter was slected to remain on the War College faculty to instruct Air Strike Warfare Operations and Tactics. During this time he attended the George Washington University extension program, working toward a Masters Degree in International Relations.

During his career in the Navy, CDR Wingerter has accumuated over 4,700 hours of flight time of whick 3,700 are in light attack jets. He has made 7 extended deployments; five in the Sixth Fleet, one in the Seventh Fleet and on in the Second Fleet. He has flown 50 combat missions over North Vietnam and has accumulated over 700 carrier landings.
CDR Wingerter reported to VC-7 in August 1973 as Executive Officer. He is married to the former Sandra Lee Sawyer of Miami Springs, Florida and has three children, Wendy, Guy and Ron.