USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Inc.

Rhode Island Aviation Hall of Fame honorees announced; inductions October 22 at Varnum Armory, East Greenwich

Admiral Stockdale, World War II heroes, pioneer aviator and first CO of Quonset join Jennifer Murray as honorees

VADM James B. Stockdale USN (1923-2005): A graduate of the Naval Academy Class of 1947, he is best remembered for his extraordinary leadership as the senior naval officer held in captivity during the Vietnam War, and his 1992 stint as running mate to independent presidential candidate Ross Perot. Admiral Stockdale was one of the most decorated officers in U.S. naval history, having received two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Purple Hearts and four Silver Stars among his 26 combat decorations. He also was the only three-star admiral to wear both aviator's wings and the Medal of Honor. He is remembered in Rhode Island as the Naval War College president who brought moral philosophy to the Newport campus during his tenure from 1977 to 1979.

George Armitage (1887-1948): Born in England, he came to Rhode Island as a youngster and attended Providence public schools. He may have been the first person to fly in Rhode Island; it is known that he began experimenting with "power driven gliders" as early as 1905. A 1934 article in Rhode Island Review stated: "To George Armitage we give full credit for the design and building of the first power-driven monoplane in Rhode Island." He organized and operated a machine tool company for some 35 years, and was quite successful as an inventor.

Commander Harold J. Brow USN (1894-1982): Born in Fall River, he graduated from Providence Technical High School in 1912. He served in the Rhode Island National Guard from 1913-1914, then enlisted in the Navy in April, 1917 and earned his wings a year later. By 1923 he was the fastest flyer in the world; Brow established a world outright airspeed record at Mitchel Field, Long Island. Commander Brow beame the first commanding officer of the still-under-construction Quonset Point Naval Air Station, and on Dec. 31, 1940 he made the first landing on a crude runway that was part of a base-in-the-making.

Commander Richard L. Cevoli, USN (1919-1955): Born in East Greenwich in 1919, Commander Cevoli earned numerous decorations during WWII and Korea. The LaSalle Academy and URI grad was awarded the Navy Cross during the Battle of Leyte Gulf. By the end of his tour Cevoli earned a total of five Air Medals in addition to the DFC and the Navy Cross. When the Korean conflict erupted he found himself back in combat. On December 4, 1950 he flew cover when then-LT(jg) Thomas Hudner earned the Medal of Honor by crash-landing his own Corsair in a futile attempt to save the life of his wingman, Ensign Jesse Brown--the Navy's first commissioned African-American pilot.

Captain Archibald H. Douglas, USN (1895-1978): Captain Douglas graduated from the Naval Academy in 1908. He was designated as a Naval Aviator in June of 1918, and saw combat duty in France with the Northern Bombing Group. His aviation career included actions in two World Wars and command of three different aircraft carriers. He first came to Rhode Island in 1929 as a student at the Naval War College, and over the next 17 years served four more tours in Newport. In June of 1940 he became CO of USS Saratoga, commanding the carrier through Pearl Harbor, the aborted relief of Midway, and Sara's first torpedoing by a Japanese submarine on January 11, 1942. He brought the ship safely back to Washington for repairs, and then received orders back to the Naval War College, where he served as advisor for air operations and Acting Chief of Staff. He retired from the Navy in March of 1946 and lived the rest of his life in Newport.

Bell Helicopter-Textron, a wholly owned subsidiary of Providence-based Textron, Incorporated is also the Presenting Sponsor of this year's induction ceremony.

The Hall of Fame concept is supported by a number of other aviation-related groups in the state, to include the USS Saratoga Museum Foundation, Quonset Air Museum, Rhode Island Pilots Association, the Civil Air Patrol, the Quiet Birdmen, the Rhode Island Aviation and Space Education Council, and the EAA.

Tickets to the event cost $45 per person, and can be obtained by calling 401-831-8696, or by downloading the invitation from the internet at:

Jennifer Murray's induction (and role as speaker at the October 22 dinner event) was announced in a separate release last week (available here).