Gone West: Last Original Blue Angel Al Taddeo | Aero-News Network
Aero-News Network
RSS icon RSS feed
podcast icon MP3 podcast
Subscribe Aero-News e-mail Newsletter Subscribe

Airborne Unlimited -- Most Recent Daily Episodes

Episode Date

Airborne-Monday

Airborne-Tuesday

Airborne-Wednesday Airborne-Thursday

Airborne-Friday

Airborne On YouTube

Airborne-Unlimited-09.08.25

AirborneNextGen-
09.09.25

Airborne-Unlimited-09.10.25

Airborne-AffordableFlyers-09.11.25

AirborneUnlimited-09.12.25

Fri, Aug 23, 2013

Gone West: Last Original Blue Angel Al Taddeo

Had Shot Down Three Japanese Airplanes Before Joining The Demonstration Squadron Following WWII

The last of the original Blue Angels, Cdr. Al Taddeo, passed away August 19 at the age of 94.

According to the Blue Angels Facebook page, Taddeo was the last surviving member of the first Blue Angels squadron. He flew the F6F Hellcat on the team from 1946 to 1947.

"Al was a great role model, often sought out by pilots and Blue Angel team members to talk about Blues’ history and what it is like to fly maneuvers in combat," according to Facebook post announcing his passing.

This WWII hero shot down three Japanese airplanes while aboard the USS Enterprise. He was twice awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross and retired as a Commander in 1963.

(Pictured: Al Taddeo, the oldest living former pilot of the U.S Navy flight demonstration squadron, the Blue Angels, gives a thumbs up in the back seat as pilot David Marco taxies his North American P-51D, Sizzlin' Liz, for a demonstration flight. Public Domain photo)

FMI: www.facebook.com/USNavyBlueAngels

Advertisement

More News

NTSB Prelim: Lancair NLA-275-FR-C

About 2132 And At 11,800 Ft MSL, The Airplane Began A Rapid Right Spiraling Descent On August 18, 2025, about 2133 central daylight time, a Lancair NLA-275-FR-C airplane, N345LA, w>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Linx (09.12.25)

Aero Linx: The Collings Foundation The Collings Foundation is a non-profit, Educational Foundation (501(c)3), founded in 1979. The purpose of the Foundation is to preserve and exhi>[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (09.12.25)

"This first FAA certification enables us to address the pilot shortage crisis with modern training solutions. Flight schools need alternatives to aging fleets with 40-year-old desi>[...]

ANN's Daily Aero-Term (09.12.25): North Atlantic High Level Airspace (NAT HLA)

North Atlantic High Level Airspace (NAT HLA) That volume of airspace (as defined in ICAO Document 7030) between FL 285 and FL 420 within the Oceanic Control Areas of Bodo Oceanic, >[...]

Aero-News: Quote of the Day (09.13.25)

“HITRON embodies the Coast Guard’s spirit of innovation and adaptability. From its humble beginnings as a prototype program, it has evolved into a vital force in our co>[...]

blog comments powered by Disqus



Advertisement

Advertisement

Podcasts

Advertisement

© 2007 - 2025 Web Development & Design by Pauli Systems, LC