Daniel Archibald Carmichael USN

[keith A]

I've managed to get a few details from various internet sources but his career post-war interests me. He led one or two reserve squadrons and was a test pilot for North American Aviation. All this while working as an architect?

Any details gratefully received,

Keith

[RSwank]

This seems to cover his naval career:

https://www.history.navy.mil/researc...hibald-jr.html

Here is his obit:

Daniel Archibald Carmichael Jr.
Obituaries

Columbus Dispatch, The (OH) - Sunday, August 3, 2014

"Carmichael Daniel Archibald Carmichael Jr., age 95, of Bexley, died peacefully July 31, 2014 at Mt. Carmel Medical Center. Dan was born in Washington, DC on October 24, 1918 to Tracy (Dunning) and Daniel Archibald Carmichael. Along with his parents, Dan is preceded in death by his wife Patricia. He is survived by children, Tracy (Michael) Rand of Sharon, CT, Dan III (Sally) Carmichael, of Cedarville, MI and Sally Merrick of Dublin; grandsons, Andrew Merrick, John (Lindsay) Merrick, David (Erin) Merrick and Cody (Teresa) Carmichael; and former son-in-law, Dennis Merrick. Graduate of Columbus Academy and Princeton University with honors. Architect for Dan Carmichael and Associates. Shortly after Pearl Harbor, Dan enlisted in the Naval Air Corps, where he achieved 13 aerial combat victories. After WWII, he was active in the Naval Reserves serving 2 tours as the commanding officer of a jet fighter squadron and also flying as a Navy acceptance test pilot. Retired at the rank of Captain and was the recipient of the Lone Sailor Award for distinguished service during and after his Navy career. He achieved numerous auto racing championships including the 1995 SCCA Formula Atlantic National Championship for which he received the President's Cup; the State Amateur Golfing Championship; State Senior Golfing championship (twice); and the City Senior Handball championship. Past President of the Athletic Club of Columbus, Columbus Rotary Club, Columbus Council of the Navy League, and Columbus Chapter of the American Institute of Architects. Member of American Fighter Aces Association, Ohio Military Hall of Fame, Ohio Golf Hall of Fame, City of Columbus Hall of Fame, Columbus Academy Athletic Hall of Fame, and Broad Street Presbyterian Church. Family will receive friends 5-7 p.m. Thursday, August 7 at the SCHOEDINGER MIDTOWN CHAPEL, 229 East State St. Funeral service will be held at 11 a.m., Friday, August 8, 2014 at Broad Street Presbyterian Church, 760 E. Broad St., Columbus, OH 43215 with Rev. Ann Palmerton officiating. Interment will follow at Green Lawn Cemetery. Contributions may be made to the Capital Area Humane Society, 3015 Scioto Darby, Columbus, OH 43026, in his memory. Condolences may be sent to the family at www.schoedinger.com."

[keith A]

Cheers mate that's what I had already. I was intrigued by his post war career but it looks like the details are very obscure. Because I don't know his Reserve squadron I can't identify his command dates. As a reserve officer he has less opacity in the records.

best regards

Keith

[RSwank]

There was a Naval Air Station at Port Columbus (airfield) just outside of Columbus, Ohio.
This was the station of reserve squadron VF-692 (later VA-692?) The following is a long posting by
David A Doll, who was eventually an aviator in that squadron:


https://thebrownshoes.org/story/david-doll

Search for "Carmichael" and you will find a section on Doll's recollections of a most unforgettable character, the architect Dan Carmichael.

Also in Columbus was a factory for North American, Air Force Factory 85.
It is mentioned in this link about the airport (now John Glenn Columbus International Airport).

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_G...tional_Airport

https://www.globalsecurity.org/milit...ity/afp-85.htm

I suspect that is where Carmichael was a "test pilot", perhaps not "full time". He may have been a navy acceptance pilot for new naval aircraft being produced there.


Brief mention at the top of the page (scroll up for the preceding page) on Carmichael as CO of VF-692 (a single pilot prop plane reserve squadron) in 1956:

https://www.google.com/books/edition...sec=frontcover

[RSwank]

Interesting newspaper clipping on Carmichael from the mid 1960s. There are many mentions of him in Columbus newspapers over the years, this one seems to touch on several of his accomplishments.


https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105968816/

https://www.newspapers.com/clip/105968954/

The article mentions him being a pilot, golfer, car racer, captain of Princeton basketball team and pitcher in the first televised baseball game.

Search for Carmichael in this: https://paw.princeton.edu/article/rally-round-cannon-44

Note:
"The first-ever televised baseball game aired on May 17, 1939, between Princeton and Columbia. Princeton beat Columbia 2–1 at Columbia's Baker Field. The game was aired on NBC station W2XBS. At the time, this was NBC's experimental station located in New York City, which would ultimately become WNBC. The game was announced by Bill Stern." ---From Wikipedia.


He was in Princeton's class of 1941. When he returned from WWII he joined his father's architecture firm in Columbus. Over the years they seemed to have specialized in designing hospitals as there are several articles about those.

[keith A]

Superb! Thanks very much. A great piece of detective work