Evan Peter Aurand Evan Peter Aurand ( June 10 , 1917 - June 7 , 1989 ) was a decorated naval officer with the rank of Vice Admiral . He was a son of Lieutenant general Henry Aurand . Biography . Evan Peter Aurand was born in New York City on June 10 , 1917 . He was the son of Margaret Decker , a great - granddaughter of Texas leader Sam Houston , and U . S . Army officer Henry S . Aurand . A 1938 graduate of the United States Naval Academy , his long and fruitful navy career evinced a lifelong devotion to naval aviation and to his country . His flight experience spanned the development of modern aircraft . He trained at Pensacola in 1940 in the F4B - 4 and qualified to fly the S - 2E before he retired . World War II . During World War II , he served in combat service in the Pacific Theater , which earned him the Navy Cross , a Legion of Merit medal , a Navy Commendation Medal , the Air Medal , two Distinguished Flying Crosses and a Presidential Unit Citation aboard the USS " Bunker Hill " , he was part of Project Afirm , based at Quonset Point Naval Air Station , which , at great peril to the pilots involved , pioneered radar - guided flight and thus , night - fighting capability for the U . S . fleet . For that service , he was decorated with the Legion of Merit and another Navy Commendation Medal . Military career . Postwar , he was commanding officer of VF - 5A , based at North Island NAS , the first West Coast Navy squadron to employ jet aircraft . In this capacity , he made the first carrier arrested landing by a Naval Aviator piloting the jet aircraft FJ - 1 Fury , on the deck of the USS Boxer in March , 1948 . He participated in various air races , setting speed records for many routes , bringing progress in Naval Aviation into the public eye . Serious injuries from an automobile accident ( on one of his many trips to meet with defense contractors to improve fighter plane design ) kept him out of the Korean Conflict , during which he studied at the Air War College in Montgomery , Alabama . He was then assigned to Air Weapons and Tactics , Staff , Commander Operational Development Force , Norfolk , VA . He then served as Operations Officer and then Executive Officer of the USS " Hancock " , CVA 19 . A serious amateur photographer and videographer , he conceived , filmed and produced the naval aviation spoof film " Launch ' Em " while aboard Hancock . After a short stint at the Pentagon serving as Naval Aide to the Assistant Secretary of the Navy for Personnel and Reserve Forces , he was named Naval Aide to President Dwight D . Eisenhower in 1956 , relieving Captain Edwin ( “ Ned ” ) Beach . His duties included running Camp David and the White House Mess . He got the President on or near the water , aboard Navy vessels and involved in Naval operations at every opportunity . He suggested and implemented the use of Marine helicopters for transporting the President on short and medium length trips , allowing the President to take off and land directly on the White House lawn for the first time . During this duty , a chance meeting with Captain William Anderson , skipper of the USS " Nautilus " , led to discussion of possibilities and a plan to have the Nautilus transit the North Pole under the polar ice cap . He was part of the Killian Committee . He was awarded a second Legion of Merit for his service as Naval Aide to the President . His next sea duty was command of the seaplane tender USS " Greenwich Bay " , followed by command of the USS " Independence " , CVA 62 . He then attended the Advanced Management Program at Harvard University . While commanding Antisubmarine Warfare Group One in VietNam , he was awarded a third Legion of Merit for his idea for in - flight refueling of helicopters and other tactics for the seventh fleet . He retired as Commander , Antisubmarine Warfare Force Pacific ( now Third Fleet ) in 1972 . In retirement , he defended Naval Aviation in letters to the editors of Honolulu papers whenever such were needed . He participated in many seminars at which he was invited to speak . He remained active in civic affairs in Honolulu until his death at 71 on June 7 , 1989 and was buried at sea from the USS " Benjamin Stoddert " off Kawaihoa Point ( Koko Head ) , Oahu . Personal . He was preceded in death by his wife of 47 years , Patricia Riley of Mercer Island , Washington and three sons . He is survived by a daughter , Margaret L . H . Aurand , Esq . and two grandsons . Sources . Professional information taken from U . S . Navy records in possession of the subject . Henry S . Aurand Operation Sandblast Ralph E . Williams FJ - 1 Fury