Forrest S . Petersen Vice Admiral Forrest S . Petersen ( May 16 , 1922 - December 8 , 1990 ) was a United States Navy aviator and test pilot . Birth and education . Born in Holdrege , Nebraska , he was the son of Elmer and Stella Petersen . and was raised in Gibbon , Nebraska . Prior to his admission to the United States Naval Academy , he attended the University of Nebraska for two years . Military career . He graduated from the Naval Academy in 1944 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Electrical Engineering , was commissioned as an Ensign , and reported to the destroyer USS " Caperton " ( DD - 650 ) . While serving aboard " USS Caperton " he participated in campaigns in the Philippines , Formosa and Okinawa . After graduation from flight training in 1947 , he was assigned to Fighting Squadron Twenty Able which was later redesignated Fighter Squadron 192 . Petersen graduated from the Naval Postgraduate School with a Bachelors Degree in Aeronautical Engineering in July 1950 . He continued studies for one year at Princeton University and received a Masters Degree in Engineering . From 1953 to 1956 he served with Fighter Squadron 51 . In 1956 he was selected to attend the United States Naval Test Pilot School , and remained as an instructor following graduation . In August 1958 , he was assigned duties as Research Pilot in the X - 15 Program and served at the Dryden Flight Research Center at Edwards Air Force Base , California until January 1962 . During that time he made five free flights in the X - 15 and achieved a speed of 3 , 600 mph ( Mach 5 . 3 ) and an altitude of about 102 , 000 feet . He was one of the initial three test pilots with Joe Walker , Bob White , and contractor pilot , Scott Crossfield . He was the only active duty Navy pilot to fly the X - 15 ( John B . McKay , Milton O . Thompson , Scott Crossfield and Neil Armstrong were former Navy pilots ) . In July 1962 he was a joint recipient of the Collier Trophy , which was presented by President John F . Kennedy , and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal , which was presented by Vice President Lyndon B . Johnson . Petersen served as Commanding Officer of Fighter Squadron 154 prior to being assigned to the office of Director , Division of Naval Reactors , Atomic Energy Commission for Nuclear Power Training . He reported to the aircraft carrier USS " Enterprise " ( CVN - 65 ) in January 1964 and served as Executive Officer until April 1966 . He was awarded the Bronze Star for duty during " Enterprise ' s " first combat tour in Vietnam . In November 1967 he assumed command of USS " Bexar " ( APA - 237 ) in the Pacific Fleet Amphibious Forces . Following an eight month deployment with the United States Seventh Fleet Amphibious Forces in the Western Pacific , he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat V . He then served as Commanding Officer of the " USS Enterprise " ( July 8 , 1969 - December 3 , 1971 ) . He was then assigned duties as an Assistant to the Director of Naval Program Planning in the office of the Chief of Naval Operations . In 1974 , he went on to command Combined Task Force 60 ( CTF - 60 ) based at Athens , Greece . In 1975 he came back to the Pentagon to head the Naval Air Operations office . He then headed the Naval Air Systems Command , from which he retired in 1980 . Awards and decorations . Petersen held the following awards for service in World War II , Korean War and the Vietnam War : Legion of Merit , Distinguished Flying Cross , Bronze Star , Navy Commendation Medal ( with " Combat V " ) , American Defense Service Medal , Asiatic - Pacific Campaign Medal , American Campaign Medal , China Service Medal , Army of Occupation Medal ( with " Japan " clasp ) , Philippine Liberation Medal , Philippine Presidential Unit Citation , World War II Victory Medal , Korean Service Medal , United Nations Service Medal , Vietnam Service Medal , Vietnam Campaign Medal , National Defense Service Medal ( with bronze service star ) , Korean War Service Medal , and the NASA Distinguished Service Medal . The midshipman library at the University of Nebraska is named in honor of Admiral Petersen . Family . Petersen married June Berkshire on Feb . 2 , 1946 . They had three children : Lynn Elizabeth , Nels Christian , and Forrest Dean . June died on May 8 , 1977 . He subsequently married Jean Baldwin on June 17 , 1978 ; she had a son , Preston . She died in 2005 . His grandson , Turner Petersen , is a senior running back at Rice University Death and burial . He died on December 8 , 1990 in Georgetown , South Carolina from a brain tumor . He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery .