CDR Dean “Diz” Laird is the only Navy ace to shoot down both German and Japanese aircraft. Flying F4F Wildcats off the coast of Norway, he participated in the destruction of a couple of German airplanes October 1943. A year later he was flying F6F Hellcats from USS Essex (CV-9) in the Pacific Theater, where he was credited with the remainder of his 5 3/4 confirmed victories.