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 shot down a couple of German airplanes in 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.