030423-N-2000D-002 From left to right: Retired Navy Capt. Zip Rausa, Charles M. DeGruy, Senior Manager Naval Concept and Doctrine, Rear Adm. Michael J. McCabe, Director Air Warfare (N78) and Retired Rear Adm. P. D. Smith displays a plaque presented in honor of Commander John “Bug” Roach, to help officially dedicate a conference room at the Pentagon in his name. Cmdr. John “Bug” Roach was a Navy pilot and Carrier Air Group (CAG) Landing Signals Officer (LSO), who achieved numerous milestones during his career before being killed when his aircraft engine and ejection seat failed leaving him unable to successfully egress from his A-4E “Skyhawk” in 1991. U.S. Navy Photo by Journalist 2nc Class Hendrick L. Dickson. (RELEASED)
HJ Comment: The caption left out Rear Admiral "Lobster" Fitzgerald (then N880 and now Admiral Fitzgerald, Commander Naval Forces, Europe) on the far left and Rear Admiral John Cotton on the far right who retired as Vice Admiral in charge of Naval Reserves. Charlie "Cajun" DeGruy was from Whitney, Bradley & Brown, Inc., a DC area consultant firm. "Cajun" was waved by "Bug" during his career flying F-4 Phantoms (VF-96 in 1972) and later F-14 Tomcats as CO of VF-211 and VF-101.
Note: Rear Admiral "Wizard" McCabe is also a legend of sorts. As a stash LTJG awaiting his RAG class at VF-121 to start, he joined a deploying F-4 Phantom squadron (VF-114) and flew supposedly benign CAP hops off Vietnam in 1972. On one such hop with LCDR "Viper" Pettigrew on 6 may 1972, they got a hot vector and ended up engaging VPAF MiGs. Both VF-114 Phantoms in the CAP section downed a MiG-21 apiece so LTJG McCabe later returns to RAG to learn how to fly and fight the Phantom sporting a Silver Star attesting that he's "been there, done that". He retired as as a Vice Admiral in command of 3rd Fleet.