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Archives at The Museum of Flight


Lindsay, Elvin Lester

 Person

Dates

  • Existence: 1920-2007

Elvin Lester Lindsay was born June 25, 1920 in Potlatch, Idaho. He joined the United States Navy on January 2, 1941, after attending the University of Idaho for two years. Lindsay flew with the VF-19 in carrier-based Grumman F6F Hellcats.

Lindsay's squadron flew in the Pacific Theater, and he earned Ace status in 1944. He was promoted to Lieutenant Commander in 1945, and formally separated from the United States Navy on January 17, 1947. During his career, he shot down eight airborne planes and countless planes on the ground. Lieutenant Commander Lindsay was awarded with the Navy Cross, two Silver Stars and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his efforts during the war.

After his military career, Lindsay settled on a wheat farm in Palouse, Washington. He and his wife Mary Jean had three children: Roger, Karol and Dianne. From 1962 to 1974, Lindsay worked for the Department of Agriculture in Moscow, Idaho. He then returned to wheat farming until his final retirement in 1979. Elvin L. Lindsay died in Arizona in 2007.

Found in 1 Collection or Record:

Elvin L. Lindsay World War II Collection

 Collection
Identifier: 2007-09-14
Abstract Elvin L. Lindsay (1920-1999) was born in Potlach, Idaho and served as a pilot in the U.S. Navy during World War II, earning Ace status in 1944. The collection contains four (4) log books, a scrapbook, a small amount of ephemera, and photographs documenting Lindsay's wartime career.

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