Bruce Mennella served in the U.S. Navy with Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114) during the Vietnam War. He later operated a car dealership in Burien, Washington.

Bruce Edward Mennella was born on September 16, 1946 in New York City to Vincent and Madeline Mennella. His father had been a pilot in World War II flying transport airplanes from Sand Point Naval Air Station. After the war Vincent obtained a college degree under the GI Bill, and then moved his family to the Seattle, Washington area in mid-1947 where he worked for National Cash Register. In the mid-1950s Vincent opened a Ford dealership in Burien, Washington and remained an active pilot flying in the Navy Reserves.

Mennella attended school in Burien, Washington, graduating from Highline High School in 1964. He attended the University of Washington’s School of Business. He planned on joining his family’s car business after graduation, however, the onset of the Vietnam War altered Mennella’s post-graduation plans. As a sophomore he went to the Navy recruiter and worked out a deal to enter the military after graduation. He passed the aviation written exam in order to become a pilot but due to his eyesight, did not pass the medical exam. Instead he went into Air Intelligence. Graduating in June 1968, he reported to Aviation Office Candidate School in Pensacola, Florida two months later. From there he went to Air Intelligence School at Lowry Air Force Base in Denver, Colorado. While in Denver he re-connected with Louise A. Vacca, a woman he had dated occasionally in high school who was then a flight attendant with United Airlines. They were married in 1969.

Once he had completed his training, Mennella was assigned to NAS Miramar in San Diego, California arriving there in November 1969. The VF-114 Squadron flew McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom aircraft and was reformatting after a Western Pacific cruise. Mennella spent the next 11 months training, including flying in the back seat of VF-114 airplanes whenever possible. The USS Kitty Hawk, associated with the squadron, was at the Puget Sound Naval Shipyard in Bremerton, Washington for refurbishing at that time.

Mennella's first cruise was from November 1970 until July 1971 on the USS Kitty Hawk. Operating in the middle of a bombing halt and in the southern area off the coast of Vietnam, the cruise did not see a great deal of activity. Mennella worked in the Integrated Operations Information Center (IOIC) briefing pilots on their targets both before and after the missions. Briefings included weather conditions, rules of engagement, tanking procedures, emergency procedures, and an idea of everything going on in the area of operations. In his off time he traveled in Sasebo, Japan; Hong Kong; and Subic Bay, Philippines where his wife was able to meet him.

Mennella’s second cruise, also on the USS Kitty Hawk, began in February 1972. This time the carrier operated off the north coast of Vietnam and included missions going into Hanoi. Each alpha strike took 35-40 airplanes in a three operations per day cycle. Briefings were longer and more complex due to the area of operations. About five months into the tour, Mennella’s wife had their first child. Since Mennella’s replacement was on board, Mennella was sent home. He left the Navy in October 1972. He was awarded the Navy Achievement Medal for his first cruise and earned the Navy Commendation Medal on his second cruise.

Back in Seattle Mennella went to work for his father’s Ford dealership. He assumed the role of general manager in 1980 and five years later bought the business. He added Isuzu and Subaru franchises shortly after. His success brought him on to the Ford National Dealer Council where he served for two years. After that he was elected chairman of the Northwest Ford Dealers Advertising Group covering Washington, Oregon, Idaho, Montana, and Alaska.

Mennella and his wife ultimately had three children and seven grandchildren. As of 2020 they were still living in the Seattle area.

Biographical sketch derived from donor information, oral history recording, and records on Ancestry.com.

The Vietnam War between North Vietnam and South Vietnam lasted from approximately 1955 until 1975 and was fought with the goal of reunification. The North Vietnamese were aided financially and militarily by China and the Soviet Union, while South Vietnam was backed by the United States.

Regular U.S. deployments began after the 1964 Gulf of Tonkin incident. However, U.S. involvement peaked in 1968 following the Tet Offensive, which was an attempt by North Vietnam forces to execute surprise attacks on military and civilian command and control centers throughout South Vietnam. The Tet Offensive triggered the decline of support from the U.S. public, eventually dovetailing into the anti-Vietnam War movement. In May 1968, peace talks began between the United States and North Vietnam in Paris, France.

Gradual withdrawal of U.S. ground forces began in 1973 as part of "Vietnamization," a policy of President Richard Nixon's that sought to end American involvement by providing equipment and training to the South Vietnamese with the goal of transferring fighting solely to their forces. Additionally, President Nixon suspended military offensives against North Vietnam and on January 15, 1973, direct U.S. involvement ended.

Despite all parties signing the Paris Peace Accords, fighting continued between North and South Vietnam but South Vietnam was not able to sustain its defense against North Vietnam. The Vietnam War ended in April 1975 when the North Vietnamese Army captured Saigon, the capital city of South Vietnam. The countries reunified the following year.

Source and Further Reading:

Stanley Karnow, Vietnam: a history, New York: Viking Press, 1983.

The U.S. Navy Fighter Squadron 114 (VF-114), nicknamed the "aardvarks," served in the Korean and Vietnam wars. It was established in 1945 out of Alameda, California. During the Vietnam war it was based out of Miramar Naval Air Station in California and made nine cruises to Vietnam aboard the USS Kitty Hawk. It was disestablished in 1993.