THUNE-HAROLD

Harold Richard Thune was born December 28, 1919, in Murdo, South Dakota.  He graduated from Murdo High School in 1937 where he played basketball, led his team to the state tournament, and was named the most valuable tournament player.  Following high school, he continued to play basketball at the University of Minnesota where he became the team’s MVP.  Upon graduation he joined the Navy in May 1942, received flight training, become a naval aviator, and was pilot of the F6F Hellcat fighter.  He was assigned to Fighting Squadron Eighteen (VF-18) aboard the carrier USS Intrepid (CV-11) from which he flew over 60 missions.  During one engagement over Formosa in October 1944, he shot down four Japanese zeroes for which he was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross. 

Historical records report that following World War II an assessment of Thune’s combat accomplishments with VP-18 listed the following:

4 fighters shot down

1 fighter damaged in air

2 planes destroyed on ground

2 planes damaged on ground

2 hangers damaged by bombing runs

1 truck garage damaged

1 destroyer strafed

1 barge probably sunk

5 cargo ships damaged by strafing

Thune was discharged from the Navy in 1945 and returned to South Dakota where he worked in the family’s hardware store for many years.  He died at the age of 100 on August 15, 2020, and is buried in the Murdo Cemetery.  At the time of his death, Thune was reportedly the oldest and last known survivor of VF-18.

                                        

Submitted by CDR Roy A. Mosteller, USNR (Ret)