Frederick Wintley McDonogh Lynch's Obituary
LCDR Frederick Wintley McDonogh Lynch, USN (Ret) of Baywood, Millsboro, DE, died at Beebe Healthcare on May 23, 2015, after a month-long illness. He was born in Baltimore, MD, on September 1, 1937, the first child of the late Frederick Constantine Lynch and Helen Kaline Lynch. He was a descendant of John McDonogh, founder of the McDonogh School in Baltimore County
Fred's childhood years were spent in Baltimore City and his teen years in Harford County, MD. He graduated from Bel Air High School, then went to the University of Maryland, College Park, where he earned his BS in 1960. A month after graduating, Fred went to pre-flight school at the Pensacola Naval Air Station. He became a very proud Naval Aviator, earning his gold wings with carrier qualification in 1961. His first assignment as a pilot was at Norfolk, VA. While stationed there, he was honored to fly President Kennedy to a carrier off-shore. Because he had achieved advanced qualifications, Fred was selected to be a three-star admiral's pilot in Vietnam. During his first Vietnam tour, he flew many USO celebrities to various aircraft carriers to entertain the sailors. His favorites were Bob Hope (with golf club), John Wayne, and Ann Margret.
On his return in 1967, Fred was transferred from USN East coast command to West coast and was based in San Diego area. He was one of four training pilots for a senior admiral's idea for the Navy's close-in air support squadron, VAL-4. This was the only land-based USN squadron in the Vietnam War. It specialized in support for troops on the ground and was on-call around the clock. The squadron was nicknamed the “Black Ponies” and was well-known to US troops and ARVN in the Mekong Delta area of South Vietnam. After training many pilots, Fred wanted combat. He served in-country from September 1970 for 12 months.
LCDR Lynch earned 43 Air Medals, one for every 10 combat missions flown. He was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, The Bronze Star with Valor, the Navy Commendation Medal with Valor three times, as well as the Vietnamese Medal of Honor, plus numerous other medals and commendations. He retired from the Navy in July 1981.
In retirement, Fred had a successful business where he sold memorabilia and souvenirs at air shows, primarily in California. Later, he followed his avid interest in sports and developed sales in NFL and MLB players' on-field jerseys and hats. His two San Diego teams, the Chargers and the Padres, remained his favorite teams even after his return to the East coast to live in Delaware.
Fred is survived by his wife, Janet Gayley Staton-Lynch, a high school classmate whom he met again at
their 50th reunion. He and Janet were married in 2007 in San Diego and moved to Delaware in 2011. Fred is also survived by his sister, Colleen Lynch Fremont of Lewes, DE; brother, Urban H. D. Lynch, PhD and his sister in-law, Janet Fabrick Lynch of Long Beach, CA; four nephews and a niece.
Interment with Military Honors will be at Arlington National Cemetery at a future date.
Arrangements by Parsell Funeral Homes & Crematorium, Atkins-Lodge Chapel, Lewes, DE.
In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions in Fred's memory may be made to the Salvation Army, P. O. Box 310, Rehoboth Beach, DE 19971.
Please sign Fred's online guestbook at this site.
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