William P. Driscoll
William P. Driscoll | |
|---|---|
Driscoll in 2005 | |
| Birth name | William Patrick Driscoll |
| Nickname(s) | "Willy Irish", "Drifty" |
| Born | March 5, 1947 Boston, Massachusetts, United States |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1968–1982 |
| Rank | Commander |
| Unit | VF-96 VF-124 |
| Battles / wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards | Navy Cross Silver Star (2) Purple Heart Air Medal (10) |
William Patrick "Willy Irish" Driscoll (born March 5, 1947) is a retired commander in the United States Navy and a highly decorated flying ace.
Driscoll, a Naval Flight Officer, and air crewmate Duke Cunningham, a Naval Aviator, were their service's only aces of the Vietnam War. They remain the Navy's most recently minted aces. Driscoll received the service's second-highest decoration, the Navy Cross, for his role in a 1972 dogfight with North Vietnamese MiGs.