Cmdr. Alexander Vraciu by L. Ortega (Signed by Alex Vraciu)

LT.CMDR ALEXANDER VRACIU, ORIGINALLY FROM EAST CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, AND NOW A BANKER IN WALNUT CREEK, CALIFORNIA. SCHOOLED IN AERIAL COMBAT BY THE REDOUBTABLE LT. EDWARD “BUTCH” O’HARE, VRACIU ENDED THE WAR AS THE NAVY’S FOURTH-RANKING FIGHTER ACE WITH NINETEEN AERIAL VICTORIES. COMBAT AT RABUAL AND IN TWO STRIKES AT TRUK, COMBINED WITH HIS EARLY O’HARE TRAINING, HAD MADE HIM AN ACE BY THE TIME THE MARIANAS TURKEY SHOOT CAME ALONG. HE WAS FULLY EQUIPPED TO BENEFIT FROM THE ABUNDANT JAPANESE TARGETS.