Dale Snodgrass
Dale Snodgrass | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | "Snort" |
Born | Long Island, New York, US | May 13, 1949
Died | July 24, 2021 Lewiston, Idaho, US | (aged 72)
Allegiance | United States |
Service/ | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1973–1999 |
Rank | Captain |
Commands held | Fighter Squadron 33 Fighter Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet |
Battles/wars | Gulf War |
Awards |
|
Spouse(s) | Cynthia West |
Children | 4 |
Website | Official website |
Dale Snodgrass (May 13, 1949 – July 24, 2021)[1] was a United States Navy aviator and air show performer who according to the Spokane Spokesman-Review was considered one of the greatest fighter pilots of all time.[2]
Snodgrass was the "highest time Tomcat pilot," after having accumulated more than 4,800 hours in the F-14 and more than 1200 arrested carrier landings, both more than any other pilot.[3]
He was called "The Real Top Gun"[3] or the real "Maverick"[1][2][4] in reference to Tom Cruise's character in the movie, Top Gun.
Early life and education[]
Snodgrass was born in Long Island, New York,[5] to Reuben and Virginia Snodgrass.[6] His father had been a World War II Marine aviator flying F4U Corsairs in the Pacific and later became a Grumman engineering test pilot.[1][3][5] Snodgrass grew up in Lake Ronkonkoma, New York with his three sisters.[6]
After high school, Snodgrass attended the University of Minnesota on a Navy ROTC scholarship and was also an All-American swimmer.[5][6][7][8] Snodgrass graduated with a Bachelor of Science in biology in 1972.[1][7]
Military career[]
Snodgrass graduated first in his flight school in 1974.[6] He was the first student selected to begin flying the F-14 Tomcat right out of flight school.[2][3][7]
Snodgrass' callsign in the Navy was "Snort".[3][9]
In 1978 he attended the United States Navy Strike Fighter Tactics Instructor program, commonly known as "Top Gun", the Navy Fighter Weapons School.[2] He later became a Top Gun instructor.[1]
In 1985, the US Navy selected Snodgrass as "Fighter Pilot of the Year."[3][6][7] The following year, Snodgrass reportedly did a little bit of the flying in the film Top Gun.[1][3] As the best F-14 pilot in 1986, Grumman Aerospace awarded Snodgrass "Topcat of the Year."[3][7] He later became a demonstration pilot, a role he kept for 10 years.[10]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/3/33/Dale_Snodgrass_-_Banana_Pass_in_F-14_Tomcat_over_USS_America_-_Summer_1988.jpg/220px-Dale_Snodgrass_-_Banana_Pass_in_F-14_Tomcat_over_USS_America_-_Summer_1988.jpg)
Snodgrass was famous for his low-level flybys.[2] During the summer of 1988, Snodgrass performed a low-level "banana pass" or a knife-edge pass during an air show for a Dependent's Day Cruise for the families of carrier personnel aboard the USS America aircraft carrier.[2][10][11] A photo of the pass was captured, taken by a Naval photographer, and it is considered one of the most famous aviation photos of all time. Snodgrass' F-14 wings are vertical, and appears to be very close to the ship and the crew members seen in the foreground.[2][3][11]
During Operation Desert Storm, Snodgrass was the commanding officer of Fighter Squadron 33. Leading 34 missions as overall Strike or Fighter Lead in 12 operational Fighter Squadron/Wing tours, he was awarded honors including a Bronze Star for Leadership and Valor.[7] In September 1994, he became Commander of all US Navy F-14 Tomcats for Fighter Wing, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.[3][7][8][10]
In the Navy, Snodgrass was considered the "highest time Tomcat pilot," logged more than 8,000 hours of flight time including more than 4,800 hours in the F-14 and more than 1200 arrested carrier landings, both more than any other pilot.[2][7][8] He was the first Tomcat pilot to carrier qualify both night and day without any fleet experience.[7][11]
Post-military life[]
![](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/b/b0/F-86_Sabre_at_Oceana_air_show.jpg/170px-F-86_Sabre_at_Oceana_air_show.jpg)
Snodgrass retired from the Navy in June 1999 after 26 years.[2]
Snodgrass had performed in over 850 airshows over the course of 20 years.[7] Having flown F-14 demos at airshows for 14 years, he has additionally qualified in other warbirds, like the F-86 Sabre, P-51 Mustang, F4U Corsair, T-6 Texan, MiG-17, MiG-21, A-4 Skyhawk and F-5 Tiger.[11] He has been designated as one of only ten USAF Heritage Flight pilots.[7]
At Draken International, Snodgrass served as their Chief Pilot as well as the Director of Deployed Operations and Congressional Liaison.[1][5][7] He also taught formation flying and aerobatics to warbird owners, and provided upset training for corporate pilots and MS-760 Paris Jet customers.[3][10]
Personal life[]
Snodgrass lived in St. Augustine, Florida.[3] He was married to Cynthia (née West) and had two daughters and two other stepchildren as well as four granddaughters.[1]
Death[]
On July 24, 2021, Snodgrass was killed when his SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019 crashed while taking off at the Lewiston–Nez Perce County Airport in Lewiston, Idaho.[2] Snodgrass was the sole occupant of the aircraft.[9][12][13]
Awards and decorations[]
During his military career, Snodgrass received a number of decorations including a Bronze Star for Leadership and Valor.[7]
- Legion of Merit (3)
- Meritorious Service Medal (2)
- Air Medal (3, 1 with Combat “V”)
- Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal (3, 1 with Combat “V”)
- Navy and Marine Corps Achievement Medal
- Joint Meritorious Unit Award
- Navy Unit Commendation (2)
- Meritorious Unit Commendation
- Navy “E” Ribbon (2)
- National Defense Service Medal
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal (with star)
- Southwest Asia Service Medal
- Humanitarian Service Medal
- Sea Service Deployment Ribbon (3)[14]
References[]
- ^ a b c d e f g h John, Caroline (July 26, 2021). "Dale Snodgrass Bio: Facts about the Legendary Pilot Who Died in a Crash". EarnTheNecklace.com. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Mills, Joel (July 25, 2021). "Tributes pour in for flying legend Dale 'Snort' Snodgrass after fatal crash Saturday at Lewiston airport". The Lewiston Tribune. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l Gary, Debbie (July 2010). "The Real Top Gun – Nobody handled a Tomcat like Snort". Air & Space Magazine. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ "A legend dies: Dale "Snort" Snodgrass has an accident". Austrian Wings. August 9, 2021. Retrieved August 23, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e "Meet the Real Top Gun – Dale "Snort" Snodgrass" (PDF). Grumman World. July 25, 1986. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Leone, Dario. "Dale "Snort" Snodgrass, legendary US Navy F-14 Tomcat pilot, killed in the crash of a SIAI-Marchetti SM.1019". Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c Staff (October 15, 2009). "Dale Snodgrass". The Flagship. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ a b "AIRSHOW PILOT DALE SNODGRASS KILLED IN IDAHO CRASH". AOPA. July 26, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ a b c d D'Urso, Stefano (July 26, 2021). "Legendary F-14 Pilot Dale 'Snort' Snodgrass Dies In A Tragic Plane Crash". The Aviationist. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
- ^ a b c d Leone, Dario (October 4, 2018). "The story (and video) behind Dale "Snort" Snodgrass legendary super low Banana Pass". The Aviation Geek Club. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ "Update: Pilot killed in plane crash is identified". The Lewiston Tribune. July 24, 2021. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ Ress, Dave (July 27, 2021). "Famed Navy fighter pilot Dale 'Snort' Snodgrass dies in Idaho crash". Daily Press. Retrieved August 11, 2021.
- ^ Fearing, Sarah (July 28, 2021). "NAS Oceana staple, Navy F-14 Tomcat pilot Dale Snodgrass dies in plane crash NAVY". Wavy.com. Retrieved August 12, 2021.
External links[]
- 1949 births
- 2021 deaths
- 20th-century American naval officers
- Accidental deaths in Idaho
- Aviation pioneers
- Aviators from New York (state)
- Aviators killed in aviation accidents or incidents in the United States
- Military personnel from New York (state)
- People from Suffolk County, New York
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- Top Gun
- United States Naval Aviators
- United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War
- Victims of aviation accidents or incidents in 2021
- University of Minnesota alumni