This remarkable photo captures a moment in history, taken in 1965 on the flight deck of the USS Midway, an esteemed aircraft carrier stationed in Pearl Harbor, HI. On the left, we see Lieutenant Earl Higgins ’59, USN. Lieutenant Higgins served as the First Division Officer within the ship’s company. Standing next to him, holding a sextant, is Lieutenant Richard Vidacovich ’55, (MC) USNR, a dedicated medical officer and flight surgeon assigned to the ship’s air wing.

At the time this photo was taken, the USS Midway was en route to the Vietnam War, specifically Operation Rolling Thunder in the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin. It is truly remarkable to reflect on the fact that both Lieutenant Higgins and Lieutenant Vidacovich were aboard the USS Midway during this historic military operation.