Arthur Van Haren Jr. facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Arthur Van Haren Jr.
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| Nickname(s) | "Van" |
| Born | April 9, 1920 Superior, Arizona |
| Died | August 11, 1992 (aged 72) Dewey, Arizona |
| Allegiance |  United States of America |
| Service/ |
 United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1941–1946 |
| Rank |  Lieutenant |
| Unit | USS Hornet (CV-12) |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards |  Distinguished Flying Cross (2) Air Medal Purple Heart |
| Other work | Private-practice attorney for more than 30 years in Phoenix, Arizona |
Arthur Van Haren Jr. (born April 9, 1920 – died August 11, 1992) was a brave fighter pilot during World War II. He was known as the best fighter ace from Arizona. A "fighter ace" is a pilot who has shot down five or more enemy planes. He was also one of the most decorated Hispanic fighter pilots in history.
Van Haren was born in Superior, Arizona. His mother was Rose Valenzuela. His father, Arthur Van Haren Sr., was a famous boxing judge and baseball umpire. His dad was even put into the Arizona Sports Hall of Fame! Arthur Jr. loved sports too. He was a star quarterback at Phoenix Union High School. He also played football for the University of Arizona.
Becoming a World War II Pilot
While at the University of Arizona, Van Haren Jr. joined the Navy. This was at the very start of World War II. He became part of a famous group called U.S. Navy Fighting Squadron Two (VF-2). They were nicknamed the "Rippers."
The "Ace Makers" Squadron
This squadron was so good that Life Magazine wrote about them. In October 1944, they called VF-2 the "ace makers." Van Haren Jr. finished his naval aviation training in 1942. But he was such an amazing pilot that the Navy asked him to be a flight instructor.
He spent over a year teaching other Navy pilots how to fly. This time was very helpful for Van Haren Jr. He got to make his flying and shooting skills even better. Also, the U.S. Navy was getting new planes. They were switching from the F4F Wildcat to the much better F6F Hellcat. This new plane could compete with the Japanese Zero planes.
Flying in the Pacific
Lt. Van Haren Jr. flew the F6F Hellcat from the USS Hornet (CV-12). This was a large United States Navy aircraft carrier. He shot down nine enemy planes for sure during tough battles. These battles happened in the skies over the Pacific Ocean. He also had three other possible kills that were not confirmed.
Three of his nine confirmed kills happened during a huge air battle. It was called the Marianas Turkey Shoot. Some of his famous teammates included Roy Voris and Daniel A. Carmichael Jr. His commander was William A. Dean.
Awards and Recognition
Van Haren Jr. received many awards for his bravery. He earned two Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) medals. He also received the Air Medal and the Presidential Unit Citation (United States). He is known as Arizona's best Navy fighter pilot ace of World War II.
A Pilot's Journal
Van Haren Jr. kept a journal during the war. It shows how dangerous life was for fighter pilots. One day, he wrote:
I took off today and almost immediately my plane started throwing oil and then started smoking to high heaven. I had a 500 lb. bomb and that worried me to no end 'cause I couldn't get rid of it. The ship told me to land anyway, so I did and my old luck held right out. Just as I hit the deck, the engine burst into flames, but I wasted no time getting out of the darn thing. The boys ganged two more this morning and I wasn't on that hop. I got over the target later in the afternoon and the A.A. (anti-aircraft fire) is still pretty rough. They hit Dennis Floyd head-on. He came down in flames. He was a real fellow. They always seem to get it. It doesn't seem quite fair. He had a baby he never even got to see. What a lousy racket this is!
This entry shows the constant danger they faced. It also shows the sadness of losing friends in battle.
Life After the War
After serving in the Navy, Van Haren Jr. went to law school. He earned his law degree from the University of Arizona in 1948. He had a long legal career in Phoenix, Arizona.
He worked as a deputy attorney for Maricopa County, Arizona. He also gave legal advice to the Maricopa County Planning and Zoning Commission. For a time, he was even a judge for the City of Phoenix. Most of his time as a lawyer was spent as a defense attorney. He worked in his own private law office.
In 2007, Van Haren Jr. was featured in a book. It was called "A Legal History of Maricopa County." The book talked about many lawyers from Maricopa County, Arizona who had served bravely in World War II.
Van Haren Jr. passed away in 1992. He was 72 years old. His wife, Elizabeth Van Haren, passed away in 2009. They had been married for over 50 years.
