Captain Jack A. Endacott, U. S. Navy (Retired), passed away in Sparks, Nevada, at the age of 95 on 13 April 2019. He is survived by his wife of 68 years, Maxine McCall Endacott. Other surviving family members include three children, Steven, Lawrence, and Cynthia Kershaw, as well as 7 grandchildren. Steven and wife, Dana Endacott, are long time Fallon residents and both had careers as U.S. Navy pilots.
Jack spent 32 years continuous active service in the Navy during three wars, World War II, Korea, and Vietnam, and saw combat in two of them. He flew 15 different propeller and jet-propelled aircraft, most from Navy aircraft carriers. He accumulated 465 carrier landings, commanded two Navy jet squadrons, and commanded a 35,000-ton Fleet Replenishment Ship in his illustrious career. Jack was born and grew up in Tulsa, Oklahoma and began his military career after high school. The Navy sent him to the University of Colorado for academic studies, and it is there that he met Maxine, marrying her in 1950. During the Korean War Jack flew 63 combat missions and earned the prestigious Distinguished Flying Cross, awarded for, “heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight.” Post Korea, Jack worked for the Chief of Naval Operations and attended the U.S. Naval Post Graduate School. In 1961 Jack became Commanding officer of Attack Squadron 94, flying A-4 “Skyhawk” jets off the USS Ranger, deployed in the Western Pacific. Subsequent years found Jack writing for the Naval War College followed by a tour with Strategic Air Force Command in Omaha. In 1965 Jack became Commanding Officer of the largest jet squadron in the U.S. Navy, Attack Squadron 125. Consisting of 107 aircraft and 1100 men, Jack’s squadron trained 132 pilots to fly A-4 Skyhawk jets in combat during the Vietnam War. Jack became the Executive Officer of the aircraft carrier, USS Hancock, for an eight-month deployment to Vietnam. In 1971, Jack assumed command of the USS Caloosahatchee, operating in the Atlantic and Mediterranean theaters of operations. From 1972-1975 Jack was assigned to the Pentagon as Department Head for Strategic Forces, routinely briefing the Secretary of the Navy and the Secretary of Defense. Jack retired from the Navy in 1975 to work for the oldest naval architectural firm in the country until his official retirement in 1989. In 1996 Jack and Maxine returned to their beloved Colorado, settling in Estes Park. While in Estes Park, Jack enjoyed playing golf and being active in numerous service organizations such as Rotary and the Aviation Club. They traveled all over the country and the world during their well-deserved retirement. 2017 brought Jack and Maxine to Sparks, Nevada, to be closer to family. He will always be remembered for his untiring devotion to duty and to his family. Although serving at sea for months on end, Jack was always there for his family. He was a Boy Scout leader, a family teacher, and a role model. He was the epitome of the “Greatest Generation.” Read more local news on the home page of Www.thefallonpost.org
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