Dean Samuel "Diz" Laird (February 7, 1921 – August 10, 2022) was the only U.S. Navy ace to have combat victories in both the Pacific and European theaters of World War II.

One week after the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor on December 7, 1941, Laird drove to San Francisco to enlist.

The other kills were Japanese planes so Laird has the distinction of being the only Navy ace to have scored air victories against both Germany and Japan.

[6] He flew F4F Wildcat and then F6F Hellcats and was assigned from November 1942 to March 1943, to the aircraft carrier USS Ranger (CV-4).

His F6F Hellcat was riddled with bullets over the Philippines, but he was able to pilot the plane back to the USS Essex which was 250 miles away.

Laird was escorting bomber planes which were attacking heavily defended Japanese aircraft engine factories.