Commander Hamilton McWhorter III (February 8, 1921 – April 12, 2008) was a United States Navy aviator and a flying ace of World War II, credited with shooting down twelve Japanese aircraft.

[9] In early October he and the squadron embarked aboard the USS Ranger for Operation Torch, the Allied invasion of Vichy French North Africa.

Based at nearby NAS Oceana from December, VF-9 converted to the new F6F-3 Hellcat in early 1943, among the first squadrons to receive them.

[12] During this period at Norfolk McWhorter met Louise Edel, the daughter of a Navy chaplain, and they married on January 16.

[5] On a mission escorting SBD Dauntless dive bombers over Rabaul on November 11, 1943, McWhorter downed two Zeroes.

[5] During the February 17, 1944, Operation Hailstone airstrikes on Truk, McWhorter downed three Zeroes, bringing his score to ten victories.

After meeting his parents-in-law at Naval Training Station Sampson and visiting his family in Athens,[13] McWhorter was posted to the reforming VF-12 as one of its veteran cadre.

[17] VF-12 was attached to USS Randolph in 1945, and McWhorter claimed two more Japanese aircraft to raise his victory total to 12.

[18][21] He ended his Navy career as executive officer of Naval Air Station Miramar in 1969 and retired to El Cajon.