John Mazach

{{short description|American Navy admiral}} {{Infobox military person | name = John J. Mazach | image = Rear Admiral (upper half) John J. Mazach, USN.jpg | caption = Mazach as a Rear Admiral in 1994 | birth_date = {{birth date and age|1944|01|10|df=y}} | birth_place = Coffeyville, Kansas | rank = Retired vice admiral | branch = United States Navy | commands = Naval Air Force Atlantic Carrier Group Two {{USS|America|CV-66|6}} {{USS|Seattle|AOE-3|6}} Carrier Air Wing Three VA-15 | battles = Vietnam Gulf War | awards = Defense Superior Service Medal Legion of Merit (3) Distinguished Flying Cross }}

'''John James Mazach'''<ref>{{cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=T5DfAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA16 |title=Register of Commissioned and Warrant Officers of the United States Navy and Reserve Officers on the Active-Duty List |page=16 |date=1 October 1984 |publisher=Bureau of Naval Personnel |accessdate=2021-03-06}}</ref> (born 10 January 1944) is a vice admiral who retired from the United States Navy at the end of 1998. His last assignment on active duty was as commander of Naval Air Force Atlantic.

Mazach was born in Coffeyville, Kansas and raised in Nashville, Tennessee. He earned a B.A. degree from Vanderbilt University in June 1966. After flight training, Mazach was designated a naval aviator in October 1967.<ref name="Navy bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.ussseattleaoe-3.org/000/2/1/4/12412/userfiles/file/A2_Mazach.pdf |title=12. Captain John J. (Maz) Mazach, USN |publisher=USS Seattle (AOE-3) Veteran's Association |access-date=2021-03-06}}</ref>

Mazach served with VA-87 from June 1968 to December 1970, flying an A-7B Corsair II from the carrier {{USS|Ticonderoga|CV-14|2}} in Southeast Asia during the Vietnam War. He also served with VA-105 and VA-174. Mazach joined VA-15 in December 1977. He became executive officer of the squadron and then served as its commanding officer from April 1979 to June 1980.<ref name="Eagles bio">{{cite web |url=http://www.epnaao.com/BIOS_files/REGULARS/Mazach-%20John%20J.pdf |title=John J. Mazach, Vice Admiral, USN (Ret.) |publisher=The Golden Eagles |access-date=2021-03-06}}</ref>

Mazach was given command of Carrier Air Wing Three from February 1982 to May 1984. During this period, the air wing was deployed on the carrier {{USS|John F. Kennedy|CV-67|2}} to the Mediterranean Sea. Mazach supervised combat flights from ''John F. Kennedy'' after she was ordered to Lebanon in October 1983.<ref name="Eagles bio"/>

Mazach served as the commanding officer of the combat support ship {{USS|Seattle|AOE-3|2}} from June 1986 to February 1988.<ref name="Navy bio"/> He was next given command of the carrier {{USS|America|CV-66|2}} from October 1989 to February 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.navsource.net/archives/02/66co.htm |title=Commanding Officers of USS ''America'' (CVA/CV-66) |website=NavSource |access-date=2021-03-06}}</ref> During this time, she was deployed to the Red Sea and Persian Gulf in support of Operations Desert Shield and Desert Storm.<ref name="Navy bio"/> Mazach was detached from ''America'' in May 1991.<ref name="Eagles bio"/>

Promoted to rear admiral, Mazach served as commander of Carrier Group Two from June 1993 to September 1994. In March 1996, he became commander of Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet.<ref name="Eagles bio"/>

After leaving the navy at the beginning of 1999, Mazach joined the Northrop Grumman Corporation. In March 2008, he was appointed Shipbuilding sector vice president of business development.<ref>{{cite press release |url=https://news.northropgrumman.com/news/releases/photo-release-northrop-grumman-appoints-john-j-mazach-eric-womble-and-daniel-l-arczynski-to-shipbuilding-leadership-team |title=Photo Release -- Northrop Grumman Appoints John J. Mazach, Eric Womble and Daniel L. Arczynski to Shipbuilding Leadership Team |date=31 March 2008 |publisher=Northrop Grumman Newsroom |access-date=2021-03-06}}</ref>

As a retiree, Mazach became an advisor to the Naval Reserve Officers Training Corps at his alma mater, Vanderbilt University. As of 2011, he was married to Vanderbilt alumna Pat Waggoner Mazach and living in Virginia Beach, Virginia.<ref>{{cite news |url = https://news.vanderbilt.edu/2011/04/11/letters-to-the-editor-6/ |title = From Our Readers |first = Pat Waggoner |last = Mazach |date = Spring 2011 |newspaper = Vanderbilt Magazine |place = Nashville, Tennessee |page = 6 |access-date = 2021-03-06 }}</ref>

==Notes== {{Reflist}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mazach, John}} Category:1944 births Category:Living people Category:People from Coffeyville, Kansas Category:Military personnel from Nashville, Tennessee Category:Vanderbilt University alumni Category:United States Naval Aviators Category:United States Navy personnel of the Vietnam War Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Category:United States Navy personnel of the Gulf War Category:United States Navy admirals Category:Recipients of the Legion of Merit Category:Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal Category:People from Virginia Beach, Virginia