{{Short description|US Navy officer}} {{Infobox military person | name = Loren Dale Everton | birth_date = July 14, 1915 | death_date = {{Death date and age|1991|2|15|1915|7|14}} | birth_place = [[Crofton, Nebraska]], US | death_place = [[Santa Ana, California]], US | burial_place = El Toro Memorial Park<br/>[[Lake Forest, California]] | nickname = "Doc" | allegiance = United States | branch = United States Army<br />United States Marine Corps | service_years = 1937–1967 | rank = [[Colonel (United States)|Colonel]] | unit = [[VMFA-212|VMF-212]]<br/>[[VMA-223|VMF-223]] | commands = [[VMF-113]]<br/>[[VMFA-122|VMF-122]] | battles = '''[[World War II]]''' *[[Guadalcanal campaign]] | awards = [[Navy Cross]]<br/>[[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]]<br/>[[Purple Heart]] }}

'''Loren Dale Everton''' (July 14, 1915 – February 15, 1991) was a highly decorated [[United States Marine Corps]] [[Colonel (United States)|colonel]]. He was a [[flying ace]] credited with shooting down twelve enemy planes and was awarded the [[Navy Cross]] during [[World War II]].

== Early life and service == Loren D. Everton was born on July 14, 1915, in [[Crofton, Nebraska]]. At the age of 17, he earned his flying license. He graduated from Crofton High School in 1933 and attended the College of Pharmacy at the [[University of Nebraska Medical Center|University of Nebraska]], where he was a member of the [[Army Reserve Officers' Training Corps]]. Upon graduating from the university in 1937, Everton was commissioned as a [[second lieutenant]] in the [[United States Army Reserve]].<ref name=":1">{{cite web|url=https://www.usmcmuseum.com/the-story-of-a-wwii-identification-bracelet-major-ld-everton.html|title=The Story of a WWII Identification Bracelet: Major L.D. Everton|work=National Museum of the Marine Corps}}</ref>

In 1939, Everton resigned from the Army and enlisted in the Marine Corps in order to attend flight training at [[Naval Air Station Pensacola|Naval Air Station Pensacola, Florida]]. Upon completing flight training, he was stationed at [[Midway Atoll]], and was there on December 7, 1941, when the Japanese [[Attack on Pearl Harbor|attacked Pearl Harbor]].<ref name=":1" />

== World War II == With the United States drawn into World War II, [[Captain (United States O-3)|Captain]] Everton was assigned to [[VMFA-212|Marine Fighting Squadron 212 (VMF-212)]] in [[Hawaii]]. While VMF-212 was on the island of [[Efate|Efate, Vanuatu]] in early August of 1942, Everton's commanding officer, [[Lieutenant colonel (United States)|Lieutenant Colonel]] [[Harold W. Bauer]], temporarily transferred him to another squadron. The other squadron, [[VMA-223|Marine Fighting Squadron 223 (VMF-223)]], was heading towards [[Guadalcanal]] to take part in the upcoming [[Guadalcanal campaign|battle]] there and needed experienced pilots. On August 20, VMF-223 flew 200 miles from the aircraft carrier [[USS Long Island (CVE-1)|USS ''Long Island'']] to [[Henderson Field (Guadalcanal)|Henderson Field]] on Guadalcanal.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2">{{cite web|url=https://www.marines.mil/Portals/1/Publications/A%20History%20of%20Marine%20Attack%20Squadron%20223%20PCN%2019000413900.pdf|title=A History of Marine Attack Squadron 223|author=Brett A. Jones|work=History and Museums Division Headquarters, USMC}}</ref>

On the morning of August 21, the commanding officer of VMF-223, Captain [[John Smith (flying ace)|John Smith]], ordered Everton to lead a flight of [[Grumman F4F Wildcat|F4F Wildcats]] to investigate reports of Japanese troops landing on a beach. Everton and the pilots under his charge strafed a great number of Japanese soldiers on the beach, marking the first combat action of VMF-223. On August 26, Everton saw his first air-to-air combat. He shot down three [[Mitsubishi G4M|Mitsubishi G4M "Betty" bombers]], and probably shot down a fourth.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" />

On September 1, the transfer pilots from VMF-212 were relieved and returned to Efate. Captain Everton returned to Guadalcanal with his original squadron, VMF-212, on October 16. On October 18, he co-led a mission with [[Frederick R. Payne Jr.|Frederick Payne]] to intercept Japanese bombers and he personally downed two planes, including an [[Mitsubishi A6M Zero|A6M Zero]].<ref name=":1" />

Two days later on October 20, Captain Everton and VMF-212 engaged several dozen Betties and Zeros. Everton was about to down a Zero when his F4F was riddled by machine gun and cannon fire. Two [[Type 99 cannon|20mm shells]] exploded in the [[cockpit]], severely wounding Everton in the leg. Everton's plane spiraled out of control for several thousand feet before he regained control. Everton then returned to Henderson Field and made an emergency landing. What remained of his aircraft was sent to the scrap pile and he was medically evacuated from Guadalcanal.<ref name=":1" />

Captain Everton was credited with seven aerial victories from August to October 1942. He was awarded the Navy Cross, [[Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)|Distinguished Flying Cross]], and [[Purple Heart]] during this period.<ref name=":1" /><ref>{{cite web|url=https://valor.militarytimes.com/hero/7912|title=Loren Dale Everton|work=Military Times}}</ref>

After recovering from his wounds in January 1943, [[Major (United States)|Major]] Everton became the commanding officer of [[VMF-113|Marine Fighting Squadron 113 (VMF-113)]]. While serving as commanding officer of VMF-113, Everton participated in long range escorts for bombers. He also shot down several more Japanese aircraft, bringing his total number of victories to 12 and earning the title of double ace.<ref name=":1" /><ref name="Tillman2014">{{cite book|author=Barrett Tillman|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7JCqCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA235|title=US Marine Corps Fighter Squadrons of World War II|date=20 May 2014|publisher=Bloomsbury Publishing|isbn=978-1-78200-953-5|pages=235–}}</ref>

== Later career and life == After the war, Everton served as the commanding officer of [[VMFA-122|Marine Fighting Squadron 122 (VMF-122)]]. He served in a number of other assignments before retiring with the rank of colonel in June 1967.<ref name=":1" />

Loren D. Everton died on February 15, 1991, in [[Santa Ana, California]]. He was buried in El Toro Memorial Park in the nearby town of [[Lake Forest, California]].

== References ==

{{DEFAULTSORT:Everton, Loren D.}} [[Category:1915 births]] [[Category:1991 deaths]] [[Category:United States Marine Corps personnel of World War II]] [[Category:American World War II flying aces]] [[Category:Aviators from Nebraska]] [[Category:Military personnel from Nebraska]] [[Category:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)]] [[Category:Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)]] [[Category:United States Marine Corps colonels]] [[Category:United States Marine Corps pilots of World War II]] [[Category:United States Naval Aviators]] <references />