Albert K. Ernest

EARNEST ALBERT KYLE EARNEST Retired U.S. Naval Captain Albert "Bert" Kyle Earnest, 92, of Atlantic Shores, passed away October 27, 2009 at Sentara VA Beach General Hospital. He was born April 1, 1917 in Richmond Virginia and was the son of the late James Gifford Earnest and Jessie Mullan Earnest of Richmond, Virginia. Preceded in death by his wife, Mildred McConnell Earnest, he is survived by daughter, Kathryn Lynn Earnest, of Alexandria, VA, son, William Kyle Earnest and his wife Janet Murray Earnest of Virginia Beach, VA, and their children, Laura Ellen Earnest of San Francisco CA, Jessie Carolyn Earnest and Matthew Kyle Earnest of Virginia Beach, VA. He attended Virginia Military Institute, Class of 1938, graduating with a BS in Civil Engineering and commissioned as a 2nd Lieutenant, Field Artillery, U.S. Army Reserve. Worked as Assistant Engineer of the VA Fire Insurance Rating Bureau until February 1942. After resigning his Army Reserve commission, he was commissioned in the US. Navy Reserve as an Ensign. His first fleet assignment was with Torpedo Bomber Squadron 8 (VT-8), reporting days after Pearl Harbor on Dec 8, 1941. He flew the Grumman TBF-1 in its first combat use in the Battle of Midway and was the only pilot survivor (landbased). He continued serving in VT-8, aboard USS Saratoga (CV-3) on the Guadalcanal landing and the Battle of Eastern Solomons, and then landbased on Guadalcanal. With the decommissioning of VT-8, he was transferred to Fleet Composite Squadron 7. During his 31 years in U.S. Navy, CAPT Earnest attended Naval Postgraduate School in Annapolis MD, General Line School, Newport RI and Industrial College of the Armed Forces, Washington DC. He commanded VA-14A May 1947 - June 1948, ATG-181 at NAS Oceana August 1957 - September 1958, USS Estes (AGC-12) October 1965 - October 1966, and NAS Oceana, November 1966 - November 1968. Additional aviation tours of duty included Tactical Test Division (August 1944 - April 1947) where he was the first US pilot to fly a Japanese Torpedo Bomber "Kate", Air Development Squadron Four (VX-4) and, Flight Test (September 1958 - July 1960) at NATC Patuxent River MD. He also serve two tours of duty at Attack Design Branch at BuAer/BuWeps, Washington DC. CAPT Earnest rounded out his Naval career, serving as COMSTRIKFLTLANTREPEUR and SACLANTREPEUR in Paris France in the early 60s, Operations Analyst at INSGENLANTFLT, Norfolk VA, before retiring as Assistant Chief of Staff (Logistics), SACLANT, Norfolk VA in 1972. His awards include three Navy Crosses, two Air Medals, and a Purple Heart, two Presidential Unit Citations with one Gold Star, Navy Commendation Medal, American Defense Service Medal, The American Campaign Medal, The Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with seven stars, the World War II Victory Medal, the National Defense Service Medial, and the Vietnam Service Medal. He was a member of the Association of Naval Aviation, Early and Pioneer Naval Aviator''s Association "Golden Eagles" and Tailhook Association, VA Beach Sports Club, and the Princess Anne Hunt Club. Funeral services will be held at NAS Oceana Chapel at noon, November 14. Arrangements made by H.D. Oliver, 2002 Laskin Road, Virginia Beach VA. Internment will be in the Columbarium at Arlington National Cemetery on April 12, 2010. ONLINE CONDOLENCES MAY BE MADE AT WWW.HDOLIVER.COM