Captain Arthur Ray Hawkins, USN (Ret.) had a distinguished career as a Naval Aviator that spanned three wars. Hawkins was born in Zavalla, Texas on December 12, 1922 and attended Lon Morris College in Jacksonville, Texas. He enlisted in the Navy as a Seaman, Second Class on April 29, 1942. Because he had civilian flying experience, he went through an accelerated six month training program and was designated Naval Aviator and commissioned Ensign on January 1, 1943. He rose to the rank of Captain and retired from the Navy in 1973.

The War Years
Hawkins joined VF-31 at Atlantic City after his commissioning. At the conclusion of extensive training as one of the men of "Fighting 31" he was involved in all of the naval engagements from the Marshall Islands to the fall of Japan. He was officially credited with shooting down 14 enemy aircraft, downing 3 probables, destroying 39 aircraft on the ground, assisting in the sinking of the Japanese battleship ISE, sinking a 500-ton ammunition ship and an enemy LST. Hawkins was on a bombing mission inbound to mainland Japan when they were notified to jettison their bombs in the ocean as the war was over. For heroism and outstanding service during WW II, he was awarded the Navy Cross with 2 Gold Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross with 2 Gold Stars and the Air Medal with 2 Gold Stars.

In addition to Hawkins' wartime service during WWII, he was the Executive Officer of Fighter Squadron 191 during the Korean conflict and led the first division of Navy jet aircraft ever to deliver air-to-ground ordinance. He was commanding officer of NAS Atsugi during the Vietnam War.

Between the Wars
Between his wartime services he served two tours with the Navy's Blue Angels, the first tour as a wingman in which he participated in the last air show they flew in propeller driven aircraft and in the first air show in which they flew jets. He commanded the Blue Angels during his second tour and was the first person to safely eject from an aircraft above the speed of sound.

The Golden Years
After retiring from the Navy, Capt. Hawkins joined the Naval Aviation Museum Foundation as Secretary/Treasurer and served in that position and as the Chief of Staff of the Foundation until his retirement in May of 1988. He and his wife, Louise Bancroft Hawkins, reside in Orange Beach, AL.