CAPT William D. "Bill" Vance, USN (Retired) (August 2011)

​Bill Vance, 64, passed away Tuesday August 9, 2011. A native of Eureka, CA, he was the son of the late Joseph T. and Wilma H. Vance. He graduated from Humboldt State University in 1968. After receiving his commission from Aviation Officers Candidate School in 1969, he entered flight training and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1970. Highlights of his 26 years in the United States Navy include recovery of Apollo 16 aboard the USS Ticonderoga (CVS-14) flight instructor in the S-2A "Tracker", NATOPS evaluator and assistant operations officer for VRC-50 providing logistics support to Seventh Fleet Carriers, commanding officer (1985) of VAW-121 and the U.S. representative at the 1990 Naval Command College in Newport R.I. His last tour of duty was as deputy director of the Naval Historical Center in Washington, D.C. He retired to Virginia Beach in 1995 to pursue his love of flying and spend time with his family. He is survived by his wife, Rosemary Cardello Vance; two sons, Bryan and Christopher; and one daughter, Lauren.