​Captain John Richard Eckstein was born in Massillon, Ohio on 14 April 1928. He was graduated from Washington High School and entered the Navy in 1946. He selected for the Naval Aviation College Program in 1947. He attended John Carroll University until ordered to report for Flight Training. He was appointed a Midshipman in February 1951, received his wings in August 1950 and was commissioned an Ensign in February 1950. Captain Eckstein began his initial assignments to FASRON SEVEN in San Diego, Fighter Squadron ONE NINETY FOUR, and Composite Squadrons SEVEN and EIGHT. Shore Duty followed with assignments at the Naval Air Technical Training Centers in Memphis and Jacksonville, and Bureau of Aeronautics Representative duty at the SPARROW Missile Production Facility in Bristol, Tennessee. A tour of duty aboard USS LEYTE was followed by two years at the Naval Science Program at Monterey where Captain Eckstein received his Bachelor of Science Degree in 1961. Reporting to VAW=11 in April 1961, he deployed as Assistant Officer in Charge Detachment DELTA in USS CORAL SEA and as Officer in Charge Detachment CHARLIE on USS KITTY HAWK, flying the E-1B TRACER. Following ashore duty at FAETUPAC as Avionics Maintenance Training Officer, he was reassigned to VAW-11, flying the E-2A HAWKEYE. In April 1967 he became the first Commanding Officer of VAW-113, deploying to Southeast Asia in USS CONSTELLATION. In February 1968 he reported to Commander Fleet Air San Diego as VAW Readiness Officer. He took command of RVAW-110 in January 1969 and when relieved in December of that year, he reported as Executive Officer, USS OKINAWA (LPH-3). Captain Eckstein has been awarded the Bronze Star Medal, four Air Medals, Navy Commendation Medal, Navy Unit Citation, Philippine Presidential Unit Cition and various service medals. Captain Eckstein is married to the former Miss Jo Lind Benner of Memphis, Tennessee.