David S. McCampbell - what does the 'S' stand for?

Hi!

Does anyone know what is the middle name of Commander David McCampbell? I've been trying to find his whole name, but so far, without luck. Or does that letter S really mean anything there, or is it just for show?

Thanks,

-JJ-

Well every document I have seen with his name on it does not have an S. as a middle name. In fact they dont give a middle name or abreviation for a middle name. Even on his Medal of Honor citation it just says David McCampbell.

On sites that I have been too that list a middle name abreviation (which is only a few that I have found). It has a middle initial of T. not S. as in David T. McCampbell.

It is infact "S." not T... Whoevers typin that sh*t is a meatball...

McCampbell autobiography in the Early and Pioneer Naval Aviators Association Chronolog shows his name as David McCampbell, no middle name or initial noted. His entry in the USNA Alumni Register with the Class of 1933 also does not note a middle name or initial. And Frank Olynyk's Stars and Bars does not show a middle name or initial either. Off hand, considering the USNA Alumni Register usually shows middle names, or at least middle initials, and he does not note either in his autobiography, I'd suggest neither exists . . . just plain David McCampbell.

Rich

Yeap I have no been able to find a middle name for him.

The American Fighter Aces Album lists no middle name for him.

Here is some notes from the Navy/ threads for him with his name on it. Hope that helps solve the problem.

Silver Star

Ship's Namesake

David McCampbell - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

From everything I have seen or can find I have never seen it listed with a "T" as the middle name, its always shown as "S". Now what does the "S" stand for??? I can't tell you that, can't find where it says. lol

The official U.S. Navy records do not show any middle initials for him nor does any publication I own!

The Navy Log

The official Navy records do not show any middle initials for him nor does any publication I own!

The Navy Log

Nor does his headstone at Arlington

David McCampbell, Captain, United States Navy

Look, just because the middle initial "S" appears somewhere on the internet does not make it so.

I can show you places on the internet where folks who by all appearances seem to know what they are talking about will tell you that the F6F was designed after a thorough examination of a captured A6M2, but that doesn't make it so . . . and repeating the tale doesn't make it so either.

Mistakes feeding on mistakes . . . the bane of the internet.

I sometimes find, in both internet and print, my father's middle name listed as "H" when it is "N"; this stuff happens. And it sometimes occurs in what some, including myself, would classify as relatively authoritative books by folks who generally know what they are talking about.

I wouldn't trust my master's thesis to Wikipedia if I were you. The site you provided for USS McCampbell showing the initial S and the, note, retyped, citiation, also with the initial S mean nothing. My bet someone said "Mr. Beknots . . . you and your people go and develop an approvable website for the ship." And Beknots says to his saviest geek, "go forth and create a web site and let me know when you're done" And the geek says to himself "Does McCampbell have a middle name? Better check . . . fire up the internet!"
Websites, be they USN official or the great satan Wikipedia using the S middle initial are merely repeating a mistake.

Arlington always has middle initials.

USNA Register always has either middle name or middle initial. The name that one uses when one matriculates. The rare exceptions where someone has changed his/her name . . . the new name is listed after the matriculating name.

Look at this from the USN Historical Center . . . The Naval Aviation Hall of Honor, famous US Naval Aviators enshrined at Pensacola's National Museum of Naval Aviation. look at year group 1988:

http://www.history.navy.mil/avh-1910/APP19.PDF

Or the National Aviation Hall of Fame in Dayton:

Aviation Hall of Fame - January 1997 Air Force Magazine - Vol. 80 No. 1

Or the US Naval Academy:

USNA Honorable Graduates - Medal of Honor Recipients

Or the Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame:

Alabama Aviation Hall of Fame Inductee
(Click on the AAHF logo to see the plaque)

Need I continue?

Rich

Call up his relatives, ask them if they could tell you his middle name it will solve a huge debate on a forum you belong to. That will solve it.

FYI - There is a reference to McCampbell's middle initial at Captain David McCampbell

I think this thread has already proven that he did not have a middle name. When official Navy records and the Arlington National Cemetery do not list a middle name, I would venture to guess that they are more correct than someone's website.

David did not have a middle name and the S was used for record purposes only.

Social Secrity Death Records show his name as: DAVID MCCAMPBELL was born 16 January 1910, got Social Security number 262-60-8093 (indicating Florida,) and died 30 June 1996. This should be confirmation.