John Thach | |
|---|---|
 Official Navy portrait of Admiral John S. Thach | |
| Nickname(s) | "Jimmy" |
| Born | April 19, 1905 Pine Bluff, Arkansas, U.S. |
| Died | April 15, 1981 (aged 75) Coronado, California, U.S. |
| Buried | |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service |  United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1927–1967 |
| Rank | Admiral |
| Commands | United States Naval Forces Europe Valley Forge (CVS-45) Franklin D. Roosevelt (CVA-42) Sicily (CVE-118) VF-3 |
| Battles / wars | World War II Korean War |
| Awards | Navy Cross (2) Navy Distinguished Service Medal (2) Silver Star Legion of Merit (2) Bronze Star Medal |
John Smith Thach (April 19, 1905 – April 15, 1981) was a World War II Naval Aviator, air combat tactician, and United States Navy admiral. Thach developed the Thach Weave, a combat flight formation which could counter enemy fighters of superior performance, and later the big blue blanket, an aerial defense against kamikaze attacks.