CAPT Allen Ellis Weseleskey, USN, (Ret.)

Navy Cross

LTJG Weselesky became a Naval Aviator on January 29, 1959 at HTG-1, NAS Ellyson Field, Pensacola, Florida.  LTJG Weselesky was Navy Helicopter PIlot Designation Number R-4529.

Captain Allen Ellis Weseleskey, USN, Ret. (“Wes”), born on June 19, 1935, was launched into his ultimate flight destination: “God and Jesus’ Heavenly Sanctuary” on May 28, 2024. He loved GOD, AMERICA’S melting pot of humanity and family. A native of Pittsburgh, PA, Steel & Coal mining region he initially lived in Allegheny County’s “Russian Patch” of Bairdford, PA. The Mining Company’s provided housing, a Company Store and a Doctor; the rents, products, and doctor fees were charged to each working family’s wages. The crude single walled houses had no insulation, no running water, no indoor plumbing nor electricity. A single wood/coal iron cooking stove provided heat for the building via ceiling open registers to heat the upstairs bedrooms. A local hand pumping well provided ground water for each six-houses but each house had an outhouse with major store catalogs used for toilet paper. Wes recalled the day workers came to their house, drilled a pair of holes into the face over the door and pulled in two separate wires suspended from the ceiling by ceramic insulators, ending with a bare light socket over the cooking stove. The “Russian Patch” had become electrified! His Uncles installed additional outlet sockets in the original socket, added extension cords distributing a spider-web of electric outlets for fans and the prized family radio which tuned to station KDKA, the original commercial radio station of America in Pittsburgh. Wes was a First Generation American. Both his sets of grandparents migrated with their children from Russia. Their original language spoken was Russian, which was utilized throughout the Russian Patch Village. Like many typical Coal Miners, his father early descended into gambling and alcohol addictions. This situation caused frequent relocations of Wes to his matriarchal grandparents’ home, initially in Springdale, PA where they ran a local grocery store. Later they bought a farm, where the work loads of milking cows, feeding livestock, cleaning chicken hen houses and weeding vegetable patches established a great work ethic. Typical of Eastern Europeans, at that time, when a son approached age 13 his education might come to an end. Wes’ father exclaimed he was to go to PITT, not the University, but to the Coalmine Pit! Nixing that, at 14, Wes started working at Allegheny Ludlum Steel Mill. Rising up from an ingot pit laborer to Third Helper on a giant Open Hearth Steel Furnace, his wages grew quickly. However, his dad would confiscate Wes’ pay checks in order to go gambling and drinking. At age 16, Wes said “NO MORE!” and his dad expelled him from home, to become a “Street Person”. During that brief outcast year Dr. Duane E. Wareham, PhD, his mentor inspired the outcast to join the Musician’s Union and take an audition at Valley Forge Military Academy for a Music/Band Scholarship. Having successfully passed, Wes entered VFMA as a Bandsman and vocalist to complete highschool and the two-year Junior College for a Business Associate Degree as an ROTC Cadet. Graduating, he enlisted in the US Navy Reserve; upon reaching pay grade E-5 he was admitted to the Naval Aviation Cadet program, commissioned as an Ensign, Naval Aviator/ an Aircraft Carrier Attack Pilot. During this interim, he met Sally E. Bilbie, of Arnold, PA at a Saturday Night Club Dance back in Springdale. During the second dance with her he was so overwhelmed with this June Allyson “Look-Alike” beauty that he knew this was to be his Bride and Life-Time Mate. So, he proposed to the 16-year-old Miss! True to intuition, “Admiral Sally” kept this wonderful romance percolating for over 70 years.

Wes’s 30 year career sea duties took him to deployments in the Western Pacific aboard USS Hancock, USS Midway, USS Oriskany, USS Kitty Hawk to become a Tail-Hook Landing Centurion (100+) several times over. He flew combat air patrols between Taiwan, Matsu and Quemoy Islands when the Chinese bombarded the two lessor Islands in 1958-9. Changing aircraft types, he chose helicopters and seaplanes, flying Air-Sea Rescue, Antisubmarine and Helicopter Gunship Attack missions. He deployed in the Caribbean, Atlantic, Arctic and Mediterranean Oceans in USS Randolph, USS San Diego, USS Detroit, USS Inchon and commanded USS Guam. He also commanded HC-6, a vertical stores replenishment, special weapons logistics and Special Warefare Squadron. During his 14 month In-country Vietnam combat tour as a “Plank Owner” of Helicopter Attack (Light)-3, The SEAWOLVES, earned him a renewed friendship with three WWII LST Amphibious Navy ships his MOTHER and Uncle had helped construct during the “ROSEY the RIVITER” war effort in the 1940’s! (USS Hunterdon County, USS Garrett County, USS Harnett County). The LST’s were Mother Ships for River Patrol Boat (PBR) Units and a pair of Seawolf Gunship helicopters. Wes flew 450 combat missions and was only shot down once in enemy territory, escaping capture to rejoin his shipmates at US Army Airfield, Vinh Long in the Mekong Delta. While serving there during the 1968 Enemy TET Offensive, that base was held under siege for ten days and nights. Enemy Forces breached defensive perimeters three times. The local Vietnamese Guard Battalion disrobed on the initial mortar bombardment and fled, leaving the US aircrews and the few Maintenance Technicians to defend the entire base. This resulted in close-in, hand to hand engagements with the enemy. US losses were 10 men, including the Colonel Base Commander. Enemy casualties exceeded three dozen killed or captured. CDR Peter Shay, USN, Ret. (a Seawolf Aviator located near Saigon) published his observations and impressions in the book “TRIUMPHANT WARRIOR” (Ref: Amazon.com). Weseleskey’s exposure to intense air and ground combat in Vietnam was recognized by awards from the Republic of South Vietnam, the US Army, and our Navy. They include: The Navy Cross, r now US Colonel Jack Jacobs, Medal of Honor recipient and NBC’s War Analyst, his US Sergeant and the acting Vietnamese Battalion Commander during an intense overwhelming battle engagement. Wes’s CO recommended him for Courts Martial for breaking “Rules of Engagement and SOP”, for going in Single Aircraft when his wingman had to withdraw due to crew woundings and air craft damages, two Distinguished Flying Crosses; the Navy/Marine Corps Medal (Rescuing two US Army Technicians caught up in a catastrophic ground refueling explosion and fire of an Army helicopter gunship); US Army Bronze Star Medal with “Valor” (for hand-to-hand combat defending and repelling enemy intruders at the Army Airfield; The Air Medal with “Valor” plus 31 Flight Strike Air Medals; The Navy Achievement Medal with “Valor” (for defending Vinh Long AAF during 10 days/nights of constant ground actions); the Purple Heart Medal (combat wounds); 4 Presidential Unit Citations; Vietnam’s Cross of Gallantry, with Palm; the Air Cross of Gallantry with Silver Wings; the Honor Medal, First Class. His other awards include the Legion of Merit (as Director, Navy Command Center); two Meritorious Award Medals (Commanding Officer, HC-6 Squadron and Ombudsman of the Navy); the Navy Commendation Medal; Good Conduct Medal; Expert Rifle Medal and Expert Pistol Medal. He is the recipient of the Naval Aviation Commandery’s “John Henry Towers Award for Excellence in Naval Aviation”, a recognition usually awarded to Flag/General Officers.

Wes’s shore duties included US Naval Postgraduate School to garner certification as an Aircraft Accident Investigator and a Bachelor’s Degree, International Relations & Political Science. Later, again for a Master’s Degree in Human Resource Management, followed by a Master’s Degree for Integrated Logistics at the National Defense University (ICAF) located at Fort McNair, Washington, DC. He was also an FAA Certified Air Traffic Controller and Assistant Officer in Charge of the White House Helicopter Facility at Naval Station, Anacostia, DC, during the JFK presidency. While training Ground Controllers by flying a USMC helicopter during a stormy night flight, he experienced a transmission failure while in the clouds; he successfully autorotated to a crash landing on a wet uphill slope and the right wheel dug into the mud, causing the aircraft to roll over and destroy itself. The perfectly executed procedure resulted in all three crewmembers exiting the event without a scratch! He was commended for his safe airmanship and execution of Emergency Procedures by the President’s USMC Helicopter Commanding Officer.

Later, as Ombudsman of the Navy, Captain Wes directed the White House/Congressional Correspondence Unit that received, investigated, and responded to issues through political complaints of Naval parents and service personnel about various conditions their constituents believed to be unsatisfactory. A 72-hour turn-around to comply and respond initially demanded exceptionally high stress levels and coordination of the Staff’s workloads. Able to overcome backlogs, smooth working conditions, his staff petitioned the Chief of Naval Personnel Wes’s orders to command an aircraft carrier and remain as the Ombudsman due to the heightened morale and increased job satisfaction! Weseleskey’s final demanding duty station was a Flag/Rear Admiral billet as Director of The Navy Command Center (CNO, OP-64) at the Pentagon, Washington, DC. This assignment saw the events of the Grenada Student Rescue Operations, USMC Beirut Barracks Explosion, the Iranian mining of the Suez Canal, and the Soviets shooting down Korean Airliner 007 during the same period. The international coverage required all OP-64 Reservists to be called up to assist in handing the intense, overwhelming Naval action requirements. It was an amazing life-time adventure for this once expelled First Generation American to realize AMERICA, INDEED, is the Land of OPPORTUNITY for those willing to invest themselves into the abundances of possible life’s futures. From being a Homeless Street Person to Professional Musician and Scholarship Awardee, the boot-strap possibilities proved endless for Wes. As a Mentor, life-long Musician, Aviation Mariner, Human Resource Manager, and Financial Planner, he placed the highest value on taking care of his marriage, family religious associations, the numerous people he worked with and for to improve their life’s situation. He championed anything concerning America, the Constitution, and the many military service personnel, winning Veteran’s Administration Disability Claims awards that had been denied and regain a better standard of living. Following the Lord’s admonitions, Wes was charitable to a fault, uplifting other’s careers and frequently exposing himself to dangers and higher management echelon’s criticism regarding safety and operational missions’ accomplishments. In keeping with his ultimate services to America and humanity, his remains are donated to Virginia’s Medical Science Department for some fledgling Medical Doctor to investigate Human Anatomy. It would appear that a Guardian Angel was assigned and has been guiding this citizen of America and its blessed ideals that were ingrained by his relocated and savvy Russian immigrant forefathers.

He is survived by his beloved soulmate and wife, Sally E. (Bilbie) Weseleskey, sons Scott Henry, of Virginia Beach, VA, Jon Andrew (Jake) of Arlington, VA, and adopted Brazilian son, Mauricio Sousa Lima. He is predeceased by sons Edward Allen, Bruce Duane Weseleskey and both of his immigrant parents.

A memorial service will be held on Friday, August 16, 2024 at Eastern Shore Chapel Episcopal Church at 11:00 AM.