Ronald J. Zlatoper
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Ronald J. Zlatoper | |
---|---|
Nickname(s) | Zap |
Born | Cleveland, Ohio, U.S. | March 21, 1942
Died | April 21, 2022 Atlanta, Georgia, U.S. | (aged 80)
Place of burial | |
Allegiance | United States |
Service | United States Navy |
Years of service | 1963–1996 |
Rank | Admiral |
Commands | US Pacific Fleet Chief of Naval Personnel |
Battles / wars | |
Awards |
Ronald Joseph Zlatoper (March 21, 1942 – April 21, 2022) was a United States Navy four star admiral and Naval Aviator who served as Commander in Chief, United States Pacific Fleet (CINCPACFLT) from 1994 to 1996.[1]
Zlatoper was born in Cleveland, Ohio.[2]
Zlatoper was the Founder of Strategic Transitions Research. He served as Co-Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Sanchez Computer Associates, Inc. He served as a Trustee of Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute. He served on the boards of Penn State University-Great Valley, Board of Advisors member of the School of Business & Public Management at the George Washington University, U.S.S. Missouri Memorial Association, and the Military Aviation Museum of the Pacific. He was a Regent for Chaminade University. He was also active on the boards of the Pacific Aviation Museum Pearl Harbor; the East–West Center; the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Foundation; Chamber of Commerce of Hawai'i — Military Affairs Council; Catholic Charities Hawai'i; and was a member of the Alexis de Tocqueville Society of the United Way.
During his time as an undergraduate at RPI, Ronald was a member of Pi Kappa Phi fraternity. He was inducted into the fraternity's hall of fame in 2014. He received his master's degree in management from the MIT Sloan School of Management. He died on April 21, 2022, in Atlanta, Georgia.[3][4]
1967 USS Forrestal fire
On July 29, 1967, Zlatoper, then a Lieutenant, kept a careful record of events in the squadron duty officer log of the 1967 USS Forrestal fire.[5]
Honors
He had received numerous personal decorations including the Defense Distinguished Service Medal; the Navy Distinguished Service Medal; the Legion of Merit; the Distinguished Flying Cross; the Meritorious Service Medal; the Air Medal; and the Navy Commendation Medal (with Combat "V"); plus various campaign and unit awards. He is the honored recipient of the Japanese Grand Cordon of the Order of the Rising Sun and the Korean Presidential Tong Il medal.
- Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- Legion of Merit
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Meritorious Service Medal
- Air Medal
- Navy and Marine Corps Commendation Medal with Valor Device
References
- ^ "U.S. Pacific Fleet Commanders". Commander, United States Pacific Fleet. Archived from the original on December 7, 2009. Retrieved 2010-01-24.
- ^ 'Tribute to Adm. Ronald J "Zap" Zlatoper,' Hon. Ike Skelton of Missouri, member of the United States House of Representatives, Congressional Record vol 142, no. 128, September 17, 1996, pg. E1616
- ^ Knodell, Kevin (May 3, 2022). "Ronald 'Zap' Zlatoper, former Pacific Fleet commander active in community affairs, dies at 80". Honolulu, Hawaii: The Star Advertiser. Retrieved May 3, 2022.
- ^ "College loses a good friend". 22 April 2022.
- ^ "Squadron Duty Officer Log Records Events of Forrestal Fire - National Naval Aviation Museum". www.navalaviationmuseum.org. Archived from the original on 2014-10-02.
- 1941 births
- 2022 deaths
- Military personnel from Cleveland
- United States Navy admirals
- Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute alumni
- American people of Slovenian descent
- Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
- Recipients of the Legion of Merit
- MIT Sloan School of Management alumni
- Recipients of the Air Medal
- Recipients of the Defense Superior Service Medal
- Recipients of the Defense Distinguished Service Medal
- Recipients of the Navy Distinguished Service Medal
- Burials at Arlington National Cemetery