Joseph C. Clifton (October 31, 1908 – December 24, 1967) was a naval officer and aviator of the United States Navy in World War II, ultimately advancing to the rank of rear admiral before his retirement in 1963. Biography Clifton was born in Paducah, Kentucky. He attended the University of Kentucky in 1926 and graduated from the United States Naval Academy, where he was an All-Eastern fullback, in 1930. Clifton was assigned to the battleship and was designated a Naval Aviator in 1932. He served with a number of ships and flying squadrons, including the VF-2 "Flying Chiefs". From 1942 until 1944, he commanded the VF-12 "Peg Legs" flying F4U Corsairs and later F6F Hellcats from . During this period, he flew a captured A6M2 Zero, obtaining valuable technical data that was used to refine fighter tactics against the Japanese. In 1944, Clifton was named Commander of Air Group 12, which combined air groups from and Saratoga. He led the joint British-American air attack force during the Operation Cockpit raid on Sabang. In 1945, he was officer-in-charge of fighter indoctrination in Advanced Training, at Naval Air Station, Green Cove Springs, Florida. In 1945-46, he was executive officer and then commanding officer of . Clifton was assigned to the Air Warfare Division Office from 1946–49, and the Fleet Logistics Support Wing, Pacific Area, 1949. He was the commander of Transport Squadron 8, 1948–51, also serving as commanding officer of the seaplane tender off Formosa during the Korean War. Clifton was deputy chief of staff training and Staff Commander, Air Forces, Pacific Fleet, 1952–53; attended the Naval War College Class of 1954; commander of Naval Air Station Memphis, 1954–56; and commander of Barrier Atlantic, and also Airborne Early Warning Wing Atlantic and Fleet Air Detachment, Argentia, 1956–58. From 1958 to 1960, he headed the Naval Air Advanced Training Command, and in 1960 commanded Carrier Division 7, the Seventh Fleet. He was chief of naval air technical training at Memphis before finally retiring in July 1963. After retirement, he became associated with Litton Industries in Beverly Hills, California. Clifton died following complications from diabetes on Christmas Eve, 1967, in Santa Monica, California. Clifton's life is commemorated with a street bearing his name in his hometown of Paducah, Kentucky. Awards For his service in World War II, Clifton was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, with gold star, the Legion of Merit twice, the Air