ejection from a supersonic aircraft. He was inverted (upside down) and somewhere between and in altitude at the time he ejected. Since he could not reach the pre-ejection lever due to his inverted position, his canopy did not separate and he ejected through the canopy, possibly becoming the first pilot to do that as well. 1960s–1970s In the 1960s, Hawkins commanded Naval Air Station Atsugi in Japan, where he worked to recover Japanese family artifacts lost during World War II. For this work, he was awarded the Emperor of Japan Third Order of the Sacred Treasure. Later life and family Hawkins retired from the U.S. Navy as a captain in 1973 and subsequently worked with the National Museum of Naval Aviation in Pensacola, Florida, retiring in 1997 as its chief-of-staff. Hawkins' daughter, Jill Hawkins Votaw, followed in his footsteps and was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy, graduating in 1980 from the United States Naval Academy as a member of the first class to graduate from the academy that included women. She retired from the Naval Reserve as a captain in 2010. In 1984, Hawkins was inducted into the National Aviation Hall of Fame and in 2001 into the Texas Aviation Hall of Fame. In 2006, Captain Hawkins was inducted into the Naval Aviation Hall of Honor. Hawkins died on 21 March 2004 in Pensacola, Florida. References 1922 births 2004 deaths United States Navy personnel of the Korean War American Korean War pilots American World War II flying aces Aviators from Texas National Aviation Hall of Fame inductees People from Angelina County, Texas Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States) Recipients of the Distinguished Flying Cross (United States) Recipients of the Air Medal United States Navy officers United States Navy pilots of World War II Military personnel from Texas