Patrick Nieson Lynch Bellinger CBE (October 8, 1885 – May 30, 1962) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Navy with the rank of Vice Admiral. A Naval aviator and a naval aviation pioneer, he participated in the Trans-Atlantic flight from Newfoundland to Azores in May 1919 and was decorated with Navy Cross, the United States military's second-highest decoration awarded for valor. During the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, Bellinger served as Commander, Patrol Wing Two and he was responsible for sending the message, "Air raid, Pearl Harbor. This is no drill", which was the first notice to the outside world of the attack. He was later appointed Commander, Naval Air Forces, Atlantic and distinguished himself during the U-boat campaign with Atlantic Fleet. Early career Early service Bellinger was born on October 8, 1885 in Cheraw, South Carolina as the son of Carnot Ambrose Bellinger and Eleanor Lynch. He was raised by his maternal aunt when his mother and sister died a few years after his birth. His maternal great-uncle was Patrick Neeson Lynch, 3rd Bishop of Charleston. He graduated from the high school and enrolled the Clemson College in Clemson, South Carolina. Bellinger completed one year at Clemson in electrical engineering, before received an appointment to the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis, Maryland in July 1903. While at the Academy, he was in the same class as future admirals Augustin T. Beauregard, Harold M. Bemis, Richard S. Edwards, Robert C. Giffen, Felix X. Gygax, Henry K. Hewitt, John H. Hoover, Jonas H. Ingram, Randall Jacobs, Claud A. Jones, Ernest D. McWhorter, Albert C. Read, Raymond A. Spruance and Robert A. Theobald. He graduated as Passed Midshipman with Bachelor of Science degree on June 6, 1907 and was assigned to newly commissioned battleship USS Vermont. Bellinger took part in a cruise around the world with the Great White Fleet, visiting the Port of Spain, Rio de Janeiro and Punta Arenas. During the stop in San Francisco in May 1908, he was transferred to the battleship USS Wisconsin and continued in the cruise, visiting Melbourne, Sydney, Auckland, Manila, Yokohama, Colombo, Suez Canal, Port Said, Gibraltar and then crossed the Atlantic to return to Hampton Roads in February 1909. Bellinger was ordered to cruiser USS Montgomery for instruction in torpedoes in March 1909 and was commissioned Ensign on June 7, 1909, after serving two years at sea then required