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Vice Admiral Marcel Gouin 'Sconset's Gift to Naval Aviation by J. E. Lacouture
RECENTLY I WAS DOWN at the Naval Air Test Center at Patuxent River researching an article on the Tactical Test Division, where I had spent several fascinating years of flying. During my investigations the name Marcel Gouin kept appearing and when I entered the Admiral's office there his picture was on the wall as a former Commander of the Naval Air Test Center. Since we both had 'Sconset/Nantucket backgrounds I could no longer resist an article. Marcel Emile Alcan Gouin was born in Siasconset on 29 June, 1900, son of Marcel E. and Mary (Lowell) Gouin. After receiving his early schooling on Nantucket, he attended Tabor Academy in Marion, Massachusetts, and the Severna Annapolis Preparatory School inSeverna Park, Maryland, before entering the U.S. Naval Academy in 1920 after receiving an appointment from his local congressman. Midship man Gouin graduated from the Naval Academy and was commission ed Ensign on 4 June, 1924. As was customary in those days after graduating from the Naval Academy in June, 1924, he had sea duty until February, 1928, serving consecutively on the battleship "USS West Virginia" and destroyers "USS Sloat", "USS Shirk" and "USS Barry". On 2 March, 1928, Lt. (j.g.) Gouin reported to the Naval Air Station, Pensacola, to begin flight training and received his wings as a Naval Aviator on 4 January, 1929. In March, 1929, he joined Scouting Squadron 3, based on the aircraft carrier "Lexington" — one of the Navy's famous original carrier squadrons. Lt (j.g.) Gouin flew with that squadron until July, 1931, when he was ordered to report to Naval Air Station Pensacola as a flight instructor. In September, 1933, Lt. Gouin reported to the Newport News Ship building Company where the "USS Ranger", the Navy's fourth carrier and the first to be built from the start as a carrier, was completing building. He served aboard the "Ranger" from her commissioning June 4,1934, until July, 1935, when he joined Fighting Squadron 1 based in itially on the carrier "USS Langley" and later on the "USS Lexington." From June, 1937, to May, 1940, LCDR Gouin had duty in the Bureau of Aeronautics Flight Test Section at the Naval Air Station, Anacostia, D.C. At the same time from September, 1937, until November, 1939, he had additional duty as one of the Naval Aides to President Roosevelt. In his next assignment LCDR Gouin achieved one of the goals of all naval aviators - Command of a carrier squadron when he commanded Bombing Squadron Six based on the aircraft carrier "USS Enterprise" from June, 1940, to June, 1941. From here he was assigned to the precommissioning detail fitting out
