Preserving Living History…
We had the great privilege and honor of meeting and working with a true American hero, LtCol Kevin O’Mara USMC (Ret). and his wife Mary Ellen, a former Navy LCDR. Kevin is a man of great integrity, intellect, and humility who leaves a legacy to be admired and preserved.
LtCol Kevin O’Mara USMC (Ret) was born on 16 February 1941 in South Pasadena, California. He grew up in South Pasadena and graduated from South Pasadena High School in 1958. He then attended Pasadena City College, graduating with an A/A degree in 1962.
Kevin enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps in 1963 and was ordered to flight training in September 1964 as a Marine Aviation Cadet. He received his wings and commission in 1966 and reported to Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 312 in Beaufort, SC, for training in the F-4B Phantom. He retired from the Marine Corps in 1984 after a twenty-year career which encompassed a wide variety of operational and staff assignments including a two-year tour flying as a member of the U.S. Navy Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Team and command of Marine Fighter Attack Squadron 232 based in Kanehoe Bay, Hawaii. During two tours of duty in Southeast Asia, he flew 413 combat missions in the F-4 Phantom.
Kevin married Mary Ellen Russell of Kansas City, a former Navy LCDR, on 27 January 1973. They subsequently had two children, Kathleen Marie and Patrick Russell. He attended Chapman University under the military Bootstrap Program, graduating with a B/A degree in Economics and Business Administration in 1974.
Upon retirement from the Marine Corps in 1984, he joined Hughes Aircraft Company. He was involved in support project management of the F/A-18 radar, the German F-4F radar upgrade and the Spanish E/F program. He joined the Northrop Corporation in 1986 as a director in F/A-18 Marketing and assumed management of the organization in 1988. He was appointed as Manager, Tactical Aircraft Business Development in 1999. He retired from Northrop Grumman in 2003.
LtCol Kevin O’Mara, USMC Authorized Awards
AM Air Medal – Strike fighter device denotes 28 Air Medals awarded
NCM Navy Commendation Medal with Combat “V”
NAM “V” Navy Achievement Medal with Combat “V”
CAR Combat Action Ribbon
PUC Navy Presidential Unit Citation
NUC Navy Unit Commendation with Bronze Star
NDSM National Defense Service Medal
VSM Vietnam Service Medal with four Bronze Stars
RVCG(1) Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Gold Star
RVNMUC(GC) (1960) Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm
MUC(BPl-m) Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation with Bronze Star
RVCM(4) Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Date Bar
SSDR(1) Sea Service Deployment Ribbon with Bronze Star
LtCol Kevin O’Mara, Locations of Military Service
Date Location Unit
Sep 1963 Marine Corps Recruit Depot, San Diego, CA Boot Camp
1964-1965 Naval Air Station Jacksonville, FL Mechanic’s Fundamental Course
Naval Air Station Los Alamitos, CA VMA-134, Plane Captain
Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL Marine Aviation Cadet, preflight
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Saufley Field, FL VT-1, Basic Flight Training
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Meridian, MS VT-7, Basic Jet Student Pilot
Naval Auxiliary Air Station Beeville, TX VT-25, 26, Advanced Jet Student Pilot
1966-1967 Marine Corps Air Station Beaufort, SC VMFA-312, Squadron Pilot
1967-1968 Marine Corps Air Station Chu Lai, Vietnam VMFA-323, Squadron Pilot
1968-1969 Naval Air Station Kingsville, TX VT-21, Advanced Jet Flight Instructor
1970-1971 Naval Air Station Pensacola, FL Blue Angels, #2
1972 Marine Corps Air Station Iwakuni, Japan MAG-15, Assistant S-3 Officer
Danang Air Base, Vietnam “ “ “ “
Marine Corps Air Station Nam Phong, Thailand VMFA-115, NATOPS Officer
1973 Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, CA VMFA-323, S-4 Officer
Chapman College, Orange, CA College Degree Program
1974-1975 Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, CA VMFA-323, Maintenance Officer
1975 Naval Air Station Miramar, CA F-14 Student Pilot
1975-1978 Marine Corps Air Station El Toro, CA VMFA-531, Ops O, AMO, XO
1978 Marine Corps Base, Quantico, VA Command and Staff College
1979-1982 Marine Corps Air Station, Kanehoe Bay, HI VMFA-232, Commanding Officer
1982-1984 Marine Corps Base Twenty-Nine Palms, CA 7 th Marine Amphibious Brigade
Assistant Ops Officer/Air Officer