Commander Harold Raymond Gordinier, USN Ret.)

Commander Harold R. Gordinier; USN (Retired), of Annapolis, MD, died on Saturday, April 28, 2012, at Ginger Cove in Annapolis, MD. He was 90. Born on November 23, 1921, in Des Moines, IA, he was the fourth of ten children born to William Coe and Verna Thornberg Gordinier. Harold (Ham) Gordinier joined the Navy as an aviation cadet in May 1942 and received his wings and commission in October 1943. He flew dive-bombers from the aircraft carrier Bunker Hill (CV-17), during operations on Iwo Jima and Okinawa. As part of squadron VB-84, Gordinier attacked aircraft and engine plants on the Japanese Home Islands and took part in the bombing of the Japanese aircraft carrier Unryu. He earned a Purple Heart when the USS Bunker Hill was struck by Kamikaze aircraft in May 1945. He returned to service and participated in the operation that sank the Japanese aircraft carrier Yamato. In the Korean War, Gordinier flew rescue helicopters from the USS Valley Forge (CV 45), and British carriers HMS Theseus, and HMS Glory. He earned three distinguished Flying Crosses, four Air Medals, and his squadron earned two Presidential Unit Citations. Later in his military career, he flew jet aircraft in conjunction with the development of the guided missile program. After retirement from the Navy, Ham joined MIT Lincoln Laboratory as a member of the technical staff where he served in Massachusetts, Hawaii, and the Marshall Islands. In 1987, after 24 years in the Navy and 22 years at MIT, Ham retired to enjoy his free time in Massachusetts, South Carolina, and eventually relocated to Annapolis, Maryland. Ham was an avid golfer; a volunteer for the Maryland Department of Natural Resources and the Chesapeake Bay Foundation; and was very active in the Ginger Cove community during his 14 years of residence. He is survived by his four children, Gail Rauls, (Rich), of Honolulu, HI, Cecelia Orr, (Bill), of Crownsville, MD, Francene Creamer, (Jeff), of Seekonk, MA, and Patrick Gordinier, (Jeanne) of Stevensville, MD; eleven grandchildren; and three great-grandchildren. He was predeceased by his wife of 47 years, Sally Harvey in 1993. A funeral mass will be held at 11:00 AM on Thursday, May 3, at St. Peter’s Catholic Church in Queenstown, MD. Interment will be in Acton, MA. In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Chesapeake Bay Foundation @ www.cbf.org. For those interested, a block of rooms have been reserved at the Holiday Inn Express, 1020 Kent Narrows Road, Grasonville, MD 21638. You may reach them at 410-827-4454.

Commander Harold Raymond Gordinier, USN Ret.)

November 23, 1921 - April 28, 2012