The only known Navy ace to shoot down German and Japanese planes during World War II has died.
According to his daughter, Dean "Diz" Laird died Aug. 10 at the age of 101.
The California native was born in 1921.
At 20, he joined the Navy, days after Pearl Harbor was attacked.
Laird also flew in the Korean and Vietnam wars, totaling 32 trans-pacific flights.
After serving 29 years, Laird retired as a commander from the Navy in 1971.
