RADM Bruce B. BREMNER, USN (Ret)
Golden Eagle

Gentlemen,

 It is my sad duty to inform you that on Wednesday evening, 30 July 2025, Golden Eagle RADM Bruce B. “Whitefoot” BREMNER, USN (Ret), made his Last Take Off at home in Colorado Springs, CO, with his wife Treva by his side. Bruce had been fighting cancer for a number of years. He was 86 years old.
 
Bruce was born in St. Louis, MO, on 9 March 1939. Early in his life the family moved to Iowa Falls, IA, where he was raised and attended high school. He was a standout basketball and football player, and on graduation elected to attend the University of Wyoming to play football. After a year he transferred to Drake University to play basketball for two years and finished his collegiate education graduating from the University of Iowa in 1961. Bruce joined the Navy via the Officer Candidate School in Newport, Rhode Island, beginning in July 1961. In November 1961 he reported to the Naval Air Technical Training Center at NAS Glynco, GA, as a student in the Combat Information Center curriculum. Finishing in May 1962, he reported to his first duty station, USS Interdictor (AGR 13), home ported in San Francisco, CA, to serve as the Communications Officer. Interdictor was a converted Liberty ship tasked as an ocean radar picket ship, serving as part of the U.S. distant early warning system. Reportedly these ships did not ride well in North Pacific Ocean swells, which may have provided more incentive for Bruce in his decision to request transition to Naval Aviation.
 
In December 1963 Bruce reported to NAS Pensacola, FL, to begin his flight training, flying the T-34B Mentor and then moved to NAS Meridian, MS, for basic jet training in the T-2A Buckeye. He completed his flight training at NAAS Chase Field, TX, flying the TF-9J and AF-9J Cougar and F-11A Tiger, earning his Wings of Gold on 7 May 1965. That same month he reported to the VA-42 Green Pawns, the Fleet Replacement Squadron for the A-6A Intruder, at NAS Oceana, VA, for transition training to the A-6. On completion of that syllabus, he reported to his first fleet squadron, the VA-35 Black Panthers in August 1965, joining the squadron as it transitioned to the A-6A. During this tour the squadron was at the forefront of demonstrating Intruder capabilities, including the first firing of a Sidewinder missile from an A-6 (during a weapons training deployment to MCAS Yuma, AZ) and the first combat aerial mining from a jet aircraft when they mined the Song Ca and Song Giang River mouths in North Vietnam in February 1967. Deployed aboard USS Enterprise (CVAN 65), Bruce flew 191 combat missions over North Vietnam in two deployments, one from November 1966–July 1967 and the second from January–July 1968. Over the course of those combat missions, Bruce was awarded two Silver Stars, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, and two Individual Air Medals. On one particular night mission, in June 1968, Bruce’s aircraft was hit by anti-aircraft fire just after bomb release. The hit caused a fire in the left-wing area. On fire and egressing back to feet wet and hoping to make it back to the Big E about 130 miles away, Bruce climbed to 35,000 feet trying to oxygen starve the fire. That reduced the intensity but did not extinguish the fire, and while descending for an attempted landing the fire intensity increased to the point that a wingman and the landing signal officer urged ejection, which they did at about 2,000 feet and 2 miles from the ship.
 
On return home from that second combat deployment in July 1968, Bruce transferred to VA-42 for duty as an instructor pilot in the A-6. He also married the love of his life, Treva, in August 1968. They had met in San Francisco just prior to the start of his second VA-35 deployment while at a party for the squadron. He saw Treva across the room, remarked to a squadron mate that he was going to marry that girl, and three to four days later proposed to her. Once the deployment was complete, they had their August 1968 wedding, beginning their 57-year marriage.
 
The VA-42 instructor pilot tour was a short one since he was selected to attend U.S. Naval Test Pilot School, reporting to NAS Patuxent River, MD, in January 1969. As a student he flew the T-1A SeaStar, T-28B Trojan, A-4B Skyhawk, F-8 C/K/L Crusader, OV-1A Mohawk, S-2D Tracker, X-26A Frigate, and the OV-10A Bronco. On graduation in October 1969, he was assigned to the Weapons System Test Division at the Naval Air Test Center as a project pilot. He was the project pilot and project officer for the A-6E Navy Preliminary Evaluation (NPE) and Board of Inspection Survey (BIS) trials and project pilot for the EA-6B Prowler NPE and BIS trials. During this tour he flew the A-1E Skyraider, A-4B/F, A-6A/B/E, EA-6A/B, A-7A/E Corsair II, F-4J Phantom II, F-8H/J/K, T-39D Sabreliner, and the S-2D. In February 1972 he reported back to VA-42 at NAS Oceana, VA for refresher training in the A-6 prior to reporting to the VA-65 Tigers in June 1972. Serving as Operations and Maintenance officer during this tour, Bruce deployed twice aboard USS Independence (CVA 62) from June 1973–January 1974 for a Mediterranean Sea deployment and from June 1974–January 1975 on a North Atlantic Ocean and Mediterranean Sea deployment. Departing near the end of that second deployment, in December 1974 Bruce reported to Armed Forces Staff College for six months as a student, followed by staff duty at Naval Air Forces Atlantic, Norfolk, VA. In September 1976 he reported to VA-42 for refresher training in the A-6, followed by assignment in February 1977 to the VA-85 Black Falcons for his XO/CO tour, flying the A-6E. Deploying aboard USS Forrestal (CV 59) in April 1978, Bruce assumed command of the squadron in May, completing the Mediterranean Sea deployment in October 1978. He finished his command tour in July 1979, relinquishing command to another future Golden Eagle, Zap ZLATOPER.
 
Bruce next reported to Medium Attack Wing One at Oceana as the Chief of Staff, prior to commencing his Carrier Air Wing Commander pipeline training in February 1980. In July 1980 he took command of Carrier Air Wing Seventeen, headquartered at Oceana but changing to NAS Cecil Field, where he flew the A-6E, EA-6B, S-3A Viking, A-7E, F-4J, SH-3 Sea King, and the E-2C Hawkeye. He once again deployed aboard Forrestal on a Mediterranean Sea deployment from March–September 1981, and relinquished command in November. Bruce immediately reported to Medium Attack Wing One as the Commander and remained in that billet for 25 months at which time he commenced a Major Command training track. In June 1984 he assumed command of USS Savannah (AOR 4), based at Naval Station Norfolk, and deployed to the Mediterranean Sea with her from October 1984–April 1985, finishing this command tour in January 1986. He then reported to the Pentagon to the OPNAV staff as a special assistant to the VCNO for one year. In January 1987 he assumed command of USS Coral Sea (CV 43), home ported at NS Norfolk, VA and deployed once again to the Mediterranean Sea from September 1987–March 1988. He also flew the A-6E when the opportunity arose. He completed this command tour in July 1988.
 
With his selection to flag, in September 1988 Bruce reported to the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD), in Colorado Springs, CO, as the Command Director. At the completion of this two-year tour, he again assumed command as Commander, Medium Attack Tactical Electronic Warfare Command, Pacific in September 1990. Located at NAS Whidbey Island, WA, he flew the A-6E and the EA-6B. He served as the last commander as the command was disestablished in January 1993 when Attack Wing U.S. Pacific Fleet was stood up at Whidbey. His next duty station was back to Colorado Springs in February 1993 to the U.S. Space Command where he served as the J-3. Bruce retired from active duty on 1 August 1995, culminating 34 years in uniform.
 
In what can only be described as a remarkable Naval Aviation career, Bruce accumulated over 5,900 flight hours, 5,300 in jet VF/VA platforms, and was the first pilot to reach 5,000 hours in the A-6 aircraft. In 191 combat missions over North Vietnam, he was awarded two Silver Stars, three Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Individual Air Medals, 17 Strike/Flight Air Medals, a Purple Heart, and the Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, all of which are indicative of the intense and dangerous operating environment of that timeframe. He was also a member of the Grand Club, with 1,002 carrier arrested landings. With his tour as a test pilot and as a carrier air wing commander, he flew virtually every aircraft type in the Navy inventory. He also had six command tours, truly leading from the front throughout his career.
 
On retirement from active duty, Bruce and Treva remained in Colorado Springs. Bruce still wanted to fly and did so by accumulating over 3,000 hours flying crop dusters. In that flying, he had three mishaps but walked away from all three with no injuries. Without question, aviation was his life blood.
 
Bruce is survived by his wife, Treva, son Bruce II, daughter Samantha, and four grandchildren. Planning is underway to hold services and a Celebration of Life in Virginia Beach, VA, at a date to be determined. That information will be provided in a Special Notice when known.
 
He will be missed.
 
In Sadness,
Marty CHANIK
Pilot