NAS Patuxent River Mourns Passing Of Two Former Commanding Officers

NAVAL AIR STATION PATUXENT RIVER, Md. — Naval Air Station Patuxent River is mourning the recent loss of two former commanding officers whose leadership helped shape the installation during pivotal eras in naval aviation history: Capt. Edward Laney Jr. and Capt. Roger Hill.

Though their commands came decades apart, both officers presided over periods of lasting impact at Pax River, guiding the installation through moments of operational growth, modernization and national significance.

Their careers spanned combat service, aviation innovation and senior leadership, leaving legacies that continue to influence the mission and culture of the Navy’s premier flight test and evaluation hub.

His Korean War service gained national attention when his exploits were featured in Life Magazine on July 6, 1953, in the article “The Bridges at Toko-Ri,” later adapted into a feature film. His wartime experience was also chronicled in James Michener’s book Forgotten Heroes of Korea.

Before taking command at Pax River, Laney served as a gunnery instructor with the Top Gun program at Whidbey Island and later in the Training Readiness and Tactics Division at the Office of the Chief of Naval Operations. His tenure as commanding officer was marked by significant advancements in naval aviation and installation operations.

Under his leadership, NAS Patuxent River received numerous honors, including the Small Businessman’s Award, Golden Nugget Award, Work Incentive Program recognition, the Navy Industrial Safety Award, and Navy recognition in the fields of conservation and environmental stewardship.

In his 1976 farewell address during the change of command, Laney reflected on the principles that guided his service.

“My personal priorities have been: first, my god; second, my wife; third, my country; fourth, the Navy; fifth, my family; and sixth, my friends. This has made it easy to accept orders, to accept duties, and to put whatever might come before me in its proper perspective,” Laney said.

Laney’s military decorations included two Bronze Stars, the Distinguished Flying Cross, 11 Air Medals, two Navy Commendation Medals with Combat “V,” the Korean Service Ribbon with five battle stars, the Vietnam Service Medal with two stars, the Korean Presidential Unit Citation, the World War II Victory Medal, and numerous unit awards.

Laney passed away Dec. 2, 2025. He was 97.

During his tenure, the Pax River workforce expanded nearly tenfold as more than 20,000 military and civilian employees relocated to the installation. Hill oversaw extensive infrastructure development, including construction of a new commissary, VQ-4 alert facility, communications operations center, Test Pilot School academic building and runway improvements, as well as major renovations to existing facilities to meet mission demands.

Hill remained a well-known figure in St. Mary’s County following his Navy career, later serving as chief operations officer for St. Mary’s City from 1999 to 2009.

“Being commanding officer of a base is great; I couldn’t have asked the Navy for a better job,” Hill said prior to his retirement. “You feel like you can make some positive impacts because you’re in a position where you can actually make some. If I could stay as CO of the base, I would stay here until they kicked me out. Unfortunately, other people get a chance at it too, because it’s such a wonderful job.”

Hill flew A-7 aircraft with VA-105 and VA-174 and served alongside notable naval aviators including Richard “Moon” Vance, Raymond “Chip” Dudderar, Carlos Johnson, Jeff “Sundance” Harrison and John McCain. A graduate of the U.S. Naval Test Pilot School’s Class 71, he later conducted developmental weapons testing across multiple aircraft platforms and held senior aviation leadership roles before returning to Pax River as installation commander.

Hill frequently credited mentorship as a cornerstone of his leadership.

“When you’re in the Navy, you see a lot of leaders who you think a lot of,” Hill said in 1995. “There’s several who were role models for me on the way. They were people who were my heroes, made me aspire to things, and taught me things. I was very lucky that I had a lot of role models in the Navy.”

Those who served under Hill recalled his leadership style as one rooted in trust. Marta Bullis, a Naval Air Warfare Center protocol officer who previously served as his executive assistant, described his approach in a 1995 interview.

“Captain Hill let’s you do your job,” Bullis said. “It’s his trust in me that makes my job enjoyable.”

At his January 1995 change of command ceremony, Hill emphasized the importance of the work performed at NAS Patuxent River.

“I have been in the Navy 29 years, and have been a Navy pilot almost 25 of those,” Hill said. “In that time, I have flown the best aircraft and had the best equipment in the world. That is a direct result of the efforts of the people who work at this base, who obviously, are also the best in the world at what they do. What we do is important to the country. Take credit for it, and be proud of it.”

Hill passed away Dec. 1, 2025.

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