Macgregor Kilpatrick

Macgregor Kilpatrick (July 30, 1916 – August 30, 1997) was an American ice hockey executive. He was an original owner of the New Haven Nighthawks of the American Hockey League (AHL). He also served as senior vice president and general counsel for the AHL.

Yearbook portrait of Midshipman Kilpatrick

Raised in Ardsley, New York,[1] Kilpatrick attended the United States Naval Academy where he was an All-American soccer player. During World War II he served as a fighter pilot in the Pacific and was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross for his valor and heroism in combat.[2] While serving with Fighting Squadron Ten (VF-10) on USS Enterprise, he shot down two Japanese torpedo bombers on January 30, 1943 and was subsequently awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross.[3][4] As commanding officer of Fighting Squadron Five (VF-5) on USS Franklin, Lieutenant Commander Kilpatrick helped lead damage control and wounded evacuation efforts on March 19, 1945 and was subsequently awarded the Navy Cross.[5][6] He received a promotion to commander when he retired from active duty in June 1947.[7]

After returning from the war, he earned a law degree from Yale Law School and practiced law in Branford, Connecticut, forming the firm of Kilpatrick, Kahl and Josephson[8] with other former Navy officers.

In 1970 he was approved as an owner of the expansion team, the New Haven Nighthawks, which began play with the 1972–73 AHL season.

He was selected to receive the 1975–76 James C. Hendy Memorial Award, as the executive who made the most outstanding contribution to the AHL.

In the summer of 1997, the American Hockey League created the Macgregor Kilpatrick Trophy, which is presented annually to the AHL team that finishes the regular season with the most points.

Macgregor Kilpatrick died on August 30, 1997.

In 2010, Kilpatrick was posthumously inducted into the American Hockey League Hall of Fame.[9]

References
  1. Lucky Bag (PDF). Annapolis, Maryland: United States Naval Academy. 1939. p. 224. Retrieved 2019-04-27.
  2. "Valor awards for MacGregor Kilpatrick". Archived from the original on 2014-06-18. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
  3. "Report of Action - January 30, 1943". United States Pacific Fleet. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  4. "Distinguished Flying Cross" (PDF). All Hands. November 1943. Retrieved 2019-04-26.
  5. O'Callahan, Joseph T. (1956). I Was Chaplain on the Franklin. New York: The Macmillan Company. pp. 40, 91. LCCN 56010786.
  6. "Commander 1st Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 0405". United States Pacific Fleet. April 25, 1945.
  7. Register of Retired Commissioned and Warrant Officers, Regular and Reserve, of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. Bureau of Naval Personnel. July 1, 1962. p. 178. Retrieved 2020-01-26.
  8. http://branfordsportshalloffame.com/Kilpatrick09.htm
  9. "AHL Hall of Fame". Archived from the original on 2015-02-10. Retrieved 2014-06-18.
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