Admiral Maxwell Leslie is the namesake of the Coronado Men’s Golf Clubs March tournament and one of the founding members of the CMGC.
Admiral Maxwell Leslie attended the University of Washington before entering the US Naval Academy in 1922. He was commissioned Ensign in 1926, received flight training at Naval Air Station Pensacola in 1929 and was designated Naval Aviator in 1930. When the US entered World War II, he was Executive Officer of Bombing Squadron 3, based on the USS Saratoga. He later commanded that unit, operating from the USS Yorktown during the Battle of Midway. For extraordinary heroism there, he was awarded the Navy Cross. He also flew with his squadron operating from from the USS Enterprise while escorting the USS Hornet for the Doolittle raid on Tokyo, April 17, 1942. He continued to serve the Navy overseas during World War II and after the war spent the rest of his career on various ships and bases. He retired in 1956. In addition to the Navy Cross, he was presented the Bronze Star Medal with combat “V” and the Commendation Ribbon, the Presidential Unit Citation to the USS Enterprise, American Defense Service Medal, Fleet Clasp, American Campaign Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal, World War II Victory Medal and the National Defense Service Medal.