Joseph Albert Brantuas

Captain Joe Brantuas, USN (Ret.), joined the love of his life, Joanie, on October 21,2024 in San Diego, California. He was 90 years old.

Born in 1934 in The Bronx, NY of immigrant parents, Jose Cruz Brantuas (Portugal) and Mae Edna Mosher (Canada), Joe grew up in Beechhurst, NY (Queens) where he attended St Lukes's and Brooklyn Technical Institute. After graduating, Joe joined the naval reserve in July 1952 where he earned a fleet appointment to the Naval Academy in 1955. After graduating with the Class of 1959, Joe attended flight training where he earned his wings of gold in Beeville, TX in March 1961.

Joe was assigned jet fighters in Miramar, CA where he flew the F-3 Demon, F-4 Phantom, and F-14 Tomcat from 1961-1975. His assignments included VF-151, VF-121, VF-92, VF-124, and finally serving as the first Executive and Commanding officer of the VF-2 Bounty Hunters, one of the first two F-14 squadrons in the United States Navy. Three of his six deployments were combat deployments in Vietnam flying the F-4 Phantom where he earned numerous combat related citations and medals. Joe was selected early for promotion twice in his career to both Lieutenant Commander and Commander. As a replacement air group instructor in VF-121, he was among the first cadre of pilots that began teaching advanced air combat maneuvering in a small trailer outside the hanger that later became designated as the Navy's Fighter Weapons School (Top Gun). Also, during this time, he served as the Handler aboard the USS Midway.

Following his career at Miramar NAS, he attended the Industrial College of the Armed Forces (ICAF) in Washington D.C. and was subsequently assigned to the F-14 desk at the Pentagon from '77-'79 where he initiated the program that later brought the desperately needed F110-GE-400 engine to the F-14 Tomcat. After being promoted to Captain, he served under COMCARGRU Six deploying aboard the USS Saratoga and USS Forestal while stationed in Mayport, FL ('79-'80). He retired while re-assigned at the Pentagon as a Captain in March 1982. He considered his greatest two achievements as bringing back all assigned F-14s from their maiden deployment aboard the USS Enterprise in 1975 in addition to initiating the program that brought new, more powerful engines to the F-14 in the mid-1980s.

Joe married the love of his life, Joan Louise Pugh in 1962 and had 6 beautiful children. After 29 years of naval service, Joe returned the family to University City in San Diego, CA, just down the road from Miramar. He worked in the aerospace-defense industry in Southern California until he retired in 1989. He spent his golden years serving as a docent aboard the USS Midway Museum every Saturday telling stories to visitors at the 3 wire below his beloved F-4 Phantom, playing tennis, sailing, and visiting with his grandchildren. He is survived by his sister Mary Julia (94), and all his six children, Joe, Kelly, Julia, John, Paul, and Peter.

Joe is to be buried at Miramar National Cemetery in San Diego alongside his beloved wife Joanie. Family and friends are welcome to celebrate Joe's life after the funeral services (about 11:45 am) on Thursday, November 7, 2024, at his home in University City: 5389 Bloch Street, San Diego, 92122 

https://www.vlm.cem.va.gov/JOSEPHABRANTUAS/a7f41c