Vice Admiral Tony Less was born in Salem, Ohio, on August 31, 1937. He attended St. Patricks School and graduated from Leetonia High School in 1955. After graduating from Heidelberg College in Tiffin, Ohio, he completed the Naval Aviation Officer Candidate Program and was commissioned as an Ensign in April 1960, then earned his Naval Aviator wings in June 1961. His operational and combat tours included five Light Attack squadron assignments, flying primarily A-4 Skyhawk and A-7 Corsair II aircraft, and he logged more than 6,200 hours and over 1,000 arrested carrier landings in navy front-line tactical jets. His sea assignments included command of Attack Squadron TWELVE, Carrier Air Wing NINE, USS WICHITA (AOR-1), USS RANGER (CV-61), Carrier Group ONE, and Joint Task Force Middle East and Middle East Force. His shore assignments included duty as an A-4 Skyhawk weapons instructor, Director of Political Military Affairs on the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington, D.C., and Director of Plans, Policy and Operations for Chief of Naval Operations during Desert Shield and Desert Storm. He was the first Commanding Officer of the Navy's Blue Angels Flight Demonstration Squadron and carried the Navy message to well over two million people. He retired at the rank of Vice Admiral, and his last duty assignment was as Commander Naval Air Force, U.S. Atlantic Fleet, where during a three-year tour he managed at the CEO level the largest capital assets at sea on the East Coast, including seven carrier battle groups and numerous aircraft squadrons and detachments. He retired from active duty on May 1, 1994, and was authorized to wear the Defense Distinguished Service Medal with gold star in lieu of second award, the Defense Superior Service Medal with Oak Leaf cluster in lieu of second award, the Legion of Merit with gold star in lieu of second award, the Air Medal with 10 strike/flight awards, the Navy Commendation Medal with Combat "V," the Joint Meritorious United Award, the Navy Unit Commendation, the Navy Ribbon, and other campaign awards.