Albert Hartwell Best, III

Go do good. Many men dream of a consequential life—one that means something not only to family, but to humanity. Only recently has the family of Captain Albert Best discovered just how impactful a life he led, as much of his career was classified. As one colleague told his sons, “Your father made America a safer place.” Living in Myrtle Beach to be closer to extended family, Albert passed away on  August 11, 2026. Born February 7, 1933, in Durham, NC, Albert is predeceased by his loving wife, Leona Janne McCall Best, whom he married in 1982, his father, Albert Hartwell Best, II, and his mother, Rosa Genevieve Waddell Best. He is survived by his children, Albert Hartwell Best, IV (Sandy) of Wilmington, NC, Lewis Langhorne Best (Michelle) of Arlington, VA, Richard Barnett (Charlene) of Myrtle Beach, SC, Steven Cordasco of Springfield, VA, Susan Akers (Gary) of Richmond, VA; and, grandchildren: Scott Best, Nash Best, John Best, Dwight Best, James Best, Joseph Best, Karli Barnett, Sam Akers (Piper), Jack Akers; and, a cherished brother, Michael Best, of Florence, SC. Albert is also survived by Harriette Ann Barham Best, his first wife and the mother of Albert IV and Lewis Langhorne Best. Growing up the son of a school principal and piano teacher, and the grandson of a Methodist Minister and circuit rider, Albert graduated Durham High School in 1951, attended Wofford College in 1952, and graduated from Duke University with a B.A. degree in Math and Economics as an NROTC cadet in 1955. He received his Systems Management and Computer Systems Masters’ Degree in 1970, at the Naval Postgraduate School in Monterey, CA.  Commissioned in the Navy in 1956 as an Ensign in Pensacola, FL, he attended flight school and earned his Navy wings in 1957. While stationed in Jacksonville, FL, he routinely flew his RA3B. It was during this post that he photographed Russian missiles in Cuba, and discovered SAM sights there in 1963. These were low level, routine flights, until it “got hot,” then he flew three miles offshore. We all know what happened next.   After the Cuban Missile Crisis, Lt. Best was stationed at Edwards AFB, and attended Aerospace Research and Reconnaissance School. He was one of the first two Navy pilots to graduate the Air Force test pilot school under the command of Col. Chuck Yeager in 1964. He completed this program in anticipation of participating in a military space program, which was separate from NASA. Lt. Best was a test pilot for the F104 and F106, where he flew twice the speed of sound in 1964. He went to Mach 2, straight up 90,000 ft. in the atmosphere. This was part of the astronaut training and future planning for the space shuttle. Moving to Ventura, CA, in 1965, Lt. Best monitored testing of air-to-ground missiles called the Walleye. Walleye deployed to Vietnam, and Lt. Best went with it as an adviser, between 1965 and 1967. In 1967, he worked on an engineering team to record the electronic environment of a high speed anti-radiation missile during a test strike at Point Mugu, CA. In 1968, he transitioned to RA5C R&D Operations to fleet in Vietnam. Lt. Best flew reconnaissance off the USS Enterprise, becoming commander of the RA5C group. He was on the ship when the fire happened—he was scheduled to make the next flight. Returning to the States in 1970 as an aviation engineering officer commander, he received a posting in 1971 as Commander of Naval Air Systems Command, Crystal City, Washington, D.C. He transferred to the Pentagon in 1973, and served in the Satellite Surveillance Branch in the R&D section. He was a resource sponsor for the satellite program. He secured $8 million for the project—throw away money, even back then.  In 1976, he was Commander of the Naval Electronics System Command, Command & Control Division in Crystal City. He was a resource sponsor for High Boy, which was a multi-sensor, high-flying vehicle, which collected intelligence and radioed it to the fleet. Part of the “Over the Horizon” concept, it was developed in concert with Lockheed Martin. Commander Best helped to make it operational by putting it in U2s in operation in Sicily over the Mediterranean.  In 1975-1976, the cruise missile program was in trouble in Congress. Commander Best talked to Admiral Walter Locke, who approved of the program, and Program Outlaw Shark was born. The Admiral let Commander Best develop the cruise missile program to work with his intelligence program for fleets. This program was the precursor to the Tomahawk Missile. He spent 11-12 years developing the Outlaw Shark/Tomahawk Missile program. Promoted to Captain after his first year of working on the program, he found tremendous support among submarine admirals. They believed in the program, which ended up being a joint project with the Navy and the Air Force. The Tomahawk Missile continues to be an important weapon in the U.S. arsenal. Captain Best retired from the Navy in 1987.  He finished his storied career as Vice President of the Support Division of the Cruise Missile Program for SAIC. After he retired in 1995, he and his wife sailed their 55’ Catch around the Chesapeake.  A multi-talented man, Albert enjoyed spending time in Myrtle Beach with family. A tenor, he had a passion for music, and sang in the National Men’s Chorus in Washington, D.C. for fifteen years, the New Dominion Chorale in McLean, VA, for 25 years, and a Barbershop Quartet in Northern VA for 4 years. He will be missed most by his family and friends, especially his children and grandchildren. Whenever they visited him, he would end each visit by telling them to “Go do good.” His was a consequential life. The family would like to thank Embrace Hospice in Myrtle Beach, SC, for their superb and dignified care of Captain Best at his life’s end. A military burial will be held at Arlington Cemetery in Virginia at a later date. Friends and family are invited to attend the funeral and a reception afterwards. 

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