Midway gay

Ensign (later Lieutenant Commander) George Henry Gay Jr. (March 8, – October 21, ) was a Douglas TBD Devastator pilot in United States Navy Torpedo Squadron 8 operating from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. Of the 30 VT-8 aircrew from Hornet that participated in the pivotal Battle of Midway, Ensign Gay was the sole survivor.

Often mistakenly referred to as Torpedo Squadron Eight’s lone Midway survivor, George Gay nevertheless plays a huge role in the battle’s enduring mystique. In the 75 years since the Battle of Midway, Ensign George “Tex” Gay Jr. has evolved into an almost mythical figure. Ennobled on the cover of Life magazine in August , he received the Navy Cross and became iconic as the “sole.

Explore the life and legacy of George Henry Gay, Jr., a distinguished U.S. Navy pilot and sole survivor of Torpedo Squadron Eight during the Battle of Midway in World War II. For Ensign George H. Gay, Jr. of Waco, Texas, the morning of June 4, began with groggy trepidation. With knowledge of a large Japanese invasion fleet moving towards Midway Island outnumbering the.

Midway was an improbable victory, but nothing was more improbable than what happened that day to Ensign George H. Gay. However, due to a heart condition, he was rejected from the service.

Bruno midway

At the beginning of , the Japanese appeared to be unstoppable. Against all odds, Ensign Gay was located and rescued. Get more resources at VeteransCrisisLine.

Share This Article. Skip to content. Please, never put personally identifiable information SSAN , address, phone number, etc. Pressing home their attack despite not having fighter cover, all 10 planes were shot down. Official websites use. Leave a comment. He can be contacted at murdockcolumn yahoo. Topics in this story. He managed to survive for over 30 hours in the ocean before a Navy patrol boat rescued him. Through a combination of skill — and frankly, luck — our forces scored hits on three of the four Japanese carriers in close succession, dooming all three.

Until the Battle of Midway, almost exactly six months after the attack on Pearl Harbor. Whether they produced battlefield images of the dead or daguerreotype portraits of common soldiers, […].

On Ensign Gay and the Battle of Midway

Department of Veterans Affairs Vermont Ave. He returned to his home state of Texas to recover from his injuries. Fifteen planes in. There, he witnessed the most stunning 15 minutes in the history of the U. When George Gay appeared on-screen, Dad remarked on him, talking as if he knew him personally. Contact Veteran Tributes at info veterantributes. Repulse, conquered U. Visit our blog post about nominating to learn how to create the best submission.

Navy Pearl Harbor. Looking for U. Many of them are Veterans themselves. Subscribe to our HistoryNet Now!