World War II Honoree

Gus Bebas

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Chicago, Illinois

Honored By

Joe Arsena

ENLISTED IN THE NAVY ON JANUARY 23, 1940. HE BEGAN FLIGHT TRAINING AT NAVAL RESERVE AVIATION BASE GLENVIEW IN FEBRUARY AND WAS AT NAVAL AIR STATION PENSACOLA IN 1941. HE TRANSFERRED TO NAVAL AIR STATION MIAMI IN APRIL 1941 AND WAS PROMOTED TO ENSIGN THE FOLLOWING MONTH. ON SEPTEMBER 26 HE WAS ASSIGNED TO THE ADVANCED CARRIER TRAINING GROUP, ATLANTIC FLEET AND IN OCTOBER, REPORTED TO BOMBING SQUADRON (VB) 8, ON DECEMBER 23, 1941. HE AND HIS SQUADRON WERE SERVING ON BOARD THE USS HORNET (CV-8) WHEN SHE SAILED FOR THE PACIFIC IN MARCH 1942, RE-EQUIPPED WITH THE DOUGLAS SBD-3 DAUNTLESS DIVE BOMBER. DURING THE FIRST DAY OF THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, JUNE 4, 1942, HE FLEW IN THE FIRST STRIKE BUT HIS SQUADRON DID NOT LOCATE THE JAPANESE. THE FOLLOWING DAY HE ATTACKED THE JAPANESE DESTROYER TANIKAZE AND ON JUNE 6 HE TOOK PART IN STRIKES FLOWN AGAINST THE HEAVY CRUISERS MOGAMI AND MIKUNIA. HE SCORED A DAMAGING NEAR MISS ON MOGAMI IN THE FACE OF HEAVY ANTI-AIRCRAFT FIRE. FOR THIS ACTION HE WAS POSTHUMOUSLY AWARDED THE DISTINGUISHED FLYING CROSS FOR HEROISM AND EXTRAORDINARY ACHIEVEMENT IN ACTION AGAINST THE ENEMY IN THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY, JUNE 6, 1942. THE HORNET RETURNED TO PEARL HARBOR FOLLOWING THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY. WHILE ON A ROUTINE FLIGHT OFF OAHU ON THE MORNING OF JULY 19, 1942, HE PUT HIS DAUNTLESS INTO A DIVE TO ATTACK A TARGET BOAT MANEUVERING OFF BARBER'S POINT. HE RELEASED HIS PRACTICE BOMB AT 2,000 FEET BUT DID NOT RECOVER FROM THE DIVE, CRASHED INTO THE OCEAN AND HE WAS KILLED.