World War II Honoree

Samuel Adams

Branch of Service

U.S. Navy

Hometown

Northampton, Massachusetts

Honored By

John Peterson

After the attack on Pearl Harbor, the USS Yorktown was sent to the Pacific theater of Operations. he took part in raids in the Gilbert and Marshall Islands. He led raids on land and sea targets in and around Jaluit on February 1, 1942, against shipping off New Guinea on March 10, and on the island of Tulagi on May 4. He participated in the Battle of the Coral Sea on May 7 and 8. During this period he was twice awarded the Navy Cross. The six Japanese aircraft carriers that had played a crucial role in the attack on Pearl Harbor became a primary focus of U.S. naval efforts in the ensuing Pacific campaign. Four of these ships were part of a battle group involved in the Battle of Midway; three were set ablaze in that battle on June 4, 1942. The fourth, the Hiryu, remained unscathed. On June 5, he and his wingman spotted her and her battle group, consisting of two battleships, three heavy cruisers and four destroyers. Under fire from a Zero fighter, he radioed the ships' location. Because of this, the U.S. battle group was able to put the Hiryu out of action, and inflict major damage on the rest of the battle group. On June 6, he spotted the Japanese destroyer Tanikaze and attacked; his plane disappeared in the clouds and was never seen again, presumed downed by anti-aircraft fire from the destroyer. He was posthumously awarded a third Navy Cross for the mission in which he located the Hiryu.