George gay midway

Midway was an improbable victory, but nothing was more improbable than what happened that day to Ensign George H. 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. March 8, Service: United States Navy. U.S. Navy photo courtesy of Mark Horan. For Ensign George H. Gay, Jr. of Waco, Texas, the morning of June 4, began with groggy trepidation. His courageous action, carried out with a gallant spirit of self-sacrifice and a conscientious devotion to the fulfillment of his mission, was a determining factor in the defeat of the enemy forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

Midway was an improbable victory, but nothing was more improbable than what happened that day to Ensign George H. Gay. 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. With knowledge of a large Japanese invasion fleet moving towards Midway Island outnumbering the assembled American naval force, Gay did not sleep well.

He was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his actions in combat at Midway and was later awarded an Air Medal. 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.

Ensign George H. Gay (left) and Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Elbert S. McCuskey With McCuskey's F4F-4 "Wildcat" fighter, June , following the Battle of Midway. Note seven "victory" flags painted below the cockpit. Ensign Gay was the sole Battle of Midway aircrew survivor of USS Hornet's Torpedo Squadron Eight.

After the war, Gay spent over 30 years as a pilot for TWA. He often lectured on his Midway experiences, and authored the book Sole Survivor about his wartime experiences. In the 75 years since the Battle of Midway, Ensign George “Tex” Gay Jr. has evolved into an almost mythical figure. All fifteen pilots received the Navy Cross 14 of them posthumouslyand their enlisted gunners all received posthumous awards of the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Inhe served as a consultant on the set for the movie Midwayin which Kevin Dobson played Gay. Grimly aware of the hazardous consequences of flying without fighter protection, and with insufficient fuel to return to his carrier, Ensign Gay, resolutely, and with no thought of his own life, delivered an effective torpedo attached against violent assaults of enemy Japanese aircraft and against an almost solid barrage of anti-aircraft fire.

Ensign George Gay (right), sole survivor of VT-8 at Midway, standing beside his TBD Devastator before the Battle of Midway. All were shot down and Ensign George Gay was the only survivor, watching the battle unfold from beneath a floatation device until rescued. 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.

Fifteen planes of Torpedo Squadron 8 took off from the U. Hornet on June 4, carrying 30 officers and enlisted gunners. Batallion: Torpedo Squadron 8 VT Division: U. Hornet CV Action Date: June 4, Following Midway, Gay took part in the Guadalcanal Campaign with Torpedo Squadron 11, and later became a Navy flight instructor.

Ennobled on the cover of Life magazine in Augusthe received the Navy Cross and became iconic as the “sole. 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. Rank: Ensign. In the 75 years since the Battle of Midway, Ensign George “Tex” Gay Jr.

has evolved into an almost mythical george gay midway. Following the battle, Gay took part in the Guadalcanal campaign with another squadron, and he later became a navy flight instructor. The other crewman pictured is one of his rear gunners, ARM3c George Arthur Field, who flew with ENS Harold Ellison on June 4.