TFH 5/9: Coral Sea Navy Cross Recipients

Yesterday, I recounted the story of the Battle of the Coral Sea on the 70th anniversary of the battle's end, and over the last two days, the heroic exploits of the four men who were decorated with the Medal of Honor for their gallantry. The Medal of Honor recipients were:

• Lieutenant (Junior Grade) William E. Hall
• Chief Watertender Oscar V. Peterson
• Lieutenant John James Powers
• Lieutenant Milton E. Ricketts

The Navy Cross, as I'm sure my regular readers know, is second only to the Medal of Honor as an award for bravery in combat that can be bestowed on members of the Naval Service. I was able to identify one hundred and thirty-four recipients of the Navy Cross for actions during the Battle of the Coral Sea.

Most of the recipients were Naval Aviators from the squadrons flying from the aircraft carriers USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Yorktown (CV-5). Even with the large number I did find, I think the list is incomplete; I didn't find any recipients from among the Yorktown's crew, just her air crews. I found that strange as the damage control teams on Yorktown saved the ship and one of them - Lieutenant Ricketts - received the Medal of Honor.

Complete or not, the list of the 134 names of American heroes I was able to identify follows. The links go to the Military Times' Hall of Valor. Some of them were recipients of multiple Navy Crosses in their careers. Many of them were killed during the Battle of the Coral Sea or later in World War II. Some went on to distinguished and lengthy Naval careers after the war, others quietly returned to civilian life.

I don't expect you to read all 134 citations that are linked. What I'd like you to do is pick three or four; perhaps one of these men shares your name, perhaps they're actually a relative, or perhaps a name catches your eye for some other reason. Read why those three or four received the Navy Cross, and take a few moments to contemplate what they - along with the thousands of other Americans who fought at the Coral Sea - did for all of us, now 70 years on.

• ENS John P. Adams, Pilot, Fighting TWO (VF-2)
• LT Samuel Adams, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• LT Edwin H. Allen, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• ENS John N. Ammen, Jr., Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• CDR William B. Ault, Commanding Officer, Carrier Air Group 2
• ENS Walton A. Austin, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• ENS John B. Bain, Pilot, Fighting TWO (VF-2)
• ENS John D. Baker, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• LTJG Paul G. Baker, Pilot, Fighting TWO (VF-2)
• ENS Tom B. Bash, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LTJG Harry B. Bass, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ENS Edgar R. Bassett, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ENS David R. Berry, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• ENS LaVell M. Bigelow, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• ENS George E. Bottjer, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• LTJG Arthur J. Brassfield, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• LCDR James H. Brett, Jr., Commanding Officer, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• EMC Jack P. Brown, Switchboard Operator, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• ENS Thomas E. Brown, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• LCDR Thomas M. Brown, Gunnery Officer, USS Neosho (AO-23)
• LTJG Robert B. Buchan, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• LCDR William O. Burch, Jr., Commanding Officer, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LT Turner F. Caldwell, Jr., Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• ENS Kendall C. Campbell, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• ENS Davis E. Chaffee, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• LT William F. Christie, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LTJG John M. Clarke, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• ENS Clem B. Connally, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• ENS Walter W. Coolbaugh, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LT Ralph W. Cousins, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• LTJG Richard G. Crommelin, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• LTJG Radcliffe R. Denniston, Jr., Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• LCDR Harlan R. Dickson, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LCDR Robert E. Dixon, Commanding Officer, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LTJG Arthur L. Downing, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LTJG Willard E. Eder, Jr., Pilot, Fighting TWO (VF-2)
• ENS Robert F. Edmondson, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LT Thomas E. Edwards, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LTJG Thomas B. Ellison, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• LT Robert F. Farrington, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LTJG Frederic L. Faulkner, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LCDR Charles R. Fenton, Commanding Officer, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• LCDR James H. Flatley, Jr., Executive Officer, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• LTJG Harry A. Fredrickson, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• LT Albert B. Furer, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• LT Noel A. M. Gayler, Pilot, Fighting TWO (VF-2)
• APC Melvin H. Georgius, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• CDR John K. B. Ginder, Commanding Officer, USS Anderson (DD-411)
• LT John R. Gorman, Engineering Officer, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• LT William S. Guest, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LTJG Walter A. Haas, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ENS Curtis W. L. Hamilton, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LCDR Weldon L. Hamilton, Commanding Officer, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• ENS Marvin M. Haschke, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LT Frederic W. Hawes, Damage Control Officer, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• LT Walter F. Henry, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• ENS Ralph L. Holton, Rescue Boat Officer-in-Charge, USS Hammann (DD-412)
• CAPT Gilbert C. Hoover, Commanding Officer, Destroyers, Task Force 11
• LT Edwin W. Hurst, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LT Wilford M Hyman, Commanding Officer, USS Sims (DD-409)
• CDR Harry B. Jarrett, Commanding Officer, USS Morris (DD-417)
• BM2 Albert S. Jason, Boat Coxswain, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• LTJG Earl V. Johnson, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• ENS John H. Jorgenson, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LT Edward B. Kinzer, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LTJG Paul J. Knapp, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• ENS Leslie L. B. Knox, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ENS Theodore E. Krepski, Rescue Boat Officer-in-Charge, USS Hammann (DD-412)
• ENS Leif W. Larsen, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• ENS Russell P. Lecklider, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• LTJG William N. Leonard, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ENS John A. Leppla, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• AO John C. Livezey, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• CAPT Frank J. Lowry, Commanding Officer, USS Minneapolis (CA-36)
• LT Brainard T. Macomber, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ARMC Johnnie E. Mattis, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LTJG Edward D. Mattson, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ENS Elmer Maul, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• ENS Harold R. Mazza, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LT Vincent F. McCormack, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• LTJG Elbert S. McCuskey, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• ENS Frank R. McDonald, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• LTJG Henry M. McDowell, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• EM2 Robert L. Metts, Engineering Messenger, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• Pvt Raymond Miller, Jr., USMC, Fuse Setter, Battery 4, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• LTJG Floyd E. Moan, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• LTJG Robert J. Morgan, Pilot, Fighting TWO (VF-2)
• ENS Richard F. Neely, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LT James H. Newell, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LTJG Hugh W. Nicholson, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LT John L. Nielsen, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LT Edwin B. Parker, Jr., Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• ENS Benjamin G. Preston, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• AP1 Sidney W. Quick, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• ENS Anthony J. Quigley, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LCDR Paul H. Ramsey, Commanding Officer, VB-2
• ENS Joseph A. Riley, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• ENS John W. Rowley, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• ENS Francis R. Sanborn, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• CDR Francis W. Scanland, Sr., Commanding Officer, USS Astoria (CA-34)
• CDR Walter G. Schindler, Aerial Gunnery Observer, Staff Commander Cruisers
• ENS Anthony J. Schultheis, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• ENS Arthur J. Schultz, Jr., Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• CDR Morton T. Seligman, Executive Officer, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• CDR Elliott W. Shanklin, Gunnery Officer, USS Portland (CA-33)
• APC Bruce C. Shearon, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LTJG John G. Sheridan, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• LCDR Wallace C. Short, Jr., Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• ENS Alva A. Simmons, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• LT Joseph G. Smith, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• ENS Robert E. Smith, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LCDR Lawrence F. Steffenhagen, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LT Norman A. Sterrie, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LT Stockton B. Strong, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LT Chandler W. Swanson, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• AOC Harley E. Talkington, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• LCDR Joseph Taylor, Commanding Officer, VT-5
• LT Keith E. Taylor, Pilot, Bombing FIVE (VB-5)
• LTJG Leonard W. Thornhill, Pilot, Torpedo TWO (VT-2)
• ENS Laurence G. Traynor, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• CDR Arnold E. True, Commanding Officer, USS Hammann (DD-412)
• PhM3 Henry W. Tucker, Medical Corpsman, USS Neosho (AO-23)
• ENS Samuel J. Underhill, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LTJG Stanley W. Vejtasa, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• CDR Arthur J. White, Senior Medical Officer, USS Lexington (CV-2)
• ENS William W. Wileman, Pilot, Fighting TWO (VF-2)
• ENS Robert P. Williams, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• APC Edward J. Williamson, Pilot, Torpedo FIVE (VT-5)
• ENS John D Wingfield, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LTJG George O. Wood, Pilot, Bombing TWO (VB-2)
• ENS Harry Wood, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)
• LT Rodger B. Woodhull, Pilot, Scouting FIVE (VS-5)
• LTJG William S. Wollen, Pilot, Fighting FORTY-TWO (VF-42)
• LTJG Max E. E. Woyke, Pilot, Scouting TWO (VS-2)