TFH 6/4: Captain Richard E. Fleming, USMCR

Richard Fleming was born in St. Paul, Minnesota on November 2, 1917. He enlisted in the United States Marine Corps Reserve in 1939 after graduating from the University of Minnesota and volunteered for flight training.

During the Battle of Midway, he flew his Vought SB2U Vindicator dive bomber from the airfield on the island. His tenacious attack on a Japanese carrier on June 4, 1942, coupled with his dive on the Japanese heavy cruiser Mikuma on June 5, saw him posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.


From Medal of Honor Citations for World War II (A-F):


*FLEMING, RICHARD E.


Rank and organization: Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve. Born: 2 November 1917, St. Paul, Minn. Appointed from: Minnesota. Citation: For extraordinary heroism and conspicuous intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty as Flight Officer, Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241, during action against enemy Japanese forces in the battle of Midway on 4 and 5 June 1942. When his Squadron Commander was shot down during the initial attack upon an enemy aircraft carrier, Capt. Fleming led the remainder of the division with such fearless determination that he dived his own plane to the perilously low altitude of 400 feet before releasing his bomb. Although his craft was riddled by 179 hits in the blistering hail of fire that burst upon him from Japanese fighter guns and antiaircraft batteries, he pulled out with only 2 minor wounds inflicted upon himself. On the night of 4 June, when the squadron commander lost his way and became separated from the others, Capt. Fleming brought his own plane in for a safe landing at its base despite hazardous weather conditions and total darkness. The following day, after less than 4 hours' sleep, he led the second division of his squadron in a coordinated glide-bombing and dive-bombing assault upon a Japanese battleship. Undeterred by a fateful approach glide, during which his ship was struck and set afire, he grimly pressed home his attack to an altitude of 500 feet, released his bomb to score a near miss on the stern of his target, then crashed to the sea in flames. His dauntless perseverance and unyielding devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the U.S. Naval Service.

The destroyer escort USS Fleming (DE-32), in service from 1943-45, was named for the brave Marine hero of Midway. No other ship has borne his name.

Richard Fleming's body was not recovered.