28:
456:
Michio
Kobayashi. Attacking ahead of the others, he made a side-on pass against the Japanese lead division, then found himself heading into the second division head-on. In the resulting chaos, he claimed three dive bombers destroyed (before running out of ammunition), and caused the enemy formation
342:. This resulted in the death of the destroyer's captain and several of the ship's crew. On the return flight, McCuskey and his wingman, Ensign John P. Adams, got separated from the rest of the division and were forced to land on a beach on the south-east part of
471:
for another CAP sortie over Task Force 17. His flight ambushed several Zeros, claiming three, including two for McCuskey (he in fact shot down one and damaged the other). However, McCuskey was himself jumped by a Zero flown by
980:
352:
picked them up. As a result of getting lost and ditching at
Guadalcanal, he was grounded for two days by the squadron commander. This prevented him from flying the evening mission of 7 May with
955:
975:
1005:
1000:
960:
393:, chased McCuskey into a cloud, and out of the fight. However, the escorting Wildcats successfully protected the torpedo bombers, as none were lost during the attack on
945:
397:. Near the enemy carriers, McCuskey encountered two more Zeros and escaped by diving into a rain squall. He returned to the US fleet and landed on the damaged
618:, an honor typically reserved for those who die while on active military duty but here given because he was one of the Navy's most highly decorated aviators.
965:
610:
McCuskey died of a heart attack, suffered while attending services at Peace
Memorial Presbyterian Church in Clearwater, on June 15, 1997. He is buried at
935:
542:
157:
502:
After the Battle of Midway, McCuskey was transferred back to United States, where he worked as a flight instructor. In this period he was located at
970:
558:
582:
995:
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457:
to disintegrate, leaving them easy targets for the approaching
Wildcats. Nevertheless, seven D3A dive bombers survived the gauntlet to hit
363:
906:
887:
447:
868:
369:
985:
940:
509:
En route back to the United States, he had a shipboard romance with Yvonne Hudson, who was returning from Hawaii to her native
473:
592:, a reporter and publishing executive). McCuskey subsequently married his wife Patty and they raised a son and a daughter.
604:
311:
283:
118:
335:
812:
659:
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238:
246:
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291:
588:
He and his wife Yvonne had three daughters together. That marriage subsequently ended in divorce (she remarried
530:
189:
123:
383:
362:
On 8 May, McCuskey was restored to duty and flew escort for the USN strike force against the IJN carriers
307:
271:
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223:
47:
482:. McCuskey's wingman, who Yamamoto had not seen, intervened and drove the Zero away. In the meantime,
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538:. During VF-8's deployment, from March to October 1944, he claimed seven more aerial victories.
327:
234:
179:
85:
666:. Raleigh, North Carolina. Associated Press. June 8, 1943. p. 5 – via Newspapers.com.
902:
883:
864:
578:
453:
379:
589:
562:
518:
435:
356:
193:
128:
517:; due to McCuskey's celebrity as a fighter ace, a story about the wedding was filed by the
570:
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267:
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103:
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flying boat (shared with his wingman, Ensign John P. Adams). He was later promoted to
919:
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387:
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242:
182:
73:
27:
483:
113:
557:
After the war, McCuskey stayed in the Navy and became a strategic planner in the
510:
343:
339:
138:
411:
later sank with his
Wildcat fighter on board. After the battle, he returned to
682:
423:
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134:
546:
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163:
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fighters, one of which he managed to shoot down. Afterwards, three more
615:
279:
331:
861:
The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway
359:
that intercepted the IJN strike force (despite him begging to go).
200:, one for each battle. By the end of the war, he was credited with
386:
that McCuskey's division was protecting. One of them, most likely
253:
416:
614:
at Naval Air
Station Pensacola. The service for him included a
541:
In addition to the two Navy
Crosses, McCuskey was awarded five
467:. Later that afternoon, he led a division of four Wildcats off
981:
863:(New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press.
461:, leaving her heavily damaged, and he was forced to land on
438:
on 4 June 1942, McCuskey was part of the CAP that protected
521:
and carried in a number of newspapers around the country.
278:, with his squadron still aboard, was transferred to the
689:. June 22, 1997. p. 4B – via Newspapers.com.
442:. His division intercepted the first strike wave of 18
374:. During the mission, his division was attacked by two
346:. They were helped by the natives before the destroyer
237:(USN) in 1938 and earned his wings in October 1939 at
635:
633:
631:
144:
109:
99:
91:
79:
69:
53:
34:
18:
577:(but never practiced law). He taught at both the
882:. Aircraft of the Aces #137. Osprey Publishing.
565:He received a master's degree in economics from
813:"Ace pilot and professor E. Scott McCuskey, 82"
603:, where he became a professor of economics at
330:) strafed a beached Japanese minesweeper near
956:Military personnel from Little Rock, Arkansas
318:. McCuskey flew an afternoon patrol over the
8:
976:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
226:. He grew up in the Little Rock area and in
899:Aces Against Japan: The American Aces Speak
806:
804:
802:
800:
798:
796:
794:
792:
677:
675:
673:
282:. In February 1942, he participated in the
1006:University of Alabama School of Law alumni
654:
652:
650:
648:
266:to protect the merchant ships heading for
26:
15:
1001:United States Navy pilots of World War II
828:
826:
771:
747:
735:
723:
711:
699:
961:Military personnel from Washington, D.C.
819:. p. 7B – via Newspapers.com.
660:"Navy Ace, Shipmate Married in Arkansas"
513:. They were married on June 7, 1943, in
286:, and was credited with shooting down a
222:McCuskey was born on 9 February 1915 in
783:
759:
627:
559:Office of the Chief of Naval Operations
306:took part in the operation against the
946:Burials at Barrancas National Cemetery
811:Cosdon, Christina K. (June 17, 1997).
639:
583:Industrial College of the Armed Forces
7:
762:, pp. Chapter 3: The Coral Sea.
322:, where he and his division of four
966:Nova Southeastern University alumni
486:torpedo bombers managed to cripple
14:
936:American World War II flying aces
836:. Obitcentral.com. February 2001
569:, a doctorate in economics from
446:dive bombers from the undamaged
971:People from Clearwater, Florida
490:, and McCuskey again landed on
196:, for which he was awarded two
178:(1915–1997) was a World War II
595:He retired from the navy as a
524:In late 1943, McCuskey joined
1:
901:. Pacifica Military History.
786:, pp. Chapter 3: Midway.
605:St. Petersburg Junior College
252:In late 1941, he was part of
245:, he initially served in the
996:United States Naval Aviators
951:Georgetown University alumni
573:, and a law degree from the
543:Distinguished Flying Crosses
415:, and VF-42 was merged into
262:, conducting patrols in the
991:United States Navy captains
859:Lundstrom, John B. (2005).
612:Barrancas National Cemetery
599:in 1965. He then moved to
239:Naval Air Station Pensacola
1022:
878:Millman, Nicholas (2019).
158:Distinguished Flying Cross
880:A6M Zero-sen Aces 1940-42
504:Naval Air Station Norfolk
419:, which was commanded by
403:, as he could not locate
382:(CAP) Zeros attacked the
188:. He participated in the
25:
284:Marshalls–Gilberts raids
119:Marshalls–Gilberts raids
74:United States of America
834:"Yvonne Hudson Shepley"
683:"E. McCuskey, Navy ace"
384:Douglas TBD Devastators
326:(led by Lieutenant(jg)
190:Battle of the Coral Sea
124:Battle of the Coral Sea
986:St. Petersburg College
941:Aviators from Arkansas
616:naval aircraft flyover
308:Imperial Japanese Navy
272:Attack on Pearl Harbor
897:Hammel, Eric (2007).
664:The News and Observer
575:University of Alabama
567:Georgetown University
224:Little Rock, Arkansas
176:Elbert Scott McCuskey
92:Years of service
48:Little Rock, Arkansas
20:Elbert Scott McCuskey
817:St. Petersburg Times
726:, pp. 179, 211.
421:Lieutenant Commander
354:Lieutenant Commander
324:Grumman F4F Wildcats
774:, pp. 369–411.
750:, pp. 224–243.
714:, pp. 173–174.
687:The Palm Beach Post
601:Clearwater, Florida
536:Grumman F6F Hellcat
515:Stuttgart, Arkansas
376:Mitsubishi A6M Zero
228:Stuttgart, Arkansas
64:Clearwater, Florida
334:and the destroyer
312:Invasion of Tulagi
241:. Commissioned as
235:United States Navy
214:aerial victories.
86:United States Navy
579:Naval War College
380:Combat Air Patrol
173:
172:
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590:James R. Shepley
563:Washington, D.C.
519:Associated Press
436:Battle of Midway
338:heading towards
213:
212:
208:
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194:Battle of Midway
129:Battle of Midway
81:
60:
45:February 9, 1915
44:
42:
30:
16:
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638:
629:
624:
571:Nova University
555:
553:Post-war career
528:on the carrier
500:
432:
320:Florida Islands
316:Solomon Islands
302:On 4 May 1942,
300:
292:Lieutenant (jg)
256:on the carrier
220:
210:
206:
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169:
62:
58:
46:
40:
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21:
12:
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5:
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908:978-0935553598
907:
894:
889:978-1472821447
888:
875:
869:
855:
854:
848:
847:
822:
788:
776:
772:Lundstrom 2005
764:
752:
748:Lundstrom 2005
740:
738:, p. 233.
736:Lundstrom 2005
728:
724:Lundstrom 2005
716:
712:Lundstrom 2005
704:
700:Lundstrom 2005
692:
669:
644:
626:
625:
623:
620:
554:
551:
499:
496:
480:Akira Yamamoto
431:
428:
391:Sadamu Komachi
299:
296:
264:Atlantic Ocean
233:He joined the
219:
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107:
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97:
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83:
77:
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71:
67:
66:
61:(aged 82)
55:
51:
50:
36:
32:
31:
23:
22:
19:
13:
10:
9:
6:
4:
3:
2:
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870:1-59114-471-X
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702:, p. 80.
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545:and fourteen
544:
539:
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534:and flew the
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440:Task Force 17
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388:Petty Officer
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367:
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360:
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357:James Flatley
355:
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288:Kawanishi H6K
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57:June 15, 1997
56:
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898:
879:
860:
838:. Retrieved
816:
784:Millman 2019
779:
767:
760:Millman 2019
755:
743:
731:
719:
707:
695:
686:
663:
609:
594:
587:
561:, living in
556:
540:
529:
523:
508:
501:
498:Later in war
491:
487:
484:Nakajima B5N
474:
468:
463:
458:
448:
433:
412:
408:
404:
399:
394:
370:
364:
361:
348:
328:Bill Leonard
303:
301:
275:
270:. After the
258:
251:
232:
221:
218:Early career
198:Navy Crosses
175:
174:
133:
114:World War II
110:Battles/wars
59:(1997-06-15)
931:1997 deaths
926:1915 births
640:Hammel 2007
531:Bunker Hill
511:Los Angeles
434:During the
344:Guadalcanal
340:Savo Island
139:Vietnam War
920:Categories
622:References
547:Air Medals
492:Enterprise
469:Enterprise
464:Enterprise
454:Lieutenant
424:John Thach
152:Navy Cross
135:Korean War
70:Allegiance
41:1915-02-09
840:August 8,
444:Aichi D3A
409:Lexington
400:Lexington
310:'s (IJN)
298:Coral Sea
164:Air Medal
95:1938–1965
581:and the
488:Yorktown
459:Yorktown
413:Yorktown
405:Yorktown
304:Yorktown
276:Yorktown
259:Yorktown
192:and the
80:Service/
853:Sources
597:captain
452:led by
395:ShĹŤkaku
371:Zuikaku
365:ShĹŤkaku
349:Hammann
314:in the
280:Pacific
268:Britain
247:Reserve
209:⁄
183:fighter
180:US Navy
104:Captain
905:
886:
867:
430:Midway
336:YĹ«zuki
332:Tulagi
243:ensign
145:Awards
82:branch
449:Hiryū
254:VF-42
903:ISBN
884:ISBN
865:ISBN
842:2020
526:VF-8
478:ace
475:Kaga
417:VF-3
368:and
166:(14)
100:Rank
54:Died
35:Born
249:.
186:ace
160:(5)
154:(2)
922::
825:^
815:.
791:^
685:.
672:^
662:.
647:^
630:^
607:.
585:.
549:.
506:.
494:.
426:.
407:.
294:.
274:,
230:.
202:13
911:.
892:.
873:.
844:.
642:.
211:2
207:1
204:+
43:)
39:(
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