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Group embarked from the U.S.S. LEXINGTON (CV-2), in action against enemy
Japanese forces during the Air Battle of the Coral Sea, on 7 and 8 May 1942. Commander Ault led the air attack in the face of severe antiaircraft barrage and heavy fighter opposition, which resulted in the complete destruction of one enemy carrier on 7 May and major damage to another on 8 May. His failure to return from the latter encounter and his courageous conduct throughout the duration of these actions were an inspiration to the entire air group. Commander Ault's outstanding courage, daring airmanship and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.
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366:, information that, in the words of the task force commander, contributed "a great deal toward success" of the attacks that ensued. On the day of the raid, 10 March, Ault, given the authority to carry out or abort the attack on the basis of what weather he found, flew unaccompanied to the pass and orbited. Finding favorable weather, he transmitted information to that effect and directed the passage of planes from
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The
President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to William Bowen Ault (0-057445), Commander, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Combat Plane and Group commander of a Navy Air
376:
toward Lae and
Salamaua. Those groups sank three transports, put a fourth transport out of action, and caused varying degrees of damage to a light cruiser, a minelayer, three destroyers and a seaplane carrier. The transmontane raid postponed the Japanese projected conquest of
462:, which had taken over communications for "Lady Lex," heard Ault's broadcast but failed to pick him up on her radar. Informed that he was on his own but wished "Good luck." Ault changed course to the north, in a last vain attempt to be picked up on radar.
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and Port
Moresby for a month, the time necessary to replace the vital amphibious ships lost off New Guinea and marshal carrier air support. Commander, Aircraft Battle Force, later commended Ault for his work.
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Further duty at the Naval
Academy, as an instructor in the Department of Ordnance and Gunnery, followed before he flew with Patrol Squadron (VP) 10-S, Scouting Fleet, based in aircraft tender
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The Battle of the Coral Sea: Consisting of the
Actions at Tulagi, May 4th, Off Misima, May 7th, and in the Coral Sea on May 8th, 1942 United States. Office of Naval Intelligence
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Ault, perhaps aware of the fate that lay ahead, radioed : "O.K. So long, people. We put a 1,000 pound hit on the flat top." No further word was received from
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on 10 September 1925. Detached from that ship just over a year later, he served at the Naval
Academy as an instructor before reporting for duty with
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189:. The front page of the June 18, 1942, issue of the Enterprise Chieftain carries the news of Commander William Ault's death in the Pacific.
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air group commander, and neither he nor
Aviation Radioman Butler was ever seen again. No remains of his aircraft have ever been found.
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Both Ault and his radio-gunner, Aviation
Radioman 1st Class William T. Butler, apparently suffered wounds when
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Ault served briefly as an enlisted man in the Navy (19 April 1917 – 23 April 1918) before entering the
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distress, he radioed the ship at 14:49, to tell her that he had only enough gasoline for 20 minutes.
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air group in the Battle of the Coral Sea earned him the posthumous award of the Navy Cross.
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was damaged severely enough to warrant its removal from battle and its return to base at
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621:"Family of famous WWII aviator visits airfield named in his honor 75 years ago"
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From Coral Sea to
Whidbey Island | Wings of Gold | Find Articles at BNET.com
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Tillman, Barrett; Tullis, Tom, Author and Illustrator (November 20, 2012).
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in the United States Navy launched 26 March 1944, was also named for him.
316:. On 5 August 1939, less than a month before the start of World War II in
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Ault helped to plan and execute the attacks on Japanese shipping at
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bombers into combat in the successful May 7 attack on the Japanese
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On 22 July 1941, Lieutenant Commander Ault once more reported to
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was the first Japanese aircraft carrier sunk in World War II.
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After earning his wings, Ault served with Aircraft Squadrons,
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Navy Cross Awards to members of the U.S. Navy in World War II
602:"COMMANDER WILLIAM BILL AULT AND THE BATTLE OF THE CORAL SEA"
590:. Office of Naval Intelligence. 1943. pp. 9, 14, 16, 24.
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on 7 December 1941 drew the United States into World War II.
320:, Ault assumed command of the Naval Reserve Aviation Base,
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Morrison, Wilbur H.; Morrison, William (December 1985).
246:, Aircraft Squadrons, Scouting Fleet, on 15 June 1927.
231:, before commencing a tour in the aviation unit of the
205:. Graduating on 2 June 1922, Ault served at sea on the
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Navy Cross Awards for World War II – Alphabetical List
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United States Navy personnel killed in World War II
454:had taken mortal damage in his absence. Unaware of
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975:"Welcome aboard Naval Air Station Whidbey Island!"
544:List of people who disappeared mysteriously at sea
277:; and in the observation unit of the battleship
923:Douglas SBD "CLAG" Dauntless Bureau Number 4679
649:"Local WWII aviator inducted into Hall of Fame"
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425:airwing's attack on the Japanese fleet carrier
876:HyperWar: USSBS: Campaigns of the Pacific War
8:
1067:Recipients of the Navy Cross (United States)
421:Early in the morning on 8 May, Ault led the
224:, on 23 August 1924 for flight instruction.
16:US commander and recipient of the Navy Cross
568:Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships
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1057:United States Navy pilots of World War II
1005:– Photograph of Commander William B. Ault
760:CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (
324:, a billet in which he served into 1941.
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562:This article incorporates text from the
446:fighters attacked the group commander's
820:Directory of Military Bases in the U.S.
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509:On September 25, 1943, the airfield at
257:. He then served on the staff of Capt.
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717:Midway Dauntless Units of World War 2
647:Dickenson, Elane (October 18, 2011).
7:
476:Both Ault and Butler were listed as
847:Wood, Scott (September 25, 2018).
480:and presumed dead on May 8, 1942.
185:and a posthumous recipient of the
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1077:Missing in action of World War II
683:"Ault, William Bowen, CDR Fallen"
619:Guido, Laura (October 24, 2018).
431:. The attack was successful; the
1015:From Coral Sea to Whidbey Island
1003:Commander William Bowen Ault MIA
963:Whidbey Island Naval Air Station
818:William R. Evinger, ed. (1991).
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511:Naval Air Station Whidbey Island
1082:Military personnel from Oregon
1062:People from Enterprise, Oregon
606:National Historical Foundation
513:was named for Commander Ault.
292:—next assisted in fitting-out
1:
803:: CS1 maint: date and year (
781:Random House Publishing Group
131:Naval Reserve Aviation Base,
466:again wished him good luck.
1033:biography on Commander Ault
244:Observation Squadron (VO) 3
218:Naval Air Station Pensacola
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1027:Commander Ault's Biography
723:. Osprey Combat Aircraft.
851:. Oak Harbor, Washington.
129:Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6)
727:. pp. 71, 87, 378.
654:Wallowa County Chieftain
216:before reporting to the
1009:Battle of the Coral Sea
898:Battle of the Coral Sea
887:Battle of the Coral Sea
701:"NAS Whidbey Island WA"
392:Battle of the Coral Sea
386:Battle of the Coral Sea
62:Battle of the Coral Sea
669:"Pacific Wrecks Pilot"
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336:attack on Pearl Harbor
725:Bloomsbury Publishing
488:Ault's leadership of
100:Years of service
495:The citation reads:
288:Ault—by this time a
173:– 8 May 1942) was a
1021:The Action of May 8
399:Air Group Commander
322:Kansas City, Kansas
133:Kansas City, Kansas
950:2006-08-29 at the
753:has generic name (
687:Together we served
626:Whidbey News Times
193:Early naval career
179:United States Navy
171:Enterprise, Oregon
167:William Bowen Ault
94:United States Navy
42:Enterprise, Oregon
23:William Bowen Ault
478:Missing in Action
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57:(1942-05-08)
1052:1942 deaths
1047:1898 births
632:February 1,
490:Lexington's
471:Lexington's
456:Lexington's
403:Lexington's
401:, Ault led
396:Lexington's
281:Mississippi
271:NAS Norfolk
72:Lost at sea
55:May 8, 1942
1041:Categories
985:2008-01-12
824:Oryx Press
790:0553253867
550:References
484:Navy Cross
356:New Guinea
308:Enterprise
302:Yorktown's
290:lieutenant
238:Cincinnati
207:battleship
203:midshipman
187:Navy Cross
159:Navy Cross
78:Allegiance
35:1898-10-06
799:cite book
743:cite book
532:destroyer
518:USS
452:Lexington
423:Lexington
368:Lexington
329:Lexington
306:USS
294:USS
279:USS
265:Lexington
263:USS
251:USS
236:USS
210:USS
175:commander
138:Lexington
111:Commander
103:1917–1942
948:Archived
721:(E-book)
538:See also
464:Yorktown
460:Yorktown
373:Yorktown
352:Salamaua
333:Japanese
296:Yorktown
275:Virginia
212:Arkansas
136:Carrier
126:Commands
121:0-057445
88:Service/
433:ShĹŤkaku
428:ShĹŤkaku
222:Florida
181:during
177:in the
830:
787:
731:
560:
505:Legacy
379:Tulagi
318:Poland
253:Wright
155:Awards
90:branch
68:Buried
865:Shoho
529:class
524:, an
437:Chuuk
416:ShĹŤhĹŤ
411:ShĹŤhĹŤ
269:; at
201:as a
828:ISBN
805:link
785:ISBN
762:link
755:help
729:ISBN
634:2021
520:Ault
516:The
444:Zero
370:and
350:and
314:VT-6
108:Rank
52:Died
29:Born
348:Lae
1043::
1029:–
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857:^
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