Medal of Honor: Richard E. Fleming - World War II - June 4-5, 1942

Name: Richard E. Fleming
Rank: Captain
Branch: U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
War: World War II
Unit: Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241 (VMSB-241)
Date of Action: June 4-5, 1942
Location: Battle of Midway, Pacific Ocean

Summary of Action

During the pivotal Battle of Midway, Captain Richard E. Fleming displayed extraordinary heroism and unwavering determination while serving as a flight officer with Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241.

On 4 June 1942, Marine aircraft launched attacks against the approaching Japanese carrier force. During the opening strike, Fleming’s squadron commander was shot down while leading the formation. Without hesitation, Fleming assumed command of the remaining aircraft and continued the attack.

Determined to ensure his bomb struck home, he ignored the withering anti-aircraft barrage and enemy fighter attacks and held his dive until reaching the perilously low altitude of just 400 feet before releasing his bomb.

The gamble came at a tremendous cost. Japanese fire riddled his aircraft with approximately 179 hits, yet despite suffering minor wounds himself, Fleming managed to pull his crippled plane out of the dive and return toward Midway.

That night, in darkness and hazardous weather, the returning aircraft became separated. When the squadron commander lost his bearings, Fleming successfully navigated through the poor conditions and safely landed his badly damaged aircraft back at base.

After fewer than four hours of sleep, he climbed back into the cockpit for another combat mission on 5 June.

Leading the second division of his squadron in a coordinated attack against a Japanese battleship, Fleming once again flew directly into heavy anti-aircraft fire.

During his attack run, enemy shells struck his aircraft and set it ablaze.

Many pilots would have broken away.

Instead, Fleming grimly continued his dive, pressing the attack until descending to approximately 500 feet before releasing his bomb. The weapon scored a near miss close to the stern of the battleship.

Moments later, with his aircraft engulfed in flames, Captain Fleming crashed into the sea.

His extraordinary courage, perseverance, and devotion to duty during two consecutive days of combat exemplified the highest traditions of the United States Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service.

Medal of Honor Citation

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.