George M. Campbell
George Marvin Campbell | |
|---|---|
| Born | January 7, 1907 Torpedo Squadron 8 |
| Battles/wars | World War II |
| Awards | Navy Cross |
George M. Campbell (January 7, 1907 – June 4, 1942) was a United States Navy officer. He was killed in action at the Battle of Midway while flying a torpedo bomber during an attack against several Japanese aircraft carriers.
Early life
Campbell was born on January 7, 1907, in
He attended Oregon State University.[1]
On June 27, 1928, he
He served as a flight instructor beginning in 1938. At the dawn of the Japanese Attack on Pearl Harbor, he had become one of the Navy's most experienced pilots. "John Waldron relied on him as a teacher and mentor to the younger pilots." He was promoted to Lieutenant (junior grade) in February, 1942.[1]
In 1942 Campbell underwent more flight training and was appointed Lieutenant, junior grade, on April 2, 1942.
He joined
VT-8's first and best-known combat mission came during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942. Flying obsolete Douglas TBD Devastators, all of Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron's fifteen planes were shot down during their unescorted torpedo attack on Imperial Japanese Navy aircraft carriers. The squadron failed to damage any Japanese carriers or destroy enemy aircraft.
Only one member of VT-8 who flew from Hornet on that day survived in the action, Ensign
Piloting a Douglas
A total of 15 planes were launched as part of Torpedo
Legacy
The U.S. Navy
Two short films deal with the men and the achievements of Torpedo Squadron 8 Midway.[7] Highlighting the 30 men in the Aircraft Carrier Hornet's torpedo squadron, director John Ford did an 8 minute long short documentary filmed during the Battle of Midway.[8][9]
References
Citations
- ^ ISBN 978-0-316-02139-5.
- ^ ISBN 9780160020551.
- ^ Rose 1995, pp. 128–132, 146–149.
- ^ Mitscher 13 June 1942.
- ^ a b Oldham, Chuck, ed. (June 4, 2012). "The Battle of Midway: The Sole Survivor of Torpedo Squadron 8". Defense Media Network. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
- ISBN 9781563111105.
- ^ "Torpedo Squadron 8 Midway" (Video) (Film). National Museum of the Pacific War. Archived from the original on 2021-12-21 – via YouTube.
- ^ Ford, John (1942). Torpedo Squadron.
- ISBN 978-0520034983.
Bibliography
- Mitscher, M.A. (13 June 1942). Battle of Midway: USS Hornet Action Report (Report). Archived from the original on 2020-02-03. Retrieved 2021-11-22.
- Rose, Lisle A. (1995). The Ship That Held the Line: The U.S.S. Hornet and the First Year of the Pacific War. Annapolis, Maryland: ISBN 1-55750-008-8.
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.