Ensign george gay

Ensign (later Lieutenant Commander) George Henry Gay Jr. (March 8, – October 21, ) was a Douglas TBD Devastator pilot in United States Navy Torpedo Squadron 8 operating from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. George Gay was born on March 8, , in Marietta, Georgia. He enlisted in the Texas National Guard on July 1, , and received an honorable discharge on October 5, Gay then enlisted in the Aviation Cadet Program of the U.

For Ensign George H. Gay, Jr. of Waco, Texas, the morning of June 4, began with groggy trepidation. With knowledge of a large Japanese invasion fleet moving towards Midway Island outnumbering the assembled American naval force, Gay did not sleep well. Some things just stick in my mind — names, dates, images. When I was a kid, I enjoyed watching war movies with my father. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the battle, fought between June 4 and 7.

Ensign Gay was the only survivor of thirty pilots and radiomen in that attack. While swimming after his plane went down, he observed the dive-bombing attack that destroyed three of four of the Japanese carriers. Fifteen planes of Torpedo Squadron 8 took off from the U. Hornet on June 4, carrying 30 officers and enlisted gunners. All were shot down and Ensign George Gay was the only survivor, watching the battle unfold from beneath a floatation device until rescued.

Often mistakenly referred to as Torpedo Squadron Eight’s lone Midway survivor, George Gay nevertheless plays a huge role in the battle’s enduring mystique. In the 75 years since the Battle of Midway, Ensign George “Tex” Gay Jr. has evolved into an almost mythical figure. Return to Naval History and Heritage Command home page. Return to Online Library listing. George H.

Ensign (later Lieutenant Commander) George Henry Gay Jr. (March 8, – October 21, ) was a Douglas TBD Devastator pilot in United States Navy Torpedo Squadron 8 operating from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet in the Pacific Theater of Operations during World War II. Some things just stick in my mind — names, dates, images. When I was a kid, I enjoyed watching war movies with my father. This year marks the 75th anniversary of the battle, fought between June 4 and 7.

George Gay, then an ensign, was a pilot assigned to Torpedo Squadron 8, which was tasked with sinking Japanese vessels. Under withering enemy fire from machine guns and anti-aircraft. Ensign George Henry Gay Jr. He often lectured on his Midway experiences, and authored the book Sole Survivor. In , he served as a consultant on the set for the movie Midway, in which Kevin Dobson played Gay.