Albert William Tweedy, Jr.
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| Albert William Tweedy, Jr. | |
|---|---|
| March 22, 1920 – June 14, 1942 (aged 22) | |
| Place of birth | Not indicated |
| Place of death | near Midway Island |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Marine Corps Reserve |
| Years of service | 1941-1942 |
| Rank | Second Lieutenant |
| Unit | Marine Scouter-Bomber Squadron (VMSB)-241 at Midway Island |
| Battles/wars | World War II *Battle of Midway |
| Awards | Navy Cross Purple Heart |
Albert William Tweedy, Jr., was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions in the Battle of Midway. The USS Tweedy (DE-532) was named in his honor.
Albert Tweedy, Jr. was born on 22 March 1920 and attended public schools in Winnetka, Illinois, and Hingham, Massachusetts, before he enrolled at Williams College, Williamstown, Massachusetts, in the fall of 1938.
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[edit] Marine Corps career
In the summer of 1939, he completed Marine Corps' Platoon Commander School at Quantico, Virginia, and, at the end of his sophomore year, left college to become a Marine Aviation Cadet. Following flight training at Squantum, Massachusetts, and Pensacola, Florida, he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in the United States Marine Corps Reserve on 14 October 1941.
Assigned to the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing, Fleet Marine Force, he was stationed at San Diego, California, and Hawaii before reporting for duty with Marine Scouter-Bomber Squadron VMSB-241 at Midway Island early in 1942. He served as Assistant Flight Officer and Assistant Communications Officer for the squadron before becoming its Communications Officer late in May.
Early on the morning of 4 June 1942, Lt. Tweedy took off from Midway Island in his "Dauntless" Navy dive-bomber (SBD-2). Minutes later, the Battle of Midway commenced as planes from the Japanese aircraft carriers pounded the Marine installations on Midway Island, and outdated American fighter planes based at Midway Island were bloodily dispatched by the newer and nimbler Japanese Zeros during the opening stages of the battle.
[edit] Awarded the Navy Cross
On that morning, Lt. Tweedy flew with Major Lofton Henderson's division of VMSB-241. Although stripped of its fighter protection, this division nonetheless attempted a glide-bombing attack on Japanese carrier Hiryu. Despite a fearsome antiaircraft barrage and repeated attacks by the numerically superior enemy fighter planes, Lt. Tweedy dove his aircraft to a perilously low altitude before releasing a bomb over the enemy carrier. Japanese fighters then attacked and splashed his slow-moving bomber, killing Lt. Tweedy. He was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his extraordinary heroism, cool courage, and conscientious devotion to duty.
[edit] Namesake
Tweedy (DE-532) was laid down on 31 August 1943 by the Boston Navy Yard; launched on 7 October 1943; sponsored by Mrs. Albert William Tweedy, mother of Lt. Tweedy; and commissioned on 12 February 1944, Lt. Comdr. Thomas Donald Cunningham in command.
[edit] See also
[edit] References
- This article includes text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships.
