.
UNITED STATES MARINE
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
BIOGRAPHY: Harry Morton "Morty" Radford, born in 1920, was the son of Herschel and Pearl "Strecker" Radford. Morty was raised on the family farm in Jasper county, Missouri, until his father's death in 1931; Pearl remarried in 1937 to Henry Chipley, and relocated her family to Carthage. Morty graduated Carthage High School in 1939. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 12, 1940 and completed Marine boot camp at San Diego, and in November was assigned to VMS-2 of the Second Marine Aircraft Group. While there, Private Radford received additional training at the base Radio School.
In 1941, Morty Radford was transferred to scout-bomber squadron VMSB-241. When the war broke out on December 7, 1941 Radford-–then a Private First Class--made ready to depart San Diego. His squadron touched down briefly at Ewa Marine Corps Air Station, Honolulu before being sent on to the remote island of Midway. Instead of flying, Radford and most of the other enlisted men of the squadron sailed aboard the USS Thornton in January 1942, arriving on Midway several days later. While on Midway, Radford would have flown as many training flights as resources would allow; only a few flights.
In April, 1942, Pfc Radford [gunner/radioman] was introduced to a fellow Missourian,Second Lieutenant Maurice Ward [pilot]. The two would fly and die together. At first, Lt Ward and Pfc Radford flew the Vought SB2U Vindicator, but in mid May, when the squadron received some of the newer Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless dive bombers, they switched to the newer and sturdier aircraft. The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a bomber made by Douglas
during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943. The Dauntless' cockpit accommodated two personel--the pilot in a forward area and the gunner/radioman in a rear cockpit, seated back-to-back. The rear cockpit contained a trainable machine gun position. The pilot doubled as the bombardier and also manned fixed forward guns featuring two 50 cal. heavy machine guns. Although relatively slow and outmoded when it began its combat career, the Dauntless was rugged and dependable. Their relatively heavy gun armament-—two forward firing .50 Cal. M2 Browning machine guns and two rear flexible-mount .30 Cal. machine guns—-was effective against lightly built Japanese Zeros. With his armament increased from a single gun to flexible mounted dual 30 calibre machine guns, Pfc Radford probably felt slightly more secure about the prospect of flying in an essentially unfamiliar aircraft to attack the Japanese fleet.
Unbeknownst to Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, American codebreakers had succeeded in cracking the Japanese fleet code and knew his plan of attack. Adm. Chester W Nimitz, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, was determined to stop him. He scraped together a hodgepodge of reinforcements, including VMSB's inexperienced pilots, and rushed them to Midway.
Because of insufficient time to train with the Dauntless bombers, Major Henderson (Radford's squadron leader) decided to go with the tactic his pilots knew best-–glide
bombing-–which meant a shallower dive and slower approach on the attack run. This put the Americans at even more of a disadvantage; without the speed and accuracy of a dive, and lacking fighter cover; the neat formation of dive bombers was easy prey for the nimble Japanese fighters defending their carriers. Henderson planned on a shallow glidebombing approach because it required less skill than a steeper vertical diving attack. In a series of briefings and chalk talks, he instructed his pilots that he would lead them in a fast power glide to 4,000 feet and then turn them loose to hit the carriers at very low altitude--500 feet or less.
In the early morning hours of June 4, 1942, Lt. Ward was soon joined in the Dauntless' cockpit by Pfc Radford; the two ran through their preflight checks in the still-unfamiliar bomber before being called to action by reports of a Japanese fleet within range of Midway-–their bomber needed to be off the ground soon, as much to evade the incoming enemy fighters and bombers as to hit the Japanese carriers north of Midway Atoll. All of Pfc Radford's skill, courage, and determination would be put to the test on that day. As Lt. Ward guided their Dauntless no.2122, fuselage #9 into the air, following detachment leader Captain Armond DeLalio (who was in turn following commanding officer Major Lofton Henderson), Pfc Radford charged his guns and scanned the skies for enemy fighters.
Almost as soon as the American squadron spotted the Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, which was their target, defending Japanese Zeros rose to challenge them. Radford gamely fired into any Zero that crossed his gun sights, but two machine guns were no match for a swarm of agile fighters. As the Marine pilots began their shallow 30-degree dive toward the Hiryu, defending Japanese planes identified Maj. Henderson's Dauntless as the command aircraft, and began working their way down the line of closely-formed, slow-moving bombers towards the lead plane. After about two passes,one of the enemy put several shots through Maj. Henderson's plane and the left wing began to burn. It was apparent that Henderson's plane was hit and out of action. Three other Marine dive bombers succumbed in quick succession, including Pfc Radford's aircraft. His plane burst into flames and was last seen plunging toward the ocean. Neither Ward nor Radford were ever seen again. Their Dauntless fell in flames before they had an opportunity to release their bomb.
Morty's remains were never found. Morty Radford was put on the rolls of the MIAs; and after one year, June 5, 1943, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
Of the 16 SBD-2s that scrambled aloft from Midway to attack the Japanese fleet on the morning of June 4, 1942 , 8 were shot down and several others were damaged beyond repair.
PFC Radford was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in the Battle of Midway.
The name of Pfc Harry Morton Radford is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Thanks to -
Woodson Campbell
Spokane, WA
------------------------------------
Distinguished Flying Cross Awarded to Carthage Youth, Missing in Action
Carthage, Mo., Dec. 11, -- Harry M. Radford of Carthage, private first class, U.S. marine
corps, reported as missing in action in the battle of Midway last June, has been awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross by President Roosevelt "For extraordinary achievement
while participating in an aerial flight as a radioman-gunner in marine scout-bombing
squadron in action against enemy Japanese forces during the battle of Midway, June 4 and
5, 1942." News of the award came to his mother, Mrs. Henry Johns of Carthage, in a letter
today from Colonel John Dixon of the U.S. marine corps. The citation continues: "In a
determined attack against the invading Japanese fleet, Private First Class Radford,
serving as rear seat machine gunner, maintained fire in the face of overwhelming enemy
fighter opposition and fierce anti-aircraft barrage His (sic) courage and devotion to
duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States naval service."
The letter from Colonel Dixon advises that the "decoration and citation will be held in
this office for Private First Class Radford." However, it is not considered there is any
possibility he survived, but that he was lost with his plane. Mrs. Johns was notified by
telegram June 14 that her son was missing in action. The citation today was the first
word she had received as to what duty her son had been assigned, although she knew he was
a radioman. Radford was 22 years old. He was born near Jasper January 31, 1920. He
enlisted with the marines September 11, 1940.
Source: Joplin Globe December 12, 1942.
(Thanks to Find A Grave contributor G47)
------------------------------
UNITED STATES MARINE
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
BIOGRAPHY: Harry Morton "Morty" Radford, born in 1920, was the son of Herschel and Pearl "Strecker" Radford. Morty was raised on the family farm in Jasper county, Missouri, until his father's death in 1931; Pearl remarried in 1937 to Henry Chipley, and relocated her family to Carthage. Morty graduated Carthage High School in 1939. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 12, 1940 and completed Marine boot camp at San Diego, and in November was assigned to VMS-2 of the Second Marine Aircraft Group. While there, Private Radford received additional training at the base Radio School.
In 1941, Morty Radford was transferred to scout-bomber squadron VMSB-241. When the war broke out on December 7, 1941 Radford-–then a Private First Class--made ready to depart San Diego. His squadron touched down briefly at Ewa Marine Corps Air Station, Honolulu before being sent on to the remote island of Midway. Instead of flying, Radford and most of the other enlisted men of the squadron sailed aboard the USS Thornton in January 1942, arriving on Midway several days later. While on Midway, Radford would have flown as many training flights as resources would allow; only a few flights.
In April, 1942, Pfc Radford [gunner/radioman] was introduced to a fellow Missourian,Second Lieutenant Maurice Ward [pilot]. The two would fly and die together. At first, Lt Ward and Pfc Radford flew the Vought SB2U Vindicator, but in mid May, when the squadron received some of the newer Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless dive bombers, they switched to the newer and sturdier aircraft. The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a bomber made by Douglas
during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943. The Dauntless' cockpit accommodated two personel--the pilot in a forward area and the gunner/radioman in a rear cockpit, seated back-to-back. The rear cockpit contained a trainable machine gun position. The pilot doubled as the bombardier and also manned fixed forward guns featuring two 50 cal. heavy machine guns. Although relatively slow and outmoded when it began its combat career, the Dauntless was rugged and dependable. Their relatively heavy gun armament-—two forward firing .50 Cal. M2 Browning machine guns and two rear flexible-mount .30 Cal. machine guns—-was effective against lightly built Japanese Zeros. With his armament increased from a single gun to flexible mounted dual 30 calibre machine guns, Pfc Radford probably felt slightly more secure about the prospect of flying in an essentially unfamiliar aircraft to attack the Japanese fleet.
Unbeknownst to Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, American codebreakers had succeeded in cracking the Japanese fleet code and knew his plan of attack. Adm. Chester W Nimitz, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, was determined to stop him. He scraped together a hodgepodge of reinforcements, including VMSB's inexperienced pilots, and rushed them to Midway.
Because of insufficient time to train with the Dauntless bombers, Major Henderson (Radford's squadron leader) decided to go with the tactic his pilots knew best-–glide
bombing-–which meant a shallower dive and slower approach on the attack run. This put the Americans at even more of a disadvantage; without the speed and accuracy of a dive, and lacking fighter cover; the neat formation of dive bombers was easy prey for the nimble Japanese fighters defending their carriers. Henderson planned on a shallow glidebombing approach because it required less skill than a steeper vertical diving attack. In a series of briefings and chalk talks, he instructed his pilots that he would lead them in a fast power glide to 4,000 feet and then turn them loose to hit the carriers at very low altitude--500 feet or less.
In the early morning hours of June 4, 1942, Lt. Ward was soon joined in the Dauntless' cockpit by Pfc Radford; the two ran through their preflight checks in the still-unfamiliar bomber before being called to action by reports of a Japanese fleet within range of Midway-–their bomber needed to be off the ground soon, as much to evade the incoming enemy fighters and bombers as to hit the Japanese carriers north of Midway Atoll. All of Pfc Radford's skill, courage, and determination would be put to the test on that day. As Lt. Ward guided their Dauntless no.2122, fuselage #9 into the air, following detachment leader Captain Armond DeLalio (who was in turn following commanding officer Major Lofton Henderson), Pfc Radford charged his guns and scanned the skies for enemy fighters.
Almost as soon as the American squadron spotted the Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, which was their target, defending Japanese Zeros rose to challenge them. Radford gamely fired into any Zero that crossed his gun sights, but two machine guns were no match for a swarm of agile fighters. As the Marine pilots began their shallow 30-degree dive toward the Hiryu, defending Japanese planes identified Maj. Henderson's Dauntless as the command aircraft, and began working their way down the line of closely-formed, slow-moving bombers towards the lead plane. After about two passes,one of the enemy put several shots through Maj. Henderson's plane and the left wing began to burn. It was apparent that Henderson's plane was hit and out of action. Three other Marine dive bombers succumbed in quick succession, including Pfc Radford's aircraft. His plane burst into flames and was last seen plunging toward the ocean. Neither Ward nor Radford were ever seen again. Their Dauntless fell in flames before they had an opportunity to release their bomb.
Morty's remains were never found. Morty Radford was put on the rolls of the MIAs; and after one year, June 5, 1943, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
Of the 16 SBD-2s that scrambled aloft from Midway to attack the Japanese fleet on the morning of June 4, 1942 , 8 were shot down and several others were damaged beyond repair.
PFC Radford was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in the Battle of Midway.
The name of Pfc Harry Morton Radford is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Thanks to -
Woodson Campbell
Spokane, WA
------------------------------------
Distinguished Flying Cross Awarded to Carthage Youth, Missing in Action
Carthage, Mo., Dec. 11, -- Harry M. Radford of Carthage, private first class, U.S. marine
corps, reported as missing in action in the battle of Midway last June, has been awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross by President Roosevelt "For extraordinary achievement
while participating in an aerial flight as a radioman-gunner in marine scout-bombing
squadron in action against enemy Japanese forces during the battle of Midway, June 4 and
5, 1942." News of the award came to his mother, Mrs. Henry Johns of Carthage, in a letter
today from Colonel John Dixon of the U.S. marine corps. The citation continues: "In a
determined attack against the invading Japanese fleet, Private First Class Radford,
serving as rear seat machine gunner, maintained fire in the face of overwhelming enemy
fighter opposition and fierce anti-aircraft barrage His (sic) courage and devotion to
duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States naval service."
The letter from Colonel Dixon advises that the "decoration and citation will be held in
this office for Private First Class Radford." However, it is not considered there is any
possibility he survived, but that he was lost with his plane. Mrs. Johns was notified by
telegram June 14 that her son was missing in action. The citation today was the first
word she had received as to what duty her son had been assigned, although she knew he was
a radioman. Radford was 22 years old. He was born near Jasper January 31, 1920. He
enlisted with the marines September 11, 1940.
Source: Joplin Globe December 12, 1942.
(Thanks to Find A Grave contributor G47)
------------------------------
.
UNITED STATES MARINE
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
BIOGRAPHY: Harry Morton "Morty" Radford, born in 1920, was the son of Herschel and Pearl "Strecker" Radford. Morty was raised on the family farm in Jasper county, Missouri, until his father's death in 1931; Pearl remarried in 1937 to Henry Chipley, and relocated her family to Carthage. Morty graduated Carthage High School in 1939. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 12, 1940 and completed Marine boot camp at San Diego, and in November was assigned to VMS-2 of the Second Marine Aircraft Group. While there, Private Radford received additional training at the base Radio School.
In 1941, Morty Radford was transferred to scout-bomber squadron VMSB-241. When the war broke out on December 7, 1941 Radford-–then a Private First Class--made ready to depart San Diego. His squadron touched down briefly at Ewa Marine Corps Air Station, Honolulu before being sent on to the remote island of Midway. Instead of flying, Radford and most of the other enlisted men of the squadron sailed aboard the USS Thornton in January 1942, arriving on Midway several days later. While on Midway, Radford would have flown as many training flights as resources would allow; only a few flights.
In April, 1942, Pfc Radford [gunner/radioman] was introduced to a fellow Missourian,Second Lieutenant Maurice Ward [pilot]. The two would fly and die together. At first, Lt Ward and Pfc Radford flew the Vought SB2U Vindicator, but in mid May, when the squadron received some of the newer Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless dive bombers, they switched to the newer and sturdier aircraft. The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a bomber made by Douglas
during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943. The Dauntless' cockpit accommodated two personel--the pilot in a forward area and the gunner/radioman in a rear cockpit, seated back-to-back. The rear cockpit contained a trainable machine gun position. The pilot doubled as the bombardier and also manned fixed forward guns featuring two 50 cal. heavy machine guns. Although relatively slow and outmoded when it began its combat career, the Dauntless was rugged and dependable. Their relatively heavy gun armament-—two forward firing .50 Cal. M2 Browning machine guns and two rear flexible-mount .30 Cal. machine guns—-was effective against lightly built Japanese Zeros. With his armament increased from a single gun to flexible mounted dual 30 calibre machine guns, Pfc Radford probably felt slightly more secure about the prospect of flying in an essentially unfamiliar aircraft to attack the Japanese fleet.
Unbeknownst to Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, American codebreakers had succeeded in cracking the Japanese fleet code and knew his plan of attack. Adm. Chester W Nimitz, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, was determined to stop him. He scraped together a hodgepodge of reinforcements, including VMSB's inexperienced pilots, and rushed them to Midway.
Because of insufficient time to train with the Dauntless bombers, Major Henderson (Radford's squadron leader) decided to go with the tactic his pilots knew best-–glide
bombing-–which meant a shallower dive and slower approach on the attack run. This put the Americans at even more of a disadvantage; without the speed and accuracy of a dive, and lacking fighter cover; the neat formation of dive bombers was easy prey for the nimble Japanese fighters defending their carriers. Henderson planned on a shallow glidebombing approach because it required less skill than a steeper vertical diving attack. In a series of briefings and chalk talks, he instructed his pilots that he would lead them in a fast power glide to 4,000 feet and then turn them loose to hit the carriers at very low altitude--500 feet or less.
In the early morning hours of June 4, 1942, Lt. Ward was soon joined in the Dauntless' cockpit by Pfc Radford; the two ran through their preflight checks in the still-unfamiliar bomber before being called to action by reports of a Japanese fleet within range of Midway-–their bomber needed to be off the ground soon, as much to evade the incoming enemy fighters and bombers as to hit the Japanese carriers north of Midway Atoll. All of Pfc Radford's skill, courage, and determination would be put to the test on that day. As Lt. Ward guided their Dauntless no.2122, fuselage #9 into the air, following detachment leader Captain Armond DeLalio (who was in turn following commanding officer Major Lofton Henderson), Pfc Radford charged his guns and scanned the skies for enemy fighters.
Almost as soon as the American squadron spotted the Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, which was their target, defending Japanese Zeros rose to challenge them. Radford gamely fired into any Zero that crossed his gun sights, but two machine guns were no match for a swarm of agile fighters. As the Marine pilots began their shallow 30-degree dive toward the Hiryu, defending Japanese planes identified Maj. Henderson's Dauntless as the command aircraft, and began working their way down the line of closely-formed, slow-moving bombers towards the lead plane. After about two passes,one of the enemy put several shots through Maj. Henderson's plane and the left wing began to burn. It was apparent that Henderson's plane was hit and out of action. Three other Marine dive bombers succumbed in quick succession, including Pfc Radford's aircraft. His plane burst into flames and was last seen plunging toward the ocean. Neither Ward nor Radford were ever seen again. Their Dauntless fell in flames before they had an opportunity to release their bomb.
Morty's remains were never found. Morty Radford was put on the rolls of the MIAs; and after one year, June 5, 1943, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
Of the 16 SBD-2s that scrambled aloft from Midway to attack the Japanese fleet on the morning of June 4, 1942 , 8 were shot down and several others were damaged beyond repair.
PFC Radford was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in the Battle of Midway.
The name of Pfc Harry Morton Radford is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Thanks to -
Woodson Campbell
Spokane, WA
------------------------------------
Distinguished Flying Cross Awarded to Carthage Youth, Missing in Action
Carthage, Mo., Dec. 11, -- Harry M. Radford of Carthage, private first class, U.S. marine
corps, reported as missing in action in the battle of Midway last June, has been awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross by President Roosevelt "For extraordinary achievement
while participating in an aerial flight as a radioman-gunner in marine scout-bombing
squadron in action against enemy Japanese forces during the battle of Midway, June 4 and
5, 1942." News of the award came to his mother, Mrs. Henry Johns of Carthage, in a letter
today from Colonel John Dixon of the U.S. marine corps. The citation continues: "In a
determined attack against the invading Japanese fleet, Private First Class Radford,
serving as rear seat machine gunner, maintained fire in the face of overwhelming enemy
fighter opposition and fierce anti-aircraft barrage His (sic) courage and devotion to
duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States naval service."
The letter from Colonel Dixon advises that the "decoration and citation will be held in
this office for Private First Class Radford." However, it is not considered there is any
possibility he survived, but that he was lost with his plane. Mrs. Johns was notified by
telegram June 14 that her son was missing in action. The citation today was the first
word she had received as to what duty her son had been assigned, although she knew he was
a radioman. Radford was 22 years old. He was born near Jasper January 31, 1920. He
enlisted with the marines September 11, 1940.
Source: Joplin Globe December 12, 1942.
(Thanks to Find A Grave contributor G47)
------------------------------
UNITED STATES MARINE
PRIVATE FIRST CLASS
BIOGRAPHY: Harry Morton "Morty" Radford, born in 1920, was the son of Herschel and Pearl "Strecker" Radford. Morty was raised on the family farm in Jasper county, Missouri, until his father's death in 1931; Pearl remarried in 1937 to Henry Chipley, and relocated her family to Carthage. Morty graduated Carthage High School in 1939. He enlisted in the Marine Corps on September 12, 1940 and completed Marine boot camp at San Diego, and in November was assigned to VMS-2 of the Second Marine Aircraft Group. While there, Private Radford received additional training at the base Radio School.
In 1941, Morty Radford was transferred to scout-bomber squadron VMSB-241. When the war broke out on December 7, 1941 Radford-–then a Private First Class--made ready to depart San Diego. His squadron touched down briefly at Ewa Marine Corps Air Station, Honolulu before being sent on to the remote island of Midway. Instead of flying, Radford and most of the other enlisted men of the squadron sailed aboard the USS Thornton in January 1942, arriving on Midway several days later. While on Midway, Radford would have flown as many training flights as resources would allow; only a few flights.
In April, 1942, Pfc Radford [gunner/radioman] was introduced to a fellow Missourian,Second Lieutenant Maurice Ward [pilot]. The two would fly and die together. At first, Lt Ward and Pfc Radford flew the Vought SB2U Vindicator, but in mid May, when the squadron received some of the newer Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless dive bombers, they switched to the newer and sturdier aircraft. The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a bomber made by Douglas
during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943. The Dauntless' cockpit accommodated two personel--the pilot in a forward area and the gunner/radioman in a rear cockpit, seated back-to-back. The rear cockpit contained a trainable machine gun position. The pilot doubled as the bombardier and also manned fixed forward guns featuring two 50 cal. heavy machine guns. Although relatively slow and outmoded when it began its combat career, the Dauntless was rugged and dependable. Their relatively heavy gun armament-—two forward firing .50 Cal. M2 Browning machine guns and two rear flexible-mount .30 Cal. machine guns—-was effective against lightly built Japanese Zeros. With his armament increased from a single gun to flexible mounted dual 30 calibre machine guns, Pfc Radford probably felt slightly more secure about the prospect of flying in an essentially unfamiliar aircraft to attack the Japanese fleet.
Unbeknownst to Admiral Yamamoto, commander of the Japanese fleet, American codebreakers had succeeded in cracking the Japanese fleet code and knew his plan of attack. Adm. Chester W Nimitz, commander in chief of the U.S. Pacific Fleet, was determined to stop him. He scraped together a hodgepodge of reinforcements, including VMSB's inexperienced pilots, and rushed them to Midway.
Because of insufficient time to train with the Dauntless bombers, Major Henderson (Radford's squadron leader) decided to go with the tactic his pilots knew best-–glide
bombing-–which meant a shallower dive and slower approach on the attack run. This put the Americans at even more of a disadvantage; without the speed and accuracy of a dive, and lacking fighter cover; the neat formation of dive bombers was easy prey for the nimble Japanese fighters defending their carriers. Henderson planned on a shallow glidebombing approach because it required less skill than a steeper vertical diving attack. In a series of briefings and chalk talks, he instructed his pilots that he would lead them in a fast power glide to 4,000 feet and then turn them loose to hit the carriers at very low altitude--500 feet or less.
In the early morning hours of June 4, 1942, Lt. Ward was soon joined in the Dauntless' cockpit by Pfc Radford; the two ran through their preflight checks in the still-unfamiliar bomber before being called to action by reports of a Japanese fleet within range of Midway-–their bomber needed to be off the ground soon, as much to evade the incoming enemy fighters and bombers as to hit the Japanese carriers north of Midway Atoll. All of Pfc Radford's skill, courage, and determination would be put to the test on that day. As Lt. Ward guided their Dauntless no.2122, fuselage #9 into the air, following detachment leader Captain Armond DeLalio (who was in turn following commanding officer Major Lofton Henderson), Pfc Radford charged his guns and scanned the skies for enemy fighters.
Almost as soon as the American squadron spotted the Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu, which was their target, defending Japanese Zeros rose to challenge them. Radford gamely fired into any Zero that crossed his gun sights, but two machine guns were no match for a swarm of agile fighters. As the Marine pilots began their shallow 30-degree dive toward the Hiryu, defending Japanese planes identified Maj. Henderson's Dauntless as the command aircraft, and began working their way down the line of closely-formed, slow-moving bombers towards the lead plane. After about two passes,one of the enemy put several shots through Maj. Henderson's plane and the left wing began to burn. It was apparent that Henderson's plane was hit and out of action. Three other Marine dive bombers succumbed in quick succession, including Pfc Radford's aircraft. His plane burst into flames and was last seen plunging toward the ocean. Neither Ward nor Radford were ever seen again. Their Dauntless fell in flames before they had an opportunity to release their bomb.
Morty's remains were never found. Morty Radford was put on the rolls of the MIAs; and after one year, June 5, 1943, his status was changed to Killed in Action.
Of the 16 SBD-2s that scrambled aloft from Midway to attack the Japanese fleet on the morning of June 4, 1942 , 8 were shot down and several others were damaged beyond repair.
PFC Radford was awarded a posthumous Purple Heart and Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions in the Battle of Midway.
The name of Pfc Harry Morton Radford is memorialized on the Tablets of the Missing, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific, Honolulu, Hawaii.
Thanks to -
Woodson Campbell
Spokane, WA
------------------------------------
Distinguished Flying Cross Awarded to Carthage Youth, Missing in Action
Carthage, Mo., Dec. 11, -- Harry M. Radford of Carthage, private first class, U.S. marine
corps, reported as missing in action in the battle of Midway last June, has been awarded
the Distinguished Flying Cross by President Roosevelt "For extraordinary achievement
while participating in an aerial flight as a radioman-gunner in marine scout-bombing
squadron in action against enemy Japanese forces during the battle of Midway, June 4 and
5, 1942." News of the award came to his mother, Mrs. Henry Johns of Carthage, in a letter
today from Colonel John Dixon of the U.S. marine corps. The citation continues: "In a
determined attack against the invading Japanese fleet, Private First Class Radford,
serving as rear seat machine gunner, maintained fire in the face of overwhelming enemy
fighter opposition and fierce anti-aircraft barrage His (sic) courage and devotion to
duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States naval service."
The letter from Colonel Dixon advises that the "decoration and citation will be held in
this office for Private First Class Radford." However, it is not considered there is any
possibility he survived, but that he was lost with his plane. Mrs. Johns was notified by
telegram June 14 that her son was missing in action. The citation today was the first
word she had received as to what duty her son had been assigned, although she knew he was
a radioman. Radford was 22 years old. He was born near Jasper January 31, 1920. He
enlisted with the marines September 11, 1940.
Source: Joplin Globe December 12, 1942.
(Thanks to Find A Grave contributor G47)
------------------------------
Gravesite Details
Entered the service from Missouri.
Family Members
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