- Albert William Tweedy, Jr.
Infobox Military Person
name = Albert William Tweedy, Jr.
born = birth date|1920|3|22
died = death date and age|1942|6|14|1920|3|22
placeofbirth = Not indicated
placeofdeath = nearMidway Island
caption =
nickname =
allegiance = United States of America
serviceyears = 1941-1942
rank = Second Lieutenant
branch =United States Marine Corps Reserve
unit = Marine Scouter-Bomber Squadron (VMSB)-241 atMidway Island
battles =World War II *Battle of Midway
awards =Navy Cross Purple Heart Albert William Tweedy, Jr., was awarded the
Navy Cross for his actions in theBattle of Midway . TheUSS Tweedy (DE-532) was named in his honor.Albert Tweedy, Jr. was born on
22 March 1920 and attended public schools inWinnetka, Illinois , andHingham, Massachusetts , before he enrolled atWilliams College ,Williamstown, Massachusetts , in the fall of 1938.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 MarineAviation Cadet . Following flight training atSquantum, Massachusetts , andPensacola, Florida , he was commissioned a Second Lieutenant in theUnited States Marine Corps Reserve on14 October 1941 . Assigned to the2nd Marine Aircraft Wing ,Fleet Marine Force , he was stationed atSan Diego, California , andHawaii before reporting for duty with Marine Scouter-Bomber SquadronVMSB-241 atMidway Island early in 1942. He served as AssistantFlight Officer and Assistant Communications Officer for thesquadron before becoming its Communications Officer late in May. Early on the morning of4 June 1942 , "Lt. Tweedy" took off fromMidway Island in his "Dauntless" Navy dive-bomber (SBD-2). Minutes later, theBattle of Midway commenced as planes from the Japaneseaircraft carriers pounded the Marine installations on Midway Island, and outdated American fighter planes based at Midway Island were bloodily dispatched by the newer and nimbler Japanese Zeros during the opening stages of the battle.Awarded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 fearsomeantiaircraft 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 theNavy Cross for his extraordinary heroism, cool courage, and conscientious devotion to duty.Namesake
"Tweedy" (DE-532) was laid down on
31 August 1943 by theBoston Navy Yard ; launched on7 October 1943 ; sponsored by Mrs. Albert William Tweedy, mother of "Lt. Tweedy"; and commissioned on12 February 1944 , Lt. Comdr. Thomas Donald Cunningham in command.ee also
References
:DANFS
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/t10/tweedy.htm Albert William Tweedy, Jr.]
Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.