Richard E. Fleming
| Richard Eugene Fleming | |
|---|---|
 
Captain Richard E. Fleming, Medal of Honor recipient
|
|
| Born |
November 2, 1917 Saint Paul, Minnesota |
| Died | June 5, 1942 (aged 24) KIA at Midway |
| Place of burial | At sea; memorial at Fort Snelling National Cemetery; memorial at the Punchbowl Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Marine Corps |
| Years of service | 1939-1942 |
| Rank | Captain |
| Unit | Marine Scout Bomber Squadron 241 aka VMSB-241 |
| Battles/wars |
World War II *Battle of Midway |
| Awards | Medal of Honor |
Captain Richard Eugene Fleming (November 2, 1917–June 5, 1942) was a United States Marine who received the Medal of Honor for his heroism in World War II during the Battle of Midway. Fleming piloted a Vought SB2U Vindicator dive bomber in an attack on the Japanese cruiser Mikuma.
Richard Fleming was born in Saint Paul, Minnesota on November 2, 1917. He attended Saint Thomas Military Academy and graduated in the Class of 1935. During his senior year he was chosen as top student officer. From Saint Thomas, he entered the University of Minnesota and became president of Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity. He received his Bachelor of Arts degree in 1939. Soon after graduation, he enlisted in the Marine Corps Reserve and applied for flight training. He was sent to the Naval Air Station in Pensacola, Florida, for training and finished at the top of his class in 1940. He was promoted to first lieutenant in April 1942 and to captain a month later.
Captain Fleming's first duty station was the Naval Air Base in San Diego, California. Ten days after World War II began, he flew from Pearl Harbor to Midway Island. He fought in the Battle of Midway as Flight Officer of Marine Scout Bombing Squadron 241. When squadron commander Lofton Henderson was shot down during the initial attack on a Japanese aircraft carrier, Fleming took command of the unit. Leaving the remainder of his formation, he dived to the perilously low altitude of 400 ft (120 m), exposing himself to enemy fire in order to score a hit on the ship.
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