Stephen W. Groves
| Stephen William Groves | |
|---|---|
| Born |
January 29, 1917 Millinocket, Maine |
| Died | June 4, 1942 (aged 25) Pacific Ocean, near Midway Atoll |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/ |
United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1940–1942 |
| Rank | Ensign |
| Battles/wars | Doolittle Raid, Battle of Midway, World War II |
| Awards | Navy Cross |
Ensign Stephen W. Groves, USN (1917 – June 4, 1942) was a United States Navy aviator during World War II who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism in the Battle of Midway.
Stephen William Groves was born on January 29, 1917 in Millinocket, Maine. He graduated from Schenck High School in East Millinocket, Maine, and received a mechanical engineering degree from the University of Maine in 1939.
Groves joined the U.S. Navy in December 1940 and was commissioned in August 1941. He boarded the aircraft carrier Hornet (CV-8) in December 1941. He was aboard Hornet when she transported Lieutenant Colonel James Doolittle's bombers for the April 1942 Doolittle Raid on Japan, setting the stage for the Battle of Midway, considered one of the most crucial Allied victories of World War II.
During that battle, Ensign Groves took off nine times from Hornet; his was one of six American fighters that fought off a vastly superior Japanese force that was trying to finish off the damaged carrier USS Yorktown (CV-5) on June 4, 1942. The small group of U.S. fighters was credited with shooting down 14 Japanese planes and causing six others to retreat.
...
Wikipedia