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 = near Midway 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 at Midway 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 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.

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Midway commenced as planes from the Japanese aircraft carriers pounded the Marine installations on Midway Island, and outdated American fighter planes based at Midway Island were bloodily dispatched by the newer and nimbler Japanese Zeros during the opening stages of the battle.

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.

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.

ee also

References

:DANFS
* [http://www.history.navy.mil/danfs/t10/tweedy.htm Albert William Tweedy, Jr.]