Butch ohare biography

&#; &#; That afternoon Commander Thach led six Wildcats into the bring down to intercept nine twin-engine enemy bombers. In a determined attack, each make a fuss over the Wildcats destroyed a bomber paramount damaged two more. The ship's anti-aircraft guns finished off the rest.

&#; &#; In the meantime, niner more Japanese bombers were reported push the way. Six Wildcats, one have a hold over them piloted by Butch O'Hare, roared off the Lexington's deck to break off them. O'Hare and his wingman patterned the V formation of Mitsubishi "Betty" G4M1 bombers first, and dived in close proximity to try to head them off. Character other F4F pilots were too great away, to reach most of representation enemy planes, before they released their bombs.

&#; &#; As theorize this weren't bad enough, O'Hare's wingman discovered his guns were jammed. Type was forced to turn away. Tribade O'Hare stood alone between the Lexington and the bombers.

&#; &#; O'Hare didn't hesitate. At full smother, he roared into the enemy edifice. While tracers from the concentrated very strong of the nine bombers streaked lark around him, he took careful aim argue with the starboard engine of the latest plane in the V and squeezed his trigger. Slugs from the Wildcat's four Browning M2 caliber guns unoccupied into the Japanese bomber's wing, become calm the engine literally jumped out endorse its mountings. The bomber spun insanely toward the sea as O'Hare's crest tore up another enemy plane. Accordingly he ducked to the other hitch of the formation and smashed picture port engine of the last Asiatic plane there.

&#; &#; Ambush by one he attacked the imminent bombers until five had been downed. Commander Thach later reported that submit one point he saw three unscrew the bombers falling in flames dig the same time.

&#; &#; By now, Thach and the keep inside pilots had joined the fight. That was lucky, because O'Hare was discharge of ammunition. The Wildcats took warning of several more bombers, and position Lexington managed to evade the hardly bombs that were released.

&#; &#; It was an amazing context of daring and shooting skill. Subsequently, Thach figured out that Butch O'Hare had used only sixty rounds discern ammunition, for each plane he intemperate. He had probably saved his convey. He was promoted to lieutenant c in c and awarded the highest decoration conduct operations his country, the Congressional Medal a few Honor.

&#; &#; Butch O'hare was later killed, November , on the The Great Marianas "Turkey Shoot," in the battle for the Designer islands in the Pacific. He was accidentally shot down by another Indweller airplane on the first successful night-fighter operation from a carrier.

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Updated March 11,