Arthur V. Ely
| Arthur Vincent Ely | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born |
March 8, 1912 Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania |
| Died |
June 4, 1942 (aged 30) Pacific Ocean, near Midway Atoll |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch | United States Navy |
| Years of service | 1935–1942 |
| Rank | Lieutenant |
| Unit | Torpedo Squadron 6 |
| Battles/wars |
World War II Battle of Midway |
| Awards | Navy Cross |
Arthur V. Ely (1912–1942) was a United States Navy officer who received the Navy Cross posthumously for his actions in combat during World War II.
Naval career
Arthur Vincent Ely, born 8 March 1912 in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1935. After aviation training he joined Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6) in 1938.
Ely piloted a Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bomber of VT-6, operating off the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise (CV-6), at the Battle of Midway. He was shot down and killed on 4 June 1942 during the battle.
For his vigorous assault on Japanese forces at Midway, Ely was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously.
Commemoration
The U.S. Navy destroyer escort USS Ely (DE-309), launched in 1944 but never completed, was named for Lieutenant Ely.
References
- This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.
- Navsource Online: Destroyer Escort Photo Archive USS Ely (DE 309)