Walsh, Frederick W. (aka Fred T. Weber)

From collection Member List

Walsh, Frederick W. (aka Fred T. Weber)
Known as Fred Walsh during his school years.

From the 99 Lives Project (99 Lives (knox.edu))

FREDERICK THOMAS WEBER

KNOWN AS

Fred Walsh during his school years

BIRTH DATE

4 Feb 1916

BIRTH LOCATION

Des Moines, Polk County, Iowa, USA

FATHER

Frederick William Weber

MOTHER

Opal Elizabeth Moncrief Weber Walsh McCoy

OTHER FAMILY

On 30 Nov 1917, his father died as the result of an accidental fall; in 1921, his mother married Matthew Richard Walsh, a horse buyer. Although known as Frederick Walsh during his youth, the Navy used his legal surname, Weber

HIGH SCHOOL

Galesburg HS

HIGH SCHOOL LOCATION

Galesburg, Illinois

HIGH SCHOOL ACTIVITIES

Athletics manager

HOMETOWN

Des Moines, Polk County

HOME STATE

Iowa

ENTERED KNOX

1933, transferred in 1934 to Drake University, Des Moines, Iowa

CLASS YEAR

1937

HONORED

In 1943, destroyer escort DF 675 was named the USS Weber in his honor. The 1944 Gale, yearbook of Knox College, was dedicated to his memory.

FRATERNITY

Phi Gamma Delta

WAR / CONFLICT

World War II

MILITARY SERVICE

US Navy Reserve

RANK

Lieutenant Junior Grade (promoted retroactively)

UNIT

Bombing Squadron 6 (VB-6), USS Enterprise (CV-6), Naval Aviation Corps

SERVICE HISTORY

Trained in tactical gunnery and bombing techniques by LT Richard Halsey Best at Pensacola, Florida, he received his commission as an Ensign. He flew one of the first SBDs (Scout Bomber Douglas) Dauntless dive bombers made by Douglas Aircraft Company at their El Segundo, California factory. Weber was stationed on the US aircraft carrier Enterprise, which was put on defensive patrol the day after Pearl Harbor was attacked (7 Dec 1941). On the morning of 4 Jun 1942, the first day of the Battle of Midway, the Enterprise Morning Carrier Strike Group of 33 aircraft, after an extensive time and fuel consuming search, located the Japanese fleet.  The Strike Group, while not following Navy Doctrine because of battle conditions, proceeded to attack. As a result, ENS Weber piloted one of only three SBDs to attack the Akagi - the largest carrier and Flagship of the Japanese fleet. The three Dauntless Dive Bombers caused devastating continuous damage, rendering the carrier useless.  Weber's bomb just missed the stern of the ship, damaging its rudder and peeling back the deck. Eventually the ship, while being towed back to Japan, had to be scuttled.

CASUALTY DATA

KIA / Killed In Action - Battle of Midway

DATE OF DEATH

4 Jun 1942

AGE AT DEATH

26

LOCATION OF DEATH

Over the Pacific Ocean near Midway Island

BURIAL

Body not recovered

CIVILIAN CENOTAPH

"Frederick" and "Lost in Pacific" are inscribed on Walsh monument in the north central part of Saint Joseph's Cemetery, Galesburg, Knox County, Illinois, USA

MILITARY CENOTAPH

Courts of the Missing, Honolulu Memorial, Honolulu, Honolulu County, Hawaii, USA

LINKS

FIND A GRAVE

AWARDS

Navy Cross (second only to Medal of Honor), Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation

CITATION

Navy Cross commendation: "The President of the United States takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Frederick Thomas Weber (0-083087), Ensign, U.S. Navy (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron SIX (VB-6), embarked from the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), during the "Air Battle of Midway," against enemy Japanese forces on 4 June 1942. Defying extreme danger from concentrated anti- aircraft barrage and powerful fighter opposition, Ensign Weber, with bold determination and courageous zeal, participated in dive-bombing assaults against Japanese naval units. Flying at a distance from his own forces which rendered return unlikely because of probable fuel exhaustion, he pressed home his attacks with extreme disregard for his own personal safety, scoring a direct hit on an enemy aircraft carrier. Later, while pressing home a desperate and vigorous counterattack against enemy Japanese fighter planes, he was shot down. His gallant intrepidity and loyal devotion to duty contributed greatly to the success of our forces and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country."

REMARKS

Confusion regarding correct date of birth (4th or 14th?) was solved when chief researcher, James L Bjorkman, obtained a copy of the original birth certificate
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