Edward Howard Bayers

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Edward Howard Bayers (0-103058), Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane and Section Leader of Fighting Squadron SIX (VF-6), embarked from the U.S.S. ENTERPRISE (CV-6), during the “Air Battle of Midway,” against enemy Japanese forces on 4 – 6 June 1942. Sighting two Zero Fighters on 4 June, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Bayers, with bold aggressiveness and great personal risk, pressed home a persistent attack against these enemy aircraft until he had shot the leader down in flames. While diving to escape the surviving wingman, who had out- maneuvered him and gained the offensive, he sighted a Japanese Torpedo Plane approaching the U.S.S. YORKTOWN. Too intent upon protecting our aircraft carrier to be deterred by the threatening proximity of the enemy fighter, he intercepted the Torpedo Plane and destroyed it. Again, on 6 June, as member of an attack group assigned to repel a Japanese naval force, he defied a fierce barrage of concentrated antiaircraft fire to strafe and seriously damage an enemy destroyer. His superb initiative and expert airmanship aided greatly in the success of the United States forces.

Commander in Chief, Pacific Fleet: Serial 3013 (July 16, 1942)