Richard Halsey Best

After contact reports from Midway-based PBY Catalina patrol aircraft on the morning of June 4, 1942, Enterprise started to launch her air group starting at 07:06. Under the overall command of the air group commander (CEAG) Lt.Cdr. Wade McClusky were 14 TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bombers of Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6), 34 SBDs of VB-6 and VS-6, and ten F4F-4 Wildcat fighters of Fighting Squadron 6 (VF-6). However, the squadrons became separated and reached the Japanese independently. Only the dive bombers stayed together and reached the Japanese by 09:55. At about 10:22, the Enterprise dive bombers (minus three that had dropped out with engine trouble) started to attack the two nearest Japanese carriers, Kaga and Akagi.

At this point, the attack became confused, as all 31 remaining Dauntlesses moved to attack Kaga. Best expected to attack according to U.S. dive bomber doctrine, which stated that the trailing squadron (VB-6) would attack the nearer target (in this case Kaga), while the leading squadron (VS-6) would take the farther of the two (here Akagi). However, McClusky, who had been a fighter pilot before becoming CEAG, was apparently unaware of this, and decided to lead VS-6 against Kaga. As the leading squadron dove past him, Best realized what was happening and broke off to attack Akagi. However, most of VB-6 missed his signal to abort and continued their dives on Kaga. Left with only his two wingmen, Best now had just three planes to attack Akagi.[6]

The flight deck of USS Enterprise on May 15, 1942: The first SBD is either Best's ("B-1") or that of the CO of VS-6 ("S-1").

A group photo of the American dive bomber pilots of VB-6 from Enterprise, three of whom fatally damaged Akagi. Best is sitting in the center of the front row. The other two who attacked Akagi with Best were Edwin J. Kroeger (standing, eighth from the left) and Frederick T. Weber (standing, sixth from the right).[7]

Best's three SBDs launched their attack at 10:26am. The first bomb, dropped by Lieutenant(jg) Edwin John Kroeger, hit the water opposite the carrier's bridge. The second bomb, dropped by Best, penetrated the flight deck and exploded in the upper hangar amongst 18 fuelled and armed Nakajima B5N2 aircraft.[8][9] The third bomb, dropped by Ensign Frederick Thomas Weber, exploded in the water near the stern, jamming Akagi's rudder.[10] Although only Best's bomb struck Akagi, the resulting fuel and ordnance-induced explosions in the confined hangar deck were enough to doom the carrier.

Later that day, Best participated in the attack on the last remaining Japanese carrier, Hiryū, possibly scoring one of the four hits that sank her.[11] Best's gunner, James Francis Murray, believed that he "saw the flash of [Best's] bomb through the smoke as it struck [Hiryū] amidships forward of the island."[12] After the battle, Best was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross.[13] The Citation said "Defying extreme danger from concentrated anti-aircraft barrage and powerful fighter opposition, Lieutenant Commander Best, with bold determination and courageous zeal, led his squadron 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. 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".[14] According to Stephen L. Moore, Best may have been "the first pilot to successfully bomb two Japanese carriers in one day".[12] Considering this unique accomplishment, Admiral Thomas Moorer and Vice Admiral William D. Houser made a serious but unsuccessful effort to recommend Best for the Medal of Honor after Best's death in 2001.[15]

June 4, 1942, was the last day Best flew for the U.S. Navy. Just after Best landed on Enterprise, he began to cough up blood. Over the next twenty-four hours, his hemoptysis (coughing up blood) continued. He became acutely ill with a temperature of 103 °F (39 °C), and was admitted to Pearl Harbor Hospital.

Back in Pearl Harbor, Best was examined by the flight surgeon. During the morning flight on June 4 flying at 20,000 ft (6,100 m) several VB-6 pilots had encountered difficulties with oxygen supply, so Best gave the order to reduce the altitude to 15,000 ft (4,600 m).[16] The oxygen rebreather of Best's SBD had become heated during the unusually long search on the morning mission on June 4. The material used in the rebreather to remove exhaled carbon dioxide was sodium hydroxide. If the device containing this material were abnormally heated, it could release caustic soda fumes through the pilot's oxygen mask; consequently Best had inhaled caustic fumes. Sometime in the past, Best had contracted latent tuberculosis, which remained in his lungs in an inactive state for years. The inhaled caustic fumes caused an aspiration pneumonia and eroded away a tuberculosis granuloma, transforming the inactive form of the organism into an active form, resulting in the progression from latent TB infection to TB disease. Best was transferred from Pearl Harbor Hospital to Fitzsimons General Hospital in Aurora, Colorado, where he received proper treatment for his tuberculosis. Best was hospitalized in Fitzsimons Hospital until September 1943. He retired from the U.S. Navy in 1944 with a 100% disability.[17]