John J. Van Buren
Encyclopedia
John J. Van Buren was a United States Navy
officer who received the Distinguished Flying Cross
and Navy Cross
for his actions in combat during World War II
.
, Wisconsin
, on July 20, 1915. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on March 24, 1938 and was appointed Aviation Cadet
in the United States Naval Reserve on August 3, 1938. Upon completion of flight training, he was commissioned as an ensign
on September 1, 1939 and assigned to Bombing Squadron 6 on board the aircraft carrier
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
.
During World War II, Van Buren was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on March 11, 1942 for heroic conduct in aerial combat during operations against the Japan
ese in the Marshall Islands
when the formation he was flying in was attacked by Japanese fighters
. Through skillful handling of his Douglas
SBD Dauntless
dive bomber
and excellent marksmanship, he shot down one of the attacking planes. Upon again being attacked by an enemy fighter, he maneuvered his plane to permit his rear seat gunner to shoot down this attacker before landing his bullet-riddled plane on Enterprise.
Operating off of Enterprise with Bombing Squadron 6 during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, Van Buren defied extreme danger from concentrated Japanese antiaircraft fire and fierce fighter opposition to take part in the initial dive-bombing attack against Japanese naval units. Van Buren's plane did not return from this action and was listed as presumed dead. Lieutenant, junior grade
Van Buren received the Navy Cross for his bravery at Midway.
USS John J. Van Burean (DE-753)
, launched
in 1944 but never completed, was named for Lieutenant, junior grade Van Buren.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
officer who received the Distinguished Flying Cross
Distinguished Flying Cross (United States)
The Distinguished Flying Cross is a medal awarded to any officer or enlisted member of the United States armed forces who distinguishes himself or herself in support of operations by "heroism or extraordinary achievement while participating in an aerial flight, subsequent to November 11, 1918." The...
and Navy Cross
Navy Cross
The Navy Cross is the highest decoration that may be bestowed by the Department of the Navy and the second highest decoration given for valor. It is normally only awarded to members of the United States Navy, United States Marine Corps and United States Coast Guard, but can be awarded to all...
for his actions in combat during World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
.
Naval career
John James Van Buren was born in MukwonagoMukwonago, Wisconsin
-Geography:Mukwonago is located at .According to the United States Census Bureau, the village has a total area of 4.8 square miles , of which, 4.7 square miles of it is land and 0.1 square miles of it is water.It is situated at the southwestern flank of the sprawling Vernon...
, Wisconsin
Wisconsin
Wisconsin is a U.S. state located in the north-central United States and is part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north. Wisconsin's capital is...
, on July 20, 1915. He enlisted in the U.S. Navy on March 24, 1938 and was appointed Aviation Cadet
Cadet
A cadet is a trainee to become an officer in the military, often a person who is a junior trainee. The term comes from the term "cadet" for younger sons of a noble family.- Military context :...
in the United States Naval Reserve on August 3, 1938. Upon completion of flight training, he was commissioned as an ensign
Ensign (rank)
Ensign is a junior rank of a commissioned officer in the armed forces of some countries, normally in the infantry or navy. As the junior officer in an infantry regiment was traditionally the carrier of the ensign flag, the rank itself acquired the name....
on September 1, 1939 and assigned to Bombing Squadron 6 on board the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise (CV-6)
USS Enterprise , colloquially referred to as the "Big E," was the sixth aircraft carrier of the United States Navy and the seventh U.S. Navy ship to bear the name. Launched in 1936, she was a ship of the Yorktown class, and one of only three American carriers commissioned prior to World War II to...
.
During World War II, Van Buren was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross on March 11, 1942 for heroic conduct in aerial combat during operations against the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese in the Marshall Islands
Marshall Islands
The Republic of the Marshall Islands , , is a Micronesian nation of atolls and islands in the middle of the Pacific Ocean, just west of the International Date Line and just north of the Equator. As of July 2011 the population was 67,182...
when the formation he was flying in was attacked by Japanese fighters
Fighter aircraft
A fighter aircraft is a military aircraft designed primarily for air-to-air combat with other aircraft, as opposed to a bomber, which is designed primarily to attack ground targets...
. Through skillful handling of his Douglas
Douglas Aircraft Company
The Douglas Aircraft Company was an American aerospace manufacturer, based in Long Beach, California. It was founded in 1921 by Donald Wills Douglas, Sr. and later merged with McDonnell Aircraft in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas...
SBD Dauntless
SBD Dauntless
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...
dive bomber
Dive bomber
A dive bomber is a bomber aircraft that dives directly at its targets in order to provide greater accuracy for the bomb it drops. Diving towards the target reduces the distance the bomb has to fall, which is the primary factor in determining the accuracy of the drop...
and excellent marksmanship, he shot down one of the attacking planes. Upon again being attacked by an enemy fighter, he maneuvered his plane to permit his rear seat gunner to shoot down this attacker before landing his bullet-riddled plane on Enterprise.
Operating off of Enterprise with Bombing Squadron 6 during the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942, Van Buren defied extreme danger from concentrated Japanese antiaircraft fire and fierce fighter opposition to take part in the initial dive-bombing attack against Japanese naval units. Van Buren's plane did not return from this action and was listed as presumed dead. Lieutenant, junior grade
Lieutenant, Junior Grade
Lieutenant is a junior commissioned officer rank in the United States Navy, the United States Coast Guard, the United States Public Health Service Commissioned Corps, United States Merchant Marine USMM, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Commissioned Corps, with the pay grade...
Van Buren received the Navy Cross for his bravery at Midway.
Namesake
The U.S. Navy destroyer escortDestroyer escort
A destroyer escort is the classification for a smaller, lightly armed warship designed to be used to escort convoys of merchant marine ships, primarily of the United States Merchant Marine in World War II. It is employed primarily for anti-submarine warfare, but also provides some protection...
USS John J. Van Burean (DE-753)
USS John J. Van Buren (DE-753)
USS John J. Van Buren was a United States Navy proposed during World War II but never completed.John J. Van Buren was laid down by the Western Pipe and Steel Company at San Pedro, California, on 18 August 1943. She was launched on either 16 January 1944 or 26 March 1944, sponsored by Mrs. J. J...
, launched
Ship naming and launching
The ceremonies involved in naming and launching naval ships are based in traditions thousands of years old.-Methods of launch:There are three principal methods of conveying a new ship from building site to water, only two of which are called "launching." The oldest, most familiar, and most widely...
in 1944 but never completed, was named for Lieutenant, junior grade Van Buren.