Gus George Bebas Gus George Bebas , born on 24 February 1914 in Chicago , Illinois , received his commission as an ensign in the U . S . Naval Reserve on 26 May 1938 . " Bebas " attended the Northwestern University School of Engineering , earning a B . S . degree in commerce in 1939 . While at Northwestern , " Bebas " served in the Naval Reserve Officer Training Corps at that institution , and trained on board heavy cruiser USS Wichita ( CA - 45 ) between 16 and 30 June 1939 . Resigns His Commission , Enlists as a Seaman Second . His commission as an ensign terminated under honorable conditions on 22 January 1940 , " Bebas " enlisted the following day as a seaman second class . He completed one stint of elimination flight training at Naval Reserve Aviation Base Glenview between 14 February and 14 March 1940 , and a second between 15 December 1940 and 15 January 1941 . His enlistment terminated under honorable conditions on 19 February , he both received appointment as an aviation cadet , USNR , and reported for training at Naval Air Station ( NAS ) , Pensacola , Florida , the following day . Undergoes Training as a Naval Aviator . Transferred to Naval Air Station Miami for “ further active duty undergoing training ” on 4 August , " Bebas " was appointed a naval aviator ( heavier than air ) No . 8779 , on 5 September . Released from active duty involving training on 25 September , he received promotion to ensign , A - V ( N ) , USNR , the following day . Assigned to the Advanced Carrier Training Group , Atlantic Fleet , on 26 September , " Bebas " reported to the Curtiss SBC - 3 - equipped Bombing Squadron ( VB ) 8 , part of the USS Hornet ( CV - 8 ) Air Group , two days before Christmas of 1941 . Flying During the Battle of Midway . When Hornet sailed for the Pacific in March 1942 , " Bebas " and his squadron were serving on board , ultimately re - equipping with the Douglas SBD - 3 Dauntless as that dive bomber became available in quantity . During the first day of the Battle of Midway , 4 June 1942 , " Bebas " flew with VB - 8 in the first strike from Task Force 16 , but his squadron did not locate the enemy , flying to Midway Island and thence , after refueling , back to the ship . Earning the Distinguished Flying Cross . The next afternoon , 5 June , he participated in the search for the damaged Japanese carrier Hiryu , rumored to be nearby . Not finding her ( Hiryu had actually sunk long before ) , Bombing 8 pounced on the destroyer Tanikaze instead . " Bebas ’ s " bomb missed that skillfully fought ship , falling only 100 feet from her port quarter . On the afternoon of 6 June , he took part in strikes flown against the heavy cruisers Mogami and Mikuma and their screening destroyers , scoring a damaging near miss on Mogami in the face of heavy antiaircraft fire . This display of “ courageous conduct and stern devotion ” earned him the Distinguished Flying Cross . “ Blacking Out ” During a Practice Dive . Hornet returned to Pearl Harbor following the Battle of Midway , and her air group , shore - based , returned to operational training . While on a routine three - plane bombing flight off Oahu on the morning of 19 July 1942 , " Bebas " pushed over into a dive on a target boat maneuvering off Barber ’ s Point , and released his practice bomb at 2 , 000 feet . Instead of immediately recovering , however , " Bebas " “ entered a relatively steep right turn … ” He either blacked - out or could not overcome the heavy stick forces present in the dive , and his SBD - 3 ( BuNo 4573 ) crashed into the ocean , killing " Bebas " and his passenger , Ensign William M . Stevens , D - V ( G ) , USNR . Destroyer Escort . The USS Bebas ( DE - 10 ) was named in his honor .