John W . Brock John W . Brock ( 1914 – 1942 ) was a United States Navy officer who received the Navy Cross posthumously for his actions in combat during World War II . Biography . John Wiley Brock was born in New Brockton , Alabama , on 15 August 1914 . He enlisted in the U . S . Navy on 12 May 1936 at Birmingham , Alabama . After basic training at the Naval Training Station Norfolk in Norfolk , Virginia , he reported on board the battleship USS " Arkansas " ( BB - 33 ) on 5 February 1937 . Transferred to Naval Air Station Norfolk on 21 May 1937 , Brock was assigned to the receiving ship at Naval Operating Base Norfolk , serving as part of the detail fitting out the new aircraft carrier USS " Yorktown " ( CV - 5 ) . During duty at Naval Air Station Norfolk which followed , he was advanced to the rate of seaman first class on 1 September 1937 . On 30 September 1937 , Brock was assigned to the staff of the Commander , Carrier Division 2 , Rear Admiral Charles Adams Blakely . Promoted to aviation ordnanceman third class on 16 February 1938 , Brock was transferred to Torpedo Squadron 6 soon afterward , on 15 April 1938 . On 13 April 1939 , Brock was assigned to Naval Air Station Pensacola at Pensacola , Florida , where he underwent flight training as a naval enlisted pilot . Promoted to aviation ordnanceman second class on 16 December 1939 , he rejoined Torpedo Squadron 6 on 10 May 1940 , remaining in that squadron until autumn , when he received orders to Naval Training Station Norfolk . While serving there , he was advanced in rate to aviation ordnanceman 1st class on 16 November 1940 . After a brief assignment to the receiving ship at Naval Base San Diego at San Diego , California , he joined the oiler USS " Brazos " ( AO - 4 ) on 30 June 1941 , and ultimately reported to Torpedo Squadron 6 for a third time , on 2 August 1941 . He was commissioned as an ensign on 21 April 1942 , and attained the permanent rate of pilot first class on 30 April 1942 . During World War II , Brock took part in the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942 . That morning , he took off from the aircraft carrier USS " Enterprise " ( CV - 6 ) in one of Torpedo Squadron 6s 14 Douglas TBD - 1 Devastator torpedo bomber s . In the course of the flight toward the Imperial Japanese Navy s " Mobile Force " of aircraft carriers , the fighters , dive bomber s and torpedo plane s of " Enterprise " s attack group became separated from one another . Thus unable to carry out a coordinated attack as doctrine dictated , Torpedo Squadron 6 went in unsupported by fighters or dive bombers , and 10 of its fourteen planes were shot down . During the melee , as Japanese Mistubishi A6M2 " Zero " fighters vigorously attacked Torpedo Squadron 6 , Brock lifted the nose of his plane to bring his fixed , forward - firing machine gun to bear on a Japanese fighter , only to be shot down moments later . His TBD - 1 , aircraft 6 - T - 14 , crashed into the sea , and neither Brock nor his radio - gunner , Aviation Radioman Third Class J . M . Blundell , survived . Awards . For his part in the " bold and heroic " attack carried out by Torpedo Squadron 6 at Midway , Brock was awarded the Navy Cross posthumously . Namesake . The U . S . Navy destroyer escort USS " Brock " ( DE - 234 ) was named for Ensign Brock . She was converted during construction into a high - speed transport , and was in commission as such as USS " Brock " ( APD - 93 ) , from 1945 to 1947 .