Clarence E . Vammen , Jr . Clarence Earl Vammen , Jr . ( 17 October 1919 – 6 June 1942 ) was a United States Navy aviator during World War II . Vamman was born in Aberdeen , Washington , on 17 October 1919 . He attended Pomona Junior College in California before enlisting in the Naval Reserve on 17 February 1941 at Long Beach , Calif . After his initial duty at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base Long Beach , Seaman 2d Class Vammen was transferred to naval air station at Pensacola , Fla . , on 27 March . On 3 April , he was discharged at his own request to accept an appointment as an aviation cadet . Vammen reported to NAS Pensacola , on 4 April for flight training . Detached on 19 August and transferred to NAS Miami , for further training , Vammen was appointed a naval aviator ( heavier - than - air ) on 23 September . Completing his instruction on 20 October , he accepted the rank of ensign that day . Assigned to Advanced Carrier Training Group , Pacific Fleet , soon thereafter , Vammen continued his training until joining Torpedo Squadron 6 ( VT - 6 ) , based on the aircraft carrier " Enterprise " ( CV - 6 ) , on 28 April 1942 . He joined the ship within two weeks of the completion of the famous Doolittle Raid on Tokyo , 18 April 1942 , and just before his carrier and " Hornet " ( CV - 8 ) proceeded south toward the Coral Sea to meet an expected Japanese thrust . The two flattops were too late to assist " Lexington " ( CV - 2 ) and " Yorktown " ( CV - 5 ) in the critical Battle of the Coral Sea which took place from 4 to 8 May . Although she missed the Coral Sea action , " Enterprise " — " The Big E " — did participate in the pivotal Battle of Midway one month later . Ensign Vammen , by that point assigned to Scouting Squadron 6 ( VS - 6 ) , did not take part in the strikes of 4 June against the Japan ese carrier fleet . He received his baptism of fire , however , soon enough . On Friday evening , 5 June , Vammen — flying a Douglas SBD - 3 Dauntless , with Aviation Machinists ' Mate 2d Class M . W . Clark in the rear seat — took off with eight other planes of VS - 6 , as part of the strike launched to locate and sink what had been erroneously reported as two enemy carriers . Subsequently , the SBDs from " Enterprise " and " Hornet " found and attacked what they reported to be a " Japanese CL " ( light cruiser ) — a ship that turned out to be the destroyer " Tanikaze " . The Dauntlesses that made the dusk attack failed to score any hits with their 500 - pound bombs on the twisting , turning destroyer . Vammen , who had never received instruction in night carrier recoveries , made his first night landing — not on " Enterprise " , but on " Hornet " . The next morning , on 6 June , Vammen joined " Hornet " ' s planes in attacking the fleeing Japanese heavy cruiser s " Mogami " and " Mikuma " , a strike that inflicted such severe damage on the latter that she sank later that day . Unfortunately , Vammen and his gunner failed to return from that mission . For his part in the Battle of Midway , however , Ensign Vammen — cited for " courage and unflinching devotion to duty " — was awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross , posthumously . In 1944 , the destroyer escort USS " Vammen " ( DE - 644 ) was named in his honor .