Austin Merrill's Navy Cross

Gift of Austin Merrill, 2007.168.519

During the Battle of Midway, Ensign Austin "Bud" Merrill flew from the USS Yorktown to attack the Japanese carrier force. Along the way, Merrill lost his bomb due to a malfunction in the arming switch of his Dauntless dive bombers. Despite the malfunction, Merrill dove on the Japanese fleet in order to draw anti-aircraft fire away from other members of his squadron. He received the Navy Cross for this action.