William B. Ignatious
Entered the Service from:Richwood, West Virginia
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| The Missing in Action from World War I and World War II who are memorialized on Tablets of the Missing within the cemeteries and on three memorials in the U.S. Source: American Battle Monuments Commission (ABMC) web site. Japanese carrier-based planes were reported headed for Midway the early morning of 4 June 1942. Source: Hornet steamed from Pearl 30 April, to aid USS Yorktown (CV 5) and USS Lexington (CV 2) at the Battle of the Coral Sea. But that battle was over before she reached the scene. She returned to Hawaii 26 May and sailed 2 days later with her sister carriers to repulse an expected Japanese fleet assault on Midway.Japanese carrier-based planes were reported headed for Midway the early morning of 4 June 1942. Hornet, Yorktown, and Enterprise launched strikes as the Japanese carriers struck their planes below to prepare for a second strike on Midway. Hornet dive bombers missed contact, but 15 planes comprising her Torpedo Squadron 8 found the enemy and pressed home their attacks. They were met by overwhelming fighter opposition about eight miles from three enemy carriers and followed all the way in to be shot down one by one. Ens. George H. Gay, USNR, the only surviving pilot, reached the surface as his plane sunk. He hid under a rubber seat cushion to avoid strafing and witness the greatest carrier battle in history. USS Hornet (CV 8) underway in Hampton Roads, Va., 27 October 1941.  Navy photographs of Hornet (CV-8) William B. Ignatious was a Marine with the USS Hornet Marine Detachment. Other Links: West Virginia's World War II ( Dead or Missing ) (National Park Service ) National WWII Memorial Washington, D.C. The National Archives |
Pictorial
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Where: Midway When: June 4, 1942 Submitted by: Fellow Marine
