Donald "Flash" Gordon
{{short description|American World War II flying ace}}
{{more citations needed|date=May 2010|Picture=Fetching...|Donald (Flash WWII) Gordon=Hollywood Actor}}
{{Infobox military person
|name= Donald Gordon
|image= Ace Donald Flash Gordon of VF-10 in his F6F 1944.jpg
|image_size=
|alt=
|caption= Gordon in his Grumman F6F Hellcat, 1944
|nickname= "Flash"
|birth_date= {{birth date|1920|7|17}}
|birth_place= Garland, Kansas
|death_date= {{death date and age|2010|1|4|1920|7|17}}
|death_place= La Jolla, California
|placeofburial=
|allegiance= United States
|branch= United States Navy
|serviceyears= 1941–1967
|rank= Captain
|unit=
|commands=
|battles= World War II
|awards= Distinguished Flying Cross (3)
Air Medal (4)
Navy Commendation Medal
|relations=
|laterwork=
}}
Donald "Flash" Gordon (July 17, 1920 – January 4, 2010) was an American naval aviator and flying ace,{{cite web |url=http://www.cv6.org/ship/logs/ag10/ag10-2nd.htm |title=AG-10 History – Second Tour |publisher=cv6.org |accessdate=August 22, 2012}} having shot down at least seven Japanese aircraft during World War II.{{cite news |title=Donald Gordon (obituary) |newspaper=Fort Scott Tribune |date=January 16, 2010 |url=http://www.fstribune.com/story/1602886.html}} He was a fighter pilot in the United States Navy and a recipient of the Distinguished Flying Cross.
Biography
Gordon's first recorded kill was during the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. Flying a Grumman F4F Wildcat and out of ammunition, he flew straight towards a Nakajima B5N that had just launched a torpedo towards {{USS|Enterprise|CV-6|6}}, forcing it into the ocean. Enterprise, despite being damaged in earlier attacks, was able to dodge the torpedo. On January 30, 1943, again flying a Wildcat and heading the Enterprise fighter group, nicknamed the 'Grim Reapers', Gordon shot down at least two Mitsubishi G4Ms who were heading for Enterprise and the damaged cruiser {{USS|Chicago|CA-29|6}}. Although G4M torpedoes sunk Chicago, only two out of eleven G4Ms survived the encounter with the Grim Reapers; the rest were shot down.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt1212220/ Battle 360: Bloody Santa Cruz], personal interview, circa 2008.
Quotation
See also
{{Portal|Biography|United States}}
- Battle 360° television series that aired on History (American TV channel)
- List of World War II aces from the United States
- Naval aviation