Arthur J. Brassfield’s SECOND Navy Cross citation

The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the NAVY CROSS to

LIEUTENANT, JUNIOR GRADE ARTHUR JAMES BRASSFIELD

UNITED STATES NAVY

for service as set forth in the following

CITATION:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant, Junior Grade Arthur James Brassfield (NSN: 0-79013), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron THREE (VF-3), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), during the “Air Battle of Midway,” against enemy Japanese forces on 4 June 1942. In company with four other friendly fighter planes, Lieutenant Brassfield intercepted a formation of 18 Japanese dive bombers a short distance from the U.S.S. YORKTOWN. In the face of fire from the enemy planes he pressed home repeated attacks so aggressively that only a few of the eighteen planes were able to make an attack on our ships. He personally shot down three of the enemy dive bombers in flames and damaged two others. Later, during the same action with the enemy, he again pressed home his attack and shot down in flames an enemy dive bomber which was strafing the survivors of a friendly torpedo plane that had made a forced landing ten miles from the carrier. His courage and determination and utter disregard for personal safety were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.