Dan Iverson standing on his Dauntless Dive Bomber. Just imagine the sights and sounds of diving that thing full bore into the hornet's nest of Japanese anti-aircraft fire. Truly the greatest generation.
As we stop today to reflect on the sacrifices of so many, I wanted to share of our own family's heroism with you. I bear his name with pride.
Dan or Danny as his buddies called him survived the surprise atack on Pearl Harbor, Japanese encroachment on Guadalcanal where he received Purple Heart and Silver Star, and delivered a decisive punch to the Japanese in the battle that turned the tide of WWII. He was also wounded at Midway. Sadly, his life was cut short when he was killed off the coast of Florida in a midair collision.
NAVY CROSS
IVERSON, DANIEL T.Citation:The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Daniel T. Iverson (0-6418), First Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as a Pilot in Marine Scout-Bombing Squadron TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE (VMSB-241), Marine Air Group TWENTY-TWO (MAG-22), Naval Air Station, Midway, during operations of the U.S. Naval and Marine Forces against the invading Japanese Fleet during the Battle of Midway on 4 and 5 June 1942. In the first attack on an enemy carrier and in the face of withering fire from enemy fighters and anti-aircraft batteries, Lieutenant Iverson pressed home his attack to a release altitude of three hundred feet. His plane received 219 hits in different places from machine gun bullets and shrapnel and was so badly damaged that he was forced to make a landing on one wheel upon his return to the base. On the night of 4 June 1942, he participated in a search and attack mission against an enemy carrier and brought his plane back to its base under extremely adverse weather conditions. On 4 June, 1942, he, after less than four hours sleep, participated in an attack through heavy anti-aircraft fire on an enemy battleship in which it was damaged severely. His courage and devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the naval service. Home Town: Miami, Florida
----------Enjoy Memorial Day. Cast your politics aside for today. But remember our dead. I'm proud of all our veterans, but especially my namesake. God Bless.
Daniel
P.S. For more information, read this write up done on his plane which they dragged out of Lake Michigan. It's the dive bomber in the Pensacola Naval Air Museum.
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