Nathan Green Gordon-Morrilton, AR
Posted by: 
Don.Morfe
N 35° 09.204 W 092° 45.624
15S E 521823 N 3890081
World War II Medal of Honor Recipient for action as commander of a PBY Catalina patrol plane over the Bismarck Sea on February 15, 1944. He is buried in Elmwood Cemetery, Morrilton AR in the corner of Plot 8-A on the cemetery street Q-10
Waymark Code: WMWZGE
Location: Arkansas, United States
Date Posted: 11/04/2017
Views: 1
He was born on September 4, 1916 in Morrilton AR and died on September 8, 2008 in Little Rock, AR. He attained the rank of Lieutenant Commander. His Medal of Honor information and citation is: GORDON, NATHAN GREEN
• Rank and organization: Lieutenant, U.S. Navy, commander of Catalina patrol plane
• Place and date: Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944
• Entered service at: Arkansas.
Citation: For extraordinary heroism above and beyond the call of duty as commander of a Catalina patrol plane in rescuing personnel of the U.S. Army 5th Air Force shot down in combat over Kavieng Harbor in the Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944. On air alert in the vicinity of Vitu Islands, Lt. (then Lt. j.g.) Gordon unhesitatingly responded to a report of the crash and flew boldly into the harbor, defying close-range fire from enemy shore guns to make 3 separate landings in full view of the Japanese and pick up 9 men, several of them injured. With his cumbersome flying boat dangerously overloaded, he made a brilliant takeoff despite heavy swells and almost total absence of wind and set a course for base, only to receive the report of another group stranded in a rubber life raft 600 yards from the enemy shore. Promptly turning back, he again risked his life to set his plane down under direct fire of the heaviest defenses of Kavieng and take aboard 6 more survivors, coolly making his fourth dexterous takeoff with 15 rescued officers and men. By his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship under most perilous conditions, Lt. Gordon prevented certain death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese.
Armed Service: Navy
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