Date of birth:

January 14th, 1919 (Janesville/Wisconsin, United States)

Nationality:

American

Clayton Fisher got in contact with flying in his hometown Janesville, wisconsin, where a grass field beside his house was used by so-called Barnstorming pilots. Het they took him up in various airplanes. Later he joined the Wisconsin National Guard with Tank Company of the 32nd Division. He entered the University of Wisconsin and was able to receive an early discharge from the National Guard. without finishing his University major, he entered the U.S. Navy to be trained as a pilot.

After passing the physical examination, he was send to Naval Air Station (NAS) Glenvieuw for 'elimination' flight training in October/November 1940. In January 1941 he entered primary and basic flight training at NAS Jacksonville. In June, Clayton Fisher attended Carrier Operational Flight Training at Opa Locke, Miami, Florida. He completed his training on August 8th, 1941, receiving his gold wings and commision as Ensign, Naval Reserve. He then was assigned to Bombing Squadron 8 (VB-8) aboard the U.S.S. Hornet (CV-8). In September 1941 he met his future wife Anne Koster, a 2nd Lieutenant Army nurse. She was stationed at Doctors' Hospital in Washington D.C.
Fisher underwent extensive training in the United States, in the Atlantic ocean and the Carribean. On February 18th, 1942 Clayton and Anne were married.

Clayton Fisher wittnessed the experiments with the B-25 bomber planes aboard in advance to the Doolittle-Raid and during the raid.
During the Battle of Midway, Fisher flew a total of five combat missions with VB-8, flying the Douglas SBD dive bomber. On June 6th, 1942 he scored a direct hit on the Japanese Destroyer Arashio, however the ship survived. In 1943, Clayton Fisher was ordered to NAS Vero Beach, Glenvieuw as an Operational Flight Instructor.

During the years 1946 - 1947 he served at NAS Kodiak and became also a seaplane pilot. In 1948 Fisher attended the Navy "Line School", Monterey, California. By 1949 he was ordered to the Aviation Ordnance Branch with the Bureau of Naval Ordnance in Washington D.C. as Contract Administrator. In 1950 Clayton Fisher was to receive the Command of a Jet-Fighter Squadron with the Atlantic Fleet, but he requested to be transferred to the Pacific Fleet. He then became Executive Officer (XO) with Fighter Squadron 53 aboard the U.S.S. Essex. During the Korean War he flew a total of 80 combat missions as pilot of a Corsair fighter flying from U.S.S. Essex during 1951 and 1952.
In 1953 he was assigned to the Schools and Training desk with Personnel Division, ComAirPac, at NAS North Island, San Diego and was ordered to Pensacola for two years in 1954 as Officer-in-Charge of the Basic Instrument Training Squadron stationed at Corry Field. By 1955 he became CO of Utility Squadron 3 at San Diego. His final position was that of Air Opearations Officer at NAS Miramar from 1958 until 1961, ending as its CO.

After his retirement he became a stock-broker, finally running his own company.

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Period:

Second World War (1939-1945)

Rank:

Lieutenant (junior grade)

Unit:

Bombing Squadron 8 (VB-8), U.S.S. Hornet (CV-8) (Bombing Squadron 8 (VB-8), U.S.S. Hornet (CV-8))

Awarded on:

February 1943

Citation:
"For extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier- based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron EIGHT (VB-8), embarked from the U.S.S. HORNET (CV-8), during the "Air Battle of Midway," against enemy Japanese forces on 6 June 1942. With utter disregard for his own personal safety and in the face of intense antiaircraft fire, Lieutenant, Junior Grade, Fisher participated in determined and effective bombing and strafing attacks on fleeing enemy Japanese forces, obtaining a successful hit on one of the enemy ships. His airmanship, courage and unwavering devotion to duty were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."

Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 311 (February 1943).

• - Sterner C.D., Recipients of The Navy Cross, 1916 - Present
  - The Pacific War