Gordon, Nathan Green

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Date of birth:: September 4th, 1916 (Morrilton/Arkansas, United States)
Date of death:: September 8th, 2008 (Little Rock/Arkansas, United States)
Buried on:: Elmwood Cemetery
Nationality:: American

Biography

Nathan Green Gordon was born on September 4th, 1916 as the son to Edward Gordon and Ada Ruth Gordon (Bearden).

Career:
? - 1931: Columbia Military Academy;
?: Arkansas Polytechnic College,Russellville;
?: Battery D, 206th Coast Artillery, Arkansas Army National Guard;
?: University of Arkansas, Fayetteville;
May 1941: U.S. Navy;
?: Patrol Squadron 34;
1946 - January 1967: Lieutenant Governor, Arkansas.

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Medal of Honor - Navy/Marine Corps (MoH)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Unit:: Patrol Squadron 34 (VPB-34), U.S. Navy

"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."

Date of citation unknown.
Place and date action: Bismarck Sea, 15 February 1944.

Medal of Honor - Navy/Marine Corps (MoH)

Distinguished Flying Cross (DFC)

Period:: Second World War (1939-1945)
Rank:: Lieutenant
Awarded on:: December 1947

"For extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Commander of a PBY-5 airplane in the Bismarck Sea during World War II."

Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 358