Richard Halsey Best
Encyclopedia
Lieutenant Commander Richard Halsey Best, USN
, (March 24, 1910 – October 28, 2001) was a dive-bomber pilot in the United States Navy, during World War II.
in 1928, and he graduated with honors in 1932. Following his graduation he served for two years aboard the light cruiser . In 1934 he was transferred to the Naval Air Station Pensacola
, Florida
, as a naval aviation student. He completed his flight training in December 1935 and was assigned to Fighting Squadron Two (VF-2B) aboard the aircraft carrier , flying the Grumman F2F
. In June 1938, he was given the choice to either join a patrol squadron at Panama
or Hawaii
, or become a flight instructor at Pensacola. Best chose to go to Pensacola and was assigned to Training Squadron Five, which trained carrier aviation, aerobatics, aerial combat and gunnery, dive bombing, torpedo dropping, formation flying, and instrument flying. As instrument flying became a mandatory requirement, Best also trained the flight instructors.
On May 31, 1940, Best received orders to join Bombing Squadron Six (VB-6) aboard the aircraft carrier . Upon arrival at Naval Air Station North Island
, California
, on June 10, Best became Flight Officer (operations officer) of VB-6. Up to early 1942 Best advanced to Executive Officer and finally Commander of VB-6.
In 1940 VB-6 was equipped with the Northrop BT-1
dive bomber, and converted in late 1941 to the Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless
. In the spring of 1942 the SBD-3 replaced the SBD-2, being equipped with an uprated engine, armour, self-sealing fuel tanks and a better armament.
. At about 06:15 the carrier launched 18 SBDs to search ahead of the carrier, the Commander of the Enterprise Air Group, LtCdr. Howard L. Young, 12 planes of Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) and five from VB-6, Best not being among them. Of VB-6, the crew of plane "6-B-3" was lost over Pearl Harbor
. On December 10 two pilots of VB-6 would sink the Japanese submarine at 23°45′N 155°35′W.
Best himself saw his first action on February 1, 1942. At dusk VB-6 attacked Japanese shipping off Kwajalein
under his command, before noon he led eight SBDs from VB-6 and one from VS-6 to attack Taroa Island
, Maloelap Atoll.
On February 24, 1942 Best took part in the attack of Wake Island
by the Enterprise Air Group, and on March 4 Marcus Island was attacked. After these raids Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor and accompanied the during the "Doolittle Raid
" in mid-April. Both carriers then sped to the south, but were too late to take part in the Battle of the Coral Sea
. Both carriers and their sister ship were then recalled to counter a new Japanese threat at Midway Islands. Enterprise and Hornet left Pearl Harbor on May 28, the hastily repaired Yorktown two days later to take part in what became known as Battle of Midway
, from 4 to June 6, 1942.
After contact reports of Midway-based PBY Catalina
patrol aircraft on the morning of June 4, 1942, Enterprise started to launch her air group starting on 07:06h. Under the overall command of the air group commander (CEAG) Lt.Cdr. Wade McClusky
were 14 TBD-1 Devastator
torpedo bombers of Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6), 34 SBDs of VB-6, the CEAG section, and VS-6, and ten F4F-4 Wildcat
fighters of Fighting Squadron 6 (VF-6). However, the squadrons became separated and reached the Japanese independently. Only the dive bombers stayed together and reached the enemy by 09:55h. At about 10:22h the Enterprise dive bombers started to attack two Japanese carriers, which proved to be the Kaga
, and the Akagi
.
Then again, the attack became confused, as all 34 Dauntlesses started to attack Kaga, and none the Akagi. Obviously, Best expected to attack according to the U.S. dive bomber doctrine. This was that VB-6 would attack the nearer carrier (in that case Kaga) and VS-6 the one further away (here Akagi). The three-plane CEAG section was expected to attack last, as their planes were equipped with cameras to later assess the damage. However, evidently McClusky was not aware of this, having until becoming CEAG been a fighter pilot. Therefore McClusky began his dive on Kaga, being followed by VS-6, and Best's VB-6 was also attacking Kaga according to doctrine. Lieutenant Best noticed the error and broke off with his two wingmen to attack the Akagi.
On 10:26h Best's three SBDs attacked the Akagi. The first bomb, dropped by Lt.(jg) Edwin John Kroeger, missed. The second bomb, aimed by Ens. Frederic Thomas Weber, landed in the water, near the stern. The force wave of that hit jammed the Akagi's rudder. The last bomb, dropped by Richard Best, punched though the flight deck and exploded in the upper hangar, in the middle of 18 Nakajima B5N2
planes, parked there. That hit doomed the Akagi. Later that day, Lieutenant Best participated in the attack on the last remaining Japanese carrier - the Hiryu
, maybe scoring one of the four hits. After the battle, Best was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
However, on the morning flight Best had tested an oxygen bottle to be sure that it was not leaking caustic soda. Best's first inhalation was then filled with gas fumes. He snorted the gas fumes out, not thinking about it anymore. The next day Best began repeatedly to cough up blood. The flight surgeon found out that the gas fumes had activated latent tubercolosis. He entered the hospital at Pearl Harbor on June 24, 1942. After undergoing 32 months of treatment, Richard Best retired from the US Navy in 1944.
, California
, where he lived for the rest of his life. After discharge from the hospital, Best worked in a small research division of the Douglas Aircraft Corporation. This division became part of the Rand Corporation in December 1948, where Best headed the security department until his retirement in March 1975. He died in October 2001 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
. Best was married and had a daughter - Barbara Ann Llewellyn and a son - Richard Halsey Best II.
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, (March 24, 1910 – October 28, 2001) was a dive-bomber pilot in the United States Navy, during World War II.
Early career (1928-1941)
Richard H. Best was appointed to the United States Naval AcademyUnited States Naval Academy
The United States Naval Academy is a four-year coeducational federal service academy located in Annapolis, Maryland, United States...
in 1928, and he graduated with honors in 1932. Following his graduation he served for two years aboard the light cruiser . In 1934 he was transferred to the Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola
Naval Air Station Pensacola or NAS Pensacola , "The Cradle of Naval Aviation", is a United States Navy base located next to Warrington, Florida, a community southwest of the Pensacola city limits...
, Florida
Florida
Florida is a state in the southeastern United States, located on the nation's Atlantic and Gulf coasts. It is bordered to the west by the Gulf of Mexico, to the north by Alabama and Georgia and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean. With a population of 18,801,310 as measured by the 2010 census, it...
, as a naval aviation student. He completed his flight training in December 1935 and was assigned to Fighting Squadron Two (VF-2B) aboard the aircraft carrier , flying the Grumman F2F
Grumman F2F
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Cacutt, Len, ed. “Grumman Single-Seat Biplane Fighters.” Great Aircraft of the World. London: Marshall Cavendish, 1989. ISBN 1-85435-250-4....
. In June 1938, he was given the choice to either join a patrol squadron at Panama
Panama
Panama , officially the Republic of Panama , is the southernmost country of Central America. Situated on the isthmus connecting North and South America, it is bordered by Costa Rica to the northwest, Colombia to the southeast, the Caribbean Sea to the north and the Pacific Ocean to the south. The...
or Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
, or become a flight instructor at Pensacola. Best chose to go to Pensacola and was assigned to Training Squadron Five, which trained carrier aviation, aerobatics, aerial combat and gunnery, dive bombing, torpedo dropping, formation flying, and instrument flying. As instrument flying became a mandatory requirement, Best also trained the flight instructors.
On May 31, 1940, Best received orders to join Bombing Squadron Six (VB-6) aboard the aircraft carrier . Upon arrival at Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island
Naval Air Station North Island or NAS North Island is located at the north end of the Coronado peninsula on San Diego Bay and is the home port of several aircraft carriers of the United States Navy...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, on June 10, Best became Flight Officer (operations officer) of VB-6. Up to early 1942 Best advanced to Executive Officer and finally Commander of VB-6.
In 1940 VB-6 was equipped with the Northrop BT-1
Northrop BT
|-Notable mentions in media:Northrop BT-1s appeared in pre-war yellow wing paint schemes in the Technicolor film Dive Bomber starring Errol Flynn.-See also:-References:NotesBibliography...
dive bomber, and converted in late 1941 to the Douglas SBD-2 Dauntless
SBD Dauntless
The Douglas SBD Dauntless was a naval dive bomber made by Douglas during World War II. The SBD was the United States Navy's main dive bomber from mid-1940 until late 1943, when it was largely replaced by the SB2C Helldiver...
. In the spring of 1942 the SBD-3 replaced the SBD-2, being equipped with an uprated engine, armour, self-sealing fuel tanks and a better armament.
World War II (1941-1944)
On December 7, 1941, the Enterprise was operating 330 km (150 mi) south of Pearl HarborPearl Harbor
Pearl Harbor, known to Hawaiians as Puuloa, is a lagoon harbor on the island of Oahu, Hawaii, west of Honolulu. Much of the harbor and surrounding lands is a United States Navy deep-water naval base. It is also the headquarters of the U.S. Pacific Fleet...
. At about 06:15 the carrier launched 18 SBDs to search ahead of the carrier, the Commander of the Enterprise Air Group, LtCdr. Howard L. Young, 12 planes of Scouting Squadron Six (VS-6) and five from VB-6, Best not being among them. Of VB-6, the crew of plane "6-B-3" was lost over Pearl Harbor
Attack on Pearl Harbor
The attack on Pearl Harbor was a surprise military strike conducted by the Imperial Japanese Navy against the United States naval base at Pearl Harbor, Hawaii, on the morning of December 7, 1941...
. On December 10 two pilots of VB-6 would sink the Japanese submarine at 23°45′N 155°35′W.
Kwajalein
Kwajalein Atoll , is part of the Republic of the Marshall Islands . The southernmost and largest island in the atoll is named Kwajalein Island. English-speaking residents of the U.S...
under his command, before noon he led eight SBDs from VB-6 and one from VS-6 to attack Taroa Island
Taroa Airfield
Taroa Airfield was a major air base approximately three miles long and one mile wide on Maloelap Atoll in the Marshall Islands. The airfield was the most eastern Japanese air base of the Second World War...
, Maloelap Atoll.
On February 24, 1942 Best took part in the attack of Wake Island
Wake Island
Wake Island is a coral atoll having a coastline of in the North Pacific Ocean, located about two-thirds of the way from Honolulu west to Guam east. It is an unorganized, unincorporated territory of the United States, administered by the Office of Insular Affairs, U.S. Department of the Interior...
by the Enterprise Air Group, and on March 4 Marcus Island was attacked. After these raids Enterprise returned to Pearl Harbor and accompanied the during the "Doolittle Raid
Doolittle Raid
The Doolittle Raid, on 18 April 1942, was the first air raid by the United States to strike the Japanese Home Islands during World War II. By demonstrating that Japan itself was vulnerable to American air attack, it provided a vital morale boost and opportunity for U.S. retaliation after the...
" in mid-April. Both carriers then sped to the south, but were too late to take part in the Battle of the Coral Sea
Battle of the Coral Sea
The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought from 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and Allied naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first fleet action in which aircraft carriers engaged...
. Both carriers and their sister ship were then recalled to counter a new Japanese threat at Midway Islands. Enterprise and Hornet left Pearl Harbor on May 28, the hastily repaired Yorktown two days later to take part in what became known as Battle of Midway
Battle of Midway
The Battle of Midway is widely regarded as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II. Between 4 and 7 June 1942, approximately one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea and six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor, the United States Navy decisively defeated...
, from 4 to June 6, 1942.
After contact reports of Midway-based PBY Catalina
PBY Catalina
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was an American flying boat of the 1930s and 1940s produced by Consolidated Aircraft. It was one of the most widely used multi-role aircraft of World War II. PBYs served with every branch of the United States Armed Forces and in the air forces and navies of many other...
patrol aircraft on the morning of June 4, 1942, Enterprise started to launch her air group starting on 07:06h. Under the overall command of the air group commander (CEAG) Lt.Cdr. Wade McClusky
C. Wade McClusky
Rear Admiral Clarence Wade McClusky, Jr., was a United States Navy aviator during World War II. He is credited with playing a major part in the Battle of Midway...
were 14 TBD-1 Devastator
TBD Devastator
The Douglas TBD Devastator was a torpedo bomber of the United States Navy, ordered in 1934, first flying in 1935 and entering service in 1937. At that point, it was the most advanced aircraft flying for the USN and possibly for any navy in the world...
torpedo bombers of Torpedo Squadron 6 (VT-6), 34 SBDs of VB-6, the CEAG section, and VS-6, and ten F4F-4 Wildcat
F4F Wildcat
The Grumman F4F Wildcat was an American carrier-based fighter aircraft that began service with both the United States Navy and the British Royal Navy in 1940...
fighters of Fighting Squadron 6 (VF-6). However, the squadrons became separated and reached the Japanese independently. Only the dive bombers stayed together and reached the enemy by 09:55h. At about 10:22h the Enterprise dive bombers started to attack two Japanese carriers, which proved to be the Kaga
Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga
Kaga was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy , named after the former Kaga Province in present-day Ishikawa Prefecture...
, and the Akagi
Japanese aircraft carrier Akagi
Akagi was an aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy , originally begun as an . She was converted while still under construction to an aircraft carrier under the terms of the Washington Naval Treaty...
.
Then again, the attack became confused, as all 34 Dauntlesses started to attack Kaga, and none the Akagi. Obviously, Best expected to attack according to the U.S. dive bomber doctrine. This was that VB-6 would attack the nearer carrier (in that case Kaga) and VS-6 the one further away (here Akagi). The three-plane CEAG section was expected to attack last, as their planes were equipped with cameras to later assess the damage. However, evidently McClusky was not aware of this, having until becoming CEAG been a fighter pilot. Therefore McClusky began his dive on Kaga, being followed by VS-6, and Best's VB-6 was also attacking Kaga according to doctrine. Lieutenant Best noticed the error and broke off with his two wingmen to attack the Akagi.
Nakajima B5N
|-See also:-References:NotesBibliography* Bridgwater, H.C. and Peter Scott. Combat Colours Number 4: Pearl Harbor and Beyond, December 1941 to May 1942. Luton, Bedfordshire, UK: Guideline Publications, 2001. ISBN 0-9539040-6-7....
planes, parked there. That hit doomed the Akagi. Later that day, Lieutenant Best participated in the attack on the last remaining Japanese carrier - the Hiryu
Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryu
was a modified Sōryū-class aircraft carrier of the Imperial Japanese Navy. She was one of the carriers that began the Pacific War with the attack on Pearl Harbor...
, maybe scoring one of the four hits. After the battle, Best was awarded the Navy Cross and the Distinguished Flying Cross.
However, on the morning flight Best had tested an oxygen bottle to be sure that it was not leaking caustic soda. Best's first inhalation was then filled with gas fumes. He snorted the gas fumes out, not thinking about it anymore. The next day Best began repeatedly to cough up blood. The flight surgeon found out that the gas fumes had activated latent tubercolosis. He entered the hospital at Pearl Harbor on June 24, 1942. After undergoing 32 months of treatment, Richard Best retired from the US Navy in 1944.
Civil life (1944-2001)
After his retirement from the Navy Best moved to Santa MonicaSanta Mônica
Santa Mônica is a town and municipality in the state of Paraná in the Southern Region of Brazil.-References:...
, California
California
California is a state located on the West Coast of the United States. It is by far the most populous U.S. state, and the third-largest by land area...
, where he lived for the rest of his life. After discharge from the hospital, Best worked in a small research division of the Douglas Aircraft Corporation. This division became part of the Rand Corporation in December 1948, where Best headed the security department until his retirement in March 1975. He died in October 2001 and was buried at Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery
Arlington National Cemetery in Arlington County, Virginia, is a military cemetery in the United States of America, established during the American Civil War on the grounds of Arlington House, formerly the estate of the family of Confederate general Robert E. Lee's wife Mary Anna Lee, a great...
. Best was married and had a daughter - Barbara Ann Llewellyn and a son - Richard Halsey Best II.