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419:, broke off to engage the SBDs. In the subsequent dogfight, two Zeros were badly damaged, and no SBDs were shot down. However, O'Flaherty and Gaido's plane developed a fuel leak, due to damage from either a Zero or anti-aircraft fire during their bombing run. Their Dauntless ran out of fuel and they were forced to
313:
to attempt his first ever takeoff and landing from a carrier, an exercise with high risk to those in the plane. Despite expecting to fly solo, Kleiss found Gaido in the gunner's seat. Kleiss attempted to convince Gaido to leave the aircraft for his safety, but Gaido refused, stating, "You got wings,
454:
from the Battle of Midway until
Japanese records concerning O'Flaherty and Gaido's execution were uncovered after the war. After Gaido was reported missing, his mother Clementina was said to be inconsolable, and her death less than two months later was attributed by some in the family to the stress
445:
On June 15, 1942, the
Makigumo received orders to execute Gaido and O'Flaherty. According to Japanese accounts, when Makigumo's officer in charge, Isamu Fujita, asked for volunteers to execute the prisoners, the crew initially refused. However, that night the American airmen were
244:, the fourth of seven children to Clementina Compagnio Gaido, a stay at home mother, and John Peter Gaido, a laborer and later the owner of a pub. The Gaidos had immigrated to the United States from Italy in 1914. In the 1920s, the Gaido family moved from Staunton to
429:, who took them as prisoners of war. The Japanese claimed that Gaido revealed details about Midway Island's defenses; however, he had never been to Midway Island and it is unlikely he would have had any knowledge outside of what was known to the general public.
375:
demanded Gaido be brought to him. A search party found Gaido and brought him to the bridge, where Halsey spot-promoted him from
Aviation Machinist's Mate Third Class to Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class. For his actions, he also received a commendation from
370:
and used it to extinguish the burning pool of fuel left by the
Japanese plane before disappearing into the ship, as he believed he would be in trouble for abandoning his battle station. However, upon seeing Gaido's heroics, Vice Admiral
256:, and graduated in June 1934. Upon graduating, he immediately attempted to enlist in the Navy, but John Peter refused to grant him permission, believing him to be too young. He instead took up work as a worker on a
264:
at a local brewery. In 1940, Bruno attempted to enlist again, and this time his father gave his blessing, stating, "You're a man and I can't stop you. If you want to go, it's all right because now you're a man."
501:. Despite this, Gaido's surviving family were reportedly happy with his portrayal. Gaido's actions during the Marshall Islands raid and Midway were featured prominently in the first two episodes of
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alongside the rest of VS-6 and scored a near miss. O'Flaherty and Gaido joined with five other SBDs on the flight back to the
Enterprise. On the return journey, six Japanese
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358:, attempting to ram it. Seeing this, Gaido abandoned his watch post and jumped into a nearby Dauntless parked on the flight deck, and returned fire using the rear-facing
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366:, only hitting parked aircraft—including the one Gaido was in—before spiraling into the sea. Afterwards, Gaido was said to have calmly grabbed the SBD's
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471:. In 1996, Gaido was the first inductee into the Enlisted Combat Aircrew Roll of Honor. Gaido is memorialized on the Courts of the Missing at the
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Gaido quickly gained a reputation among the crew of the
Enterprise for mental and physical fortitude. In June 1941, Lieutenant Junior Grade
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314:
don't you?" Kleiss would later credit Gaido's confidence with helping him complete several perfect takeoffs and landings from the carrier.
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Some early records spell the Gaido family name as 'Gauto' or 'Gardo', though the spelling 'Gaido' is used consistently from 1940 onwards
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from the
Makigumo to drown. The U.S. would not know of the airmen's fate until after the war, and Gaido was listed as
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Gaido enlisted in the Navy on
October 11, 1940, as an apprentice seaman. After completing his basic training at the
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288:. After what was originally supposed to be a temporary training assignment, he joined VS-6 permanently as an
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726:, 1920; Staunton Ward 2, Macoupin, Illinois; page 15A, line 18. Retrieved on 30 Jan 2024.
437:, has stated his belief that Gaido likely gave the Japanese plausible-sounding but fabricated information.
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bombers. The lead aircraft, led by
Lieutenant Kazuo Nakai, was badly damaged by a defending
330:, Enterprise was tasked with harassing and disrupting the Japanese offensive throughout the
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949:"Foiled Dive on U.S. Carrier: Sailor Honored for Helping Shoot Down Jap 'Suicide' Plane"
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with pilot Frank O'Flaherty. On June 4, 1942, O'Flaherty and Gaido attacked the
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750:"Battle of Midway hero played by Nick Jonas in new film was Milwaukee man"
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362:. His fire disabled the aircraft, causing it to narrowly miss the
977:"Toughness—Aviation Machinist's Mate 1st Class Bruno Peter Gaido"
1099:"The Story Behind Nick Jonas's Studio-Approved Midway Mustache"
281:. On July 15, 1941, Gaido joined air squadron VS-6, which flew
205:
32:
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423:. The airmen were picked up by the Japanese destroyer
1034:
Shattered Sword: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway
338:. On February 1, 1942, following a bombing raid on the
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497:, under the mistaken impression that Gaido was from
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United States Navy personnel killed in World War II
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463:In April 1943, Gaido was posthumously awarded the
204:(March 21, 1916 – June 15, 1942) was an American
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326:on December 7, 1941 and American entry into the
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493:. Jonas portrayed Gaido with a mustache and a
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455:she experienced from Bruno's presumed death.
873:United States Department of Veterans Affairs
383:. He further served with distinction in the
1175:World War II prisoners of war held by Japan
1031:Parshall, Jonathan; Tully, Anthony (2005).
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865:"#VeteranOfTheDay Navy Veteran Bruno Gaido"
1004:"Heroic Machine Gunner Given Rating Boost"
31:
1170:American prisoners of war in World War II
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473:National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
395:Gaido was an SBD Dauntless gunner in the
91:National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
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937:
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240:Bruno Gaido was born March 21, 1916, in
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385:carrier raids of Marcus and Wake island
16:American Aviation Machinist (1916–1942)
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836:"Milwaukeean is Rewarded for Heroism"
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354:fighter and turned back towards the
275:Naval Training Center in Great Lakes
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433:Samuel J. Cox, the director of the
411:air group, en route as escorts for
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346:came under attack by five Japanese
228:, he was shot down and captured by
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1190:American people of Italian descent
982:Naval History and Heritage Command
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919:Naval History and Heritage Command
435:Naval History and Heritage Command
14:
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409:Japanese aircraft carrier Hiryū's
1185:Military personnel from Illinois
748:Jones, Meg (November 14, 2019).
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220:. While flying as a gunner on a
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621:Navy Presidential Unit Citation
387:in February and March of 1942.
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1180:People from Staunton, Illinois
1097:Chi, Paul (November 6, 2019).
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659:Asiatic–Pacific Campaign Medal
639:American Defense Service Medal
401:Japanese aircraft carrier Kaga
336:American carrier raids of 1942
155:American carrier raids of 1942
1:
909:Cox, Samuel J. (March 2022).
704:
448:weighted and thrown overboard
235:
85:Place of burial (Marker Only)
911:"H-068-2: AMM1c Bruno Gaido"
7:
467:for his actions aboard the
415:dive bombers attacking the
292:. VS-6 was attached to the
10:
1206:
1012:. Washington. May 13, 1942
842:. Washington. May 13, 1942
754:Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
673:World War II Victory Medal
601:Distinguished Flying Cross
465:Distinguished Flying Cross
307:Norman Jack "Dusty" Kleiss
279:Naval Station Pearl Harbor
186:Distinguished Flying Cross
1059:"Gaido, Bruno Peter, PO1"
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1165:American torture victims
1160:People executed by Japan
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360:.30 caliber machine guns
788:"PO1 BRUNO PETER GAIDO"
650:American Campaign Medal
483:Gaido was portrayed by
260:-run farm, and later a
89:Courts of the Missing,
324:attack on Pearl Harbor
230:Imperial Japanese Navy
1063:Navy.togetherweserved
630:Prisoner of War Medal
378:Secretary of the Navy
318:Carrier raids of 1942
283:Douglas SBD Dauntless
277:, he was assigned to
222:Douglas SBD Dauntless
116:Years of service
954:The Kansas City Star
945:The Associated Press
915:www.history.navy.mil
724:United States census
1155:Japanese war crimes
1077:"Bruno Peter Gaido"
809:"Bruno Peter Gaido"
405:Mitsubishi A6M Zero
254:Lincoln High School
77:Pacific Ocean near
479:In popular culture
407:fighters from the
373:William Halsey Jr.
290:Aviation Machinist
242:Staunton, Illinois
210:United States Navy
208:who served in the
110:United States Navy
61:Staunton, Illinois
1037:. Potomac Books.
1009:The Journal Times
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487:in the 2019 film
452:missing in action
368:fire extinguisher
252:. Bruno attended
202:Bruno Peter Gaido
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71:June 15, 1942
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1108:December 16,
1106:. Retrieved
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1082:February 13,
1080:. Retrieved
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1014:. Retrieved
1007:
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986:. Retrieved
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959:. Retrieved
957:. Washington
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922:. Retrieved
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877:. Retrieved
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844:. Retrieved
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818:. Retrieved
814:Ancestry.com
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803:
791:. Retrieved
759:February 12,
757:. Retrieved
713:
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677:(Posthumous)
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668:(Posthumous)
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610:Purple Heart
605:(Posthumous)
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286:dive bombers
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269:Naval career
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191:Purple Heart
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150:World War II
143:Battles/wars
73:(1942-06-15)
18:
1135:1942 deaths
1130:1916 births
1103:Vanity Fair
1016:January 13,
988:December 7,
961:January 13,
924:January 30,
879:January 29,
846:January 16,
840:News-Record
820:January 17,
793:December 7,
499:Long Island
352:F4F Wildcat
224:during the
130:first class
25:Bruno Gaido
1124:Categories
1044:1574889230
705:References
504:Battle 360
485:Nick Jonas
469:Enterprise
381:Frank Knox
364:Enterprise
356:Enterprise
344:Enterprise
322:After the
299:Enterprise
236:Early life
98:Allegiance
54:1916-03-21
40:Birth name
413:Aichi D3A
250:Wisconsin
246:Milwaukee
119:1940–1942
426:Makigumo
262:filterer
216:during
166:†
1041:
869:va.gov
511:Awards
490:Midway
459:Legacy
342:, the
212:as an
206:sailor
179:Awards
162:
106:Branch
79:Midway
63:, U.S.
718:
685:Notes
441:Death
421:ditch
1110:2022
1084:2024
1039:ISBN
1018:2024
990:2021
963:2024
926:2024
881:2024
848:2024
822:2024
795:2021
761:2024
297:USS
138:VS-6
135:Unit
124:Rank
68:Died
48:Born
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Text is available under the Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License. Additional terms may apply.
