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Steven Loomis (SaigonShipyard), IC3
to remember
PRESTON, Benjamin (NAVY CROSS x3), CAPT USN(Ret).
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Captain BEN PRESTON, USNR, joined the U.S. Navy in September of 1939, Ben flew SBDs with BS-5 off the Yorktown during the Battle of the Coral Sea and Midway. Preston was a carrier pilot on the USS Yorktown, the USS Enterprise and USS Intrepid during the Battle of the Philippine Sea. He served in all the major Pacific campaigns making a total of 740 deck landings.
Awards and Citations
Navy Cross Awarded for actions during World War Two
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant [then Ensign] Benjamin Gifford Preston (NSN: 0-84203), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane in Torpedo Squadron FIVE (VT-5), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), in dive bombing against enemy Japanese forces at Tulagi Harbor on 4 May 1942, and in an attack on an enemy aircraft carrier in the Coral Sea on 8 May 1942. Pressing home these attacks in the face of tremendous anti-aircraft fire and, on 8 May, also harassed by heavy aircraft opposition, Ensign Preston assisted greatly in the sinking or damaging of the carrier and eight other enemy vessels. His conscientious devotion to duty and gallant self-command against formidable odds contributed materially to the success of our forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 14 (June 28, 1942) Action Date: May 4, 7 & 8, 1942 Service: Naval Reserve Rank: Lieutenant Company: Torpedo Squadron 5 (VT-5) Division: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)
Navy Cross Awarded for actions during World War Two
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Gold Star in lieu of a Second Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Benjamin Gifford Preston (NSN: 0-84203), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Scouting Plane of Scouting Squadron FIVE (VS-5), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), during the "Air Battle of Midway," against enemy Japanese forces on 4 - 6 June 1942. Defying extreme danger from concentrated anti-aircraft fire and fierce fighter opposition, Lieutenant Preston, with utter disregard for his own personal safety, participated in persistent and vigorous attacks against the Japanese invasion fleet. His gallant intrepidity and loyal devotion to the accomplishment of a vastly important objective contributed in large measure to the success achieved by our forces and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 18a (July 18, 1942) Action Date: June 4 - 6, 1942 Service: Naval Reserve Rank: Lieutenant Company: Scouting Squadron 5 (VS-5) Division: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)
Navy Cross Awarded for actions during World War Two
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting a Second Gold Star in lieu of a Third Award of the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Benjamin Gifford Preston (NSN: 0-84203), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Dive Bomber of Bombing Squadron EIGHTEEN (VB-18), attached to the U.S.S. INTREPID (CV-11), during the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea, on 26 October 1944. As leader of a division of 16 carrier-based dive bombers, Lieutenant Preston participated in an attack which obtained five confirmed hits on an enemy carrier Task Force. He dropped his bomb load squarely on an enemy battleship in the face of anti-aircraft fire that seriously damaged his engine. He made a successful water landing, saving his own life and that of his crewman. The action in which he took part removed a serious threat to our ground forces in the Philippine Islands. His outstanding courage and determined skill were at all times inspiring and in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
General Orders: Commander 1st Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 0533 (September 11, 1945) Action Date: 26-Oct-44 Service: Naval Reserve
Central Pacific Campaign (1941-43)/Battle of the Coral Sea
From Month/Year
May / 1942
To Month/Year
May / 1942
Description The Battle of the Coral Sea, fought during 4–8 May 1942, was a major naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II between the Imperial Japanese Navy and naval and air forces from the United States and Australia. The battle was the first action in which aircraft carriers engaged each other, as well as the first in which neither side's ships sighted or fired directly upon the other.
In an attempt to strengthen their defensive positioning for their empire in the South Pacific, Japanese forces decided to invade and occupy Port Moresby in New Guinea and Tulagi in the southeastern Solomon Islands. The plan to accomplish this, called Operation MO, involved several major units of Japan's Combined Fleet, including two fleet carriers and a light carrier to provide air cover for the invasion fleets, under the overall command of Japanese Admiral Shigeyoshi Inoue. The US learned of the Japanese plan through signals intelligence and sent two United States Navy carrier task forces and a joint Australian-American cruiser force, under the overall command of American Admiral Frank J. Fletcher, to oppose the Japanese offensive.
On 3–4 May, Japanese forces successfully invaded and occupied Tulagi, although several of their supporting warships were surprised and sunk or damaged by aircraft from the US fleet carrier Yorktown. Now aware of the presence of US carriers in the area, the Japanese fleet carriers entered the Coral Sea with the intention of finding and destroying the Allied naval forces.
Beginning on 7 May, the carrier forces from the two sides exchanged airstrikes over two consecutive days. The first day, the US sank the Japanese light carrier Shoho, while the Japanese sank a US destroyer and heavily damaged a fleet oiler (which was later scuttled). The next day, the Japanese fleet carrier Shokaku was heavily damaged, the US fleet carrier Lexington was critically damaged (and was scuttled as a result), and the Yorktown was damaged. With both sides having suffered heavy losses in aircraft and carriers damaged or sunk, the two fleets disengaged and retired from the battle area. Because of the loss of carrier air cover, Inoue recalled the Port Moresby invasion fleet, intending to try again later.
Although a tactical victory for the Japanese in terms of ships sunk, the battle would prove to be a strategic victory for the Allies for several reasons. The battle marked the first time since the start of the war that a major Japanese advance had been checked by the Allies. More importantly, the Japanese fleet carriers Sokaku and Zuikaku – one damaged and the other with a depleted aircraft complement – were unable to participate in the Battle of Midway, which took place the following month, ensuring a rough parity in aircraft between the two adversaries and contributing significantly to the US victory in that battle. The severe losses in carriers at Midway prevented the Japanese from reattempting to invade Port Moresby from the ocean. Two months later, the Allies took advantage of Japan's resulting strategic vulnerability in the South Pacific and launched the Guadalcanal Campaign that, along with the New Guinea Campaign, eventually broke Japanese defenses in the South Pacific and was a significant contributing factor to Japan's ultimate defeat in World War II.
My Participation in This Battle or Operation
From Month/Year
May / 1942
To Month/Year
May / 1942
Last Updated: Mar 16, 2020
Personal Memories
Memories Navy Cross
Awarded for actions during World War Two
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant [then Ensign] Benjamin Gifford Preston (NSN: 0-84203), United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane in Torpedo Squadron FIVE (VT-5), attached to the U.S.S. YORKTOWN (CV-5), in dive bombing against enemy Japanese forces at Tulagi Harbor on 4 May 1942, and in an attack on an enemy aircraft carrier in the Coral Sea on 8 May 1942. Pressing home these attacks in the face of tremendous anti-aircraft fire and, on 8 May, also harassed by heavy aircraft opposition, Ensign Preston assisted greatly in the sinking or damaging of the carrier and eight other enemy vessels. His conscientious devotion to duty and gallant self-command against formidable odds contributed materially to the success of our forces in the Battle of the Coral Sea.
General Orders: Commander in Chief Pacific: Serial 14 (June 28, 1942) Action Date: May 4, 7 & 8, 1942 Service: Naval Reserve Rank: Lieutenant Company: Torpedo Squadron 5 (VT-5) Division: U.S.S. Yorktown (CV-5)
