Avery, Howard Malcolm, CAPT

CAPT. HOWARD MALCOM AVERY, Navy pilot who sank two German submarines in World War II. Avery was credited with sinking both submarines while flying patrol off the deck of a converted merchant ship that was escorting a convoy to England early in the war. After the war, he was a naval attache in London, Paris and with NATO in Europe. In 1961, he became commanding officer of the Naval Air Station at Lemoore, Calif. He retired in 1967.

Howard Malcolm Avery was born in King Ferry, New York, on September 15, 1908, son of Horace W. and Edith Plested Avery. He attended San Diego (California) State College in 1926-1929, and was graduated from Stanford University, with the degree of Bachelor of Arts in Economics, in 1930. He subsequently worked as a Landscape Architect.

Navy Cross
Awarded for Actions During World War II
Service: Navy
Battalion: Composite Squadron 9 (VC-9)
Division: U.S.S. Card (CV-11)
General Orders: Bureau of Naval Personnel Information Bulletin No. 345 (December 1945)
Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Lieutenant Commander Howard Malcolm Avery (NSN: 0-76159), United States Navy, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as Pilot of a carrier-based Navy Torpedo Plane and Officer in Tactical Command in Composite Squadron NINE (VC-9), attached to the U.S.S. CARD (CV-9), in offensive action against an enemy submarine which was destroyed in the South Atlantic on 15 June 1944. Lieutenant Commander Avery was on an antisubmarine flight in search for possible squadron survivors in the area of a known enemy submarine, when the vessel, fully surfaced, was sighted a few minutes before sunset. Lieutenant Commander Avery immediately made a contact report, circled the submarine and maintained contact despite anti-aircraft gun fire. He coolly analyzed the situation and realized that a single plane would have little chance of sinking the hostile vessel. He kept the enemy occupied until assistance arrived. He then calmly directed the attack on the enemy submarine which resulted in its destruction. During the action Lieutenant Commander Avery, with great skill and courage, personally made two strafing runs against the enemy in the face of heavy anti-aircraft fire. The aggressiveness, determination, coolness, courage, and leadership shown by Lieutenant Commander Avery in attacking and coordinating the well-planned action with the supporting aircraft are all in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Navy.