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C. Wade McClusky
Rear Admiral Clarence Wade McClusky, Jr., (June 1, 1902 – June 27, 1976) was a United States Navy aviator during World War II and the early Cold War. He played a major part in the Battle of Midway; in the words of Admiral Chester Nimitz, McClusky's decision to continue the search for the enemy and his judgment as to where the enemy might be found, "decided the fate of our carrier task force and our forces at Midway".
McClusky was born in Buffalo, New York. He was the second of five children to Clarence Wade McClusky, Sr., an accountant, and Mary Anastasia Stears "May" McClusky. Both of his parents were born in Pennsylvania, but had spent their adulthoods in Buffalo. Wade, Sr. was a Presbyterian of Scotch-Irish ancestry, while May was an Irish Catholic. Wade, Sr. refused to raise the children in the Catholic faith, and forbade May from attending Catholic Mass.
McClusky disliked his first name Clarence, and always signed his name as "C. Wade McClusky". He attended South Park High School in Buffalo, where he was a clever and hard-working student. McClusky graduated in 1918 at the age of 16. As his family's financial situation was strained, he sought employment instead of applying to colleges. His first job involved cleaning the interiors of railroad tanker cars, and associated exposure to various chemicals. McClusky's son Philip recalled in 2015: "He told me once that it was a miserable job and as a result he was determined to go to college or the academy!"
Wade, Sr. would die in an automobile crash on October 8, 1928, after which May returned to the Catholic Church. May persuaded one of McClusky's sisters to convert to Catholicism, but McClusky himself became an Episcopalian.
McClusky graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1926—the same class as Max Leslie, Carlton Hutchins, Howard W. Gilmore, and Lofton R. Henderson—and became a Naval Aviator three years later. Over the next decade, he served in several air units, as well as on command staff, as an instructor at the Naval Academy and at shore facilities. In 1940, he was assigned to Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6), based on USS Enterprise, and assumed command of that squadron in April 1941.
Lieutenant Commander McClusky became Enterprise's air group commander in April 1942.
During the Battle of Midway, while leading his air group's scout bombers on June 4, 1942, he made the critical tactical decision that led to the sinking of three of Japan's fleet carriers, Soryu, Kaga and Akagi.
When McClusky could not find the Japanese carriers where he expected them, and with his air group's fuel running dangerously low, he began a box search and on the second leg spotted the Arashi steaming north at flank speed. Arashi had stayed behind to attack the submarine USS Nautilus, which had been harassing the Japanese fleet. Surmising that Arashi must be following the main fleet, McClusky ordered a change in course in the same direction as Arashi. This led him directly to the enemy carriers.
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C. Wade McClusky
Rear Admiral Clarence Wade McClusky, Jr., (June 1, 1902 – June 27, 1976) was a United States Navy aviator during World War II and the early Cold War. He played a major part in the Battle of Midway; in the words of Admiral Chester Nimitz, McClusky's decision to continue the search for the enemy and his judgment as to where the enemy might be found, "decided the fate of our carrier task force and our forces at Midway".
McClusky was born in Buffalo, New York. He was the second of five children to Clarence Wade McClusky, Sr., an accountant, and Mary Anastasia Stears "May" McClusky. Both of his parents were born in Pennsylvania, but had spent their adulthoods in Buffalo. Wade, Sr. was a Presbyterian of Scotch-Irish ancestry, while May was an Irish Catholic. Wade, Sr. refused to raise the children in the Catholic faith, and forbade May from attending Catholic Mass.
McClusky disliked his first name Clarence, and always signed his name as "C. Wade McClusky". He attended South Park High School in Buffalo, where he was a clever and hard-working student. McClusky graduated in 1918 at the age of 16. As his family's financial situation was strained, he sought employment instead of applying to colleges. His first job involved cleaning the interiors of railroad tanker cars, and associated exposure to various chemicals. McClusky's son Philip recalled in 2015: "He told me once that it was a miserable job and as a result he was determined to go to college or the academy!"
Wade, Sr. would die in an automobile crash on October 8, 1928, after which May returned to the Catholic Church. May persuaded one of McClusky's sisters to convert to Catholicism, but McClusky himself became an Episcopalian.
McClusky graduated from the United States Naval Academy in 1926—the same class as Max Leslie, Carlton Hutchins, Howard W. Gilmore, and Lofton R. Henderson—and became a Naval Aviator three years later. Over the next decade, he served in several air units, as well as on command staff, as an instructor at the Naval Academy and at shore facilities. In 1940, he was assigned to Fighting Squadron Six (VF-6), based on USS Enterprise, and assumed command of that squadron in April 1941.
Lieutenant Commander McClusky became Enterprise's air group commander in April 1942.
During the Battle of Midway, while leading his air group's scout bombers on June 4, 1942, he made the critical tactical decision that led to the sinking of three of Japan's fleet carriers, Soryu, Kaga and Akagi.
When McClusky could not find the Japanese carriers where he expected them, and with his air group's fuel running dangerously low, he began a box search and on the second leg spotted the Arashi steaming north at flank speed. Arashi had stayed behind to attack the submarine USS Nautilus, which had been harassing the Japanese fleet. Surmising that Arashi must be following the main fleet, McClusky ordered a change in course in the same direction as Arashi. This led him directly to the enemy carriers.