United States Navy Lieutenant Commander

John Charles Waldron was born in Ft. Pierre, SD, on August 21, 1900 and was the youngest of five children born to Charles W. and Jan E. (Van Metre) Waldron, she a member of the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe. Waldron attended grade school in Fort Pierre and in 1919 finished high school in Rapid City, SD. He graduated from the US Naval Academy, Annapolis, MD in 1924 and completed Naval flight training in Pensacola, FL in 1926.
In August 1941, Lt. Cmdr. Waldron assumed command of Torpedo Squadron 8, a flight of 15 Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bombers, based in the Pacific Ocean on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet. Waldron was known for tireless training and meticulous attention to detail in preparing his men for battle.
On June 4, 1942, at the Battle of Midway, Torpedo Squadron 8 under his command was ordered to locate and attack a huge Japanese fleet of destroyers, battleships, and aircraft carriers near Midway Island. Without fighter cover and knowing that his squadron would not have sufficient fuel to return to the USS Hornet, L. Cmdr. Waldron led the 30 men and 15 airplanes of Torpedo Squadron 8 in a ferocious attach against an overwhelming Japanese Force. Twenty-nine Americans, including Lt. Cmdr. Waldron, were killed, and all of the squadron's airplanes were lost in this valiant attack, which is said to have been the



turning point of World War II in the Pacific Theater.
Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron and the men of Torpedo Squadron 8 knew that they would probably not survive this attack against the Japanese and they made a conscious decision to give their lives for their country so that others might live and fight on.
Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross, Purple Heart, and Presidential Unit Citation for "bravery and dedication to country and duty."
December 31, 2002

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