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On Febuary 1942, the enemy
at Rabaul was determined to locate and sink the U.S. Carrier
Lexington, and Japanese G4M1 Bettys set out with that end in
sight. Alerted to the coming fight, six F4F Wildcats landed on
the ''Lady Lex'' to refuel and rearm and six others took to the
skies to rid the carrier deck of fully fueled and armed aircraft
and to engage the attacking bombers. The fight was bitter.
When a second wave of enemy
bombers appeared, only two aircraft, F4F-3s flown by Lieutenant
Edward H. "Butch" O'Hare and Lieutenant (Junior Grade)
Marion Dufilho, were between the attackers and the carrier they
protected. Dufilho's machine guns froze but O'Hare dived on the
eight bombers and downed four; then he aimed at taking out the
master bombardier and interrupting the bomb run.
O'Hare was credited as an
ace, having dropped five in one skirmish. He was awarded the
Medal of Honor and promoted two grades. Unfortunately, O'Hare
was killed in action during a night intercept mission in the
assaults on the Gilbert Islands in 1943, apparently the victim
of "friendly fire".
Signed and numbered by the artist. |