Turret Gunner Clifford Daniel Boyer‏

Clifford Daniel Boyer -  Turret Gunner

Cliff survived the war, married and lived to age 73. He is buried in Florida

Clifford D. Boyer was the Turret Gunner of Wally's Avenger Crew. He sat in a rotating turret right above Wally. No personal histories, recollections or reports about the war or that mission written by him have yet been located. He also received the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions on the mission of October 25th, 1944.

His Citation reads as follows:

The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Distinguished Flying Cross to Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class Clifford Daniel Boyer (NSN: 2506170), United States Navy, for heroism and extraordinary achievement while participating in aerial flight as Turret Gunner in a carrier-based torpedo plane in a glide bombing attack on a formation of the Japanese fleet on 25 October 1944, in the vicinity of the Philippine Islands in the Second Battle of the Philippine Sea. His plane scored two bomb hits on a battleship. He performed his assigned duties with outstanding courage and ability while flying through a dense curtain of anti-aircraft fire from the Japanese Fleet. His unflinching and alert performance of duty was an important contribution to the success of the attack and was at all times in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
 General Orders: Commander 2d Carrier Task Force Pacific: Serial 01060 (January 22, 1945)

Action Date: October 25, 1944

Service: Navy

Rank: Aviation Machinist's Mate First Class

Division: U.S.S. Hancock (CV-19)