World War II produced countless stories of bravery, and among those honored with the Medal of Honor, most were bomber or fighter pilots.
Yet history records one remarkable exception. Nathan Green Gordon, flying a Consolidated PBY-5 Catalina, became the only pilot of that aircraft to earn America’s highest military decoration.
His courage in February 1944 forever distinguished him among his peers and gave him a place in the annals of aviation history.
Born on September 4, 1916, in Morrilton, Arkansas, Gordon showed early signs of discipline and excellence.
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After graduating as salutatorian from Columbia Military Academy in Tennessee in 1933, he pursued higher education at Arkansas Polytechnical College and then the University of Arkansas in Fayetteville. There he completed a juris doctor degree in 1939, preparing for a future in law.
Alongside his studies, Gordon also served in the Arkansas National Guard, reflecting his strong sense of duty. For a time, he practiced law until May 1941, when he made a pivotal decision to enlist in the Navy.
His training in Jacksonville, Florida, coincided with one of the most significant events in American history.
He remembered vividly the morning of December 7, 1941, when the film he was watching was suddenly interrupted with the announcement, “All Navy personnel report to your base.” That moment marked the beginning of America’s entry into global war, and for Gordon, it set the stage for his extraordinary path ahead.
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By February 1942, he completed flight training and was assigned to patrol squadron VP-34. The squadron flew the versatile but lumbering PBY-5 Catalina.
Initially, they operated over the Caribbean Sea to protect convoys from German submarines, but soon they were transferred to the Pacific theater, where the stakes were even higher.
Gordon’s defining moment came on February 15, 1944. Flying his Catalina, which he called “Arkansas Traveler,” Gordon led a search and rescue mission in support of a bombing raid on Japanese naval facilities in Kavieng Harbor, New Britain.
The mission, known as a “Dumbo,” was inherently dangerous because the aircraft had to fly close to enemy positions while vulnerable to both fighters and anti-aircraft fire. Although four P-47 Thunderbolts were dispatched to protect his plane, the risks remained immense.
The day quickly turned grim when Gordon’s crew learned of a downed Douglas A-20 Havoc. Searching the site, they found only wreckage and no survivors. Yet another call came through of a North American B-25 Mitchell bomber shot down.
Without hesitation, Gordon landed the Catalina in 16 to 18-foot swells, a maneuver that strained the aircraft’s frame, and he rescued five crewmen.
The danger mounted. Another B-25 had been lost, and two of Gordon’s escorting P-47s were forced to turn back because of fuel shortages. Once again, Gordon braved enemy fire, landing near the survivors and bringing them aboard.
Now overloaded and in heavy seas, taking off seemed nearly impossible. Nevertheless, “Arkansas Traveler” clawed its way into the air, a testament to both Gordon’s skill and the determination of his crew.
Reports of another B-25 down soon reached them, this one perilously close to a Japanese-held island. With his remaining escorts gone and the situation worsening, Gordon still refused to abandon the mission.
Japanese anti-aircraft guns opened up as he descended, but other bombers returning from the raid strafed the positions to give him a chance. He managed to land yet again, taking aboard more injured crewmen.
With the Catalina now heavily burdened with fifteen rescued airmen in total, Gordon faced the daunting task of coaxing the flying boat back into the air. Against the odds, he succeeded, and delivered all of them safely to the seaplane tender San Pablo at Langemak Bay.
For this extraordinary feat, Gordon was awarded the Medal of Honor in September 1944. The citation praised him: “By his exceptional daring, personal valor, and incomparable airmanship under most perilous conditions, Lt. Gordon prevented certain death or capture of our airmen by the Japanese.”
His eight crewmen also received Silver Stars for their bravery. By the war’s end, Gordon’s record included two Distinguished Flying Crosses and six Air Medals, a testament to his consistent heroism.
After his honorable discharge in 1945, Gordon returned to civilian life. He resumed his law practice, but his leadership soon drew him into public service. A Democrat, he served ten terms as lieutenant governor of Arkansas, working with four different governors from 1947 to 1967.
His contributions to aviation were also honored in 1980 when he became one of the first inductees into the Arkansas Aviation Hall of Fame.
Nathan Green Gordon lived a long life marked by service to both his nation and his state. He passed away on September 9, 2008, at the age of 92, and was laid to rest in Elmwood Cemetery in Morrilton.
His legacy endures not only as the only PBY pilot to receive the Medal of Honor but also as a man who combined courage in war with dedication in peace.
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