▁their ▁screen ing ▁ships , ▁shot ▁down ▁ten ▁of ▁the ▁twelve ▁Tor ped o ▁Squadron ▁ 3 ▁Douglas ▁T BD - 1 ▁Dev ast ator ▁tor ped o ▁bom bers . ▁Howard , ▁pil oting ▁one ▁of ▁the ▁Dev ast ators , ▁and ▁his ▁radio ▁gun ner , ▁A viation ▁Rad i oman ▁ 3 rd ▁Class ▁Charles ▁L . ▁Moore , ▁per ished ▁in ▁the ▁attack . ▁ ▁Awards ▁ ▁Howard ▁was ▁awarded ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross ▁post hum ously ▁for ▁his ▁" self - s ac r ific ing ▁gall antry ▁and ▁fort itude ... in ▁keeping ▁with ▁the ▁highest ▁trad itions ▁of ▁the ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Service ..." ▁ ▁Names ake ▁ ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁destroy er ▁esc ort ▁USS ▁Curt is ▁W . ▁Howard ▁( DE - 7 5 2 ), ▁launched ▁in ▁ 1 9 4 4 ▁but ▁never ▁completed , ▁was ▁named ▁for ▁Lieutenant , ▁junior ▁grade , ▁Howard . ▁ ▁Notes ▁ ▁References ▁▁ ▁Category : Re cip ients ▁of ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross ▁( Un ited ▁States ) ▁Category : Un ited ▁States ▁Navy ▁officers ▁Category : Un ited ▁States ▁Naval ▁Academy ▁al umn i ▁Category : American ▁naval ▁personnel ▁killed ▁in ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Category : 1 9 1 7 ▁birth s ▁Category : 1 9 4 2 ▁death s ▁Category : Gu aman ian ▁people ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II ▁Category : Un ited ▁States ▁Navy ▁pil ots ▁of ▁World ▁War ▁II <0x0A> </s> ▁The ▁in el astic ▁mean ▁free ▁path ▁( IM