oint ed ▁En sign , ▁United ▁States ▁Naval ▁Reserve , ▁on ▁September ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 4 1 , ▁he ▁reported ▁to ▁Bomb ing ▁Squadron ▁ 6 ▁on ▁board ▁aircraft ▁car rier ▁USS ▁Enter prise ▁( CV - 6 ), ▁pil oting ▁Douglas ▁S BD ▁Da unt less ▁d ive ▁bom bers . ▁He ▁participated ▁in ▁the ▁aer ial ▁attack ▁against ▁the ▁Japanese - h eld ▁Marshall ▁Islands ▁on ▁February ▁ 1 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁earned ▁the ▁Air ▁Medal . ▁ ▁On ▁February ▁ 2 5 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁H alse y ▁participated ▁in ▁a ▁ra id ▁on ▁W ake ▁Island , ▁during ▁which ▁he ▁purs ued ▁and ▁attacked ▁an ▁air bor ne ▁Japanese ▁four - engine ▁flying ▁boat . ▁When ▁the ▁flying ▁boat ▁acceler ated ▁and ▁began ▁to ▁out run ▁his ▁d ive ▁bom ber , ▁he ▁reported ▁it ▁to ▁nearby ▁F 4 F ▁Wild cat ▁f igh ters , ▁which ▁were ▁able ▁to ▁shoot ▁it ▁down . ▁ ▁H alse y ▁was ▁lost ▁in ▁action ▁on ▁June ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 4 2 , ▁in ▁the ▁Battle ▁of ▁Mid way . ▁He ▁was ▁post hum ously ▁awarded ▁the ▁Navy ▁Cross ▁for ▁extraordinary ▁hero ism ▁and ▁service ▁at ▁Mid way . ▁ ▁Comm em oration ▁The ▁U . S . ▁Navy ▁destroy er ▁esc ort ▁USS ▁Del bert ▁W . ▁H alse y ▁( DE - 3 1 0 ), ▁launched ▁in ▁ 1 9 4