Maxwell Franklin Leslie ( eng. Maxwell Franklin Leslie , 1902 - 1984 ) - an outstanding naval pilot of the US Navy during World War II . Known for playing a decisive role in the battle for Medway .
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Biography
Max Leslie entered the United States Naval Academy in Annapolis in 1922, immediately after successfully completing his studies at Washington University .
In 1926 he was promoted to the rank of ensign (military rank of junior officers), then he passed a flight course at a naval base in Pensacola and was promoted to military pilot in 1930. When the United States entered World War II, he was the senior Assistant Commander VB-3 on board the Saratoga . Later he independently led 3 bomber squadrons during the Battle of Midway . He also flew with his squadron from the Enterprise while escorting Hornet during the Doolittle attack.
Battle of Midway
Following the Japanese destroyer Arashi , who was returning from the Nautilus counterattack, Leslie and Lieutenant Commander Clarence Wade McCluskey from the Enterprise discovered a group of Japanese aircraft carriers at the very moment when their combat patrols were gathering on the decks to repel the attackers from the United States. when the First Air Fleet was most vulnerable. At a height too small for Zeros to do , Dönlesa swooped down and bombed Japanese aircraft carriers, on the decks of which the planes cooling down and preparing to take off, randomly crowded fuel hoses and lay piles of ammunition. In 5 minutes 6 Bomber and 6 Reconnaissance Eksadrilles destroyed 2 Japanese aircraft carriers. The aircraft carrier Kaga was left at 17:00 and sank at 19:25, Akagi was left immediately after Kaga sank and sank to the night. Simultaneously with the squadron of McClacks, the 3rd Bomber Squadron under the leadership of Leslie inflicted heavy damage to the aircraft carrier Soryu , which also sank to the night. Hiryu is the only Japanese aircraft carrier to remain intact. For heroism in this battle, Leslie received the Sea Cross award.
Further career
Leslie continued to serve abroad during World War II, and after the war he spent his entire military career on ships and coastal bases. He resigned in 1956. In addition to the Sea Cross, he was awarded the Bronze Star medal with the letter “V”, which means reward for bravery, and the Commendation Ribbon, he was listed as distinguished on the Enterprise, received the medal “For Service in the US Armed Forces”, military the naval bar, the medal "For participation in the US military campaigns", the medal "For participation in the Asia-Pacific campaign," the medal "For victory in World War II" and the medal "For service in the national armed forces."
In popular culture
In 1976, in the film Midway, the role of Leslie was played by the famous American actor Monte Markham .