Stephen William Groves

Ensign, United States Naval Reserve

Navy Cross & Purple Heart

STEPHEN WILLIAM GROVES was the third of four sons (no girls) born to Lemuel Robert and Evelyn B (Knowles) Groves. They were married on 26 Aug 1908 in Calais, Maine. The other sons were Laurence Wade (b. 14 Jun 1909), John H. (b. 01 Dec 1913) and Richard Groves (b. in Oct 1926). Laurence served in the US Army during WWII (15 Mar 1943-5 Jan 1949). He was wounded in action.

Stephen graduated from Garrett Schenck High School in 1934. He began his college experience on 12 Sept 1935; the first day of class registration and Freshman week for 278 newbies. Stephen was one of 91 freshman to enter the College of Technology. Not long after classes started that fall of 1935, Stephen pledged and joined Phi Mu Delta fraternity. After four years of study, he received a B.S. degree with honors in Chemistry on 12 June 1939 at commencement exercises with 325 other graduates. In the fall of 1940, Stephen submitted an application for Aviation Training in the U.S. Naval Reserve at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base (NRAB), Boston, (Squantum), MA.

The application required that he: submit a copy of his birth certificate; take and pass a physical and dental exam; submit all high school and college transcripts; obtain and submit at least three character references; write a resume covering occupational and other experiences; submit a current photograph of himself; and then sit for an interview with the Naval Reserve Flight Selection Board. Groves was nominated for flight training in the Naval Reserve by the board. The next step in the application process was to pass Elimination Flight Training (E-base). Stephen enlisted in the Volunteer Naval Reserve Flight Training Program (V5) as a Seaman 2c, USNR, (NSN 400 68 94) on 11 Dec 1940 in Boston, MA. He reported for temporary active duty and E-base at the Naval Reserve Aviation Base (NRAB), Boston, (Squantum), MA on 16 Dec 1940. Seaman 2c Groves successfully completed his E-base flight qualifications, which included a short solo flight, on 16 Jan 1941. He was released from active duty and sent home to await further orders. His completed application was forwarded to the Navy Department for approval.

Several weeks later, Groves received a letter from the Secretary of the Navy appointing him as an Aviation Cadet. He also received a letter from the Chief of the Bureau of Navigation (Rear Admiral Nimitz) directing him to proceed to Naval Air Station, Jacksonville, FL and on 19 Feb 1941 report to the Commandant, NAS Jacksonville (JAX) for active duty. He transferred on 13 Feb 1941 from NRAB, Squantum to the NAS JAX. He arrived there on 19 Feb 1941 when he was discharged from enlisted status active duty. The following day, 20 Feb 1941 (Date of rank as an Aviation Cadet was assigned as 15 Feb 1941.), Groves took the oath of office and accepted the appointment as an Aviation Cadet. He was assigned to Aviation Cadet Class 2C-41-J.

Stephen completed his basic and primary flight training at Jacksonville in Sept 1941. He detached from NAS JAX and transferred to NAS Miami for several months of flight training under instruction with the Advanced Training Specialized Carrier Group. While at NAS, Miami, Groves completed the training, and he received his designation as a naval aviator (Heavier-than-Air). He took the oath of office and accepted the commission as Ensign AV-(N), (USNR) in Oct 1941 with a date of rank of 4 Aug 1941. Ens. Groves, orders in hand, detached from NAS Miami in Nov 1941 with a delay in reporting to count as leave. After a visit home, Ens. Groves reported for duty to Fighting Squadron Eight (VF-8) at the NAS Norfolk, VA in Dec 1941. VF-8 was attached to the newly commissioned aircraft carrier, USS Hornet (CV-8) in Norfolk, VA. After he reported to VF-8 for duty, Ens. Groves was transferred for temporary additional duty with the Advanced Carrier Training Group (ACTG), Fleet Air Detachment, NAS, Norfolk, VA. After Ensign Groves completed that training, he returned to the squadron about Feb 1942. Over time Groves would earn the nickname of Shady.

The last naval fighting squadron to be formed before the outbreak of WWII was Fighting Squadron Eight (VF-8). VF-8 was commissioned on 2 Sep. 1941. On 06 Oct 1941, the Hornet's Air Group Eight was commissioned. In early Dec 1941, the Hornet and her squadrons were still fitting out. In the middle of Dec, VF-8's ensigns made their first carrier landings on board Hornet. Fighting Eight on 23 Dec embarked on its new carrier as Hornet made ready for her shakedown cruise. Hornet sailed two days after Christmas bound for the Gulf of Mexico. Green ensigns made some pretty spectacular landings. Hornet returned on 31 Jan 1942 to Norfolk, and her squadrons went ashore. After almost a month ashore, VF-8 returned to the ship.

After months of shake down training off the US East Coast and the Caribbean, USS Hornet (CV-8) with her embarked squadrons and escorts (TF 18), set sail on 04 Mar 1942 for San Diego via the Panama Canal. San Diego was to be her new home port. Shortly after arriving in San Diego, Hornet was underway again and arrived at NAS Alameda on 30 March 1942. The next day 16 Army Mitchell B-25s were hoisted onto her flight deck. Other than to launch fighters in an emergency, Hornet could conduct no flight operations.

On 02 April, Mitcher's Task Force 18 set sail on her first combat mission. Enterprise and her Task Force 16 steamed out of Pearl Harbor on 08 Apr enroute to her rendezvous with Hornet. Her air group flew out to the Enterprise from NAS Pearl Harbor later that afternoon. The two Task Forces caught up with one another on the morning of 13 April. Admiral Bull Halsey assumed tactical command of both forces. Hornet and her group were merged into Task Force 16 with Enterprise. Early on the morning of 18 April 1942, a Japanese fishing boat, part of an outer defense force of Japan's home islands, sent a sighting message by telegraph to his control. Halsey had no alternative but to launch the Doolittle bombers earlier than planned. Between 0820 to 0919, Hornet launched the B-25s under the command of LtCol Jimmie Doolittle in the first attack by American forces against the Japanese homeland during WWII. After the attack, Hornet and Enterprise steamed back to Hawaii arriving on 25 April to refuel/rearm. Air Group Six flew to Luke Field, Pearl Harbor and Air Group Eight flew to the Marine Corps Air Station, Ewa Field near Barbers Point on Oahu.

The next morning at 0800, Hornet took the scheduled duty to maintained Task Force 16's inner air patrol (IAP). Three hours later while launching a relief IAP, Ensign Charles Markham Kelly Jr., another pilot with VF-8, and part of an eight-F4F patrol went into the drink during take-off. Pilot and mechanical error contributed to the mishap. Kelly's Wildcat splashed into the Pacific only 200 yards ahead of the swiftly moving behemoth. In this case a very lucky Ensign Kelly swam fast enough to avoid being hit by Hornet, however, his steed was not so lucky. Hornet rammed his still floating F4F and sent it to the bottom. The faithful greyhound, Monssen, swept Kelly up fast enough to keep him from barely getting wet. On 11 May, while Hornet was refueling, the Monssen came alongside her and via bosun's chair returned her two wayward pilots; Ensigns Groves and Kelly (Both pilots would be lost during the Battle of Midway).

The fifth of May brought another equator crossing and the first for Hornet. All ships conducted the time-honored initiation into King Neptune's Realm. Several days later, Halsey learned of the status of the battle of the Coral Sea and the likely Japanese invasion of the islands of Ocean and Mauru (operation RY) later in the month. Due to CincPac orders on 15 May to Halsey he was ordered not to attack the enemy ships in operation RY. He was to "get sighted and scram." It was a rouse so the Japanese would think the American Carrier forces were heading for Ocean-Mauru. Once the two carrier force was sighted by Japanese reconnaissance planes, the Japanese postponed their RY invasion plans. The following day TF-16 was recalled to Pearl Harbor. Enterprise and Hornet arrived back in Pearl Harbor on 26 May. Several days later on 28 May 1942, Hornet and Enterprise with TF 16 got underway again and headed toward Midway in an attempt to thwart the expected Japanese Navy's advance against the atoll.

At 0700 of 4 June 1942, the Hornet commenced launching her high combat air patrol (Hi-CAP) F4Fs, two Wildcat four-plane divisions led by Lts Edward J. O'Neill and Warren W. Ford. They immediately began the long climb to 18,000 feet. Following Hornet's CAP came Lcdr Samuel G. "Pat" Mitchell's 10-plane Wildcat strike escort (all ten would end up ditching because of fuel-exhaustion.). At 0746, the Hornet's strike package began its departure toward its target; the Japanese Striking Force. A few minutes later the last of Torpedo Squadron Eight departed Hornet. At 0754, Ens. Groves flying CAP returned to Hornet and made a "deferred forced landing." She immediately scrambled another VF-8 F4F to take his place and restore the CAP to eight. At 0836, the Fighter Director Officer (FDO) on Enterprise sent several fighters including a four plane division of VF-8 to intercept IJN cruiser Tone scout plane no. 4. At 0844, the FDO called fighters back on station as the contact disappeared from radar. Between 0932 and 0950 Hornet added two four-plane CAP divisions under Bruce Harwood and Ltjg John Sutherland but only relieved one of the two original CAP divisions. At 1040, Hornet began turning into the wind to recover the remaining four F4F CAP from the original CAP. At 1100, Hornet, preparing to receive her strike VS-8 SBDs, cleared her flight deck by launching the relief CAP of eight VF-8 F4Fs under O'Neill and Ford.

At 1158, Yorktown's FDO vectored the second division of Yorktown's Fighting Three (VF-3) CAP to intercept fifty bogeys at "Angels Ten" approaching from the southeast. This was the Japanese counter-strike approaching Yorktown. Because of the vagaries of the combat situation at the moment, many of the friendly CAP, both TF 16 and TF 17, were at different altitudes and locations. Also monitoring the incoming Japanese attack was Lcdr Leonard Dow, the FDO for TF16. He directed Hornet's VF-8 Wildcats of the "Blue" patrol to assist in the defense of Yorktown by proceeding out along a heading of 305 to a distance of thirty miles to intercept enemy planes thought to be at 10,000 feet. Lt. Warren Ford acknowledged the transmission and with his division hustled off to the north. At the time, his four F4Fs operated west of TF 16, significantly closer to the Yorktown than the rest of Dow's CAP. A short time later the four Grummans of "Hank" Fords VF-8 division came into the target area at 20,000 feet enjoying altitude supremacy over their adversaries. Unfortunately, it was more difficult to locate targets at that height. Suddenly planes appeared below. Lt. Ford took his division into to a long dive. He and his wingman, Ens. Morrill I. Cook, Jr., joined in a melee with several Zeros at about 12,000 feet. When the dust cleared both American pilots had scored a victory apiece. However, during their engagement with the enemy the battle area had shift much closer to TF 17. The air space around them became very unhealthy as five-inch shell bursts from screening destroyers and cruisers of TF-17 began targeting their planes.

Ford's second division consisted of Ensigns Cook, Formanek, and Groves. While Ford and Cook were engaged with the Zeros, Formanek and his wingman, Groves engaged and shot down a dive bomber on their initial pass. Groves shot down another bomber afterwards. However, just after Cook shot down the Zero, he happened to see a flaming F4F start down toward the water. Formanek later stated that anti-aircraft bursts shot down his wingman. The burst was probably fired by the US heavy cruiser USS Astoria (CA-34). She would be sunk at the Battle of Savo Island on 09 Aug 1942. Ensign Groves and Ensign Formanek later received credit for destroying two dive bombers.

About 1230 on 04 Jun 1942, Hornet landed three of the four VF-8 fighters of Lt Ford's division of the CAP. Ensign Groves was listed as missing in action on 04 June 1942 in the USS Hornet's Report of Action dated 13 Jun 1942. His remains were unrecoverable. On 05 June 1943, he was presumed dead.

Ens. Groves was awarded (posthumously) the Navy Cross, Purple Heart, American Campaign Medal, American Defense Service Medal, Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal with on bronze Battle Star, and the World War II Victory Medal.

Compiler's note: Some newspaper accounts credit Ens. Groves with taking off from Hornet nine times on 04 Jun 1942. It would not be possible to launch and recover any pilot nine times during a five hour period especially during combat. In his case, I can account for one take-off attempt and possibly two take-offs and one landing.

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Navy Cross Citation:

The President of the United States of America takes pride in presenting the Navy Cross (Posthumously) to Stephen W. Groves, Ensign, United States Naval Reserve, for extraordinary heroism in operations against the enemy while serving as pilot of a carrier-based Navy Fighter Plane in Fighting Squadron EIGHT, attached to the U.S.S. HORNET, during the "Air Battle of Midway," against enemy Japanese forces on 4 June 1942. With grim disregard for the hazardous consequence of his act, Ensign Groves plunged into aerial combat against a large group of enemy aircraft which was harassing our carriers. Contributing decisively to the disruption of threatening enemy formations, he pressed home a determined and vigorous counterattack against desperate odds until, finally overcome by sheer aerial superiority, he was shot down from the skies. By his courageous devotion to the fulfillment of a vastly important mission, he aided greatly in the victory achieved by our forces and conducted himself in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.

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His family received a commemoration from President Franklin D. Roosevelt. It reads: In grateful memory of Stephen William Groves, who died in the service of his country, SEA, Pacific Area, ATTACHED U.S.S. HORNET, 5 JUNE 1943 (Presumed). He stands in the unbroken line of patriots who have dared to die that freedom might live and grow and increase its blessings. Freedom lives, and through it, he lives -- in a way that humbles the undertakings of most men.

(Signed) Franklin D. Roosevelt,

President of the United States of America

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The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine) – 19 Jan 1943, Tue – p.10

“Till We Grow Too Old to Dream”

Naturally pleased that the East Millinocket War page was well received by the citizens of that paper town, the NEWS is printing a letter this morning not to further prove that point but to allow its subscribers to read a particularly fine letter written by the grieving father of a boy missing in action. The boy, Ensign Stephen Groves, was lost in the Battle of Midway, June 4, 1942. His father, L.R. Groves, paymaster at the East Millinocket Mill writes as follows:

Gentlemen: That was an excellent job your people did in writing up our community’s war efforts, and everybody here is much pleased with the layout. My family much appreciates everything relating to our missing boy. He fulfilled every ideal I ever cherished. A fighter pilot of Squadron 8, attached to USS Hornet, his country can well be proud of the record they hung up at Midway on June 4, 1942. His mother and I will think of him until we grow too old to dream.

Very Truly yours,

L.R. Groves

(Original article edited for content.)

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The first ship named in honor of Ens. Groves, the destroyer escort USS Groves (DE-543), was canceled in 1944 prior to completion. The second ship named in his honor was commissioned on 17 April 1982. The USS Stephen W. Groves (FFG-29) twenty-first ship of the Oliver Hazard Perry-class of guided missile frigates, was named for Ensign Stephen W. Groves (1917–1942), a naval aviator who was posthumously awarded the Navy Cross for his heroism at the Battle of Midway during World War II. She was decommissioned on 24 Feb 2012.

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Task Force 16 Citation Recognizing its contribution to the Doolittle Raid, 18 April 1942

On the occasion of the 50th anniversary of the Second World War, it is appropriate that we take time to reflect on the unique and daring accomplishments achieved early in the war by Task Force 16. Sailing westward under sealed orders in April 1942, only four months after the devastating raid on Pearl Harbor, Task Force 16, carrying sixteen Army B-25 bombers, proceeded into history. Facing adverse weather and under constant threat of discovery before bombers could be launched to strike the Japanese homeland, the crews of the ships and LTC Doolittle's bombers persevered. On 18 April 1942 at 14:45, perseverance produced success as radio broadcasts from Japan confirmed the success of the raids. These raids were an enormous boost to the morale of the American people in those early and dark days of the war and a harbinger of the future for the Japanese High Command that had so foolishly awakened "The Sleeping Giant." These exploits, which so inspired the service men and women and the nation live on today and are remembered when the necessity of success against all odds is required.

(Signed) John H.Dalton

Secretary of the Navy

15 May 1995

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Combat Action Ribbon (CR) note:

None of the Navy/Marine flight crews in the Battle of Midway were eligible for or were awarded the Combat Action Ribbon (CR). See Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual (SECNAVINST M-1650.1 of 16 Aug 2019, Appendix 2C.1.c (3) Amplifying Guidance). It reads in part, “The CR will not be awarded in connection with aerial flight, . . . “ The CR was established in 1969 and made retroactive to 07 Dec 1941. According to the Awards Manual, when deemed appropriate, the award for aerial combat was/is the Air Medal.

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(Bio #246 composed in Nov 2016 by Gerry Lawton (G47)

Military Hall of Honor ID#93273

Find A Grave Memorial #170648016

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Primary excerpts sources:

1) Ludstrom, John B. The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway. Annapolis: Naval Institute Press, 1984.

2) Naval Registers 1941, 1943, Ancestry.com (online database)

3) Naval Muster Reports, Ancestry.com (online database)

4) Navy and Marine Corps Awards Manual (SECNAVINST M-1650.1 of 16 Aug 2019, Appendix 2C.1.c (3) Amplifying Guidance)

5) Newspaper articles – The Bangor Daily News (Bangor, Maine), The Boston Globe (Boston, MA)