Maurice Andrew Ward
Second Lieutenant Maurice A. Ward was a Marine Corps pilot who flew with VMSB-241.
He was shot down and reported missing in the battle of Midway on 4 June 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Reserve
Service Number O-7993
Current Status
Remains not recovered.
Pursuit Category
Based on circumstances of loss, this individual is considered permanently non-recoverable.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
November 21, 1919
at Kansas City, MO
Parents
Maurice Vernon “Mick” Ward
Mary Gladys (Murray) Ward
Education
Northeast High School (1938)
Northeast Junior College (1940)
University of Missouri (one year)
Occupation & Employer
Student
Service Life
Entered Service
January 20, 1941 (enlisted)
December 16, 1941 (officer)
Home Of Record
4322 Sunrise Drive
Kansas City, MO
Next Of Kin
Father, Mr. Maurice V. Ward
Military Specialty
Pilot
Assistant Navigation Officer
Primary Unit
VMSB-241
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Maurice Ward, age 22: a tall, lanky boy from Kansas City, Missouri. I always thought of him as someone who had stepped from the college classroom straight to Midway, stopping only long enough to leave his books and change his clothes.
Second Lieutenant Maurice Ward was a Marine pilot with VMSB-241, a scout-bomber squadron based at Midway Island in 1942. He was part of the Third Section, First Division, led by Major Lofton R. Henderson, and usually flew with fellow Missourian PFC Harry M. Radford as his radioman and gunner.
At 0610 hours on 4 June 1942, VMSB-241 took off from Midway and rendezvoused at “Point Affirm” – a safe distance from the airfield, out of the way of an incoming Japanese strike force. A radio message sent them on course to attack an enemy carrier; a two-hour flight brought them within sight of the IJN Hiryū. The carrier sent up a wall of flak, and her fighters quickly climbed to engage the unescorted American bombers.
In the chaos and violence of the attack, Ward’s Dauntless (SBD-2 #2122) fell victim to a Japanese fighter or anti-aircraft gunner. No eyewitness accounts report seeing Ward and Radford fall, but they did not return from the Hiryū strike. Both Marines were officially declared dead on 5 June 1943.
Burial Information or Disposition
Shot down at sea; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of father, Mr. Maurice “Mick” Ward.
Location Of Loss
Ward was shot down at an unspecified point after departing from Midway.
Comment from William E. Ward
2 August 2012
As reported in this article, St Louis, Missouri was stated as Maurice’s home. This is incorrect. He was born and raised in Kansas City, Missouri. The rest of the article is entirely accurate according to my information. I am the second son in the family, William Earle Ward, Lt. USNR, having served aboard the USS Atlanta CL104 in the battles of Okinawa and Japan. All of Maurice’s personal items were donated by me to the US Marine Aviation Museum in San Diego, CA. including his Navy Cross and Citation, and his flight log.
Replied on 3 August 2012
Mr. Ward – thank you for the note and for the correction! I’ve updated Lieutenant Ward’s page with the corrected information, and apologize for the mistake. I hope to be able to visit that museum some day.
And thank you, as well, for your service to the country. It’s an honor to hear from a veteran like yourself.
Geoffrey
Could you please let me know when you repost this corrected biography? I am his niece and we are working on our family history.