Battle of Midway veteran to address Club's American Legion Post 20, July 13

Retired Navy Captain Jack Crawford, a veteran of the famed World War II Battle of Midway, will be guest speaker at a luncheon meeting of the National Press Club's American Legion Post 20 at noon Thursday, July 13, in the McClendon Room.

The 75th anniversary of the critical battle, in which four Japanese aircraft carriers were sunk, was observed on June 4. The battle is regarded as the turning point of the Pacific war. The speaker portion of the meeting is open to all Club members.

Crawford was a recent U.S. Naval Academy graduate and young ensign aboard the aircraft carrier USS Yorktown during the battle. He abandoned ship with the rest of the crew after the Yorktown was badly damaged by Japanese torpedoes and eventually sank.

Among his possessions left behind on the ship during the hasty evacuation were prized binoculars presented to him by the American Legion for academic achievement at the Naval Academy. He will tell the story of his unexpected reunion with the binoculars after being rescued at sea and returning to shore in Hawaii.

Post 20 is one of the Legion’s oldest posts, having been founded just after World War I at the urging of Brig. Gen. John Pershing. Pershing was leader of the American Expeditionary Force in the war and a Club member.