Never Call Me a Hero: A Legendary American Dive-Bomber Pilot Remembers the Battle of Midway
May 2017 · HarperCollins
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About this ebook
The bomber pilot whose bravery in the Battle of Midway changed the course of WWII recounts his story in this extraordinary memoir: “An instant classic” (Dallas Morning News).
On June 4, 1942, above the tiny Pacific atoll of Midway, Lt. (j.g.) “Dusty” Kleiss piloted his SBD Dauntless into a near-vertical dive aimed at the heart of Japan’s Imperial Navy. The greatest naval battle in history raged around him as the U.S. desperately searched for its first major victory of the Second World War. Then, in a matter of seconds, Dusty Kleiss’s daring 20,000-foot dive helped forever alter the war’s trajectory.
Amid blistering anti-aircraft fire, the twenty-six-year-old pilot zeroed in on the aircraft carrier Kaga, one of Japan’s most important capital ships. He released three bombs at the last possible instant, then desperately pulled out of his gut-wrenching dive as Kaga erupted in an inferno.
Dusty returned to the air that same afternoon, fatally striking the enemy carrier, Hiryu. Two days later, he contributed to the destruction of the cruiser Mikuma, making Dusty the only pilot from either side to sink three ships. By battle’s end, the humble young sailor from Kansas had earned his place in history—and yet he stayed silent for decades.
Now his long-awaited memoir, Never Call Me a Hero, tells the Navy Cross recipient’s full story for the first time, offering an unprecedentedly intimate look at the “the decisive contest for control of the Pacific in World War II” (New York Times)—and one man’s essential role in helping secure its outcome.
On June 4, 1942, above the tiny Pacific atoll of Midway, Lt. (j.g.) “Dusty” Kleiss piloted his SBD Dauntless into a near-vertical dive aimed at the heart of Japan’s Imperial Navy. The greatest naval battle in history raged around him as the U.S. desperately searched for its first major victory of the Second World War. Then, in a matter of seconds, Dusty Kleiss’s daring 20,000-foot dive helped forever alter the war’s trajectory.
Amid blistering anti-aircraft fire, the twenty-six-year-old pilot zeroed in on the aircraft carrier Kaga, one of Japan’s most important capital ships. He released three bombs at the last possible instant, then desperately pulled out of his gut-wrenching dive as Kaga erupted in an inferno.
Dusty returned to the air that same afternoon, fatally striking the enemy carrier, Hiryu. Two days later, he contributed to the destruction of the cruiser Mikuma, making Dusty the only pilot from either side to sink three ships. By battle’s end, the humble young sailor from Kansas had earned his place in history—and yet he stayed silent for decades.
Now his long-awaited memoir, Never Call Me a Hero, tells the Navy Cross recipient’s full story for the first time, offering an unprecedentedly intimate look at the “the decisive contest for control of the Pacific in World War II” (New York Times)—and one man’s essential role in helping secure its outcome.
Ratings and reviews
5.0
7 reviews
Kelly Doerksen
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August 30, 2020
For anyone who enjoys history of WWII, this is a must read. Dusty's story is inspiring. America's greatness is due to him and to those who answered the call during his generation.
Stephen Wright
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June 24, 2017
5 stars. I had the honor of speaking to Dusty Kleiss for over an hour several years ago. It was one of the highlights of my life. He was a very kind and humble man. A true hero
1 person found this review helpful
Robt Lloyd
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December 15, 2018
Excellent biography and detail of the battle of Midway. Not many remember the incredible aircraft attrition rate and casualties incurred by the US Navy in the Pacific. The testimony of this pilot bring it all to light.
1 person found this review helpful
About the author
Norman Jack “Dusty” Kleiss (1916–2016) grew up in Coffeyville, Kansas, during the Great Depression, before attending the United States Naval Academy, from which he graduated in 1938. A carrier-based pilot of Scouting Squadron Six attached to USS Enterprise, he was awarded the Navy Cross and Distinguished Flying Cross. Captain Kleiss (USN, Ret.) was married to his wife, Jean, for more than sixty years before her passing in 2006.
Timothy J. Orr is an associate professor of military history at Old Dominion University in Norfolk, Virginia. He is author and editor of Last to Leave the Field and Cities at War.
Laura Lawfer Orr is the deputy education director at the Hampton Roads Naval Museum, the U.S. Navy’s official museum in Norfolk.
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