Hometown Heroes
Major Edward E. Authier, USMC (1910-1944)
By Michael Rocchetti
Shortly after the attack at Pearl Harbor, 17 SB2U-3 Vindicator dive bombers from Marine Scout Bombing Squadron VMSB-231 took off from Ewa Field at Pearl Harbor, Oahu, Hawaii with extra fuel tanks. They were on a ferry flight to the Midway Island airfield, completing the longest mass flight by single-engine aircraft then on record, logging 9 hours and 45 minutes, flying 1,137 miles. One of the skilled pilots on this extraordinary mission was Edward Authier, who would shortly thereafter become the commanding officer of the Marine Scout Bombing Squadron number 244, (VMSB-244), nicknamed the “Bombing Banshees” of Marine Aircraft Group 24, of the 2nd Marine Aircraft Wing.
They flew the legendary Douglas SBD Dauntless dive bombers – perhaps the deadliest weapon in the Navy’s WW2 arsenal – and they flew out of Midway Island during 1942. Between June 4 and June 6 of 1942, they participated in the Battle of Midway. After that though, Edward Authier became ill with breathing problems. He was sent to Naval Hospitals stateside in 1943 and died at the Naval Hospital, Philadelphia on Oct 19, 1944. The cause of death was a non-cancerous bronchial tumor.
Edward Authier was born Nov. 6, 1910 in Putnam, the son of Frederick Authier and Mary D Duffy. He grew up at the family’s home on 259 Church St. and graduated from Putnam High School in 1929. He then graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy at Annapolis, Md., in 1933, and was commissioned a 2nd Lieutenant in the U.S. Marine Corps. He completed flight training at Pensacola Florida in May 1937 and earned his wings. He then had assignments at Quantico Vir., Coronado, Calif., Honolulu Hawaii, China, Santa Barbara, Calif., and El Centro, Calif. He served from July 1, 1933 until his death Oct. 19, 1944.
Edward Authier and Mildred Ethel Davis (from Waynesboro, Miss.) were married on Jan. 18, 1936 at Portsmouth, Vir. A daughter Patricia was born in 1937 and son Edward Jr. was born in 1939. He was a recipient of the American Defense Medal, the American Campaign Medal, the Asiatic Pacific Theatre Medal and the Victory Medal for his wartime service. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.
Hometown Heroes books can be purchased online at: https://hometown-heroes-of-the-quiet-corner.myshopify.com/ - all proceeds benefit the local American Legion Post. Hometown Heroes is a series published in the Putnam Town Crier & Northeast Ledger with this mission: We owe it to our Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen and Marines to make sure that they are never forgotten, and that the memory of their service and sacrifice will forever live on in the hearts and minds of the grateful people of Putnam.
.