Bruno Gaido

Bruno Peter Gaido (21 March 1916 – 15 June 1942) was an American aviation machinist mate first class during World War II. While flying as a gunner on a SBD Dauntless during the Battle of Midway, he was shot down and captured by Imperial Japanese Navy. Gaido, along with pilot Frank O'Flaherty, was tortured and then thrown overboard to drown by the Japanese.

Bruno Peter Gaido
Born(1916-03-21)March 21, 1916
Staunton, Illinois, U.S.
DiedJune 15, 1942(1942-06-15) (aged 26) †
Place of burial (Marker Only)
Courts of the Missing, National Memorial Cemetery of the Pacific
Allegiance United States of America
BranchUnited States Navy
Years of service1940–1942
RankAviation machinist's mate first class
UnitVS-6
Battles/wars
AwardsDistinguished Flying Cross
Purple Heart

Early life

Bruno Gaido was born Mar 21, 1916, in Staunton, Illinois, the son of John Peter and Clementina Compagnio Gaido, who had immigrated to the United States in 1914 from Italy. His six siblings were Gidorena Irene Chiappa, Mary, Pete, Flora, Florence B., and Dominic Peter Gaido.[1]

Gaido enlisted in the Navy on October 11, 1940, as an apprentice seaman. He joined air squadron VS-6, which flew SBD Dauntless dive bombers. After what was originally supposed to be a temporary assignment, he joined VS-6 permanently as an aviation machinist. VS-6 was attached to the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise.

On 1 February 1942, following a bombing raid on the Marshall Islands, the Enterprise came under attack by five Japanese Mitsubishi G4M bombers. The lead aircraft, led by Lieutenant Kazuo Nakai, badly damaged by anti-aircraft fire, turned back towards the Enterprise, attempting to ram it. Seeing this, Gaido abandoned his watch post and jumped in a nearby Dauntless parked on the flight deck, and returned fire using the rear-facing .30 caliber machine gun. His fire disabled the aircraft, causing it to narrowly miss the Enterprise, only hitting parked aircraft (including the one Gaido was in) before spiraling into the sea. Upon seeing this act, Vice Admiral William Halsey spot-promoted him to aviation machinist mate first class.[2]

Gaido was a SBD Dauntless gunner in the Battle of Midway. During the battle, he was captured by the Imperial Japanese Navy after his plane was shot down. The Japanese claimed that, under torture, he revealed details about Midway Island's defenses; however, as a carrier machinist he would have had no knowledge of details about the island.

Death

On 15 June 1942, Gaido and his pilot Frank O'Flaherty were weighted and thrown overboard from the Japanese destroyer Makigumo to drown.[2] In April 1943, he was posthumously awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross for his actions aboard the Enterprise.[3]

Gaido was portrayed by Nick Jonas in the 2019 film Midway.[4][5] Gaido's actions during the Marshall Islands raid and Midway were portrayed in the first two episodes of Battle 360.

Awards
Bronze star
Bronze star
Distinguished Flying Cross
(Posthumous)		 Purple Heart
(Posthumous)
Navy Presidential Unit Citation
(Posthumous)		 Prisoner of War Medal
(Posthumous)		 American Defense Service Medal
American Campaign Medal Asiatic-Pacific Campaign Medal
with two bronze campaign stars		 World War II Victory Medal
(Posthumous)

References
  1. "PO1 BRUNO PETER GAIDO". Retrieved 7 Dec 2021.
  2. "Toughness—Aviation Machinist Mate 1st Class Bruno Peter Gaido". Naval History and Heritage Command. Retrieved 7 Dec 2021.
  3. "Gaido, Bruno Peter, PO1". Navy.togetherweserved.
  4. Chi, Paul (6 November 2019). "The Story Behind Nick Jonas's Studio-Approved Midway Mustache". Vanity Fair. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
  5. "Midway (2019)". IMDb. Retrieved 16 December 2022.
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