Richard S. Bull

Richard Salisbury Bull, Jr.
Born	6 January 1913 Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania
Died	8 May 1942 Coral Sea
Allegiance	United States of America
Service / branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1936–42
Rank	Lieutenant
Battles / wars	Battle of the Coral Sea
Awards	Distinguished Flying Cross

Richard Salisbury Bull, Jr. was born in Wilkinsburg, Pennsylvania, on 6 January 1913. Graduating from the United States Naval Academy, he was commissioned ensign on 4 June 1936. Trained as a naval aviator in 1938–39 at NAS Pensacola, Fla., he served in the fleet in 1941. He became a naval observer assigned to the American Embassy in London, England.

Reporting for duty as a fighter pilot on board Lexington (CV-2) on 27 December 1941, he missed out on the early raids against the Japanese as his squadron was converting from Buffalos to Wildcats. In the Battle of the Coral Sea, he finally got his chance to see action. On 8 May 1942, he led the escort section assigned to Lexington's Air Group Commander, Cdr. William B. Ault. After Ault and his men had dive-bombed the carrier ''Shokaku'', scoring one hit, Bull and his wingman, Ens. John B. Bain, found themselves jumped by Zeros. Bain managed to fight his way out, but Bull was never seen again. He was posthumously awarded earned the Distinguished Flying Cross.

Namesake

In 1943, the destroyer escort USS Richard S. Bull (DE-402) was named in his honor.

See also

Richard S. Bull should not be confused with Richard Bull (1914–1942), also a naval aviator.

References

Lundstrom, John B. (2005). The First Team: Pacific Naval Air Combat from Pearl Harbor to Midway (New ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 1-59114-471-X.

 This article incorporates text from the public domain Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships. The entry can be found here.