Airport History

Richard E. Fleming, Captain, United States Marine Corps Reserve

South St. Paul’s Fleming Field is named in honor of Captain Richard Fleming, a Navy pilot during World War II. He was posthumously awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor for his heroic actions on June 5, 1942. Below is a summary of his service and valor.

“For six months following the attack on Pearl Harbor, Fleming’s squadrons patrolled the skies near Midway without engaging the enemy. In his letters, Fleming expressed frustration over spending the war on the sidelines. That changed on June 4, 1942, when his unit was ordered to attack the Japanese fleet. Many American aircraft did not return. Fleming’s commanding officer was killed, and Fleming’s own aircraft returned with 171 bullet holes after an unsuccessful attempt to bomb the aircraft carrier Akagi. He sustained two minor wounds.

The next day, Captain Fleming led the remnants of his squadron back into battle. He directed his plane in a steep dive toward the Japanese cruiser Mikuma. The ship was hit by a bomb—and by Fleming’s aircraft. A Japanese officer later described it as a suicide attack. The resulting explosion, triggered by gasoline from Fleming’s plane igniting in the Mikuma’s engine room, killed the entire engine crew. The Mikuma was left incapacitated and was later sunk by U.S. bombers. Captain Richard Fleming was the only individual to receive the Medal of Honor for actions during this pivotal battle.”