Lt. George Marvin Campbell (1907-1942)

KIA, Midway, June 4,1942
Awarded Navy Cross

George Campbell was born near Madras, Oregon on January 7, 1907.  He was the ninth child in a family of twelve.  His father was a farmer and ran the local ferry across the Deschutes River.  George attended a one-room school before attending high school in Madras.  A fine athlete, he played basketball on the state championship team in 1925.

After attending Oregon State, he joined the navy in 1928.  After boot training, he served eight months aboard the Lexington before being selected for flight training in Pensacola.  He was designated a Naval Aviation Pilot in 1930.  While in Pensacola, he met and married Genevieve Thompson.  Their daughter Shirley was born in 1932.

By 1941, George Campbell was one of the most experienced pilots in the U.S. Navy.  Having served as a flight instructor in 1938, he was a welcome addition to Torpedo Squadron Eight, and John Waldron relied on him as a teacher and mentor to the younger pilots.  In April 1942, two months before the Battle of Midway, he was promoted to Lieutenant (JG).  He was killed on June 4, 1942.