Richard Halsey Best

Richard Halsey Best
Nickname(s)	Dick
Born	(1910-03-24)March 24, 1910 Bayonne, New Jersey, US
Died	October 28, 2001(2001-10-28) (aged 91) Santa Monica, California, US
Buried	Arlington National Cemetery
Allegiance	United States
Service / branch	United States Navy
Years of service	1932–1944
Rank	Lieutenant commander
Battles / wars	World War II Pacific War Battle of Midway
Awards	Navy Cross Distinguished Flying Cross

Richard Halsey Best (March 24, 1910 – October 28, 2001) was a dive bomber pilot and squadron commander in the United States Navy during World War II. Stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Enterprise, Best led his dive bomber squadron at the 1942 Battle of Midway, sinking two Japanese aircraft carriers in one day, before being medically retired that same year due to damage to his lungs caused by breathing bad oxygen during the battle.