There are moments when a nation gets the chance to prove that it remembers.

The Patronis amendment to H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027, is one of those moments. Offered by Congressman Jimmy Patronis of Florida, the amendment authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to six United States Navy heroes of the Battle of Midway: Commander Clarence W. McClusky, Lieutenant Commander Max F. Leslie, Lieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey, Lieutenant Commander Lance E. Massey, Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, and Lieutenant Richard H. Best. The official amendment text specifically identifies their actions on June 4, 1942, during Navy combat operations near Midway Atoll that led to the sinking of four enemy aircraft carriers. (amendments-rules.house.gov)

That is worth celebrating.

This amendment is more than legislative language. It is a public acknowledgment that the courage of the Midway Six still matters. It is Congress recognizing that the men who helped turn the tide of the Pacific War deserve more than a footnote, more than a quiet mention, and more than the passage of time as their final reward.

The House Rules Committee has listed the Patronis amendment as Amendment 1111 to H.R. 8800 and marked it “Made in Order,” meaning it has cleared an important procedural step for consideration. The committee summary states that the amendment authorizes the President to award the Medal of Honor to six individuals who, at great risk to themselves, helped sink enemy aircraft carriers at the Battle of Midway. (House Rules Committee)

This is exactly the kind of progress this campaign was built to support.

A Long-Overdue Step Toward Justice

On June 4, 1942, America was fighting for survival in the Pacific. Only six months after Pearl Harbor, the Imperial Japanese Navy remained a terrifying force. The Battle of Midway became the moment when American intelligence, naval skill, courage, and sacrifice changed the direction of World War II.

The National World War II Museum describes how American torpedo bombers drew out enemy aircraft, creating the opening for dive bombers from the USS Enterprise and USS Yorktown to attack the Japanese carriers Kaga, Akagi, and Soryu. The museum also notes that all four Japanese carriers lost at Midway had participated in the attack on Pearl Harbor, and that the loss overturned Japan’s offensive in the Pacific. (The National WWII Museum)

The Midway Six stood in the center of that turning point.

McClusky’s leadership helped bring American dive bombers to the enemy fleet at the decisive moment. Leslie led Yorktown’s dive bombers into combat under extraordinary pressure. Best played a central role in the attacks that crippled Japan’s carrier force. Waldron, Lindsey, and Massey led torpedo squadrons into devastating danger, pressing attacks against overwhelming fighter opposition and anti-aircraft fire.

Their actions helped create one of the most consequential victories in American military history.

This Is Progress, But the Mission Is Not Finished

The Patronis amendment matters because time limitations have long stood between these men and the recognition they earned in battle. The amendment directly addresses that barrier by authorizing the President to award the Medal of Honor despite those time limitations. (amendments-rules.house.gov)

That distinction is important.

This amendment does not mean the Medal of Honor has already been awarded. It means the path is being cleared. It means the cause is moving. It means the historical record is being placed in front of Congress and the American people.

That is why supporters must stay engaged.

Every major step forward begins with someone refusing to let history stay buried. Congressman Patronis deserves recognition for bringing this amendment forward. Now the responsibility moves to every American who believes courage should be remembered, heroism should be honored, and the men who helped win Midway should receive the highest military honor our nation can bestow.

America Should Honor Its Heroes

The Midway Six did not act for recognition. They acted because their country needed them.

They flew into danger when the stakes could not have been higher. They faced enemy fighters, anti-aircraft fire, confusion, exhaustion, and overwhelming odds. Some of them never came home. All of them helped write one of the greatest chapters in American military history.

The Medal of Honor exists for acts of gallantry and intrepidity above and beyond the call of duty. The Midway Six met that standard in the skies over the Pacific.

Now Congress has the chance to say so.

The Patronis amendment is a victory for historical memory, for military honor, and for every American who believes this nation should never forget the men who defended it when the future of freedom was on the line.

What Supporters Should Do Now

Contact your member of Congress and ask them to support the Patronis amendment to H.R. 8800, the National Defense Authorization Act for Fiscal Year 2027.

Tell them the Midway Six deserve the Medal of Honor.

Tell them this is a chance to correct an omission in the historical record.

Tell them America should honor Commander Clarence W. McClusky, Lieutenant Commander Max F. Leslie, Lieutenant Commander Eugene E. Lindsey, Lieutenant Commander Lance E. Massey, Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron, and Lieutenant Richard H. Best for their valor at the Battle of Midway.

This is a major step forward.

Now it is time to finish the mission.