Elisha Smokey Stover in 1941

Photograph

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Patriots Point Naval & Maritime Museum

Name/Title

Elisha "Smokey" Stover in 1941

Description

Photograph of Smokey Stover in his dress uniform taken at a Naval Air Station in California in 1941.

Context

Elisha Terrill "Smokey" Stover was a F4F Wildcat pilot with VF-8 on the USS Hornet (CV-8) and VF-5 aboard the USS Saratoga (CV-3) and later at Guadalcanal in 1942 where he downed 4 Japanese planes earning the Air Medal. Transferred aboard the USS Yorktown (CV-10) as a Fighter Director Officer in CIC in 1944, he appeared in scenes of "The Fighting Lady" and later returned to flight status with VF-5 when he was shot down over Truk Atoll on February 16, 1944.

Collection

Smokey Stover Collection, USS Yorktown CV-10

Acquisition

Accession

2001.0001

Source or Donor

Margaret Stover Braswell

Acquisition Method

Gift

Made/Created

Artist

Unknown

Date made

1941

Inscription/Signature/Marks

Type

Inscription

Location

Back of photograph

Transcription

E.T. (Smokey) Stover, Naval Air Station, California, 1941?

Update Date

October 5, 2026