Jack Camp of Port Arthur, a 1934 graduate of Port Arthur High School, had just completed his law degree from the University of Texas when the United States entered World War II. As a member of the Naval Reserve, Ensign Camp was called to active duty and assigned to Patrol Squadron 44 on Midway Island, where he served as a pilot of a PBY Catalina seaplane.

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During a scouting patrol, Camp’s crew spotted a Japanese carrier group advancing toward Midway. Though their slow-moving aircraft came under heavy enemy fire, they managed to relay vital information back to U.S. forces before being shot down. The intelligence gathered from that mission proved critical to the American victory in the Battle of Midway.

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Wounded during the attack, Camp was helped into a life raft by surviving crewmates, but the raft was strafed by enemy aircraft, killing him. He was buried at sea on June 7, 1944. Ensign Jack Camp’s bravery and sacrifice stand as a powerful reminder of the courage shown by young Americans who gave their lives in service to their country. He is honored as a member of the Museum of the Gulf Coast’s Notable People Hall of Fame.