June 1942 (5)

Dauntless divebombers from the USS Hornet approach the burning cruiser IJN Mikuma

 

Continued from Monday’s post ____

At approximately 1030 hours, the Japanese ships were located by the US aircraft and found to have aircraft, munitions and fuel on their decks.  Ensign George Gay would be the sole survivor of those planes.  He watched as his squadron leader, Lt. John C. Waldron, being true to his part Sioux Indian instinct rather than his briefing, did in fact locate the enemy (despite their change in direction).  Gay related, “He went straight for the Japanese fleet as if he had a string tied to them.”  Waldron was last seen attempting to bail out of his flaming plane.

Chunks were being torn from Gay’s aircraft as he dove and released his torpedo.  Gay said, “I could see the Japanese captain jumping up and down and raising hell, I could see the deck full of gas hoses and planes.”  That was just before he pancaked into the ocean and only inflated his life raft after the Akagi turned north.  Gay was picked up the following day. (Newspaper article on Gay in a forthcoming post that further describes his 24 hours in the ocean.)

Burning oil tanks on Midway

Turning north saved Nagumo from 35 dive bombers that had come off the Hornet and were unable to locate the ship.  But Lt. Clarence McClusky and his 37 Dauntless pilots from the Enterprise did.  They went into a 70-degree dive and locked onto the Akagi, Soryu and the Kaga.  The six minute attack had paralyzed that part of the enemy’s naval defense.

The Soryu was nearly getting her fires under control when the US submarine Nautilus put 2 torpedoes in her and she sank at 1900 hours.  The Akagi was abandoned and torpedoed by one of her own destroyers.  The Hiryu, 2 battleships, 3 cruisers and a dozen destroyers remained to continue on the fight.

As the Japanese Strike Force sought revenge, the USS Yorktown was bombed, ground crews on Midway fought off air attacks and opposing aircraft met in the skies.  The IJN Hiryu limped away like a floating torch, but she would later be discovered for a second strike.

Midway Atoll

 

Admiral Yamaguchi and Captain Kaku gave their men a farewell speech before ordering the men to abandon ship.  They proceeded to sing the traditional Kimigayo anthem, drank the ceremonial cups of water and then went below deck to commit seppuku.  The ship was located the following morning with 70 men still on board; after they were taken off, the ship was destroyed.

 

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Military Humor – 

courtesy of Chris @ Muscleheaded.wordpress.com/

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Farewell Salutes – 

Frances “Fritz” Bitters – Menomonee Falls, WI, US Army, WWII

Michael Davis – San Antonio, TX; US Army, West Point ’51, Col. (ret.), Korea, Bronze Star & Vietnam, 165th Aviation Group

George Deason – Toronto, CAN; RC Air Force, Cpl., WWII

Edward Farnsworth – Idaho Falls, ID; US Army, Korea, Bronze Star

Colin Gray – Christchurch, NZ; RNZ Air Force, WWII, Spitfire pilot, top ace, No. 43rd & 54th Sq.

Robert Horey – Addison, NY & FL; US Army, WWII, Lt. Col. (Ret.), Korea, Vietnam, artillery corps

William LaGrange – Little Rock, AR; US Air Force (Ret. 21 years)

Ron Marshall – Hastings, NZ; RNZ Air Force # 75239

Angelo Mindolo – Secaucus, NJ; US Navy & US Air Force

Dominic “Rich” Noreikis – Jupiter, FL; US Army, SSgt T-3

Alfred Williams – Crofton, MD; US Army (Ret. 30 years), 1st Air Cavalry

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SHOUT OUT – to the Arkansas veterans – I’m waiting to hear from you!