The Roundtable Forum

 

Official newsletter of the

BATTLE OF MIDWAY ROUNDTABLE

 

www.midway42.org

 

To promote an awareness and understanding of the great battle

 and to honor the men who fought and won it

 

 

1 AUGUST 2004 ......................... Issue No. 2004-14 ......................... Our 7th Year

 

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AROUND THE TABLE


 

MEMBERS' TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE

 

1.  The Last Flight of Ensign C. Markland Kelly, USNR

2.  Midway Today

3.  Obit for Helmuth Hoerner

4.  Welcome Aboard to George Bernstein

 

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"The Last Flight of Ensign C. Markland Kelly, USNR(see Now Hear This, issue 4-04; Clay Fisher and Roy Gee, issue 4-09; Troy Guillory, issue 4-10)

 

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23 July 2004

From:  Clay Fisher   cfisher3@san.rr.com   (BOM vet, VB-8 pilot, USS Hornet

 

(Ed. note:  the following is Clay's review of the Bowen Weisheit book.) 

   

    I spent considerable time analyzing the book, trying to sift out probable facts from narrative fiction.  The author wrote an interesting story after considerable research and speculation.

    I first met Mark Kelly in the summer of 1941, in advanced carrier operational flight training at NAS Opa Locke, Florida.  Mark had just received his wings and commission.  I remember being in his BOQ room with a couple other pilots when he was showing us his new aviation green uniform.  Mark had purchased the top of the line material for his uniform and it was very impressive.  He had just received orders to Fighting Squadron Eight.  I was envious of Mark’s orders to fighters, but I guess fate dealt me a better hand when I received orders to Bombing Squadron Eight.  Only one Hornet SBD pilot was lost at the BOM. 

    I believe the order of launch of Hornet aircraft was probably 10 VF-8 fighters (as shown in the picture I previously provided), followed by VB-8 and VS-8, and finally VT-8. The order of placement of aircraft on the flight deck was called the “stack.”  It took a lot of pushing and shoving for the flight deck personnel to get all the aircraft arranged in the stack.  Maps of the arranged aircraft were sent to each squadron ready room and the squadron flight officers assigned a pilot to each aircraft.  The pilots were assigned to the aircraft positioned in an order of takeoff to facilitate the pilots being able to join up in their assigned positions in the squadron formation without a lot of shuffling around. There was some coordination between the aircraft “spotters” and the squadron flight officers so each pilot could be assigned to his own aircraft, but it wasn’t always possible. 

    After I had joined on the left wing position of CHAG, we flew above and ahead of the SBD squadrons.  I did try to see VT-8 below us, but we were flying over a couple thin layers of clouds and I  could not see their them as we continued climbing to somewhere above 12,000 feet. 

    I noticed that Bowen Weisheit uses true compass headings all through his book.  We all flew magnetic compass headings that were normally computed from true headings by correcting for magnetic variation.  Roy Gee and I each determined the magnetic variation for Midway Island on 4 June 1942 by searching the Web.  The magnetic variation was 7 degrees east.  You subtract easterly variation from true heading to determine the aircraft magnetic compass.   We had a little ditty to remember how to correct for easterly or westerly variation:  “if the variation is east the compass is least, if the variation is west the compass is best.”  When I flew 200-mile searches in the South Pacific, the variation was 10 degrees west.  Frankly, I don’t think an error in applying magnetic variation was a factor in the VF-8 navigation problems.    

    Walt Rodee, CO of  VS-8, stated in his interview that he flew a course of 265 degrees true.  I feel he flew a magnetic heading of 265 degrees if that was the number he remembered.  I have to assume the aircraft magnetic compass heading we all flew was determined by correcting our navigation plot of 265 degrees true to be the course (track) to the estimated enemy position.  If the Hornet radar tracked our SBD formations out at 265 degrees true we would have had to be flying an aircraft magnetic compass heading of 265 degrees less about 7 degrees or 258 degrees magnetic.  Unfortunately I can’t remember the actual course we flew.  

    I have always maintained I saw the large column of black smoke from Midway at about 0945 to 1000, or about 75 minutes after departing the Hornet around 0830.  We had unlimited visibility and were flying above 14,000 feet, probably cruising at 145 knots while flying at least 170  miles.  In Miracle at Midway by Gordon Prange, CDR McClusky, leading the Enterprise SBDs, reports “some of the pilots on the formation’s far left could see smoke rolling up from the stricken base.”  None of the Japanese carriers had been attacked at that time.  According to the time line in Prange’s book, the VB-6 dive bombers hit the Kaga about 1022. 

    Weisheit states (p. 47):

 

“Upon the Hornet’s return from her shake-down cruise, the ship’s Navigation Officer mentioned in his report that there had not been enough time to swing the magnetic compass.  In the Hornet’s report of the June 4 operation, the flight launch, flight recovery, and the flight attack course were reported as 20-30 degrees too high.”

 

This seems strange to me because if the Hornet’s magnetic compass was that far off, I probably would not be writing these comments.  I flew ten 200 mile single-plane searches off the Hornet prior to BOM.  On June 1st I flew a 200 mile search and had no trouble with my navigation checking out.   After the BOM I flew another twenty-nine 200 mile searches.  On a couple searches a very faint ZB signal enabled me to find the Hornet 

    Until I read the book I had always thought  the VF-8 pilots had actually flown well beyond the range of their “point of no turn “ and had no chance to return to the Hornet. 

   The YE/ZB homing device was so simple and easy to use I really don’t understand why the VF-8 pilots had so much trouble. All they had to do was fly the magnetic compass course determined by the lettered sector. The sector letter radio signal would have become stronger as the distance was closed to the Hornet.

    Each carrier in the task force normally had different Morse code sector identification letters.  On our June 5th mission to attack a reported Japanese cruiser, we were briefed that both carriers would be transmitting the same YE/ZB homing signals.   Unfortunately, each carrier was transmitting different signals.  My radioman told me he could very faintly pick up a Hornet YE/ZB sector letter and that he could receive a much stronger Enterprise YE/ZB sector signal that was different than the Hornet’s signal. I decided to fly the Hornet’s indicated sector course.  I was the first Hornet SBD to land as the flight deck landing light were turned on. The Hornet pilots that used the Enterprise signal became lost and finally located the task force when a large search light was turned on pointing up in a vertical position.  

    I have no clue as to the status code cards of the YE/ZB signals transmitted from the Enterprise and Hornet on the morning of June 4th.  Also, our SBD radiomen tuned our “ZB” VHF radio receivers. I’m sure the radio receivers in the VF-8 fighters must have been pre-tuned by their pilots to the Hornet’s YE/ZB.  I think the probability of the VF-8 pilots reading Enterprise YE/ZB signal was pretty remote.

    I have come to the conclusion that the VF-8 pilots had the correct ZB letter sector and were actually very close to the Hornet.  As an SBD pilot, if I identified a sector letter I knew, I definitely was not lost!  I can only assume the VF-8 pilots just didn’t trust their ZBs.

    Some of the real heroes of BOM were the PBY crews making open sea landings and takeoffs in order to rescue downed aircrews.  The PBY squadron’s doctrine was basically not to attempt an open sea landing if you would jeopardizing your crew.  “Pappy” Cole, the PBY plane commander who rescued Ensign Gay took a vote of his crew before he attempted to the rescue.

    I cannot accept the extreme weather version and sea conditions described in the book that the PBYs were supposed to have encountered.  The weather and sea conditions had to be more favorable.

    I think the author was correct about his problems interviewing the various VF-8 pilots in that they were reluctant to admit that some poor decisions had been made.  If those surviving pilots had all been debriefed when they arrived back at Pearl Harbor after the BOM, maybe a lot of questions could have been answered.  There was a large amount of reorganization of the air groups, pilot transfers, and new pilots being ordered in to the air groups.  There just wasn’t time to worry about what happened at the BOM. 

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    A final comment on this subject:  you'll recall that an item of interest in the Weisheit book was a photo (page 7) purporting to show ENS Kelly and the VF-8 escort fighters launching on the morning of June 4th.  The photo cannot be accurate, since there are no other planes on deck, and we know the escort was spotted ahead of two squadrons of SBDs.  I've received a number of suggestions as to what the photo actually shows, but I tend to favor Clay's opinion--he believe the photo may show a CAP launch later in the day, possibly in connection with the defense of the Yorktown, or perhaps with the launch of the Hiryu strike.  That's supported by the shadows of the planes and deck personnel in the photo--the shadows suggest it was taken in late morning or early afternoon, rather than during the early morning launch.

    I've posted the photo on our web site, and you can see it by going to the "Image Board" page and clicking Link 2.  Or, here's the direct URL:  http://www.midway42.org/hornetairgroup.html

    And before we leave this subject, I want to again thank Otis Kight for generously donating a copy of the book to the Roundtable.

 

*     *     *

 

"Midway Today"  (See Phil Garner, issues 4-07 and 4-13)

 

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29 July 2004

From:  Ed Fox   efox81@sbcglobal.net   (BOM vet, 6th MarDefBtn, Midway)

 

    Regarding the article about Midway Today:  I have sent issue 4-13 of The Roundtable Forum to Jim Newberry, who is running for Congress in this state.  I explained our past efforts to oust the FWS from Midway and designate it as a National Battlefield, and requested him to make it an issue on his platform.  I further hinted that should he consider this, he would without a doubt draw support from veterans of all ranks.

    This is just a hint of what other members on the Roundtable could do at this time.  Obtain the support of your candidate, whoever it is, to bring attention to the rape of Midway.

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"Obit for Helmuth Hoerner"

 

    Ed. note:  Roundtable member Jim Garnsey sent me a copy of the obituary for CDR Helmuth Hoerner, a VS-8 pilot at the BOM and Jim's former neighbor.  We discussed the passing of CDR Hoerner on the Roundtable late last year (he died in Sep '03), but I subsequently learned that Dick Woodson (R/G for VS-8 pilot Don Kirkpatrick in the BOM) flew with Hoerner later in the war, chasing U-boats from a jeep carrier in the Atlantic.  Here is Dick's interesting report on that experience.

 

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19 July 2004

From:  Dick Woodson   rtwoodson@mailbug.com   (BOM vet, R/G, VS-8, USS Hornet)

 

    Helmuth "Whiskey" Hoerner (he didn't drink then) was one of the pilots in VS-8 on the Hornet (CV-8).  He was awarded the Navy Cross for  action at the BOM.

    I was wounded at the Santa Cruz Battle and didn't see "Lefty" (he was drinking by that time) until I was assigned to VC-58 at Sand Point NAS, Seattle, WA.  We were scheduled to fly dive bombers from a jeep carrier.  We transferred to Clover Valley NAAS, WA (near Anacortes) for more training with new SBD4s.

    That was around June '43, but our orders were changed and we were issued TBF1s.  After some training, we proceeded to San Diego and were equipped with rocket rails (four under each wing), then flew to Quonset Point, RI for more training.  We left Quonset and proceeded to NAS Norfolk and left there in December '43 aboard USS Block Island, with  four escorts (DEs).  We headed out into the north Atlantic to known German submarine operating areas with our ultimate destination Casablanca, French Morocco.  Arrived there and after refueling, headed back out on our return to Norfolk.  Didn't see  any subs or make any attacks this trip.

    I can't remember the exact dates but I believe each round trip took around six or seven weeks.  During this time I flew with our CO, LCDR Clyde McCroskey, and we only flew from sunrise to sunset due to the pilots not being qualified for night carrier  landings.

    Our next trip was aboard the USS Guadalcanal, skippered by CAPT Dan Gallery.
About a week before we were due to leave, LCDR McCroskey was killed during night
field carrier landing practice, and I then transferred to Lefty's plane.  We flew only at night; from 2330 to 0430, five nights out of six.

    Sometime in April I got a return on our radar and we attacked and dropped two depth charges that bracketed a German sub and blew in his ballast tanks.  He couldn't submerge and after our DEs arrived, the sub crew abandoned ship after opening their sea-cocks, depriving CAPT Gallery the honor of capturing a sub intact.  (If you recall, he did recover a sub and towed it back to the states on a later mission.)

    A few nights later about 0230, again using radar, we came across another sub on the surface.  He submerged, so we dropped a sonic mine (HOTDOG), which is battery powered and follows its target by sound. Within a minute the mine made contact with the
sub and detonated.  The sub blew apart and our ships recovered seven or eight survivors.  We tracked another sub later by sono-buoy, but he escaped.  We got to Casablanca and returned to Norfolk.

    Our next  trip was aboard the Wake Island.  Subs were getting smarter and we made no contacts.  We returned to Norfolk and were due to go aboard the Core, but I had applied for flight training and was accepted, leaving the squadron.  Lefty went out with a new radar operator, Buttrey, and on approach to the carrier he hit the fantail.  Lefty and the turret gunner, Von Spreeken, made it aboard but Buttrey was killed.

    I didn't run across Lefty again until after the war, in Jacksonville, Florida.  He was a good
pilot and we got along fine.

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"Welcome Aboard to George Bernstein"

 

    Ed. note:  it's with much pleasure that I announce the addition of another BOM vet to our roster.  George Bernstein is a Hornet air group vet, assigned to VT-8 in a non-flying capacity (fortunately).  Here is George's introductory letter: 

 

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25 July 2004

From:  George Bernstein   gbernst1@san.rr.com   (BOM vet, SN1/c, VT-8, USS Hornet)

 

    Glad to be aboard BOMRT.  A little info re myself.  I reported to Torpedo Squadron 8 aboard USS HORNET in Norfolk, VA on 2 December 1941.  I had just graduated Aviation Machinist's Mate School.

    As a Seaman First Class, my duties in the squadron was as an AMM striker [trainee].

 However, during flight quarters and general quarters, I was in the flight deck crew spotting
aircraft, unchocking them for takeoff, and disengaging the cable from their tailhooks upon landing.  I had these duties during the BOM.
    Prior to BOM, I had the privilege (?) of helping taxi Jimmy Doolittle's plane into takeoff position for the first bombing of Tokyo.

    My squadron was shot down in the initial attack on the Japanese ships.  When Hornet returned to Pearl Harbor after the battle, I was transferred to the USS Enterprise.

    I ultimately transferred to the meteorological arm of the Navy and retired in 1967 as a LT.
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 NOW HEAR THIS!


 

NEWS & INFO IN THIS ISSUE

 

-- Happy Birthday DeLo!

-- BOM on "Command Decisions" 30 July '04

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HAPPY BIRTHDAY DELO!

 

    If my notes are correct, today is Frank DeLorenzo's 90th birthday.  Captain DeLorenzo, or "DeLo" around here, had the distinction of having Admiral Nimitz as a passenger on his PB2Y Coronado on 25 December 1941.  The admiral was en route to Hawaii to assume command of the Pacific Fleet.  We all thank you, DeLo, for that safe and successful flight!

    And best wishes for a great birthday!  Among our Roundtable members, you've joined COL Bill Lucius and Chaplain Matt Bouterse at that enviable nine-decades milestone.

 

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BATTLE OF MIDWAY ON "COMMAND DECISIONS" 30 JULY '04  (See Now Hear This, issue 4-13)

 

    There isn't enough space in this issue, nor in future issues to tell you how dismal this program was.  It was undoubtedly the worst production about the BOM since the 1976 Charleton Heston movie, which looks rather good by comparison.  They started out by repeating the myth that the "Midway is short of water" ruse was an attempt to learn the meaning of "AF," and the program went downhill from there like a dropped anvil.

    Ironically, one of the interviewed experts on the show was Robert Cressman, lead author on one of the most thorough and accurate BOM references available.  Obviously, Bob had no control over the final production, nor did anyone else who has even a modest understanding of the battle's important details.  And I won't even bother about the horribly mismatched film clips, like B-24 Liberators attacking the Hiryu!!!

    A good, reasonably accurate video production on the BOM is not that hard--Ollie North's War Stories episode is perhaps the best of them.  But the History Channel should hang its head in shame after showing this farce.  I would think the network's management ought to be very concerned, for a presentation this bad can only raise questions about the accuracy and quality of the rest of their lineup.  --RR

 


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