The Roundtable
Forum
Official Newsletter of the Battle of Midway Roundtable
26 November 2010
Issue Number: 2010-38
Our 14th Year
~
AROUND THE TABLE ~
MEMBERS’
TOPICS IN THIS ISSUE:
1. From Our Archives: Was Yorktown Abandoned
Too Early?
2. Getting the Details Right
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1. FROM OUR ARCHIVES: WAS YORKTOWN ABANDONED TOO EARLY?
Ed. note: VF-42 and Yorktown
veteran Bill Surgi was one of the Roundtable’s most frequent contributors
before his passing in 2003. Here, Bill
gives some first-hand insight on Captain Buckmaster’s decision to abandoned the
Yorktown when he did.
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12 November 2002
From: AMM1 William Surgi,
USN-Ret
Maryland
In the early 1960s when I was getting
started on The Battle of the Coral Sea Association, I was in San Diego with
Cdr. John Trott at the officers’ club.
We had promoted a meeting of interested parties to begin the CSA. While we had a group in conversation,
Captain Buckmaster came in with a hasty gate to his walk, wanting to know if
the author of the book Rendezvous at Midway was there, which was written
by Pat Frank and Joseph Harington. He
understood that the authors would be there.
He came in with a raised arm, saying that he did have another
command—the book mentions that he never received a command after Midway. He said that the end of the war negated his
command to have been in China. I did
meet with him at his home in Coronado.
Regarding the criticism of him
on abandoning too early: I and others that were on the Yorktown saw the
newsreel film of the British BB (I think was the Hood) sunk in the
Atlantic. It showed it rolling over and
keel up with what few survivors crawling on its overturned belly, and then blow
up with few survivors. We think that
Captain Buckmaster did not want to lose his crew that way, should CV-5 roll
over. When I got into the water all I
wanted to do was to make some distance from it.
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2. GETTING THE DETAILS RIGHT
Ed. note: I mentioned in issue #36 that the Roundtable
is a champion of getting all the details of the BOM right. In issue #37, I commented on the impressive
BOM artwork and dioramas by Konley Kelley.
But author Barrett Tillman and historian Mark Horan observed a couple of
errors of detail in the example of Konley’s handiwork that I cited, a diorama
showing George Gay’s TBD at the moment he launched his torpedo toward the Soryu. Click
here to see it again. Can you spot
something that may not be quite right?
Can you spot two?
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19 November 2010
From: Barrett Tillman
Arizona
author, Clash of the
Carriers, Whirlwind, et al
Konley
Kelley surely does fine work; excellent TBD graphics. But so many artists
depict a torpedo launch far too close to the target. I'd guess this
is under 200 yards. Typically, I think the Mk 13 dived to 150 feet
and needed at least 200 yards to power up to running depth and arm
itself.
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19 November 2010
From: Mark E. Horan
Connecticut
co-author, A Glorious Page
In Our History
I clicked
on the link you provided for Mr. Kelley's work and could not help but notice the
inaccuracy in his depiction of Mr. Gay's TBD during the 4 June attack. All the [ship numeric designators]—the
"8" in this case—were removed from all ComAirBatFor aircraft in April
1942, nearly two months prior to Midway. When it flew on 4 June, Gay's
TBD was carrying the code "T-14," [not “8-T-14”].
I recently was contacted by representatives of Hobby Master models concerning
the correct markings for a 1/72 scale model of Gay's aircraft that they intend
to make. After providing the relevant information with historical
references as to the markings, at a considerable investment in time, I was
dismayed when their response was that they still intended to use the
"8-" on the model because folks believed it was so marked and would
be disinclined to buy something that they perceived as incorrect. I
responded that they simply needed to include the historical references for the
correct markings. Their further response was the famous line from The
Man Who Shot Liberty Valance: "When the facts conflict with the
legend, print the legend." I told
them that if this was an example of the way they dealt with facts, I would have
no further dealings with them, I would never buy any further products from
them, and I would tell everyone of their response to historical facts.
Given the common perception that Gay's aircraft was marked "8-T-14"
on 4 June, I can understand why Mr. Kelly decided to mark his model thus.
However, given that correct information on this matter has been available since
the original publication of A Glorious Page In our History in 1990, the
research behind [the TBD image] is not up to acceptable standards. Sadly, it further perpetuates a significant
error of history regarding Gay, his airplane, and their role in Midway history.
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19 November 2010
From: Konley Kelley
Texas
I've never heard that before [no ship numerals on the aircraft].
The bad news is I can't re-decal the scale model. The good news is this image can be fixed in Adobe Photoshop,
although it is a tricky fix with the angle/perspective of the numbers on the
aircraft in this shot.
I've always wanted to re-do this image so now I have a good incentive. It
is all done with scale models, a camera and Adobe Photoshop.
Thanks!
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~ NOW
HEAR THIS! ~
NEWS
& INFO IN THIS ISSUE:
- The BOM’s Most Memorable Scene
- Link of the Week
- Editor’s Notes
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MEMBER SURVEY: THE
BOM’S MOST MEMORABLE SCENE
Six years ago the
Roundtable conducted a survey of all members, asking what could be imagined as
the most memorable scene of the Battle of Midway—the one that best depicts the
battle’s importance or intensity, or its impact upon history. The following were offered as suggestions,
just to get the members thinking:
1. Two VS-8 SBDs over the Mikuma and Mogami.
2. The flag being raised over Midway immediately after the air
raid.
3. The TBD painting on our web site's home page.
4. Howard Ady spotting two Japanese carriers.
5. Bill Tremblay, somewhat wide-eyed, finding "attack"
and "AF" in an intercept.
6. Marines in doughboy helmets, at the start of the John Ford
film.
7. Lloyd Childers firing his .45 at a Zero.
8. Hammann tied up alongside the listing Yorktown.
9. Ground and hangar deck crews waiting for returning planes that
never arrive.
The results were tabulated and reported via our e-mail circular (this
was before the advent of the Roundtable Forum) and they also appeared in
Chapter 11 of No Right to Win.
But that was six years ago. As commented here recently, it’s amazing how
our understanding and awareness of the facts of the BOM constantly evolve with
the continuous focus that we have here.
Additionally, our membership has approximately doubled since then. For those reasons, here’s an invitation for
everyone to consider this subject again and send in a fresh opinion. Knowing what we know now, what scene best
typifies the Battle of Midway?
As before, your responses will
be compiled and reported here. All
ideas are welcome. To participate, click
here or click “reply” on your new announcement message.
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LINK OF THE WEEK
Our link this week is a reproduction of Admiral Spruance’s
foreword in Midway: the Battle That Doomed Japan by Fuchida &
Okumiya. Chances are you read it long ago,
but it may be worth another look in light of the intense probing of command
decisions at Midway that has occurred on the Roundtable and in recent BOM
literature. The admiral gives some
detailed insight on his strategy in moving the fleet east on the night of June
4th, and ultimately abandoning the westward chase on June 6th.
Click
here for the link of the week.
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EDITOR’S NOTES
~ When Mark Horan (above) mentioned that the
lack of ship indicator numerals on BOM carrier aircraft has been known at least
since the first appearance of A Glorious Page In Our History, I pulled
out my copy to see where that was stated.
It may or may not be in the text somewhere, but you can see it in
several photographs, especially that famous shot of two Hornet SBDs over
the burning Mikuma on page 163 (in the 4th printing of the book, March
1998).