Roundtable Forum
Our 20th Year
December 2016

In this issue.


Showdown in the Pacific War
Imagery use from website
USS Nautilus (SS-168) after-action report
Midway PBY
Announcements and Questions


The Battle of Midway Roundtable Opening Remarks

Hope everyone had a Happy Holiday break.  This month we have a good interview with Ron Martell, author of Showdown in the Pacific War, a page that was published a long time ago on the Log of the Nautilus, as well as questions about veterans in the battle.

I also receive requests for using the image we have on the front page of the RoundTable.  Since I've tried to track down the owner of the image without success in the past it is hard to give permission to something we don't own.  If anyone has info on where this painting came from or who did it pass it along please.

Barrett Tillman also sent an image that is quite fun.

Hope everyone has a Happy New Year.


Showdown in the Pacific War - Interview with author Ron Martell

From Ron Martell:
December 29, 2016

Ric Bratton has a radio show called This Week in America and invited me to discuss my book Showdown in the Pacific War: Nimitz and Yamamoto. The program will be broadcast during the weekend of January 21. He and I both mentioned the Battle of Midway Roundtable as a source of information and the help I received from Mac Showers and others. He prepared a video which is on YouTube.com. He will send me a list of radio stations that will carry the program. One source said there were more than 100 radio stations, another said 160. Thought you would like to know we gave the Roundtable a nice plug.

Ron Martell

Click on the image below to listen to the interview.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A5QkX8eWMw4/

Editors Note:  Thank you.  The interview went very well I think and was a good listen.  For those of you who have not read the book it is an interesting take on the first half of the pacific war.



Imagery use from website

From Traci Christopher:
December 27, 2016

I would like to discuss the possibility of utilizing some imagery from your website for a non-profit fundraising mailing for the Commemorative Air Force.  I am going to attach the image from your website that we would like to consider for a direct mail fundraising package for the Commemorative Air Force. Would this image be available for this type of usage?



Editors Note:  I should have guessed that this image was the one you'd like to use. It's what I get the most questions on as far as images for use. Okay here's the story. The painting was donated to the Midway RoundTable a very long time ago by we think one of the RoundTable members but we are unsure of the donor. Several years ago I tried to track down the painting's owner but was unsuccessful. Seems nobody remembers where it came from. The oldest reference I have to the painting is July 21st, 2002, which was about 2 years before the RoundTable had a web site. So I know we've had the painting, or I should say digital version, since then. As I didn't take over the duties of the host of the RoundTable till 2013 and both previous hosts could not remember where it came from or from whom, I am kind of at a loss to say you can use it.

However that being said it has been copied repeatedly all over the web and re-posted without asking permission from the owner and as far as I know from us it is probably safe to assume that nothing will happen if you choose to use it. But again most of the re-posted images are not for any kind of monetary benefit, even if non-profit, so maybe the owner has not stepped forward.

If anyone has any info on where the painting came from or who owns the image please contact me.  If nothing else I'd like to credit the owner on our own page.





USS Nautilus (SS-168) after-action report

From Robert Straw:
December 16, 2016

I've come across the after-action report for the submarine USS Nautilus (SS-168), which participated in the Battle of Midway. The formatting of the report leaves a bit to be desired. However, if you email the guy who runs the page, he might be able to give you the original.

Bob

http://w0oog.com/custom.html

Editors Note:  The site is very old and appears not to have been updated for quite some time, March 5th, 2005 being the date it was created and not much after that.  I emailed the owner of the site but have not received an answer so think it's probably abandoned.  The after-action report is probably available elsewhere but thought I'd pass this on for those that are interested in reading it.

As a side note a very good book on the Nautilus and the Battle of Midway is 'The Search for the Japanese Fleet' by David W. Jourdan.  It is a very indepth book that uses the Log of the Nautilus to help find the area where three of the Japanese carriers were sunk.  There are alternating chapters on the Nautilus and the team that searched for the sunken ships years later.  A lot of detail in the book and a good hour by hour if not minute by minute account of the Nautilus.  There was a documentary made on the subject many years ago that details the account but the book goes into far more detail.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QpYKT7SC9_8



Book.



Midway PBY

From Barrett Tillman:
December 13, 2016

Showed on Facebook--couldn't find any other offerings.


From James Sawruk:

Interesting but VP-44 did not fly a BLACK CAT at Midway. Still, it is different. Best to all,
Jim



Announcements and Questions

Battle of midway solider

From Graziella Caredda:
December 7, 2016

My name is Graziella Caredda and my grandfather survived the Battle of Midway. His name was Edward Alexander Morton. I have yet to find his name on a survivor list- for all of the ones in your website only provide the beginning or the end of the alphabet. Can you help me locate his name?

Thank you
Graziella Caredda

Editors Note:  I would be glad to help out. However since there were so many ships, aircraft, and men involved in the battle I really need a little more help. His name would only be on a survivor list if he was on the Yorktown or Hammond and survived the sinking of the two ships or quite possibly in one of the aircraft squadrons that attacked the Japanese fleet that day. Most other service men that were there that day are not listed by name.

So if you could narrow down his branch of service, i.e. Army, Marines, Navy, and maybe some detail of his participation, i.e. Naval Air, Defense Battalion, ship he was on etc. that would help a lot.

Also maybe some of our veterans of the battle might remember him if you can provide where he served I can send them an email. They are always quick to respond about a shipmate or buddy that was there.

Thanks for contacting me and I'll be glad to give you any info on him that I can find.

From Graziella Caredda: Thank you so much for your swift response. My grandfather was in the Navy and was on the uss Yorktown. I don't think I have anymore info. He was rescued at sea after the battle. Does that help? Please send my email along to other soldiers for maybe they remember my grandfather.  My grandfather never really talked about the battle so we don't know much. If you find any information on him, please forward the information to me. Even if it's just his name on a list.

Thank you so much for your help
Graziella Caredda

Editors Note:  I have been unable to come up with his name on any list of survivors and the Yorktown Muster List does not list his name.  If anyone has any other information that lists him as part of the Yorktown's Crew let me know and I'll pass it on.


Questions about Survivor List Designation Yorktown

From Chad Weatherman:
December 8, 2016

My family found your website and my grandfather's name on the survivor list. His name says: Weatherman, Carver (n) We were curious what the (n) means? I see it beside several names but cannot find anything to let us know. He is currently in the local hospice and close to passing away so unfortunately we cannot ask him!

Thanks so much!

From Ron Russell:

(n) = "no middle name." Many people are never given a middle name when they are born, or a middle name is not indicated on their birth certificate. A middle name is expected for military personnel (or at least that used to be the policy), and when there is none, the person's name is officially Firstname (n) Lastname. In this case, then the veteran's name was simply Carver Weatherman.

--Ron