The Battle of Midway Roundtable Opening Remarks
76 years ago at approximately 09:00 on June 3rd, 1942, Ensign James Lyle piloting one of the PBY's on the south-southwest arc of the search spotted two Japanese Minesweepers about 470 miles from Midway. He went in for a closeer look and received some AA fire. At 9:04 he sent the information to Midway.
Ensign Jack Reid in another PBY further west of Midway at about 700 miles spotted a Japanese fleet approaching Midway Island. At 9:25 his wireless operator tapped out a simple message 'Main Body'. With these two contact reports The Battle of Midway had started.
Every year at this time there are Celebrations of the Battle that changed the course of the War for the US. Arguments still are waged on whether Midway was the turning point of the Pacific War or Guadalcanal. Historians on both sides of the debate certainly have convincing arguments. However the one thing that is not clear to me, or for that matter ever has been, centers on the fact that would there have been a Guadalcanal if not for the loss of all 4 of Japan's carriers as well as the aircraft, crew, and maintanence personel at Midway?
It is hard for me to imagine the US Navy being so bold as to invade Guadalcanal in August if it was unclear if we could supply it. We had enough trouble as it was even without their 4 top line carriers and aircraft Japan would have had at it's disposal.
I firmly believe at some point the US would have had a battle where several of the Japanese carriers would be damaged or lost. But it is hard to determine at what point and under what circumstances. The Japanese had, whether Midway had lured the US carriers out and destroyed them or not, eyes on Islands as far East as Fiji and Samoa. With the loss of the 4 carriers at Midway those plans were never realized.
So I have always maintained that regardless of the effort at Guadalcanal, which cannot be appreciated enough either, the Victory at Midway effectively was the turning point, however one defines it.
Today we have some interesting interviews provided by Steve Kovacs. I truely appreciate his efforts to bring them to us. I hope he has more. It's been a pleasure reading them. Ron Russell has an amusing story from a BOM Veteran, the New Midway movie, and more.
Enjoy and thank you again to all the Veterans of The Battle of Midway.
Battle of Midway Movie Will Be Shooting in Hawaii
From John Bond
May 4, 2018
Some Pearl Harbor and Hickam areas will be used for sets and likely WW-II type interiors.They may likely use some of the facilities at Barbers Point where other movie production companies have used.
In what will be one of the biggest movies on sale at Cannes, Stuart Ford’s recently minted AGC Studios will be enticing buyers with Roland Emmerich’s WWII action epic Midway, which we understand has Woody Harrelson and Mandy Moore in negotiations to star as part of a strong ensemble cast.
Wes Tooke’s script about the iconic Battle of Midway, a turning point in the Pacific theater of World War II, follows the soldiers and aviators who helped turn the tide of the war in June 1942. As we reported last fall, Lionsgate snapped up U.S. distribution rights through its Summit label to the Emmerich-directed project about the seminal WWII battle and the near $100m project is now moving into pre-production ahead of an August 16 start of shoot with destinations including Hawaii and Canada.
This is a significant statement of intent from former IM Global chief Ford whose new outfit AGC has been staffing up in recent months. “Roland’s track record and brand as a master of big budget action films is second to none and I’m highly confident Midway will make a big splash in the Cannes marketplace,” Ford told us.
The producers are pulling together a strong ensemble team to star alongside the duo in the movie, whose subject has been a rich source for filmmakers. Universal released a big budget version of the Midway battle in 1976, starring Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn and Toshiro Mifune.
Emmerich and Kloser are represented by CAA and Bloom Hergott Diemer Rosenthal Laviolette Feldman Schenkman & Goodman. Tooke is represented by WME, Kaplan Perrone Entertainment and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols & Adler. AGC’s deal was brokered by Ford and the company’s Chief Operating Officer Miguel Palos.
Here is the link to the original Article
Bombs for Guadalcanal
From Ron Russell
May 10, 2018
The letter in the April newsletter concerning VT-8's deployment during the Guadalcanal campaign reminded me of an amusing (sort of) anecdote on that subject from one of our veteran members, during the Roundtable's earliest years. Newton Delchamps had been a Yorktown aviation ordnanceman at Midway, who was subsequently assigned as a TBF bombardier in VT-8 on the Saratoga. He sent us this message in 2003, concerning an incident in which he almost "bombed" the island to comply with an order.
--Ron Russell
DEL DELCHAMPS: BOMBS FOR GUADALCANAL
(e-mail to the BOMRT, 22 Feb 2003)
[Del Delchamps is a retired Master Chief Aviation Ordnanceman, who survived the Yorktown at the Battle of Midway and went on to serve as a TBF bombardier in the new VT-8 at Guadalcanal. He relates an anecdote here about how he almost "bombed" Guadalcanal while delivering supplies to the island.]
My Flight Log and my memory are not always in agreement and in this case I'm going with my memory. VT-8, operating from Saratoga, had helped to cover the Marine landings on Guadalcanal on 7 August 1942. I could tell that this was the beginning of something big. It felt great to be a part of the first offensive operation in the Pacific.
Our pilot, Bill Dye, let me drop four 500-lb. bombs that morning, and he dropped four more later the same day. No AA fire and no Zeros on either flight--a great day!
Saratoga received a request from Marine General Vandegrift for certain supplies, and he added that he'd appreciate some fresh bread. VT-8 sent two planes, including ours. The other plane carried the supplies while we carried a passenger, a Navy commander, who would no doubt be the one who presented the stuff to the general. That became more evident when a Jeep with a Marine driver met us as we taxied in. The marine and the commander drove off with the goodies, and we waited by our aircraft for orders.
There weren't any. We waited for at least a couple hours (without chow), when the commander and the Marine returned. We climbed aboard and took off for the Saratoga, but the weather quickly went bad--we dropped from 5000 ft. to 500 ft., then back up, then repeated that a couple more times. Bill told the commander that we had only marginal fuel to reach the ship, and he advised that we return to the island, which we did.
It was an awful night. There was still no food, and no shelter. We had no place to go, and there were no invitations. We tried to sleep under the plane's wing, but between the rain and the midnight shelling, that didn't happen. The whistling noise as the shells passed over, followed by the explosions of nearby hits, were nerve-racking. We were grateful that the Japanese gunner was long every time, but his azimuth was right on--straight over us. And there were no foxholes.
Daylight came and the rain stopped. The commander appeared from somewhere, telling me that the island needed the four 500 lb. bombs we were carrying. I told him we'd need a bomb hoist to unload them, and he replied that there was only one on the island and there was no time to go get it--we had to get back to the Saratoga ASAP. I told him, "Aye Aye, Sir," opened the bomb bay, disconnected the arming wires, told our radioman to clear the area, and sat down in the pilot's seat with my hand on the bomb release lever. (After all, I had my orders.)
At that moment the VT-8 CO arrived on scene (his flight had diverted to the island a short while before), and for some reason he didn't think much of my idea for delivering the bombs to Guadalcanal without a bomb hoist. He held up our departure long enough to fetch the island's hoist, and the bombs were safely delivered in a conventional manner. Later, I caught some flak from the CO for what I had almost done--my thanks for trying to be resourceful in solving a difficult problem under highly stressful circumstances.
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TBD Devastator 6-T-8 at Camp Malakole, Ewa Field, lost at Battle of Midway
From John Bond
May 17, 2018
TBD Devastator 6-T-8 at crash landed at Camp Malakole, based at Ewa Field (when it was designated as NASBP,) then lost at Battle of Midway with Torpedo Squadron 8. (Hornet and other carriers used Ewa Field extensively for basing and training before the Barbers Point airfield was operational in September 1, 1942.) Planes were often traded and reassigned, as in this case from VT-6 to VT-8.
Douglas TBD-1 Devastator BuNo 0329
At the time of the collision over Camp Malakole the TBD Devastator marked as "6-T-8", was assigned to Torpedo 6 (VT-6), on the USS Enterprise. It collided with another plane from VT-6 on June 14, 1941 over Camp Malakole (AAA camp) on SW Oahu Island, it made an emergency landing at the camp, and was later towed to Ewa Mooring Mast Ewa Field.
Ewa Field became Naval Air Station Barbers Point April 15, 1942. Three days later it was on board the USS Hornet, by then BuNo 0329 was assigned to VT-8, when Doolittle's B-25's very launched to bomb Tokyo. Hornet missed the battle of Coral Sea but the Ewa Field based VT-8 "Torpedo Squadron 8" TBD-1 Devastator was lost in the heroic sacrifice of June 4,1942 at the Battle of Midway. The two crew MIA lost with VT-8, then marked as "T-15", were ENS Grant W. Teats and Hollis Martin, ARM2c. Both were officially declared KIA in 1943.
Camp Malakole would have been a good choice for an emergency landing as there was a long flat sandy beachfront area where Army AA guns were fired for training. As shown, the plane was guarded and then towed to Ewa Mooring Mast Field which was a few miles away. There was a relatively good territorial highway that connected Camp Malakole to Pearl Harbor and Ewa Field was along this route.
Camp Malakole was west of Ewa Field and preceded the Marine Corps MAG 21 in development by about 2 months. The Army units were federalized 251st California National Guard, one of the first guard units called to active duty before the start of the war.
The Navy was already using Ewa Field prior to Dec 7, 1941 but after the attack made Ewa Field officially Naval Air Station Barbers Point on April 15, 1942. Ewa Field became MCAS Ewa on Sept 1, 1942 when the Navy Barbers Point airfield became operational. The CASU operating at both airfields was CASU-2.
TBD Devastator from Torpedo 6, USS Enterprise collided with another plane from VT-6 on June 14, 1941 over Camp Malakole (AAA camp) on SW Oahu Island, it made an emergency landing at the camp, and was later towed to the Ewa Mooring Mast site of USMC Ewa Field, later to become MCAS Ewa an important base for all USMC air units staging to the Pacific Theater. Note the damaged tail.
Ensign Grant Wayne Teats, US Navy,
Grant Wayne Teats enlisted as a Seaman 2/c in the US Navy Reserve (NSN:414-45-96) Aviation Cadet program (V-5) on 5 Oct 1940 in Portland, Oregon. He reported to the Naval Reserve Aviation Base, Seattle, WA on 15 Oct 1940 to begin elimination flight training. He completed that training on 12 Nov 1940, and he was placed on inactive duty status and send home to await further orders. He reported to NAS Pensacola, FL on 27 Jan 1941 from NRAB Seattle, WA and was discharged that day to accept special orders for appointment as an Aviation Cadet. Aviation Cadet Teats completed his flight training, received his gold wings, and was commissioned an Ensign (A-VN) on 21 Jun 1941. Ensign Teats reported to Torpedo Squadron Eight embarked USS Hornet (CV-8) later that year.
Hornet departed Norfolk, VA for the Pacific in March 1942 after months of intensive workups in the Atlantic. Shortly after arriving in the Pacific Hornet played a major role in the successful attack on Japan by Col Doolittle's B-25 force on 18 April 1942. Late in May, 1942 a large Japanese carrier force headed for the Midway Atoll. The Hornet, along with carriers Yorktown and Enterprise moved to intercept that force. Early in the morning of 4 Jun 1942 Hornet launched her air group of 59 planes to attack the Japanese carriers. Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8), separated from the rest of the Air Group, found the enemy carriers. And attack they did! Headlong into the maelstrom without fighter protection the 15 planes of VT-8 pressed their attack through an onslaught of enemy fighter and anti-aircraft fire. One by one the torpedo planes were sent hurtling into the sea. All 15 aircraft were shot down with the loss of 29 of the 30 aircrew. Ens Teats and his radioman/gunner, ARM2 Hollis Martin
did not return. Their remains were unrecoverable. According to the Hornet's Midway battle after action report dated 13 Jun 1942 they were listed as "missing in action." On 5 Jun 1943 they were officially listed as presumed killed in action. In that report Rear Admiral (Select) Mitscher, Hornet CO, nominated each member of Torpedo Eight who flew into battle on 4 Jun 1942 for the Congressional Medal of Honor.
Ensign Teats was awarded the Navy Cross, Purple Heart and the Presidential Unit Citation.
Apprentice Seaman (A.S.) Hollis Martin, US Navy,
After completing Queen Ann high school in Seattle, WA on 14 June 1939, Hollis enlisted in the US Navy on 15 Feb 1940 in Seattle, WA (NSN: 385-85-69). According to the 1 April 1940 San Diego, CA federal census, Apprentice Seaman (A.S.) Hollis Martin, US Navy, was at the Naval Training Station (NTS), San Diego undergoing basic training. After he completed basic training, he was sent to Radio school at NTS, San Diego where he was also promoted to Seaman 2/c. He completed Radio school in late summer 1940. S2/c Martin reported to Utility Squadron One in Hawaii on 11 Sept. 1940 for duty. On 16 Nov 1940, Martin was promoted to Seaman First Class and finally, on 01 May 1941, to Radioman Third Class (RM3).
Several months later, on 19 Aug 1941, RM3 Martin sailed as a passenger aboard the USS Southard (DMS-10) from Pearl Harbor to San Diego. He was going on leave. He returned from leave aboard the Southard going to Pearl Harbor on 10 Sept 1941. Shortly after arriving back in Pearl Harbor, RM3 Martin received orders to report to a newly formed aviation squadron, Torpedo Squadron Eight (VT-8), that was based at the Naval Air Station (NAS), Norfolk, VA. He detached from Utility Squadron One and reported aboard the USS Wharton (AP-7) as a passenger on 13 Oct 1941. The Wharton arrived in San Francisco on 20 Oct 1941. He continued his travels and arrived in Norfolk, VA later that month where he reported for duty with VT-8. VT-8 was embarked on the newly commissioned aircraft carrier, USS Hornet (CV-8). It was sometime later that he was promoted to Aviation Radioman Second Class (ARM2).
USS Hornet departed Norfolk, VA for the Pacific in March 1942 after months of intensive workups in the Atlantic and Caribbean areas. Shortly after arriving in the Pacific via the Panama Canal, Hornet played a major role in the successful attack on Japan by Col Doolittle's B-25 force on 18 April 1942. After that operation, USS Hornet and USS Enterprise (CV-6) were ordered to the South Pacific to support the USS Lexington (CV-2) and USS Yorktown (CV-5) that were engaged in battle of the Coral Sea. Unfortunately, Hornet and Enterprise were not able to arrive before the battle was over. Hornet arrived back in Pearl Harbor on 26 May. Two days later she was underway with Enterprise heading for Midway where a large Japanese carrier force was headed intent on invading the island.
Early in the morning of 4 Jun 1942 Hornet launched her air group of 59 planes to attack the Japanese carriers. VT-8, separated from the rest of the Air Group, found the enemy carriers and began their attack profiles. And attack they did! Headlong into the maelstrom without fighter protection the 15 planes of VT-8 pressed their attack through an onslaught of enemy fighter and anti-aircraft fire. One by one the torpedo planes were sent hurtling into the sea. All 15 aircraft were shot down with the loss of 29 of the 30 aircrew. Ens. Grant Teats, the pilot, and his radioman/gunner, ARM2 Hollis Martin did not return. Their remains were unrecoverable. According to the Hornet's Midway battle after-action-report dated 13 Jun 1942 they were listed as "missing in action." On 5 Jun 1943 they were officially listed as presumed killed in action. In that same report Rear Admiral (Select) Mitscher, Hornet CO, nominated each member of Torpedo Eight who flew into battle on 4 Jun 1942 for the
Congressional Medal of Honor. Petty Officer Martin was (posthumously) awarded the Distinguished Flying Cross, the Purple Heart and the Presidential Unit Citation ribbon.
TBD Devastator 6-T-8 question answered by David Trojan:
Aircraft marked as 6-T-8, shown having made an emergency landing at Camp Malakole near Ewa Field. It was towed back to Ewa Field and later flew in the Battle of Midway where it was shot down and lost as a Navy plane with the legendary VT-8, where all were killed except ENS George Gay.
Delivered to VT-6, 6-T-8; Blue top, full colors, small white shell back turtle on stbd fin tip, .50 cal in nose (SSIA pg 19); later lost with VT-8 as T-15, ENS Grant W. Teats and Hollis Martin, ARM2c KIA 6/4/42 (MH) *: .50 cal removed from nose and exchanged for .30 cal at undetermined point for weight savings per Mark Horan, personal correspondence. Aircraft retrofitted with twin .30 mount from CV-6 SBD spares stocks prior to Midway.
Another instance revealing we'd broken their code
From Allen Peisner
May 31, 2018
Most of the readers know about the report from the Chicago Newspaper about the time of the BOM, that had the Japanese read it, they would have realized we'd broken their code and would be waiting for them.
I found another instance regarding the Yamamoto shoot down on 4/18/43. Although this newsreel is undated, it sure sounds like it was made during the war. During the first three minutes, they reveal why 16 P-38s were sent on the long mission and how. I always thought we tried to hide we'd broken the code. I thought several identical P-38 missions were flown in the following days to make it seem like it was a new routine and not codebreaking that lead to the shootdown.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=39-yZ_2aao0
Editors Note: Indeed they did fly the same mission for several days after the one that shot down Yamamoto to hide the fact that it was a code intercept rather than just a regular mission. I don't know if the clip was released to the public in exactly the format we see now. It might have been censored and the part about the code breaking removed. Remember this is a restored version meaning it could contain the film in it's entirety. Still it would be hard to believe that the part about the code being broken known to the film maker without being told by the US Military.
Announcements and Questions
South Dakota Warrior Premieres
From John Mollison
May 5, 2018
The National Naval Aviation Museum in Pensacola and the National Museum of the Pacific War will be hosting Premiere’s at their facilities.
NNAM’s is June 4, NMPW’s is June 15.
If any Roundtable members are in the area, it’d be nice to have them attend. I will be at the Fredericksburg (NMPW) event and leading a educational session on the morning of the 16th that will feature cut-build models of Waldron’s TBD and an A6M2.
John Mollison
For teachers:
www.SouthDakotaWarrior.com
www.OldGuysAndTheirAirplanes.com