The Battle of Midway Roundtable Opening Remarks
Welcome to the January 2022 issue of the Battle of Midway RoundTable.
This month we have reactions to the Weisheit files and I hope everyone had at least a chance to look at them even if you didn't have time to listen to all of them or read the transcripts. There is some very interesting information contained within the interviews. They also put some background to the book written as a result of the interviews, The Last Flight of Ensign C. Markland Kelley, Junior, USNR. We also have a rare find in some color film of Dick Best's Dauntless, prosibly the only pictures of his aircraft in existence, at least in color.
One of the articles that grabbed my attention, was the one on the Last Combat Flight of the TBD Devastator. While the film was not really about them it nonetheless got the details right even if fictionalized a bit. The Devastator when introduced was an aircraft which brought forward many of the inovations that were used on most Naval aircraft during the next few years. Things like folding wings, metal construction, and built as a monoplane while most other Naval aircraft at the time were still biplanes. Yes it was obsolete by the time Pearl Harbor was attacked yet it soldiered on for the next 6 months as the only torpedo bomber the US Navy possessed. And they did not possess a lot. Only a total of 129 were built and by the time of the Battle of Midway most of the remaining TBDs in the Navy's arsenal were embarked on the three US carriers. The only other TBDs left in any number were the few from VT-5 that Yorktown offloaded at Pearl Harbor when VT-3
replaced them for the upcoming battle. Even Saratoga arriving after the battle could only muster 5 TBDs onboard as replacements. After Midway, had the Avenger not been available it would have been difficult to put even one squadron of torpedo bombers in service. Unfortunate that so many men and TBDs were lost at Midway and clearly understandable how precious the remaining three were that Enterprise had left by June 6th in what would be their last combat mission.
I'd like to thank Ron Russell for again putting together a great newsletter. Hope everyone enjoys the articles and as always if you have a comment or submission by all means send them to us.
FROM THE INBOX
-----------------------------------------------------
13 Jan 2022
From: Michael Peisner
Michigan
This is Michael Peisner, Allen Peisner's brother. Allen wanted me to let you all know when he passed away, which happened yesterday, January 12, 2022. The funeral [was on January 13th], with a link on the website of Dorfman Chapel.
May his memory be for a blessing.
www.thedorfmanchapel.com/deceasedinfoR.php?rownum=4772
-----------------------------------------------------
Michael, thanks so much for letting us know, and the most sincere condolences to Allen's family. This is personal for me, as Allen and I had an important relationship around 2005-06 when I was preparing the manuscript for my book, No Right to Win. He was my invaluable eagle-eye editor and legal counsel throughout the process, and I gave him due credit in the acknowledgements. Without his support, the book would have been far less than it ultimately became.
So sorry to see him leave us, especially at his age; much too soon. As we say with fondness in Navy circles, fair winds and following seas to a good guy and an honored friend.
—Ron Russell
-----------------------------------------------------
6 Jan 2022
From: Ed Beatty
British Columbia, Canada
I have been a Roundtable member for many years and profited from the accurate information provided by you and the members who have contributed to the monthly issues. I have always been interested in naval history, and intensely followed USA WW2 Pacific battles. My son and I have a very comprehensive (100+) naval history library that also includes USA, Japanese, and other countries involved in the WW2 Pacific conflict.
I became fascinated in WW2 when I was five years old – 1945. Returning military combat veterans moved into our neighborhood and I drove them crazy as I attempted to get them to discuss their personal war history.
Welcome back Ron. Members like you are very active and essential components of the Midway RoundTable. I am always amazed at the remarkable, continuously revised and accurate Midway battle information.
Of course, I would like to receive the latest addition to the roundtable; or new supplement....the mid-month bulletin that you have recently organized.
Thank you,
Ed Beatty
-----------------------------------------------------
Ed, many thanks for this nice message, and thanks also for staying with us over the past fourteen years.
Also from our inbox this month, new member Marvin Hult in Oregon reports that he’s found a copy of our best rated single-volume BOM reference at a great price on the Abe Books website. It’s A Glorious Page In Our History (1990) by Robert Cressman and a team of coauthors. If you don’t already have that one on your bookshelf, it’s among our top three recommendations. As I told Marvin, if you’ve read and absorbed Glorious Page, you pretty much know the Battle of Midway.
Here’s the Abe Books link, and you may also find it at other online vendors.
Marvin also reported that he’d ordered Pacific Payback (2015) by Stephen Moore from Abe Books. That one comes with very positive endorsements by John Lundstrum and Jon Parshall, so with that kind of backing it needs a spot on our website’s
Midway Library page. Any Roundtable member who has read it is invited to send in a review and you’ll see it in a future newsletter. Meanwhile, our copy is in the mail.
—RR
Re: THE WEISHEIT INTERVIEWS
(see the
December
issue)
-----------------------------------------------------
6 Jan 2022
From: Ian Toll
California
(Author, Pacific Crucible, The Conquering Tide, Twilight of the Gods)
Thanks, looks fascinating, and I will check it out.
Happy New Year to you all.
----------------------------
6 Jan 2022
From: Robert Mrazek
New York
(Author, A Dawn Like Thunder)
Ron, I think you have done an extraordinary job of organizing and evaluating Bowen's findings in a way that is both accessible and convincing with respect to the Flight to Nowhere.
Having spent two days with him going over his files and listening to his somewhat disorganized verbal recollections (he was getting near the end), I left Bel Air almost as confused as when I arrived. Your analysis in conjunction with all the material should finally put to rest any lingering doubts as to what happened to the HAG that fateful morning. Great job and thanks.
—Bob
----------------------------
6 Jan 2022
From: Bill Longton
Florida
I was very impressed with the work you all have done concerning the audio clips over the "flight to nowhere." I intend to start digging into it very soon. However, do you know of any place I could get a copy of "The Last Flight of Ensign C. Markland Kelley, Junior, USNR?” It isn’t on Amazon.
----------------------------
Good question, Bill. The book was originally self-published and distributed by Weisheit himself. We obtained copies directly from him, then from his wife after he passed away, but that was a long time ago. I sent an inquiry to his son, asking if any copies are available or if a further printing is anticipated. Will let everyone know what I find out.
—RR
----------------------------
7 Jan 2022
From: Jeffrey Foss
Louisiana
This is a very interesting article. I thought that after reading Craig Symond's book on Midway that the Flight to Nowhere was Stanhope Ring's fault and that Admiral Mitscher was covering for him because they were old buddies. But it is probably the other way around, Mitscher told Ring what direction to fly and Ring kept quiet to protect Mitscher.
However, Spruance and Nimitz figured out what happened and this is probably why Mitscher was sidelined for 18 months, as he was in Nimitz's doghouse over the Flight to Nowhere and the coverup.
----------------------------
15 Jan 2022
From: Manuel Gil Cano
Spain
Dear Ron.
Have read the very interesting resumed interviews and yes, I got clear once and for all where was heading course 265 in the HAG, Flight to Nowhere, and when VT-8 instead, turned 'left' to engage with Kido Butai to meet their devastating fate.
Thank you for your well done succinct work compiling the data for it to be clearly understood by all of us followers of Midway Roundtable.
----------------------------
15 Jan 2022
From: Nancy Mahi
Oregon
Thank you for posting the Weisheit transcripts. I read his book several years ago and enjoyed it, but it was good to read these. I appreciate all the work you did on them.
I am a quiet member and don't post much, but I do read the articles am I grateful to you folks for all that you do.
Nancy Mahi
----------------------------
Thanks, Nancy, very nice to hear from you again. For those who don’t know, Nancy is the niece of VT-8 pilot Grant Teats and a Roundtable member since the Bill Price days.
----------------------------
16 Jan 2022
From: Michael Maule
California
It looks like the problem is finally solved (after nearly 80 years!). So the next big question is why did Mitscher and CHAG submit a false official report...was it just a simple mistake or a massive CYA...
Thank you for getting to the bottom of this issue.
---------------------------
Michael, there may have been a bit of both. For a thorough discussion of how and why the Flight to Nowhere developed as it did, see the 17 August 2007 issue of our newsletter, which covers the subject thoroughly, including input from John Lundstrom, Jon Parshall, and VB-8 pilot Roy Gee:
http://www.midway42.org/Backissues/2007/2007-30.htm
ENSIGN EVANS AND THE DAY OF INFAMY
Ed. note: Mike Rogers sends us a copy of a letter penned by VT-8 pilot William Evans (KIA with Waldron at Midway) literally while the flames from the Pearl Harbor attack still raged. As Mike notes, another example of Evans’ eloquent prose has been featured on our website for many years. This new letter can also be found at the beginning of Keven Miller’s BOM novel The Silver Waterfall, cited in another article in this issue.
-----------------------------------------------------
From Mike Rogers
Michigan
7 December 2021
Greetings, Your home page quotes Ensign Bill Evans of Torpedo Eight. I wanted to share a letter Bill wrote to his family on Dec 7, 1941 while stationed in Norfolk.
-----------------------------------------------------
Sunday nite.
What a day – the incredulousness of it all still give each new announcement the unreality of a fairy tale. How can they have been so mad? Though I suppose we have all known it would come sometime there was always that inner small voice whispering no we are too big, too rich, too powerful, this war is for some poor fools somewhere else, it will never touch us here. And then this noon that world fell apart. Even this business in the North Atlantic cannot be compared to the action now at hand. They still played it sort of as a gentleman’s game, work during working hours, and plenty of play all the rest of the time. But now somehow that is all gone.
Today has been feverish, not with the excitement of emotional crowds cheering and bands playing but with the quiet conviction and deliberation of serious men settling down to the business of war. Everywhere little groups of officers listening to the radio, men hurrying in from liberty quickly changing clothes and reporting to battle stations. Scarcely one officer seemed to know why we were at war and it seemed to me there is a certain sadness for that reason. If the reports I’ve heard today are true the Japanese have performed the impossible, have carried out one of the most daring (and successful) raids in all history – They knew the set up perfectly – got there on the one fateful day – Sunday – officers and men away for the weekend or recovering from Saturday nite – the whole thing was brilliant. People will not realize, I fear, for sometime how serious this matter is, the indifference of labor and capital to our danger is an infectious virus and the public has come to think
contemptuously of Japan. And that I fear is a fatal mistake – today has given evidence of that – this war will be more different than any war this country has ever fought.
Our plans are as yet nebulous, tonight I put away all my civilian clothes – I fear the moths will find them good fare in the years to come – there is such a finality to wearing a uniform all the time – I think that is the one thing I fear – the loss of individualism in a world of uniforms – but Kings and puppets alike are being moved now by the master destiny. As soon as possible I’ll send a wooden box home with all my clothes etc. and tomorrow I’ll go down and order more blue uniforms – if I find out we’re slated to leave soon I’ll most probably sell my car, certainly so if we sent cross country to the west coast (- a persistent rumor)
Saturday I had my pictures taken and although I should have liked to surprise you with them for Christmas the urgency of the hour makes that impractical – I’ve made arrangements with someone here in town to check the proofs in case I’m not here and send the prints to you C.O.D. – I don’t think that will be necessary but I’ve fixed it just in case.
I’m afraid the question of leave now is a little doubtful but will be hoping for the best.
I had a most bitter personal loss this weekend, my roommate who has been one the finest boys I’ve ever known, a brilliant, extremely well liked chap from Pasadena California, went up Friday on an altitude hop and failed to return – probably through failure of his oxygen equipment. They’ve been searching continuously until today when they had to give it up of course and not a trace was ever found – I shall miss him badly and tomorrow on top of everything else I’ll have to inventory all his effects and write to his family which will be difficult.
It is growing late and tomorrow will undoubtedly be a busy day. Once more the whole world is on fire – in the period approaching Christmas it seems bitterly ironical to mouth again the time worn phrases concerning peace on earth good will with so many millions hard at work figuring out ways to reduce the other millions to slavery or death. I find it hard to see the inherent difference between man and the rest of the animal kingdom. Faith lost all is lost, let us hope tonight that people, big people, little people, all people throughout this great country have the faith to once again sacrifice for the things we hold essential to life and happiness, let us defend those principles to the ounce of blood – but then above all retain reason enough to have “charity for all and malice towards none” – If the world ever goes through this again – mankind is doomed – This time it has to be a better world.
All my love,
Bill
THE DAY OF INFAMY ON MIDWAY
Over the years we’ve seen many video productions about the June 1942 battle that include several Roundtable members: Midway veterans as well as some of our best-known naval historians and authors. Here’s another, but it’s a little different—the subject is the first Battle of Midway, on 7 December 1941, when the atoll’s Marines fought off an attack by IJN destroyers.
The video features Roundtable vets John Miniclier and Don Drake, among others. We see a lot of John in the video, and he’s looking quite good at 100 years old! Many thanks to John’s daughter Peggy for sending this to us.
The YouTube runs about 8 minutes and manages to tell Midway’s “Day of Infamy” story very well. We tend to forget that the atoll came under fire at least twice prior to the signature battle (number two being a submarine shelling on January 25th). For the veterans who happened to be in the line of fire on those occasions, the experience could be no less lethal than on June 4th. Here’s the link:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hblj1D_7Xk8&t=308s
CAUGHT ON FILM: DICK BEST’S DAUNTLESS
Ed. note: Kent Walters, owner of the flying scale SBD featured in last month’s newsletter, sends in the following video reference that appears to show Dick Best landing on the Enterprise.
-----------------------------------------------------
28 October 2021
From: Kent Walters
Arizona
The front cover photo on Ron Russell's book No Right To Win was taken at the U.S. Scale Masters Championships in 2004. [The Dauntless] is a precision scale model of an SBD-3 flown by ENS George Goldsmith during the BOM. Also, see Ron's Acknowledgements on page xvi in his book.
[A YouTube video] includes a carrier landing of a similar Dauntless from Bombing 6. Available evidence suggests it was flown by Richard Best, with its double-tail stripes and unique red landing gear struts. This came from Episode 4 of 20th Century Battlefields more than 10 years ago.
I doubt if that video segment and aircraft has been recognized as that of Dick Best. You cannot see the identifying number of this aircraft since it is a front angle view where the side numbers are obscured. Best's aircraft was marked as B1, that would have made it much easier to recognize. Nevertheless, the red strut colors and vertical stabilizer with double stripes are unique to [VB-6 and] Best's aircraft in this rare color film.
I had several phone calls or letter exchanges with Best in the 1990s when I was seeking documentation for aircraft markings and color for RC Scale competition. He was very helpful in also mentioning the unique strut colors used on the Enterprise, and also sent me a signed detailed list of those color codes by aircraft number:
I thought it interesting that Dick was very aware of all those color details. He may have also had something to do with helping generate this LSO recognition system for Enterprise aircraft, with his extensive details and the manner he spoke about it.
During one of these communications, I was surprised to learn he had never seen a photo of his own aircraft, "Baker One." I looked for several years thereafter for any photos in books or libraries, including the National Archives in Washington, and could not find an example of Dick's "B1.” This latter source in DC had many black and white photos on the Enterprise where I obtained select copies including that of "B15" that I modeled as described above. I did eventually find one distant photo of his "B1" aircraft that partially showed the B1 markings, including the double stripes on the vertical stabilizer for the Bombing Group (single stripe was for the Scouting Group). I cut out that magazine page and sent it to him, without further response. He had passed away October 28, 2001 (20 years ago today) at the age of 91. I heard somewhere that he was the last surviving commander from the BOM.
This brief video segment may have helped identify 8 seconds of rare color film of his airplane. It must have been taken shortly before the Battle of Midway since the red and white stripes on the rudder are still visible before they overpainted them with the same blue colors as used on the other top portions of these aircraft.
Regards,
Kent Walters
-----------------------------------------------------
The above document showing strut colors was composed by Kent himself from handwritten notes initially sent by Best, then returned to him for his signature that you see at the bottom. Kent rates a hearty BZ from the Roundtable for his diligent detective work after spotting amazing color film of what now seems to be 6-B-1 landing on the Enterprise; possibly the only quality image of that aircraft in existence. The YouTube can be found via the following URL, and the Best sequence begins at the 53:25 mark:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6op2Z9AURJ0&list=PLr0ujGB6278-vCitPtiorQOgA2Feuxxsk
Here’s more about Dick Best from Bill Vickrey, who knew him personally.
-----------------------------------------------------
11 Jan 2022
From: Bill Vickrey
North Carolina
I first met Dick in New York City when I was interviewing Walter Lord, who invited me to study his research file but I was too busy building a career and did not do so.
After landing, after his second attack of 4 June, Dick did not read nor write nor do anything himself, he was bleeding too heavily from his lungs, emitted from his mouth. He told me all about his two flights of 4 June but nothing about his second landing—some of his squadron pilots did. Several told me of his extensive bleeding. After getting back to the hospital at Pearl he had extensive medical treatment for months. He finally wound up at the Army Medical Center in Denver, Colorado and there he was for a couple of years (I think).
I am sure that Dick did not read nor sign anything after his second mission of 4 June 1942. He was bleeding heavily at the mouth and was rushed to medical care..to save his life.
Rose Marie [Bill’s wife] and I got very close to Dick personally, and spent 3 to 4 weekends with him at his home. He needled Rose Marie that he would “cook her Saturday morning breakfast in bed,” so she would get up early to beat him. They were great pals. We were once at Pensacola when Dick was speaking. He came off the podium—a bunch of reporters et al waiting to interview him—but they had to wait until he had embraced Rose Marie. I was amazed at the shock on some faces.
Smooth Sailing,
Bill
-----------------------------------------------------
For those who may not know, Bill was one of the five original members of the Roundtable, starting on Day One around 1990 with Bill Price. The others were Howard Ady, Jr. (the PBY pilot), his son Howard III, and Frank DeLorenzo.
-------------------------------------------------------------
Editors Note: Kent Walters is correct that when Dick Best passed away he was the last of the dive bomber commanders and last of the BOM commanders as far as I know. There was a really nice article written about him in a Naval History magazine after he passed away but I cannot locate my copy at the moment to give a reference. Perhaps someone has a copy and can provide the year and issue.
--TW
CAPTAIN MITSCHER? ADMIRAL MITSCHER?
-----------------------------------------------------
3 Jan 2022
Kevin Miller
Florida
I am a BOMRT member who seeks information on when and how Captain Marc Mitscher was appointed to RADM on the eve of Midway. Was it 30 May? 31 May? 1 June?
Conflicting reports - did he keep the title of Captain while he was in command of Hornet after his appointment?
Thank you,
Kevin Miller
-----------------------------------------------------
Kevin, according to the NHHC, the appointment was effective 30 May 1942; he accepted it on 31 May. My recollection is that he didn't actually assume the new rank until being appointed to a command that called for it. That would have been his assignment as CTF-17 in late June ' 42. So until then he was still the Hornet's captain (in both senses of the word).
Here's the NHHC ref:
https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/research-guides/modern-biographical-files-ndl/modern-bios-m/mitscher-marc-a.html
For more details, I forwarded your inquiry to some of the Roundtable’s naval historians. John Lundstrom answered it very thoroughly with the following response. Many thanks to John and also to Craig Symonds and James Sawruk who sent similar replies.
—RR
-----------------------------------------------------
3 Jan 2022
John Lundstrom
Wisconsin (author, The First Team, Black Shoe Carrier Admiral)
Mitscher had been selected for rear admiral prior to Midway and received the authorizing dispatch from Bupers on 30 May while at sea in the Hornet. He took the oath the next day to rank from 4 Dec 1941. However, in the Hornet he was simply a captain, as you say he was not given an admiral's posting. In fact, he was subordinate in TF-16 to Capt. George Murray, who was junior, because Spruance had designated Murray as CTG 16.5 (Carriers). On 4 June, during the battle, once the two carriers separated, Mitscher did in essence command a separate task group based around Hornet. Kinkaid, the cruiser commander, deferred to Mitscher's movements.
Nimitz appointed Mitscher as CTF-17 on 15 June (and Mason in turn relieved Mitscher in the Hornet), so that's when he formally became an admiral. Black Shoe Carrier Admiral, p. 304, has a photo taken on 17 June of Mitscher in his flag uniform. Mitscher's time as a CV CTF was limited, as Nimitz proposed on 21 June to King that Mitscher take over PatWing Two, which was his original assignment. Fitch received TF-17 on 30 June.
Best wishes,
John
-----------------------------------------------------
Ed. note: Roundtable readers may remember Kevin Miller (Captain, USN-Ret) as the author of a credible present-tense version of the BOM, The Silver Waterfall, reviewed in our May 2020 issue:
http://www.midway42.org/Backissues/2020/20200501.aspx
VS-5: MISSING IN ACTION?
Over the years we have received several questions and comments concerning the somewhat mysterious “VS-5” aboard the Yorktown at Midway. The mystery starts with the fact that the real VS-5 was not even there; it had been offloaded after Coral Sea and replaced for Midway by VB-3 from the Saratoga.
That put both VB-3 and VB-5 onboard, and someone on the CINCPAC staff seemed to think that would be too confusing for everyone, so they temporarily renamed the Yorktown squadron “VS-5.” Here I’m forced to wonder if that staffer really thought the officers and sailors in the fleet were that ignorant, especially since the switch only caused more confusion that continues to this day, as in this message from new Roundtable member Jeff Foss:
-----------------------------------------------------
7 Jan 2022
From: Jeffrey Foss
Louisiana
Russell,
I just read Refighting the Pacific War and enjoyed your comments on pages 134-138 about the importance of Waldron's action with VT-8. I had of course heard the standard story about how their sacrifice lowered the Japanese CAP to sea level, to allow our dive bombers to go in unmolested by Zeros. But I had never known, until your comments, about how a gunner on VT-6 saw smoke on the horizon generated by VT-8's attack. Then VT-6's attack generated more smoke which was seen by VT-3. Then VB-3 followed the new course of VT-3, which was following the smoke from the two prior torpedo squadron attacks. This led directly to the sinking of Soryu by VB-3. What a cascade of events, all started by John Waldron; amazing stuff !
What happened to VS-3? Or was it VS-5 (the other scouting dive bombing squadron from the Yorktown)? Were they never launched before the 1st attack from Hiryu?
-----------------------------------------------------
Many readers like Jeff with a newfound appreciation for the BOM take note of the fact that “VS-5” was not launched with VB-3 on the morning of June 4th and wonder why—wouldn’t the presence of VS-5 in the morning attack make another squadron available to go after Hiryu, thus preventing the Yorktown’s trauma later that day?
Actually, the VS-5 pilots were quite busy during the 3-day battle, starting with the early morning scouting mission on the 4th to look for Kido Butai possibly coming in on Fletcher’s flank. That only involved part of the squadron, but the rest had to await the scouts’ return before being readied for a possible mission against the carriers found by Howard Ady.
Additionally, remember that by the time VB-3 launched, Fletcher had received no reports of anyone seeing more than Ady’s two carriers. Both he and Spruance (and, sadly, Mitscher) knew that there were two more out there somewhere.
It had been Fletcher’s plan all along to reserve Yorktown’s strike for the expected second carrier group whenever it was found and reported. He agreed to release VB-3 when over an hour of waiting produced no word on additional targets, but VS-5 was kept onboard until the two missing carriers were located.
This subject is covered rather thoroughly in the familiar references; see pages 153-155 in Incredible Victory for example.
—RR
ON FILM: THE LAST COMBAT FLIGHT OF THE TBD DEVASTATOR
In our review last month of Dauntless: the Battle of Midway, I commented that the production was refreshingly faithful to the facts of the battle, far better than the much more expansive Midway movie (2019). But one scene is worth special mention for its exceptionally accurate portrayal of a small piece of the battle’s history, particularly since it takes place in the background and has nearly nothing to do with the story line.
Recall that the film is a dramatization of what might have happened to VB-6 pilot Norman Vandivier and his R/G Lee Keaney upon ditching their SBD after attacking the Kaga. The short passage that merits this special mention is just a few seconds during the two survivors’ third day in the water: they hear aircraft engines in the distance and turn to see three planes heading for them at low level; about what you might expect from a sortie of torpedo bombers.
And that’s exactly what it was: the film faithfully captured LTjg Robert Laub’s “last combat flight of the TBD Devastator” on 6 June 1942, when the Enterprise sent a maximum effort against Mogami and Mikuma. In the screenshots below, Vandivier and Keaney first sight the three aircraft at a distance, which then pass directly overhead. In the second image, note the torpedoes suspended from the TBDs’ underside at their characteristic odd angle.
But the attention to detail gets even better in the third picture. As the TBDs head off to the right, notice at the upper left the large formation of aircraft headed the same direction at very high altitude. If you don’t have a lot to do today, take a moment to count them, or just take it from me: there are 43 of them. The Enterprise launched 31 SBDs and 12 F4Fs for that mission: 43 planes. How’s that for attention to detail?
It would have been so easy for the producers to fictionalize that scene with almost any type and quantity of aircraft, but they went way beyond expectations in getting it exactly right, even with that miniscule detail of 43 strike aircraft high overhead—all of which impacted the story very little and wouldn’t even be recognized for what it was by most viewers. Any producer who gets the facts right down to that level in his film deserves an enthusiastic BZ (well done) from the Roundtable, and we’re happy to give it.
One small side note: there are slight variations of the two principals’ names in various histories and web references, i.e. Van Diver, VanDiver, Vandivier and Keaney or Kearney. The versions I’ve shown above appear to be the most correct. For a detailed biography of Norman Vandivier including everything actually known about him at Midway, see this link:
http://rayboomhower.blogspot.com/2020/04/lost-at-sea-hugh-vandivier-and-battle.html
—RR
-------------------------------------------------------
Editors Note: One small detail about the last combat flight of the 3 TBD Devastator's is that they were ordered not to engage the Japanese ships unless there was no opposition. By that it appears if the ships were in an condition to return fire the TBD's were to stand down, which they did. Spruance only had the three torpedo bombers left in the fleet and he was not willing to risk damage or their loss attacking cruisers. So in their last mission they were not allowed to fire a shot.
--TW
Thanks very much to everyone who contributed to our January issue. We especially appreciate Michael Peisner for forwarding the sad news regarding his brother Allen. We’re certain that our departed Midway veterans will welcome Allen as an honorary member of their eternal fraternity.
Finally, we do hope that everyone reading this is also getting the new Roundtable bulletin, sent around the 15th of the month (two issues so far, December and January). If you’re not, please let us know as that indicates we have something to solve with our email. Just send a note to our usual address and we’ll figure it out.
* * * * * *
That’s it for January, and as always, thanks to everyone for taking the time to read our monthly newsletters, the new bulletin, and the resources on our website. We love to receive your messages, whether you have a brief comment, a probing question, or a significant composition on a BOM-related topic—it’s all good and has been the reason for our success since Day One. Keep them coming, and we’ll do it all again next month.
Best wishes to all,
—Thom Walla, editor and webmaster
—Ron Russell, contributing editor
|