The Battle of Midway Roundtable

The Hornet Air Group, 4 June 1942

Updated: 12 August 2011

      The chart below may be the most accurate depiction available showing the actual tracks of the various squadrons and aircraft of the Hornet's air group on the morning of June 4th.   This chart is found in The Last Flight of Ensign C. Markland Kelly, Jr., USNR, copyright 1996 by Bowen P. Weisheit.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE CHART

CLICK HERE FOR A REVIEW OF THE BOOK

(scroll down after page opens)

      An item of special interest in the book is a photo on page 7, purporting to show ENS Kelly with VF-8 launching on the morning of 4 June 1942.   For a look at the photo, click here.

      This photo was discussed at length on the Roundtable, for it cannot be the VF-8 escort fighters during the morning launch.   There are no SBDs in the photo despite the fact that the escort was spotted directly ahead of two SBD squadrons, as seen in this photo.   Additionally, note the shadows of the aircraft and sailors on the flight deck:  the sun is high in the sky, not where it would have been during the early morning launch.   If this is a photo of VF-8 aircraft, it may be a CAP launch later in the day or possibly on some other day.

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