Before the storm

Introduction
Japanese Planning
US Intelligence
US Navy

Turning Point:
June 3 - June 6

Aleutian Side Show
Midway, June 3
Midway, June 4
Midway, June 5
Midway, June 6

Aftermath

Japanese
United States

Miscellaneous

Appendix
Bibliography
TBD Found at Jaluit Atoll
Midway Chat
Contributions by Midway Veterans
Midway and Navy Page Links
Reader Contributions
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Home
The Battle of Midway
June 3 - 6, 1942 		MIDWAY VETERANS:
CAPT HOWARD P. ADY, JR., USN (RET.)


Memorial Tribute
Few of us have the chance to truly impact as many people as Howard P. Ady, Jr. did- twice. To most he will be remembered as a the pilot of a PBY who would discover the Kido Butai northwest of Midway on the morning of 4 June 1942. For that, Howard will always be remembered. However, as large as that contribution was to America, I believe he contributed as much when he co-founded our Midway e-mail circular. Just as Howard's contact report brought waves of American aircraft down upon the Japanese Striking Force, so too did the foundation of the e-mail circular bring together not only Americans, but people from all around the world. While I can count on one hand the number of direct conversations I had with Howard, his e-mail group has become the single most comprehensive source of historical and anecdotal information on the Battle of Midway. For that, all of American, and indeed the world, owes Howard two debts.

Howard, thank you for your many contributions to this country. May God Bless you and share your final flight.

- Chris Hawkinson, 29 June 1998



4 June 1942

Then LT Howard P. Ady, Jr., flying with VP-23 on Midway, was 'elected.' According to the intelligence reports coming in from HYPO in Hawaii, they new the Japanese were supposed to approach Midway from 320°. When Howard checked the blackboard at the Sand Island BOQ, he saw he was assigned to sector 315°. Because a sector was to cover seven and one-half degrees either side of the assigned bearing (in this case out 322½°, a dog leg, then back on 307½°), he knew he was in for a busy day.

Take off for the 22 planes of the morning search was a 0415- 11 PBY-5s from VP-23 from the lagoon, and 11 PBY-5As from Eastern Island. Around 0510, Howard and his crew spotted a single aircraft on a course to Midway. His first contact report of this historic battle was but a single word: "Aircraft." As was the pattern of the day, this was followed by a more detailed contact report. Then, around 0530, the curtain rose on the biggest show of his life. His radio began sending back reports:

0534 Enemy Carriers
0540 ED 180 sight 320
0552 Two carriers and main body of ships, carriers in front, course 135, speed 25
Even though Howard modestly claimed he was just 'elected,' his reports, along with the LT(jg) William E. Chase's plain English "Many planes heading Midway" at 0544, allow the airfield to be cleared at Midway. This meant that not one operational plane was destroyed on the ground when the Japanese struck, 100 plus planes strong, at around 0630. It was also was a beacon for the ten air strikes that would follow, culminating in the most spectacular six minutes in United States Naval history, when Akagi, Kaga and Soryu were hit by SBDs from Enterprise and Yorktown between 1022 and 1028.


BATTLE OF MIDWAY REMEMBERED
Sun City Wester played pivotal role
By Rosa De Simone
Daily News-Sun staff
Dateline: SUN CITY WEST, ARIZONA, June 4, 1993

Fifty-one years ago today, Sun City West resident Howard Ady made a sighting that would forever link him to one of the most famous battles of the century.

It was June 4, 1942, and the then-Navy Lt. Ady was flying "Strawberry 5," (EDITORS NOTE: "Strawberry 5" was a fictitious designation applied to Howard and his plane in the movie "The Battle of Midway") the code name for his PBY-5 search plane near the Pacific island of Midway.

First he spotted two Japanese carriers, and then another tow. This signaled what the Americans had been waiting for -- a Japanese attack.

Ady reported the sighting, alerting his fellow officers of the awaiting Japanese forces.

Hence, one of the most decisive Allied victories of World War II began. To Ady, the role he played in the battle was simply part of the job -- one that unfortunately did not include his taking part in the actual fighting.

"We weren't supposed to attack then," Ady said. "I had four bombs, but I was ordered not to attack them, if we could avoid being seen."

Ady, who later received an Air Medal from the Navy for his contribution to the victory, returned to a nearby island. Ady, 75, is now part of the history books -- and art world. Aviation artist Gary Ball has depicted several scenes of the Battle of Midway, including Ady's experience. In a work entitled "The Seeker," Ball illustrates Ady's plane amid clouds shortly after sunrise June 4 as he "reported the sighting of a Japanese carrier force -- the 'Kido Butai' - 200 miles northwest of Midway." Ady flew to Cincinnati in October to sign the 1,000 prints of Ball's work.

The experience was also portrayed on the silver screen, in the movie "Midway," starring Henry Fonda and Glenn Ford. While the movie was entertaining, it wasn't completely accurate, Ady said. "They called me "Howie" and nobody ever did call me that," Ady said. "My last name was so short, they usually called me by that."

Ady had a long career in the military. He graduated from the U.S. Naval Academy in 1939 and retired in 1963 as a Captain. In that time, he not only served in several notable battles of World War II, but also in three tours during the Korean War. Ady had originally planned to join the army Air Corps, but his mother was so impressed with the Navy that she convinced her son to anchor his future there.

"She got some idea that I would go to the Naval Academy, and it never went away," he recalled.

Ady doesn't quite know where his desire to become a pilot came from. "I came from Texas -- I don't know where I got the idea," he said. The only other pilot in the family was a cousin who flew the mail, Ady said.

But Ady definitely knew that he would rather take to the skies than the sea. "It looked like a better life than the sea-going boys had," he said.

During his career as a pilot, Ady was able to achieve his lifelong dream -- to fly fighters. "Patrol planes and bombers weren't much fun."


The Midway Roundtable

The Midway Roundtable, or Midway Circular, was founded upon the meeting of Bill Price and Howard Ady, Jr. I believe this round table is the most complete collection of veterans, authors and historians anywhere. For that, we are all indebted to Howard and Bill. Here is the story, as told by Bill Price.
How the Midway Roundtable Was Started

The Midway Roundtable or Midway Circular had it's roots with Howard "Strawberry 5" Ady. The beginnings go back a few years in one of those special incidents in life. One day I returned to my office from lunch and had a phone message from a Mr. Ady. I returned his call, and after business was discussed, I asked, "Ady is not a common name. Are you per chance any relation to LT Howard Ady that spotted the Japanese carriers at Midway?" He replied, "That's my Dad." The answer surprised me, especially when he used present tense. I asked where his Dad lived, and he replied, "In Arizona." I told him that I would like to meet his Dad when he came to the Washington area.

Young Howard and I were involved in the same type of computer based information services, and we began to meet at seminars. Within a year, his Dad was up from Arizona, and we had lunch together. I met with Howard Sr. again before he left, and gave him a copy of my Midway Log. This log is a project I started to develop in the late 1950s. When RADM Eller was Chief of Naval History, I traded him a 32 volume set of The Official Records of the Union and Confederate Navies in the War of the Rebellion for a declassified copy of the CINCPAC Report on Midway. In those days, there were no personal computers; so I went through the report and made a 3 x 5 card for every incident and time entry. This included chatter logs between the squadrons and the carriers. The Official Records went to Annapolis for the Naval Academy Library. As part of the trade, I also received a copy of the Japanese Log, Samuel Elliot Morrison's volume on Midway, Fuchida and Okumiya's book, and several other Midway related publications including the U.S. Strategic Bombing Survey Reports.

I went through all the first hand accounts on Midway, and made 3 x 5 cards for each event and time entry. I merged all the cards in time sequence to produce a composite log of the battle. One day, I got a pack of 22" x 16.75" quadrille paper. This paper is ruled in quarter inch squares and is often used in cryptanalysis of encrypted messages. I ruled the sheets into columns for: TIME, BASE, DEPARTURE TIME, SQUADRON, NUMBER OF PLANES, TYPE, LEADER, TARGET, HITS, and LOSSES. To the right of these columns was a large 11" area for REMARKS to describe what was happening at that minute. By looking at TIME and DEPARTURE TIME, one could quickly determine how long a squadron had been in the air. Some of this type of information may appear redundant, but the object was to provide a quick profile of that moment without having to do additional research. In recent years, I began to key this information into a data base using Claris' File Maker Pro. In the original, there were 13 pages or 24', over 1000 time entries, for June 4, 1942. Hunt-and-peck typing is slow; so it still has to be finished. I printed a copy for Howard. Later he sent me E-Mail and asked if he could give a copy to Bill Vickrey. Within days, the three of us were exchanging E-Mail about the battle, and Bill brought Frank DeLorenzo into the group. I added the Callanens, former neighbors; my Son Stuart, a FedEx pilot; Rich Florence and Gary Adams, former co-workers; my roommate from college, Bob Lee; along with John Lauer, a former Marine A6 Intruder pilot. And before long, my newly reacquainted high school friend, Dr. Hal Stuart, and my Cousin Louis Neaves were added.

These friends are not Midway die hards, but they came into the group at its early stages. The information provided by Howard Ady and Bill Vickrey was too unique, precious and valuable not to share with others. Soon Jon Parshall and Chris Hawkinson were added. Chris put my E-Mail address on his Midway web site, and the rest is history.

Howard visited his son periodically, and we always had lunch. On one visit, we toured the Air & Space Museum's Garber Facility at Silver Hill, Maryland. Here historic WWI and WWII, as well as current planes are being rebuilt for display at the future Dulles Airport Museum. Before we were half way through this tour, people were asking for Howard's autograph. We met with Herb Langenfeld, a former Marine F4U Corsair pilot that started at Guadalcanal. Howard and Herb soon discovered that they had been based at the same fields on several occasions, and exchanged some good reminiscences. Howard made it clear that he had never heard of "Strawberry 5". It was just a fabrication of the movies. Subsequently, I met Gilvin Slonim who was the Communications Intelligence Officer on the Enterprise at Midway. On Howard's next next trip, I had planned on getting he and Gil together. And I had already alerted Howard that I wanted to video record an interview with him and about Midway and his career. But that must wait a while. CAPT Howard Ady, USN, Ret. was laid to rest on Monday afternoon, April 27, 1998, at the Sunland Memorial Park in Sun City, Arizona. He passed away from a heart attack in the morning of the previous Thursday. Howard turned 80 last July. He lived a good, full life. All of us are better for having known him.

- Bill Price 28 April 1998

Remember by his family

Captain Howard P. Ady, Jr., USN (Ret.)
July 25, 1917 April 23,1998

His three sons, Howard III, John and Bob remember:

A father who devoted himself to Americas national defense, that we might live free to pursue our dreams in peace.

A 1939 Naval Academy Graduate, distinguished Naval Aviator who survived Pearl Harbor, served with great honor and in harms way while sighting the Japanese fleet at the onset of the Battle of Midway and in numerous other WWII and Korean wartime engagements.

Our Dad as the: Commander Air Group on the USS Kearsarge, CVG 101, during the Korean Conflict; Executive Officer, USS Hornet, CVA 12, the Commanding Officer, VFAW3 at NAS North Island; Chief of Staff, Western Sea Frontier, Treasure Island, California.

A teacher and coach at the US Naval Academy; a man of wisdom, but most of all a leader of warfighters and a dedicated public servant.

A father and friend who took us on a great 8-decade journey, from coast-to-coast a dozen times along with a tour in Bermuda. A well seasoned traveler; he was a superb companion, who especially enjoyed visiting Sydney, Australia last year. He got within a 100 miles of it in his venerable PBY during WWII, and thought about developing some engine trouble to stop and take a look at the island Continent. Of course, duty called and he missed that opportunity then. So, it was great to visit after more than 50 years at a very peaceful time. Duty, honor, and country were the hallmarks of his career, indeed, his life.

He was the avid adventurer, looking for a new challenge, like that personal computer he mastered in recent years.

A man who has left all that knew him a fine legacy from time spent with him during our own life's journey himself. We will cherish those moments for the rest of our days.

An often quite and compassionate man, who took the time to console the mothers, wives and lovers of those young men he commanded in war and who were lost in the battle. The words of the Returned Service League prayer are apropos:
They shall not grow old, as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them, nor the years condemn,
At the growing down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.
WE WILL REMEMBER THEM. LEST WE FORGET.
He has left us now to rejoin those young men -- all now in a perfect world.

Happily, we recall a last visit with him, an embrace and saying, simply,

I love you Dad! May you forever rest in peace! God bless you father!


Obituary from the Seattle Times

Howard Parmele ADY, Jr. 80,

of Sun City West, AZ., passed away 4-23-98 at his home in Sun City West. He was a career Navy Officer during his 28 years in the Navy, and spent 13 of those years either in foreign or sea duty within various commands of the Navy. He was a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy in 1939. Captain Ady was a highly decorated officer having received the distinguished Flying Cross, the Air Medal, Commendation Ribbons, DVC (Korea), the American Defense Fleet Clasp, Asiatic Pacific Stars (7), the American Command at Sea Insignia and campaign ribbons for Navy occupation, China service and the Korean theatre.

Shortly after sunrise on June 4, 1942, a PBY-5 Search Plane, flown by then, Lt. Howard P. Ady, Jr., USN, reported the sighting of a Japanese carrier force--the "Kido Butai,"-- 200 miles northwest of Midway. This warning alerted the forces in and around Midway that the long-expected Japanese attack was about to begin. Most historians and experts believed that the engagement that ensued was the pivotal battle of WW II. It was called the battle of Midway.

He is survived by his brother, Joseph Ady, (Commander U.S. Navy retired) of Sun City West, AZ.; son, Howard P. Ady, III, of Alexandria, VA., son, Robert Ady of Imperial Beach, CA. and son John Ady of San Diego, CA. In addition he also has seven grandchildren, who also survive him. Funeral Services were held Monday, April 27, 1998 with Interment in Sunland Memorial Park, Sun City, AZ. Sunland Mortuary handled the arrangements.