Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 4, 2012 - 05:06pm PT
Everything changed seventy years ago today in our war in the Pacific.
The Japanese went from offense to perpetual defense when a combination of luck and culture allowed the US to sink all four enemy carriers, but there was great valor displayed on both sides.
In one of the earlier unsuccessful waves fifteen US torpedo plane crews attacked without fighter cover.
All were shot down.
One man survived.
It would have been a different world if not for the bravery of these men.
It got the front page in the local San Diego paper over the weekend. A black member of the (segregated) Yorktown crew is alive and doing well at 91 here in SD. He and numerous others abandoned ship for the second time, when having reboarded and got it almost sitting level it was hit by two more torpedoes.
Ron, good post. I think about this kinda thing all the time. Not only from the war perspective- like aviation back then with a compass and a huge set of balls for example (not to mention having people shooting at you), but also other things like people riding bikes to Nome in the winter during the gold rush, etc. People did all kinds of crazy sh#t back then; if people were doing the same things now they would just have to be sponsored by cliff bar or something for such feats.
I think that people were just way more hardcore back then. What happened? haha
The code breakers.
Garbled radio messages from recon aircraft.
Halsey ill, so Spruance gets the call.
The Japanese fleet divides into three battle groups.
Superhuman effort putting band aids on the Yorktown.
Nagumo's indecision and bad call.
Serendipity when the US air attacks simultaneously hit the Japanese carriers.
Spruance knowing when to call it good.
Amazing event. The turning point in the Pacific. Two months later Stalingrad starts. The beginning of the end for the Axis.
Professor David Mindell of the Program in Science, Technology and Society Program (STS) was a member of the search and survey team on the National Geographic Midway expedition that discovered the USS Yorktown more than three miles deep in the Pacific Ocean on May 19. (1998)
Dr. Mindell and the scientific team used video and sonar technology to take sound "pictures" of the ocean floor and locate the ship, sunk during the Battle of Midway some 56 years ago. The National Geographic expedition was led by Dr. Robert Ballard, discoverer of the Titanic wreck, with the goal of locating, mapping, exploring and photographing the ship.
Check out Netflix. There are a couple of really good movies you can stream there. The first is the Nat Geo special where they accompany Bob Ballard and four vets (2 American, 2 Japanese) looking for sunken wrecks. Really well done: http://movies.netflix.com/WiMovie/National_Geographic_The_Battle_for_Midway
They also have the old John Ford documentary. Good, good stuff.
Midway was tough. It never ceases to amaze me how much "dumb luck", chance and bad judgment figures into war history and outcome (not discounting bravery and sacrifice).
The Naval Battle during the Invasion of Leyte was as tough and as deadly. If not for some extreme bravery and heroics performed by some out-matched American Destroyers the Japanese could have easily wiped out the Invasion Force and Carriers. Mix in the "dumb luck", chance and poor decisions and you have another epic.
The Battle off Samar was equal in it's good fortune, and is recounted in one of the best books I have ever read regarding WWII history...."Last of the Tin Can Sailors".
As he led his platoon in a flanking maneuver, three German machine guns opened fire from covered positions just 40 yards away, pinning his men to the ground. Inouye stood up to attack and was shot in the stomach; ignoring his wound, he proceeded to attack and destroy the first machine gun nest with hand grenades and fire from his M1 Thompson submachine gun. After being informed of the severity of his wound by his platoon sergeant, he refused treatment and rallied his men for an attack on the second machine gun position, which he also successfully destroyed before collapsing from blood loss.
As his squad distracted the third machine gunner, Inouye crawled toward the final bunker, eventually drawing within 10 yards. As he raised himself up and cocked his arm to throw his last grenade into the fighting position, a German inside fired a rifle grenade that struck him on the right elbow, severing most of his arm and leaving his own primed grenade reflexively "clenched in a fist that suddenly didn't belong to me anymore".[10] Inouye's horrified soldiers moved to his aid, but he shouted for them to keep back out of fear his severed fist would involuntarily relax and drop the grenade. As the German inside the bunker reloaded his rifle, Inouye managed to pry the live grenade from his useless right hand and transfer it to his left. As the German aimed his rifle to finish him off, Inouye managed at last to toss the grenade off-hand into the bunker and destroy it. He stumbled to his feet and continued forward, silencing the last German resistance with a one-handed burst from his Thompson before being wounded in the leg and tumbling unconscious to the bottom of the ridge. When he awoke to see the concerned men of his platoon hovering over him, his only comment before being carried away was to gruffly order them to return to their positions, since, as he pointed out, "nobody [had] called off the war!"[11]
The Naval Battle during the Invasion of Leyte was as tough and as deadly.
The battle of Leyte Gulf is still the biggest naval battle in the history of the world. My father flew F6F Hellcats off the USS Enterprise in that fight--as part of the 75 combat missions he flew on his tour of duty with Air Group 20.
Well now we are bouncing all over the place. I was thinking about an anniversary of a most pivotal point.
But I gotta admit that Cragman makes a good recommend.
One of my favorite parts in Tin Can Sailors was Blue Archer becoming the first person to attack an 80,000 ton battleship with a .38 special.
P Ron, I apologize for the thread drift. I just completed the Tin Can Sailors book a few days ago. I think you recommended it on some thread, possibly the what book thread.
Can you imagine what was going through George Gay's mind as he floating in the sea for those hours surrounded by all the enemy ships? His survival and rescue are miraculous.
I re-watched MIDWAY last night- thought of my Uncle Bill, and My Dad. Dad was buidling airplanes (Grumman) that were used in the battle that my uncle was in. Lots of spin off history from world changing events!
Actually, Tobia, it was Woody who started the thread about the book which got me to read it.
Wasn't George Gay played by Eddie Albert Jr.?
His dad was a real hero of the war in the Pacific. As I recall he waded out in the coral at Tarawa and recovered many wounded men.
As Hollywood is want to do, they threw some imaginary characters into the greater story, but the film did a good job of depicting a complicated battle.
Compass & map over open water....all those guys (fliers AND sailors)had bowling balls...
I think Ensign Gay was quoted, in reply to a question re: treating his wounds, that he "soaked them in salt water for several hours"
What a f'in stud.
Curt -- I've checked out the website of your dad's squadron / group -- good stuff!!
Somewhat related (WWII) drift -- my sister's dad-in-law (RIP) flew the Burma Hump (157.5 round trips!), her hubby showed me a big plastic storage bin with ALL his maps, logbooks & mementos -- there's a currency strip (money from posts) that's signed by probably half the CNAC pilots -- WAY COOL!
Credit to Woody then, it was a great read. I read the Rising Sun prior to that.
The sacrifices the role players made in that war and all other wars is humbling. I feel good about picking up litter. I am not sure I am made of the same metal as these guys were and thankful that I may never have to find out; their gift to me and everyone else.
I have never seen a brass wrench before, Ron can you post a picture of it?
found the wrench, but my batts on the camera are kaput- will post a pic later..And Cragman is correct- they used the brass wrenches to avoid sparks in critical areas like FUELING stations and AMMO/powder storages.
To be honest I kept wondering why brass, thinking about how malleable it is; it wouldn't be a strong wrench maybe corrosiveness? I never considered sparks.
Fat dad, thanks for the video link. It wasn't too long ago I streamed the whole documentary.
it all hinged on ONE THING! Whom discovered who first.. And of course all those pilots willing to fly one way missions. Imagine the wiehgt of the world resting on your shoulders as you take off from a bouncing deck headed toward your what is likely to be your last flight. damm....
This is slightly OT but, I just finished reading "With the Old Breed" a great read about some of the USMC battles in the Pacific. It was one of the books that "The Pacific" was based on.
It was amazing to read about the bravery and tenacity on both sides.
Cragman- I thought so too. I had an uncle who was there, but he died prior to me discovering my interest in history. How I would have loved to talk to him about his time in the Pacific.
The men and women of that generation were amazing. I am still in awe of everything they did. Eric
The Japanese were by far one of the toughest enemies we ever fought. They Never gave up. We had to kill them all and we did. It took two weeks of fire bombing Tokyo non stop and two A bombs to get them to quit fighting.
Gene's dad and my granfather were on the USS Nevada together in Pearl Harbor.
My grandfather never said sh#t and I mean never he just chain smoked camel non filters and tinkered about after a long naval career. He is laid to rest in Arlington.
Another great read...probably the best book I have ever read regarding the Pacific Theatre, is "Ghost Soldiers", by Hampton Sides.
This story recounts the rescue of American GIs imprisoned in the Phillipines near the city of Cabanatuan...many of whom were survivors of the death march on Bataan.
While perhaps not as important as the battle of Midway, my father was radar operator on a troop transport at the battles of Iwa Jima and Okinawa. This month he turns 91! Gotaq love these guys!
My Uncle Joe (USMC) Sawyer was captured in the south Pacific, I am not sure were. He, like many others were treated extremely poorly and contracted malaria which ended up taking him years later.
I know it is the European Theatre, but Uncle Bill Casey (Army) was captured in North Africa, and later he and two Canadian commandoes escaped from German POW camp in Italy and made their way back to Allied (British) lines.
Thanks for the pic Ron. Not something you see everyday; or hear of for that matter.
Eugene Sledge was the good friend of one my hommies dad, AC Levi. They grew up together in Mobile. Mr. Levi was trained as an aviator but never flew in combat.
Although Sledgehammer came home and became a biology professor he struggled with his experiences from the war.
Imagine that. I think dying in combat would have been easier.
Both my uncles on my dads side were messed up. Bill lost a leg in the battle, came home then went got eventually worse through slow infections and eventuall wound up in pendleton where while doing rehab he was struck by a hit and run driver smashing his remaining leg.. Bitter to the end he was. My uncle Red was a certified genious working something in the inteligence field for the Navy and came back a complete alcaholic that drifted in and out of the current goings on. Very nice guy,, but something titled him over an edge- but none of us ever knew..
Drifting way inland but "the Chief" would be proud for me to post his picture.
Another friend's dad, who on his first mission as a bombardier, was shot down and spent the remainder of the war in a German POW camp. His dental fillings popped out with his parachute at high altitude due to the extreme temperatures.
Unlike his compatriots in the Pacific, his captors provided good care for him as a POW. With the survival rate of B-17 crews being what they were, he said he more than likely would not have made it home. The German doctors replaced his fillings; but did not provide any numbing agent.
Smoke on the Water" was written in 1944 by Zeke Clements and recorded shortly thereafter by Red Foley.
In 1941, the same year Red made his film debut with Tex Ritter in the Western "The Pioneers", he signed a lifetime contract with Decca Records resulting in his first #1 country hit Smoke On The Water in 1944. It topped the charts for 13 consecutive weeks in 1945, he was the first major performer to record in Nashville.
Ron: Indeed! Thanks for sharing the brass crescent wrench. Quite the artifact.
I know some here have mentioned the book "The Rising Sun" by John Toland.
I think I have read it 3 times. Gives a better idea of what was motivating the Japanese, while still providing a great history of the war in the Pacific.
Of Course I still enjoy my ancient copy of:
Guadalcanal Diary is a memoir written by war correspondent Richard Tregaskis and published by Random House. The book recounts the author's time with the United States Marine Corps on Guadalcanal in the early stages of the pivotal months-long battle there starting in 1942.
Tregaskis relates combat and conversation in an immediately accessible vernacular, taking care to cite the full name, rank, and hometown of each of the Marines he encountered over the weeks he was on the island.
The book was so well received at home upon publication, and spoke such volumes on the camaraderie amongst the Marines, that the USMC still makes Guadalcanal Diary required reading for all officer candidates.
In 1943 the memoir was made into a film of the same name starring William Bendix, Richard Conte, Anthony Quinn, and John Archer, marking the film debut of Richard Jaeckel
Through careful analysis, I decided that would be a YES, Wow, hard to imagine; esp a night landing. Nothing to compare it to except not losing control of a big rig when having to slam on the brakes; which is no comparison at all.
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well THAT explains a lot! ^^6 Yur brain has been slammed against the skull soooo many times its like a bowl of jelly. No wonder you fit in fine round here!;-)
World War II pilot and battle of Midway hero James Muri dies in Montana at age 93.
On June 4, 1942, Muri piloted one of four B-26 bombers that took off from Midway Island to attack a Japanese fleet planning to invade the U.S. outpost about 1,100 miles northwest of Hawaii.
Japanese fighter planes shot the bombers with machine guns and cannons. Muri's bomber was struck and three crewmen were wounded, but he launched a torpedo at the aircraft carrier Akagi and then flew the plane down its flight deck to avoid the ship's guns, which were all pointed outward.
Muri flew lower than treetop level above the deck of the massive ship, reasoning that skimming the flight deck gave him the best chance to survive.
After the plane crash-landed on Midway Island, officials counted more than 500 bullet holes in the bomber, the Billings Gazette reported (http://bit.ly/WrZkTu).
Muri and his crew were awarded the Distinguished Service Cross. In 2003, Muri received the Jimmy Doolittle Award for outstanding service to the U.S. Army Air Corps in a ceremony in Washington, D.C.
Admiral Nimitz ---- One of the greats, that does not get the credit he should.
Interesting thought although five stars, signing the surrender document on behalf of the USA, and having his name on on a class of floating airports is impressive. If anything, MacArthur gets much more credit than he deserves.
I am a great admirer of Nimitz. Any bridge-playing admiral already has a tremendous advantage in my book. It's too bad the nastiest East Bay freeway has to bear his name.
I would not dis MacArthur, though. His bravado and seeming self-aggrandizement makes him easy to dislike, but his south Pacific campaigns were brilliant, and his island-hopping strategy was much less costly of life than those of other commanders. He actually thought the Navy's strategy had too much of a "damn the torpedoes" disregard for loss of life. Personally, I don't see how Nimitz had a choice in capturing, say, Iwo Jima.
One point of disclosure: my father, who was 40 when they bombed Pearl Harbor, served in the Sea Bees during WWII, and participated in the invasion of Guam, where the Sea Bees built an airfield under fire using bulldozer blades for shields. He had the highest regard for Nimitz.
guido, how else to respond to such? Hopefully a little humor will do.
I dare say this drawing of Jim Muri's decent on to the flight deck of a Japanese aircraft carrier is as impressive as any first accent photo I've ever seen.
Lt. James Muri hurtling down the flight deck of Akagi, mere feet away from Admiral Nagumo.
Credit: An Omen by Jack Fellows ASAA-Copyright 1995 http://www.jackfellows.com/Aviation/aviation-054.html
Trapping and then being Shot off the deck of a boat is bold.
But, none of it could ever be done without these unsung heroes that daily risk their asses to get it done....
V-1 Yellow Shirts on the "Prise":
Me (FLY ONE PO) spotting 506 Intruder, VA-95 April 5, 1985 CAT ONE 43 Boat:
My Deck on the 65 Boat 86-91, FLT DECK LPO/LCPO and then the AIR DEPT LCPO:
This Tomcat 107 from VF-1 blew it's entire Starboard LG STRUT on trap, put a six inch piece of aluminum in my gut just below my liver, May 23, 1988 CVN-65:
This was our patch which all 376 of us wore very proudly on the "Prise":
For an excellent take on MacArthur I recc a reading of just published, "The Generals," by Thomas Ricks. Then again, "The American Cesar," by William Manchester is an excellent bio on the man.
Today is the 71rst anniversary of the Doolittle raid.
Regarding General MacArthur;
he built his reputation fighting in the Pacific.
He is most notable for his actions in the Philippines.
He was sacked by the President for insubordination, and his return home started a national controversy.
And that was ARTHUR MacArthur!!!
He had a son named Douglas who ended up doing the same things!
Let us know!