In June 1942, the US Navy deployed the aircraft carriers
Yorktown, Enterprise, and
Hornet to face the Japanese carriers
Akagi, Kaga, Hiryu, and
Soryu off Midway Island. When the American planes arrived at the expected enemy position, they failed to find the ships and kept searching. Lt. Commander John C. Waldron's Torpedo 8 off the Hornet was first to find Admiral Nagumo's ships and went on the attack despite being separated from their fighter cover and dive bombers. Flying at low level in the slow Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bomber, the fifteen air crews faced the concentrated efforts of the Japanese Zero fighters and the anti-aircraft guns of every Japanese warship. All 15 planes were shot down and only one man survived. Film director John Ford was on Midway Island and created a documentary on the battle. The film crew had sailed to Midway on the Hornet and Ford learned of the loss. He directed his editors to create this film
Torpedo Squadron No. 8 for the surviving families. Gene Poonyo drew this tribute to their dedication and sacrifice. I first read the history as a boy. My father was an aircraft mechanic during the last year of World War II and worked on the Grumman TBF Avenger which succeeded the Devastator.
R/V Petrel discovers USS Hornet CV-8
UPDATE: Jonathan Parshall: The Untold Story of the Battle of Midway lecture at the Naval War College. The Sacrifice of VT-8 and VT-6 starts at the 14 minute point.
