Ahoy Shipmates!!!

Continuing on with your Naval education we bring you another installment of MSW’s Navy Word of the Day.

Your comments and suggestions are always welcome.


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Thanks!

Hello Jim,
Thanks for the History of Midway. Remember that a big part that helped the US Fleet was that the IJN Tone launched its scout plane 30 to 45 minutes late. That scout plane was to search where the US Carriers were at Point Lucky. What a change it could have been if it was launched on time. No Bombs or loose Armaments rolling around on the IJN Carriers.
Maybe even a First Strike against the US Carriers. Maybe it did have the right name "Point Lucky".
Cheers,
Bruce

Hey Bruce,

You should read "Shattered Sword." Had the Tone's scout plane taken off at the correct time, theyu would have missed the US carriers all together at Point Luck. It was only because the pilot chose to alter his course that he found the US task force. The real luck of the operation was that the US air attacks were uncoordinated and never ending - B-17 and B-26 bombers from Midway, Dauntlesses and Vindicators from Midway and then the Task Force aircraft. The Japanese never had a chance to launch an attack earlier because they were dogging bombs.

Hello Ken,
I was going by the old Victory at Sea Movies and the book Miracle at Midway. That is a new book for me to read. Thanks for the info and book name.
Cheers,
Bruce

That's one of the good things about this book. It doesn't tell the same old story. When it comes to the battle and the aircraft that flew from Midway Island, history tells us about the Catalinas that flew the search patterns and Maj. Parks valiant yet suicidal attempt to fight off the initial Japanese attack. You hardly ever hear about the B-17s trying to hit the IJN carriers from high altitude or the B-26s that were equipped with torpedoes. We all know about Henderson Field on Guadalcanal but we never here about Maj. Lofton Henderson, who the field was named for, actions at Midway.

Here's his Navy Cross citiation:
The Navy Cross is presented to Lofton R. Henderson, Major, U.S. Marine Corps, for extraordinary heroism as Squadron Commander of Marine Scout-Bombing Squadron TWO HUNDRED FORTY-ONE (VMSB- 241), during action against enemy Japanese forces in the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. With utter disregard for his own personal safety, Major Henderson, with keen judgment and courageous aggressiveness in the face of strong enemy fighter opposition, led his squadron in an attack which contributed materially to the defeat of the enemy. He was subsequently reported as missing it action. It is believed he gallantly gave up his life in the service of his country.

I did not know that about the Tone's planes. I knew the Japanese were doing all they could to stay away from the planes.