The books are better.Woulk's description of the Midway naval battle in War and Remembrance is absolutely riveting.
The Navy pilots flying the torpedo bombers knew they were making suicide runs but did it anyway. Their sacrifice allowed the dive bombers to have an unimpeded path to their targets.
They don't make 'em like that anymore.
No they don’t make them like that anymore, NOW they are in a fetal position under their beds over a damn virus!!
The author of the column on the torpedo bomber attacks against the Japanese fleet left out an important, but often-forgotten fact: Torpedo 8, let by LCDR John Waldron, was actually upgrading to the TBM Avenger in the run-up to Midway.
About one-third of the squadron, including Waldron’s executive officer, crews and support personnel were detailed to reamain in Norfolk early ‘42 to learn to fly and maintain the new aircraf, while the rest of the unit deployed on USS Hornet. They finished their training in late May and were supposed to “catch up” with the rest of their squadron at Pearl Harbor, before they sailed on to Midway. Unfortunately, the Avenger detachment arrived a day late, so they flew on to Midway and operated from the island during the battle.
In fact, the Avenger-equipped section of Torpedo 8 (a total of six aircraft) were the first to attack the Japanese at Midway. Five of the Avengers were shot down; only one TBM made it back to Midway, with two survivors, Ensign Albert Ernest and R2C Harry Ferrier. Both were wounded, but made it through the war. Ernest eventually commanded NAS Oceana and retired as a Captain; Ferrier rose through the ranks, was commissioned and retired as a LCDR. Harry Ferrier was the true, “final survivor” of Torpedo 8; he passed away in 2016.
Post-script: Ensign George Gay was the only survivor from Waldron’s section, and made frequent appearances to discuss his actions in the Battle of Midway. On one occasion, “Bert” Ernest and Harry Ferrier appeared as well. After Gay was introduced as the “sole survivor” of Torpedo 8, someone asked Capt Ernest and Commander Ferrier why they were present. “We’re the other sole survivors,” they explained.
Episode three of WAR is a Midwau movie all by itself.
IIRC the US air assault on the Japanese fleet was an uncoordinated and confused affair with at least one flight of planes never even locating the Japanese fleet.
It was pure luck that all of the Zeros were down low shooting at incoming American torpedo planes when the dive bombers arrived overhead with a clear shot at Japan’s carriers.
And the dive bombers caught those carriers in the middle of rearming so their decks were littered with bombs and torpedos and planes refueling. When American bombs hit them they turned into infernos. All of the pieces fell into place for the last wave of American attackers. The Pacific war changed dramatically in about 5 minutes time.