[eeman]

Certainly the actions of Waldron and VT-8 were horrbily brave. However, Gordon Prange in "Miracle at Midway" makes the point that the post-battle publicity that they received overshadowed the gallantry and sacrifice of others who were equally as noble. For instance, 10 out of 14 torpedo planes of VT-6, under the command of Lt. Commander Eugene Lindsey were shot down in their torpedo attack without air cover, including Lindsey. He conjectures the story of the sole survivor of VT-8, Lt. Gay and the fact he was charismatic is why VT-8 was singled out more so than other torpedo squadrons. I just say prayers for all of them in my remembrance.

As for victory disease by the Japanese, one anecdote I read in the Miracle at Midway is that one of the communications of Japanese code they broke were some orders posting a soldier/soldiers to Midway to start in August of 1942. The orders were, of course, broadcasted before the battle

[eeman]

Oops,excuse me, Ensign Gay, not Lt. Gay

[hchutch]

The thing that won Midway was Wade McCLuskey's refusal to quit looking. He found that destroyer, and followed it to the Kido Butai. Enterprise's SBDs took out two carriers, and then they split Hiryu with the Yorktown SBDs later on June 4.

I wonder if Yorktown would have survived Midway had Fletcher not been in charge of TF 17. Fletcher was NOT exactly the sharpest knife in the drawer and should have been relieved after his poor performance during the Wake Relief Expedition.

[Redleg Duke]

Point well taken. The VT-8 Saga got a boost from Winston Churchill's reaction to it also. Also, VT-8 being wipped out except for one man is stuff of legends...the other squadrons actually had survivors.

That attack is a classic example of the "fog of war".