As They Flew To Their Death: Torpedo Squadron Eight, June 4, 1942

The Battle of Midway ^ | 06/04/2004 | TonyInOhio

[TonyInOhio]

Sixty years ago today, young men of Torpedo Squadron Eight, of the USS Hornet, flew to their deaths in the Battle of Midway. All of these men, save one, died shortly after this photo was taken.

As we remember our D-Day veterans this weekend, take a minute to thank God Almighty for the valor of these men, and for their sacrifice in the battle that turned the tide of World War II.

[TonyInOhio]

Sixty years ago today

Of course, that was sixty-two years ago today. My apologies for the error.

[aynrandfreak]

Wouldn't that be 62 years ago? Not that it makes it any less significant.

[Unknowing]

Three men to a plane, right?

[Spandau]

[demlosers]

Their lives were not lost in vain. They pulled the zeros flying combat air patrol over the Japanese carriers down, giving the following bomber waves more freedom to attack ,which led to the ultimate victory.

[Spook86]

As I recall, the torpedo bombers in service at the time of Midway had a two-man crew, a pilot and a radio/gunner. They were later replaced by the TBM Avenger (type of arrcraf flown by George H.W. Bush), which had a 3-man crew). Incidentially, that ill-fated Midway squadron (Torpedo 8) was led by LCDR John Waldron. The lone survivor of that mission, Ensign George Gay, lived for more than 50 years after his mission in the Battle of Midway.

[Spandau]

The painting is called "Against the Odds" by Marc Stewart. Torpedo 8 brought the Zero figher coverage down, and when the American dive bombers arrived on the scene, it was on. The Battle of Midway was one of the decisive moments in the history of our country. It was a must-win. I will always admire our military.

[demlosers]

Called the "Devastator."

[demlosers]

The Battle of Midway was one of the decisive moments in the history of our country. It was a must-win. I will always admire our military.

Yes, it certainly was. If we'd lost that battle, the Hawaiian islands would have been in jeopardy of being lost, and the west coast attacked.

[VOA]

Torpedo 8 brought the Zero figher coverage down, and when the American dive bombers
arrived on the scene, it was on. The Battle of Midway was one of the decisive moments
in the history of our country. It was a must-win.

My cinematic "guilty pleasure"...the following scene in the movie "Midway"
of the remaining Japanese aviators scanning their three burning/exploding carriers.

Who says revenge is "a meal best served cold"?

[Americanwolf]

I still think that men like the pilots of TS 8 are the greatest example of selflessness and dedication to your fellow man. So many of the soldier during WWII went into battle knowing that they would never return. Like so many of the great young soldiers of today who, even when severely injured want to return and rejoin the fight. Both The Greatest Generation (WWII) and This Great Generation (The men and women of the gulf war) Are examples of the American spirit and the ideals for which all American should strive toward. Forgive me if I mess the Verse up here. but I believe it is John 16:19 "There is no greater love than the man that lays down his life for his friends."
God Bless those who laid down theirs lives for the past 228 years to keep this country free, and defending liberty around the world for those who have needed it.

[demlosers]

Ping!

[E Rocc]

Herman Wouk's War And Remembrance has an extremely excellent depiction of the Battle of Midway. He pauses to mention the name and hometown of each flier in Torpedo Squadron Eight.

-Eric

[sasportas]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but wasn't the Devastator hopelessly outclassed going against Japaness Zero's? Wasn't the Avenger a much better plane than the Devastator?

[SAMWolf]

Torpedo 8 bump!

Douglas TBD-1 Devastator T-16 of VT-8, USS Hornet, June 4, 1942 (from left) ACRM Horace F Dobbs, Lt CDR John C. Waldron

[kms61]

The Devastator was much slower than the Avenger, which was a better plane all around. But to be accurate, they were bombers, not fighters, neither would have gone looking to tangle with a Zero if they could help it.

[Moose4]

The Devastator was hopelessly outclassed, really it was obsolete at the start of the war, but it was all the Navy had. The Avenger was only just entering service as of Midway. The Avenger was also a much more versatile aircraft; it could carry bombs or torpedoes, and in fact George H.W. Bush's Avenger was shot down on a bombing mission in 1944.

Really, though, no torpedo bomber was all that effective after Pearl Harbor. The Japanese "Kate" and their later models were slaughtered much like Torpedo Eight when they tried to attack American ships if there was any sort of fighter cover around. In order to drop torpedoes, those planes had to fly around 100 feet off the water or less, at 200 mph or less, in a straight line. The attack profile required to drop a torpedo was total suicide, no matter how "good" the plane was. Enemy fighters could pick them off at will if not engaged by cover.

Interestingly enough, the dive bomber used at Midway, the SBD Dauntless, was about as old as the Devastator, but was a much better airplane all around. The SBD was replaced mid-war by the Curtiss SB2C Helldiver, which was a colossal failure, in almost every way inferior to the pre-war Dauntless.

}:-)4

[PAR35]

If we'd lost that battle, the Hawaiian islands would have been in jeopardy of being lost, and the west coast attacked.

It is my recollection that all of the heavy ships had already been pulled out of Pearl and sent to the west coast except for the crusiers escorting the three carriers.

[tet68]

If memory serves, the northern attack force lost a Zero which they couldn't recover and it was the first example
which we got our hands on.
Fast and manuverable it was lightly built and did not have self sealing wing tanks.

Later Japan came up with a model that took care of these deficiencies but much too late in the war.