My father was in the US Navy prior to WWII. He graduated from Pearl Harbor Submarine Base School in Dec of 1940 and was then assigned to the Yorktown. He never talked about it, but how much he loved the Navy.
I went to visit him one night just after he had finished reading Robert Ballard's book on discovering the Yorktown which describes the battle very well in detail. He was choked up and emotional as I had never seen him. He handed the book to me and said to take it and read it. I browsed through it briefly and then ask him about what he did. He said his job was to arm and mount the torpedo to the plane. He knew he was out of a job when most didn't return. He said they lined his group up and ask for volunteers. He said he stepped forward and didn't have any fear while some men prayed and some cried as they knew they were going to be attacked. He said he ended up in the crows nest where they mounted a gun and helped with the ammo, He said one of the Jap planes flew right by them and the men were shaking their fist, yelling and swearing, and as the pilot few by he waved to them.
After Midway he was sent back to the states and assigned to a new destroyer and which was sent to Guadalcanal and was in the pacific for the duration on the war which has a great story in of itself as a highly decorated ship, USS Saufley DD 465.
After Midway he was sent back to the states and assigned to a new destroyer and which was sent to Guadalcanal and was in the pacific for the duration on the war which has a great story in of itself as a highly decorated ship, USS Saufley DD 465.
Awesome. My grandfather was on a plank owner on a Fletcher, too. ‘43-’45 in the PTO. Battle of Philippine Sea was his big battle. He would never talk about combat. Only silly stuff like lighting farts on fire and how much he enjoyed “shore partrol” in the red light district of Honolulu. Even that was only with the grandkids. He never ever talked about the war with his kids.
Just got back from seeing Midway. Great movie and it will be considered a classic of it’s genre. No doubt in my mind.