[fugazi]

I imagine that in the confusion and nightmare of being a sitting duck (the Forts had no escorts), targeted by Zeros and anti-aircraft fire, I would have been returning to base as quickly as humanly possible and wouldn't have been overly concerned whether my bombs hit anything or not once they left the bomb bay.

[hanamizu]

FWI the reportage of the sinking of IJN Haruna was a bit premature, she very nearly survived the war being sunk in July of 1945. But I can understand the Navy and War Departments wanting to give the public some encouraging news. Wake, of course, fell in the next few days after an heroic first defense that repelled the Japanese.

Since I live outside of Cape Girardeau, I find the local news stories pretty fascinating.

[Fiji Hill]

Colin P. Kelly, Jr.'s B-17 dropped their bombs on the largest ship (which they thought was Haruna but in fact was the heavy cruiser Ashigara).

Haruna and Ashigara, both named for extinct volcanoes in Japan, survived almost until the end of the war. Ashigara was torpedoed by a British sub in June, 1945, and Haruna was sunk at anchor by US bombers in late July of that year.

[Fiji Hill]

Even though he didn't actually sink a battleship, Colin Kelly remains a hero for remaining at the stick of his burning bomber and enabling the crew to escape. This hit tune from WWII places him in the pantheon of American heroes along with George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, George A. Custer, Oliver H. Perry and Nathan Hale.

There's a Star-Spangled Banner Waving Somewhere--Elton Britt (1942)

[Does so]

After parachuting, was the rest of the crew rescued?

[henkster]

Feller served on an anti-aircraft gun crew on the USS Alabama. The ship is a museum in Mobile Bay, and Feller’s berth, just one of many in a large crew compartment. is marked with a plaque.