Battle of Midway remembered

[Mumbles]

The PC conscious re-naming of the gooney bird reminds me of the Ichthyologist society renaming the jewfish to "goliath grouper" a few years back.

(major threadjack....sorry)

 

[bunk22]

If you're interested in the battle and your only knowledge is derived from watching Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, and Glenn Ford in the bitchin "in Sensurround" movie Midway (which I saw in the theater in 1976...), I highly recommend the book "Shattered Sword". Get it at http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/1574889230/bookstorenow600-20, or review the book's website at http://www.shatteredswordbook.com/index.htm.

I read it at the beach last summer, and is a great example of a well researched effort using primary sources, especially Japanese, to lay out the complete story. It's a bit thick (600+ pages), but reads quickly. Unlike most books, it focuses heavily on the Japanese decisions and actions.

I've got that book and have been slowly reading through it. It presents a new light on the battle.......meaning the authors present the Japanese Admirals as incompetent leaders especially Yamamoto.

 

[The Chief]

. ..you could pick one up if you desired. ......

Careful, they have a mean bite, esp if it appears you are a threat to their wife, mother, daughter ......

Seriously they will bite, got too close with a camera and he chased after me ....

Three diverts to Midway, all C-121, engine fire, engine blew, & huge oil leak. As I remember, of all the C-121 missions, I think maybe one did not have some type of engine problem. Thank the dear Lord for the Seabees and Cubi Point.

 

[A4sForever]

....engine blew, & huge oil leak...

Wasn't that just another nickname for the C-121, Master Chief ...????

 

[The Chief]

Wasn't that just another nickname for the C-121, Master Chief ...????

That or low manifold pressure.

Sea Story follows: USS Wilhoite DER397, 80 days at sea chasing four Russian "C" class Range Trackers. Enroute PH, Sunday morning, NOB Midway opened all clubs for our 4 hour visit, skipper/xo established 3 section watch so all hands could get some time ashore. Omen; 2 sailors fell from the gangway, drunker than skunks. Singled up lines an hour late, main steering failed, after steering did not respond, watch drunker than skunks, anchor detail failed to remove stern line, OOD put the bow into the sand, destroyed special sonar dome installed for mission. Minor electrical fire in barber shop, one damage control party called away, two damage control parties responded, got in each others way minor pushing/shoving, clippers in trash can just above ready service tanks, just filled, probably still venting. NOB Midway said they were glad to see us gone, but requested return of mascot someone removed from the O Club, also reported a number of bar bills not paid.

Next day we luckly ran over a surfaced whale (really really big one) while proceeding at 28 knots, CASREPT said we probably damaged our sonar dome. Funny thing, SRF PH found sand in the destroyed sonar dome. No one could explain.

Moral: No good deed ever goes unpunished.

//end threadjack see you at ANCC tomorrow eve.

 

[A4sForever]

^ GREAT STORY, MC ... sounds like the perfect liberty as well. Damn whales and their sand ...

You might enjoy this ... check the video/pix links. Hell, you're probably a featured player:

USS Wilhoite DER 397