Photos of that ill-fated squadron on June 4, 1942



http://www.centuryinter.net/midway/Carrier_Squadrons/Torpedo_Eight/in_color.html#LCDR%20John%20C.%20Waldron

wrote:
> Photos of that ill-fated squadron on June 4, 1942
>
> http://www.centuryinter.net/midway/Carrier_Squadrons/Torpedo_Eight/in_color.html#LCDR%20John%20C.%20Waldron

Wow, I hope an effort is being made to preserve a copy of that movie.
It's a wonder film stock from the 1940s hasn't self destucted by now.

wrote:
> Photos of that ill-fated squadron on June 4, 1942
>
>
>
> http://www.centuryinter.net/midway/Carrier_Squadrons/Torpedo_Eight/in_color.html#LCDR%20John%20C.%20Waldron


Seeing these heroes in "living color" just days before they met their
glorious fates is a special treat - I hope they are never forgotten.
Flying an obsolete aircraft into the open jaws of certain death with
only the slimmest possibility of any success at all, they all carried
on with their hopeless mission like Leonidas and his Spartans at
Thermopylae. I hope before the sea closed in over them that at least
one of the lost was able to witness the enemy fall under the hammer
blows of the dive bombers, so he could take word to his fallen
comrades.

"Guys, its ok - we didn't die for nothing. Bombing 8 pasted the hell
outta thoe Jap carriers!"

v/r
Gordon

Gordon wrote:
> "Guys, its ok - we didn't die for nothing. Bombing 8 pasted the hell
> outta thoe Jap carriers!"
>

Except VB-8, nor VS-8, for that matter, never dropped a single bomb on
the Japanese carriers; either under Ring in their initial failed strike
mission, nor by those 11 or so VB-8 SBDs returning to Hornet via a
stopover at Midway Is later in the day. They also failed to hit Hiryu
in a late afternoon strike.

Further, when VB-3, VB-6, and VS-6 did lower the boom on the Kido Butai
(their CAP being thoroughly distracted by VT-3 and its VF-3 escort),
the Japanese were at least 20 to 25 miles away to the north from the
scene of the VT-8 attack.

Only two VT-3 TBDs survived their attack and those two were forced to
ditch from damage. Both pilots and one rear gunner survived. The VF-3
escort lost one F4F and accounted for at least 5 A6Ms. And we all know
what VB-3, VB-6 and VS-6 accomplished.

R

R Leonard wrote:
> Gordon wrote:
> > "Guys, its ok - we didn't die for nothing. Bombing 8 pasted the hell
> > outta thoe Jap carriers!"
> >
>
> Except VB-8, nor VS-8, for that matter, never dropped a single bomb on
> the Japanese carriers

My mistake - I confused them for Best's squadron.

v/r
Gordon