Nimitz News, May 26, 2011

May 26, 2011 Nimitz News 1Page

May 26, 2011 Vol. 36, No. 21

Nimitz hosts naturalization ceremony, 47 service members become U.S. citizens By MC3 Robert Winn

Forty-seven service members from 19 countries reached a milestone May 19 by obtaining U.S. citizenship during the Armed Forces Week Military Naturalization Ceremony at the Naval Base Kitsap Bremerton Auditorium.

The ceremony marked the final step in a long process each service member completed in order to become American citizens.

U.S. Navy, Air Force and Army enlisted personnel were all represented in the

two-hour ceremony hosted by the aircraft carriers USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72) and Navy Legal Services Office Northwest.

“I joined the Navy two years ago,” said Aviation Boatswain’s Mate (Equipment) Airman Matthew Baxter from Kingston, Jamaica, serving aboard Nimitz. “My sister joined shortly thereafter. She’s serving on the USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70). She was the one to motivate me to become a citizen though. She just got hers and then helped me in getting mine.”

“I started my process immediately See Ceremony page 6

Service members recite the Oath of Allegiance to become U.S. citizens. Forty-seven Soldiers, Sailors and Airman from 19 countries became U.S. citizens during an Armed Forces Day Naturalization Ceremony hosted by the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), USS Abraham Lincoln (CVN 72), Navy Legal service Office Northwest and the U.S. Customs and Immigration Service May 19. Photo by MC3 Robert Winn.

Navy emphasizes off-duty safetey, use of ORM over Memorial Day weekend

By MCSA Alexander Ventura II

The Naval Safety Center’s (NAVSAFECEN) annual summer safety campaign officially begins Memorial Day weekend.

According to NAVSAFECEN, last summer was the Navy’s safest on record. However, 14 Sailors and 14 Marines lost their lives in motor vehicle and recreation mishaps.

Sailors have to watch out for dangers while driving and participating in outdoor activities, said Lt. Cmdr. Joshua M. Porton, USS Nimitz (CVN 68) assistant safety officer.

Porton said to use Operational Risk Management and plan ahead in order to reduce mishaps. “Operational Risk Management; think about what you are doing, think about what hazards are involved, and how you can mitigate those hazards with every event or activity you decide to do,” said Porton.

More drivers take the road statistically beginning Memorial Day as the summer approaches explained Porton.

“A massive amount of people will be on the roads, which means more chances of accidents,” said Porton. “While you’re driving be extra vigilant and be aware of your surroundings.”

“With your car make sure your tires are aired-up, it has a full tank of gas, and you have any safety equipment you might need in your trunk such as a spare tire,” said Porton.

“With sports, stretch and prepare yourself for whatever activity you’re going to do,” said Porton. “If you haven’t done it in a while, you won’t be conditioned and are prone

see Safety page 6

May 26, 2011Nimitz News2Page

Public Affairs Officer LTJG Jason Scarborough

Media LCPOMCCM Jon McMillan

Media Production ChiefMCC Mike Jones

Layout/ DesignerMC3 Robert Winn

EditorMC2 Nathan Gomez

Media DeptMC2 C.J. AmdahlMC2 Scott McCallMC2 James MitchellMC2 Adam Wolfe MC3 Ian CotterMC3 Matthew PattonMC3 Mark SashegyiMC3 Thomas SiniffMC3 Glenn SlaughterMC3 Nichelle WhitfieldMC3 Devin WrayMCSN Ashley BerumenMCSN Andrew JandikMCSA Renee CandelarioMCSA Alexander Ventura II

“Nimitz News” is an authorized publication for the members of the military services and their families. Its content does not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Marine Corps and does not imply endorsement thereby.

Commanding OfficerCAPT Paul Monger

Executive OfficerCAPT John Ring

Command Master ChiefCMDCM William Lloyd-Owen

By MCSA Renee L. Candelario

Sailors aboard USS Nimitz (CVN 68) are nearing completion of the required Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) repeal training.

“This training has been mandated by the President and Congress all the way down to the (Fleet Forces Command)

and commanding officer; it’s important we execute it,” said Lt. Cmdr. Herman Reed, Nimitz’ training officer. “This is the first training session every service member has been required to participate in. If that doesn’t say this training is important, I don’t know what will.”

It is important all Sailors attend a DADT training session to be

familiarized with the repeal of the law and the Department of Defense’s policy to implement the repeal.

“So far around 85% of the Sailors aboard Nimitz have completed the training,” said Capt. John Ring, executive officer of Nimitz. “The goal we are shooting for is to be completed by June 1.”

The training provides Sailors with an understanding that “nothing has changed,” except service members will no longer be processed out of the military based on sexual orientation.

“People understand the intention is not to break morals, values or religious beliefs,” said Reed.

“We are going to treat everyone professionally and behave the same way we always have,” said Ring.

If your Sailors have not attended the training since they have been on board, their four-day weekend will turn into a three-day weekend as they will be required to come to work on Friday, said Reed.

S a i l o r s

Capt. John Ring, Executive Officer, USS Nimitz (CVN 68), informs Sailors about how changes to Don’t Ask Don’t Tell will impact their careers. Photo by MCSA Renee L. Candelario

By MC2 (SW/AW) Amara R. Timberlake

One of the most significant upgrades Nimitz will receive during the docking planned incremental availability (DPIA) is an upgrade to the ship’s local area network (LAN).

The biggest changes Sailors will see when they use the computers will be a new wireless network that is expected to be up and running in late September.

“The new wireless LAN will minimize the need for hard drops, and maximize mobility and options,” said Lt. j.g. Kevin Armendariz, the ship’s Automated Data Processing Officer.

Typically, the ship has a certain number of LAN drops that support the same number of computers with internet access. With the new wireless option, there can be 10 computers with internet instead of a single LAN drop that supports only one, said Information Systems Technician 2nd Class (SW) Nick Farrens.

“It’s going to be more efficient and less expensive,” said Farrens.

“We’re expecting 62 access points between the 2nd deck and the O-3 level,” said Armendariz. “It

will work similar to Wi-Fi you would use in a public place, which a few exceptions.”

Armendariz said the new network will be very secure.

“There is a wireless intrusion detection system and there will be no functionality for personal equipment,” said Armendariz. “You can’t just bring in your cell phone or your personal laptop and access the ship’s network.”

But even with improved efficiency, the wireless network will face challenges unique to being on an operational aircraft carrier.

“When we go into situations like EMCON (emission control), a lot of the networks are going to go down so we’re trying to make sure every work center isn’t exclusively wireless,” said Armendariz.

And much like the Wi-Fi in a coffee shop or airport, the number of users can slow down the connection dramatically.

“It will be a nice thing to have and interesting to see how we move past these problems,” said Armendariz.

Local area network to receive upgrade


Chaplain’s CornerHospitality Along the Tracks

The tracks of the Burlington Northern Railroad ran straight across the prairies and through my hometown on the Great Plains of North Dakota. The train yard was a favorite place to play when I was in grade school. All the young boys I knew like to explore the side of the tracks looking for castoff treasures or chances to meet travelers. We even dreamed of putting pennies on the track for the big diesel engines to flatten, but very few of us dared to carry out such a tempting deed. There were interesting people at the yard. Burlington Northern still hired a man to patrol the tracks looking for illegal riders, and keep us kids away from danger. Occasionally we spotted travelers riding the rails hopping off, scurrying into town to find a bite to eat.

Sometimes we found marks left by these riders. People called them Hobos or tramps, and their vagabond lifestyle was strange to boys who had homes and families to return to each evening. The Hobos would leave chalk drawings that signaled safe places to visit and other sites to avoid. If there was a home where a kind woman lived, someone who gave them respect and a bite to eat, a simple line drawing of a cat would appear. It was the sign of a good woman, a person who gave hospitality to wayfaring strangers. Often time the hobos would do small chores for such women, even without being asked. Yards would be cleaned, sidewalks swept, a loose board repaired in the fence. They were grateful for the hospitality.

Hospitality is a disappearing art in our world. If Hobos came to any of the neighborhoods I lived in recently I wonder how many chalk drawings would be left behind? It isn’t that people are meaner than they used to be. There are still lots of nice people, the kind who care about others, around our towns. The problem is people have accepted a cocoon lifestyle, and wrap themselves in homes that rarely acknowledge the world outside their doors. There are few examples for us to follow of extending hospitality to strangers. In fact, we are warned that strangers are dangerous. That is sad, because violent behavior is usually committed towards someone close to the perpetrator. Very few violent crimes are actually committed by strangers acting out against unknown victims. Strangers just make good scapegoats.

In the Biblical books of Leviticus and Deuteronomy there are passages that call on the Children of God to show kindness to strangers who come amongst them. Deuteronomy 10.19 calls on believers to be “befriend the stranger, for you were strangers in the land of Egypt.” In Leviticus 19 believers are told, “When a stranger resides with you in your land, you shall not wrong him.” Here again the people are told to remember their own time in Egypt as strangers. Current freedom and the ability to enjoy the comfort of home are not reasons to forget what it felt like to be lonely and wronged. Hospitality is one of the signs of a follower of God. It isn’t the only one, and there are followers who need to learn how to be hospitable, but there should be some effort made to give comfort and care where it is needed

Be ready to offer kindness to the stranger at your gate. It is a living example of faith in action.

Chaplain Brent Johnson

By MCSA Renee L. Candelario

Imagine driving down the road when the cell phone signals a received text message. Now imagine shuffling to respond to that text message while drifting in and out of surrounding lanes until the sound of screeching brakes brings attention back to the road.

As of June 10, 2010 the state of Washington has declared the Revised Code of Washington (RCW) 46.61.668 making driving while texting, a primary offense. Simply holding a cellphone while operating a motor vehicle is the only reason law enforcement needs to issue a citation.

“Operating a motor vehicle while using a cellphone will get you a ticket,” said Sgt. Brian Goss, the patrolling supervisor for the Kitsap County Sheriff Department. “Some people aren’t good at multi-tasking so state legislature deemed it a crime to drive while messaging on a cellphone.”

According to a study released by the National Safety Council, statistics show that 28 percent of traffic accidents involving drivers between the ages of 18 and 29 were caused by distracted driving. Out of the 1.6 million traffic accidents that occur each year, 200,000 of them happened as a result of texting while driving.

Information from the Washington State Department of Licensing website states that, “A driver who

is texting is as impaired as a driver with a .16 blood-alcohol level which is double the legal limit, making texting while driving more hazardous than driving under the influence of alcohol or marijuana.”

An accident isn’t the only situation text-messaging behind the wheel can get someone into. A fine of $124 and a traffic infraction on the violator’s driving record. On the court’s discretion, the offense can eventually accumulate into a suspended license if it occurred multiple times. The best way to avoid these occurrences is to not be a distracted driver at all. Wait until the car is parked.

“If you receive a text message, the best thing to do is pull safely off the road to a legal parking spot where you can answer,” said Goss. “There is nothing in a text message which is that important to risk your life or the life of others. It can wait.”

For more information regarding RCW 46.61.668 please contact a local Washington State Patrol at (360) 473-0300 or visit Washington State Legislature’s website at www.leg.wa.gov.

Texting: Dangerous while driving

This weeks Chester’s Champions receive recognition in a ceremony in Hangar Bay Two Tuesday for their outstanding attention to safety. ICFN Howard Davis, OS2 Clair Bittner, LSSN Aaron Bouton, EMFN Michael Garcia amd ABH3 (AW) Joseph Hill received this week’s award. Photo by MC3 Robert Winn.

Champions in safety


Here in Western Washington, clear days seem few and far between. However, even without sunshine, the majestic peaks of the Olympic Mountain Range can be seen to the southwest. Last week, a few friends and I saw an opportunity on a partly cloudy day and headed south to tackle the trails.

Getting there was simple. We just took State Route 3 South to SR 106, just past Belfair, and then drove south until we hit SR 101. We took a right and headed in the general direction of the mountains, took a left about 10 miles up onto Jorstad Creek Road and headed into the Olympic National Forest.

The Subaru jolted and heaved over the mud filled potholes up the side of Mt. Ellinor until finally, about two miles up; the snow was too deep to drive any further. There, we got out of the car and continued the climb on foot. The forest seemed to breathe mist, and the light rain hung almost suspended in the air. It seemed there was a stream around every corner, and

By MC3 Ian Cotter

Hood canal appears through the haze of soft rain on Mt. Elinor. The trails that twist around the mountain provide a scenic overlook to the valleys below. Photo by MC3 Robert Winn


Here in Western Washington, clear days seem few and far between. However, even without sunshine, the majestic peaks of the Olympic Mountain Range can be seen to the southwest. Last week, a few friends and I saw an opportunity on a partly cloudy day and headed south to tackle the trails.

Getting there was simple. We just took State Route 3 South to SR 106, just past Belfair, and then drove south until we hit SR 101. We took a right and headed in the general direction of the mountains, took a left about 10 miles up onto Jorstad Creek Road and headed into the Olympic National Forest.

The Subaru jolted and heaved over the mud filled potholes up the side of Mt. Ellinor until finally, about two miles up; the snow was too deep to drive any further. There, we got out of the car and continued the climb on foot. The forest seemed to breathe mist, and the light rain hung almost suspended in the air. It seemed there was a stream around every corner, and

every step of the way provided a photo opportunity for Mass Communication Specialist 3rd Class (MC3) Robert Winn. His shutter clicked, while MC3 Thomas Siniff, my wife Ashe, and I marveled at the natural beauty of the Pacific Northwest.

Winn peered into the woods at what looked like a trail. Without a moment’s notice, he leapt over the log blocking the path and the four of us started up the trail. It was narrow, and hugged the edge of a bluff until it opened up to reveal a beautiful viewpoint. We could see for miles across the Hood Canal. The mountains looked like they shot right up out of the water. But, there was more to see at higher altitudes, so we pressed on up the trail.

Soon we reached an altitude where the snow began to deepen. Winn and Ashe decided it best to turn back and head closer to the car, but Siniff and I continued on up the slope and deeper into the forest. The temperature dropped with every step, and a thick layer of ice and snow covered the ground. We pressed on, and kept a steady pace up the 70-degree incline, but time was not on our side so we took a break and decided not to go any further.

The world went silent. The only sound was our breath on the fresh mountain air; a level of detachment unrivaled by anything in the world below. Complete peace. Then there was a fluttering, and a small Gray Jay darted out from the underbrush. It peered at us with curiosity, and I felt compelled to open a bag of trail mix and give the bird a snack. As I was still pouring the food into my hand, the bird flew up, ate out of my palm, and flew back into the forest. Soon it returned and Siniff gave feeding it a try. Again, the bird ate and flew off. It was not accustomed to humans where it lived, and therefore had no reason to fear us.

After our break and wild encounter, it was time to start back. As we headed off we noticed a trail sign just peeking out from

the snow. The other trail signs we’d passed were about 10 feet tall, and we realized we were standing on eight feet of snow and ice. As we headed down the mountain toward a clear area, the steepness of the mountainside forced our strides to lengthen. The snow cushioned each step and the wind rushed past our faces. Thanks to gravity, we were going exceptionally fast.

When we finally made it back to the main trail, we realized that the car was just around the corner. The sun began to dip behind the mountain peaks, and darkness would soon cover the park. We piled into the car where Winn and Ashe were waiting and started the drive down.

As we finally approached civilization I looked through the rear-view mirror at the hill I’d just conquered. Its immense size enveloped the skyline, and I felt a distinct satisfaction in the fact that my friends and I had tackled it; another day well spent in the Pacific Northwest.

By MC3 Ian Cotter


The M.W.R. shuttle will now run Sailors to the drop off point for the Kitsap Airporter.

The new stop adds to the list of both on and off base locations that the M.W.R. shuttle can go to.

“If you don’t have a car or you’re carrying a lot of big bags, it’s very convenient” said Aviation Structural Mechanic Airman Francine Saxon.

The new stop at the 76 gas station on Burwell St. runs hourly starting at 12:40 p.m. and goes through 7:40 p.m., picking up from locations that can be requested when signing up outside the M.W.R. office at 03-73-2-L on the crew messing and berthing barge.

This is a change from the shuttle’s normal picking up of Sailors from a set list of locations including the Barracks, Naval Exchange, Base Recreation center, Sam Adams and the Controlled Industrial Area (CIA) Gate.

The M.W.R. shuttle runs routes around base from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m. with a shuttle also running to the Kitsap mall from the barracks, Navy Gateway Inn and Naval Exchange on Monday to Friday : 5 p.m., 7p.m. and 9 p.m.; Saturday: 3 p.m., 5 p.m., 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.; Sunday: noon, 3 p.m. and 6 p.m.

“We don’t pick up from unauthorized stops,” said Saxon. “It’s not safe for us to just pick up whoever flags us down.”

The drivers are there for Sailors’ convenience, but ask for Sailors to not be to unrealistic with your requests, said Boatswain’s Mate Seaman Chandra Hayden.

“We’ve got no problem taking you places,” said Hayden. “But don’t get on with an attitude and ask us if you can bring your beer and then drop you off on the fifth floor of the parking garage.”

MWR shuttle adds stopsBy MC3 Robert Winn

after I joined the Army,” said Pfc. Kenneth Melendez from Calasiao, Philippines, serving with the Alpha 52nd Infantry Regiment. “I did it all through boot camp. My drill sergeants helped me out a lot by scheduling me for my appointments, interviews, and put me in line with whomever I needed to contact.”

These service members have proven they can accomplish anything they set their mind to, said Command Master Chief CMDCM (AW/SW) William Lloyd-Owen.

“Why would you want to come to America,” asked Lloyd-Owen. “You Sailors, Soldiers and Airmen can answer this question because you know America was, is and always will be the greatest land of opportunity the world has ever known.”

Each service member had a different reason for becoming a citizen but they all strived for the same goal: to give back.

“I started right in middle school,” said Army Pfc. Nestor Cortezcarrietes, from Mexico, serving with 22-21 Bravo Company. “I didn’t know English so I started working on it, then joined the Army when I got old enough. Now I’m doing something I’ve always wanted to do thanks to this country, so why not give

back.” Cortezcarrietes explained that his motivation to become a citizen was to have the chance to make his voice heard. “I wanted to get noticed, to put my vote out there,” Cortezcarrietes said. “Now I have the chance to better myself, better my family, and the people who gave me the chance to be here and move up.”

The motivation for all the service members present in the ceremony was their families.

Behind the rows of service members, family members smiled and cheered while each walked up to receive their Certificate of Naturalization.

Each servicemember will have to finish carrying out his or her enlistment before deciding whether or not to remain in the military. “I’m going to reenlist in the Navy,” said Baxter. “But I think after that, I’m going to get out and take advantage of my G.I. Bill.”

Lloyd-Owen offered one final piece of advice to the new American citizens, “Stay true to your heritage, because it is this melting pot of America, and all the nations that make her up, which makes us as strong as we are today.”

Ceremony: Final step in processContinued from Page 1

Continued from Page 1

to straining a muscle or spraining an ankle. If you’re doing a contact sport make sure you have the proper equipment.”

Downloadable presentations, booklets, videos and other materials to help service members and

their families plan for this summer are available on

the NAVSAFECEN website: www.public.navy/mil/navsafecen.

“The Naval Safety Center has a lot of good information on its website,” said Porton. “They update the website regularly for all seasons.”

Nimitz Safety Department’s goal is for all Nimitz Sailors to come back to work in good health.

“It’s a four day weekend. Be safe. I’m looking forward to everyone coming back in one piece Tuesday,” said Porton.

Safety: Informing Sailors for the holiday


Thursday, May 26:* Asian Pacific Islander Celebration at Sam Adams, $20, 1700-2000* TX Hold’em Tournament, 1800, Bremerton Recreation Center

Friday, May 27:* NIMITZ 3-on-3 Basketball Tournament, 0900, West Concourse Court* Family Movie Night, Bremerton Recreation Center, 1800, FREE* Mariners vs. Yankees, 1900

Saturday, May 28:* MWR Paintball Trip, Muster at 1300, sign up at the MWR Barge Office* Lipizzaner Stallions at Comcast Arena* Family Movie Night, Bremerton Recreation Center, 1800, FREE* Blacklight Bowling, 1800-Midnight, Bremerton Recreation Centre* Whitewater Rafting Trip, 0700, sign up at Bremerton

Recreation Center

Sunday, May 29:* Lipizzaner Stallions at Comcast Arena* Seagull Calling Festival, Port Orchard Marina Park, 1300, FREE

Monday, May 30:* TRX, Free, West Concourse Gym, 0830* Step, Free, West Concourse Gym 1645

Tuesday, May 31:* Yoga, Free, West Concourse Gym, 1645* Zumba, Free, West Concourse Gym, 1800* Ping Pong Tournament, Bremerton Recreation Center, 1800, FREE* AMC Movie Night, 1800, $7.50

Wednesday, June 1:* Free Bowling at Bremerton Recreation Center, 1800* Step, Free, West Concourse Gym, 1645

This WEEk’s MWR EVENTs

By MC2 Nathan Gomez

Lindsay Baldwin and Amy Cleghon are the two newest members to be part of the USS Nimitz Ombudsman Team. Both of them come to us with an active duty background and they know what it takes to be in and around the Navy.

The Nimitz Ombudsman Team is the liaison between the families and the ship. They address any problems, questions or concerns the families or the Sailors have. They put out pertinent information from the command to the families.

Lindsay Baldwin is the spouse to Chief Aviation Electronics Technician Brett Baldwin. They’re coming from the Center for Naval Aviation Technical Training in Pensacola, Fla. There, Lindsay served as an ombudsman from December 2008 till they left in May 2010.

Baldwin said she wants to bring Nimitz her experience and desire to help families navigate this, often difficult but always rewarding, Navy life. She was an Aviation Electrician’s Mate from 1994 to 1998.

“I have been a deployed Sailor and a wife at home waiting for her Sailor’s return,” said Baldwin. “We have experienced everything from P3 deployments to being forward deployed.”

Her recent duties had her as the Nimitz Family Readiness Group’s Vice President.

“I feel very humbled and honored to have been chosen by the Command to serve as part of the Ombudsman Team,” said Baldwin.

Amy Cleghon is the spouse of Chief Hull Technician John Cleghon. They’re coming from Recruit Training Command Great Lakes and checked on board in January 2011.

“I have a wealth of experience in the Navy community and understand the challenges our Sailors and their families may face,” said Cleghon. “I will work diligently to be a trusted resource for the families of Nimitz when they have questions, concerns or requests for assistance.”

Cleghon was a Hull Technician for 5 years, before transitioning to a government contractor working on a variety of contract vehicles. She has since moved to working at home for CareerBuilder.

“I think it’s going to be a good opportunity to be a resource for the command and represent them well and work with the families as well,” said Cleghon. “I want to thank the Nimitz for this opportunity.”

Two new ombudsmen join USS Nimitz

Lindsey Baldwin, Amy Cleghon, Kristen Crow,(not pictured: Jeanine Neiman, La Del Cassidy) comprise the current Nimitz Ombudsmen team. (Photo by MC2 Nathan Gomez)


Editor’s Note: The following is the second in a three-part series about the Battle of Midway: the turning point of the Pacifi c Theater campaign during World War II.

By MCC (SW/AW) Mike Jones

The intelligence had confi rmed it: the Japanese were going to attack Midway. An ambush would certainly give the U.S. the tactical advantage it so desperately needed, but it in no way guaranteed a victory – let alone the military superiority needed to hold off the massive, battle-tested Japanese fl eet.Nimitz realized he had only one shot to pull this off. The Pacifi c Fleet’s

remaining carriers and all available ships needed to be ready. Coral Sea showed just what they were up against: a much larger fl eet, including four carriers, each loaded with the same deadly Japanese aircraft that had delivered the crippling blow to Pearl Harbor. The Zeros, which dominated the Pacifi c skies, were piloted by the fi ercest warriors any American aviator had ever faced. Suffering a heavy beating at Coral

Sea, USS Yorktown (CV 5) limped into Pearl Harbor and entered dry dock. Fifteen hundred yard workers toiled around the clock to repair the damage to Yorktown’s fl ight deck. Repairs that would normally take weeks to acheive were completed in a miraculous three days. Confi dent she was ready to fi ght,

Nimitz ordered Yorktown to rejoin USS Hornet (CV 8) and USS Enterprise (CV 6) positioned to the northeast of Midway. There they assembled undetected.Timing would be everything. Launch an attack too early, and the

ships’ locations would be revealed to the enemy. Attack too late and it would be impossible to wrestle control of the captured island from the enemy while fi ghting the Japanese fl eet at the same time. The plan was to draw the Japanese fl eet out to attack the island and

then catch them completely off guard with coordinated attacks from the assembled carriers. With no protection from above, the Japanese carriers would be at the mercy of U.S. torpedo squadrons from Midway and the carriers Hornet and Yorktown as well as Midway-based bombers.

Ensign George Gay, like the rest of Hornet’s Torpedo Squadron 8, was more than eager to deliver Pearl’s revenge. He joined the rest of his crew topside and prepared to launch. An eerie quiet blanketed the atoll as the sun rose June 4. That silence

was only broken by the sound of crashing waves. They were out there. The Marines manning the island’s small coastal artillery defenses could sense it. The gentle ocean breeze seemed to sharpen the gazes that quietly scanned the Pacifi c sky and horizon for any sign of the enemy’s silhouette. Seventeen-year-old Radioman 3rd Class Harry Ferrier waited with his pilot and turret gunner near their Grumman TBF-1 “Avenger” aircraft. “Enemy forces detected – 150 miles out.” Ferrier climbed aboard his

plane and took off with the fi ve other Midway-based “Avengers” to engage the Japanese. The approaching Zero pilots prepared to obliterate the island’s inferior

air defenses when suddenly attack aircraft from the undetected American carriers burst through the clouds. The sky erupted in a hailstorm of bullets and fl ak. Out-maneuvered, and out-gunned, the “Avengers” fell from the sky one by one. Riddled with bullet-holes and suffering

mechanical failure, Ferrier’s “Avenger” crash-landed back on Midway. His was the only one to return. All 15 from Hornet were shot down – Gay was the squadron’s only survivor. At the end of the fi rst wave not a single piece of U.S. ordnance reached the Japanese.Japanese Vice Admiral Chuichi

Nagumo faced a decision. He could launch a partial assault on Midway with

his remaining aircraft. The island’s defenses, now surely weakened from the fi rst assault, might still put up a fi ght. However, if his ships were to recover all the planes, refuel and re-arm them, he would easily crush any possible remaining opposition Midway could offer before defeating the Pacifi c Fleet once and for all. A successful capture of the island was guaranteed. Satisfi ed the American threat was now neutralized, he ordered all aircraft back to the carriers. The fl ight decks quickly fi lled with fuel and ammunition. One by one the Zeros landed. Pilots and crew members cheered as the planes were prepared for the sure victory that awaited them.It was a decision that changed everything.

Of the six Grumman TBF-1 “Avengers” to defend Midway June 4, 1942, only this one returned. (Photo courtesy of the Navy History and Heritage Center)

The Japanese carrier Soryu as seen from a Midway-based B-17 bomber June 4, 1942. (Photo courtesy of the Navy History and Heritage Center)

Documents

Nimitz News, May 26, 2011