Battle of Midway, 4-7 June 1942

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Dive-Bomber Pilot's Narrative, Battle of Midway

The following individual narrative, submitted to the Historical Section by Major Allan H. Ringblom, then a second lieutenant and pilot in VMSB-241 during the battle of Midway, is reprinted in entirety as a vivid personal-experience account of the attack by Major Norris's SB2U-3s on the Haruna, 4 June 1942, and as an excellent picture of the hazards of aerial warfare for a young and relatively inexperienced pilot. Major Ringblom, who also served as war diarist of VMSB-241, was a member of the draft of nine new pilots who joined MAG-22, in late May 1942, within a few days prior to the enemy attack:


Upon arrival, May 27, at the island, we were greeted by remarks indicating that we were just in time for the "party." These remarks didn't bother us; we had just left the States two weeks before. Next morning, May 28, at squadron briefing when Major Henderson also let us know that the Japs were overdue, we did a little more thinking on the matter.


The "greenest" group ever assembled for combat included Second Lieutenants George Lumpkin, E.P. Thompson, George Koutdas, D.L. Cummings, A.H. Ringblom, Jack Cosley, Ken Campion, Orvin Ramlo, and James Marmande. None of us had ever flown to SB2U, so we immediately checked out with no more trouble than a couple of ground loops.


Before the fateful day we all had made two or three hops with practice bombs--mighty little preparation for the job at hand. Gasoline was at a premium, and our planes were only allowed 190 gallons (which was suddenly raised to 230 gallons on 3 June). Plotting boards were also so rare that out of our flight of 12, only four had plots. This was mighty awkward to one who found himself on the attack with neither plot nor chart (and had only a few quick glances at a chart of the area including Midway, Kure and Pearl and Hermes reefs).


On the morning of 4 June, after an 0200 reveille we were all at standby and had warmed up the planes. Around 0515 the radio message was received to go on attack. Confusion was the order then as I had just cut off the engine. By the time I had started again I thought that the order was changed. Finally a runner came by in a jeep and verified the attack order. By 0605 we were all in the air. Captain Prosser returned with a loose fuselage panel so I assumed his lead position in the second box. By the time we were rendezvoused, the Jap's attack had fired a fuel storage tank, which served as a guiding mark throughout the day and night.


It was a quiet, uneventful trip to meet the enemy. Such young second lieutenants never realized their predicament. It became quite apparent, however, when we were intercepted at least 10 to 15 minutes before contact with fleet units. The amazing nonchalance of Zero pilots who did vertical rolls right through our formation was a good show--very good for us since more attention to business might easily have wiped out 11 of the slowest and most obsolete planes ever to be used in the war. With the interception at 13,000 feet, the clouds became our have and Major Norris led us without loss to the target. He radioed instructions to dive straight ahead on to target, through the broken clouds. Upon breaking out at 2,000 feet, the major, being short of the target, a BB, straight ahead, whipped to the right onto a heavy cruiser. We all followed his lead. Even in the dive Major Norris gave instructions as to course home: 140º; time due 0900. The AA was heavy--but to one so ignorant of its destructive powers--not too bothersome; just curious. I received identical holes, about 6 inches in diameter, in each aileron. I imagine the shells were incorrectly fused for our altitude at the moment and so passed through with little damage.


On release at 400 feet, I pulled out right over the cruiser and was headed for the center of the fleet. One turn to join on two buddies at 240 knots convinced me that was no place to circle; a Zero passed right behind as I whipped into a tight turn. Then, at course 140º, I headed home, passing just behind a destroyer. I stayed below 50 feet for about 20 minutes, in a straight course, only luck making harmless the numerous passes made by the Zeros. My gunner later told me he was too busy shooting to even inform me of the situation, and I was too scared and ignorant to turn around and look.


Following the major's instructions, I flew a compass course of 140º, not bothering to compensate for wind, variation, nor compass. At the appointed time of 0900 I sighted a lagoon which I took to be Midway and let down, made my recognition approach and was greeted by fire from a PT. I immediately left the area and regained altitude to continue on course. (Woe was me! That was Kure reef, just 50 miles west of home.)


The radio had failed, as radios were wont to do, so radio navigation was out of the question (as was good sense in this instance). By 1015 I had gathered that my navigation or Major Norris was wrong. I used good judgment then, for the first time in the day, and turned 180º, figuring on finding that minute speck of land, about one hour behind me. As luck and poor navigation would have it, by 1100 I had sighted two lagoons in the offing and, mentally flipping a coin, chose the one to the right--how right I was! Within 10 miles of the reef I ran out of gas so I immediately set all tabs to glide at 90 knots and almost sat on my hands to resist lifting the nose to stretch my glide. I attempted to get the lift raft loose to no avail. Then I found I could no replace the pins holding the bucket seat. So I was faced with a water landing in a loose seat. I chose to land right in front of a PT boat and all went so well that I even forgot to inflate my life jacket, the pick-up was made so readily. So by 1115 I was back on Eastern Island to be greeted by Captain Prosser, who said, "Well, never expected to see you again."--"Hell, neither did I. * * * "



Attack on Japanese Cruisers Mogami and Mikuma from Air by Griffith Baily Coale Charcoal, circa 1942

found at Naval Art Collection:

http://www.history.navy.mil/ac/midway/midway2.htm

Diver Bomber Account found here:

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Midway/USMC-M-Midway-VI.html

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THE SECRETARY OF THE NAVY WASHINGTON

The President of the United States takes pleasure in
presenting the PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to

MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP TWENTY-TWO

for service as set forth in the following
　
CITATION:

"For conspicuous courage and heroism in combat at Midway Island during June, 1942. Outnumbered five to one, MARINE ARICRAFT GROUP TWENTY-TWO boldly intercepted a heavily escorted enemy bombing force, disrupting their attack and preventing serious damage to island installations. Operating with half of their dive-bombers obsolete and in poor mechanical condition which necessitated vulnerable glide bombing tactics, they succeeded in inflicting heavy damage on Japanese surface units of a large enemy task force. The skill and gallant perseverance of flight and ground personnel of MARINE AIRCRAFT GROUP TWENTY-TWO, fighting under tremendously adverse and dangerous conditions, were essential factors in the unyielding defense of Midway."

For the President,
Frank Knox
Secretary of the Navy

Citation found here:

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Midway/USMC-M-Midway-VIII.html

Find more on Midway here:

http://www.ibiblio.org/hyperwar/USMC/USMC-M-Midway/index.html#VI

and here:

http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/events/wwii-pac/midway/mid-1.htm

Thank you to One Marines View for posting Video found here:

http://www.onemarinesview.com/