[ARC5] Torpedo Squadron 8

[Kenneth G. Gordon]

On 28 Dec 2014 at 17:09, Joe Connor via ARC5 wrote:

> The courage of those guys in Torpedo Squadron 8 was unbelievable. When they took
> off that morning, they knew their planes were obsolete and virtually defenseless
> against the Japanese Zero.

They also knew that their torpedoes, the mark 13, were horribly unreliable, 
and probably wouldn't work.

> When they began their torpedo run, they knew they had
> no fighter cover to protect them. Nevertheless, they went in for the attack. 
> Their sacrifice, and the sacrifice of the other torpedo squadrons, was not in
> vain. They caused the Zeros to come down low, leaving those Zeros unable to
> contest the dive bombers that disabled the three Japanese carriers in that part
> of the battle. Interestingly, when George Gay died a while back, he had his
> ashes scattered in the Pacific in the same spot where Torpedo Squadron 8 had
> launched its attack that day. Joe Connor

God Bless them all.

Ken W7EKB