Lem Massey-Hero

[Jack Cook]

Here's a rare shot of LCDR Lem Massey CO of VT-3 in his TBD on the USS Yorktown shortly
after the Battle of the Coral Sea were he torpedoed the carrier Shoho. He was killed with
most of his squadron attacking the Japanese fleet during the Battle of Midway in June 1942.
He was awarded the Navy Cross, DFC & Purple Heart.

[JohnH]

wow, you're sure that's not Steve Hinton?

JH

[Nathan]

Steve Hinton sitting in the cockpit of a TBD? No TBD's are left. But ya, it does look like him.

"We're right above em' Lem....Maple three to Huslters, LETS BREAK EM' UP!"

[Russ Matthews]

That would be a rare photo indeed... seeing as Lem Massey and VT-3 were at Kaneohe during the battle of the Coral Sea

Massey had previously been XO of VT-6 aboard USS Enterprise (CV-6) and lead the Feb 1 torpedo attack on Kwajalein atoll that damaged some enemy shipping (represented by the sillouhette and rising sun flag).

When Enterprise returned to Pear Harbor, he took over as CO of VT-3, which had been on the beach ever since USS Saratoga (CV-3) was torpedoed and had to return to California for lengthy repairs.

Massey and his squadron were waiting to transition to TBFs, when they suddenly received orders to ship out for Midway aboard USS Yorktown (CV-5) with the rest of Air Group 3 in place of Air Group 5 -- which had been depleted by losses in the Coral Sea fight.

The same photograph, along with a detailed explanation of the circumstances, is reproduced on page 128 of Robert Cressman's authoritative Yorktown history "That Gallant Ship."

Massey did indeed give his life along with all but three of his squadron mates in the climactic moments of the June 4th clash off Midway. They were all heroes.

BTW, it was LCDR Joe Taylor who lead VT-5 in the attack on Shoho that inflicted such massive damage she "plowed herself under" just 11 minutes after the strike began.

[Jack Cook]

Just reading the caption off the original I used.
But, did you like the photo?????????
I'll assume not?

[Russ Matthews]

It's a terrific photo of a true hero -- thanks for sharing it with the group.

[TimAPNY]

Just reading the caption off the original I used.
But, did you like the photo?????????
I'll assume not?

I liked the photo!

Tim the Suck-up & copy-cat

[Nathan]

Lem Massey along with his squadron mates and the other TBD squadrons knew that their chances were slim, yet they still performed their duty and flew on to try and acheive a score. Just truely amazing. The sacrifices of the TBD crews is something we should never forget!

With a runny eye.....

-Nathan

[lmritger]

TBDude... would your first name happen to be Tom? Inquiring minds want to know...

Lynn (another TBD fan)

[Richard W.]

Those TBD guys were very brave.

I got to shake Geoge Gay's hand and get his book (Sole Survivor)
autographed at an airshow in the 70's . Big thrill for me.

[Django]

Found this pic of George Gay on Wikopedia. It says there are only 2 known anywhere and they are at the bottom of a lagoon and may be salvageable. I didn't know that. I suppose all of the crashed ones are "somewhere" in the deep...

[Russ Matthews]

Nope... the name's Russ, not Tom.

Like a lot of people on this board, I'm a great admirer of the TBD aircrews who took the fight to the enemy in those early desperate days of the war in the Pacific...

...as well as a fervent believer that the Devastator squadrons of Midway should always be remembered for the amazing courage they displayed in the face of overwhelming odds (and without knowing how their suffering and sacrifice would change the course of the battle and the war).

This would also be a good place to mention how much I've always appreciated the hard work that Lynn put into creating his TBD website and making it available to the public. Anybody who is interested in the Douglas Devastator should visit the page and bookmark it.

http://members.tripod.com/tbd_devastator/

It's an excellent resource for modellers and for historians (the individual accounting of the fate of all 129 airframes is really impressive).

[Russ Matthews]

Wikopedia... says there are only 2 known [TBDs] anywhere...

As is so often the case, Wikipedia has it half right. Currently the location of three airframes are definitively known and I've heard rumors that a fourth has been found.

The definites are...

Bu. No. 0298 Ditched in Jaluit lagoon (Marshall Islands) following a raid from USS Yorktown (CV-5) on Feb 1, 1942. It rests in aprox 50 feet of water in remarkably good condition (though the engine is separated from the airframe).

Bu. No. 0353 Another Yorktown Devastator and veteran of the battle of the Coral Sea -- lost during torpedo training off Miami Beach on Sept 2, 1943. The wreckage lies some 500 feet below the surface with its back broken and the wings badly corroded.

Bu. No. 1515 Yet one more ill-fated member of VT-5 -- ditched at Jaluit lagoon minutes after 0298 and now resting only 100 yards or so away. A little distance makes a lot of difference -- the plane is sitting on a flat bottom 125 feet down and virtually intact (an excellent candidate for eventual recovery and conservation).

The rumored find is...

Bu. No. 0377 ditched and sunk in "100 fathoms" after an engine failure and forced landing at sea aprox 5 miles west of Mission Beach, CA on Mar 4, 1941. I've heard rumors that the wreck has been located, but that it wasn't in very good condition (anyone have any more substantial info???)

[Jiggersfromsphilly]

That Color photo of George Gay looks like a frame from John Ford's moovie on Torpedo 8.

[Jim MacDonald]

Speaking of TBDs. Does anybody have any idea if anyone sells a half way decent set of planes for one?

Thanks,

Mac