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Fair Winds & Following Seas LCDR George Henry Gay, Jr.
- Mark Stansell
- Mar 15, 2021
- 10 min read
Updated: Mar 27, 2024
Southwest of Midway Island, the Middle of the Pacific, Early June 1942
The morning of June 4, 1942, Ensign (ENS) George Gay and his gunner/radioman, Aviation Radioman Third Class (ARM3c) Robert K. Huntington, along with the rest of their squadron mates of Torpedo Squadron EIGHT (VT-8), launched off the deck of the USS Hornet in their Douglas TBD-1 Devastator torpedo bomber, BuNo 1518. Plans called for squadrons to fly due west to attack the Japanese fleet, which was inbound to continue its attack on the U.S. base on Midway Island that had begun earlier in the morning. However, the CO of VT-8, on a hunch, turned his squadron further to the southwest. Crews from VT-3, off the Yorktown, and VT-6, off the Enterprise, opted to follow. Skipper Waldron’s hunch proved correct, and at approximately 09:20 the crews of VT-8 were the first to engage the Japanese fleet.
In the ensuing battle, the Zero pilots and anti-aircraft gunners aboard the Japanese carriers utterly destroyed VT-8. Gay’s aircraft was the last to go down. Petty Officer Huntington was already fatally wounded when Gay was hit in the left arm. Nonetheless, he stayed in the fight, managing to manually release his torpedo in close vicinity of the carrier Soryu. Shortly after the torpedo release, fighters from the Akagi caught up with Gay, crippling his aircraft. His plane cartwheeled into the ocean yet Gay miraculously managed to escape. Unable to retrieve the body of his crewmate, he hid behind a cushion, right in the middle of the Japanese fleet while what was to become one of the most important naval battles in history raged above him. At the young age of 25, he was the sole survivor of VT-8.
After surviving overnight, George Gay was finally rescued by a U.S. Navy PBY Catalina the afternoon of the 5th. On the 6th, he was flown back to Pearl Harbor for medical treatment. [1],[2],[3],[4],[5]
For his actions at the Battle of Miday of June 4, Gay was awarded the Navy Cross. The citation reads:[6]
For extraordinary heroism and distinguished service beyond the call of duty as a pilot of Torpedo Squadron Eight in the 'Air Battle of Midway', against enemy Japanese forces on June 4, 1942. Grimly aware of the hazardous consequences of flying without fighter protection, and with insufficient fuel to return to his carrier, Ensign Gay resolutely, and with no thought of his own life, delivered an effective torpedo attack against violent assaults of enemy Japanese aircraft and against an almost solid barrage of anti-aircraft fire. Although shot down while retiring from the torpedo attack, Ensign Gay, by his courage, skill and resourcefulness, survived and was subsequently able to provide valuable information concerning the action. His unflinching and conscientious devotion to the fulfillment of his mission was a determining factor in the defeat of the enemy forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service.
The U.S. Navy sank four Japanese aircraft carriers, including the Soryu and Akagi, as well as a heavy cruiser. The damage inflicted by the Japanese fleet included the destruction of the Yorktown (CV-5) and the destroyer Hammann (DD-412). The Battle of Midway lasted the better part of four days, June 4 thru 7, but was the turning point in the Pacific Theater for WWII.
After Midway
After the Battle of Midway, George became bit a of a celebrity. He stayed in the Navy another 12 years or so, but ultimately landed at TWA, were he spent over 30 years flying. He frequently lectured about his experiences at Midway, authored the book, Sole Survivor, served as a consultant for movies, and such. He passed away at the age of 77 on October 21, 1994 in Marietta, GA. His widow Tess, turned 100 on September 14, 2019.[7],[8]
VQ-1, Summer of 1995
From November of 1994 to July 1997, I was assigned to Fleet Air Reconnaissance Squadron ONE (VQ-1), homeported at Naval Air Station (NAS) Whidbey Island, just north of Seattle. This was my second operational tour, the first being with VR-24, which I mentioned in my “About” page. VQ-1 had four EP-3 Aries II electronic reconnaissance aircraft, highly modified versions of the P-3 Orion, which were sent on detachments of six to ten weeks, throughout the Pacific. The squadron also had two P-3B, which we used for logistics missions, and one P-3A, BuNo 150526, which had been outfitted for DV transport. 526 was also used for logistics runs as well. How 526 came to be assigned to the squadron, is something that I was never able to fully track down. However, in addition to operational reconnaissance missions, the crews of VQ-1 were, from time to time, also tasked with DV support.
I had already completed two detachments, returning home on a few months earlier on June 24, in 526 on a single leg, 11.0 hour flight from Misawa, Japan to NAS Whidbey. Early in the month of August, I was part of a crew who took that same aircraft on yet another log run back to Misawa, on to Kadena Air Base, on the isle of Okinawa, and then back to Whidbey. My fate must have been tied to that plane that summer, because a few weeks later, Ops put together a crew to take some WWII veterans, and the remains of George Gay, out to Midway for a ceremony commemorating the 50th Anniversary of V-J Day.
The Aircraft Commander/Patrol Plane Commander (PPC) for the trip was LCDR Mike Paul, who was the Maintenance Officer and my boss in my ground job as Aircraft Division Officer at the time. LT Ted Getschman and I were assigned as copilots. Flight Engineers were Senior Chief Wade, who I think had the rate of ADCS, and Petty Officer, AD2 Jeff Tucker. For the other’s in the crew, who would have been at least two observers, I must beg forgiveness for I have no record of who else was in the crew.
We were to fly down to NAS North Island, to pick up some of the Seventh Fleet staff, then head out the next day to Hawaii. While I was excited about the mission, and I knew of Gay, to be honest, at the time I was probably more excited that we would have three full days off in Hawaii, which meant I would get to see my oldest daughter, who was not yet eight at the time and living there with her mother and step-father.
August 29, 1995
On August 29, we flew from NAS Barber’s Point out to Midway with the staffers, who were to stay on the island for the next several days.
Admiral Mike Boorda was there for the ceremonies and it was good to see him again. ADM Boorda, was a “frequent flyer” on VR-24's CT-39Gs. I had been the copilot with Skipper Al Murphy when we flew Boorda to Topel, Turkey for services after an incident where the USS Saratoga inadvertently shot the Turkish destroyer TCG Muavenet with a Sea Sparrow missile during a joint exercise.[9] I will never forget his words and expression as got back in the jet for the flight back to Naples, Italy. He stuck his head up into the cockpit and simply commented, “That was the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.” Boorda was Commander in Chief, United States Naval Forces Europe (CINCUSNAVEUR) at the time and responsible for the overall conduct of U.S. Naval forces in the exercise.
Since I had never been to Midway, I purchased a copy of A Glorious Page in Our History at the small shop in Base Ops. I had no idea that in two days, I would be flying some of the men who are mentioned and shown in the book!
August 31, 1995
My recollection is that additional staff from Seventh Fleet, including the fleet chaplain who was escorting Gay’s remains, met us at NAS Barber’s Point the morning of the 31st. I’m a bit more certain that I had the landing that day at Midway as my logbook shows one day landing for the three legs that day, and my photo of the island as we set up for the approach is taken from the pilot’s seat. I think that we picked up additional staff, and honorary veterans out at the island.
Admiral Boorda gave the remarks that day, a transcription of which, from my scrap book, is below. The JPEG is also linked to a source document. I encourage the reader to take the time to consider Boorda’s words.
After the ceremony, we boarded our trusty aircraft yet again and flew out to the site of the battle, where Gay and his squadron mates fought so valiantly 53 years prior. Nearing that sacred area of ocean, we dropped down to 5000 feet. We slowed to loiter speed, and we may have even loitered (shut down) the number 2 engine to minimized prop wash down the left side of the fuselage. Of that second point, the memory is hazy.
What is not hazy, is that LCDR Paul was flying, Chief Wade was in the FE seat, I was in the copilot’s seat and Petty Officer Tucker had the honors of donning the gunner’s belt. Prior to opening the main cabin door, the chaplain gave the eulogy over the aircraft intercom system. Chief Wade, who was as crusty a Navy chief, sailor, and P-3 flight engineer as they come, was moved to tears. His emotion moved me, and by the time we were ready to open the main cabin door, I doubt there was a dry eye amongst the dozen or so men on the plane. We orbited the site of the battle, the crew in the back opened the main cabin door, and AD2 Tucker gently cast George Gay's remains out of the plane, sending him on the way to his final resting place, where he joined his squadron mates in the watery depths of the Pacific Ocean.
We next flew to where we thought the Yorktown was, for she was not located until nearly three years later.[10] On the way to that location, I recall Ted and I swapping; he took over as copilot, with myself off duty for the rest of the flight. A similar service was held for the crew of the Yorktown, only this time wreaths and flags were cast to sea by Petty Officer Tucker.
During my time away from the flight station, I finally had the chance to chat with our honored guests. All three were as down to earth as could be, honored to be paying respects to their fellow service members who fought so hard, those who came home wounded, and those who did not make it home. Bob Swan and Jack Reid signed next to the photo of themselves and their crew taken 53 years prior on page 54 of my copy of A Glorious Page; they also corrected the squadron designation in the caption. These gents were on the crew that first spotted the Japanese fleet the day before Gay's ill-fated flight.
All three also signed the inside cover of the book, as shown below. By happenstance, several years later, when I was attending Naval Postgraduate School at Monterey, my wife and I happened to strike up a conversation with an older couple sitting next to us at dinner. Turns out that Bill Cullin, whose signature in blue was added later, was also assigned to VP-44 based out of Midway, along with Swan and Reid.
Two Degrees of Separation
I usually refrain from directly discussing work herein or on my social media posts, however, in this case I will make an exception.
Bob "Splash" Parry was born at Pearl Harbor, in 1941, barely three weeks before the attack on the base. After serving a stint in the Marines Corps, he began his flying career, ultimately ending up at TWA. About three years ago, I hired Splash as a simulator instructor for the C208B Cessna Caravan, the program that I manage at FlyRight, Inc. He's a great instructor and we tease him about having a type rating, certification, on Pterodactyls.
I had originally posted the photos of Reid, Swan, and Barnes just as a post, not an article, on LinkedIn, in late June 2020, if I recall. When I showed the photos to Splash and told him the story, he commented, "I flew with George Gay at TWA! Great guy, good to fly with!"
So, while I never knew George Gay in person, I was honored to be part of the crew that buried him at sea. The flight was a high point of my career, an intersection of the present with a significant part of history, and the memory has stayed with me over the subsequent years. Gay's legacy lived on for he was able to not only recount the battle to those higher up the chain of command, including Admiral Nimitz himself, but his action, and those of his squadron mates, inflicted significant damage on the Japanese fleet, which allowed the squadrons who followed to finish the job. Gay carried himself with honor the rest of his Naval career taking that carriage into his civilian flying, and no doubt the rest of his life. Splash's comments are a testament to that, and what better way could one ask to be remembered?
Nameste,
Mark Stansell
March 15, 2021
Endnote
I've wanted to write this story for quite some time. I've made every effort to be accurate, not only on the part of Gay's actions, but also on my own. Memories fade, and I wish that I had had the foresight to write it all down 25 years ago. Where my recollection is uncertain, I've made it a point to highlight that in the narrative above. I pulled out Fitness Reports, Designation Letters, my logbook, in an effort to ensure that what facts I had were correct herein. If any of the other crew, Seventh Fleet staff, or veterans, who were on that flight of August 31, 1995, happen to read this and have something to correct, or add, please reach out via the contact form, below, and let me know. I will be grateful to reconnect and gladly post an update.
Logbook
Below is a copy of the pages from my Navy logbook for the month of August 1995. The last four entries show the mission, beginning with the flight from Whidbey, and concluding with the flight on the 31st, when we buried George Gay. The airports listed are:
KNUW - NAS Whidbey Island
KNZY - NAS North Island
PHNA - NAS Barber's Point
PMDY - Midway Island
PHIK - Hickam AFB
The return leg back to Whidbey was on Spetember 2, 1995.
Sometime in the summer of 2000, I began transcribing my Navy logbook into Logbook Pro, a spreadsheet style program, which has a field for comments. Since it was only five or six years after the fact when I finally entered the Midway mission into Logbook Pro, the memory was still rather fresh, and I annotated the comments appropriately. Later, when I retired from the Navy on March 1, 2007, my wife, at the time, was kind enough to make four professionally styled scrap books covering my entire Naval career. This is where the photos and text of Boorda's speech shown above reside. Also on those pages is a summarization of the mission, which is shown below, with my daughter's name redacted.
References
[1] A Glorious Page in Our History, The Battle of Midway, 4-6 June 1942, Robert J. Cressman, et al, 1990, Pictorial Histories Publishing Company, Missoula, MT, pages 90 thru 92
[2] https://www.history.navy.mil/research/library/oral-histories/wwii/battle-of-midway/recollections-of-lieutenant-george-gay.html
[4] https://usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil/2017/05/25/ensign-george-h-gays-fateful-day-june-4-1942/
[7] https://web.archive.org/web/20070503152318/http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/pers-us/uspers-g/g-gay.htm
Great article. I remember this flight, how hard it is to dump ashes from the side door of a P-3, the music played afterward (the Midway March, which was written just for the event). I had to write the article as the PAO so I read a whole book on that trip to ensure I knew the players and got the events and dates right. Thanks for bringing back the wonderful memories, Mark! I'm sure I still have the article, but it would be buried back in my house in the states. When I get back there, I'll try to dig it out, but I don't think it will add much to your write-up.