Sole Survivor Torpedo Squadron Eight - Battle Of Midway - By George Gay.

“SOLE SURVIVOR” Torpedo Squadron Eight – Battle Of Midway. By George Gay. Like millions of Americans at the time, Gay chose to sign up for the coming war, leaving Texas A&M University. He joined the United States Navy in early 1941. Gay completed flight training and was commissioned as an ensign in September 1941. He joined the newly formed Torpedo Squadron 8 and was aboard the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) in April 1942 when Lieutenant Colonel Jimmy Doolittle launched his raid on Tokyo. One week later, Hornet arrived at Pearl Harbor to join USS Enterprise (CV-6) during the Battle of Midway. During the Battle of Midway, Gay was the first of his squadron to take off from Hornet on June 4, 1942––piloting a TBD Devastor. Gay’s unit found the Japanese carrier fleet and launched an attack without fighter plane support. Although he was wounded and his radioman/gunner, was dying, Gay completed his torpedo attack on a Japanese aircraft carrier. Heading back for Hornet, five Japanese Zeros brought his aircraft down in a hail of machine gun fire, killing his rear gunner. Exiting his aircraft, and floating in the ocean, he hid under his seat cushion for hours to avoid Japanese strafing attacks and witnessed the subsequent American bombing attacks and sinking of three of the four Japanese carriers. Gay was rescued after spending over 30 hours in the water. Of the squadron’s thirty pilots and radiomen, Ensign Gay was the only survivor. He was awarded the Navy Cross and Purple Heart for his actions in combat at Midway and was later awarded an Air Medal. Here is Ensign Gay’s incredible story. 1986 Hardback edition, no dust jacket, 318 pages, black and white photos, squadron crew roster, no maps or index. Autographed by George Gay.

Good Cond. $41.99