Evening star., 1942-09-13
By CLARK LEE.
Associated Press War Correspondent.

\
AT SEA WITH THE UNITED
STATES PACIFIC FLEET OFF
THE SOLOMON ISLANDS, Aug.
"A tDelayeO This Jap carrier
wasn't as big a target as the Kaga
and Akagi at Midway. But we got
bomb hits on it and a score of near
misses. Then torpedo planes blasted
1t and we left it dead in the water
and smoking to beat the band"
One hit was scored by the Ameri-
can Navy dive bomber quoted above
He is 1t. Gordon Sherwood of Salt
Lake City. 1t Sherwood is q and
one of the United States Navy's
three ace dive bombers. The other
two are also members of 1t. Sher-
woods squadron-Lt. Sidney Bot
tomley, formerly of Merchantville,
N. j., whose wife lives at La Jolla,
Calf, and 1t. q. g. Roy Isaman,
25, of Lewiston, Idaho.
1t. Bottomley and 1t. Isaman also
scored hits this afternoon, making
a total of four each for this trio of
aces. In the Midway battle each
of them hit the carriers Kaga and
Akagi and the cruiser Mogami, all
of which were sunk. Their bombs
alone have caused millions of dol
lars of damage to the Jap Navy and
helped sink four ships All three
Of them have an abundance of
steady nerves, concentration, and,
above all, the experience, which
are needed to make a successful
dive-bomber pilot.
Weather Perfect for Attack.
1--WE spotted the enemy ships this
afternoon" 1t. Sherwood said. THE
carrier was in the center with one
destroyer on each side in close and
a heavy cruiser about four miles
away The carrier did a zig-zag
when we were sighted and then
swung into right-hand circle. The
destroyers fell in alongside it.
The weather was perfect and we
circled deliberately. The group
commander gave us instructions by
radio for the attack. He told me
to take my division of planes against
the cruiser which had started twist
ing and turning. We took our time
getting lined up for our dives be-
cause the anti-aircraft was light
and only three or four fighters
were in the air, and they did not
bother us.
Two planes took off from the
carrier deck and two others were
circling low and apparently prepar-
ing to land.
Our torpedo planes were circling
over near the edge Of cloud wait
ing until we hit first.
Il sat up there and watched the
others dive on the carrier. Their
bombs peppered the water all around
the carrier but were just missing,
apparently due to the ships speed
and its skidding on the turn.
had just pushed over to attack the
cruiser when the group commander
radioed, Hey, Gordon, belay that,
come over and hit that carrier
Bomb Hits Squarely Anfidships.
Il pulled out of my dive, losing a
couple of thousand feet altitude,
and went over the carrier. Bottom
ley pushed over ahead of me, and
his bomb hit squarely admidships.
1t was as if you'd drawn a big
cross exactly in the center of the
carrier deck and his bomb had
landed right at the crosspiece.
I watched my altimeter before
releasing my bomb. My rear-seat /
man and others saw it hit a little
behind Bottomley's. pulled out and |
saw Isaman get a hit, too.
by this time the carrier was
smoking badly, with flames rushing
out from under the fight deck on
both sides for the entire length OF |
the ship. She started to lose speed
until she was barely moving through
the water.
Il circled, waiting for our planes
to join me and saw 1t Bruce Har-
wood leading our torpedo planes
into attack. They got one perfect
hit which threw up water in a big
column and shook the entire ship.
1t lost headway and lay dead in the
water. I saw other torpedo planes
get hits on the cruiser"
Zero Didn't Come Back.
"The dive bombers were still COM
ing down as I made my first ap-
proach to the carrier" 1t. Harwood
continued the narrative. THE car
rier was enveloped in SO much smoke
couldn't see to make a drop, so