Evening star., 1942-06-25
Nv the Associated Press.

Attu, hlSkd, OeVdSIOpOl, lOUl uh-
but In the annals of the United
States Marine Corps the Midway
fight always will be an outstanding
chapter.
The story of the marines part al
Midway was released by naval head
quarters while the public in the
Hawaiian Islands was just beginning
to learn the full import Of the fight
which started three weeks ago.
The full extent of the American
blows against the japanese feet
never has been announced in the
conservatively worded American
naval communiques, but additional
details now available confirm it wa.
the definite turning point in the
Pacific war.
The American Army, Navy ano
marines shared in the victory. The
Army and Navy already have told
their stories.
The marines story divides itsell
into three phases: First, the grounc
defense of Midway Island; second
pursuit planes; third. dive bombers.
Rough, Tough Crew.
The ground defenders:
They were q rough, tough crew
and anxious to smash the Japanese
who had killed or captured then
buddies on Wake Island the first
month of the war. They had beer
on Midway many months, were
bronzed by the sun, hardened by
outdoor life and accustomed to
lonely existence.
The only action they had beer
since the war was the shelling or
January "a and February 10 by sub.
marines which were promptly at.
tackled by marine dive-bombers, ano
the shooting down Of Japanese
1our-engined flying boat March IL
The morning of June 4 they saw
Army, Navy and marine planes take
on to smash the Japanese feet and
to fight approaching Japanese
bombers. They saw their fighters
tie into the enemy bombers ano
shoot many down. Then enemy
Zero fighters hit the marine fighter
planes and the sky was full of dog
fighting aircraft The marines stood
by their anti-aircraft guns and
waited until the bombers were over
head.
Bombs came Gathering down. The
marines began to get the range and
one japanese plane crashed into the
lagoon. Another smashed on q
runway.
High altitude bombers were fol-
lowed by dive bombers-those that
were left after the marine fighter
planes had worked them over. Then
came Zeros to strafe the runways
The marines met them with plenty
of fire.
After Commute attack the
enemy planes were driven of.
Little Rest for Three Days.
Maj. Raymond C. Scollin of Coro-
nado, Calf, and a work party
scraped away the remains Of a Zero
fighter and got busy improvisine
equipment to replace damaged gear
Other marines reloaded guns and
stood by for another attack. But
the planes that came back were the
marines own and Army and Navy
planes to refuel. For the next three
days few marines had any sleep.
The second phase Of the marines
story is the fighters:
Marine fighter pilots took to the
air before dawn to cover the take.
off of the heavy planes leaving tt
attack the Japanese fleet.
All the marine flyers landed tt
refuel except Second 1t. r. A. Cory
Santa Ana, Calf He stayed up sc
long looking for the enemy that fol
time it was thought he was lost
Then he radioed: Low on gas
request instructions"
1t. Cory was told to land quickly
refuel and take off again. He got q
little gas aboard, then had to hor
into the sky to meet approaching
Jap planes.
Enemy bombers were in three
~V's" of q planes each. Swarms OF
fighters were above and below them
Capt. j. F. Carey spotted them
first and called over the radio
quite q large formation OF
bombers. The marines piled into
them.
Second 1t. C. M. Garfield Of
Lindsay. Calf. saw his bullets &c
into an enemy bomber which crashed
and burned on the sea. Meanwhile
Capt. Carey was wounded badly bu,
he and 1t. Garfield managed to
crash-land their damaged plane
while Midway still was under heavy
attack.
Makes Head-on Approach.
Capt. Kirk Armistead, Coronado
Calf, led his squadron into the
enemy at $4,000 feet. making a head
on approach from above. Capt
Armistead said.
Il saw my incendiaries travel
through the leaders plane and back
through a plane on his left. I con-
tinued by dive and saw two o,
three Jap planes falling in dives"
Then three Jap Zeros hit Capt
Armistead and his plane dove from
5000 to 500 feet out of control, but
he righted it and made his base.
There Is no telling how many
planes the Marines downed, but il
is believed they shot down at least
so dive-bombers Of the Aichi type
%, plus three or four double-Zeros
The dive-bomber phase of the
Marines story:
Dive bombers scored hits on two
enemy carriers and at least one and
possibly two battleships.
A major led one group through
heavy anti-aircraft fire in attacking
a carrier June 4. His plane was hit
and set aflre by Zero fighters. He
went into a dive but continued al
the target and released the bomb
just before he hit the water.
Capt. Elmer G. Glidden, jr., west.