To celebrate the 4th of July, television stations play Independence Day which features Will Smith fighting aliens. Lord, how times have changed. In years past, the movie playing would have been “Midway” which featured Charlton Heston, Henry Fonda, James Coburn and a host of other stars. The actual Battle of Midway is considered by many military historians as the most important naval battle of the Pacific Campaign of World War II.
One month before “The Battle of Midway”, two American aircraft carriers, the USS Lexington and the USS Yorktown, had been involved in another battle, “The Battle of the Coral Sea”. During the “Battle of the Coral Sea”, the USS Lexington was sunk by the Japanese and the USS Yorktown was heavily damaged. The Yorktown was so damaged that the Japanese thought she had sunk too and this led them to believe they could lure America’s remaining two aircraft carriers in the Pacific, the USS Enterprise and the USS Hornet, into a battle at Midway that would allow the Japanese, through superior numbers, to destroy the remaining U.S. Fleet.
What the Japanese didn’t count on was the determination of U.S. Sailors, like William “Bill” Lancaster (pictured below), who served on the USS Yorktown. These sailors worked doggedly to keep the USS Yorktown afloat after the “Battle of the Coral Sea” and got her back to Pearl Harbor and into dry dock for repairs. In less than 72 hours, the Yorktown was restored to a battle-ready state and ordered back to sea by Admiral Nimitz. Her flight deck was patched and whole sections of internal frames had been replaced. But, as the Yorktown left Pearl Harbor, repairs continued with work crews from the repair ship, USS Vestal, still on board and the Vestal following in the Yorktown’s wake.
In the “Battle of Midway”, planes from the USS Yorktown provided the deciding one two punch that damaged three Japanese aircraft carriers to the point that the Japanese had to scuttle them. During the battle, the USS Yorktown was hit with three bombs. But, damage control teams quickly snuffed out the fires and patched her up so well that the next wave of attacking Japanese dive bombers mistook her as the undamaged USS Enterprise which led them to believe, erroneously, that they had sank two American Aircraft Carriers. After this second attack and two more torpedo hits, the USS Yorktown was finally put out of commission. However, this mistake by Japanese commanders led them to believe that only one U.S. carrier remained. Therefore the Japanese continued the fight with their one remaining carrier, the Hiryu.
Late in the afternoon, a Yorktown scout plane located the Hiryu and the USS Enterprise launched a final strike of dive bombers that left the Hiryu aflame. Several hours later, the Hiryu sank with Rear Admiral Yamaguchi choosing to go down with his ship.
Initial salvage efforts on the USS Yorktown appeared to be promising as she was taken under tow by the USS Vireo. But, two days after the battle began, the Yorktown was hit by two more torpedos from a Japanese submarine and sank early the next morning.
Thus ended the “Battle of Midway”. The Japanese lost 4 Aircraft Carriers. We lost the USS Yorktown. But, it is her crew and the sailors that kept her fighting through the worst of these two Pacific battles, the “Coral Sea” and “Midway”, that we will always remember. The USS Yorktown may have succombed to the sea, but the men and sailors who served her, kept her afloat, and kept her fighting embodies the spirit and determination that is America.
As my wife and I walked the dogs this morning, we saw Bill Lancaster out in his yard faithfully raising the “Flag” up the flag pole in his Spring Hill yard and lining the yard with other miniture flags. Lining the yard with flags is that little something extra for the 4th of July. Because you see, most mornings you will see Bill in his yard raising his flag and then quickly and solemnly pausing to salute. I am awe-struck and nearly brought to tears every time I see this. Perhaps he is remembering those days and friends on the USS Yorktown. On special days like today, he wears his USS Yorktown cap.
In conversations with Bill, he doesn’t talk about his service other than to say he served on the USS Yorktown. He will tell you that he and his wife Lucy faithfully served their church for years as greeters and that they always hugged everyone as they came into church. One time, he handed me his business card. It is an interesting card. It has your normal stuff like address, phone number, and email. But the business end has a picture of the old “stars ’n stripes”, with a yellow cross on top, and the words “God Bless America”. On the back it has a list of benefits from “Hugging” —- The Perfect Cure For What Ails You. The benefits include relieving tension, combats depression, reduces stress, elevates self-esteem, generates good will, has no unpleasant side effects, and is nothing less than a miracle drug. Plus, hugging has no movable parts, no batteries to wear out, non-taxable, theft proof, non-polluting, and of course it is fully refundable.
So, as you celebrate the 4th of July today, remember Bill not just for the service he and others gave their country, but for the love he wants to share with you. For Bill and Lucy, give someone you love a hug today. And, if you are in the neighborhood and see Bill sitting in his swing in the front yard, which is often, stop and say hello.