May 5, 2013
Vol. 39 No. 16
Keeping The
Faith Page 8
A Defining Battle
Page 12
Commanding Officer Capt. Jeff S. Ruth Executive Officer Capt. Buzz Donnelly Command Master Chief Master Chief Teri M. McIntyre Public Affairs Officer Lt. Cmdr. Karin Burzynski Media Division Officer Lt. Jason Scarborough Media LCPO MCC (SW/AW) Mike Jones Media Production Chief MCC (SW) Gregory Roberts Media LPO MC1 (AW/SW) Michael Cole Editor MC2 (SW) Glenn Slaughter Lead Designer MC3 George J Penney III Media Department MC2 (SW) Jacquelyn Childs MC2 Ashley Berumen MC2 (SW) Robert Winn MC2 (SW) Andrew Jandik MC2 (SW) Jason Behnke MC2 (SW) Nichelle Bishop MC3 (SW) Renée L. Candelario MC3 (SW) Ryan Mayes MC3 Shayne Johnson MC3 Jacob Milner MC3 (SW) Devin Wray MC3 Christopher Bartlett MC3 Raul Moreno MC3 (SW) Alexander Ventura II MC3 Linda S. Swearingen MC3 (SW) Jess Lewis MC3 W. J. Cousins MC3 Vanessa Y. David MC3 Derek Volland MC3 Phillip Ladouceur MCSN Derek Harkins MCSN Nathan McDonald MCSN Joshua Haiar MCSA Aiyana Paschal MCSA Kelly Agee MCSA Victoria Ochoa Nimitz News accepts submissions in writing. All submissions must be in by Friday, COB. Submissions are subject to review and screening. “Nimitz News” is an authorized publication for the members of the military services and their families. Its content does not necessarily reflect the official views of the U.S. Government, the Department of Defense, the Department of the Navy, or the Marine Corps and does not imply endorsement thereby.
Chaplain’s Corner Story by Lt. Cmdr. Richard A. Townes Jr.
A last week for the Evening Prayer I read one of Paul Harvey’s (the great American radio personality) broadcasts from April 3, 1965. It was entitled “If I Were the Devil” and is poignant in its prophetic imaging of what he saw our country becoming. Due to time limitations I couldn’t read the entire message over the 1MC so I decided to reproduce it in this forum. To quote Mr. Harvey, “and now, for the rest of the story…” “If I were the devil … If I were the Prince of Darkness, I’d want to engulf the whole world in darkness. And I’d have a third of its real estate, and four-fifths of its population, but I wouldn’t be happy until I had seized the ripest apple on the tree — Thee. So I’d set about however necessary to take over the United States. I’d subvert the churches first — I’d begin with a campaign of whispers. With the wisdom of a serpent, I would whisper to you as I whispered to Eve: ‘Do as you please.’ To the young, I would whisper that ‘The Bible is a myth.’ I would convince them that man created God instead of the other way around. I would confide that what’s bad is good, and what’s good is ‘square.’ And the old, I would teach to pray, after me, ‘Our Father, which art in Washington…’ And then I’d get organized. I’d educate authors in how to make lurid literature exciting, so that anything else would appear dull and uninteresting. I’d threaten TV with dirtier movies and vice versa. I’d pedal narcotics to whom I could. I’d sell alcohol to ladies and gentlemen of distinction. I’d tranquilize the rest with pills. If I were the devil I’d soon have families that war with themselves, churches at war with themselves, and nations at war with themselves; until each in its turn was consumed. And with promises of higher ratings I’d have mesmerizing media fanning the flames. If I were the devil I would encourage schools to refine young intellects,
but neglect to discipline emotions — just let those run wild, until before you knew it, you’d have to have drug sniffing dogs and metal detectors at every schoolhouse door. Within a decade I’d have prisons overflowing, I’d have judges promoting pornography — soon I could evict God from the courthouse, then from the schoolhouse, and then from the houses of Congress. And in His own churches I would substitute psychology for religion, and deify science. I would lure priests and pastors into misusing boys and girls, and church money. If I were the devil I’d make the symbols of Easter an egg and the symbol of Christmas a bottle. If I were the devil I’d take from those, and who have, and give to those wanted until I had killed the incentive of the ambitious. And what do you bet? I could get whole states to promote gambling as the way to get rich? I would caution against extremes and hard work, in Patriotism, in moral conduct. I would convince the young that marriage is old-fashioned, that swinging is more fun, that what you see on the TV is the way to be. And thus I could undress you in public, and I could lure you into bed with diseases for which there is no cure. In other words, if I were the devil I’d just keep right on doing on what he’s doing. Paul Harvey, good day.” So there you have it. His vision of what would become of the United States and unfortunately he hit the nail right on the head. But, fear not, all is not lost. For hope abounds. It abounds in the morals and up-righteousness of the brave people, believers and non-believers alike, who dare to speak against the immoral and unrighteous and believe that reducing life to the lowest common denominator is very harmful to all humanity. Ultimately, however, our hope lies in God and the promise he gives that no matter how bad life in this sphere becomes, he is more powerful, in fact, he is all powerful. He promised to love us with a depth of emotion that surpasses all understanding and by the work of his Son, Jesus, upon the cross.
soundcloud.com/cvn68
Life after Captain’s Mast for MM2 Soper has been difficult. Now, nothing can hold him back.
Story andphotos by MCSN NathanMcDonald Layout by MCSA Andrew Price
Adapt and Overcome It’s a phrase those in the military hear so often it’s almost a cliché. It becomes pertinent when one can relate to a real world example, and Machinist’s Mate 2nd Class Thomas Soper’s experience is a textbook case.
“I first joined the Navy for a change of pace – something different,” said Soper. “The Navy seemed like an adventure.” Soper, a soft-spoken 21-year-old from Loma, Colo., comes from a mechanical background, making him well suited for his rate. “I’ve always been a mechanic. I was always working on race cars or farm equipment,” said Soper. “I took the ASVAB (Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery) and got a few options. I saw Machinist’s Mate and picked that.” Soper started out working on a variety of systems throughout the ship – hot water heaters, potable water, laundry, refrigeration and garbage grinders to name a few. “I worked on pretty much everything for the Navy,” said Soper. “After that, we ended up working on fan coil units and ventilation for the radars on the island, too.” Then, as a Petty Officer 3rd Class during his first underway, Soper did not follow proper procedure and found himself facing what every Sailor dreads: Non-judicial punishment. “I got in trouble for gun decking when I was on watch,” he said. “I ended up going to Captain’s Mast over it. I got 30 days restriction, 30 days of extra duty and half month’s pay for two months with one month suspended.” Soper’s chief, Chief Machinist’s Mate Ho Nguyen, said Soper was spared from a harsher sentence because of the quality work he had done. “When he went to Captain’s Mast, the Captain didn’t take his crows,” said Nguyen.
“He’s a good worker, so we worked to get him to keep his crows so he could make 2nd Class. It was an eye-opening experience for Soper. “I was surprised. I was scared,” said Soper. “I was planning on making some good times out of the Navy and I thought all of that would be done with. I thought I wouldn’t advance.” At a crossroads, Soper turned his mistake into a learning experience, however, and looked to his chain of command for support. “It helped me build leadership,” said Soper. “My chain of command counseled me and said, ‘This happened. Now you have the chance to step up and keep other people from making the same mistake you have.’”
After his punishment ended, Soper took the 2nd class exam that September and advanced. A few months later, Soper qualified as a work center supervisor and uses his experiences to mentor those working under him. “When I picked up 2nd class, I got a whole new vision on life in the Navy,” said Soper. “When you mentor the people that work with you, you get to see them get better. I try to help them step their game up and bring the best out of them. Your people help you out. When one person looks good, everyone looks good. The plan now is to stay in for 20 years and make a career of it.” Although it’s a demanding job, Soper stays enthusiastic. “It’s a lot of work, but it’s very rewarding,“ said Soper. “Providing for my family keeps me motivated. Family has always been a huge motivator for me.” Soper’s work ethic hasn’t escaped his chief’s notice, either. “He has a good deal of responsibility around his work center,” said Nguyen. “He always does good work and he has a good knowledge of his area.” When pressed for advice, Soper incorporates both his past experience and present reality. “No matter what happens to you, stay strong and keep your head forward,” said Soper. “Just because you get in trouble doesn’t mean it’s the end. If you do the best you can do, you will be rewarded.”
“
This happened. Now you have the chance to step up and keep other people from making the same mistake you have.
”
- SOPER
to
Nimitz via Germany Story by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen
Eighty-miles west of the Czech Republic, in the foothills of the Thuringian Forest, along the Itz River lies the quaint town of Coburg, Germany. The main attraction is Veste Coburg Castle, a 13th century castle for which the town is named.
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or the first 15 years of his life, Airman David Parker, a Sailor on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68), called Cosburg, Germany his home. “Germany is a very romantic place,” said Parker. “The architecture is very old, much older than in America. There are old castles and buildings everywhere mixed with newer architecture.” Parker’s father was in the Army and stationed in Germany when he met Parker’s mother, a German national, in the early 1990’s. Shortly thereafter they married and moved to the United States where Parker’s father was from. “They came to live in America and I was born in Washington, D.C. in 1992,” said Parker. “Two weeks after I was born my mother and I moved back to Germany.” Five years ago, when Parker was 15 years old, he moved back to the United States and settled with his family, first in Chicago and later in Pittsburgh. The transition to American life came with little difficulty to Parker, except when he started high school in the United States and had to quickly master the English language. “I grew up speaking German,” said Parker. “English was not taught in my schools in Germany. I didn’t learn English until I came to America. When I was in high school in America I took German as my language class which helped me to learn English from the translations we had to do.” After he graduated high school, Parker owned a cleaning business, was going to college, was an assistant manager in training at McDonald’s and was on his way to becoming a professional mixed martial arts fighter. Then in 2012, Parker says he needed a change in his life and decided to join the Navy to start over from scratch. “I had some family issues to deal with which took up all my energy,” said Parker. “One day I decided I needed a change in my life so I went to the Marine recruiting center. They were closed, but there was a Sailor in the office next door who suggested I join the Navy instead. That’s how I signed up. It was a fluke really. If the Marine recruiting center was open I would have been in the Marines right now.” As an undesignated airman for the past year, Parker has been able to see what the Navy has to offer and so far he likes what he sees. “I want to go into the officer program for STA-21 next year,” said Parker. “This year I’m focusing on getting all my quals done. I’m also thinking of going into special forces, but it depends on which program accepts me first.” Another of Parker’s goals includes finishing the college degree he was working on before he joined the Navy. “I want to finish my degree in criminal justice when we return from deployment,” said Parker. “I only have one semester left.” In addition to continuing his naval career, Parker sees himself visiting his homeland again soon. “I plan on staying in America, but I do go back to Germany frequently to visit my family there,” said Parker. “I miss the architecture and old buildings in Germany, but I do like the big trucks that are available in America.”
Photo by MC2 Glenn Slaughter
Layout by MCSA Andrew Price
DIVINE INTERVENTION
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Helping Sailors Keep the Faith Story and Photo by MC3 Linda S. Swearingen
he chaplains on board the aircraft carrier USS Nimitz (CVN 68) are working to ensure the crew’s religious and personal needs are being met. There are currently five chaplains on board Nimitz who offer a variety of religious services for the crew to choose from. Three of the five chaplains are permanently attached to Nimitz as ship’s company, but during the current deployment there are two chaplains attached to the air wing on board who are also offering religious services for the crew.
Religious services offered by the chaplains on board Nimitz are Lutheran, Catholic, Protestant, Evangelical and Southern Baptist. For Sailors who follow a different faith than Nimitz’ chaplains offer services for, there are lay-led groups offered by Sailors on board for the World Mission Society Church of God, Jewish led services, Latter Day Saints services, Independent Baptist Bible Study and Buddhist services. In addition to holding religious services, Nimitz’ chaplains assist the Sailors on board in other ways. “The main thing we do [as chaplains] while on deployment is motivate the crew and offer them an ear to listen to them and their issues,” said Lt. Cmdr. Richard A. Townes, of Rockford, Mich., a chaplain on board Nimitz. Townes also teaches the ship’s Shift Colors class for “at risk” Sailors, with Electronics Technician 3rd Class Anthony Black. “The class helps them put their life back into perspective and gives them tools for handling future conflict and stress,” said Townes. “I’m also the brig chaplain and I meet with whomever is in the brig once a day.” Nimitz’ chaplains also offer 100 percent confidentiality to the Sailors on board which means they do not tell anyone, anything at anytime. “We do not report suicide or homicide ideation or behavior,” said Townes. “Nor do we report illegal activity, nor any form of sexual abuse. The person who tells us their issues owns the information and we cannot repeat it without their permission. This is very important as we desire the crew trust us and feel free to come to us without repercussions.” According to Cmdr. Emile Moured, of Boston, a chaplain on board Nimitz, what the chaplains do is divided into four different catagories: provide, facilitate, care and advise. “Providing consists of providing for the religious groups [on board Nimitz],” said Moured. “Facilitate means that as chaplains we try to facilitate for all different religious groups on board. We have lay leader led groups for different religious groups that the chaplains on board don’t lead such as Jewish and Mormon services. We care for all [Sailors] no matter what religion they are. We don’t turn people away. As chaplains we advise the command on morals, ethics and religions. We also do a host of other things such as managing COMSERVS [community service projects] and COMRELS [community relation projects].” One of the things Nimitz’ chaplains do on a daily basis
is taking turns presiding over the evening prayer. “Part of motivating the crew is to listen to Sailors and to encourage them,” said Lt. Andrew Colvin, of Baker City, Ore. “We all take turns giving the evening prayer on the 1MC before taps every night.” Being a chaplain on board an aircraft carrier can come with some barriers they are not faced with on shore duty or as a civilian, but Nimitz’ chaplains work hard to overcome the obstacles they are faced with. “Being on a ship limits how we conduct religious services because it puts time limits on services held to usually about one hour,” said Townes. “The catapults go off right above the chapel and it can go on during services during inopportune moments like moments of silence.” The number of Sailors who attend religious services vary, but Nimitz’ chaplains encourage any Sailor who wishes to attend services to do so. “All are welcome to attend services,” said Colvin. “Anywhere from 25-50 Sailors come to the Catholic services [I preside over]. I anticipate more while we’re on deployment.” For one of Nimitz’ visiting chaplains on the current deployment, Lt. James Hogan, of New Bern, N.C., command chaplain for Commander Destroyer Squadron 23, being on an aircraft carrier offers a variation from the usual ships he is stationed on. “I’m usually on board the DDGs [destroyers] and FFGs [frigates] of the DESRON,” said Hogan. “Since we do not have chaplains on board those platforms, I crossdeck between ships to provide religious support. We do everything we can to ensure that our ships without chaplains receive religious support as frequently as possible. We also train lay leaders to provide religious services in the absence of a chaplain.” For Lt. Cmdr. Jeff Jenkins, of Bayou Chicot, La., command chaplain of Carrier Air Wing 11, staying in touch with the Sailors and Marines on board during deployment is important. “I like to walk around the deckplates to talk to our Sailors and Marines and get to know them, where they are from, and see how they are doing,” said Jenkins. “When they know their chaplain, they are more likely to call when they have a problem. Offering words of encouragement and providing information when I can, helps to motivate the crew.” Sailors who wish to attend any of the religious services offered by Nimitz’ chaplains are encouraged to check the green sheet daily for times and locations.
#2 Finance
401(k)/RothIRA
Compounding
Interest A fun and easy guide by Cdr. Matthew Miller N33/N35 Sub Ops/Future Plans
Layout by MCSA Andrew Price
The focus of this article is on 401(k) and Roth IRAs as well as how POWERFUL compounding interest is for us all. It is a little long, but an excellent reference. I tried to keep it straight forward, but you will always be able to find differences of opinion. Key takeaway: Compounding interest is the key to a safe
and secure retirement. 401(k)
A 401(k) is a retirement savings account that allows you to save money pre-tax for retirement and all your earnings are tax deferred. This means if you earn $50,000 per year and put in $5,000 to a 401(k), your effective income is only $45,000 for tax purposes that year. All the gains you earn on the $5,000 invested are not taxable UNTIL you take the money out of the account. Generally speaking you cannot access the money until you are 59 and ½ (with a few
exceptions), so you should not plan on using the money for a long time. Money you take out of your account will be taxed at your ordinary income tax rate at that time. If you take money out early (before age 59 and ½), there is an additional 10% tax penalty, so DON’T DO THAT. The maximum amount you are allowed to put in a 401(k) in 2013 is $17,000 (this maximum may increase based on the general feeling that individuals will take more control over their retirement funds vice traditional pensions – it is also slightly higher if you are over age 50). Most companies will also match some of your contributions, so you should ensure you are at least contributing enough to get the match. If you leave your job, DO NOT TAKE YOUR MONEY IN CASH. You should roll the account over to an IRA (this is called a Rollover IRA). It is generally an administrative hassle to do a rollover (not difficult, just a hassle) and different admin requirements exist depending on your company. I would be happy to follow up with anyone individually who wants help rolling an old 401(k) to an IRA. TSP is the government’s version of a 401 (k). All the same rules apply except as military personnel, we do not get any matching type of contributions. Government Service personnel do get a matching on a percentage of their savings because they will not receive a pension.
Roth IRA A Roth IRA is one of the best financial products ever invented! The way a Roth IRA works is you put in “after tax” money into a retirement account. You can put up to $5,000 in for 2013 (slightly more if you are over 50 years old). “After tax” means if you make $50,000 and you put in $5,000 into a Roth IRA, your taxable income is still $50,000 (slightly different than a 401(k)). The real advantage is in the tax free earnings and tax free withdrawls. With a Roth, everything you earn is tax free (as long as you wait at least 5 years and until age 59 and ½ or use the money for pre-approved specific items like first time home purchase, medical emergencies, higher education expenses). As long as you meet the 5 year / age 59 and ½ requirement when you take your money out of the Roth IRA in retirement there are NO TAXES. It is AWESOME. You can also take out your contributions (as opposed to earnings) any time and it is penalty free. A Traditional IRA is similar to a 401(k) in that your earnings are tax deferred, so you still pay taxes on your earnings when you take the money out in retirement (but not your contributions).
401(k) versus Roth IRA Most people eligible for a Roth IRA (based on income limits) do not make enough to fully maximize a Roth IRA and a 401(k) – full maximizing would be a total of $22,000 saved in 2013 ($17,000 in a 401(k) and $5,000 in a Roth IRA). So which should you do? You should first contribute to your 401(k) at least enough to get your company match (frequently around 6% of your salary). You should then put as much as you can into a Roth IRA (up to $5,000 per year). As I said in my last article, I would set up the account using a target retirement date closest to when you are age 6569. Any additional room you have to save for retirement should go into the 401(k). If you can get all the way up to $22,000, then that is awesome. If not, don’t worry, you will get there soon enough. Specific for military members, I would do maximize contributions to a Roth IRA first because of the tax free withdrawls!! Then any extra into the TSP target retirement accounts because they at least grow tax deferred.
After 20 years Amount Invested: $440,000 Account Value: $1,006,763 Investment Gain: $566,763
After 30 years Amount Invested: $660,000 Account Value: $2,492,231 Investment Gain: $1,832,231
Mathematical Fact The max most of us can contribute to retirement in 2013 (under age 50) is $22,000 (not including any company match). I can hang a very simple spreadsheet on our CAS that creates a table and graph of how much money you will have over time assuming a consistent annual contribution and a consistent investment return. For the base case, I plugged in $22,000 per year invested and an 8% annual return. I’ve summarized the base case below. The key takeaway should be START EARLY and SAVE AS MUCH AS YOU CAN. You will earn a significant amount of money over time and compounding interest is the key to a safe and secure retirement. Invest $22,000 each year in retirement accounts (401(k) and IRA) at 8% (remember the long run average of the stock market is 10.2%, so this is a very reasonable assumption) and you will have:
After 10 years Amount Invested: $220,000 Account Value: $318,704 Investment Gain: $98,704
Remember, these are MATHEMATICAL FACTS and time is on your side when you are young. Most of us should be able to maximize these accounts by the time we are in our mid 30’s. If you can do it sooner, that’s awesome. If you are in your mid 30’s and can’t do it yet, then pay special attention when we get to “Spend Planning” in a later article….I bet you can do it if you try!
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MAY of 1942
hanks to the intelligence gathered by Cmdr. Joe Rochefort at Station Hypo, it was known to Adm. Chester Nimitz that a Japanese invasion force, escorted by the carriers Shōkaku and Zuikaku of Carrier Division (CarDiv) 5, would enter the Coral Sea around May 3, 1942 on its way to Port Moresby, New Guinea in an attempt to isolate Australia from the United States. Nimitz sent the aircraft carriers Yorktown and Lexington under Rear Adm. Frank J. Fletcher as Task Force 17 to head off the Empire of Japan’s invasion force.
The Opening Moves
U.S. planes based in Australia spotted five or six big ships in the Solomon Islands May 3. Yorktown finished refueling and steamed north all night toward the enemy ships, leaving behind the Lexington to refuel. In the early morning of May 4, 40 planes launched and attacked the ships. It was the vanguard of the invasion force. The Americans sank several small ships; it was not a crippling blow, but it gave the still inexperienced American pilots valuable practice. On May 5, Lexington rejoined Yorktown. The Japanese now knew that Task Force 17 was present in the area, but Task Force 17 still hadn’t sighted the Japanese carriers of CarDiv5, which were just entering the Coral Sea. The carriers headed west to intercept the invasion force. The next day both sides sent out long-range air patrols, and came within 70 miles of each other, but no contact was made.
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Confusion
hen, on May 7, both sides sent out scouts before dawn. Fletcher sent his planes north, while the Japanese carriers, 200 miles to the east, sent their planes south. Fletcher at this point detached a force of three cruisers and three destroyers and sent them to blunt the invasion force. One of the American scout planes sent in a report that they had spotted two carriers and four cruisers. Fletcher knew that whoever made the first blow would have the advantage. Because it was too far out of range for his torpedo planes, Task Force 17 went north, not launching until 9:26 a.m. Fletcher used a bullhorn to yell at the pilots as they got in their planes, “Get that *&%^$@ carrier!” By
Coral Sea
Story by MC3 Phillip Ladouceur
The Shōhō 10:15 a.m., there were 93 American planes in the air, heading toward the two carriers. Then the scout plane dropped a beanbag on the Yorktown (the then standard way of sending messages without breaking radio silence) to confirm the location of the enemy ships. But it also said that it was two cruisers, not two carriers. The code table had been misaligned for the radio message. Fletcher had just sent his full strike force off to attack ships that were relatively unimportant targets. He couldn’t recall his planes, because he didn’t want to get caught recovering planes in case the Japanese attacked. And he still didn’t know where the enemy carriers were.
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Contact
hen a land-based Army bomber from Australia reported a carrier and 20 other ships only 30 miles from the cruisers and destroyers Fletcher had just sent his planes to attack. Army pilots weren’t always correct when it came to identifying ships, but if it was a carrier it was definitely more important than a couple of cruisers. Fletcher broke radio silence and redirected the aircraft at 10:53 a.m. That morning, the Japanese had much the same problem as the Americans. At 7:22 a.m. a scout had misidentified an American oiler and destroyer as a carrier and cruiser. They had launched 78 planes to the south to sink the ‘carrier’. And while the planes were engaged, the Japanese learned of another enemy surface force of battleships and cruisers. These were the three cruisers and three destroyers that Fletcher had sent off earlier in the day. Assuming that the American carriers would be near the ‘battleships’, the Japanese CarDiv5 recovered their planes and started heading west to launch an attack. It would take several hours to get in range. At around 11 a.m., the aircraft from Strike Force 17 found the Port Moresby invasion screening force, which included the small carrier Shōhō, which carried only 20
Part 2 in a Series
aircraft. The Shōhō tried to dodge the first attack, making a full circle to port, but the Lexington’s planes nailed it. By the time Yorktown’s torpedo planes arrived, Shōhō was finished. They put ten torpedoes in her anyway. Shōhō continued at high speed as she sank, black smoke rising from her. At 11:35 a.m. the report came back from the scouting squadron: “Scratch one flattop.” When Lt. Cmdr. Joe Taylor, commander of the Yorktown torpedo squadron, landed, Fletcher asked him to describe what he’d seen. Taylor said that he’d show him in a minute. “This is no time for joking,” said Fletcher. “I’m not joking,” Taylor said. “We took pictures.” When Fletcher and Capt. Elliott Buckmaster saw the photos of the sinking Shōhō, the two men literally jumped for joy. It was too late to launch another strike, as the planes wouldn’t be able to return until after dark. Fletcher was also expecting a counterattack, so he moved south to wait and see what his next move should be. At 5:47 p.m., radar on the Yorktown picked up enemy planes. These were the Japanese planes on their way to attack the cruisers and destroyers they thought were the main American force. They had stumbled upon Task Force 17 by accident. Yorktown and Lexington got 30 fighters up in the air to meet 27 bombers and fighters. After fending off the threat, it was too dark to launch another attack.
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May 8, 1942
oth sides sighted each other at about 9 a.m. Task Force 17 launched 75 planes to attack, CarDiv5 launched 69 planes. At 11 a.m., the torpedo planes and dive-bombers of Task Force 17 launched their attack on the Shōkaku. Only three bombs hit the Shōkaku; atmospheric conditions made it difficult to see. Lt. John J. Powers scored one of those hits. He had sworn that morning that he was going to lay his bomb on the flight deck of an enemy carrier. He had put his plane in a full dive, waiting until he was just 500 feet from the Shōkaku to release his bomb. His plane was destroyed in the blast. He was later awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor. To the south, Japanese planes began their attack at 11:13 a.m. The Lexington tried to get out of the way, but she was not a nimble ship. She miraculously dodged several torpedoes, but her luck didn’t hold. In the end, two bombs and two torpedoes struck her. Yorktown had several near misses, including one explosion so close and violent that it lifted the stern of the carrier so high out of the water that her brass propellers could be seen spinning. One bomb hit 15 feet from the island and went
through the flight deck. Exploding deep below, it damaged many of the ship’s steam lines. A third of the ship’s boilers had to be secured. Buckmaster called down to find out what speed he could make. The engineer said 24 knots. Buckmaster asked if that might be too much, not wanting to overwork the remaining boilers. “Hell no!” was the answer. “We’ll make it.” By 11:40 a.m. the attack was over, and the Japanese left believing they had sank both carriers. Damage control efforts on the Lexington were desperate and continued through a series of explosions from gas fumes and ammunition all afternoon. Eventually the ship had no power and fires were burning out of control. As the crew abandoned ship, good order held. Many lined up their shoes in a row as they prepared to go over the side, as if they might come back for them later. Most of the Lexington’s crew were saved, some 2,700 men. Fletcher turned the Yorktown to the south, trailing what would become a 50-mile long oil slick behind her.
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Consequences
he Japanese invasion had been turned back. The lines between the U.S. and Australia were safe, and the Empire of Japan’s momentum had been stopped for the first time. The Japanese had lost more planes than the Americans, and lost more of their pilots. Just as importantly, the American pilots had gained valuable combat experience. America had lost its largest carrier, and the Japanese had lost one of its smallest. But the damage that had been inflicted on the Shōkaku and Zuikaku—and the Japanese belief that they had put the Yorktown out of commission—would have enormous consequences the next time the two sides clashed.
USS Lexington
Hey Frankie, what, you want NBA news and such? I got you broseph! Miami 4, Milwaukee 0 Miami brought their “A” game along with a big broom as the Heat swept the Bucks. It’s almost like the Miami Heat just played a high school team as they rolled right through the Bucks. I can only hope for someone to give Miami a run for their money. The defending champs await the winner of Chicago vs. Brooklyn. New York 4, Boston 2
The New York Knicks take out the Boston Celtics after almost blowing a 3-0 lead in the series. Celtics gave a lot of heart trying to come back, but fell short loosing at home against the Carmelo and the Knicks. NY is back on track. Indiana 4, Atlanta 2
Here was a crazy match-up with two teams with no big names just good ole’ fashioned team play. The Pacers went to Atlanta on Friday with a chance to clinch the best-of seven series. Even though the Hawks have won 13 straight at home against the Pacers, including both games in this series the Pacers came out victorious moving to the second round. Chicago 3, Brooklyn 3
This has been a great series of basketball. Nets are one win away from overcoming a 3-1 series deficit after beating Chicago 95-92 Thursday night to force a game seven. The series goes back to Brooklyn for game seven on Saturday and is the only first round play-off game still playing. The lucky winner is to play the Miami Heat. Oh joy. Oklahoma City 4, Houston 2
Oklahoma City Thunder finally put it together despite playing without key player Russell Westbrook. Houston almost shocked the world by winning the previous game in OKC but that wasn’t enough. Kevin Durant has put the team on his back and made the push to move to move his team forward through the play-offs. San Antonio 4, L.A. Lakers 0
In what was a total disappointing season for the Lakers (at least they made the play-offs) they get swept by a San Antonio team who seems to make the play-offs every year as long as I can remember. Tim Duncan and the Spurs looks to dominant their next opponent the Golden State Nuggets. Golden State 4, Denver 2
So when was the last time you remember the Golden State Warriors making the play-offs? This is the second time in 22 years that the Warriors have reached the second round. This team has shown heart and has had a hot shooting down the stretch. Hello Spurs. Memphis 4, L.A. Clippers 2
A hungry Memphis Grizzlies team brings home a victory against the L.A. Clippers. Blake Griffin played with a bad ankle and Chris Paul was ejected late out of the game. Memphis moves on to the second to play Oklahoma City Thunder.
Go Bobcats, fuggedaboutit. Tiny out! Story by Senior Chief Horatio “Tiny” McDaniels