Ensign Gee H. Gay's Fateful Day, June 4, 1942 > The Sextant > Article View

Contents:

• GEE H. GAY, 77; WAS SOLE SURVIVOR IN A MIDWAY ATTACK
• DECIDG WHETHER TO LIVE OR DIE: GEE GAY, MIDWAY SURVIVOR
• ENSIGN GEE H. GAY'S FATEFUL DAY, JUNE 4, 1942
• GEE H. GAY, JR.
• ENSIGN GEE H. GAY AFTER THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY
• ARTIST BGRAPHY & FACTSGEE HOWELL GAY
• CATEGORY:GEE H. GAY
• GEE H GAY (1858-1931)
• ENSIGN GEE H. GAY
• GEE H. GAY JR.

GEE H. GAY, 77; WAS SOLE SURVIVOR IN A MIDWAY ATTACK

Gay, 77; Was Sole Survivor In a Midway Attack ADVERTISEMENTOct. Gay Jr., a pilot who was the only survivor of his torpedo squadron the battle of Midway, and who drifted the sea as the most important naval battle of World War II unfold around him, died on Friday at Kenntone Hospal here.

Gay flew a Douglas Devastator torpedo plane an attack on Japane warships near Midway Island on June 4, the plan his squadron were shot down, and he was the only one of 30 men Torpedo Squadron 8 to survive.

Gay watched the Amerin dive bombers hurtle out of the clouds to attack Japane aircraft rriers and found himself "cheerg and hollerg wh every h.

DECIDG WHETHER TO LIVE OR DIE: GEE GAY, MIDWAY SURVIVOR

Gay ma personal appearanc for the Navy, spreadg the news of the victory at Midway. That victory -- achieved by an Amerin fleet wh only three heavy rriers agast four heavy Japane rriers and three light on -- was a turng pot the war that Gay was a Trans World Airl pilot for 30 years after the war. Gay toured the untry wh the film's stars, Charlton Hton and Henry Fonda, to promote the film.

A native of Wa, Tex., he eventually moved to is survived by his wife, Esther Huffman Bevacqua Gay, and two stepchildren. Gay, 77; Was Sole Survivor In a Midway Attack. Ensign Gee Gay (Circled) would be the only survivor of his squadron’s attack on June 4, 1942.

Gee Gay [right] and his radman/gunner, ARM3c Robert K. Ensign Gee Gay’s Story.

ENSIGN GEE H. GAY'S FATEFUL DAY, JUNE 4, 1942

Gay, Jr. Gay was the pilot of a Devastator torpedo bomber VT-8, and like every sgle man his squadron, he experienced the terror of beg shot down at sea. Gay sat there bobbg up and down the water, the middle of the Japane fleet, probably thkg his life was over, tryg sperately to hi unr his seat chn.

Ensign Gay saw the U.

Wh knowledge of a large Japane vasn fleet movg towards Midway Island outnumberg the assembled Amerin naval force, Gay did not sleep well.

GEE H. GAY, JR.

The attack by VT-8 on the Japane rrier battle group that morng would be the first bat missn for the squadron, and the first time Gay or any of the squadron's ensign pilots had ever flown a missn - much ls wnsed a takeoff?

ENSIGN GEE H. GAY AFTER THE BATTLE OF MIDWAY

Gay abandoned his ial torpedo n and began to manver his aircraft while his rear gunner/radman, Aviatn Radman Third Class Robert K. 30 liber mache gun, Gay fired at anythg that flew ont of him and managed to h and damage one Zero fighter until the gun jammed.

Sudnly Gay felt somethg h his left arm, and found blood on his hand.

ARTIST BGRAPHY & FACTSGEE HOWELL GAY

Soon Huntgton lled over the ter that he was h and then the rad went silent; Gay was on his own. In ls than 15 mut, enemy fighters had annihilated VT-8 except for Gay's aircraft. At a distance of 800 yards om the ship, Gay dropped his torpedo and managed to hop his Devastator over the rrier.

Circlg back around, Gay found himself facg five Japane fighter plan. In an stant mache gun and nnon fire ripped to the torpedo bomber, woundg Gay.

CATEGORY:GEE H. GAY

Gay suffered severe flash burns on his left leg.

Dpe havg his dr and aileron ntrols shot out, Gay managed to somewhat ntrol the crash of the Devastator to the sea, rtwheelg on impact Dpe the ckp ame jammg on impact, Gay smashed out of the nopy and unsuccsfully attempted to extrite Huntgton. As the plane sank away, Gay bid his ra goodbye and swam to the surface, bumpg to his unflated life raft that floated ee of the skg aircraft. Bobbg the ocean nsirable pa while ridg the life raft between his legs, Gay spotted a black chn om the plane floatg nearby.

Regnizg as the chn loted the crawl space beneath the pilot's seat, Gay grabbed to put over his head an verted V shape to provi him some mouflage om the enemy while still havg some semblance of visibily. Of the 15 Devastators and 30 aircrew of VT-8, only Gay remaed alive. Wound, alone and surround, for Gay the suatn looked bleak.

GEE H GAY (1858-1931)

Wh a grandstand seat for the ensug actn, Gay watched and cheered as the Kaga, Akagi, and S?

ENSIGN GEE H. GAY

As he watched the water, an enemy ciser and stroyer steamed near Gay's posn. In the ver of night, Gay flated his yellow life raft, clambered aboard and disvered three of the four air partments had bullet hol. In the ld of the night, Gay shivered the darkns wh the sounds of the Japane scuttlg the burned-out rriers too close for fort.

On June 5, a Navy PBY Catala flyg boat spotted Gay and returned the afternoon to rcue him after 30 hours adrift. On June 6, Gay flew om Midway Island to Pearl Harbor for medil treatment. Durg his examatn, doctors found a bullet agment his left hand which the chief surgeon managed to extract whout any damage to Gay's hand.

Pacific Fleet, and a group of officers me to vis Gay and hear his acunt of the battle. Pleased wh Gay's acunt, Nimz and his staff parted at which pot a hospal attendant me wh a wheelchair. Groggily, Gay found himself wheeled outsi and hand an afternoon edn of the Honolulu Star-Bullet wh the headle "Japane at Midway SMASHED" as news meras clicked away.

GEE H. GAY JR.

The followg morng, papers across the natn featured Gay's photo and his acunt of the battle and subsequent survival. After his ath on October 21, 1994, the Navy sttered Gay's remas at sea by the Midway battle se to jo his lost ras of 52 years prr.

— “I really have had a good, good life, ” said Ts Gay on Sept. Gay held urt om her fy livg room chair wrapped a goln boa wh a matchg crown wh the number 100 on top.

Gay is the widow of Gee Gay, a Navy pilot and rated hero of the Battle of Midway. Ts Gay grew up outsi Washgton, D.