Commending Their Actions

At the Battle of Midway, the Yorktown’s damage control first responders and the all-volunteer salvage team desperately fought for their ship’s survival and nearly succeeded. The carrier’s acting executive officer, Commander Irving D. Wiltsie, in his after-action report—and subsequently the Navy—recognized the damage control accomplishments of many enlisted men and officers. 

Repairing the ship’s boilers in less than an hour after their fires had been snuffed out by enemy bombs could not have been accomplished without Lieutenant Commander John Delaney Jr. and the seven men who manned boiler room No. 1. They kept auxiliary power going in the stricken carrier. The ship subsequently attained a speed of 23 knots, sufficient to launch fighters against incoming enemy torpedo bombers. While Delaney and five of his men received Silver Star Medals for their actions, Watertender First Class Charles Kleinsmith and Watertender Second Class Clifton Snell received Navy Crosses, Kleinsmith posthumously.

The aircraft launches also would not have been possible without expedited flight-deck repairs following three direct bomb hits. In that regard, Lieutenant Commander Albert H. Wilson Jr., the flight deck officer who directed a repair party, “was principally responsible for Yorktown’s ability to launch planes in sufficient time to intercept a Japanese aerial torpedo attack.” In addition, Ensign Chester E. Briggs “repeatedly exposed himself to danger during a heavy bombing attack and was cool and courageous in repairing flight deck equipment while the attack was going on.” Wilson and Briggs each received a Silver Star.

Many firefighters and each volunteer salvage crewman were individually recognized by Commander Wiltsie. CinCPac commendations, such as the one for Yeoman First Class Frank W. Boo, resulted from the acting executive officer’s report. Also cited in the report were Lieutenant Commander Ernest J. Davis, for reducing the ship’s list by cutting away and dropping overboard an antiaircraft mount, and Chief Machinist Mate Glyn D. Dillard, for directing “fire fighting efforts with calm courage and efficiency.” Both Davis and Dillard received Silver Stars.

—David Lee Bergeron