USS Midway

Stories from USS Midway

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Sailor: Warren Monroe

On a regular long night in the Tonkin Gulf the last plane of course the A3B Whale. The LSO asked for a fly by but the pilot decined saying all was set and ready. Wrong. The A3B came in with its landing gear up luckly catching the #1 wire.All crew were OK the A3B was in not.The Pilot was grounded. For a little while anyway.A monthe or two later the same pilot, same type plane, and the same type long night on the flight deck. The A3B did a fly by. The LSO checked his gear. Gear down. Gear down locked and ready. Landing gear lights can be seen by all. The piolt has the ball in the lense. Looking good, looking good, perfect. Hit hte middle of the deck,took the #2 wire.Celebration!!!Short lived. The A3B slid to the right, wiped out a comlete helo squadron and a couple of A6's. I din't remember hearing about the pilot flying again. I was the Topside Petty Officer for the arresting gear..

—Posted by

Sailor: Gerald Ruane

In 1972-73 we had a mass cauliuty on board.the pilot was killed by a rocket,the navigater flew the a/c on board.The air wing commander was dragged across the flight deck,appox 9 people died that day.I need the date it happened for a VA claim I don't know the date would someone call me collect at my home or e mail me Please.

—Posted by

Lawrence J Wagner

Service Dates=1971-1993

I'm just remembering the famous Midway deployment

to Gonzo Station (Persian Gulf) From Dec 1983-April 1994.

In search of the Green Monster. 113 consecutive days at sea

ending in a port call Singapore. I remember at least 4 deaths

during that period from Pilots to Seaman. The cruise was

officially called a Six Pack cruise because of the length of deployment

every man was entitled to 2 beers per 50 days at sea.

I hated it then. Looking back it was a fun time.

Posted by

Carl E. Johnson

Service Dates=2/45 to 7/46& 9/50 to 5/52

Any "I" (lookout) division swabbies still left out there? How about Eugene Buckholtz who came to the Midway fromthe Franklin after she was hit at Okinawa or Linford P Smith, a retired firefighter from Bethlehem,PA?

Posted by Carl E Johnson

Service Dates=2/11/53-1/4/72 (in Midway 5/59-11/64)

TextAreaName=Served in the Midway from 5/59 until 11/64 in the OS later CS division (signal bridge) during this time period I made 4 west-pac deployments in Midway, Midway was the saluting ship Pearl, when Hawaii was welcomed into the union (august 59), we also were the saluting ship on the day of internment for president Kennedy (Pearl), Midway had a long US Navy history, while I was only part of it for some 5 1/2 years, many things happened. A fire in Subic, loose of #3 elevator in the South China sea, combat operations Vietnam. Memeories of her are of the fond nature. Served with many good men, and a few not so good. While it remains to be seen if they will ever make her into a museum ship in Sn Diego, will just have to wait and see.

Service Dates=1976-1978

Midway was my first ship and the ship responsible for me to gain my interest in air control. As an Operations Specialist, I qualified as Strike Controller. Later in my 10 year career I went to AIC school, ASAC school, taught AIC and AICS school, attended AICS and TOP GUN while an instructor.

As a civilian air controller I worked on three shuttle missions at Vandenburg AFB.

My last position with the DOD was as an air controller at Echo Range China Lake.

I still live in Ridgecrest where China Lake is but I am now a chiropractor!!

AHHHHH Midway! AHHHHH Subic! AHHHHHH to be young again!!!!

Service Dates=5/15/42 to 12/4/62

I served onboard the USS Midway from Feb.1947 to Jun. of 1952. I came aboard as a seaman 1/c and left a Gunner's Mate 1/c. One of the stories I remember was the time we ran into a whale in the Med. The ship had to stop and back down to get rid of it. On another trip to the Med we were in Marseille, France and coming back from liberty the last night in port one of the fifty foot motor launchs hit a bouy and sank with the lose of about 11 sailors lives. Or the time we were in Cain, France and a crap game in the Battery locker was held up. Never did discover who did it.

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