U.S. Fleet Forces Command (USFFC) commemorated the 77th anniversary of the Battle of Midway with a dinner theater, dining out on board Naval Station Norfolk, June 6.

Eight unique stories were told through the course of the evening, from a shipyard planner that worked tirelessly for three days to ensure the USS Yorktown could return to battle, to the USS Nautilus’ commanding officer, Lt. Cmdr. William Brockman, who successfully completed strikes on Japanese ships contributing to the silent service’s role in the fight.

Stepping Back in Time

As Sailors, Marines, civilians and their families filled the banquet hall, they were taken back in time by the U.S. Fleet Forces Band jazz ensemble as they played radio hits of the 1940s.

The room was adorned with countless images and articles depicting life in the early years of the World War II. Many guests donned A-line dresses, victory-roll hairdos, fedoras and zoot suits. Each table displayed photos of Sailors and Marines who had given their lives defending their nation.

The evening’s events included three acts where members of the command’s recreation committee acted out the stories of ordinary Sailors who accomplished extraordinary feats leading up to and during the Battle of Midway, depicting heroism of the U.S. against enemies in the Pacific.

One such act, a first-hand account from Ensign George Gay of Waco, Texas, retold his experience aboard Yorktown-class aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8) on June 4, 1942.

Ensign George H. Gay, Jr.

Ensign Gay, portrayed by Yeoman 1st Class Kelly Pyron, was dressed in historical wash khakis, leather helmet, goggles, and flight jacket.

Pyron took to the stage, simulating the flying of an old Douglas TBD Devastator torpedo bomber and lip syncing along to the words of Ensign Gay.

“So there I was flyin’ off the USS Hornet...we had old planes and young crews, it was a tough spot to be in, and we were ready though. I had never actually carried a torpedo on an aircraft before, but I figured if Jimmy Doolittle and his boys could launch B-25s off the flight deck and hit their target, then by golly, we could too.”

The audience was transported into the cockpit as Gay talked about dropping his torpedo on Japanese first-line aircraft carrier, Soryu, and being rescued from the ocean after being shot down.

Pyron closed the story by reflecting on how Gay was the lone survivor from his squadron during that fateful flight.

About the Battle of Midway

The Battle of Midway was a naval battle in the Pacific Theater of World War II from June 4-7, 1942. It was six months after Japan's attack on Pearl Harbor and one month after the Battle of the Coral Sea. Midway was the turning point of combat in the Pacific, putting the Japanese on the defense for the remainder of the war. Ultimately, the Navy defeated the Imperial Japanese, inflicting devastating damage on the Japanese fleet that proved irreparable. Military historian John Keegan called the Battle of Midway, “the most stunning and decisive blow in the history of naval warfare."

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