Torpedo Squadron 8

Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) was a United States Navy squadron assigned to the Hornet Air Group operating from the aircraft carrier USS Hornet (CV-8). The squadron joined the ship shortly after commissioning in October 1941 and remained in the Pacific following her sinking in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands in October 1942.

VT-8's first combat was the Battle of Midway (4th of June 1942). Flying Douglas TBD Devastators, Cdr. John Waldron's 15 planes were all shot down executing an unescorted torpedo attack against four Japanese aircraft carriers. They did not destroy any enemy aircraft with their rear-facing .30-caliber machine guns or any enemy carriers with their torpedos during this battle.

All members of Squadron 8 involved in the action perished with the exception of Ensign George Gay.

A list of the fallen:

Lt. Commander John C. Waldron
Lt. Raymond A. Moore
Lt. James C. Owens
Lt.(jg) George M. Campbell
Lt.(jg) John P. Gray
Lt.(jg) Jeff D. Woodson
Ens. William W. Abercrombie
Ens. William W. Creamer
Ens. Harold J. Ellison
Ens. William R. Evans
Ens. Henry R. Kenyon
Ens. Ulvert M. Moore
Ens. Grant W. Teats
Robert B. Miles, Aviation Pilot 1c
Horace F. Dobbs, Chief Radioman
Amelio Maffei, Radioman 1
Tom H. Pettry, Radioman 1
Otway D. Creasy, Jr. Radioman 2
Ross H. Bibb, Jr., Radioman 2
Darwin L. Clark, Radioman 2
Ronald J. Fisher, Radioman 2
Hollis Martin, Radioman 2
Bernerd P. Phelps Radioman 2
Aswell L. Picou, Seaman 2
Francis S. Polston, Seaman 2
Max A. Calkins, Radioman 3
George A. Field, Radioman 3
Robert K. Huntington, Radioman 3
William F. Sawhill, Radioman 3

Failure of the Hornet's captain and air group commander to provide proper coordination led to the disaster, though in fairness neither Torpedo Squadron 3 from the USS Yorktown (CV-5) nor USS Enterprise (CV-6) torpedo squadrons fared much better. Of all 41 torpedo planes which sortied that day, only 5 survived. However, it is believed that the act of drawing away the Japanese Zero fighters allowed a subsequent wave of dive bombers to seriously harm three enemy carriers.

Torpedo 8 was the first squadron equipped with Grumman's new TBF-1 Avenger, a bigger, faster, longer-ranged replacement for the TBD. Six Avengers flew from Midway during the Battle of Midway but only one returned to base.

Subsequently VT-8 fully re-equipped with TBFs and flew in the Guadalcanal campaign before being disestablished.