(An image of a younger Elizabeth, in commemoration of her Diamond Jubilee.)

It is the day between- the dates that even at this distance ring with the poignancy of sacrifice. The Battle of Midway was concluding this day, with doomed ships and crews going down under the flags of Imperial Japan and The United states of America.

I got a note from The Good Doctor yesterday, and he reminded me of exactly who paid the bill for victory:

“My dad’s first cousin, Grant W. Teats, was one of George Gay’s wingmen in Torpedo Squadron 8. He perished on that day, June 4th 1942 along with everyone else except George. He was one helluva guy and athlete…

Now it gets even spookier. It turns out that my wife’s uncle, ENS Donald T. Griswold, also was killed in action that day, flying for Scouting Squadron 8 (also flying off the Hornet) and was awarded the Navy Cross for his actions that fateful day.

So both sides of our family were involved in action at Midway, the victory engineered by your good friend Mac. The ill-conceived torpedo bomber and scouting missions failed, but nevertheless were key parts of the Miracle at Midway.”

Having the unique (and historic) opportunity to hang out with Mac, it is no surprise that the triumph of Operational Intelligence takes pride of place in the annals of our little clan of Spooks. To be able to share his memories in person is a pearl beyond price, and the years between vanish in the recollections behind his blue eyes.

But we should remember that it was the Marines and Army Air Corps kids who manned up on Midway Island and went out to fight. They were flying aircraft that were no match for the aviators of the Empire of the Sun. Their training was spotty- to the extent that Marine dive-bombers were not even trained in the tactic for which their Dauntless bombers were intended.

The Navy kids were no better off. The torpedo planes had to line up and fly straight-and-level on the run-in, to ensure that the MK-13 fish would not destruct on impact. The Japanese who survived were amazed at the calm and steady manner in which the Americans lined up to die, one by one.

It was an insubordinate Naval aviator who ignored a direct order to follow an erroneous heading. He took his own flight direct to the scene of the action against the Kido Butai. If he had lived, he might have been court-marshaled. As it was, he was awarded the Purple Heart and the Navy Cross.

Here in the present, this is a day that passes for history in These United States- there is a recall election someplace, and we will hear a lot of it tomorrow, regardless of how it goes. It seems appropriate on this day between to join the residents of Shakespeare’s realm in the celebration of the diamond jubilee of Her Majesty, The Queen. She has served the people of her orb well with phlegmatic grace across the great divide between global empire and status as a plucky outlier of the Continent, and PMs from Churchill to Cameron.

A toast to her England, which Richard the Deuce described as:

This royal throne of kings, this sceptered isle,

This earth of majesty, this seat of Mars,

This other Eden, demi-paradise,

This fortress built by Nature for herself

Against infection and the hand of war,

This happy breed of men, this little world,

This precious stone set in the silver sea,

Which serves it in the office of a wall

Or as a moat defensive to a house,

Against the envy of less happier lands,–

This blessed plot, this earth, this realm, this England.

It is appropriate, since I turn my thoughts to a great friend and family member, Captain Richard Gile, U.S. Army Air Corps, who spent his time in England as a member of the 487th Bomb Group (Heavy), Station 137, Lavenham, Suffolk.

His day on the fifth of June was not in between anything. He was preparing for a special mission in the morning, 68 years ago tomorrow. Great forces were already at work all across England, preparing to hurl the largest amphibious force ever assembled across the Channel and conquer a continent.

(CAPT Richard Gile, USAAF. Photo Marshall Gile.)

I have told you before on other anniversaries of this day between: Dick lost an engine on his B-17 on take off roll, leaving him just enough thrust to get airborne. His fuel-and-bomb-laden aircraft lurched slowly, slowly into controlled flight, a slowly moving mass that could have blown up an English village if he could not wrestle it into the air.

Dick had the option, with good conscience, of dumping his bombs in the sea, burning off fuel, and returning safely to Lavenham.

He did not. He uttered an expletive and told his crew they were headed for the target, a bridge that would have enabled the Panzers held in reserve to strike the fragile toehold on the landing beaches. Private Ryan and his comrades were below, and they would soon know the closest thing to hell on earth that exists. Dick and his crew were not going to let them down.

So, on this day between, let me lift my mug to his memory, and of Private Ryan and his comrades in their landing craft, and make a special mention for Lieutenant Commander John C. Waldron.

Waldron was the insubordinate aviator who told his Air Wing Commander that he was screwed up, and headed off instead toward where he estimated, correctly, that the Japanese fleet lay.

His disobedience is worthy of the first ring of insubordination, reminding some of Nelson at Copenhagen in 1801. Waldron sighted the enemy carriers just where he thought they would be, and commenced his attack at 9:20 mid-Pacific time.

Here are his last orders: “If there is only one plane left to make the final run in, I want that man to go in and get a hit.”

Without a fighter escort, all 15 TBD Devastators of VT-8 were shot down like pigeons by swarming Zero-sen fighters. VT-6 followed Waldron’s lead and were also shot to pieces without a single one of the cursed Mark 13 torpedoes hitting a damned thing.

But if they had not done what they did, the Five Minutes at Midway would never have happened.

Here is a toast to The Queen, and to the men of the Mighty Eighth, and a special prayer for the soul of John C. Waldron. Bless them all.

(LCDR John C. Waldron, KIA. Photo USN)

Copyright 2012 Vic Socotra
www.vicsocotra.com