As the fighters scrambled to defend Midway, the island’s attack forces were also being launched — without fighter escort, as every available fighter was needed for the defence. First to lift off after the fighters were six Grumman TBF Avengers that had arrived from the mainland just six days earlier with fresh crews. They were the first operational Avengers delivered to the Navy, on their way to join VT-8 aboard the carrier USS Hornet. They were led by Lieutenant Fieberling, and in one of the other planes, 8-T-1 (Bu. No. 00380), flew pilot Albert K. Earnest (age 25), radioman Harry Ferrier (age 17) and gunner Jay Manning (age 17).
On their way out they spotted the Japanese formation heading toward Midway. Only one Zero peeled off toward them but soon lost interest. The Avengers were the first to reach the Japanese fleet, at 07:10 in the morning. Almost immediately they were swarmed by Zeros — so many that Earnest got the impression they were getting in each other’s way. Manning fired back from his rear turret but soon fell silent. Ferrier climbed up to check and found Manning slumped over the guns. “Quite suddenly I was scared, a mature old man at the age of 18,” he later recalled. He climbed back down only to find that the view from his belly gun was blocked by the tail wheel — the hydraulic system had been shot out. Soon afterwards he was wounded in the wrist, and the next attack grazed his head and knocked him unconscious.
Meanwhile Earnest brought the plane down to 200 feet and opened the bomb bay doors for the torpedo run. Bullets were hitting the plane continuously when something flew through the canopy and struck him in the neck. Despite blood everywhere, Earnest felt no pain. Then he lost his elevator controls. With a carrier still some distance away it seemed certain they were going down. Earnest kicked the plane toward a nearby cruiser and released the torpedo. Following his training he rolled the elevator tab back — and suddenly the plane responded. He could control altitude with the tabs alone. Still pursued by two Zeros he fought his way clear, and eventually they gave up or were called back.
Now he was northeast of the Japanese fleet, which lay between him and Midway. His compass was shot away, but the sun was still low in the east so he turned south, then east, and climbed above the clouds. There he spotted the thick black smoke climbing from the burning oil tanks on Sand Island. On approach to Midway he attempted to lower the wheels but only the left came down. He tried repeatedly, but the right was stuck. Twice he attempted to land and was waved off. The ground crew tried to radio him to bail out, but 8-T-1’s radio was also shot out.
On the third attempt Earnest ignored the wave-off and set the plane down. Without flaps and with only one wheel, it rolled down the runway until the right wing struck the ground, graciously spinning 270 degrees before coming to a halt. Earnest was helped out by Lieutenant James P. Muri, who had just landed his own badly damaged B-26. Their ordeal was over — but Earnest and Ferrier were the only two survivors from their flight. None of the other five Avengers returned, and no torpedo hits were scored. They were also two of only three survivors from VT-8’s flight crews. Earnest received the Navy Cross for his actions.
