I appreciated Cy Piwetz’s article “Critics of the U.S. should read some World War II history.” And I appreciate his service to our country, as well, and the service and sacrifices of all the men and women of the Greatest Generation. There is a minor error, however, in the article. In his description of the American torpedo attack against Japanese carriers during the Battle of Midway, Mr. Piwetz notes that “President George H.W. Bush was one of the TBF pilots shot down.” Actually, the pilot who survived the torpedo attack, the only survivor of Torpedo Squadron 8, was Ensign George Gay, of Waco, Texas. After being shot down, Lt. Gay spent nearly 30 hours in the open ocean, hiding under a floating seat cushion, until he was rescued by a U.S. Navy patrol aircraft. Future President George H.W. Bush was shot down during WWII, but it happened more than two years after the Midway battle, on Sept. 2, 1944, off the island of Chichi Jima. Bush, then a 20-year-old Navy pilot, was rescued by the American submarine Finback.

The slaughter of the airmen of Torpedo Squadron 8 was not in vain. Their sacrifice set up a series of events in the battle that resulted in an American victory at Midway, a turning point in the war in the Pacific. George H.W. Bush’s dramatic rescue is described in James Bradbury’s book, “Flyboys.” Both Gay and Bush are heroes, which I think is a central point of Mr. Piwetz’ article.

Gary Whitley

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