This
is a photograph of the surviving Avenger, which was piloted by Bert Earnest.
Before they could get to the Japanese fleet, the Avengers were attacked
by more than 20 Zeroes. As a result, the plane was left with
70 bullet holes, the hydraulic system and elevator wires were shot out,
and the bomb bay doors and tail wheel both hung down.
The pilot was hit
on the cheek by a shell fragment, the lower gunner, Harry Ferrier, was
knocked unconscious when he was hit by a bullet, and the top gunner was
killed.
They managed to drop
their torpedo toward a Japanese cruiser, but missed.
Because the Avenger's
compass was shot up, they had trouble finding Midway Island again, and
in the end only spotted it because of the thick black smoke caused by the
Japanese attack.
