Return to
Naval Historical Center home
page.
Return to
Online Library
listing
Photo #: 80-G-32235 Battle of Midway, June 1942 USS Astoria (CA-34) stops to pick up the crew of a ditched Bombing Squadron Three (VB-3) SBD-3 scout bomber at about 1342 hrs on 4 June 1942. The downed plane, sinking just astern of the cruiser, was piloted by Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Paul A. Holmberg. A second SBD, flown by VB-3's Commanding Officer, Lieutenant Commander Maxwell F. Leslie, is low in the center, preparing to ditch. A PBY is also nearby, visible just to the left of Leslie's SBD. The two VB-3 planes were returning from attacking the Japanese aircraft carrier Soryu and were unable to land on USS Yorktown (CV-5) after she was hit and temporarily stopped by Japanese dive bombers. Photographed from USS Pensacola (CA-24). Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the U.S. National Archives. Online Image: 70KB; 740 x 530 pixels Reproductions of this image may also be available through the National Archives photographic reproduction system. |
Click on the small photograph to prompt a larger view of the same image.
Return to
Naval Historical Center home
page.
19 March 1999