Edward Oliver Smith

Private First Class Edward Smith was a Marine radioman and gunner with VMSB-241, a scout-bomber squadron based at Midway Island in 1942. He was part of the Second Section, Second Division, and usually flew with Second Lieutenant Harold “Gil” Schlendering as his pilot.

At 0610 hours on 4 June 1942, VMSB-241 took off from Midway and rendezvoused at “Point Affirm” – a safe distance from the airfield, out of the way of an incoming Japanese strike force. A radio message sent them on course to attack an enemy carrier; a two-hour flight brought them within sight of the IJN Hiryū. The carrier sent up a wall of flak, and her fighters quickly climbed to engage the unescorted American bombers.

Lieutenant Schlendering managed to evade fighters and flak to drop his bomb, but the Dauntless (SBD-2 #2148) was badly shot up in the process. The pilot was hit in the leg and the rear guns were silent: Smith had evidently been badly wounded or killed outright by enemy action. Schlendering managed to nurse his bomber to within eight miles of Midway before losing control; he bailed out and was soon picked up by a crash boat. Smith did not follow; a search turned up no sign of life.

Although Schlendering reported his belief that the gunner was killed by Japanese fighter fire, Smith was reported as missing in action after the battle. He was ultimately declared dead on 5 June 1943.