Edby Marshall Colvin
PFC Edby M. “Marshall” Colvin was a Marine Corps gunner who flew with VMSB-241.
He was reported missing in the battle of Midway on 4 June 1942.
Branch
Marine Corps Regular
Service Number 311250
Current Status
Remains not recovered.
Pursuit Category
Based on circumstances of loss, this individual is considered permanently non-recoverable.
Capsule History
Pre-War Life
Birth
March 19, 1919
at Plateau, AL
Parents
Ellie Grace Colvin
Mattie Earl (Norwood) Colvin
Education
Details unknown
Occupation & Employer
Service station attendant
Service Life
Entered Service
May 9, 1941
at Kansas City, MO
Home Of Record
Plateau, AL
Next Of Kin
From Casualty Card
Military Specialty
Radioman / Gunner
Primary Unit
VMSB-241
Campaigns Served
Midway
Individual Decorations
Distinguished Flying Cross
Purple Heart
Additional Service Details
—
Loss And Burial
Circumstances Of Loss
Private First Class Edby Colvin served as an aviation radioman and gunner with VMSB-241, a Marine scout-bomber squadron based at Midway in early 1942. He flew in the rear seat of an outdated Vought SB2U Vindicator bomber; from 26 May 1942 onwards, his pilot was fellow Southerner Second Lieutenant James H. Marmande. With limited supplies restricting practice flights, Colvin and Marmande had very little time to get acquainted in the air.
Pilots and gunners were placed on standby early on the morning of 4 June 1942. Conflicting orders and confusion rattled the nerves somewhat, but by 0600 the bombers were taking off to strike at an approaching Japanese fleet. Director John Ford was on Midway, and brought his film camera to the runway in time to catch the Vindicator unit taking off. He shot a color sequence of SB2U-3 #2045 – painted with squadron number 6 – taking off, with Marmande and Colvin clearly visible at their positions.
Major Benjamin W. Norris Norris rendezvoused his formation at Point Affirm and led them towards the reported carrier position, climbing as he went. The Vindicators trailed behind the Dauntlesses, and Japanese fighters were already in the air when they arrived over the fleet. As the fast “Zekes” raced through the Americans, Norris opted to attack the nearest target: the battleship Haruna, directly below. Despite their slow speed and shallow dive angle, not one of the Vindicators fell over the enemy fleet. The formation scattered and the pilots were left to find their own route back to Midway.
Second Lieutenant Orvin H. Ramlo coaxed his shot-up Vindicator 10 homewards, hoping to get medical help for his wounded gunner. He was heartened by reported hits on enemy ships, no apparent losses, and the company of Vindicator 6 flying behind him. Ramlo was so fixated on his task that he lost track of the other planeuntil safely on the ground.
“Plane #6 with Second Lieutenant Marmande followed me to within 10 miles of the island and disappeared,” he said. “I didn’t miss him until some time after I landed. I do not know what happened to him.”
Exactly where and why Vindicator 6 vanished will never be known. All aircraft sustained damage during the attack, and this likely played a role in Marmande and Colvin’s demise. Both Marines were reported missing in action following the battle, and ultimately declared dead on 5 June 1943.
Burial Information or Disposition
Failed to return from mission over open sea; remains not recovered.
Next Of Kin Address
Address of mother, Mrs. Mattie Colvin.
Location Of Loss
Colvin’s Vindicator was last seen approximately ten miles from Midway.
