Ask the Author: Kevin Miller
Answered Questions (8)
Kevin Miller
Andrea, you are correct. Plenty of credit to go around.
Through my research at NNAM I was able to read the Bombing SIX after-action report - which Best wrote or certainly edited. In it, Best's three SBDs scored three hits. The report says the first bomb hit amidships, and implies that Best dropped it.
Through the research of Parshall and Tully - heroes to all students of Midway - we know that the first bomb hit close to port. They found this in Akagi's logbook, also corroborated by Fuchida's eyewitness account. The second bomb hit amidships, and the third near the stern on the port side. Everyone credits this final hit to Fred Weber, and all the evidence indicates that that near miss disabled Akagi's rudder.
The SBD was a precision weapon. The pilot tracked the target while keeping airspeed, dive angle, and altitude in his scan. He also had to keep the airplane in balanced flight. "Manual" bombing, and I've delivered weapons this way - a challenge. I've also delivered them while flying formation on my lead - when his bombs come off, I pickle mine. This is not a precision delivery for me the wingman - I'm flying formation on lead and taking only a quick glance at what's below us. I depend on the lead to get us in the general vicinity of the target. Furthermore, because the delivery is not precise for me, I'm probably dropping a "stik" of bombs: 2, 4, 6 or whatever I'm carrying.
I also interviewed George Walsh, a WWII dive bomber pilot, now deceased, who wrote on this subject in his book Midway: Searching for the Truth. They never attacked in this "welded-wing" manner. The doctrine for SBDs - and there is material from Fisher about this - was that the lead would pull and push in a violent maneuver to enter a 90 degree dive. It was a surprise to 2 who followed, followed by 3 and the rest of the squadron. Each pilot tracked the target for his own release.
So I do not believe Parshall's sketch of the Best attack. Best - the lead - dropped first, followed by Kroeger and Weber. We all agree on Weber's hit aft. The logbook and Fuchida's credible eyewitness account say that the first bomb hit close to port. Kroeger dropped second, and the second bomb hit amidships.
With airplanes in formation, can the bird on the left side have a detonation to the right of the impact from the bird on the right? Yes, but again, a welded-wing delivery as depicted in the Parshall drawing was not part of doctrine. Best claimed the first hit (of his claimed three-for-three in the VB-6 report) and documents prove that false.
So, through my research, including a primary written source and a primary human source, Bud Kroeger scored the decisive hit. Had Weber survived the war, more would be known of this action as he saw it all before him. Tragically, he lost his life 6.5 hours later.
As an aviator myself I get that impressions pulling off target are not always what actually happened. Today's recording devices do much to clarify (but not eliminate) errors in bomb damage assessment.
Best is a hero, and I wish our Navy would name a ship for him. In the big scheme this doesn't matter, but my account in TSW also speaks to the humble nature of Kroeger and so many of his generation. He was just doing his job and did not seek attention. As his wife said, he lived a life of service.
Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to review. I must ask though; your review was complimentary of TSW. Is there a reason for four stars instead of five?
All the best,
Kevin
Through my research at NNAM I was able to read the Bombing SIX after-action report - which Best wrote or certainly edited. In it, Best's three SBDs scored three hits. The report says the first bomb hit amidships, and implies that Best dropped it.
Through the research of Parshall and Tully - heroes to all students of Midway - we know that the first bomb hit close to port. They found this in Akagi's logbook, also corroborated by Fuchida's eyewitness account. The second bomb hit amidships, and the third near the stern on the port side. Everyone credits this final hit to Fred Weber, and all the evidence indicates that that near miss disabled Akagi's rudder.
The SBD was a precision weapon. The pilot tracked the target while keeping airspeed, dive angle, and altitude in his scan. He also had to keep the airplane in balanced flight. "Manual" bombing, and I've delivered weapons this way - a challenge. I've also delivered them while flying formation on my lead - when his bombs come off, I pickle mine. This is not a precision delivery for me the wingman - I'm flying formation on lead and taking only a quick glance at what's below us. I depend on the lead to get us in the general vicinity of the target. Furthermore, because the delivery is not precise for me, I'm probably dropping a "stik" of bombs: 2, 4, 6 or whatever I'm carrying.
I also interviewed George Walsh, a WWII dive bomber pilot, now deceased, who wrote on this subject in his book Midway: Searching for the Truth. They never attacked in this "welded-wing" manner. The doctrine for SBDs - and there is material from Fisher about this - was that the lead would pull and push in a violent maneuver to enter a 90 degree dive. It was a surprise to 2 who followed, followed by 3 and the rest of the squadron. Each pilot tracked the target for his own release.
So I do not believe Parshall's sketch of the Best attack. Best - the lead - dropped first, followed by Kroeger and Weber. We all agree on Weber's hit aft. The logbook and Fuchida's credible eyewitness account say that the first bomb hit close to port. Kroeger dropped second, and the second bomb hit amidships.
With airplanes in formation, can the bird on the left side have a detonation to the right of the impact from the bird on the right? Yes, but again, a welded-wing delivery as depicted in the Parshall drawing was not part of doctrine. Best claimed the first hit (of his claimed three-for-three in the VB-6 report) and documents prove that false.
So, through my research, including a primary written source and a primary human source, Bud Kroeger scored the decisive hit. Had Weber survived the war, more would be known of this action as he saw it all before him. Tragically, he lost his life 6.5 hours later.
As an aviator myself I get that impressions pulling off target are not always what actually happened. Today's recording devices do much to clarify (but not eliminate) errors in bomb damage assessment.
Best is a hero, and I wish our Navy would name a ship for him. In the big scheme this doesn't matter, but my account in TSW also speaks to the humble nature of Kroeger and so many of his generation. He was just doing his job and did not seek attention. As his wife said, he lived a life of service.
Thank you for reading, and for taking the time to review. I must ask though; your review was complimentary of TSW. Is there a reason for four stars instead of five?
All the best,
Kevin
Kevin Miller
Thank you Robert. Glad you've enjoyed my works.
Kevin Miller
I'm not a marathoner and friends would laugh that I even compare myself to one, but publishing a novel is a long journey. Slow and steady and all that. It is a feeling of accomplishment and people appreciate it. I like it when they marvel at the world I show them; they had no idea, and through my words they learn. My publisher Stealth Books expects more intelligence from readers than what others with a business focus give readers credit for. We write for readers at a high level. Hang on.
Kevin Miller
Not very well! I should write daily - but often go days without it. Writing Raven One was a cycle of intense activity (10-15K words over a period of days) followed by weeks or months of inaction.
An informal goal is 1,000 words per day. (Only knocked out 400 today.)
An informal goal is 1,000 words per day. (Only knocked out 400 today.)
Kevin Miller
Never give up, and literary agents (all of whom rejected me!) all said this. Keep trying, and it has never been easier for writers to publish with electronic readers and print-on-demand.
Kevin Miller
I must force myself to hit it, typically in the early morning hours, but sometimes afternoon and evening if motivated. Don't have a set schedule - need one. Current events and news feeds of current operations are also inspirational.
Constructive feedback is also helpful.
Constructive feedback is also helpful.
Kevin Miller
A friend suggested I write one, and my goal was to convey several different aspects of flying a FA-18 and living on a deployed carrier. In a sense Raven One is a series of vignettes that are tied together to make a coherent story. People often asked me "what it is like," and R1 is written for those who are not familiar. It is another world, and if people read only one book about carrier aviation in their lives, this one covers a lot of ground and provides a fairly accurate picture.
Kevin Miller
I'm writing a sequel to Raven One, and, like other authors in this genre, I'm going to promote some main characters and this time go to the Caribbean. Have several ideas for war-at-sea scenarios, and new aspects of human nature to explore.
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