A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight

by Robert J. Mrazek

One of the great untold stories of World War II finally comes to light in this thrilling account of Torpedo Squadron Eight and their heroic efforts in helping an outmatched U.S. fleet win critical victories at Midway and Guadalcanal. Thirty-five American men -- many flying outmoded aircraft -- changed the course of the war, going on to become the war's most decorated naval air squadron, while suffering the heaviest losses in U.S. naval aviation history. Mrazek paints moving portraits of the men in the squadron, and exposes a shocking cover-up that cost many lives. Filled with thrilling scenes of battle, betrayal, and sacrifice, A Dawn Like Thunder is destined to become a classic in the literature of World War II.

Genres: History, World War II, Aviation, Nonfiction, Military Fiction, Military History, War

417 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2008

About the author

Robert Jan Mrazek was a Democratic member of the United States House of Representatives, representing the 3rd Congressonal District on Long Island for most of the 1980s.

He was born in Newport, Rhode Island, but grew up in Huntington, New York. He graduated from Cornell University in 1967. In 1967, he entered the United States Navy.

Mrazek was elected as a Democrat to the 98th United States Congress, defeating one term Republican incumbent John LeBoutillier. Mrazek served in the House from 1983 until 1993.

While in Congress, he coauthored the law that saved the Manassas battlefield from being bulldozed for a shopping center. He also authored the Tongass Timber Reform Act, the Amerasian Homecoming Act, which brought nineteen thousand children fathered by Americans during the Vietnam War to the US, and the National Film Preservation Act of 1988, which set up the federal registry in the Library of Congress to protect films of cultural importance.

Since retiring from Congress, Mrazek has written ten books. He also wrote and co-directed a feature film called The Congressman, that was released in 2016.

Mrazek is the author of seven novels, including Stonewall's Gold, Unholy Fire, The Deadly Embrace, Valhalla, The Bone Hunters, Dead Man's Bridge, and And the Sparrow Fell.

In 2000, Stonewall's Gold won the Michael Shaara Prize as the best Civil War novel of the year. In 2007, Deadly Embrace won the W.Y. Boyd Prize for Excellence in Military Fiction from the American Library Association.

Mrazek has also written two critically acclaimed non-fiction works, including A Dawn Like Thunder, which was named Best Book (American History) by the Washington Post, and To Kingdom Come, the story of a disastrous mission by the US 8th Air Force over Germany in 1943.

Reviews

[Manray9 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Today the appellation “hero” is thrown about frivolously. Not every person who encounters personal trials in their life is a hero. The naval aviators of Torpedo Squadron 8, celebrated by Robert J. Mrazek in A Dawn Like Thunder, were heroes. These young men, with much to live for, sold their lives dearly to blunt Japanese aggression against the U.S. in the early months of World War II. Mrazek tells their story vividly and with a raw power that gives them life anew. As Frank Deford wrote on the dust jacket, the tale of Torpedo Squadron 8 at Midway and Guadalcanal is “wonderfully uplifting.”

Mrazek is to be commended for not simply retelling a World War II story. His research exposed two illuminating aspects of the Battle of Midway. Appendix 1 of A Dawn Like Thunder details the personal quest of Bowen P. Weisheit, a lawyer from Maryland, who was an expert in the science of celestial navigation. Mr. Weisheit studied the After Action Report of the Midway battle and compared that report with unofficial data and fifty hours of interviews he conducted with survivors. His conclusion: the official After Action Report and its map were irreconcilable with the flight courses actually followed on the day of battle. The official map was false. Why? Senior officers in the navy are very much politicians and bureaucrats. The fact that an After Action Report may be “cooked” to cover embarrassing decisions which may reflect poorly on senior leaders is not inconceivable. Apparently, this is exactly what happened after Midway. Senior officers did not want the official record to bear witness to the deaths of so many young men as a result of incompetence and faulty decision-making by their leaders. The men of Torpedo Squadron 8 may not have died if they were not sent off in the wrong direction. Squadron commander John Waldron knew this, but was unsuccessful in convincing his superiors to alter their orders. Much credit is due to Mr. Weisheit and Admiral Thomas Moorer for formally correcting the historical record.

Mrazek also contributed to the history of Torpedo Squadron 8 and the Midway battle by providing a complete account of the efforts of the squadron detachment based on Midway Island under the command of Lieutenant Langdon Fieberling. Not all of Torpedo Squadron 8’s aircraft sortied against the Japanese fleet from aboard USS HORNET. The Midway detachment played their part and deserve full recognition too.

In his novel War and Remembrance, Herman Wouk paused the narrative to catalogue the names of the men of Torpedo Squadron 8 in the style of Homer’s Iliad. It was an honor well merited. I recommend A Dawn Like Thunder to any reader interested in one of the more stirring chapters in the history of the U.S. Navy. It is solid Four Star material.

[Paul · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the story of Torpedo Squadron 8 from the USS Hornet that fought at Midway and Guadalcanal.

OK, I know you’re thinking, “I saw the movie Midway, and the whole squadron died at Midway except for Ensign George S. Gay, who witnessed the whole battle from the water near the Japanese carriers after he was shot down.” Yes, and no. Half of the squadron was on the Hornet while the other half didn’t arrive in Pearl Harbor until Hornet had been deployed to the battle, and six planes – half of the contingent at Pearl Harbor – were sent to Midway Atoll to defend it. The other half (and surviving airmen from the Midway battles) would go on to fight at Guadalcanal except for Gay, who was sent stateside on a war bond tour before he returned to the Pacific with a different squadron in 1943.

The best part of the book is that it reads like a novel. More than that, you get to know – from diaries and letters sent home, as well as the interviews with the living survivors and family and friends of the dead – many of the pilots and gunners from Squadron 8, and they become much more than just names on a wall; these were brave heroes that made possible the success of the dive bombers at Midway and turned the tenuous hold on Guadalcanal into the first step of “island-hopping” to Japan. More than a unit history, this squadron was at the heart of the pivotal battles that turned the tide in the Pacific Theater of World War II.

Of note are the two appendices (one of which addresses the course that the Hornet planes flew that day, which has only recently been revealed to be different than the 240 degrees that was assumed by historians for many years after the war) and an epilogue that tells about the lives of those who survived the war – some who are still living. These were almost as fascinating to me as the narrative of the Squadron itself (which ends during the early months of 1943).

A fantastic book – I read the last 60 pages in a single afternoon (which is a rare for me and a non-fiction book)!

[John · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Pacific Theater has always been my favorite theater of the war to read about. I suppose that, like so much in my life, comes from my father who was an Aviation Machinist Mate 2nd Class during the war. He worked on Hellcats and Avengers mostly. Through him I became enthralled with anything to do with the Pacific Theater, especially naval aviation. When I saw this book at the library I knew that I had to pick it up even though I was currently reading three other books at the time.

I have read quite a bit on the Battle of Midway over the years so I thought that I knew most of what there was to know about the battle. It turns out that I was wrong. This book gives the background on the men who fought there, which makes the terrible losses they suffered even more poignant. What I did not realize is that the six Avengers that sortied from Midway itself were also part of the squadron. For all these years I had assumed that those Avengers were flown by Marines. I guess I should have known better since the Marines were seldom given the newest and best equipment. Nevertheless, of all the planes that sortied that day, fifteen Devastators from Hornet and six Avengers from Midway, only one plane and three men survived.

Additionally, I learned about the mistakes made by Admiral Mitscher and compounded by flight leader Ring. Of all the planes in the squadron, only Waldron's torpedo bombers ever sighted the enemy that day, and that was only because he had a hunch that the heading they were given was mistaken and disobeyed orders. Mitscher's and Ring's mistakes cost the lives of not only most of the torpedo plane crews, but two of the fighter escort pilots as well.

The second part of the book is about the squadron's time in the Solomons, first on board the Saratoga then on Guadalcanal. I'll admit that I had no idea that the squadron was part of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal. I found this part of the book to be less compelling than the Midway part. I'm not sure what it was, but it just didn't captivate me. The thing that stood out the most about this part was how much of a prick the squadron commander, Swede Larsen really was.

This book was a pretty easy and fast read. It provides some interesting insight into the men who actually did the flying and the dying. The first part of the book was, in my opinion, superior to the later part about their experiences at Guadalcanal. I am unsure of how many stars to give this one. I think I'll give it 3 stars, even though it's probably a 3.5 star book.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

"A Dawn Like Thunder" is about one of my favorite historical subjects, the Battle of Midway during WWII. These are the facts as history had taught me. On 4 June 1942, just five months and change after Pearl Harbor the Japanese made an attempt to take Midway Island in a gambit to draw out and destroy the American fleet. When the Japanese fleet, including four aircraft carriers, arrived in the vicinity of Midway the United States fleet was waiting in ambush. As Japanese bombers attacked the island several Midway based aircraft, including several US Army aircraft and a detachment of six TBF Avenger torpedo planes from Torpedo Squadron 8 were sent to attack the Japanese but failed to get a single hit on the Japanese ships. The army planes returned to Midway but all of the Torpedo planes were shot down but one, a bullet ridden Avenger flown by Albert "Bert" Earnest.

Meanwhile, the USS carriers Enterprise, Hornet and Yorktown launched their air groups consisting fighters, torpedo planes and dive bombers, against the massive Japanese fleet. The US torpedo planes, all obsolete slow moving TBD Devastators, found the Japanese first and, in the ensuing attacks, nearly all of the US torpedo planes, 37 of 41, from the three carriers were shot down. It was a slaughter. The USS Hornet's Torpedo Squadron 8, led by John C. Waldron, went in first and alone, without fighter protection. If there is an American "Charge of the Light Brigade" this was it. Everyone of the attacking planes of Torpedo 8 was shot down. Only one man, George Gay, who floated in the midst of the Japanese fleet, using a seat cushion from his plane to hide from the Japanese, lived to tell about it. The sacrifice of Torpedo 8 was not in vain. The Japanese commander, in the middle of arming his planes with bombs for a second attack on Midway Island, realized that the newest attack had to have come from US carriers, and ordered his own planes to switch from bombs to torpedoes. All of that live ordinance covered the decks of the Japanese carriers as the US dive bombers, unimpeded by Japanese fighters which were still wiping out the remainder of the US torpedo planes, arrived and dropped their payloads on the decks of the Japanese carriers. The resulting conflagration, increased by the explosions of Japanese bombs and torpedoes spread about the decks, sank three Japanese carriers. Later the fourth Japanese carrier and the USS Yorktown would join them on the bottom. It was the first great American victory against the Japanese and a set back for the latter from which they would never recover. It was the turning point in the war. Those were the facts but not the entire story.

In "A Dawn Like Thunder" Robert J. Mrazek carefully explains what really happened to Torpedo 8. Oh, the heroism and the facts of the attack were found to be true but the facts of what had happened before that had been carefully obscured. On the morning of the battle Marc Mitscher, commander of the Hornet, had sent the Hornet's air group in the wrong direction. Stanhope Ring, commander of the air group and flying that day, refused to change the heading even when John Waldron, who was adamant that he knew where the Japanese fleet was, asked permission to change course. So, violating orders, Waldron and his nine Devastators left the formation and were therefore alone during that first attack. Ring's dive bombers left him a little later but returned to the Hornet without ever finding the battle. Ring's fighters soon left the formation, ran out of fuel and crashed in the ocean. In the end Ring flew on alone.

Finally, the true extent of Waldron's heroism that day haw been revealed. I have always thought that he and his men should have gotten the Medal of Honor for their suicide attack now even more so.

That is not all, however. Mrazek also wrote of what happened to Torpedo 8 after the battle. The pilots and men of the squadron who did not participate in the attack that day, plus replacements for those lost, were sent to Guadalcanal to fight on with the Cactus Air Force in that desperate campaign. During this time the squadron commander was Harold "Swede" Larsen who was bent on revenge against the Japanese. Larsen was a difficult man to serve under, two of his men actually tried to kill him at different times, and he was probably as hated by the men as much as the Japanese. That any of the men in the squadron survived Larsen AND the war is amazing. The Torpedo 8 men who flew their torpedo planes from Henderson Field, along with the mechanics and crewmen of the squadron, were shelled by Japanese battleships, fought in the line with Marines during suicidal attacks and suffered all the rigors and deprivations as everyone else who fought on Guadalcanal. Finally that part of the story is told.

"A Dawn Like Thunder" should be read by every American and I can't recommend it highly enough. Get it and read it, you will be so glad you did.

[Spad53 · Rating 5 out of 5]

If I’d known how good this one was, I’d have read it years ago. I didn’t think anything new could be written about the Battle of Midway. How wrong I was, when you think about Torpedo 8, you think of the charge of the light brigade like attack where everyone died. In fact three survived and two of them were flying the Avenger. I knew of the five Avengers but didn’t connect them to Torpedo 8. This book tells the tale of the Avenger detachment, and the likewise forgotten involvement of Torpedo 8 at Guadalcanal and participation in the Cactus Air Force. It is a very well written book, extraordinary even, seldom does one see such attention to detail, and the reference section is like a small book by itself. It uses the modern concept of following various individuals, which always make a story like this easier to read. No quarter is spared on the merciless depiction of Swede Larsen (not Swedish I hasten to point out, Larsen is Danish-Norwegian spelling). Also Stanhope Ring got a bad rating, surprisingly so did Marc Mitscher, I didn’t know that sending the attack in the wrong direction was Mitscher’s fault, but this is so well researched that I have to believe it. Mitscher got a second chance which went better.
I concentrated solely on this book, which for me is unusual, that explains my high rating.

[Urey Patrick]

Poignant and compelling history of Torpedo 8 based largely on personal accounts and individual stories of the men of the squadron juxtaposed against the larger events and actions of the war in the Pacific at the time. Torpedo 8 not only lost all 15 airplanes launched from the Hornet against the Japanese at Midway, it also lost five of six planes launched against the Japanese from Midway airfield itself. One man survived the Hornet strike force, two survived the Midway strike. And yet, their courage and sacrifice made the stunning victory at Midway possible.



Even more compelling is the correction of long accepted versions of the Hornet strike force that was so ineffectual. Two men - Hornet CO Marc Mitscher and Air Group Commander Stanhope Ring made decisions as to where the Hornet strike force should fly that caused it to miss entirely the Japanese fleet. Torpedo 8 CO Waldron disobeyed orders and led his squadron off on its own - directly to the Japanese fleet and the squadron's date with history. To make matters worse, due to the mistakes made by Ring in the air, much of the Hornet air fore was unable to make it back to the ship - some landed at Midway - many ditched in the Pacific. The entire fighter squadron ditched - and spent several days adrift. The Hornet command falsified its records to report a false track for its strike force. As a result, rescue efforts searching for the downed fliers were sent to a location 200 miles away form the actual area that the planes went down. Some pilots died who could have been rescued.



These decisions also prevented US forces from hitting all four Japanese carriers that morning - one of the four went undetected and launched a strike that sank the USS Yorktown. The version of events created by the Hornet's command has been generally accepted by historians through the years - although tellingly, not by Admiral Raymond Spruance in his battle report at the time. This book documents and corrects the historical record - and that alone makes it a must read.



Following Midway, the remainder of Torpedo 8 ended up flying out of Henderson Field during the Guadalcanal campaign - and added even more glory to its history. Torpedo 8 continued to carry the war to the Japanese despite unimaginable hardships, continuous combat in the air and on the ground, personnel and equipment losses - it is an amazing story and one that is little known. Midway made Torpedo 8 famous - Guadalcanal made it unique in the annals of Navy air. The book lays it all out. Ultimately, once decommissioned following Guadalcanal, Torpedo 8 received two Presidential Unit citations and its personnel collectively are the single most decorated squadron in navy history. Torpedo 8 merits far more attention and remembrance than it has received.

[Arthur Gibson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent book with tons of historical information found on its pages as well as many of the stories and opinions of the people in the squadron. The imagery and descriptive language brings you into the cockpit of the planes of Torpedo Squadron 8. Amazing stories of near death experiences and the losses suffered during a time of uncertainty in the US. Second time reading it and I have o say, I would certainly read it a third time.

[Gavin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost like Band of Brothers, this author personalizes the heroes who changed history with sacrifice and luck. Many key facts from interviews and research create an interesting time line in our history.

[Martin Doyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well researched, providing great color and detail on the lives and experiences of the pilots of this most decorated unit, which fought at Midway and Guadalcanal. Provides a real feel for the men and their experiences and relationships, as well as clear descriptions of their amazing accomplishments.

[Noah · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75/5. If you know me, you know that WWII aviation is one of my passions, with the Battle of Midway always holding particular interest for me. This the full WWII account of VT-8, a U.S. Navy torpedo squadron, and it excels at serving as the historical record of this group. The heroic actions of the VT-8 Devastator pilots at Midway—whose sacrifice was integral to turning the tide of the war in the Pacific—is a highlight of the book, as is the discussion of these brave men themselves. However, the narrative became quite ponderous and dry at times and hurt my overall engagement.

[Jeff · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is actually misnamed. It should be subtitled "The COMPLETE Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight". Most history buffs know about the debacle of VT-8 at the Battle of Midway, but that's usually the extent of it. This excellent book describes Torpedo 8 and its personnel before, during, and after the Battle of Midway. For example, I had no idea that VT-8 went on after Midway (no, the whole squadron was NOT wiped out there - a sizeable contingent remained in Hawaii and missed out on the battle altogether) to fight in the Guadalcanal campaign, including duty a ersatz foot soldiers. Also, the book paints "Swede" Larsen, the VT-8 commander after Midway, as a personally brave flier but as a blatantly bigoted, iracible commander who was hated by his men. It's pretty bad when, decades later, men refuse to attend a Torpedo Sqdn 8 reunion once they find out that Swede Larsen will be there!

Anyway, this is a must-read book for those who want to know the full story of VT-8 from its inception to its dissolution. Highly recommended.

[Joslyn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read! Felt very at home with this book as I’m also from Dallas, Tx and training in NAS Pensacola. The story and resilience I found here was truly inspiring. Many great lessons in this book that I will carry with me.

[Richard Buro · Rating 5 out of 5]

The short version first. . .

During my undergraduate studies at Baylor University, I spent as much time as possible in the History Department and the Political Science Department. Any time left over, I spent the Moody Library, then the principal library on the Waco campus. In my studies there, I learned that there were certain qualities to look for when you read a “history” book. Those qualities were the following:

(1) Primary sources – interviews, oral histories, and recordings made about the topic or by those who were principal characters in the events under study.
(2) Secondary sources – the texts, writings, diaries, and other personal writings made by the characters during the events under study.
(3) Finally and of the least value, what others have written about the subject.

So following the suggestions of the historians who taught me, I am following their example as I read and reflect on the histories that I read, and if I have time enough before I leave this life, I might write one or two myself. Still and all, the current work under my reviewer’s scrutiny is a well-researched, pages of first hand conversations and interviews with the characters involved, perusal of their writings during the period of time being studies including logs, diaries, after action reports, and other document written by the actors of the story. Finally, there are several good works by other historians that need to be consulted to be sure that everything is according to Toynbee, Herodotus, Clio, or any other principal purveyor of the historical arts.

And so, that is how I am approaching Robert J. Mrazek’s A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron 8. The time frame is five or six months after the disastrous attack on the military installations based on the island of Oahu, in and around Pearl Harbor, Hawaii. “A date which shall live in infamy . . .” was the description that then American President Franklin Delano Roosevelt used as he addressed Congress with the express intent to ask for a declaration of war on the Empire of Japan. This was the watershed moment in our country’s history not to be matched by any other event other than those that occurred on September 11, 2001. While each of these attacks was clearly an act of war one by one country against our country, the other a faction of radical extremists using their interpretation of the Islamic faith and its Holy Book the Koran, both were sudden, unexpected, heinous, hideous, and damnable, at the very least. One led to World War II, the other led to the continuing War on Terror. Regardless of the instigation, brave young men and women were pressed into service, many by their own decision, some by conscription in the earlier period of the 1940s. And it is to that time frame, that Mr. Mrazek focuses his A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron 8.

Mr. Mrazek starts with where the men of Torpedo Squadron Eight were during the time running up to what many historians have labelled as the turning point of World War II in the Pacific Theater. There are many reasons for this broad statement and some can argue for one of several positions of agreement or disagreement on the efficacy of such a statement. Regardless of what historian you read, Mr. Mrazek looks that the men, ships, and situations 1200 miles west, northwest of Pearl Harbor, at a small island grouping called Midway. It is at this particular island that the second great Pacific aircraft carrier battle would be waged. The first battle was fought a month earlier in an aircraft carrier skirmish where the combatant ships did not visually identify each other, but their planes found their opponent’s carriers and engaged them and their escort ships as well as the planes from one dogfighting with the planes of the other. Neither side declared a decisive victory, but the U.S. Navy came out marginally better tactically, and far better strategically in such a way that the Battle of the Coral Sea is considered by many a victory for the United States. The carriers were the only ships not in Pearl Harbor during the December 7th, 1941 attack, and those factors – carriers being relatively unmolested in December such that they could skirmish with their Japanese counterparts less than 5 months later, began a turning tide of naval combat tactics where the might of a country’s naval strength would be measured in the intrepid nature of a carrier task force and its indomitable air crews as they fought for the mastery of the airspace over which the carriers’ were positioned afloat. Coral Sea and Midway became the two points of contact that defined the strategic nature of aircraft carriers for the next three quarters of a century; a fact that is still in effect to the current date.

Carrier tactics relied on the airplanes comprising three groups being sent in a coordinated attack against a target like a ship convoy or harbor or what have you. The three-pronged attack focused on dive bombers, torpedo bombers, and fighters. In theory, the fighters protected the bombing groups from the enemy’s fighters. The fighters were also usually divided into a group for aerial protect of their carriers and escort vessels and the group that protected their bomber mates from the enemy’s fighters. The protecting fighter group that stayed near the carriers protected their task force from being attacked by the enemy’s bombers and fighters. At Coral Sea, reconnaissance missions were able to discover the opponent’s carrier task group’s more than 100 miles away from each other, therefore; the battles were aerial in nature with the task groups never coming within visual range of the other. With radar in its infancy, there were no electronic means of detecting the task forces either from the air or the surface.

One carrier mission had also provided the Americans with a source of pride when a group of B-25 Mitchell bombers were flown from the U.S.S. Hornet to strike directly at the largest city of Japan, Tokyo. Led by LTC Jimmy Doolittle, the bombers were successful in their attack illustrating that long reach attacks could be provided by both sides of the Pacific Conflict. Between the Doolittle Raid in April and the Battle of the Coral Sea in early May, both strategic victories but at varying degrees of cost for the United States, Japan was seething to take its numerical superiority in almost every department and regain the upper hand in the Pacific.

Their overall attack plan was to secure several key positions around the rim of the Pacific Ocean to set up as naval bases from which to operate. These bases would be defended by Imperial Army forces, supplied by the Imperial Navy, and protected by Imperial air power. Those bases would be Midway, Rabaul, Truk, and somewhere on the island of New Guinea. The idea being that they would control the sea lanes from the United States to Australia. Between these holdings and the already secured areas in Malaysia and Indonesia, Japan would create their vaunted ideal, a Greater East Asia Co-Prosperity Sphere of Influence and raw materials from almost half of the Earth. It came down to a setting for the next showdown – Midway.

At Midway, Japan came with an overwhelming amount of naval force with 5 separate task forces comprised of 30 ship invasion force and its escort vessels, a “main force” of 15 vessels, and 22 ship striking force. Protecting Midway were its island garrison and associated air group of a hodge-podge of just about anything that could fly and fight, including a portion of Torpedo Squadron Eight. The rest of the American forces came in the form of two Task Forces, 16 comprised of 9 ships under Admiral Fletcher, and 17 comprised of 17 ships under Admiral Raymond Spruance. One group of the Midway air garrison included several long-range patrol planes, the amphibious PBY Catalinas. These planes were tasked with the mission to find the location of the oncoming Japanese forces. With several things working both for and against both sides, the resulting battle was a several pounding of the Midway Atoll’s two islands and its air field, several air battles between the carrier forces after they were able to find each other, despite the fact that the first attack was committed in a fashion that placed the torpedo bombers attacking without air cover, and these planes were primarily the aircraft of Torpedo Squadron Eight. In the end of the day, only one pilot survived the devastating suicide mission they tried to conduct without any attempt at coordination despite numerous requests for help. On the second day of the battle, the Japanese forces were discovered first by the PBY Catalinas, and then by the planes from the two aircraft carriers, Yorktown and Enterprise. The Hornets plane compliment was reduced due to the losses suffered from Torpedo Eight’s costly attack, prosecuted without support of any kind. By the end of the second day of operations, the Japanese lost four of the eight carriers spread between the various groups in the all-out push to capture Midway. With 50 percent of the carriers either burning hulks or sunk in the depths around Midway, the rest of the forces withdrew as the island could not be held without air support and air superiority over their island. The aircraft carriers lost would have provided half of the needed support that would allow the successful capture and holding of the island in question.

Despite the losses on both sides, Midway was once again a strategic victory for the United States. While USS Hornet was lost in the battle, the remaining two carriers would provide the impetus to return to Pearl Harbor with what would amount to a rout of the Japanese by a vastly inferior force in numbers only. The pluck, resolve, and luck of the Americans won the day, and Japan never tried to get this close to the United States or Hawaii for the rest of the war.

While Torpedo Squadron 8 had suffered losses at Midway, about half of the planes for the Squadron arrived at Midway from Pearl Harbor after a long journey by crews not fully comfortable with a long over the ocean flight to hit and land at a small island that was barely an air strip. They were flying the newest Grumman TBF Avenger torpedo bombers with machine gun turrets and other machine guns both fore and aft manned by a crewman in the aft compartment, and the pilot shot the one in the front. This group of airmen got involved in the fight by taking their planes aloft to do what they could. They were to a man intrepid airmen and aviators in the finest tradition of the Navy.

It was this contingent that returned to Pearl Harbor after Midway, and the one which formed the restored Torpedo Squadron Eight with new planes and new aviators and crew. They now called the USS Saratoga, Sister Sara, their new home as they would be next posted to the Solomon Islands, home to the infamous battleground known as Guadalcanal. It is at Henderson Field, the Guadalcanal airstrip, that Torpedo Eight would once again find one of its finer hours and numerous cases of heroism, valor, and overcoming incredible odds. Long story short, Guadalcanal was under siege for several months with several attempts to land soldiers to remove the 1st and 7th Marines from the islands where they were garrisoned in place and holding, against repeated attempts by some of the fiercest fighters in Japanese Shock Troops, and hardened veterans from the China and Malaysian campaigns from earlier in the war. It was by the strength of toe-nails digging into the dirt, mire, and jungle that these intrepid Americans fought and held attack after attack after attack. Many had malaria or dysentery, and still they fought on. They survived attacks by the heaviest battleships in the Japanese fleet. They were bombed day and night by Japanese twin engine bombers from Rabaul. The airfield was cut up with craters from all the shelling from the battleships, tanks, and artillery that it was a miracle that some of the planes could still fly being listed as zombies or Frankensteins in the notes of the crews who cannibalized three or even four planes to make one, time and time again.

After several months on the island, and after fighting off overwhelming odds, the Marines and the Navy were able to repel the largest Japanese invasion of the war by destroying by naval gunfire or bombing by the “Cactus Air Force” from Henderson Field, fourteen transports carrying over 35,000 seasoned and trained shock troops from Japan. Between the intrepid exploits of the navy facing super battleships of the IJN (Imperial Japanese Navy) or the onslaught of the shock troops facing hardened and determined US Marines, attempt after attempt at landing taking outlying islands, or any other of the several tens of attempts one way or another, the pluck and luck of the Americans always came through. In the end, all attempts to take Guadalcanal were repelled with what was once again left of Torpedo Squadron Eight fighting on with M-1 Garand rifles and Colt .45 caliber pistols, and Thompson submachine guns, and even some machine guns from the cannibalized Frankensteins in the Henderson Field boneyard, they fought beside the Marines, holding fast and holding hard, never giving up, and never sounding retreat – in the greatest American military tradition of this or any war, then or since.

Mr. Mrazek is a very competent and thorough historian in every possible sense of the word. He researched, interviewed, wrote spending the better part of several years gathering sources, conducting interviews, traveling all over the United States locating relatives, spouses, children, and grandchildren of the members of Torpedo Squadron Eight. There was confirmation of some findings learned early on, which were reported in detail by those who discovered the untold truth about issues during the war, and there is still controversy in those annals. Regardless, Mr. Mrazek focuses his acknowledgements to those who provided him support, interviews, and stories about those who served in Torpedo Squadron Eight in its various and sundry incarnations. It was clear that all were proud of their time in service to their country, and many had tales to tell. Surprisingly, many of them stayed in the service for months, some for years, and some for decades – finding rewarding work, abilities to serve in ways other than warfare, and in working in training up and coming sailors and officers to the American Navy of today.

Recommendations – clearly five stars for historical research at the top of its game. It was a brilliant story, told by a truth historian in every fine sense of that word. It is clear that the story provided in these pages was one of heroism, sacrifice, and intrepid bravery by many of America’s Greatest Generation. Thank you to all of you who served and who came back to build the greatest county on this Earth. The accounts in this book are true and clearly devoted to military combat in hostile conditions. Those who would find these accounts hard to read, please refrain from doing so. It is hard to read and imagine what was going on while the earth was literally blowing up around you. Readers interested in this type of research, it is a gold mine and one of the best histories I have ever read and I have read quite a few.

Enjoy…it is one heck of a ride.

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Review of Robert J. Mrazek's A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight by Richard W. Buro is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International License.
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[Nolan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I wish I were better at leaving these World War II histories well enough alone. I can't do it. They both fascinate and terrify me. They terrify me sometimes because of their length, and they fascinate me because, if they are well written, the stories are memorable, thought provoking, and provide life lessons available from few other sources. This is that kind of history.

What impresses me most about this book is the human face the author puts on the history. This is the account of a World War II torpedo squadron that saw tremendous amounts of action during the Battle of Midway in the summer of 1942 and again at Guadalcanal in the fall of that year.

The book begins with a detailed look at each of a select number of characters on whom the author focuses to more fully humanize the history. You learn about these young men, their fiancées, their sweethearts, and their families. Every story is relevant. Every one of the characters to whom the author introduces you at the beginning play an important role in the rest of the story. These are not merely names and dates. They are brief sketches of each character. That information will come in handy. This is a 19-hour book.

You read about the uncommon valor of men who flung their lives to the wind and waves during the Battle of Midway. These men flew those missions knowing that significant numbers of them would never make it home. The planes they flew were slow and easy targets. The Japanese whom they opposed were far better pilots than many Americans gave them credit for at the time. Casualties ran high, but this is more than a compilation of names and dates of casualties. It is the story of men who wrote their final letters home and buried them. It's the story of one young man who begged his associate to take his wallet and make sure his mom got it. “you'll be back!” his friend remonstrates. The wallet remained in the pocket of the young man, and he died at sea during the Battle of Midway. His plane was among those that sank.

It's the story of a commander who made a terrible mistake that the Navy covered up. A civilian dug deep into the lives of these men and found discrepancies between the after-action reports and the actual account. You will read about that in greater detail in the book.

The author captivated me with his account. There's nothing boring, lagging, or slow about this. I promise if you read this, you won't be constantly checking your player to determine how much time remains. I didn't feel like I needed to slog through the material at all.

From the harrowing events of the Battle of Midway, we follow the squadron to Guadalcanal in August. This, too, is fascinating reading. There are things I never knew about that particular battle. I had forgotten how protracted it was. The Americans couldn't declare victory until early November. And Admiral Yamamoto put everything he had into that battle. His reasoning was if he could reclaim Guadalcanal, he would be able to push forward more easily to other islands currently held by the Americans. I was fascinated to hear about young men who rushed from rat-infested tents in the night to dive into foxholes when the shelling started. This went on night after night for weeks and weeks. One young man streaked across the sand in his striped pajamas and helmet. That's the condition he was in when he dived into the foxhole.

This is not a cheerleader patriotic history entirely. You will read about one commander whose antisemitism will sicken you. He used to refer to Jewish men in his squadron as “Brooklyn Indians.” He treated a young Jewish man from Cleveland horribly in very public ways. His heroism was worthy of promotions, but the commander consistently skipped him and once publicly berated him because of his Jewishness explaining that that was one of the reasons he wasn't promoted. No one did or said a thing. His associates would approach him privately after the group gathering to express their support and sorrow for what he had gone through, but none of them dared speak up.

To be completely honest, I went into this book with low expectations. I looked at its length and privately feared I would kick it to the bottom of the unfinished pile. It became obvious early on that the stories would intrigue me enough that I would gladly stay with it. I did. I suspect you will as well if you undertake this. It's a fascinating piece of South-Pacific war history that I knew little about.

[Chad Manske · Rating 4 out of 5]

Robert J. Mrazek’s “A Dawn Like Thunder: The True Story of Torpedo Squadron Eight” is a gripping and meticulously researched account of one of World War II’s most heroic yet tragic naval aviation squadrons. The book chronicles the exploits of Torpedo Squadron Eight during pivotal battles at Midway and Guadalcanal, where their bravery shaped the course of the war despite heavy losses. Mrazek combines extensive interviews, military documents, and oral histories to craft a narrative that is both deeply personal and historically rich. The squadron’s story is one of extraordinary courage under dire circumstances. Flying outdated Douglas TBD-1 Devastators, these men faced overwhelming odds against superior Japanese forces. Mrazek vividly portrays their sacrifices, painting poignant portraits of individual squadron members while exposing the bureaucratic failures that led to unnecessary loss of life. His exploration of Admiral Marc Mitscher’s controversial decisions and the subsequent cover-up adds a layer of intrigue, revealing how politics often overshadowed heroism during wartime. What sets “A Dawn Like Thunder” apart is its emotional depth. Mrazek doesn’t shy away from depicting the horrors of war, yet he balances this with uplifting tales of camaraderie and resilience. His ability to recreate conversations and speculate on the thoughts of those involved makes the narrative both intimate and immersive. The book also critiques leadership failures, particularly Mitscher’s role in the disastrous attack at Midway, which resulted in devastating losses for Torpedo Squadron Eight. Mrazek’s writing style is accessible yet profound, making complex military operations understandable to general readers while maintaining historical accuracy. The book serves as a tribute to the unsung heroes of Torpedo Squadron Eight, ensuring their sacrifices are not forgotten. “A Dawn Like Thunder” is an essential read for anyone interested in World War II history, blending tragedy, triumph, and unflinching honesty into a compelling narrative destined to become a classic in military literature.

[Kevin · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found this to be a very informative, and interesting story. The book covers the Torpedo Eight squadron from just before the Battle of Midway, through their participation in the Guadalcanal campaign. One of the first interesting tidbits was that the squadron was split in two parts in Norfolk, half leaving for Pearl Harbor on the Hornet, the other half traveling cross country to San Francisco and meeting up with their new TBF Avengers they were to be outfitted with, then on to Pearl Harbor. The second group arrived at Pearl Harbor too late to meet up with the Hornet, so 1/2 of them were sent to Midway Island, the other half staying at Pearl. As you may know, only one man survived from the group aboard the Hornet, the rest dying in the attack on the Japanese carriers at Midway. Of the smaller Midway group, two men in one of the planes survived the attack. Their Avenger being so full of holes, that after they crash landed it, and the battle was over, the plane was sent back to the states for study.

The next part of their saga takes the remaining crew members to Guadalcanal where they formed part of the Cactus Air Force. At one point in time before the end of the campaign they had no serviceable aircraft, so they took a place in the defensive perimeter as infantrymen with the 7th Marines. They held a portion of the line that Kawaguchi attacked in the final gamble to take Henderson Field.

Overall a well written account of the squadron, with biographical information on many of the pilots and crew members. It does jump around a bit but with the squadron broken up like it was throughout most of its existence, it makes sense, and it is not distracting from the narrative.

[Alex · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're like me, you know Torpedo 8 from its work at Midway, where its suicidal torpedo run on the Japanese fleet unintentionally lured the Japanese defensive fighter patrol away its station, clearing the skies for devastating dive-bomber attacks that would bring victory to the U.S. Navy.

However, there's more to the story. There's more to the story of the Midway Battle, including a rethinking of the Waldron / Ring controversy that stained the reputation of the latter. There's more to Torpedo 8, which was not wiped out Midway but whose rearguard in Pearl Harbor reconstituted the squadron and went on to play a crucial role in the capture and defense of Guadalcanal. There's more to the pilots, aircrew, and maintainers of Torpedo 8, men with stories of their own that deserve to be told.

'A Dawn Like Thunder' tells these stories, and tells them well. It puts the reader in the cockpits, in the ready rooms, in the jungle, and it provides an avaiator's-eye view of the Pacific War that's unique in the literature. Exquisitely researched, well written, and a gripping account of one of America's most important squadrons, 'A Dawn Like Thunder' is worth your time.

Recommended for: History Buffs, WWII Buffs, Naval Professionals

[Dylan Eddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must first mention that there is no start nor end date because I bought this at a Borders, yes Borders book store, over a decade and a half if not more ago. I am writing this review because I would be the first to say it is to this day the only book I’ve picked up at 8pm and had completed within the first 24 hours of owning it.

Mrazek does a PHENOMENAL job in not only allowing the reader to almost get to know these aviators on a personal level, but draws every bit of emotion out of the reader as if you or I were at the battle of Midway itself. These young men, fighting against tyranny, giving up their lives at home give and gave so much. Especially the men of Torpedo Squadron 8, sent to battle in equipment considered extremely outdated, meeting the enemy head on still plays over in my head to this day. Their sacrifice must never be forgotten and Mrazek keeps all these young men and boys, those who gave so much, memories and story alive. Pick this book up and its guarantee you will want to clear your schedule for the next day.

[Jim Welke · Rating 4 out of 5]

The true story about Torpedo Squadron Eight during WWII. The author follows the pilots, and some of the aircrew, from the squadron forming in Norfolk to the Battle of Midway and on to Guadalcanal. The author interviewed the men and was able to access their journals and he was able to read the letters they sent home during their time overseas. He was also read the after-action reports, not only from Torpedo Squadron Eight, but from other units that served in the same areas during the war.

You will feel like you are on the ship with the men and in the cockpit with the pilots as you read the book. The author gives you an in-depth view of the action in and around Midway. You can almost feel the mud and smell the gunpowder in Guadalcanal. The author's list of sources is over 50 pages long, that alone should give you an idea of how much research he put into writing the book, any student of naval history or military aviation should have this book in their library.

[Kipi (the academic stitcher) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

The story of Torpedo Squadron Eight's almost complete annihilation at Midway is well known, but the survivors' contribution to the American victory at Guadalcanal is not something I was aware of before reading this book. I guess I assumed that what remained of the squadron stayed with the USS Hornet (CV-8), but that wasn't the case, and the Hornet was ultimately lost at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands on October 28, 1942. The author did a very good job of telling their story through the months of fighting both in the air (when they had planes that were actually air worthy) and on the ground with the Marines at Guadalcanal. After they were relieved at Guadalcanal in late 1942, the squadron was finally disbanded, but those members who had survived to that point continued to serve in different locations in other capacities.

Reading this reminds me of what we as Americans owe to the men who fought and died in World War 2.

[Brian · Rating 4 out of 5]

A very well done book that looks at Torpedo Squadron Eight.
There are a lot of great insights in this book - their role at the Battle of Midway; the detachment that flew from Midway with the initial combat flight of the Grumman Avenger; their service with the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal.
Mrazek does a great job providing insights into the men who fought with Torpedo Squadron 8. He has mined interviews, logs and diaries to paint an intimate portrait.
This book is a great read that will give insights into the battle of Midway and the Guadalcanal campaign.
I think one major area that is lacking in this book is a more thorough discussion of the Avenger, and how it represented a step change from the Devastator.

[Steve Freeland · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are interested in World War II aviation and in particular the battle of Midway this Book is a must have. This history takes you from the sweeping view of the admirals down to the pilot and aircrew view from the cockpit. Well researched, Excellent writing, and the subjects are well developed. One gets to know many of the individuals with their strengths and flaws: real human beings. I was very lucky when I was a young person to have heard Ensign George Gaye speak about his survival of this terrible sacrifice by these brave men. It was wonderful to be able to learn more about this story. I listened to the audible version of it and really enjoyed the presentation. This book is a treasure.

[Caroline · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a fantastic book!! I found myself reading faster and faster because I was so enthralled with the story of these brave and dedicated young men.
I’ve read dozens and dozens of books about WW2 and this is one of the finest.
Don’t skip the notes and additional map and info at the end of the official text!! Fascinating story of how this book came to be. I thank you sincerely for telling the story of Torpedo Squadron Eight, Mr Mrazek.
(This should be required reading in every school in USA)

Side note: The author was a multi-term congressman and has continued serving this country by writing this book (& several others). This is the second title of his I have read. I look forward to reading all of his work.

[Randall Russell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I feel like the title of this book is rather misleading. I assumed (incorrectly) that it was about Torpedo Squadron Eight's participation in the Battle of Midway. It does cover that, but only for about the first 1/3 of the book. The remaining 2/3s actually focuses on the Battle of Guadalcanal. The book was pretty well written, and somewhat interesting, but I was really put off by the fact that the focus was rather different than I thought. I guess next time I should read the cover blurb a little more closely!

[Robert Snow · Rating 5 out of 5]

Starting with the obsolete Douglas TBD Devastators attack at Midway and moving along to the Grumman TBF-1 Avengers landing on Guadalcanal from the damaged Saratoga this is an excellent book to read and fully understand what happened on June 4, 1942 to Hornets VT8 and then the other story of the Cactus Air Force on Guadalcanal fending off the Japanese Imperial Navy from Henderson Field. It was just not the pilots and aircrews… there were a host of Aviation Mechanics who kept those planes flying.

[Christopher Richards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read this at the same time as reading Incredible Victory and Midnight in the Pacific. The book takes you from Midway to Guadacanal with Torpedo Squadron Eight and provides a bridge between the two other books. I always look for books that not only give you the history but also the personal accounts of those who were part of it and this book does all of that.

[Robert Broder · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much detail in it. At first, it appeared to be the same story as the film, "Midway", only from the aspect of the USS Hornet. But it was so much more than that. I am always astonished at the courage of the men who fight. How they deal with, not only the bombing, but the conditions the have to live in, and the poor food and sanitary conditions.
This was very well told.

[Michael · Rating 5 out of 5]

Of the many military history books I have read about pilots and their planes, this, in my opinion, is one of the absolute best. Get to know the personalities, the strengths and the weaknesses of these men who Won World War II.

[Craig · Rating 5 out of 5]

A humbling account of honor and bravery in the face of overwhelming odds and mortal peril. Mission details come to life in the story of one of the most pivotal times in American history. A must read for anyone interested in aviation and the history of war in the Pacific.

[Thomas Purifoy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book & true story well documented!

A must read if you have any sincere desire to understand history & what it means for men to go beyond their limits to defend the rights afforded by our way of life guaranteed by the Declaration of Independence & those that fought for it!