g.asher
2LT Clayton M. Canfield, USMCR
F4F-3 BuNo 3997 assigned to VMF-221 in May 1942.
“I took off as wingman on Captain Carl at approximately 0557, June 4, 1942. We joined on Captain Carey and were vectored out 310 degrees. The three of us climbed to 14,000 feet on the vector, during which I was motioned to fly number three on Captain Carey. About nine minutes out Captain Carl began to drop back. At 0612 Captain Carey made a wide 270 degree turn; then a 90 degree diving turn while reporting to Zed, ‘Talley ho, a large formation of bombers,’ a slight pause, then, ‘Accompanied by fighters.’ The bombers were at approximately 12,000 feet. I slid into a column on Captain Carey during the run, where I stayed until the engagement was over. The run was high side from the right. I fired at the No. 3 plane in the No. 3 section until it exploded and went down in flames. In the middle of the run I saw a column of fighters diving on us from the left. There was no return fire from the bombers that I could see. Captain Carey pulled out of the dive and made a high wing over for another attack when we were attacked by their fighters. He then dived at about a 40 degree angle and headed for a large cloud about five miles away. I momentarily lagged looking for planes following us and went around the cloud the opposite direction from Captain Carey to have a better look behind. I saw a large trail of smoke and the bomber burning on the ocean, but no fighters, and then joined upon him again. He headed in the general direction of the Islands on an unsteady course. Finally I observed that he was badly wounded and he turned the lead over to me. He kept dropping and falling behind and I kept throttling back so he could keep up. When I had led us to a 270 degree bearing from the Island, he called me and instructed me to join on him again. We had about forty gallons of gasoline left, including seventeen gallons of reserve. I made a normal approach but had no flaps, and when the wheels touched the ground the landing gear collapsed. The Island was under heavy attack, with fighters strafing runways and a Patrol Boat. When the plane had stopped sliding, I jumped out and ran for a trench, while a plane was strafing in the direction of my abandoned plane or the Patrol Boat.
“All during the above encounter, I flew very close to Captain Carey, making all runs and dives in column. There were 100 rounds gone from three of my guns and 90 from the other. At least one-half of these were used up during two test fires I had made that morning.”
“My plane was hit on the right elevator, left wing and flap, and just ahead of the tail wheel by 20 mm cannon. There was also a 30 caliber hole through the tail wheel and one that entered the hood on the right side about six inches up, passing just over the left rudder pedal and damaging the landing gear.
“Captain Carey’s and my engagement was of very short duration, thereby limiting my impression. However, I am positive that the bomber I shot down was an Aichi type 99, because when this bomber exploded, I was flat at about a 140 degree angle, and I am positive that the landing gear was retracted. However, the planes were painted dark and the light was bad, so I couldn’t tell the type of ship but they were larger than our dive bombers. After talking to observers from the Island who were observing through field glasses, they were of a twin engine class, because they confirmed that the plane was missing in the afore said position.
“During this encounter, I flew an F4F-3 type plane, bureau No. 3997.”
The citation for his award of the Navy Cross reads as follows:
"The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Clayton M. Canfield (0-9406), Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as a Pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VMF-221), Marine Air Group TWENTY-TWO (MAG-22), Naval Air Station, Midway, during operations of the U.S. Naval and Marine Forces against the invading Japanese Fleet during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942. Delivering a dauntless and aggressive assault against a vastly superior number of Japanese bomber and fighter planes, Second Lieutenant Canfield shot down one Navy Aichi Type dive bomber, thereby aiding in the disruption of enemy plans and lessening the effectiveness of their attack. His courageous determination, maintained at great personal risk against tremendous odds, contributed to the success of our forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."
2LT Clayton M. Canfield, USMCR
F4F-3 BuNo 3997 assigned to VMF-221 in May 1942.
“I took off as wingman on Captain Carl at approximately 0557, June 4, 1942. We joined on Captain Carey and were vectored out 310 degrees. The three of us climbed to 14,000 feet on the vector, during which I was motioned to fly number three on Captain Carey. About nine minutes out Captain Carl began to drop back. At 0612 Captain Carey made a wide 270 degree turn; then a 90 degree diving turn while reporting to Zed, ‘Talley ho, a large formation of bombers,’ a slight pause, then, ‘Accompanied by fighters.’ The bombers were at approximately 12,000 feet. I slid into a column on Captain Carey during the run, where I stayed until the engagement was over. The run was high side from the right. I fired at the No. 3 plane in the No. 3 section until it exploded and went down in flames. In the middle of the run I saw a column of fighters diving on us from the left. There was no return fire from the bombers that I could see. Captain Carey pulled out of the dive and made a high wing over for another attack when we were attacked by their fighters. He then dived at about a 40 degree angle and headed for a large cloud about five miles away. I momentarily lagged looking for planes following us and went around the cloud the opposite direction from Captain Carey to have a better look behind. I saw a large trail of smoke and the bomber burning on the ocean, but no fighters, and then joined upon him again. He headed in the general direction of the Islands on an unsteady course. Finally I observed that he was badly wounded and he turned the lead over to me. He kept dropping and falling behind and I kept throttling back so he could keep up. When I had led us to a 270 degree bearing from the Island, he called me and instructed me to join on him again. We had about forty gallons of gasoline left, including seventeen gallons of reserve. I made a normal approach but had no flaps, and when the wheels touched the ground the landing gear collapsed. The Island was under heavy attack, with fighters strafing runways and a Patrol Boat. When the plane had stopped sliding, I jumped out and ran for a trench, while a plane was strafing in the direction of my abandoned plane or the Patrol Boat.
“All during the above encounter, I flew very close to Captain Carey, making all runs and dives in column. There were 100 rounds gone from three of my guns and 90 from the other. At least one-half of these were used up during two test fires I had made that morning.”
“My plane was hit on the right elevator, left wing and flap, and just ahead of the tail wheel by 20 mm cannon. There was also a 30 caliber hole through the tail wheel and one that entered the hood on the right side about six inches up, passing just over the left rudder pedal and damaging the landing gear.
“Captain Carey’s and my engagement was of very short duration, thereby limiting my impression. However, I am positive that the bomber I shot down was an Aichi type 99, because when this bomber exploded, I was flat at about a 140 degree angle, and I am positive that the landing gear was retracted. However, the planes were painted dark and the light was bad, so I couldn’t tell the type of ship but they were larger than our dive bombers. After talking to observers from the Island who were observing through field glasses, they were of a twin engine class, because they confirmed that the plane was missing in the afore said position.
“During this encounter, I flew an F4F-3 type plane, bureau No. 3997.”
The citation for his award of the Navy Cross reads as follows:
"The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the Navy Cross to Clayton M. Canfield (0-9406), Second Lieutenant, U.S. Marine Corps (Reserve), for extraordinary heroism and distinguished service in the line of his profession while serving as a Pilot in Marine Fighting Squadron TWO HUNDRED TWENTY-ONE (VMF-221), Marine Air Group TWENTY-TWO (MAG-22), Naval Air Station, Midway, during operations of the U.S. Naval and Marine Forces against the invading Japanese Fleet during the Battle of Midway on 4 June 1942. Delivering a dauntless and aggressive assault against a vastly superior number of Japanese bomber and fighter planes, Second Lieutenant Canfield shot down one Navy Aichi Type dive bomber, thereby aiding in the disruption of enemy plans and lessening the effectiveness of their attack. His courageous determination, maintained at great personal risk against tremendous odds, contributed to the success of our forces and was in keeping with the highest traditions of the United States Naval Service."