COVERING WHIDBEY ISLAND’S NAVAL AIR STATION COMMUNITY
CROSSWIND Whidbey
VOLUME 1, NO. 4 | 22 A PRIL 2011
www.whidbeycrosswind.com
Fil-Am Association turns 40 By KATHY REED
Whidbey Crosswind
The Filipino-American Association of Oak Harbor will mark its 40th anniversary on Easter Sunday, and is inviting the community to join in the celebration. The group will have its potluck picnic and Easter egg hunt beginning at noon Sunday at the Rocky Point Recreation Area of Naval Air Station Whidbey Island. The event is open to the public and
SEE EASTER | PAGE 3 Pictured from left are Basil Rich, Albert Earnest and Harry Ferrier on a TBF Avenger before the Battle of Midway. PHOTO COURTESY OF HARRY FERRIER
Memories of Midway
Local survivor of the Battle of Midway shares his story By DENNIS CONNOLLY
Whidbey Crosswind
During a change of command ceremony at Naval Air Station Whidbey Island in March, outgoing commander of electronic Attack Wing, US Pacific Fleet, Capt. Thomas Slais, Jr. spoke to a World II veteran in the audience. Harry Ferrier stood and acknowledged Slais’ words. “Harry, thank you for your exemplary honor, courage and commitment in service to our great nation and for the strength your example gives to all who still wear the uniform today.” Ferrier was honored and a little embarrassed being in the front row with a crowd of high ranking officers, but he was also very deserving of Slais’ words. As a 17-year-old radioman/gunner, he flew in a TBF Avenger in the Battle of Midway on June 4, 1942. Not only was it the most decisive naval battle of World War II, it spelled an end for Japanese control of the Pacific Ocean.
Too Young
place in the Coral Sea. Doolittle and the Coral Sea battle forced the Japanese naval When Ferrier joined the Navy in command to plan an action that would Springfield, Mass., on Jan. 28, 1941, he lure the remaining US carriers to sea. was too young to enlist. He was just 16 Then Japan would destroy the outnumbut his mother helped him get in. bered force and also establish a base near After boot Pearl Harbor. camp and aviaWhat they didn’t know tion radio school was that Americans had he volunteered for broken their code and knew Torpedo Squadron what they planned. 8, which was Ferrier arrived in Pearl forming as part Harbor a day after the of the air group USS Hornet squadron had for the new carleft. His detachment was rier, USS Hornet. asked to prepare the six The squadron was new TBF’s and fly them to selected to receive Midway Atoll to reinforce the first of the new the Marines defending the Grumman TBF-1 atoll. aircraft, later called They departed on June the “Avenger”. 1, for the thousand-mile The Hornet left flight. Ferrier was the for the Pacific and radioman assigned to newly promoted pilot Ensign Albert “Bert” radioman third Earnest and turret gunner class Ferrier stayed Midway hero Harry Ferrier. Jay Manning. They rigged behind to train on the planes with two-thousand the new aircraft. pound torpedoes, slept in On April 18, 1942 the USS Hornet tents and manned their planes before launched the famous Doolittle Raid dawn, checking the engines and radios. against Japan. Then on May 7, 1942 the first carrier-to-carrier sea battle took SEE MIDWAY | PAGE 6
THIS EDITION Team Whidbey lends a helping hand ......................pg. 2 New Credit Union builidng under construction .pg. 2 Discover the allure of golfing on Whidbey ............pg. 7 New book celebrates a century of flight ......pg. 8