June 67 years ago, My Friend Harry Asbury

The U.S. Navy inflicted irreparable damage on the enemy during the Battle of Midway June 4-7, 1942. Just six months after Pearl Harbor, the battle helped set conditions for our ultimate victory in the Pacific during WWII. The Navy is planning several events to commemorate the Battle of Midway including a coordinated wreath laying ceremony around the world on June 4, 2009. For more information on the Battle of Midway, including instructional materials, visit the Naval Historical Center website, the U.S. Navy's Course to Midway website, the Center for Contemporary Conflict website, the World War II database, the Animated History of the Battle of Midway, the Midway Chronologies at bartcop.com and centuryinter.net, and the USS Midway Museum website.

To locate a military-themed museum, monument or memorial, visit the Military.com Museum and Memorial Guide. I remember it well. I was at Quantico awaiting assignment. My old Buddy Harry Asbury was a guuner in the old SBD & took the big swim when the Carrier Yorktown went down. He went over the side on the refueling hose from the Carrier deck. This will be the first year Harry will not make it to the Naval Academy where he was invited as a speaker each year. He was with me when we had the HMX-1 Reunion and was very weak at that time. Couple months later he made his last mission !! Harry you paved the way & you will never be forgotten (Harry on the right with the beard) !! Semper Fidelis PM