RIP Midway survivor Harry Ferrier

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It is with great sadness, we share the passing of Mr. Harry Ferrier, last Midway Survivor of VT-8. He was 91.

Harry Ferrier enlisted in the Navy on January 28, 1941, three days after his sixteenth birthday. After boot camp and aviation radio school, he joined Torpedo Squadron 8 (VT-8) stationed on the aircraft carrier USS Hornet.

In 1941, VT-8 was flying the outdated TBD Devastator, but in early 1942, the squadron was selected to receive the first of the new TBF Avengers. Since the USS Hornet was immediately needed in the Pacific, a small detachment of VT-8 was chosen to stay behind and train on the new planes. Harry Ferrier, his pilot Albert “Bert” Earnest and gunner Jay Manning were selected to be part of this detachment.

After about three months of training on the Avenger, Ferrier and the detachment of six Avengers were sent to Pearl Harbor to join the rest of VT-8. Arriving on May 28, 1942, the detachment had missed the USS Hornet which had sailed for Midway a day earlier. The group then volunteered to fly directly to Midway Island to re-enforce the Marine Garrison there.

On June 4, 1942, Harry Ferrier and his crew received word of Japanese aircraft heading towards Midway and sightings of an enemy fleet 150 miles out to sea. All six Avengers took off immediately. Five minutes later, Jay manning reported seeing Japanese planes starting their attack on Midway Island.

About an hour later, Bert Earnest saw Japanese ships on the horizon. As the Avengers prepared to attack, they were jumped by Japanese Zeros. Harry Ferrier heard Jay Manning fire a few rounds from his turret, but then go silent. He looked up after feelings Manning’s blood drip on him and saw Manning’s lifeless body and the turret full of holes.

Flying at 200 feet, the Avengers pressed home their attacks on the Japanese fleet, but under a swarm of Zeros they were being shot down one by one. Canon shells from the Zeros shot away the elevator, compass and hydraulics on Ferrier’s plane. Pilot Bert Earnest struggled with the controls, but managed to release his torpedo at a Japanese cruiser. Soon after, Harry Ferrier was hit by shrapnel and knocked unconscious.

After fending off Zeros and flying on dead reckoning, Bert Earnest managed to locate Midway Island. Harry Ferrier regained consciousness and Earnest asked him to confirm that the torpedo was successfully launched. Ferrier couldn’t tell because the window to the bomb bay was covered in blood.

Ferrier’s Avenger approached Midway and prepared for landing. With only one wheel down, it was waived off twice. On the third approach Earnest touched down. The plane ground looped and came to a gentle stop.

Harry Ferrier and Bert Earnest were alive. They were the only plane of VT-8 to return to base. Five out of six of VT-8’s Midway based Avengers were lost and all 15 of their carrier based Devastators were shot down during the battle. Their Avenger had nearly 70 holes in it.

For his actions that day, Harry Ferrier was awarded the Purple Heart and the Distinguished Flying Cross. His pilot, Bert Earnest was awarded the Navy Cross and the Purple Heart.

Harry Ferrier continued to fly with VT-8 after the Battle of Midway, participating in the Battle of Guadalcanal. After WWII, he stayed in the Navy and served in Korea and Vietnam.

RIP, brother.

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