Ensign John C Lough, Naval Aviator

John's Freshman Year High School Yearbook Photo

John's Senior Year High School Yearbook Photo

John Cady Lough was born on November 22, 1915 in Henry County, Geneseo, Illinois. His parents were George Walter Lough, born in Illinois on September 4, 1892, and Ruth Gertrude Cady, born in Illinois on September 1, 1891. His father was a farmer who farmed, with the help of a hired man, just outside and East of Geneseo on the North side of the extension of Wells Street. John had two sisters, Genevieve and Rose Ann.

John entered Geneseo Township High School in 1931. He participated in sports Booster and Science clubs all four years of High School, the Agriculture Club during his first three years, the Industrial Arts and Reading Clubs during his Sophomore and Junior years, the school newspaper during Junior year, and played football during his last three years.

Senior year John was Class President, Basketball Manager, President of the Booster Club, and Vice President of the National Honor Society. His quote in his Senior yearbook was, “For when he cannot speak the good, he hasn’t a word to say.” He graduated from high school in 1934.

John started his higher education in 1936 at Illinois Wesleyan University, Bloomington, Illinois in the Pre-med curriculum. He majored in chemistry and minored in mathematics. While at the university, John was a member of Phi Sigma Epsilon Fraternity, Alpha Epsilon Delta, a Medical Pre-professional Honor Society, and the University Chorus. John graduated from Illinois Wesleyan in June, 1940; receiving a Bachelor of Science degree.

John enlisted in the Naval Reserve on December 2, 1940 at Robertson, Missouri as a Seaman Second Class. He completed Elimination Flight Training and was released to inactive duty and sent home to await further orders. John was honorably discharged on March 1, 1941 to accept an appointment as an Aviation Cadet. He was appointed an Aviation Cadet on March 6, 1941 and was sent to NAS Pensacola, Florida for Intermediate Flight Training. John was next assigned to NAS Miami, Florida for Advanced Squadron Training. He was commissioned as a Naval Aviator, heavier than air, Ensign in the Naval Reserve on August 18, 1941. John graduated from the Advanced Carrier Training Group on November 1, 1941.

He received orders to join the USS Wasp’s (CV-7) Air Group. Instead, John was sent to Hawaii, arriving on March 1, 1942. John was assigned to the shore-based squadron VB-3, formerly based on the USS Saratoga. With VB-3, John was familiarized with the SBD Dauntless and dive-bombing. On April 3, 1942 John made an extremely rough landing that caused the damaged aircraft to be scrapped.

VS-6 Patch.png

SBD 6-S-14.png

On April 8, 1942 VB-3, with John Lough, joined VB-6 on the USS Enterprise (CV-6) under great secrecy and departed Hawaii in support of the Doolittle raid on Tokyo. During that return trip, between April 21 and April 24, John become Carrier Qualified.

Sometime around April 25, VB-3 was cannibalized, and John was transferred to fill-out VS-6. On April 30, Enterprise returned to sea to train its pilots. John was one of the four most experienced “New Boy” pilots, but during this training John once landed so hard that his SBD, broke just behind the front cockpit, spilling two burning flares onto the flight-deck. Neither John nor his radio-operator/gunner were injured in this accident. During this time the “Old Timers” of VS-6 taught the “New Boys” squadron and division tactics. Upon returning to Hawaii, VS-6 replaced their SBD-2s with SBD-3s.

John Lough in VS-6 Group Photo

SBDs Spotted on Deck

John's SBD for The Battle of Midway - S-14

On May 28, 1942 USS Hornet and Enterprise, with VS-6 and John Lough on board, departed Hawaii for “Point Luck”, Northeast of Midway Island. Group photographs were taken of all the squadrons. During the trip, technicians installed the latest equipment on all of the aircraft. This included electrical bomb-release systems, and radio direction finding and homing systems.

On June 4, 1942 the airmen’s call to wake-up, for VS-6 and John, came at 2:00 AM. Few ate much during breakfast. Briefings were held in the pilot’s Ready Room, and then they waited. Shortly after 6:07 AM Enterprise passed word to its pilots to main their planes. The pilots stood, shook hands and filed-out, heading for the flight-deck. However, the ship’s loudspeakers halted them, and they returned to the Ready Room. Enterprise decided to launch their strike at 7:00 AM.

John’s assigned aircraft for the mission was S-14. His radio-operator/gunner was Louis (Lou) Dale Hansen. Their aircraft was armed with a five-hundred-pound bomb on the center station and one one-hundred-pound bomb on each wing. Maximum fuel for the bomb load was also carried. They were spotted at the rear of VS-6’s area on the deck, but ahead of VB-6.

Last Known Photograph Containing John Lough

John’s aircraft was probably the heaviest he taken-off of a carrier with and this takeoff may have been the first time he flew with live bombs. John was assigned to the rear of the second division of VS-6. He took-off, formed-up, and circled the Enterprise in formation as they waited for the TBD torpedo bombers to launch. John and VS-6 waited for thirty-nine-minutes, circling Enterprise and slowly climbing. Finally, a Japanese scouting aircraft appeared and reported the location of the US carriers to the enemy. At 7:45 AM, Enterprise signaled its SBDs to head for the Japanese carriers.

John flew with VS-6 at 18,000 to 20,000 feet. It was cold and he and Lou were on oxygen and on a course of 240 degrees. Not finding the Japanese carriers, at 9:35 AM, John and VS-6 changed course to 315 degrees. At 9:55AM they spotted a lone Japanese destroyer racing to the Northeast. John and VS-6 turned to the destroyer’s heading. John and VS-6 spotted the Japanese carriers at 10:02 AM.

When the lead SBDs of VS-6 started their dives on the Japanese carriers it was 10:22 AM. John and Lou noticed that not a single Zero fighter was in position to be able to attack them. Lou probably turned his seat forward to be able to read the altimeter to John when John started his dive and concentrated on their target. They would drop their bombs at or slightly below 2,000 feet, retract their dive-brakes, roll toward their escape heading, and perform a blood-draining pull-out during which they would probably briefly black-out.

John and Lou were the fourteenth to dive on the Kaga. They dove straight down, reducing their dive to about 70 degrees as they neared 2,000 feet. Their bombs probably missed, but they survived their dive.

After pulling-out and zooming away on the deck from the Japanese ships, John and Lou spotted Lt. Ware’s SBD and two others in formation headed towards Midway Island. As John caught-up with the three SBDs, “Old Boy” “Mac” McCarthy and another SBD joined them, enabling a formation of two, three-aircraft elements. Lt. Ware lead one element and the whole division while McCarthy, led the second element. John and Lou assumed the Tail-End-Charlie position of the impromptu six aircraft formation/division.

Just as McCarthy’s element reached its position next to Lt. Ware’s element, some Zeros attacked. The Zero’s attacked singly, did not coordinate, and were out of 20 mm cannon ammunition. Thus, their attacks were ineffective as the six SBDs maneuvered together, descended to the deck, and twelve .30 caliber machine-guns returned fire against the two machine-guns of each attacking Zero. After a few minutes the Zeros departed.

Lt. Ware had the formation climb to 1,200 feet and turn Northeast for the Enterprise. After thirty to forty-five minutes elapsed, Lt. Ware had the division dive to the deck again. Behind them and climbing through 2,000 feet was an attack group of eighteen Japanese Val dive-bombers and six escorting Zeros headed for the American carriers! The Zeros left the Vals they were assigned to protect and dove on the SBDs. Lt. Ware had his formation tighten-up and skid and weave to make themselves harder targets while answering each Zero’s attack with massed machine-gun fire. After about five minutes, McCarthy’s element’s other SBD ran out of fuel and had to ditch. John and the other four remaining SBD’s defensive fire forced two of the Zeros to prematurely break-off their attacks due to damage and head for their carrier. Most importantly, the SBDs deprived the eighteen Vals of their fighter escort, forcing them to attack the US carriers without fighter protection. Although the Vals succeeded in hitting the Yorktown with three bombs, only five of them returned to their carrier, largely due to the absence of their fighter escort.

Shortly after the Zeros departed, John and Lou saw McCarthy leave formation and fly alongside Lt. Ware. They observed a discussion about their heading between McCarthy and Lt. Ware via hand signals. Finally, McCarthy left formation, taking “his” heading. Another SBD left the division splitting the difference between Lt. Ware’s and McCarthy’s headings. That left John and Lou’s SBD and two other SBDs continuing to follow Lt. Ware.

Remaining with Lt. Ware was not a dumb choice as Lt. Ware was the third most experienced pilot in VS-6. He really should get them back to Enterprise. After all, he had successfully led them through two attacks by multiple Zeros and he had the most experience in their little group. He should have been able to get them home.

Unfortunately, Lt. Ware’s heading was incorrect for returning to the Enterprise! His remaining division of four SBDs flew off into the North Pacific and were never seen again. One must assume that they all ran out of fuel, ditched, and died as a result of their landings, or wounds received from the Japanese, drowning, or exposure/hunger/thirst.

McCarthy's SBD just reached the Enterprise's outer screen of destroyers before it ran out of fuel and he had to ditch. "Mac" and his gunner both survived. The other SBD that left Lt. Ware's division was never seen again as well.

Based on Lt. Ware’s level of experience, it seems possible that the new electrical equipment installed in the aircraft immediately before the battle was the cause of his taking an incorrect heading. The new equipment may have affected the magnetic compass of Lt. Ware’s aircraft and the responsible aircraft technicians failed to re-calibrate the compass in their rush to complete the installations of the new systems in all of the aircraft. Alternately, Lt. Ware may have left the unfamiliar electrical system turned-on when it should have been turned-off for checking headings. This seems like a reasonable explanation for why the third most experienced pilot in the squadron would insist on taking the wrong heading to reach home. Lt. Ware's navigation was probably good, but he relied on incorrect information.

A Rudderow Class Destroyer Escort

John Lough died sometime on or after June 4, 1942 in the Pacific Ocean. On June 5, 1943 he was officially listed as “presumed dead” per the then usual US Navy practice of waiting for a year and a day to declare death for those Missing In Action.

Posthumously, John was awarded the Navy Cross, Purple Heart, and Presidential Unit Citation. A Rudderow-Class Destroyer Escort, USS Lough, was named in honor of him and commissioned on January 22, 1944, with John’s youngest sister, Rose, serving as sponsor at the ceremonies. USS Lough received three battle stars for WW2 service and was decommissioned on June 22, 1946.

All photos in this article were taken by and are the property of the US Navy; with the exception of the High School Yearbook photographs of John Lough.