“Smokey” Stover
January 2nd, 2009 From
>Date: Fri, 19 Dec 1997 00:53:04 -0500
>From: Brooks A Rowlett
>Organization: None whatsoever
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>To: Andrew Toppan
> Mahan Naval History Mailing List
> World War II Discussion List
>Subject: “Smokey” Stover
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>
>On one of the mailing lists I am on there was a mention, in a thread on
>nicknames in maritime services, of a comic strip with a character called
>”Smokey” Stover.This prompted me to generate the following:
>
>The name “Smokey” Stover is of some minor note in USN and cinema
>history. In 1943 a documentary was made about brand new ESSEX class
>carrier, CV-10 USS YORKTOWN. Lt Elisha Terril Stover acquired the
>nickname “Smokey” probably from the source cited. He flew Wildcats off
>USS HORNET at Midway, and wound up on Guadalcanal after HORNET (CV-8)
>was sunk at Santa Cruz Oct 42. After interesting experiences on the
>’canal, Stover returned home to become the naval aviator assigned to
>the new Combat Information Center (CIC) on the new carrier YORKTOWN.
>He is seen and introduced in this role in the film THE FIGHTING LADY
>(not to be confused with the Korean War MEN OF THE FIGHTING LADY which
>seems to be a rip-off of BRIDGES OF TOKO-RI). He had begged all along
>to be returned to the iar, and was eventually re-assigned to Fighting 5
>(VF-5) the Hellcat squadron in YORKTOWN’s air wing. A very popular
>officer, he was forced to bail out of his plane during the big strike
>on Truk, Feb 44. He was reported as missing in action, but was believed
>to have drifted ashore at this major Japanese base.
>
>Squadronmate Dick Newhafer composed a final tribute that evening:
>The call came
> On metal-fashioned wings
>And echoed til it spent;
> He bade farewell
>To all the well-loved things
> And then he went.
>A fresh wind
> Bore him away tonight,
>The world is sad,
> He gave his mirth
>For all the world’s delight,
> T’was all he had
>
>Not great, but as good a farewell as any.
>
>Postwar it was learned that of 7 downed US aviators who came ashore,
>all were beaten and tortured by their captors. Then , the day after the
>raids ceased, all were marched to the beach and beheaded with swords.
>
>The above is from THE FIGHTING LADY (book) by Clark G Reynolds. A
>wartime biography of this Junior USN naval was published, called THE
>STORY OF SMOKEY STOVER. Just another casualty in some ways, but not a
>faceless or nameless one thanks to his friends and the whims of fate and
>documentaries.
>
>-Brooks A Rowlett