SOC Over  USS PORTLAND
On 7 June 1942, near Midway, the newly promoted LT(jg) Ralph "Kaiser" Wilhelm and ARM1c Fred Dyer were
assigned the task of searching for downed Navy flyers lost during the Battle of Midway.
"About 0600, just at sunrise, quite a number of people sighted a yellow very star a couple of miles behind us.
The MORRIS was sent back and I was also catapulted to try and locate its source. I searched for an hour and
a half but couldn't see a thing. I was hoping I might see a lost pilot in a life raft but I believe it must have
been a submarine because the emergency recognition for subs this morning was a yellow star. When I returned
we had joined the other ships and the tanker was along side us. Two ASTORIA planes were up for the inner air
patrol so I was recovered."
Flying in Curtiss SOC-1 Seagull, Number 10 (BuNo 9891), this piece depicts the scout and its crew returning
to USS Portland (CA-33).
Special thanks to both "Kaiser" and Fred. "Kaiser" has the original and Fred's daughter
personally delivered a copy of this painting to the museum on Midway Atoll.
 
 Lt(jg) Ralph "Kaiser" Wilhelm
click here to read "Kaiser's" log
 
Fred Dyer - Aviation Radioman 2nd Class
               Honolulu - 1940    Age 22