_Sgt William G. Turnage enlisted in the Corps in 1931. Recommended for
a letter of commendation for his “efficient action” at Ewa Field on 7
December, he ultimately was awarded a Bronze Star._]
However, around 0930, yet another flight of enemy planes
appeared--about 15 Vals from _Kaga_ and _Hiryu_. Although the pilots
of those planes had expended their 250-kilogram bombs on ships at
Pearl Harbor, they still apparently retained plenty of 7.7-millimeter
ammunition, and seemed determined to expend much of what remained upon
Ewa. As in the previous attacks by _Shokaku_’s Vals, the last group
came in at very low altitude from just over the tops of the trees
surrounding the station. Quite taken by the high maneuverability of
the nimble dive bombers, which they were seeing at close hand for the
second time that day, the Marines mistook them for fighter aircraft
with fixed landing gear.
Around that time, Lieutenant Colonel Larkin saw an American plane
and a Japanese one collide in mid-air a short distance away from the
field. In all probability, Larkin saw _Enterprise_’s Ensign John H. L.
Vogt’s Dauntless collide with a Val. Vogt had become separated from his
section leader during the Pearl-bound flight in from the carrier, may
have circled offshore, and then arrived over Ewa in time to encounter
dive bombers from _Kaga_ or _Hiryu_. Vogt and his passenger, Radioman
Third Class Sidney Pierce, bailed out of their SBD, but at too low
an altitude, for both died in the trees when their ’chutes failed to
deploy fully. Neither of the Japanese crewmen escaped from their Val
when it crashed.
[Illustration: