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Coming off duty after watch, general quarters (man your battle stations) sounded and all hell broke loose. I ran for my 20 mm gun mount. The sky lit up like daylight by the the Japanese dropping down magnesium parachute flares. ---at 00:30 or so, the Night Fighters were shooting down incoming planes, Betty's or whatever they were. This kept on for several days---no sleep. During that time the Bunker Hill was hit, the Intrepid was hit.
The carrier USS Franklin was hit the following morning, on the 19th of March, resulting in 1600-1700 casualties. When we could "catch a little shuteye" in a short respite from the ongoing attack we slept under the gun mounts , when we could.
I heard this plane bearing down. it's signature sound didn't sound familiar---it didn't sound like one our planes. I looked up. I saw one plane drop a bomb on the big E, The Enterprise. Fortunately, the bomb was a "dud". Just the detonator went off in the bomb.
Then hell broke loose, again. Planes came in from all directions. hitting of course, The Bunker Hill, Intrepid, the Destroyers, The Pickets. We had several near-misses on the Yorktown, and several cold-salt water showers and plenty of concussions. Saw one plane coming down on us--I yelled out. Saw flames shoot out from under the engine. That's the last I remember. The BOMB knocked me out completely, for the moment, anyway. When I came to, the gun battery was a shambles, helmets all over.
No sooner that I felt I was wounded, stretcher-bearers came over and picked me up. They took me to the battle-dressing station on the flight deck, a room no bigger than 10' by 10'. In it were at least 8 to ten wounded in stretchers. I was 'in shock' with the concussion and with bomb shrapnel in my legs. Awarded Purple Heart
Despite that, I got out of my stretcher to aid some of the wounded.
{Editor's note; Sarkisian was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal after the recommendation by Chaplin Moody. Sarkisian, although wounded himself helped tend to the other wounded inside the aid station on the flight deck.}
One {wounded sailor I noticed and aided} in particular was Barnett, the one I taught bugle calls almost the 'same day'. (He lost both his legs). He died right there, in front of me.
Pharmacist's Mate asked me if I could find my way to sick-bay. "Luckily", the shrapnel cauterized to some degree some of the wounds on my leg. I was in sick bay for 12 days, after which I asked the medical Doctor to be released. There was "too much action" going on "topside". Up at the gun battery, they gave me an ammunition box to sit on to act as lookout. I couldn't stand." The concussions, vibrations of the gunnery intensified the pain I felt. I wished I was back in sick bay but I had to be with my Marine Corps comrades during the battles.
Out of the clouds came another Jap "Judy". She dropped down out of the 700 ft or so overcast. The pilot might of already been killed. She bore on down on us.....God was on our side . She came straight at us flying over the gun battery.
This is the same 'generic' scene used in many history shows, Victory-at-Sea, and many scenes used in carrier war documentaries of WWII etc, which shows it bearing down, and pulling up and over at the very last second. May have been the same gun battery I was on originally, on the 18th of March.
The geyser of water that went up when she splashed in seemed as high as the ship's island structure.
Ed Sarkisian, Sr.
United States Marine Corps USS Yorktown Marine Detachment
The Yorktown picture seen around the world, the famous "Flaming Kate", made from aft end of Yorktown's flight deck, late 1943, photographed by a Photographer Mate Chief Petty Officer. Life Magazine featured this picture in full page color.
Where is he now? (April 2002 Sarkisian got out of the United States Marines in '45. He worked as a photoengraver in the graphic arts industry in New York City for years, putting all three kids through college. Decorated Marine Sarkisian now live in Little Egg Harbor Township, New Jersey doing some model aircraft, some fishing , woodwork , and lots of 'fix-em up work.
Text Written by my son, Edward A. Sarkisian.
Photo of Marine Sarkisian on 20mm gun on USS Yorktown by Jeff Corey