The outset of World War II saw a progression of American aircraft carrier design leading to larger and more heavily armored battle carriers. CVB-41, the lead ship of the Midway-class, was ordered on August 7, 1942. She was the first fleet carrier to have the distinction of being named after a WWII battle. The carrier battle of Midway Island in June 1942 turned the tide of World War II and proved conclusively the potential of naval aviation.

CVB-41 was the third American ship and the second aircraft carrier to bear the name of Midway. The name of the first USS Midway, AG-41, a fleet auxiliary, was changed to the USS Panay on April 03, 1943 to allow the Midway name to be used for an aircraft carrier.

The second ship bearing the Midway name was a Casablanca-class escort carrier, USS St. Lo, CVE-63. Originally named USS Chapin Bay, the ship was renamed USS Midway on April 03, 1943. On October 10, 1944, the name of CVE-63 was changed again, this time to St. Lo in order to free the name Midway for a new attack carrier and to commemorate an important victory of American troops in France, who had captured the strongly defended town of Saint-Lô, on July 18, 1944.

The product of the Newport News Shipbuilding and Dry Dock Company, she was the lead ship of three 45,000-ton Midway-class CVBs, followed by USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, CVB-42 and USS Coral Sea, CVB-43. Two additional ships were canceled. Midway's keel was laid on October 27, 1943. The Midway-class aircraft carriers were subjected to an evolution of design schemes, with nine designs being proposed and a modified version of the fifth scheme being chosen. All three Midway-class aircraft carriers were built from the keel up as aircraft carriers. A prevalent rumor persists that the Midway-class aircraft carriers was originally designed as battleships and were actually built on the hulls of the cancelled Montana-class battleships.. This rumor is false. (There were never any Montana-class battleship keels/hulls for conversion to the Midway-class because none were ever built!). What is true is that the machinery arrangement design of the highly compartmented Montana-class was adopted, although the 212,000 hp powerplant of the Iowa-class battleship was used because the 172,000 hp powerplant of the Montana-class would have been insufficient. The design of the Midway-class aircraft carriers was a new, much larger design intended to correct certain problems in the Essex class design. They had armored flight decks, requiring a much larger hull and lower freeboard, to reduce top weight. They also carried a very heavy AA battery of 5/54 weapons. The armor requirement was originally meant to counter 8" cruiser gunfire, but by the time the ships were laid down the focus had shifted to defending against aircraft attack.

Launched on March 20, 1945, she was sponsored by Mrs. Bradford William Ripley, Jr. Commissioned on September 10, 1945, with Captain Joseph F. Bolger in command, Midway was the largest warship in the world for the first decade of her service. Every aspect of her construction included the most modern design innovations possible. Twelve Babcock and Wilcox boilers powered four Westinghouse geared turbines which developed 212,000 horsepower for a maximum speed of 33 knots. Midway was designed with two catapults, fourteen arresting cables, and six barriers. Her design aircraft compliment was 137. In their early years, the Midway-class carriers were the only ships capable of operating nuclear strike aircraft.

Midway was first underway on October 12, 1945 and performed her first arrested landing of an aircraft ten days later. The first aircraft to land aboard Midway was an F4U-4 Corsair piloted by CDR John "Tommy" Blackburn, Commander Air Group 74. Her Caribbean shakedown cruise lived up to all expectations, the only negative being a pronounced proclivity to drench the flight deck and the bow 40mm quad mount with green water in moderately heavy seas. Seriously overweight, Midway tended to plunge through, rather than ride over, heavy seas. The result of wartime demands that had continually added more tonnage, Midway quickly earned a reputation as a "wet" ship with her forward flight deck, gun galleries and hangar spaces frequently awash. In her final years, crewmembers described this plunging as "Rock & Roll."

In late February 1946 Midway became flagship for Carrier Division 1, operating in the Atlantic where she commenced flight training exercises in earnest. A few months late she embarked on her first major operational assignment, which included Operation FROSTBITE, conducted from March 1 to 28, 1946. Operating in the Labrador Sea and Davis Strait, Midway, three destroyers and a fleet oiler conducted a cold weather evaluation of aircraft, personnel and ships. Embarked onboard Midway was a Coast Guard helicopter and crew, which signified the first use of a helicopter for plane guard duty. Helicopter air-sea rescue techniques were refined and the infamous "poopy suit" was evaluated. Midway conducted flight and refueling operations during these tests despite heavy weather damage to elevator hangar doors and having two to four inches of snow on the flight deck at various times.

Early in 1947, operating off the East Coast with her recently redesignated battle group, CVBG-1, Midway operated F4U-4 Corsairs and SB2-C Helldivers. She conducted three training cruises in the Caribbean before sailing from her homeport at Norfolk, Virginia, on another experimental mission. On that landmark cruise, she was accompanied by scientific observers as her crew fired a captured German V-2 rocket from the flight deck on September 6, 1947. The purpose of Operation SANDY was to see if a large rocket could be launched from the deck of an aircraft carrier with little to no modifications. The actual ship launch test was only conducted once. There were prior tests carried out at White Sands on a simulated aircraft carrier deck to see what effects the rocket would have if it were to explode on the deck. This test marked the first time such a weapon was fired from a ship at sea or a moving platform. It decisively demonstrated the potential of large rocket fire from surface ships.

On October 29, 1947, Midway departed on her first deployment to the Mediterranean. Her air wing group was CVBG-1, made up of two fighter squadrons, which flew F4U-B Corsairs and AD-1 Skyraiders. Port calls during this cruise included Gibraltar, Algeria (Bone), Malta (Marsaxlokk Harbor), Italy (Genoa, Naples, and Taranto), Sicily (Augusta), and France (Gulf D'Hyeres). On February 18, 1948, a Midway launch capsized off Hyeres, France, killing eight. The deployment concluded in Norfolk, Virginia in March of 1948. A return trip to the Mediterranean was made from January to March 1949. This time, two Marine fighter squadrons were aboard. This cruise was hallmarked when a P2V-3 Neptune launched from Midway off the coast of Norfolk, flew to the Panama Canal, then over Corpus Christi, Texas and on to San Diego, California. This 4,800 mile non-stop flight was completed in 25 hours and 40 minutes. This operation was part of the Navy's determination to develop a carrier-based nuclear strike capability. The Navy modified twelve Lockheed P2V Neptunes to carry the 9000-lb Mk VIII atomic bomb. All three Midway-class carriers participated in extensive tests that saw this 70,000-lb long-range patrol bomber clear the deck with JATO-assisted rolling takeoffs. Unable to be launched by the ship's hydraulic catapults because of the aircraft's weight, the P2V's wingspan barely cleared the ship's island during its takeoff run. A "make do" aircraft modification too heavy to land on the carriers, the P2Vs turned in impressive performances flying mock "A-bomb" runs. Soon replaced by the more suitable folding-wing AJ-1 Savage, the Navy nevertheless proved that its carriers had nuclear delivery capability.

Midway departed Norfolk in October 1949 once again bound for cold weather operations. She operated in the Arctic Circle, gaining membership in "The Royal Order of the Blue Nose," and returned to Norfolk on December 22, 1949.

Midway deployed to the Mediterranean for a third time in January 1950 with Air Group Four. Port calls included Istanbul, Cyprus, Malta, Cannes, Oran and Lisbon. She returned to Norfolk in May of that year. On June 26, a Naval airship piloted by Lt. John Fahey, landed and then took off from the Midway during a demonstration for the Chief of Naval Operations and the Commander in Chief, U.S. Atlantic Fleet who were aboard Midway . With less than two months to turn around, Midway redeployed in July, exchanging Air Group Four for Air Group Seven. She arrived in Gibraltar with an upgraded fighter capability consisting of F9F-2 Panthers and F8F-1B Bearcats. On October 17th LTJG H. Urban, a pilot from VC-4 became Midway's first Centurion. He made his 100th Midway trap (his 207th career carrier landing) while flying an AD-3N. On this cruise, Midway served as the flagship of COMCARDIV Six and returned to Norfolk in November.

The first two years of Midway-class carrier operations revealed several shortcomings which were progressively addressed with refits and modifications to maintain the ships' first-line assault carrier status. Their flight decks were reinforced to accept the landing weight of the new 45,000-lb twin-engined, jet-augmented AJ-1 Savage. At this time the process of reducing wartime armament began when four of their eighteen five-inch/54 DP guns were removed. Also begun was the gradual replacement of 40mm Bofors with twenty new three-inch/50 fast-firing semi-automatic AA guns. The test of rigorous steaming soon revealed several other deficiencies which could not be ignored. Skippers complained that the Midway's bridge area was too cramped. This was corrected during construction by extending the island structure on the Coral Sea, and retrofitting enlarged areas to the Midway and Franklin D. Roosevelt during overhaul. These changes also afforded better placement of the gun directors. Later, the three ships would be fitted with "hurricane" bows that enclosed the forward flight deck and hull.

From November 1950 until April 1951, Midway was in the Norfolk Naval Shipyard for reinforcement of the flight deck to accommodate heavier aircraft. After conducting brief carrier qualifications off the Carolina coast, she steamed south for Guantanamo Bay, Cuba. After completing refresher training, Midway returned to Norfolk in July.

In January 1952, Midway made her fifth Mediterranean cruise with Air Group Six embarked. During this cruise, Midway participated in Operation GRAND SLAM, a multi-national English, French, Italian and U.S. exercise. Upon completion of this exercise, she operated in the eastern Mediterranean before returning to Norfolk in May 1952. From 26 to 29 May 1952, the feasibility of the angled deck concept was demonstrated in tests conducted on a simulated angled deck aboard Midway by Naval Air Test Center pilots and Atlantic Fleet pilots in both jet and prop aircraft. In August 1952, Midway departed Norfolk for NATO exercises in the North Sea. This was a combined exercise with USS Franklin D. Roosevelt, USS Wasp, and USS Wisconsin. On October 1, upon her return to Norfolk, Midway was redesignated as attack carrier CVA-41.

Again with less than two months preparation, Midway departed on her sixth Mediterranean cruise in December of 1952. The basic composition of the air group remained unchanged. Participating in NATO Operation RENDEZVOUS from March 15 - 24, Midway was the flag ship of Carrier Division Four and made port calls at Gibraltar, France (Golfe Juan and Marseilles), Italy (Taranto, Naples, Genoa, and LaSpezia), Algeria (Algiers and Oran), Sicily (Augusta), Greece (Rhodes and Salonika), Golfe Juan, and Spain (Barcelona & Palma). On January 24, 1953, while anchored at Gibraltar, the USS Great Sitkin, AE-17, came alongside to transfer ammunition. Upon completion of the transfer, the Great Sitkin collided with the Midway as she was breaking away. The port quarter of the Great Sitkin scraped the starboard quarter of the Midway, causing minor exterior damage.  Returning to Norfolk in May 1953, Midway entered a five-month regular overhaul.

In January 1954, Midway deployed to the Mediterranean for the seventh time. On February 18, one day before entering port in Athens for a state visit, Midway collided with a replenishment ship, USS Kankakee, AO-39. Occurring in the Aegean Sea at 1700 on a Thursday, the ships were conducting side-by-side transfer of materials in rough seas. Swells were reported to be about 15 feet between the ships. Upon casting off the last securing lines, the Kankakee began a sharp starboard turn. This caused her port stern area to sideswipe the Midway's aft starboard side, just above the waterline, crushing one of the starboard weather deck 5" gun mounts. There was no fire and damage control made temporary repairs while underway. Also during this cruise, a major fire on the flight deck occurred when an F2H bounced over the barrier and went into the pack. Casualties were four pilots and approximately four crew. This cruise was extended an additional month due to their relief, USS Bennington having a catastrophic port catapult machinery explosion, which killed about 100 of the crew. The Bennington had to return to CONUS for repairs before finally departing for the Mediterranean. Midway returned to Norfolk in August of 1954.

In December 1954, with Air Group One aboard, Midway departed Norfolk on a world cruise, which culminated in her transfer to the Pacific Fleet. Joining the Seventh Fleet off Taiwan in February 1955, she became the flagship of COMCARDIV Three, operating off the Philippine Islands and Japan. Shortly after her arrival in the area, Midway participated in the evacuation of 24,000 military and civilian personnel of the Republic of China from the Tachen Islands, off the China coast. She remained in the area patrolling the Taiwan Straits and the South China Sea until June. For this operation, Midway was awarded the China Service Medal. Midway left Yokosuka, Japan and returned to NAS Alameda, California in July 1955. She entered Puget Sound Naval Shipyard, Washington and was decommissioned for the first time in October 1955.

While the gradual removal of armament helped to curtail the burden of excessive weight, the advent of the angled carrier deck not only added additional tons of displacement, but became a serious factor in stability. Built as axial, or straight-deck carriers, the problem of cycling and spotting aircraft for either launching or recovery operations remained a detriment to combat efficiency since only one function could be performed at a time. The angled flight deck, pioneered by the British, changed all that.

After being decommissioned, Midway underwent a modernization project to give her the capability to operate high performance jet aircraft. She was fitted with two steam catapults on the bow and a shorter steam catapult in the new angle deck. The purpose of the third catapult was to allow ready deck launches while keeping the landing area clear for recoveries in an "alert" situation. Additional improvements included the installation of a hurricane (enclosed) bow, moving elevator number three to the starboard deck edge aft of the island, enlarging the number one elevator to accommodate longer aircraft, new arresting gear, jet blast deflectors, and the largest aviation crane ever installed on an aircraft carrier. On recommissioning in September 1957, Midway's load displacement had grown from 55,000 to 62,000 tons. Midway was soon underway in December heading south for shakedown and refresher training.

In August 1958, she was underway on her first deployment as an angle deck carrier. With Midway's increased combat capabilities, CVG-2 was composed of two supersonic fighter squadrons and three attack squadrons. On 8 December 1958, the first firing of a Sparrow III air-to-air missile by a squadron deployed outside the U.S. was conducted by VF-64, based aboard Midway . During this cruise, she operated off Taiwan in support of the Quemoy-Matsu crisis as the flagship of COMCARDIV Five. She returned to Alameda in March of 1959.

In August 1959, after a one-month turn around period, Midway redeployed to the Far East. During this cruise, she recorded 8,000 landings, including her 80,000th arrested landing. On November 09, 1959, during a port visit to Subic Bay in the Philippines, a fire broke out in the aft HEAF (jet fuel) pump room on the seventh deck aboard the carrier. The fire was discovered by Damage Controlman Second Class Phillip Cunningham, who was later found guilty of having started the fire himself (Cunningham had already come under suspicion of setting several fires aboard Midway because he frequently was the first on the scene once the fires were discovered). All personnel not engaged in fighting the fire or standing watch were evacuated to the pier. Fire fighters from the ship and the Subic Bay Fire Department battled the fire for five hours and were finally successful in extinguishing it. Although damage to the ship was slight, several compartments surrounding the fire had been flooded to stop the blaze. Found guilty of setting the fire, which caused $25,000 (equivalent to about $254,442.44 today) in damage to the ship, Cunningham was sentenced to a bad conduct discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, confinement at hard labor for three years, and reduction to the lowest enlisted grade. Midway's eleventh deployment ended with arrival at Alameda in March 1960.

Following a five-month overhaul, Midway underwent refresher training, operating from Long Beach, California. During this training, the McDonnell F4H-1 Phantom II and the North American A3J-1 Vigilante were aboard for their carrier qualifications prior to entering actual service. Upon completion of her refresher training, Midway was underway in February 1961. With Air Group Two aboard, she operated off the coast of Vietnam during the Laotian crisis, eventually returning to Alameda in September 1961.

In April 1962, Midway departed for another Far East tour. During this deployment, her aircraft tested the air defense systems of Japan, Korea, Okinawa, the Philippines, and Taiwan. The 100,000th arrested landing was made during this cruise which ended upon arrival at Alameda in October 1962.

After a regular overhaul extending until April 1963, Midway continued its role as a research and development platform. On 13 June 1963, Lt. Cmdr. Randall K. Billins and Lt. Cmdr. Robert S. Chew Jr., of Naval Air Test Center Patuxent River, piloting an F-4A Phantom II and an F-8D Crusader respectively, made the first fully automatic carrier landings with production equipment on board Midway off the California coast. The landings, made "hands off" with both flight controls and throttles operated automatically by signals from the ship, highlighted almost 16 years of research and development.

Midway made her fourteenth and sixth straight WESTPAC deployment in November 1963. Her most significant improvement was increased jet fighter capacity with the addition of Mach 2.2 F-4B Phantom IIs. She returned to Alameda in May 1964 to replace the number three elevator which had been destroyed and lost during extremely heavy seas on January 04, 1964. This incident happened while Midway was taking on supplies, using the lowered elevator as the transfer point. A surging wave hit the elevator, lifting it and cocking it in the runners. The wave partially went over the elevator, nearly washing off the sailors who were moving supplies. A second wave hit the elevator, causing it to drop out the bottom of the runners, lifted it higher, and then dropped it, snapping the cables. The elevator fell behind the ship and eventually sunk.

On February 25, 1965, a VA-23 Black Knights A-4E Skyhawk from the Midway was mistaken for an expected target drone and shot down by a USS Preble (DLG-15) Terrier missile when it over flew a missile range during southern California maneuvers for the SILVER LANCE exercise. The pilot was killed. March 1965 marked a milestone in Midway's life as she left Alameda for her first combat cruise. From mid-April, while operating as part of Task Force 77 in the Tonkin Gulf, Midway's aircraft flew 11,900 combat missions over Vietnam. On 17 June 1965, while escorting a strike on the barracks at Gen Phu, North Vietnam, Cmdr. L. C. Page and Lt. J. E. Batson, flying F-4B Phantoms of VF-21, deployed aboard Midway , intercepted four MiG-17s. Cmdr. Page shot down one, scoring the first confirmed U.S. victory over North Vietnamese Air Force (VPAF) MiGs in Vietnam. In the same engagement, Lt. Batson shot down a second MiG with an AIM-7 Sparrow missile. An unconfirmed report shows that debris from the destroyed aircraft was ingested by that MiG's wingman, possibly giving Lt. Batson a double kill. On 20 June, four A-1H Skyraiders from VA-25 were on a mission to locate downed pilots. The Skyraiders were carrying survival canisters and rocket canisters on the wing racks. A support ship detected two enemy aircraft coming from the north and warned the Skyraiders. The Skyraiders immediately dropped all ordnance, including fuel tanks, and went down to treetop level. Finding a small mountain, they started circling it, using it for cover. Two MiG-17s came down and made a pass at the lead Skyraider. The two Skyraiders behind the lead aircraft rolled up and fired at the MiGs with their 20mm cannons. Missing the first MiG, they hit the second with their guns, shooting it down. The pilots were Lt. C. B. Johnson and Ltjg. C. W. Hartman III and each were awarded a half credit for the kill. The nine-month combat cruise ended in November when Midway returned to Alameda. For their performance on this cruise, Midway and her air wing, Attack Carrier Air Wing Two, received the Navy Unit Commendation Medal and, in addition, Midway received the Battle Efficiency "E," marking her as the outstanding carrier in the Pacific Fleet.

February 1966 saw Midway decommissioned once again in order to undergo the most extensive and complex modernization ever seen on a naval vessel. This upgrade would take four years to complete, but yielded a much more capable ship and made Midway operationally equivalent to the newest conventionally powered carriers. The flight deck was increased in surface area from 2.82 acres to 4.02 acres. The addition of three new deck-edge elevators could now lift 130,000 pounds compared with 74,000 pounds of her sister ships, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Coral Sea. Two powerful new catapults on the bow, three new arresting gear engines, and one barricade were installed and rearranged to accommodate a change of 13 degrees to the angle deck. The smaller waist catapult was removed since it was ineffective in launching the now heavier aircraft. Modern electronic systems were installed, a central chilled water air conditioning system replaced hundreds of individual units, and Midway became the first ship to have the aviation fueling system completely converted from aviation gas to JP-5. Delays, caused partially by the simultaneous construction of USS Horne and modernization of USS Chicago, and unscheduled repairs to the fire damaged USS Oriskany, drove the initial modernization estimate from 87 million dollars to 202 million dollars.

1970 was a year of preparation for Midway . Now capable of operating the most modern fleet aircraft, Midway was expected to deliver at least another 15 years of service life. After recommissioning on January 31 and underway in March, Builders Trials, Refresher Training and a Post Shakedown yard period helped bring the ship and crew to a peak of readiness. This was reflected in outstanding performances by the ship in early 1971 during the Interim Refresher Training, a fleet exercise, several Carrier Qualification periods and an Operational Readiness Inspection.

On April 16, 1971, Midway began her sixteenth deployment 13,000 tons heavier than her original full load displacement. Arriving off the coast of South Vietnam with Air Wing Five embarked and a crew of 4,500, she relieved USS Hancock, CVA-19 on May 18. This was the beginning of single carrier operations, which lasted until the end of the month. During this time, the ship launched over 6,000 missions in support of allied operations in the Republic of Vietnam. Departing Yankee Station on June 5, she completed her final line period on October 31. Midway returned to Alameda on November 6th, after spending 146 consecutive days at sea. For this deployment, Midway was awarded the Meritorious Unit Commendation.

Due to a sudden North Vietnamese invasion of South Vietnam, Midway left on April 10, 1972, for a third Vietnam deployment, seven weeks prior to her scheduled deployment date. On this deployment, Air Wing Five aircraft played an important role in the effort of U.S. forces to stop the flow of men and supplies into South Vietnam from the North. On May 11, aircraft from Midway along with those from USS Coral Sea, CVA-43, USS Kitty Hawk, CVA-63, and USS Constellation, CVA-64 continued laying minefields in ports of significance to the North Vietnamese: Thanh Hoa, Dong Hoi, Vinh, Hon Gai, Quang Khe, and Cam Pha, as well as other approaches to Haiphong. Ships that were in port in Haiphong had been advised that the mining would take place and that the mines would be armed 72 hours later. On August 7, an HC-7 Det 110 helicopter, flying from Midway , and aided by other planes from the carrier and USS Saratoga, CVA-60, conducted a search and rescue mission for a downed aviator in North Vietnam. The pilot of an A-7 aircraft from Saratoga had been downed by a surface-to-air missile about 20 miles inland, northwest of Vinh, on 6 August. The HC-7 helo flew over mountainous terrain to rescue the pilot. The rescue helicopter used its search light to assist in locating the downed aviator and, despite receiving heavy ground fire, was successful in retrieving him and returning to an LPD off the coast. This was the deepest penetration of a rescue helicopter into North Vietnam since 1968. HC-7 Det 110 continued its rescue missions and by the end of 1972 had successfully accomplished 48 rescues, 35 of which were under combat conditions. In October, an aircraft crash landed on Midway's deck. This aircraft ran into a group of parked aircraft and destroyed eight of them, killed 5 crewmen and injured 23 others. On January 12, 1973, an aircrew flying from Midway was credited with downing the last confirmed North Vietnamese Air Force (VPAF) MiG of the war. Upon the signing of the cease-fire on January 15, Midway returned home. The Presidential Unit Citation was awarded to Midway and Carrier Air Wing Five for exceptional heroism for the period April 30, 1972 to February 09, 1973. This award was a rare presentation during the Vietnam War. During this time Midway was on her third Vietnam combat cruise and spent 208 line days on Yankee Station. CVW-5 had five air combat victories including the last downing of a MiG during the Vietnam hostilities. CVW-5 suffered 15 combat and five operational losses in this period.

On September 11, 1973, Midway left Alameda on one of her most important voyages to date. Arriving in Yokosuka, Japan on October 5, 1973, Midway and Carrier Air Wing Five marked the first forward-deployment of a complete carrier task group in a Japanese port as the result of an accord arrived at on August 31, 1972 between the United States and Japan. Known as the Navy's Overseas Family Residency Program, Midway's crew and their families were now permanently home ported in Japan. In addition to the morale factor of dependents housed along with the crew in a foreign port, the move had strategic significance because it facilitated continuous positioning of three carriers in the Far East at a time when the economic situation demanded the reduction of carriers in the fleet. It also effectively reduced the deployment cycles of her sister Pacific Fleet carriers.

In April 1975, Midway returned to the waters of Vietnam. On April 20, all fixed-wing aircraft of CVW-5 were flown off to NAS Cubi Point and ten USAF 40th Aerospace Rescue & Recovery Squadron H-53's were embarked. Midway , along with USS Coral Sea, CVA-43, USS Hancock, CVA-19, USS Enterprise, CVAN-65 and USS Okinawa, LPH-3, responded to the North Vietnamese overrunning two-thirds of South Vietnam. On April 29, Operation FREQUENT WIND was carried out by U.S. Seventh Fleet forces. As South Vietnam fell, the H-53's from Midway flew in excess of 40 sorties, shuttling 3,073 U.S. personnel and Vietnamese refugees out of Saigon in two days, bringing them onto the ship. Midway's HC-1 Det 2 Sea Kings then transported the evacuees to other ships. One South Vietnamese pilot flew a Cessna O-1 Bird Dog observation plane with his wife and five children out to Midway . He passed a note asking permission to land. The angle deck was cleared and the pilot made a good approach and landed with room to spare. The crew of Midway met him with cheers. For her role in the operation, Midway was awarded the Navy Unit Commendation and the Humanitarian Service Medal.