Apparent Futility
The sacrifice of Torpedo 8 in its attack on the Japanese strike force might seem like a gallant, but useless, gesture. The “Charge of the Light Brigade” comes to mind:
Theirs not to make reply,
Theirs not to reason why,
Theirs but to do and die:
Into the valley of Death
Rode the six hundred.73
Only in retrospect do we know that Torpedo 8’s attack was indeed not futile. In fact there are few instances in any war when such an apparently futile effort accomplished so much. As the Japanese carriers maneuvered to avoid these attacks, they could not launch their own aircraft. The American carriers may have been saved because of this delay. Of equal importance, the Zeros that shot down the aircraft of Torpedo 8 at low altitude found themselves hopelessly out of position minutes later at the climax of the battle. The skies high above the Japanese carrier fleet were undefended when the American dive-bombers appeared.
My father used to quote Robert E. Lee: “Duty is the sublimest word in the English language.” These intrepid young pilots individually demonstrated the full meaning of this sentence. Fortunately, most of us do not face such life-and-death situations. However, we are all called to do the right thing every day. Sometimes it isn’t easy, and often we don’t see the immediate benefit. But we know what we should do.
Now all has been heard; here is the conclusion of the matter: Fear God and keep his commandments, for this is the whole duty of man.
—Ecclesiastes 12:13